Angels Demons Chapter 39-41

39 The Apostolic Palace is a conglomeration of buildings located near the Sistine Chapel in the northeast corner of Vatican City. With a commanding view of St. Peter's Square, the palace houses both the Papal Apartments and the Office of the Pope. Vittoria and Langdon followed in silence as Commander Olivetti led them down a long rococo corridor, the muscles in his neck pulsing with rage. After climbing three sets of stairs, they entered a wide, dimly lit hallway. Langdon could not believe the artwork on the walls – mint-condition busts, tapestries, friezes – works worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Two-thirds of the way down the hall they passed an alabaster fountain. Olivetti turned left into an alcove and strode to one of the largest doors Langdon had ever seen. â€Å"Ufficio di Papa,† the commander declared, giving Vittoria an acrimonious scowl. Vittoria didn't flinch. She reached over Olivetti and knocked loudly on the door. Office of the Pope, Langdon thought, having difficulty fathoming that he was standing outside one of the most sacred rooms in all of world religion. â€Å"Avanti!† someone called from within. When the door opened, Langdon had to shield his eyes. The sunlight was blinding. Slowly, the image before him came into focus. The Office of the Pope seemed more of a ballroom than an office. Red marble floors sprawled out in all directions to walls adorned with vivid frescoes. A colossal chandelier hung overhead, beyond which a bank of arched windows offered a stunning panorama of the sun-drenched St. Peter's Square. My God, Langdon thought. This is a room with a view. At the far end of the hall, at a carved desk, a man sat writing furiously. â€Å"Avanti,† he called out again, setting down his pen and waving them over. Olivetti led the way, his gait military. â€Å"Signore,† he said apologetically. â€Å"No ho potuto – â€Å" The man cut him off. He stood and studied his two visitors. The camerlegno was nothing like the images of frail, beatific old men Langdon usually imagined roaming the Vatican. He wore no rosary beads or pendants. No heavy robes. He was dressed instead in a simple black cassock that seemed to amplify the solidity of his substantial frame. He looked to be in his late-thirties, indeed a child by Vatican standards. He had a surprisingly handsome face, a swirl of coarse brown hair, and almost radiant green eyes that shone as if they were somehow fueled by the mysteries of the universe. As the man drew nearer, though, Langdon saw in his eyes a profound exhaustion – like a soul who had been through the toughest fifteen days of his life. â€Å"I am Carlo Ventresca,† he said, his English perfect. â€Å"The late Pope's camerlegno.† His voice was unpretentious and kind, with only the slightest hint of Italian inflection. â€Å"Vittoria Vetra,† she said, stepping forward and offering her hand. â€Å"Thank you for seeing us.† Olivetti twitched as the camerlegno shook Vittoria's hand. â€Å"This is Robert Langdon,† Vittoria said. â€Å"A religious historian from Harvard University.† â€Å"Padre,† Langdon said, in his best Italian accent. He bowed his head as he extended his hand. â€Å"No, no,† the camerlegno insisted, lifting Langdon back up. â€Å"His Holiness's office does not make me holy. I am merely a priest – a chamberlain serving in a time of need.† Langdon stood upright. â€Å"Please,† the camerlegno said, â€Å"everyone sit.† He arranged some chairs around his desk. Langdon and Vittoria sat. Olivetti apparently preferred to stand. The camerlegno seated himself at the desk, folded his hands, sighed, and eyed his visitors. â€Å"Signore,† Olivetti said. â€Å"The woman's attire is my fault. I – â€Å" â€Å"Her attire is not what concerns me,† the camerlegno replied, sounding too exhausted to be bothered. â€Å"When the Vatican operator calls me a half hour before I begin conclave to tell me a woman is calling from your private office to warn me of some sort of major security threat of which I have not been informed, that concerns me.† Olivetti stood rigid, his back arched like a soldier under intense inspection. Langdon felt hypnotized by the camerlegno's presence. Young and wearied as he was, the priest had the air of some mythical hero – radiating charisma and authority. â€Å"Signore,† Olivetti said, his tone apologetic but still unyielding. â€Å"You should not concern yourself with matters of security. You have other responsibilities.† â€Å"I am well aware of my other responsibilities. I am also aware that as direttore intermediario, I have a responsibility for the safety and well-being of everyone at this conclave. What is going on here?† â€Å"I have the situation under control.† â€Å"Apparently not.† â€Å"Father,† Langdon interrupted, taking out the crumpled fax and handing it to the camerlegno, â€Å"please.† Commander Olivetti stepped forward, trying to intervene. â€Å"Father, please do not trouble your thoughts with – â€Å" The camerlegno took the fax, ignoring Olivetti for a long moment. He looked at the image of the murdered Leonardo Vetra and drew a startled breath. â€Å"What is this?† â€Å"That is my father,† Vittoria said, her voice wavering. â€Å"He was a priest and a man of science. He was murdered last night.† The camerlegno's face softened instantly. He looked up at her. â€Å"My dear child. I'm so sorry.† He crossed himself and looked again at the fax, his eyes seeming to pool with waves of abhorrence. â€Å"Who would†¦ and this burn on his†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The camerlegno paused, squinting closer at the image. â€Å"It says Illuminati,† Langdon said. â€Å"No doubt you are familiar with the name.† An odd look came across the camerlegno's face. â€Å"I have heard the name, yes, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"The Illuminati murdered Leonardo Vetra so they could steal a new technology he was – â€Å" â€Å"Signore,† Olivetti interjected. â€Å"This is absurd. The Illuminati? This is clearly some sort of elaborate hoax.† The camerlegno seemed to ponder Olivetti's words. Then he turned and contemplated Langdon so fully that Langdon felt the air leave his lungs. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, I have spent my life in the Catholic Church. I am familiar with the Illuminati lore†¦ and the legend of the brandings. And yet I must warn you, I am a man of the present tense. Christianity has enough real enemies without resurrecting ghosts.† â€Å"The symbol is authentic,† Langdon said, a little too defensively he thought. He reached over and rotated the fax for the camerlegno. The camerlegno fell silent when he saw the symmetry. â€Å"Even modern computers,† Langdon added, â€Å"have been unable to forge a symmetrical ambigram of this word.† The camerlegno folded his hands and said nothing for a long time. â€Å"The Illuminati are dead,† he finally said. â€Å"Long ago. That is historical fact.† Langdon nodded. â€Å"Yesterday, I would have agreed with you.† â€Å"Yesterday?† â€Å"Before today's chain of events. I believe the Illuminati have resurfaced to make good on an ancient pact.† â€Å"Forgive me. My history is rusty. What ancient pact is this?† Langdon took a deep breath. â€Å"The destruction of Vatican City.† â€Å"Destroy Vatican City?† The camerlegno looked less frightened than confused. â€Å"But that would be impossible.† Vittoria shook her head. â€Å"I'm afraid we have some more bad news.† 40 â€Å"Is this true?† the camerlegno demanded, looking amazed as he turned from Vittoria to Olivetti. â€Å"Signore,† Olivetti assured, â€Å"I'll admit there is some sort of device here. It is visible on one of our security monitors, but as for Ms. Vetra's claims as to the power of this substance, I cannot possibly – â€Å" â€Å"Wait a minute,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"You can see this thing?† â€Å"Yes, signore. On wireless camera #86.† â€Å"Then why haven't you recovered it?† The camerlegno's voice echoed anger now. â€Å"Very difficult, signore.† Olivetti stood straight as he explained the situation. The camerlegno listened, and Vittoria sensed his growing concern. â€Å"Are you certain it is inside Vatican City?† the camerlegno asked. â€Å"Maybe someone took the camera out and is transmitting from somewhere else.† â€Å"Impossible,† Olivetti said. â€Å"Our external walls are shielded electronically to protect our internal communications. This signal can only be coming from the inside or we would not be receiving it.† â€Å"And I assume,† he said, â€Å"that you are now looking for this missing camera with all available resources?† Olivetti shook his head. â€Å"No, signore. Locating that camera could take hundreds of man hours. We have a number of other security concerns at the moment, and with all due respect to Ms. Vetra, this droplet she talks about is very small. It could not possibly be as explosive as she claims.† Vittoria's patience evaporated. â€Å"That droplet is enough to level Vatican City! Did you even listen to a word I told you?† â€Å"Ma'am,† Olivetti said, his voice like steel, â€Å"my experience with explosives is extensive.† â€Å"Your experience is obsolete,† she fired back, equally tough. â€Å"Despite my attire, which I realize you find troublesome, I am a senior level physicist at the world's most advanced subatomic research facility. I personally designed the antimatter trap that is keeping that sample from annihilating right now. And I am warning you that unless you find that canister in the next six hours, your guards will have nothing to protect for the next century but a big hole in the ground.† Olivetti wheeled to the camerlegno, his insect eyes flashing rage. â€Å"Signore, I cannot in good conscience allow this to go any further. Your time is being wasted by pranksters. The Illuminati? A droplet that will destroy us all?† â€Å"Basta,† the camerlegno declared. He spoke the word quietly and yet it seemed to echo across the chamber. Then there was silence. He continued in a whisper. â€Å"Dangerous or not, Illuminati or no Illuminati, whatever this thing is, it most certainly should not be inside Vatican City†¦ no less on the eve of the conclave. I want it found and removed. Organize a search immediately.† Olivetti persisted. â€Å"Signore, even if we used all the guards to search the complex, it could take days to find this camera. Also, after speaking to Ms. Vetra, I had one of my guards consult our most advanced ballistics guide for any mention of this substance called antimatter. I found no mention of it anywhere. Nothing.† Pompous ass, Vittoria thought. A ballistics guide? Did you try an encyclopedia? Under A! Olivetti was still talking. â€Å"Signore, if you are suggesting we make a naked-eye search of the entirety of Vatican City then I must object.† â€Å"Commander.† The camerlegno's voice simmered with rage. â€Å"May I remind you that when you address me, you are addressing this office. I realize you do not take my position seriously – nonetheless, by law, I am in charge. If I am not mistaken, the cardinals are now safely within the Sistine Chapel, and your security concerns are at a minimum until the conclave breaks. I do not understand why you are hesitant to look for this device. If I did not know better it would appear that you are causing this conclave intentional danger.† Olivetti looked scornful. â€Å"How dare you! I have served your Pope for twelve years! And the Pope before that for fourteen years! Since 1438 the Swiss Guard have – â€Å" The walkie-talkie on Olivetti's belt squawked loudly, cutting him off. â€Å"Comandante?† Olivetti snatched it up and pressed the transmitter. â€Å"Sto ocupato! Cosa voi!† â€Å"Scusi,† the Swiss Guard on the radio said. â€Å"Communications here. I thought you would want to be informed that we have received a bomb threat.† Olivetti could not have looked less interested. â€Å"So handle it! Run the usual trace, and write it up.† â€Å"We did, sir, but the caller†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The guard paused. â€Å"I would not trouble you, commander, except that he mentioned the substance you just asked me to research. Antimatter.† Everyone in the room exchanged stunned looks. â€Å"He mentioned what?† Olivetti stammered. â€Å"Antimatter, sir. While we were trying to run a trace, I did some additional research on his claim. The information on antimatter is†¦ well, frankly, it's quite troubling.† â€Å"I thought you said the ballistics guide showed no mention of it.† â€Å"I found it on-line.† Alleluia, Vittoria thought. â€Å"The substance appears to be quite explosive,† the guard said. â€Å"It's hard to imagine this information is accurate but it says here that pound for pound antimatter carries about a hundred times more payload than a nuclear warhead.† Olivetti slumped. It was like watching a mountain crumble. Vittoria's feeling of triumph was erased by the look of horror on the camerlegno's face. â€Å"Did you trace the call?† Olivetti stammered. â€Å"No luck. Cellular with heavy encryption. The SAT lines are interfused, so triangulation is out. The IF signature suggests he's somewhere in Rome, but there's really no way to trace him.† â€Å"Did he make demands?† Olivetti said, his voice quiet. â€Å"No, sir. Just warned us that there is antimatter hidden inside the complex. He seemed surprised I didn't know. Asked me if I'd seen it yet. You'd asked me about antimatter, so I decided to advise you.† â€Å"You did the right thing,† Olivetti said. â€Å"I'll be down in a minute. Alert me immediately if he calls back.† There was a moment of silence on the walkie-talkie. â€Å"The caller is still on the line, sir.† Olivetti looked like he'd just been electrocuted. â€Å"The line is open?† â€Å"Yes, sir. We've been trying to trace him for ten minutes, getting nothing but splayed ferreting. He must know we can't touch him because he refuses to hang up until he speaks to the camerlegno.† â€Å"Patch him through,† the camerlegno commanded. â€Å"Now!† Olivetti wheeled. â€Å"Father, no. A trained Swiss Guard negotiator is much better suited to handle this.† â€Å"Now!† Olivetti gave the order. A moment later, the phone on Camerlegno Ventresca's desk began to ring. The camerlegno rammed his finger down on the speaker-phone button. â€Å"Who in the name of God do you think you are?