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Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Budnet Bi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Budnet Bi - Essay Example According to the assessment made in the year 2008, the company had 48% of market share within the US market, however in the year 2006 it was 49% and in the year 2005, it was 50%. This consecutive reduction of market share implies that the company has been facing a downfall in its business (Anheuser-Busch InBev, â€Å"About AB InBev†). Anheuser-Busch was facing considerable price restriction as well as business pressure before implementing ‘BudNet’, a network based data warehousing solution system. By considering the US beer market, it can be observed that it was primarily a mature market but with flat consumption level. This scenario occurred due to three reasons, firstly, effective consciousness regarding the issues related to alcohol, slow growth of population as well as age factor of population. In relation to the year 2005, the beer market reached its saturation stage where most of the consumers were very much conscious about the consumption level of alcohol. In the US, the largest beer consuming segment is the young adult group. Thus, these significant aspects created considerable business pressure for Anheuser-Busch while operating in the US market. According to the assessment of the year 2005, it is viewed that US beer market had reached the saturation stage. Majority of the beer manufacturing corporations focused on emerging markets whereas the supply level of the products automatically decreased in the developed markets. The US domestic beer market was primarily in mature stage in the industry life cycle with flat consumption level. In the US, young adults were the significant market segment, whereas other age group consumers had become very much conscious about the consumption of alcohol. From the case study, it is viewed that in the US, Anheuser-Busch’s market share was continuously declining i.e. in the year 2005, company had 50% market share, in the year 2006 it had reached 49% of

Monday, October 28, 2019

Adult Learning Today Essay Example for Free

Adult Learning Today Essay Summary Adult learning has become the number one priority in everyone’s lives. The motivation and drive that is brought on by dreams and goals is phenomenal. Adult learners must be motivated to want to further their education. â€Å"Back in the 20th century various individuals, such as John Dewey, Eduard Lindeman, and Martha Anderson all pursued theories about Andragogy which was first used by Alexander Kapp in 1833† (Abela J, 2009). Andragogy means man and was used to describe the educational theory of the Greek philosopher Plato. Adults engaging in continuing education were studied in this theory. Andragogy assumes that â€Å"adults are independent, have various experiences, are motivated by internal drives, and integrate their learning into everyday life† (Abela J, 2009). It is easier to learn and teach when it is something that is well known. This article covers Andragogy learning theory because it is used now a day more than ever. The drive that keeps continuing education is oneself. The drive to motivation is based off of the Hierarchy of needs: self-actualization, esteem needs, social needs, safety needs, and physiological needs. The role of educators is the catalyst for motivation. It is easier to learn when the person teaching is knowledgeable and cares about the education aspects. However, reflection and motivation are insufficiently addressed by this concept. Learning activities should address the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to what is needed to become knowledgeable in retaining the information. Feedback when learning new information becomes an important role so that one may know whether the information is being comprehended as well as being retained for further use. Adults find motivation within the demands and desires of their lives, in providing for themselves and for their families, and in satisfying personal dreams and ambitions. Motivation may also come from inside a person or the surrounding environment. In everyday life as well as in the work aspects furthering education is the best way to stay up to date. Andragogy is a great theory and is used in everyday life more than realized. Reflection By looking into the reasoning behind all my motivation there are the answers I have always tried to find. What am I working towards? For who? I am an adult learner and motivation is key to my life and what I want out of it. Motivation is my drive to furthering my own education. Andragogy actually describes me perfectly. I am motivated, independent, and I apply all my knowledge to everyday life. It helps greatly when professors and educators actually work with you and help you better understand the information being taught versus just being a â€Å"teacher† for the money. I feel as if teachers online especially have lost sight of the education aspects. Left out from the summary Andragogy is a popular theory used in medical education. Theory works perfectly into my life even though I am a Business major; I also have the drive to help the elderly, so I am a certified nursing assistant. My professors have been there for me and helped me greatly. My learning style is independent much like Andragogy but, I also have to apply everything I learn into everyday life or I won’t be able to retain all the information given. Motivation is the key to anything you want to achieve in life and motivation is what keeps me going during the long work weeks and the long school hours. If one concept doesn’t work then move onto another concept until the learning style clicks. In this article the medical field and this adult learning theory works exceptionally well. Although this may be just another theory, it is of great importance to the adult learners furthering their education. We can better understand the world around us and how things are done if we understand how to retain the information given. As a full-time student, young mom, and full-time worker, online education has been more than helpful. It is my motivation to finish my associates, then finish out with my bachelors, and move forward to the next steps in my life. They say, â€Å"You can’t teach an old dog new tricks†, teach things the first time and use all concepts needed and you will soon achieve life goals. By furthering your education you may open up doors and opportunities you would not have gotten if you had not decided to go to school. Education is the best decision you could make for yourself as well as to make the world a better place by being educated. Works Cited Abela, J. (2009). Adult learning theories and medical education: a review. Malta Medical Journal, 21(1), 11-18. Merriam S (2008). Adult Learning Theory for the Twenty-First Century. Pg. 119.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Sentiment, Mood, and Philosophy of The Best Slow Dancer :: Free Essay Writer