† 41 The voice emanating from the camerlegno's speaker phone was metallic and cold, laced with arrogance. Everyone in the room listened. Langdon tried to place the accent. Middle Eastern, perhaps? â€Å"I am a messenger of an ancient brotherhood,† the voice announced in an alien cadence. â€Å"A brotherhood you have wronged for centuries. I am a messenger of the Illuminati.† Langdon felt his muscles tighten, the last shreds of doubt withering away. For an instant he felt the familiar collision of thrill, privilege, and dead fear that he had experienced when he first saw the ambigram this morning. â€Å"What do you want?† the camerlegno demanded. â€Å"I represent men of science. Men who like yourselves are searching for the answers. Answers to man's destiny, his purpose, his creator.† â€Å"Whoever you are,† the camerlegno said, â€Å"I – â€Å" â€Å"Silenzio. You will do better to listen. For two millennia your church has dominated the quest for truth. You have crushed your opposition with lies and prophesies of doom. You have manipulated the truth to serve your needs, murdering those whose discoveries did not serve your politics. Are you surprised you are the target of enlightened men from around the globe?† â€Å"Enlightened men do not resort to blackmail to further their causes.† â€Å"Blackmail?† The caller laughed. â€Å"This is not blackmail. We have no demands. The abolition of the Vatican is nonnegotiable. We have waited four hundred years for this day. At midnight, your city will be destroyed. There is nothing you can do.† Olivetti stormed toward the speaker phone. â€Å"Access to this city is impossible! You could not possibly have planted explosives in here!† â€Å"You speak with the ignorant devotion of a Swiss Guard. Perhaps even an officer? Surely you are aware that for centuries the Illuminati have infiltrated elitist organizations across the globe. Do you really believe the Vatican is immune?† Jesus, Langdon thought, they've got someone on the inside. It was no secret that infiltration was the Illuminati trademark of power. They had infiltrated the Masons, major banking networks, government bodies. In fact, Churchill had once told reporters that if English spies had infiltrated the Nazis to the degree the Illuminati had infiltrated English Parliament, the war would have been over in one month. â€Å"A transparent bluff,† Olivetti snapped. â€Å"Your influence cannot possibly extend so far.† â€Å"Why? Because your Swiss Guards are vigilant? Because they watch every corner of your private world? How about the Swiss Guards themselves? Are they not men? Do you truly believe they stake their lives on a fable about a man who walks on water? Ask yourself how else the canister could have entered your city. Or how four of your most precious assets could have disappeared this afternoon.† â€Å"Our assets?† Olivetti scowled. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"One, two, three, four. You haven't missed them by now?† â€Å"What the hell are you talk – † Olivetti stopped short, his eyes rocketing wide as though he'd just been punched in the gut. â€Å"Light dawns,† the caller said. â€Å"Shall I read their names?† â€Å"What's going on?† the camerlegno said, looking bewildered. The caller laughed. â€Å"Your officer has not yet informed you? How sinful. No surprise. Such pride. I imagine the disgrace of telling you the truth†¦ that four cardinals he had sworn to protect seem to have disappeared†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Olivetti erupted. â€Å"Where did you get this information!† â€Å"Camerlegno,† the caller gloated, â€Å"ask your commander if all your cardinals are present in the Sistine Chapel.† The camerlegno turned to Olivetti, his green eyes demanding an explanation. â€Å"Signore,† Olivetti whispered in the camerlegno's ear, â€Å"it is true that four of our cardinals have not yet reported to the Sistine Chapel, but there is no need for alarm. Every one of them checked into the residence hall this morning, so we know they are safely inside Vatican City. You yourself had tea with them only hours ago. They are simply late for the fellowship preceding conclave. We are searching, but I'm sure they just lost track of time and are still out enjoying the grounds.† â€Å"Enjoying the grounds?† The calm departed from the camerlegno's voice. â€Å"They were due in the chapel over an hour ago!† Langdon shot Vittoria a look of amazement. Missing cardinals? So that's what they were looking for downstairs? â€Å"Our inventory,† the caller said, â€Å"you will find quite convincing. There is Cardinal Lamasse from Paris, Cardinal Guidera from Barcelona, Cardinal Ebner from Frankfurt†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Olivetti seemed to shrink smaller and smaller after each name was read. The caller paused, as though taking special pleasure in the final name. â€Å"And from Italy†¦ Cardinal Baggia.† The camerlegno loosened like a tall ship that had just run sheets first into a dead calm. His frock billowed, and he collapsed in his chair. â€Å"I preferiti,† he whispered. â€Å"The four favorites†¦ including Baggia†¦ the most likely successor as Supreme Pontiff†¦ how is it possible?† Langdon had read enough about modern papal elections to understand the look of desperation on the camerlegno's face. Although technically any cardinal under eighty years old could become Pope, only a very few had the respect necessary to command a two-thirds majority in the ferociously partisan balloting procedure. They were known as the preferiti. And they were all gone. Sweat dripped from the camerlegno's brow. â€Å"What do you intend with these men?† â€Å"What do you think I intend? I am a descendant of the Hassassin.† Langdon felt a shiver. He knew the name well. The church had made some deadly enemies through the years – the Hassassin, the Knights Templar, armies that had been either hunted by the Vatican or betrayed by them. â€Å"Let the cardinals go,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"Isn't threatening to destroy the City of God enough?† â€Å"Forget your four cardinals. They are lost to you. Be assured their deaths will be remembered though†¦ by millions. Every martyr's dream. I will make them media luminaries. One by one. By midnight the Illuminati will have everyone's attention. Why change the world if the world is not watching? Public killings have an intoxicating horror about them, don't they? You proved that long ago†¦ the inquisition, the torture of the Knights Templar, the Crusades.† He paused. â€Å"And of course, la purga.† The camerlegno was silent. â€Å"Do you not recall la purga?† the caller asked. â€Å"Of course not, you are a child. Priests are poor historians, anyway. Perhaps because their history shames them?† â€Å"La purga,† Langdon heard himself say. â€Å"Sixteen sixty-eight. The church branded four Illuminati scientists with the symbol of the cross. To purge their sins.† â€Å"Who is speaking?† the voice demanded, sounding more intrigued than concerned. â€Å"Who else is there?† Langdon felt shaky. â€Å"My name is not important,† he said, trying to keep his voice from wavering. Speaking to a living Illuminatus was disorienting for him†¦ like speaking to George Washington. â€Å"I am an academic who has studied the history of your brotherhood.† â€Å"Superb,† the voice replied. â€Å"I am pleased there are still those alive who remember the crimes against us.† â€Å"Most of us think you are dead.† â€Å"A misconception the brotherhood has worked hard to promote. What else do you know of la purga?† Langdon hesitated. What else do I know? That this whole situation is insanity, that's what I know! â€Å"After the brandings, the scientists were murdered, and their bodies were dropped in public locations around Rome as a warning to other scientists not to join the Illuminati.† â€Å"Yes. So we shall do the same. Quid pro quo. Consider it symbolic retribution for our slain brothers. Your four cardinals will die, one every hour starting at eight. By midnight the whole world will be enthralled.† Langdon moved toward the phone. â€Å"You actually intend to brand and kill these four men?† â€Å"History repeats itself, does it not? Of course, we will be more elegant and bold than the church was. They killed privately, dropping bodies when no one was looking. It seems so cowardly.† â€Å"What are you saying?† Langdon asked. â€Å"That you are going to brand and kill these men in public?† â€Å"Very good. Although it depends what you consider public. I realize not many people go to church anymore.† Langdon did a double take. â€Å"You're going to kill them in churches?† â€Å"A gesture of kindness. Enabling God to command their souls to heaven more expeditiously. It seems only right. Of course the press will enjoy it too, I imagine.† â€Å"You're bluffing,† Olivetti said, the cool back in his voice. â€Å"You cannot kill a man in a church and expect to get away with it.† â€Å"Bluffing? We move among your Swiss Guard like ghosts, remove four of your cardinals from within your walls, plant a deadly explosive at the heart of your most sacred shrine, and you think this is a bluff? As the killings occur and the victims are found, the media will swarm. By midnight the world will know the Illuminati cause.† â€Å"And if we stake guards in every church?† Olivetti said. The caller laughed. â€Å"I fear the prolific nature of your religion will make that a trying task. Have you not counted lately? There are over four hundred Catholic churches in Rome. Cathedrals, chapels, tabernacles, abbeys, monasteries, convents, parochial schools†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Olivetti's face remained hard. â€Å"In ninety minutes it begins,† the caller said with a note of finality. â€Å"One an hour. A mathematical progression of death. Now I must go.† â€Å"Wait!† Langdon demanded. â€Å"Tell me about the brands you intend to use on these men.† The killer sounded amused. â€Å"I suspect you know what the brands will be already. Or perhaps you are a skeptic? You will see them soon enough. Proof the ancient legends are true.† Langdon felt light-headed. He knew exactly what the man was claiming. Langdon pictured the brand on Leonardo Vetra's chest. Illuminati folklore spoke of five brands in all. Four brands are left, Langdon thought, and four missing cardinals. â€Å"I am sworn,† the camerlegno said, â€Å"to bring a new Pope tonight. Sworn by God.† â€Å"Camerlegno,† the caller said, â€Å"the world does not need a new Pope. After midnight he will have nothing to rule over but a pile of rubble. The Catholic Church is finished. Your run on earth is done.† Silence hung. The camerlegno looked sincerely sad. â€Å"You are misguided. A church is more than mortar and stone. You cannot simply erase two thousand years of faith†¦ any faith. You cannot crush faith simply by removing its earthly manifestations. The Catholic Church will continue with or without Vatican City.† â€Å"A noble lie. But a lie all the same. We both know the truth. Tell me, why is Vatican City a walled citadel?† â€Å"Men of God live in a dangerous world,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"How young are you? The Vatican is a fortress because the Catholic Church holds half of its equity inside its walls – rare paintings, sculpture, devalued jewels, priceless books†¦ then there is the gold bullion and the real estate deeds inside the Vatican Bank vaults. Inside estimates put the raw value of Vatican City at 48.5 billion dollars. Quite a nest egg you're sitting on. Tomorrow it will be ash. Liquidated assets as it were. You will be bankrupt. Not even men of cloth can work for nothing.† The accuracy of the statement seemed to be reflected in Olivetti's and the camerlegno's shell-shocked looks. Langdon wasn't sure what was more amazing, that the Catholic Church had that kind of money, or that the Illuminati somehow knew about it. The camerlegno sighed heavily. â€Å"Faith, not money, is the backbone of this church.† â€Å"More lies,† the caller said. â€Å"Last year you spent 183 million dollars trying to support your struggling dioceses worldwide. Church attendance is at an all-time low – down forty-six percent in the last decade. Donations are half what they were only seven years ago. Fewer and fewer men are entering the seminary. Although you will not admit it, your church is dying. Consider this a chance to go out with a bang.† Olivetti stepped forward. He seemed less combative now, as if he now sensed the reality facing him. He looked like a man searching for an out. Any out. â€Å"And what if some of that bullion went to fund your cause?† â€Å"Do not insult us both.† â€Å"We have money.† â€Å"As do we. More than you can fathom.† Langdon flashed on the alleged Illuminati fortunes, the ancient wealth of the Bavarian stone masons, the Rothschilds, the Bilderbergers, the legendary Illuminati Diamond. â€Å"I preferiti,† the camerlegno said, changing the subject. His voice was pleading. â€Å"Spare them. They are old. They – â€Å" â€Å"They are virgin sacrifices.† The caller laughed. â€Å"Tell me, do you think they are really virgins? Will the little lambs squeal when they die? Sacrifici vergini nell' altare di scienza.† The camerlegno was silent for a long time. â€Å"They are men of faith,† he finally said. â€Å"They do not fear death.† The caller sneered. â€Å"Leonardo Vetra was a man of faith, and yet I saw fear in his eyes last night. A fear I removed.† Vittoria, who had been silent, was suddenly airborne, her body taut with hatred. â€Å"Asino! He was my father!† A cackle echoed from the speaker. â€Å"Your father? What is this? Vetra has a daughter? You should know your father whimpered like a child at the end. Pitiful really. A pathetic man.† Vittoria reeled as if knocked backward by the words. Langdon reached for her, but she regained her balance and fixed her dark eyes on the phone. â€Å"I swear on my life, before this night is over, I will find you.† Her voice sharpened like a laser. â€Å"And when I do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The caller laughed coarsely. â€Å"A woman of spirit. I am aroused. Perhaps before this night is over, I will find you. And when I do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The words hung like a blade. Then he was gone.

Love and Respect By Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

Have you ever looked for your lost keys in the same place over and over again only to find out they were there in front of your face the whole time? Or have you ever looked everywhere for the pen or pencil that you had all day only to find it behind your ear at the end of the day? This is how I felt when I read Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. The running theme of this book is many marriages are strained due to the fact that â€Å"men are from Mars and women are from Venus.† What I am saying here is that a simple misunderstanding causes the strain. Men don’t grasp what women are feeling when they are trying to express themselves and, yes, it’s true women are in the same predicament concerning men. Husbands aren’t feeling respected by their wives when, in turn, wives aren’t feeling loved by their husbands. Eggerin states there are three major cycles to the process of Love and Respect. The first cycle is named the crazy cycle. So named because the husband and wife end up with the same negative results for the same reason over and over again and the cycle continues until the couple decides to break the cycle. The second cycle is coined the energizing cycle. The couple has now overcome the vicious crazy cycle and can work toward encouraging one another with the love and respect each spouse deserves. Finally, the third cycle is known as the rewarded cycle. This cycle emphasizes the fact that no matter the response of the spouse, your reward is in heaven. I will elaborate on these three cycles and the foundation for the need for love and respect in a marriage. Let me elaborate on how Eggerin came to the epiphany of the need for love and respect in a healthy marriage. First, if we look at the success of the twelve step programs ranging from co-dependency to food disorders to chemical addictions, we can come to one conclusion as to their success. They work because they are based on one person with the same problem helping another. Oddly, Dr. Eggerich had the advantage, for lack of a better word, of watching his parents’ marriage disintegrate because of the lack of respect and love in it. Interestingly, Eggerich shares his difficulties in his marriage and the difficulty he had with marriage counseling from the start as well. He may have his PhD but his success concerning marriage counseling is due largely to the fact that he and his wife had the same struggles many couples experience. There was a lot of stumbling through cycles of misunderstandings between Emerson and his wife, Sarah. He forgot her birthday one year. After a Bible study group one night, Sarah’s voice grew louder and louder on the way home trying to get through to Emerson concerning his standoffish quiet demeanor. Emerson felt disrespected and hurt and he said to her; â€Å"You can be right but wrong at the top of your voice. (p.11)† One day, for the thousandth time, he read Ephesians 5:33; â€Å"33 Nevertheless tlet each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she urespects her husband.†[1] That’s when it hit him. It was right in front of his face every time he read it but this time, it truly resonated.   He had never seen the connection between love and respect but this time, he did. He came to the realization that a husband is to obey the command to love his wife, even if the wife does not obey the command to respect the husband. Also, the wife is to respect her husband even if the husband does not obey the command to love his wife. So, the connection is love and respect. There are two reasons why love and respect are primary needs. He discusses his personal experience of coming to this understanding from a husbands’ point of view. When disagreements occur, the husband perceives that the wife is contemptuous or disrespectful toward him. This, in turn, causes the husband to shut down or blow up at her and the wife does not receive an expression of love (p.17). After years of counseling married couples, I think it is safe to hang your hat on Eggerins’ theory. The crazy cycle is a down to earth approach to a problem that started at the fall of man. If not broken, this cycle will tear a marriage to pieces. Often, the man is not even aware that it actually is disrespect that the wife is conveying toward him. On the other hand, the wife doesn’t understand why her husband is not expressing his love toward her. The steps toward breaking the crazy cycle are just as simple as the realization that it exists. One major component is communication. Learning how to express our feelings in a respectful tone is very important. The communication code is discussed. He uses a funny little example of how men and women communicate in code. When a wife says; â€Å"I have nothing to wear,† she actually means â€Å"I have nothing new.† When a man says, â€Å"I have nothing to wear,† he means â€Å"I have nothing clean.† This is an example of the code that needs to be broken in order for couples to move past the crazy cycle. I believe another important thing to mention concerning the crazy cycle is unconditional respect. It is vital for women and men to see that respect is not earned, but given. Eggerson uses an example of a boss in the workplace. He basically says that even if you don’t feel respect for your boss, you still show respect for him or her. This is an example of unconditional respect. I suppose we can look at it this way as well, we are to give respect, expecting nothing in return. Just the same, we are to give love expecting nothing in return and both love and respect are reciprocal. They feed off of each other. The second cycle that Eggerson discusses is the energizing cycle.   This is the cycle in which application is necessary in order to stay off of the crazy cycle and move forward. There are two separate sections devoted to husbands and wives respectively. Each section contains an acronym; 1) Couple and 2) Chairs for the wives. The acronym for couple is Closeness, Openness, Understanding, Peacemaking, Loyalty and Esteem. To elaborate, a wife wants her husband to be close and there is a biblical standard for this as well. Genesis 2:24 says, â€Å"the husband shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh.† She also wants her man to open up to her or to tell her what’s happening inside of him and not shut her down when she asks if something is wrong. Sometimes a wife just wants her husband to listen and not to try and fix her problems for her. This is where understanding comes into play. She desires to be at peace and she wants to hear her husband say that he’s sorry some times. Take initiative and pray with her after apologizing. She also needs to know that you aren’t going anywhere and that you are committed to her. Loyalty is very important in a marriage. If her friends are upset with her, be there. Even if she is wrong, a husband can still be loyal to his wife by being there for her in her time of need. She wants you esteem her as well. Read the Song of Solomon and pay special attention to the esteem and love that the man bestows on the Shulamite. For the women, the acronym for chairs is Conquest, Hierarchy, Authority, Insight, Relationship, and Sexuality. Respecting a husband is appreciating his desire to work and to achieve. This is not referring to the archaic definition. It merely refers to encouraging a husband in his achievements at work and in life and with the family. The hierarchy is to appreciate his desire to protect and provide. Eggerichs says that we need to keep in mind this is not a chauvinists’ construct but it is one thing that gives a man purpose. I kind of look at it in the way Christ defines hierarchy and that is that the least will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Men desire to be in authority and there are times that it is okay for a wife to appreciate that. Also, appreciate the wisdom and insight your husband has and his desire to analyze and counsel. Next comes relationship. I know that it’s hard to understand that sometimes husbands just want you in the same room with them, but it’s true. They don’t always want to talk about something. Sometimes, they just want their wives with them. Finally, the taboo of Christianity, sexuality! Appreciating his desire for sexual intimacy is also very important. Nothing seems to break a man down more than to remove physical intimacy from a relationship. Finally, the third cycle is fairly straightforward. It is a biblical concept through and through. There is no doubt as to whether or not Jesus practiced this concept in His life on this earth. The cycle is called the rewarded cycle. Notice it says rewarded. This is referring to the fact that it is done. No matter the husband or wife’s response, the reward for the obedient servant is eternal. It is stored in heaven. If a husband pours his love and gives all that he has for his wife, his reward is in heaven. There is no response necessary in order for the husband to be rewarded. If his wife is completely disrespectful then he will still receive his reward and vice-versa for a wife. This book has opened my eyes to a whole new reality concerning those who carry the opposite sex and myself. In the long run, there is no reason to give up on a marriage that is not working because of miscommunication and confusion. If we practice humility and recognize the need for biblical truth in married life then anything is possible. t Col. 3:19 u 1 Pet. 3:1, 6 [1]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville

American Civil War Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Civil War - Term Paper Example On the other part, North states were against slavery. The South wanted the new states to be slavery states, but the North wanted such states to be Free states. The southerners preferred wanted new territories to be granted the right to vote on whether they would be Free states or slave states according to the state’s rights. The issue of slavery was heightened by the North abolition movements such as the Free-state movements of Kansas. The southerners claimed that the federal government was prohibited by the tenth amendment from interfering with their right to own property and slaves. The southerners believed that the US constitution denied the states the right to act independently and decide whether to implement certain federal acts (Arnold and Wiener 19). The election of Abraham Lincoln as the President also stirred the slavery debate after he asserted that slavery should be abolished. South Carolina seceded from the Union with other seven states thus forming the Confederate States of America (CSA). The civil war broke after the secession of South Carolina and other south states that created the Confederate Constitution that granted more autonomy to the states. In February 1861, the south started seizing federal forts and repulsed the supply ships. Lincoln was inaugurated in March 1861 and vowed to fight secession of the south (Kingseed 41). Fort Sumter was attacked in April 1861 and the southern commanders allowed the Union troops to leave the fort safely. President Lincoln called for army volunteers and proclaimed a blockade of the south thus leading to the Bull Run battle in July 21, 1861. The Bull Run was the first major battle that was fought at Manassas Junction near Washington, D.C. The north lost the battle and the troops retreated to the capital. In the battle, Gen McDowell of north led 30,000 men against 22,000 southern troops but ultimately the North lost and Lincoln replaced McDowell with Gen McClellan. The battle of Shiloh was fought in Ap ril 1861 in Tennessee whereby both sides incurred heavy casualties with Gen Grant overcoming the southern forces (Kingseed 76). Another significant event was the Peninsular Campaign of March-July 1862 that occurred in South Virginia whereby Gen McClellan attacked Richmond via the South, but assumed defensive tactic rather than pressurizing for victory. In September 1862, the Antietam battle occurred in Maryland whereby more than 23,000 troops from both sides died with southern troops led by Gen Lee retreating to Virginia (Kingseed 88). In the same month of September 1862, President Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation after the Antietam victory by claiming that all rebelling states would be finally freed and European nations should not participate in the war as it would amount making a decision on the issue of slavery (Rees 99). In July 1863, Vicksburg surrendered to Gen Grant and all the Mississippi River became under control of the Union forces. In March 1864, Gen Grant assaulted Richmond in Washington, DC and marched on with the fight even though he lost 55,000 soldiers in Central Virginia after encountering Gen Lee troops in his march to Richmond in May 1864. In the Atlanta to Savannah battle of September-December 1864, Gen Sherman of Union troops destroyed the railway lines, burned crops and destroyed all the buildings in order to demoralize the southern troops. In January, 1865, the confederacy

A Literature-Based Unit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A Literature-Based Unit - Assignment Example A focus will be on examining each piece of literature for its own sake and how that story relates to students' lives. This reading unit is prepared for eighth graders in a 7th-12th grade gifted program. Their reading list is based on some books that should probably be part of college coursework. Additionally, there are other books that are easier than college-level, just in order to give students a variety of material with which to work. Students should come prepared to class ready to discuss the texts in the context of how societal rules shape us, and how they shape the characters in these books. Further, students will have a rationale for reading each book and their links to language and culture. This novel will get everyone thinking about how societal cues are used and what are the unwritten rules of secret societies. "Privacy, he said, was a very valuable thing. Everyone wanted a place where they could be alone occasionally. And when they had such a place, it was only common courtesy in anyone else who knew of it to keep his knowledge to himself."1 This novel will get students thinking about the social morays involved in moral scruples that come along with the extramarital affair. This is advanced material and should not be taken lightly, as it is a very delicate subject for 8th graders: "He hadn't seen her for three days, and because of her husband's return from abroad didn't know whether it would be all right for that day or not, and didn't know how to find out. The last time he had met her was at his cousin Betsy's country house."2 3. Dahl, Roald. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. New York: Bantam, 1977. This novel is the story of a young boy who must overcome the social shame of being poor by winning a Golden Ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory and ultimately overcoming his fears. This is a wonderful tool to demonstrate different attitudes among children. "Something crazy is going to happen now, Charlie thought. But he wasn't frightened. He wasn't even nervous. He was just terrifically excited. And so was Grandpa Joe. The old man's face was shining with excitement as he watched ever move that Mr. Wonka made."3 4. Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Penguin, 1997. Jane Eyre is a novel which is the story of a governess living in trying economic times amidst the societal strictness of early 19th-century England. It is about a woman overcoming her own personal struggles in order to find happiness. "To pass [Thornfield's] threshold was to return to stagnation; to cross the silent hall, to ascend the darksome staircase, to seek my own lonely little room, and then to meet tranquil Mrs. Fairfax,a nd spend the long winter evening with herto slip again over my faculties the viewless fetters of an uniform"4 5. Hardy, Thomas. Jude the Obscure. New York: Airmont Publishing Co., 1966. Jude the Obscure is somewhat of a depressing novel, but nonetheless, it is a good book concerning relationships. Jude Fawley is a

Issues in Learning and Teaching Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Issues in Learning and Teaching - Essay Example Looking at marginalized ideologies of knowledge and learning also creates a deeper understanding of what it means to receive an education. The main concept of recognition of education is one that is formed by perception of what it means to have information and knowledge. In the Western form of knowledge, there is a perception that knowledge comes from a textbook, school system and the ability to move through this system with points or grades. This one method for achieving knowledge in the culture is what determines what an individual does and how they associate with society. Furthermore, it changes the information that one decides to live their life from, as opposed to create their own career or belief system about knowledge. The consciousness that is given from the school system then becomes what forms an individual, their interpretations and the perceptions that they hold for a life time. The result is a sense of understanding and maintaining the environment according to the school system and the conscious beliefs that have formed from the information and knowledge one has received from this particular institution (Davis, Sumara, Kapler, 2007). The concept of perception for education and information becomes complex because of others that have not received the same format for education or which come from a different cultural context. For instance, indigenous cultures that aren’t brought through the system have a perception of the institution as one which limits the way in which one thinks. The natural beliefs that one has who has received a formal education, as opposed to a culture that believes and lives in an alternative way then transforms and changes the approach which one has in relation to information. The basis of this comes from contextuality, which is what shapes the individual’s life, specifically through mental and social beliefs as well as assumptions and desires that are formed from this. The context created with cultural affiliation s, school systems and information is what leads one to believe that something is normal or expected. Outside of this is a transformation that has to occur to create the right approach. This belief then forms the state of nature. For one that has been through a school system is a state of nature that comes from the ideas learned in this format. For one who has experienced the indigenous culture is a different state of nature that forms and creates the necessary perceptions. The importance of this concept is based on the gap which forms between the two cultures in relating to the informational aspects when working with a specific group (Henderson, 2000). There is an important notice in the concept of information and learning that occurs between the systems and cultural differences which occur. When looking at this perspective from a specific viewpoint, one can note that there is the inability to relate to different cultures and not to understand what the other is going through. The pe rsonal experience of going through a school system causes definitions and beliefs to form around an indigenous culture. If there is an unawareness that this is occurring, then it may lead to other problems with how one interacts with