The Sentiment, Mood, and Philosophy of The Best Slow Dancer Feelings can twist reality in the most peculiar ways. Emotions push the mind to the most stunning conclusions, and stir within the soul the strangest storms. In fact, senses reach their peak in David Wagoner’s poetic work â€Å"The Best Slow Dancer†. In the poem, Wagoner brings out the height of sentiment through the eyes of a teenage boy at a school dance, who overcomes the teenage social hierarchy and his own fear to share in the longed-for dance with one special girl. All the while Wagoner takes his readers into depths of wafting dreaminess, romance, and intimacy they are projected through an unbroken flow of words uninterrupted by punctuation, rhythm, or strict lines. â€Å"The Best Slow Dancer† portrays the mental state of a boy as he experiences a dance. It is a short dance, but one that seems to him prolonged for an eternity, the â€Å"three-second rule forever/ suspended†. The feelings that go through the youth’s soul range from extreme delight to just as extreme tension, and the reader may see them all exhibited in the lines of the poem. His surety when with the girl in his embrace is seen when his â€Å"countless feet light-footed sure to move as they wished wherever [they] might stagger without her†, but then he â€Å"tried†¦to tell her [he wasn’t] the worst one†, the worst of the boys, the one that she would not be seen dead with—which implies that he is fearful of the fact that she might reject him, â€Å"not waving a sister somebody else’s partner†. The full textual image demonstrates that the boy is with all his heart trying to impress the girl, and gets the dance with her against all odds of popularity and such, and then he treasures the experience, as he says to himself â€Å"remember† at the end. All throughout â€Å"The Best Slow Dancer†, the key ingredient to the image within the reader’s mind is the mood set by the poem. The mood is mystical, quixotic, intimate, and continual. This state is accomplished by three techniques—poetic devices, turns of phrase, and contortion of syntax. The main pair of poetic devices that set up all these moods and humors simultaneously are enjambment and synecdoche. Enjambment is bizarre in this poetic work, especially in descriptions of physical setting or position, such as the setting of the dance, â€Å"in the school gym across the key through the glitter/ of mirrored light†, or the position of the main character with his â€Å"cheek against her temple, her ear just under/ that†.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Fight for Integration

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, â€Å"I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls,† (â€Å"goodreads†). His â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech took place in 1963 during the March on Washington. It was there that he established his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history. Martin Luther King Jr. ’s American dream was that all men should have god-given rights and have equality. To achieve this American dream, Martin Luther King Jr. faced many obstacles to overcome discrimination. Before Martin Luther King Jr. chieved his American dream, there were many obstacles in the way; it was not all fun and games. The first one was the difficulty to convince African Americans because they believed that they should fight back against discrimination. The police were also another obstacle Martin had to face. During the civil rights movement, the police would use dogs and fire hoses towards the blacks to settle boycotts that were conducted. However, Martin would never use violence back. Another problem that he faced was prejudice ideas. Many whites had opinions about African Americans that kept opportunities for them very limited.Martin never let any of these obstacles stop him from achieving his dreams of equality. Through all the difficulties Martin Luther King Jr. had to face, his American dream never changed. Martin wanted all men to have god-given rights and equality. He had to prove to his own people, the police, and the rest of America that it was possible to stand up for themselves without being violent. With this belief, Americans realized that the white society was in the wrong when it came to discrimination and violence because African Americans were not harming anybody. This helped Martin’s dream become a reality.Work cited: Quote by Martin Luther King Jr. † goodreads. Otis Chandler. 28 Aug. 1963. Thur. 8 Nov. 2012. Haberman, Frederick.  "Martin Luther King-Biography. † Nobleprize. org. Les Prix Nobel. N. d. Web. 6 Nov. 2012. Roland, Allen. â€Å"Martin Luther King/ The Voice That Can’t Be Silenced. † Thepeoplesvoice. ord. n. d. 17 Jan. 2011. Web. 6 Nov. 2012. â€Å"Quote by Martin Luther King Jr. † goodreads. Otis Chandler. 28 Aug. 1963. Thur. 8 Nov. 2012. Carson, Clayborne. â€Å"Life. † Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History. Ed. Colin A. Palmer. 2nd. Ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2006. 1239-1243. Gale U. S. History In Context. Web. 7 Nov. 2012.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Intelligence gathering Essay

The primary objective of intelligence gathering â€Å"†¦is to deal with future danger, not to punish past crimes. † This rings especially true in the world of terrorism. Although you are not seeking to punish past crimes, you cannot discount their usefulness when attempting to understand the future. Information is endless in terms of quantity. There are no limitations to the resources that can create useful and viable information. Perhaps the best source of information is that which comes from human sources. However, in law enforcement the use of undercover officers and informants is limited. The costs and risks associated with such operations are exponential. Also, many of the terrorist groups and organized hate groups are closed societies and are difficult to infiltrate. â€Å"To invade Iraq without preparing to deploy immediately and instruct properly the forces necessary to establish order, protect the inhabitants’ rich cultural legacy, and safeguard the material infrastructure of government and the health system is hardly to evince concern for real people as distinguished from abstract ideas. † (Thomas 2003 4). Nor is Ð ° determination not to tally at least the civilian Iraqi dead and maimed, the collateral damage, as it were, of liberation. Nor is leaving Afghanistan in shambles the better to pursue Ð ° war of choice and opportunity but hardly necessity in the Middle East, Nor is willed amnesia about the fate of the Central American countries where, in the name of democracy during the Reagan years, neo-conservatives championed war rather than fostering compromise and leveraging the social change that might have given substance to democratic forms. But all of these acts and omissions are entirely consistent with Ð ° cynical power-sharing compromise with the hard proponents of an unadorned chauvinism. And they are consistent as well with Ð ° sentiment that administration realists and neo-conservatives appear to possess jointly, which is indifference to what liberal humanitarians deem essential: due regard for the opinion of our old democratic allies and due concern for the lives of the peoples we propose to democratize. â€Å" (Thomas 2004 11). Therefore, much of the information gathered comes from traditional sources such as reports, search warrants, anonymous tips, public domain, and records management systems. This information is used to populate various investigative databases. When investigating Ð ° crime or developing answers to ongoing patterns, series, or trends, law enforcement personnel often rely upon numerous databases and records management systems. â€Å"One predictable yet little remarked consequence of the outrages committed in America on 9/11 has been an upsurge of academic interest in the study of terrorism. The number of US institutes and research centers and ‘think thanks’ which have now added this subject to their research agendas or, in some cases, have been newly established to specialize in this field has mushroomed. In Britain and other European countries the increase in interest has been more modest: some universities are now beginning to recruit specialists in terrorism studies to teach the subject as part of the curriculum of political science or international relations. Yet throughout European academia there is still Ð ° deep-seated reluctance, if not outright refusal, to recognize that studying terror as Ð ° weapon, whether by sub-state groups or regimes, is Ð ° legitimate and necessary scholarly activity. Most of the standard British introductory texts on politics and international relations make no reference to the concept of terrorism, or if they do it is only to dismiss it on the grounds that it is simply Ð ° pejorative term for guerrilla warfare and freedom fighting. Equally remarkable is the neglect of the use of terror by regimes and their security forces. The omission of Ð ° reference to these phenomena in the introductory texts is all the more startling in view of the fact that throughout history regimes have been responsible for campaigns of mass terror, of Ð ° lethality and destructiveness far greater in scale than those waged by sub-state groups. (Mary 2003 25) â€Å"It takes little imagination to see that the events of September 11 delivered Ð ° profound shock to America’s sense of its relationship with the outside world. Commentators inside and outside the United States strove to find words to express their sense of the enormity of the attacks. The attacks were Ð ° â€Å"wake-up call for Americans. † They constituted the â€Å"end of American innocence,† Ð ° final blow to America’s privileged position of detachment from the messy and violent conflicts that blighted less favored countries. America had now once and for all entered the â€Å"real world† of international politics, its â€Å"illusion of invulnerability† finally shattered. An important assumption behind these reactions was that America’s stance toward the outside world could and must change as Ð ° result of these events. American isolationism (in so far as it still existed), its tendency to act unilaterally, indeed its famed â€Å"exceptionalism† itself must inevitably give way to an acknowledgment that the United States was just like any other power. What precise policy implications might flow from such recognition was as yet unclear; it was enough that the events of September 11 constituted Ð ° turning point in American foreign relations. The world, it was said repeatedly, would never be the same again, and neither would America. Simulation exercises of terrorist situations which have occurred can be extremely useful. Lessons can be learnt. Response patterns and negotiating positions have to be viewed in the broader context of government policy-making. Problems shown up by simulation can be examined with Ð ° view to solution – are policy-makers prepared for Ð ° potential crisis or not? Communications breakdown, working at cross purposes and the impact of critical disorganization are regular difficulties. Terrorist tactics and strategies change and this can strain the capabilities of the authorities to respond effectively. â€Å" (John 2004 33-36).