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

Kantian Philosophy - Essay Example In my attempt to delineate what is universal and empirical in Kant’s philosophical though and inquiry, I shall explore the connection between happiness and goodness and provide a logical analysis on my part to clearly show how a certain thing can be empirical or universal. At the same time, I shall work on the idea of reason in influencing how happiness and goodness work in relation to the universal and the empirical. Principle of a good will is important because it determines the extent and the scope of what might be the effect and the accomplishments of it. Having such condition, it can be considered that goodness may be considered universal depending on the purpose behind it. Having that said, one can observe that a good intention may or may not result into something beneficial even if helping can be considered morally good in its own right. People will always work out the presumptions that surround goodwill. This is where things can be considered to be jumping out the univ ersal condition that Kant tries to achieve. However, one cannot disregard the fact that inclinations are subjective which can devalue the universal condition. I would like to draw a connection between Kant’s notions towards happiness which can be connected to how the universality of a certain will can be considered absurd. Desire is one of the key concepts that Kant has put into place as he provides reasoning on how happiness works. 4 Possibly, it is a natural phenomenon experienced by people since it is natural and universal to show desire. However, the very subjectivity of it limits it be observable in the case of an individual and cannot be considered to be highly applicable in most cases. Variations then emerge. How does reason gives a condition to attain both of the phenomena? Goodness and Happiness are both subjective but reason has a certain conditioning it imposes on it to allow to materialize universally and empirically. However, Kant points out that duty has a certa in influence on how happiness and goodness can be achieved. Reasoning provides the condition where duty cannot be considered universal or far from universal due to the inherent personal will that a person imposes on duty. 5 The subjectivity that has emerged from it became the influential condition as to how one may argue that goodness and happiness are done. Goodness is seen based on how a person does not want to abuse another person; however, there is still a personal bias that there is a way to look for happiness in the manner of achieving goodness. Analytically, it can be seen that happiness and goodness cannot be separated. The universality of it, presumably, can be seen on how people feel it and act on it. Its practical use is already universal in its own right. It just becomes empirical as the experiences of it vary accordingly to contexts. Extensively, it can be seen that goodness is inherent in humans because of reasoning that there is a need to keep things on order and by d oing so, happiness is achieved. This becomes a highly synthetic and a dual paradigm of action. One may act for both goodness and happiness with separating it. The very manner of acting the happiness and goodness is already universal in its own right since it people have a moral inclination to do such. Experiences are the ones that make the universality empirical since it is even safe to say that Kant’s philosophy is relatively individualistic in nature. In this case, will become one of the most important conditions since its imperativeness make it part of practical and universal thought. Will is

TORT LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

TORT LAW - Essay Example The status of the entrant is quite easily that of a lawful visitor where it is due to an express provision. It has been held by Scrutton LG that ‘when you invite a person into your house to use the stairs, you do not invite him to slide down the banisters’. In respect of Florence the situation is quite clear as she was a lawful visitor and the warning clearly did not restrict access to the place. In respect of the common duty of care section 2 of the OLA 1957 provides that ‘an occupier of premises owes the same duty, the common duty of care to all his visitors except in so far as he is free to and does extend, restrict, modify, or exclude his duty to any visitor or visitor by agreement or otherwise’ and ‘the common duty of care is a duty to take such care in all circumstance of the care is reasonable to see that the visitor will be reasonably safe in using the premises for the purposes for which he is invite or permitted by the occupier to be thereâ₠¬â„¢. The duty was described by Lord Denning in Wheat as ‘simply a particular instance of the general duty of care which each man owes to his neighbour’. In respect of Florence it is clear that a common duty of care was owed to her by Eric whereby care should have been taken. The defences that are available in accordance with relevance would be that of section 2(3) whereby there is a defence of contributory negligence. A further defence is that of warning which if duly posted would lead discharge of duty of care or contributory negligence would come into play. In London Graving Dock Co. v. Horton2 it was held by the House of Lords where the significance of warning was recognized by the visitor then the liability of occupier would be absolved. However, s.2(4)(a) stated that all circumstances should be taken into consideration and a warning in itself should not be used to automatically exclude liability(Phipps v. Rochester Corporation)3. Where there is existent an excessi ve amount of danger then additional precautions should also be undertaken by the occupier. In respect of the facts at hand clearly there was a possibility of injury being caused and this should have been thought of by Eric when getting the installation done. Furthermore, in respect of Florence since she was a lawful visitor and a duty of care was owed to her, warning in itself would not constitute to be exclusion of liability of Eric and therefore added precaution should have been taken. In lieu of the facts, Florence can claim for the injuries she has suffered and in respect of the broken glasses she can claim under the contract whereby loss to her has been caused. The only element whereby it can be argued is the fact that Coolit were hired as independent contractors by Eric, however, in that respect all necessary steps should have been undertaken by Eric so as to avoid any harm being caused to anyone, In respect of George a discussion on Occupiers Liability Act 1984 needs to be ma de. The Act deals with people who enter a trespasser. A duty would fall on the Occupier if three requirements as laid down under s.1(3) of the Act are satisfied. Firstly there must be awareness of danger by the occupier or reasonable ground to believe of its existence. Second, knowledge or reasonable grounds to believe that entrant is within vicinity of the danger or that he may enter into vicinity, finally, ‘the risk is one against which in all the circumstances

The website have the right to choose the topic Essay

The website have the right to choose the topic - Essay Example Hence, being a multi-cultural country, it is difficult to pinpoint one dominant group (majority) in the US which has an advantage or edge over minority groups. However, it must be noted, that while the Native Americans were the very first people populating the USA, the very first settlers who brought â€Å"civilization† to the US were the Europeans who travelled with Christopher Columbus. Hence, they are termed as â€Å"Americans† and are also referred to as â€Å"the white race†. These settlers can be termed as the dominant group prevalent in the US as they were the supposed founders of the empty land back in Christopher Columbus’s time (Pasell, 1995). While the USA has opportunities for all ethnicities, religions, and cultures and laws prohibit discrimination upon the basis of race, gender, disability, and other factors, some people are still discriminated against or were discriminated against when they first immigrated to the US as part of a minority group. Minority groups are subject to unequal treatment by dominant groups and may be the victims of racism. They are in a minority in the suggested area and do not have as much power as the dominant groups may have. It takes ample time for them to be recognized, given equal opportunities, and lead a better and free life in the said place. Dominant groups or majority groups, on the other hand, and have power and authority in their area and may have racist feelings against other minority group settlers. Moreover, they have the most opportunities and the easiest access to their place of settling (Winnant, 1994). As mentioned before, while the percentage of majority and minority residents in the US is rapidly changing, the analysis of this paper will be based upon two groups: the Europeans (white) as the dominant group and the immigration of Chinese settlers into the US as the non-dominant group (Calavita, 1994). Immigration policies differed in various time

Lindt Truffles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lindt Truffles - Essay Example The product has lived up to his expectation and satisfied him. This makes him fall in love with the brand and not just become a consumer for life, but in effect a brand ambassador for the company. Good things in life are never free. If you have to consume the world’s finest brand of chocolates, you have to pay a price that is very fine too. Lindor Lindt Trufles are one of the most expensive chocolates in the world. The price itself brings out the target market for the Truffles; they are targeted towards the rich and well off people who can afford and who want to pay a very high price to consume. Price is a major factor, but not the only one. Another factor which identifies the target market for Lindt Trufles is people having aristocratic taste and love for fine items. They need not be very wealthy, but they need to have understanding of the value of things. Demand for Lindor Lindt Truffles is likely to be very stable and not affected by other factors. Although a seasonal variation is likely to occur, but in most cases the demand is fairly inelastic. This is because the consumers are unaffected by other events occurring such as changes in economic or political conditions. Also the chocolates happen to be a very insignificant portion of one’s income; it is not likely to be affected by changes in income. Chris Alleny. Best Chocolates in the world. Articles Base. November 28th 2008. Online. Available at: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/best-chocolates-in-the-world-662334.html. [accessed: 16 April