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

buy custom Boston Massacre essay

buy custom Boston Massacre essay The Boston Massacre expressed the peoples discontent at the kind of rules that the colonialists wanted to implement in America. It was also called the the bloody massacre in the King Street and the state street massacre. The street shooting that led to the loss of human lives was such a dramatic occurrence that caused the American Revolution. The massacre has sparked a lot of debate on the person or authority to be held liable for the bloody killing, whether it was the soldiers who violated the colony laws, which ruled out firing at the people, or the civilians who insulted the soldiers.Therefore, the research focuses on the background of issues leading to the confrontation, an account of the event, trial, and aftermath of the event, then a conclusion. Despite the position taken regarding an individuals views, the Boston Massacre is still considered a typical landmark of the American Revolution. Background The Boston massacre occurred on 5th march, 1770 when the British regulars murdered five Bostonians in the confrontation that occurred on the King Street.Typically, the killings resulted from the tension that the appearance of the royal troops in Massachusetts had caused. Notably, the troops presence was to impose the tax burden that the Townshend Act had imposed in the area. Also, they were to restore the British law and order that was deteriorating in the region. As the Americas colonial power, Britain had to ensure that order was maintained and the people had to follow the laws to the latter. The colonial master had to deal with the apparent difficulties that the soldiers had to go through. Notably, the soldiers kept on patrolling on King Street and were to maintain peace. Still, there was no abuse of any kind. Moment later, a crowd of people gathered at the street, but, was unarmed. The only notable thing is that they had sticks and were expressing distress at the perceived military roughness in the city.However, there was no call for firearms use. Account of the events The first troops from Britain reached Boston in 1768.Notably, their arrival triggered hostility between the soldiers implementing the Kings rule and the civilians in Boston. Indeed, it was the Boston Importers who ignored the custom duties that they were required to pay, who caused the trouble. Some of the Bostonians were not happy with the soldiers because they were implementing what the people regarded as impressments laws. Under such laws, the civilians could be seized forcefully and incorporated in the British Navy. In discomfort to the rules, clashes began to arise between the civilians and the soldiers. A consequential fight erupted on 2nd March, 1770 between John Grays employees and the soldiers.One employee insulted a soldier, who invited fellow soldiers to retaliate the insult. The fight attracted a large crowd that had similar discomfort, at the manner in which the soldiers did their work. Therefore, the soldiers were forced to use the weapons in defense. The second fight followed a disputed bill that a British officer had failed to settle his bill at a wig-maker shop, located at the King Street.The officer was confronted and forced to pay for the debt. Indeed, the confrontation attracted a large crowd that became hostile, leading to a heavy fight. As the fight continued, another confrontation ensued between Redcoats and the civilians. There was also a third crowd carrying clubs and matching towards the Dock Square. Soldiers tried to repel the crowd that turned violent. Trouble was increasing all around the city and attracted a large crowd that jammed the King Street and became rowdy.The crowd started throwing coal chunks, snowballs and oyster shells at the soldiers. Then, the crowd was ordered to disperse, but turned deaf ears at the call. The crowd intensified their match towards the soldiers and one of them grabbed a soldier and banged him down. In response, the soldier unloaded the musket pointing at the crowd and started firing. Then the soldier shouted fire, and the others joined him in firing at the crowd.Despite firing, the large crowd did not retreat, but, matched to the soldiers. The soldiers continued to fire in response to the jostling crowd. At that time, five civilians died on the street and several others sustained serious injuries. The crowddid not give up due to their determination to fight and the soldiers did not wait. They loaded the guns once more and ready to open fire. This made the captain to shout, Stop firing. The acting governor of the town, Thomas Hutchinson heard the shooting incident while at his home in North Square and rushed to the scene.He found the captain and the angry crowd still at the embattled street. He talked to the captain and asked him, Do you know, sir, you have no power to fire on anybody of the people gathered, except you have a civil magistrate with you to give orders.The captain replied, I was obliged to, to save the sentry.Then governor proceeded to the Town House, where he guaranteed the council members who had gathered that justice would take its course. He also assured the crowd that he would do all to ensure justice is done and asked them to remain calm. The Trials According to Linder, the authority agreed that Captain Preston had to face trial separately from the other eight soldiers. However, the soldiers objected this in a letter that they wrote to the court. The letter stated that, the distressed prisoners begged to be let free to have their trial when Captain Prestons case was being heard. This is because the soldiers carried out orders from the captain, and those who disobeyed the orders could be confined or shot. Linder further stated that, the soldiers feared that Prestons defense lay in refuting that he gave orders to fire, while the soldiers knew that their defense lay in making the claim that they strictly, followed their captains orders. The soldiers knew that if Captain Preston proceeded for trials first, their defense could be compromised. As a result, the conflict that occurred between Preston and the soldiers presented attorney John Adams with a dilemma because he had accepted to defend both parties. According to best practices, John should have made a decision to represent either the eight soldiers or Captain Preston, however, in the 1700s such kind of conflicts were viewed differently. Unfortunately, the soldiers plea to have a joint trial was denied without clarification. Captain Preston was the first person to face trial for murder. The trial lasted for ten days, from October 24th to October 30th at the Queen Street Courthouse. Samuel Quincy who was the solicitor general and Robert Paine a prominent Boston lawyer led the prosecution. John Adams was assisted by Josiah Quincy in defending Preston. The issue during the trial was whether Preston ordered the soldiers to fire civilians. Moreover, Linder asserted that Preston steadfastly denied that he ordered the soldiers to fire the civilians. Three defense witnesses supported Prestons account in denying that he gave orders to fire the civilians while four witnesses supported the prosecution that, indeed, Preston gave the order. Calef Daniel was the only prosecutions eyewitness whose statements were convincing. Daniel claimed that he was present at the firing, and in fact he heard one of the guns rattling. He said further that he turned around, and heard the officer who stood on the right order the soldiers to fire. The officer was wearing a yellow jacket, redcoat, a hat with silver lace, and an untrimmed coat. Daniel swore that he saw his face because the moon was shining Sadly, copies of the trial do not exist even though the trial was written in shorthand. The testimony of Preston was surmised from the evidence that he gave during the advance trial. Preston submitted an account of how some people asked him if the guns were charged and he replied with a yes answer. Conversely, when the same people asked him if he intended to order his men to fire, Preston vehemently denied. Nevertheless, while Preston was still speaking with the civilians, one of the soldiers who had reeceived a blow stepped aside on one side and fired. When Preston turned around to ask the soldier why he had fired, he (Preston) was also struck on the arm with a club. This prevented him from using the arm for sometime, he lamented had the blow found his head it could have destroyed it. He went on saying that the attack was carried out on the civilians by using snowballs and clubs; hence, his life was also in danger. As everyone struggled to get a haven, some of the civilians called on the soldiers to fire. Immediately about four soldiers fired sequentially during the confusion. John Adams doubted the jurors minds, whether Preston ordered the soldiers to fire. The twelve man jury made deliberations for a few hours and finally acquitted Preston of all the charges that were labeled against him. After eight weeks, the soldiers faced trial. The witnesses testified on the clashes between military and civilians on what happened three days before the massacre as well as the events that took place during the night of the massacre. From the prosecutors side, the most damning evidence was that of Samuel Hemmingway who stated that Private Killroy Samuel who had been identified earlier by another witness actually shot John Gray. Killroy could not miss an opportunity to fire the inhabitants because he always wanted to shoot civilians from the first time he arrived. The defense lawyers presented testimonies to support the theory that soldiers merely fired in self-defense. One of the defense witnesses called James Bailey presented a photograph of a rowdy gang. Bailey explained how the soldiers were pelted with chunks of ice and other crude objects. In addition, Bailey testified that he saw Attucks Crispus hit Private Montgomery using a cord wood stick. Adams questioned the jury if they could stand still in such a situation and allow the mob to knock their brains. The Aftermath of Boston Massacre According to Reid Philip, Captain Preston and the four men that were in the Custom House were indicted on the 27th of March. The government gave the soldiers a fair trial so as to prevent retaliation from the British as well as to avert alienation of the moderates from the patriots cause. In defending the soldiers, Adams argued that if the soldiers lives were in danger because of the Negroes, saucy boys, molattoes, jack tarr, and Irish teagues, then the law allowed the soldiers to fight the civilians. Reid further says that John Adams blended eloquence and law in concluding his defense. He told the jury that this was a case of self defense. Justices Oliver and Trowbridge instructed the jury. Trowbridge told the Boston men that, malice distinguishes murder from every other homicide. On the other hand, Oliver asked Carr to determine whether a man who steps into eternity should not be believed, particularly in favor of those who he had lost his life to. Finally, Reid documented that after the deliberations, the six soldiers were acquitted of all the charges, however, Montgomery and Killroy were found guilty for an offense of manslaughter. The two soldiers appeared in court on the 14th of December to give the reason for not being liable for the killings and not face death sentence, they invoked the benefit of clergy. Ultimately the soldiers punishment was turned into thumb branding from imprisonment. The jurys decision was based on the belief that soldiers felt threatened by the civilians. Conclusion In summary, it is the peoples discontent that led to the resistance to the rules that the colonial masters wanted to impose on the people. However, the killing of the unarmed Protestants was regrettable. Thus, if the soldiers were provoked and no threat occurred in their lives, they were guilty for a charge of manslaughter. Finally, the judges verdict was inclined to one side, in support of the soldiers. Buy custom Boston Massacre essay