Hospital Essay Example for Free

Hospital Essay This report outlines the service delivery process at Al Salam Hospital in Mohandseen focusing on the out-patient clinic along with our evaluation of the service there. We visited the hospital several times and also played the role of patients there. We made reservations and were examined by several doctors (e. g. internal medicine doctor, ear nose and throat, chest and ophthalmology,†¦etc). We also interviewed one of the doctors (cardiology) for the purpose of gaining more information. We made a survey and interviewed some patients to see their evaluation of the service and how it meets their perception. Based on our visits and the interview we made we were able to gain enough information to evaluate the offered service and prepare our report. This report was prepared by Ban Faisal, Mariam Riad, Nancy Mustafa and Mohamed Magdi Al Kady. Process Description at Al Salam Hospital: Al Salam Hospital has 2 buildings, the first one is located on the main street, is the hospital itself, for surgeries, patient hospitalization and it has the blood testing lab and x-rays. The second building which is located on a side street near to the main building is the out-patient clinics. The first step for being examined in one of the hospital’s Out-Patient Clinics, is to select the desired doctor, according to the specialty and available times. The patient can acquire the needed information through the hospital’s website (http://alsalamhospital. org/reservation. asp), through the telephone or through personal inquiry at the hospital. Reservation Details: The patient should then make a reservation. The reservation can be made either through the telephone or by going directly to the clinics’ reception. This depends on the doctor, some doctors allow reservation through the telephone and others only allow reservation to be done directly at the out-patient clinic along with payment. If the patient is making his reservation at the clinic, then he can make it on the same day as the desired time or a few days in advance depending on the availability of appointments. There are several payment categories; the patients who pay normally, the ones who have an insurance that gives them a discount (partial or full) and there are members of unions who usually get a partial discount that varies according to the union. Reservation Process The patients head to the reservation area that is set near the main entrance. There are two windows located one for the normal patients and one for the insured ones. The receptionist begins by asking the patient if this is his/her first visit to the hospital, if it is, the receptionist asks for the patient’s information and a file is created for the patient on the hospital’s computer system. The patient tells the receptionist which doctor and when they want to reserve an appointment. The receptionist then checks on the computer reservation system if there are any available appointments t the desired time and if not he tell the patient the first available appointment. If the desired appointment is available then in the case of the normal patient, the patient pays and gets a receipt. The patient is given a floor number (where the examination room is on) and is asked to head there and is advised to give the receipt to the nurse who is sitting at a desk on this floor. The nurse then takes the receipt and enters the information in a ledger (the day’s list of patients) she has to organize patients and then gives the patient his number (on a first come first served basis). She checks the patient’s ID and goes to the archive to find the patient’s medical record. If this was his first visit, she gets a new blank medical form. The medical records are given to the doctor later. If the patient has an insurance or will get a discount the above process is the same the difference is that at the time of payment, the patient presents his/her insurance card (or union membership card) to the receptionist who then checks if he has a contract and with which insurance company and the amount of discount he will get. The payment is settled according to the discount rate and the receptionist finishes the reservation process and gives the patient three sets of papers to sign along with the normal receipt. The papers are for the insurance company or union (One for the hospital, one for the company and one for the patient). The receptionist keeps one of the signed forms and advises the patients to go to the doctor as previously mentioned. If the doctor cancels his appointments for the day the hospital then calls the patients informing them of this change and gives them another appointment. If the patient has made his appointment in an earlier day, before his appointment he’ll first head to the nurse on the clinic’s floor to give her his papers and take his number. At the time of the appointment, all patients wait in the waiting area for his/her name to be called by the nurse at the desk that already gave him his number on the day’s list of patients. When the doctor arrives the nurse provides him with the list of patients by their order. She also gives him the medical records of all the patients. After the patient’s name is called he goes into the doctor’s office to be examined and describe his/her complaint. The doctor checks the patient’s medical record, if there is any, to get a clearer background about his health. After the examination, the doctor can then give the patient a prescription or orders a few tests to be made, and if needed advises the patient to schedule a follow up consult to check on the progress of the treatment or to check the results of the test. The doctor writes everything down in the medical record (the complaint, diagnosis and recommended treatment), the form is given to the nurse to return to the archive at the end of the day. The number of consults may vary depending on the ability of the doctor to pin point the patient’s illness and the treatments effectiveness. The doctor also has a document where he keeps information about all the patients that he has seen on that day. If tests are required then the hospital offers the lab as a complimentary service to the out-patient clinic. There are two labs one in the outpatient clinic building and one in the hospitals main building. The first step to get the tests done is for the patient to take the papers with the prescribed tests to be registered in the hospitals computer system which is located on the ground floor. The patient will then get a paper which s/he will then take to the nurses sitting at a window located immediately next to the lab, they will take the paper and then tell the patient to go into the lab to be tested. The patient will then be told when his results will be ready to be picked up. The patient can reserve for a consult the same way s/he reserve for a regular examination. Go to Appendices 1 2 for more illustration about the service delivery process at the out-patient clinics. Evaluation and Analysis of Al Salam Hospital’s Service: Service concept and characteristics: Service Concept  The hospital should be able to offer all things a patient can need: out-patient clinics for examinations, emergency rooms, intensive care units, x-rays and labs, .. etc The employees should feel that they are saving lives not just having a normal job. The community should treat the hospital as a crucial facility that they need to help and do what they can to help it operate. The treatment should be as efficient and professional as possible and make the patients feel safe and secure so that they would receive their regular treatments there and recommend it to their families and friends. The design of the hospital takes into consideration the devices needed, emergency rooms, moving large objects as beds in corridors and elevators. The interior design is suited to a hospital and allocation of rooms and floors takes into account the psychology of patients (i. e. departments with a high death rate like intensive care units and cancer patients should be located away from newly born babies and incubators). The hospital is marketed based on the names of the doctors working there and how successful they are in treatment. Target Market Segment:  AL Salam Hospital is a private hospital focusing on average and above average-income families. This market is not usually price-sensitive when it comes to healthcare services. This community needs a professional hygienic hospital which they trust to be able to go to for regular examinations, consultations, tests and emergencies The most important segment is of those of the older generation because they usually get sick more. However, it is important that the hospital builds it ties of trust with the customers throughout their whole life. Distinctive Characteristics of the Service at Al-Salam: Simultaneity: It is the fact that services are created and consumed at the same time at the hospital, the patient enters the room, the doctor examines the patient (the customer) and the patient receives this service simultaneously. For example if a patient comes to the hospital and is diagnosed as having a very low blood pressure the doctor will hook the patient to a salt solution IV which will raise the patient’s blood pressure. Perishability:  The service is perishable which means it cannot be stored. If the patient doesn’t come at the reserved time, a lost opportunity has occurred at that time. An hour without patients during a doctor’s shift can be considered as a lost opportunity and the money that the hospital was supposed to make at that time will never be compensated. Faced with variable demand and time-perishable capacity to provide the service, the managers of the hospital used the following techniques: * smoothed demand by using reservations or appointments Allowed patients to wait. * Accepted more patients than the time capacity. Intangibility: Services are ideas and concepts, not products. The patient experiences the service that the doctor offers; he doesnt touch it or see it. The intangible nature of services presents a problem for customers. When buying a product, the customer is able to see it, feel it, and test its performance before purchase. But for a service, things are di fferent. The doctor tried to overcome this intangibility feature through making the intangible tangible; trying to stop the pain that the customer feels. He did this through examination and then medication. Another way through which the hospital overcame this intangibility feature was the reliance on reputation and word-of-mouth. Al Salam hospital is very well-known by its good reputation and its customers who are really satisfied with the service delivery system. This two features encourages people to guarantee that when they go to this hospital, they will be satisfied even though it’s not a product that they can really see and touch. Heterogeneity: The combination of the intangible nature of services and the customer as a participant in the service delivery system results in a variation of the service being offered from one customer to customer next at the same doctor, lets take a dentist for instance, each customer might have a different kind of pain and thus, needs a unique method of treatment. On a larger scale each customer needs a certain doctor based on his/her illness. Al Salam hospital offers a variety of doctors with different specializations. Also, there is a cafeteria for patients; that provides a variety of food and drinks to satisfy as much patients as possible. There is cooked food, biscuits, cheese, sandwiches†¦etc. And as for the drinks there were many kinds of them such as: juice, tea, coffee†¦etc.