Monday, October 21, 2019

Everything You Need to Know About Bleach

Everything You Need to Know About Bleach Bleach is the common name for a solution of 2.5%  sodium hypochlorite in water. Its also called chlorine bleach or liquid bleach. Another type of bleach is oxygen-based or peroxide bleach. While you may know bleach is used to disinfect and remove stains, there is more to know about this everyday chemical to use it safely and effectively. Here are some important facts about this solution. Useful Bleach Facts Bleach has a shelf life and expiration date. On average, a container of unopened bleach loses 20% of its effectiveness each year. Once opened, bleach starts to lose a significant amount of its power after 6 months.Chlorine bleach is more effective as a disinfectant when its diluted rather than if its used at full strength. A typically recommended dilution is 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.A higher percentage of bleach is needed if a large quantity of organic material (e.g., blood, protein) is present, as these materials react with bleach and tend to neutralize it.If you add sodium hypochlorite bleach to whiten laundry or remove stains, its better to add it after the wash cycle has already filled with water and started agitation. If you add bleach together with detergent, you risk diminishing the effectiveness of enzyme-based stain removers and the detergent. On the other hand, oxygen-based bleach is best added to warm or hot water before clothes are added. Oxygen-based bleaches are g enerally color-safe and will preserve whiteness, but will not remove color. Sodium hypochlorite bleach does whiten fabrics ​but is not safe for all materials. Bleach reacts with several other chemicals to release toxic vapors. Its generally inadvisable to mix bleach with other cleaners. In particular, avoid mixing bleach with acetone, alcohol, vinegar  or other acids, or ammonia.Bleach can corrode metal, so if you clean or disinfect a metal surface with bleach, its important to wipe it down with water or alcohol afterward.Although its commonly believed drinking bleach can lead to a negative blood or urine test for drug use, this is untrue.While chlorine bleach is a powerful disinfectant, peroxide bleach is not suitable for this purpose. Chlorine bleach disinfects because it is an oxidizer, capable of disrupting microbial cells. Oxidation is also how chlorine bleach removes color. Sodium hypochlorite breaks bonds in the chromophore or colored portion of a molecule, rendering it colorless. Reducing bleaches also exist, which also change chemical bonds and alter how a molecule absorbs light.Chlorine bleach was first used to disinfect water in 1895 for  New York Citys Croton Reservoir. Household bleach may be made using water, caustic soda, and chlorine. The process of electrolysis is used to produce chlorine and caustic soda by running an electric current through a solution of table salt (sodium chloride) in water. Caustic soda and chlorine react to form sodium hypochlorite. All that is needed is to bubble chlorine gas through caustic soda solution. Since chlorine gas is toxic, bleach is not a chemical one should make at home.Although the odor of chlorine is apparent in bleach, when bleach is used, the chemical reaction tends to produce salt water and not chlorine gas.Although the toxic chemical dioxin has been known to occur in bleaching products using in the wood pulp and paper industry, household bleach is free from dioxin because gaseous chlorine must be present for dioxin to form.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Battle of San Jacinto in the Texas Revolution