LOreal company Project analysis

LOreal company Project analysis Many cosmetic brands are popping up recently, perhaps, due  to  the increasing consumers of products that beautify and enhance the physical appearance of a person. Even though the market is already full of the said cosmetic brands, the company LOreal Groups could still  be considered as the leading supplier cosmetics and hair-color. (LOreal Introduction profile) Company Profile   Before the facial cosmetics, LOreal was known as a hair-color formula developed by French chemist Eugene Schueller in 1907. It was then known as Aureole. Schueller formulated and manufactured his own products which were sold to Parisian hairdressers. It was only in 1909 that Schueller registered his company as Societe Francaise de Teintures Inoffensives pour Cheveus, the future LOreal. Scheuller began exporting his products, which was then limited to hair-coloring products. There were 3 chemists employed in 1920. In 1950, the research teams increased to 100 and reached 1,000 by 1984. Today, research teams are numbered to 2,000 and are still expected to increase in the near future. Through agents and consignments, Scheuller further distributed his products in the United States of America, South America, Russia and the Far East. The LOreal Group is present worldwide through its subsidiaries and agents. LOreal started to expand its products from hair-color to other cleansing and bea uty products. The LOreal Group today markets over 500 brands and more than 2,000 products in the various sectors of the beauty business. Such includes hair colors, permanents, styling aids, body and skincare, cleansers and fragrances. Indeed, the LOreal Group has reached the peak that all cosmetic brands sought after. Many factors contribute to the success of the Company. These will be discussed further in the proceeding parts of this study. (LOreal Introduction profile) http://photos7.flickr.com/8100492_df5327a9c4_m.jpg Since October, the most famous general public cosmetics brand, LOreal Paris, launched its products for men named: Men Expert. LOreal group already sold a range of cosmetics products for men with Biotherm or Lancà ´me brand for example, but it was the first time it launched these products with LOreal brand. With seven different products, LOreal Paris wants to touch all targets: Young men with their skins problems, adults men with their first tiredness signs but also matures men with their first wrinkles. LOreal Paris suggests as well specifics products for men such as shaving products or after-shave lotions. The prices of this range are between 2, 80 and 9, 95 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬. They are reasonable because these products are marketed for general public. (LOreal Introduction profile) Global branding LOreal is a good illustration of how global branding can be used to generate new growth opportunities without in any way reducing responsiveness to local needs. LOreal has a portfolio of popular brands that embody their country of origin. The French company believes that two beauty cultures dominate the French and the American. The two flagship brands, LOreal and Maybelline, have distinct positions. LOreal is positioned as a French product, with supreme elegance, high prices and sophisticated packaging. Maybelline on the other hand, represents an American value for money product which is perceived as street smart and attempts to convey the urban American chic.Owen Jones feels that creativity in a large organization such as LOreal can be stimulated through competing brands2: It sets one research centre against another research centre, one marketing group against another marketing group. They fight among themselves and in so doing, we hope, also beat the competition. In line with this philosophy3, LOreal has set up two creative headquarters, one in Paris and the other in New York. Owen Jones explains: (LOreal policy) We set up a counter power in New York with people that have a totally different mindset, background and creativity. The two hubs undertake collaborative research efforts but are competitors when it comes to marketing. LOreals American brand, Redken, competes with Preference, the companys brand in France. Owen Jones feels that healthy competition will motivate the French and American companies to perform even better. (LOreal policy) Table I LOreal: Summarized Profit and Loss Account (Figures in $ Million) 1999 1998 1997 Sales 10,825 13,417 11,522 Gross Profit 3,733 4,864 4,298 Net Income 702 839 664 Net Profit Margin (Percent) 6.5 6.3 5.8 LOreals global marketing efforts have been spearheaded by Owen Jones himself. Press reports describe his habit of moving around on the streets in overseas markets, trying to understand customer needs. Owen Jones says*: We have this great strategy back in the head office of how we are going to do it worldwide. But when you go out and look at what is happening, is there a big gap between your projections and the reality of what you see and hear? It is so important to have a world vision because otherwise decentralized consumer goods companies with many brands can fracture into as many little parts if somebody isnt pulling it back the other way the whole time with a central vision. (LOreal policy) Table II LOreal: Geographic Segment Information (Sales for 1999) $ Million Percentage of Total Western Europe 5,995 56 North America 2,972 27 Other regions 1,837 17 Total 10,804 100 Having already established itself in Europe and the US, LOreal is now seriously looking at emerging markets. Its acquisition of Soft Sheen is expected to help LOreal to penetrate the African markets. L Oreal has been rapidly expanding in India since it set up shop in 1997. It is already the market leader in Mexico. LOreals experience in China reflects some of the challenges it faces in emerging markets. The companys move to use the glamorous Chinese movie star, Gong Li to sponsor its products has not paid off. Looking back, some analysts feel that LOreal should have preferred a sponsor with the girl next door looks as ordinary customers could not relate to Gong Li. When the movie stars contract came up for renewal, L Oreal decided to involve other sponsors in place of the earlier exclusive arrangement. One important market where LOreal continues to be weak is Japan, the second largest cosmetics market in the world with annual sales of about $ 25 billion. Among the problems which the company faces in Japan are the countrys complex distribution network and strict health and safety regulations. LOreal recently regained control of Maybelline from local cosmetics maker Kose which had purchased the rights prior to LOreals takeover. Notwithstanding these problems in Japan, LOreal seems well placed to continue its global thrust. The French company has seen double digit growth for the last 10 years. As Business Week has reported, LOreal has developed a winning formula: a growing portfolio of international brands that has transformed the French company into the United Nations of beauty. (LOreal policy) LOreal: The Global Presence Marketing Strategies Customer Satisfaction (Product; Price) The LOreal Group is known for their continuous innovation in order to improve the quality of their products and the services they have to offer to their consumers. Part of their strategic plan is to cater to the best interest of their costumers, in other words, costumer satisfaction. Through giving a wide variety of products, consumers have a whole gamut of products and services that they can choose from and which best serves their preference. The range of their prices caters to the demands of women, from the younger ones to the aging, from the affluent to those with lower budget for cosmetic products. Through constant research and passion for innovation, the LOreal Group best caters to the demands of women of different cultures. The Company also sees to it that they know the latest trend, or better yet, set the trend in the market as to attract more consumers. (Padambanam, 2010) Control of the Company A very vital aspect in the success of a company is how their leaders handle and run the business. In fact, the LOreal Group is very particular in the governance of the Company. The Board directors and the Board members are well aware of all of their duties required by their respective functions and of their collective mission, for it is in their hands that the Companys future depends on. The Board members are also obliged to act with due care and attention to their duties in order to carry out their responsibilities. (Padambanam, 2010) Worldwide Marketing (Place of Distribution; Promotion) Part of the LOreal Groups strategic plan is the marketing of their products worldwide. From the bloom of LOreal during its primary stage, the Company already catered to the demands of women worldwide. In line with this, they are also well aware of the diversities of women around the world. Part of this strategy is to formulate products that suit other women from other parts of the world. Through research and development of their products, the LOreal group has already covered most parts of the globe and still got high approval ratings from their clients. Just recently, the LOreal Groups received the Diversity Best Practices 2004 Global Leadership Award for embracing diversity, not only in their employees, but also in their consumers (Anonymous, 2004). The Companys taking consideration of women of color is especially appreciated by its consumers for they are also being given the chance to enhance their features and embrace their diversity without having to conform with the traditional concept of beauty, particularly that of the white Caucasian women. The LOreal Group also has employees who are considered minorities, such as the women and people of color. Valuing of the peoples culture and ideas is important to the LOreal Group, in order to best serve the interest of the consumers, the employees and the Company. (Padambanam, 2010) D. Impeccable Advertising (Promotion)   During the early days of advertising, LOreal commissioned promotional posters from various graphic artists to publicize the Companys products. The 1950s brought about a new advertising medium, particularly the movies. LOreal made its on-screen debut during this period and in 1953 won an award advertising Oscar, the first in a long series of awards. Today, LOreal takes on actresses or different personalities of all ages that best exudes the vision of the Company. Famous personalities enable average individuals to relate to their personal lives, that they can look as good, and so ensures higher sales. (Padambanam, 2010) Example Marketing in India In business, as in life, its important to be in the right place at the right time and thats clearly been the aim of French cosmetics giant LOreal in India. LOreal Paris, Lancome and Garnier tried and tested a variety of innovation and marketing strategies that appear to have paid off. Today, LOreal reportedly has 41.5 per cent share of the market in India for hair conditioner, around 20 per cent for hair coloring products, and 6.5 per cent and 4.6 per cent for the skincare and shampoo markets respectively. Meanwhile, it is the countrys leading player in the salon products sector. Different strategies of marketing of products in India:- (Padambanam, 2010) Going Local Garnier mens product For its consumer products brands Garnier and LOreal Paris, adapting to local culture and preferences has been critical. Increasingly our blockbusters have been India innovation-led products, .Garnier redesigned its Excellence hair-coloring product that involved more manual work to mix the dye. But at a quarter of the international retailing price, it meant new consumers were more willing to buy the product. Other successes include an oil-based shampoo, Garnier Fructis Shampoo + Oil, to match the frequent use of hair oil, as well as products for previously-dormant segments such as anti-wrinkle creams and mens skincare Growing the customer base In the emerging markets, product penetration is low, providing generous room for growth.  Theres a huge growth and a desire to consume even within segments that have a lot of usage like shampoos, there is a desire to upgrade to performing products. In India there is a heterogeneous market and each one has its own preferences. On all fronts, the growth is very high. Consumer goods are also showing healthy growth rates of about 15 percent. (Padambanam, 2010) Segmenting markets   Luxury products may be selling in Indias cosmopolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, but their small customer base also makes them highly competitive markets, whether for cosmetics, fragrances or accessories. . Additionally, there is a very large opportunity in the middle market where consumers want to consume but not at very high price points, a challenge for international players like LOreal that face brutal competition from successful local brands like Marico and Dabur India and consumer goods giant Hindustan Unilever. (Padambanam, 2010) ANSWER 2 LOreal Policy LOreal is required to have an understanding of its different cultural distinctions: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reflect consumers diversity of origins within teams at every level In terms of nationality, ethnic or social origin, age, while maintaining standards of excellence in terms of competencies. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Promote gender equity within teams Promote the access of women to positions of responsibility, facilitate gender equity in functions that are currently over-staffed by men or women (Marketing, Industry), and ensure equal treatment in terms of salary. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Encourage the employment people with disabilities. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Valorize work experience in anticipation of a longer work life. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Develop an inclusive managerial culture, respectful of all. Diversities Matrix LOreal based its approach on a Diversities Matrix, composed of 6 priority dimensions and 7 action levers: (Padambanam, 2010) http://www.loreal.com/_en/_ww/html/company/Img/diversity/matrice.jpg Translating Commercial Websites: LOreal has links to numerous country specific website Again a very good example of global marketing strategy.The Web is not only a new channel for information exchange but also a powerful instrument for businesses to reach potential customers. With well-maintained multilingual websites, a company can not only project its image across borders but also sell goods online without the material presence of a shop front (Malaval, 2001 p.204). Commercial websites are seen as a necessary marketing move to reach out to visible and invisible customers in a real as well as avirtual world. The following discussion of commercial website translation takes into account the interaction and interdependence of three elements, namely the Web, translation and advertising. On at least two counts the translation of commercial websites coincides with advertising translation. First and foremost, advertising and websites are in essence mass communication devices in modern society. Therefore it is crucial to take into account elements of advertising translation i n order to investigate website translation. (LOreal Introduction profile) C:UsersKanikaAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsTemporary Internet FilesContent.WordNew Picture.png The figures above are the homepages of LOrà ©al websites in English and Chinese languages. These images suggest that there are at least two templates for websites, with figure 1-1 and 1-3 sharing the same layout and the other two another. The figures of different LOrà ©al websites offer certain guidance for the discussion. First of all, the verbal elements are undoubtedly an important aspect in the investigation of translational activity. Nonetheless, the layout and other non-verbal elements altogether provide insight into whether or not images/meanings are translated. In figures 1-1 to 1-4 for instance, the spokesperson and color scheme are very obvious differences. In the global website, the spokesperson in the homepage is a scientist who won a competition sponsored by the company. Clearly the image involved here aims to promote a recent campaign and is thus placed in the eye-catching place, indicating the companys intention to create a positive and involved corporate image. Yet it is important to be aware that this is a temporary promotional event and the image can be replaced anytime after the promotional period. The images of the spokesperson in the Taiwan and Hong Kong websites are the same, featuring an actress based in Hong Kong. The spokesperson in the simplified Chinese website, however, is yet another Chinese actress with whom the local audiences are more familiar. Aside from the image appearing on the homepage, the logo of the company is placed differently in the two templates. The template of the global website presents the logo at the upper-left corner, whereas the Hong Kong website template has the logo occupying nearly one-third of the webpage. (LEE, 2009) Conclusion: In business, as in life, its important to be in the right place at the right time and thats clearly been the aim of French cosmetics giant LOreal in India For nearly two decades, the owner of brands like Maybelline, LOreal Paris, Lancome and Garnier tried and tested a variety of innovation and marketing strategies that appear to have paid off. Today, LOreal reportedly has 41.5 per cent share of the market in India for hair conditioner, around 20 per cent for hair colouring products, and 6.5 per cent and 4.6 percent for the skincare and shampoo markets respectively. Meanwhile, it is the countries Innovating for a local market, both with product and pricing, as well as an aggressive marketing strategy, have proved particularly effective, says Dinesh Dayal (MBA 84J), LOreal Indias chief operating officer. Its really a mixture of intuition, hard market research and the power of our global RD which yielded the right kind of innovation.