Battle of San Jacinto in the Texas Revolution Battle of San Jacinto - Conflict Date: The Battle of San Jacinto was fought April 21, 1836 and was the decisive engagement of the Texas Revolution. Armies Commanders: Republic of Texas General Sam Houston800 men2 guns Mexico Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna1,400 men1 gun Background: While Mexican President and General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna laid siege to the Alamo in early March 1836, Texan leaders gathered in Washington-on-the-Brazos to discuss independence.   On March 2, a formal declaration was approved. In addition, Major General Sam Houston received an appointment as commander-in-chief of the Texan Army. Arriving in Gonzales, he commenced organizing the forces there to offer resistance to the Mexicans. Learning of the Alamos fall late on March 13 (five days after its capture), he also received word that Santa Annas men were advancing northeast and pushing deeper into Texas. Calling a council of war, Houston discussed the situation with his senior officers and, being out-numbered and out-gunned, decided to commence an immediate withdrawal towards the US border.  This retreat forced the Texan government to abandon its capital at Washington-on-the-Brazos and flee to Galveston. Santa Anna on the Move: Houstons hasty departure from Gonzales proved fortuitous as Mexican troops entered the town on the morning of March 14. Having overwhelmed the Alamo on March 6, Santa Anna, who was eager to end the conflict, split his force in three, sending one column towards Galveston to capture the Texas government, a second back to secure his supply lines, and launched a pursuit Houston with the third. While one column defeated and massacred a Texan force at Goliad in late March, another harried Houstons army. Having briefly swelled to around 1,400 men, the Texan force began to erode as morale sunk during the prolonged retreat. Additionally, concern arose in the ranks regarding Houstons willingness fight. Concerned that his green troops would only be capable of fighting one major battle, Houston continued to avoid the enemy and was nearly removed by President David G. Burnet. On March 31, the Texans paused at Groces Landing where they were able to take two weeks to train and re-supply. Having ridden north to join his lead columns, Santa Anna first conducted a failed endeavor to capture the Texan government before turning his attention to Houstons army. Having departed Groces Landing, it had turned southeast and was moving in the direction of Harrisburg and Galveston.On April 19, his men spotted the Texas Army near the confluence of the San Jacinto River and Buffalo Bayou. Moving closer, they established a camp within 1,000 yards of Houstons position. Believing that he had the Texans trapped, Santa Anna elected to delay and postpone his attack until April 22. Reinforced by General Martà ­n Perfecto de Cos, Santa Anna had 1,400 men to Houstons 800. The Texans Prepare: On April 20, the two armies skirmished and fought a minor cavalry action. The next morning, Houston called council of war. Though most of his officers believed they should wait for Santa Annas assault, Houston decided to seize the initiative and attack first. That afternoon, the Texans burned Vinces Bridge cutting off the most likely line of retreat for Mexicans. Screened by a slight ridge that ran across the field between the armies, the Texans formed for battle with the 1st Volunteer Regiment in the center, the 2nd Volunteer Regiment on the left, and the Texas Regulars on the right. Houston Strikes: Quickly and quietly advancing, Houstons men were screened by Colonel Mirabeau Lamars cavalry on the far right. Not expecting a Texan attack, Santa Anna had neglected to post sentries outside of his camp, allowing the Texans to close without being detected. They were further aided by the fact that the time of the assault, 4:30 PM, coincided with the Mexicans afternoon siesta. Supported by two artillery pieces donated by the city of Cincinnati and known as the Twin Sisters, the Texans surged forward yelling Remember Goliad and Remember the Alamo. A Surprise Victory: Caught by surprise, the Mexicans were unable to mount an organized resistance as the Texans opened fire at close range. Pressing their attack, they quickly reduced the Mexicans to mob, forcing many to panic and flee. General Manuel Fernndez Castrillà ³n attempted to rally his troops but was shot before they could establish any resistance. The only organized defense was mounted by 400 men under General Juan Almonte, who were forced to surrender at the end of the battle. With his army disintegrating around him, Santa Anna fled the field. A complete victory for the Texans, the battle only lasted 18 minutes. Aftermath: The stunning victory at San Jacinto cost Houstons army a mere 9 killed and 26 wounded. Among the wounded was Houston himself, having been hit in the ankle. For Santa Anna, the casualties were much higher with 630 killed, 208 wounded, and 703 captured. The next day a search party was sent out to locate Santa Anna. In an attempt to avoid detection, he had exchanged his generals uniform for that of a private. When captured, he nearly escaped recognition until other prisoners began saluting him as El Presidente. The Battle of San Jacinto proved to be the decisive engagement of the Texas Revolution and effectively secured independence for the Republic of Texas. A prisoner of the Texans, Santa Anna was compelled to sign the Treaties of Velasco which called for the removal of Mexican troops from Texas soil, efforts to be made for Mexico to recognize Texas independence, and safe conduct for the president back to Veracruz. While Mexican troops did withdraw, the other elements of the treaties were not upheld and Santa Anna was held as a POW for six months and disowned by the Mexican government. Mexico did not officially recognize the loss of Texas until the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo which ended the Mexican-American War. Selected Sources Texas AM: Battle of San JacintoTexas State Library: Battle of San JacintoSan Jacinto Battlefield State Historic Site

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Case study on Bank Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case study on Bank Management - Essay Example 2. Profit margin: It is the ratio of net income to the operating revenue, and this ratio represents the financial efficiency of the bank. The corresponding value for First National Bank is 8.51% as compared to 6% for its peers. In other words, the First national Bank makes more profit per unit of operating revenue, thereby making this bank more efficient that its peers. Hence, the overall profitability of the bank can drastically improved by and wealth can be unlocked by increasing the loan ratio and hence valuing the bank based on present financial performance may lead to undervaluing the bank. To calculate the valuation of the First National Bank using the discounted free cash flow or the present value of future earning process, the extra piece of information required will be the rate of growth of dividend. However, the valuation of the bank can also be calculated by the price/earnings ratio. Since, as has been discussed above, the present earnings are sub optimal the bank should not be valued by multiplying the earning by the PE ratio.