Investment Banks and Commercial Banks Are Analogous to Oil and Water: They Just Do Not Mix :: History Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Investment Banks and Commercial Banks Are Analogous to Oil and Water: They Just Do Not Mix As a result of more than 9,000 banks failing during the Great Depression years of 1930-1933, bank regulation was greatly tightened in the United States. The legislature felt the unethical actions from the integration of commercial and investment banking aided in these failures for three main reasons: banks invested their own assets in risky securities, unsound loans were made to boost the price of securities of companies whom the bank had invested in, and the commercial banks interests in the price of securities tempted bank managers to pressure customers to purchase risky securities that the bank was trying to sell. As a result, President Roosevelt felt that the best remedy to the situation was to pass the Banking Act of 1933, which established two new provisions to financial regulation: deposit insurance and the separation of commercial and investment banking activities. Sections 16, 20, 21, and 32 of the act are referred to as the Glass-Steagall Act. These sections forbid depo sit-taking institutions from engaging in the issuing, underwriting, selling, or distributing of securities. Since the provisions of the Glass-Steagall Act did not apply to foreign banks operating in the United States, they could engage in insurance and securities activities. This put the American banks at a disadvantage. As a result of the pressure on the legislature and the constant talks of overturning the act, it was finally repealed. On November 12, 1999, President Clinton signed the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act, which repealed the Glass-Steagall Act. This allowed securities firms and insurance companies to purchase banks and commercial banks to underwrite insurance and securities. From this repeal, the financial services industry has undergone a consolidating phase of commercial banks and investment banks becoming one. However, this has not always proved beneficial for these companies. My hypothesis is that the culture clash stemming from the different risk tolerance levels between investment banks and commercial banks is the main reason why such mergers and acquisitions have not resulted in the expected synergies the financial markets were anticipating. Investment banks, by nature, have higher risk tolerance levels than do commercial banks. The principal reason for this is that investment banks are not financial intermediaries in the sense that they take deposits and lend them out.

Essay --

Succinimidyl-4-(N-maleimidomethyl) cyclohexane-1-carboxylate (SMCC) is a non-cleavable and membrane permeable crosslinker. It contains an amine-reactive N -hydroxysuccinimide (NHS ester) and a sulfhydryl-reactive maleimide group. NHS esters react with primary amines at pH 7-9 to form stable amide bonds. Maleimides react with sulfhydryl groups at pH 6.5-7.5 to form stable thioether bonds The staining procedure starts by placing the slides in a slide rack, immersed in a staining dish containing PBS and incubated for 5 min. PBS was removed from slides by tipping the slides and allowing the PBS solution to drip out. Residual PBS around the samples was also removed by gently absorbing the solution with Kim wipes without contaminating and damaging the samples. Diluted antibody solution (1/10 v/v in PBS) were directly inoculated to the regions encircled with wax pen and incubated for one hour without letting the sections dry. The slides were washed in PBS solution for 10 min. This step was triplicated. One drop of prolong) media as an antifading agent was applied to each section and covered with a coverslip to preserve the QDs from photobleaching during fluorescence microscopy experiments. The edges of the coverslips were sealed with nail polish to prevent drying. Slides were placed in a dark room and we waited until the nail polish dries at room temperature for 12 hours. They were kept for another 12 hours at 4  ºC in a refrigerator.A confocal laser scanning microscope (Zeiss LSM 710, Carl Zeiss Micro imaging GmbH, Germany) was used to visualize dough sample microstructure. Starch granules were identified by simple polarized light .The excitation wavelengths of the QDs were 405 nm for the reflection and 615 nm for the fluoresce... ...mages of are illustrated in figure for†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The results showed that antibody-quantum dots conjugates successfully diffused into the 3D matrix and were bound to gliadins. Distribution and location of gliadin at different focal planes in each section were found to show similar patterns for a given mixing time. Gliadins were evenly dispersed in dough sections and typically localized in the center of the sections. This supports the observation and hypothesis that the mobility of gliadin due to its lower viscosity enables gliadin to diffuse to the inner sections of the dough along with all other parts of the sample. Intensities of gliadins at top and bottom stacks were relatively low compared to ones located at center. It might be because of optical sectioning of starch molecules found at top and bottom surfaces of sections play a dominant part in the imaging process.

History Of Soccer :: essays research papers

Soccer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Soccer is a great sport that has influenced nations. Millions gather to watch skilled athletes compete in a game of soccer. It is an international sport, so popular that physical education programs have soccer integrated into their plans. Many local communities also have soccer organizations for youths. Soccer has an interesting history going back as far as ancient Rome and Greece. Some other interesting topics that deal with soccer are my personal feelings about the sport and my opinions on the future of soccer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There in not much to be told about the origin of soccer. In ancient Rome and Greece, football and kicking games were played. In 1863, the London Football Association developed the first set of rules. Towards the end of the 19th century, soccer was brought to the United States. But people didn?t start to take a liking to the sport until WWI. In 1908, soccer was made an official Olympic sport. Since then, soccer?s popularity has spread like fire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To me, soccer is an outstanding sport. I love the strategic planning that occurs in the game of soccer. To play soccer, you need to be quick and agile, and your footwork must be meticulous. I like soccer because it comes natural to me. There?s nothing like waking up early on Saturdays and playing a competitive game. When I score goals, which I do often, I get the best feeling. I am contributing to my team winning. That?s why I like soccer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the future, I believe soccer will stay the weekend sport. I doubt that it will ever become as popular as basketball i.e.. NBA. It is increasing in popularity in the United Sports though. But you see, that?s in the United States. I visited Mexico last summer for a month and observed that soccer was the main sport. People would play pick-up games of soccer on basketball courts, as parks and grass space were limited. I say this only to show that soccer?s waning popularity in the US is minuscule compared to the popularity in other countries. So we never know, more people in the future may tune their TV sets to the

Microsoft Windows operating system

Known by its codename â€Å"Longhorn†, Windows Vista finished development on November 8, 2006. However, development completion was not automatically followed by public release. Instead, the following three months saw the operating system released in stages to computer hardware and software manufacturers, business customers, and retail channels. Only at the end of January the following year was Windows Vista finally released worldwide for the use of the general public. This latest release of a Microsoft Windows operating system version took the longest time to happen among all previous releases. It took Microsoft more than five years to finish Windows Vista after it had previously introduced Windows XP. While these two circumstances of Vista’s release led most critics to question Microsoft’s capability of coming up with better versions of its Windows operating system series, a better understanding of the nature of digital products and the intrinsic complexities that need to be considered in the development of such technology would reveal that all the delays were necessary steps that Microsoft had t take to ensure the Windows Vista’s successful public launch. The Complexity of Digital Products Unlike physical products like cars or cans of beans, manufacturing digital products naturally takes a longer time to get finalized. Firstly, developmental factors to consider are exponentially more dynamic. A software manufacturing company has to consider the amount of material being released by the day over the internet regarding the performance of their old products as well as improvements made on the products of their competition. With the emergence of other operating systems like UNIX, Linux, and Macintosh’s Mac OS X Tiger which are increasingly becoming more popular among consumers, it becomes even more important for Windows developers to spend as long a time as it takes to gather as much enough data on what new features would be most innovative and least redundant so as to obtain a better market share. Secondly, unlike in the case of car manufacturing wherein new models that look different but run on the same engines can command significant buyer preferences, a new version of a software that only â€Å"looks† different but is otherwise the same as its predecessor would be severely rejected by consumers. There has to be a significant difference between the features of previous software and that of its successor in order for the new product to be at least marketable. After the release of Windows XP, Vista’s predecessor, little room for improvement was left to Windows where appearances were concerned. Therefore, Microsoft had to make drastic changes to XP’s successor if it hoped to be able to convince the public that Vista was worth buying. As a result, Windows Vista was released containing hundreds of new and reworked features. It contains a new concept of graphical user interface dubbed Windows Aero that is unlike any other that currently exists in the market. Its improved multimedia creation tools include a DVD maker that was completely redesigned from the preceding generally unpopular Windows Movie Maker. The Windows Explorer's task panel was removed in favor for a â€Å"Favorite links† panel that was determined to be a potentially more useful feature. Even the address bar was replaced with a new breadcrumb navigation system that makes it much easier to jump from one previously viewed page to another (Windows Vista). All these changes are extremely unlike those seem in the transitions from Windows 95 to Windows XP, and they would not have been possible had Microsoft not taken their time. Security ; Stability: O.S. Essentials In the advent of the world’s growing dependence on ecommerce, it becomes a prime imperative to secure one’s computer from hostile access. Much like how physical security providers test new systems, so do operating system manufacturers test theirs in order to ensure that as much freedom from possible corruption or intrusion is provided. Consumers will not trust a new O.S. product if there is any significant reason to worry that using it would put the sensitive financial and personal information they store in their computers at risk. This is why manufacturers typically undergo several stages of testing that was seen in the case of Windows Vista. This process generally consists of three stages: 1.) internal, 2.) operational, and 3.) external (Grover 78). Internal testing usually takes the longest to complete. It is also where the manufacturers locate most of the possible sources of instability such as program bugs, and script errors. However, testing an operating system’s security capabilities cannot be extensively done during the internal testing stage. This is because the manufacturers need to expose the software to the actual hostile environment of the World Wide Web. Thus, the operational stage sees manufacturers periodically releasing the operating system to semi-controlled entities such as distributors or selected test groups in order to try how the system would fare at the hands of relatively typical users when facing the different viruses, worms, and hacking programs at large in the internet. It is also in the operation stage where manufacturers release the operating system to software and hardware manufacturers in order to gauge the new system’s compatibility with new devices and programs that would also be released in the market. Finally, even after the release of the operating system, the external testing stage is where manufacturers set up means to gather as much feedback from consumers as possible in order to fix any problems that the first two stages might have overlooked. The chances of problems occurring at the third stage of testing should be highly unlikely but the stage is nonetheless implemented as a failsafe mechanism. Microsoft had followed all the necessary stages in new product development where operating systems are concerned. This explains also explains that long time it took for Vista to come out as well as the necessity of the delay of its release to the public. Work Cited: Grover, John J. Product Development: A Managerial Perspective. Simmons ; Sons: New York, 2004 Windows Vista. 2007. Microsoft Website. July 20, 2007 ;http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/default.mspx;