Friday, October 18, 2019

See Attachment Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

See Attachment - Term Paper Example The goal of this essay is to explore the meanings of metaphors of house and used by a range of prominent American authors. William Faulkner, known for his sophisticated method of encoding his intended meaning in specific imagery and metaphors, is particularly keen on using house metaphors. Their meanings differ from one work to another, yet some tendencies may be distinguished. Analysis of the house metaphor in Absalom! Absalom!, William Faulkner’s most famous novel, provides insight into how the author perceives the house metaphorically. In Absalom! Absalom!, the image of a haunted house is clearly metaphorical. It is the dark pretentious house of the novel’s protagonist Sutpen that works as a metaphor of the â€Å"dark† South – obsessed with racial inequality and accumulation of wealth in dynasty. Thomas Sutpen, who was once born in poverty, comes to a town in Mississippi to purchase land, build a house on it, and start his dynasty. The overall sad story of Sutpen’s house is a metaphor for the South. Just as Sutpen and his son Henry despise black people and repudiate them, the white-dominated South does. Just as Thomas and Henry Sutpen lose their lives as obvious pay for their hatred and desire of â€Å"purity†, with their grandiose house set ruins by fire, the South, which hosted the oppressors and the oppressed, gets burnt down for inhumane treatment of its black children. Similarly to how Sutpen’s son Charles, who was born out of wedlock from a mother who had a small proportion of black blood, is murdered at the gates of the mansion, hundreds of black people are made to work to death or lynched on the basis of their skin colour difference. It is this injustice in combination with lack of humanity and excessive self-pride that have led the South to its destruction in the war and has literally set it ablaze. The house and its conceited owner Sutpen together with his â€Å"dynasty† are doomed to fall due to their inherent flaws, as the place where slavery blooms (i.e., the house) and as the source of inequality and racial hatred (i.e., Thomas Sutpen).Thus, house stands for a part of American land, the South, and has a range of negative connotations as a place of racial inequality, injustice, gloom, and decay. It also evolves as a symbol of doomed Southern worldview: anti-slavery, inhumane aims are doomed for ruination. In Tony Morrison’s novel Beloved, house evolves as a metaphor of environment that is supposed to be nurturing and liberating. It also comes as a metaphor of an unfulfilled dream of being free from slavery and safe. In addition, house represents a place where people summon their strength and create their strategies. Also, the house may stand for a hero/heroine’s soul and body, more likely to represent the inner state of the protagonist, though. It is also a symbol of freedom and safety. In the paragraphs to follow, these claims will be explained and supp orted by the evidence from the novel. In Beloved, home becomes the focus of quest by the novel’s protagonist young black woman Sethe. Sethe, as her life chronologically unfolds in the novel, finds herself constantly swaying back and forth between slavery, humiliation, danger, which may be referred to as her house of jeopardy; and freedom, safety, and dignified/happy living in a black community, which is perceived as her home. Sweet Home, the house of Mr and Mrs Garner, is

Rhetorical Analysis Essay #3 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Rhetorical Analysis #3 - Essay Example Due to it, readers are expected to trust the author, perceive him as reliable and informed. Moreover, appeal to pathos is mostly received by the choice of a language and the imagery used to describe the situation. Firstly, the author describes the situation in dark colors saying that workers are â€Å"forced to work making pennies per hour† and intimidated from expressing their will. (Ravisankar) Working extra hours and having no break is a norm for such people, including children. They work for pennies and their living conditions will continue to aggravate. Secondly, the choice of the emotionally –charged language, such as â€Å"oppression†, â€Å"abhorrent†, â€Å"extreme heat† helps to achieve the intended and cause empathy. (Ravisankar) Importantly, the topic itself touches upon such issues as poverty, unfair working conditions, and lack of justice that makes the rich become richer and the poor – poorer. Subsequently, readers are receptive to the message being sent as they sympathize with workers and feel sorry for them. In addition, the appeal to logos is also evident. The author states the problem is details, explaining what is wrong with sweatshops, who benefits from them, and what is their essence as a whole: â€Å"they are taking part in a phenomenon which has been described as â€Å"the race to the bottom†. (Ravisankar) Apart from that, Ravisankar suggests the possible solution that calls for participation of all the students eager to change the situation. As a whole, the argument looks credible and

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Unemployment and Inflation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Unemployment and Inflation - Essay Example Other countries experience a large number of immigrants that other countries are hence causing this difference. Some countries have rigid protective labor legislation. This has made the employment rate to grow slowly in other industrial countries than other countries. Other countries have small or lack the land to do farming while other states do this business hence increasing the employment rate. The presence of different rules and regulation and different resource in this industrial countries contributes to the difference in the employment rates. 3.Inflation and interest rate Inflation causes the increase in the price of buying goods. Inflation is good for investment since it increases the price of the current investment hence making profits from it. Inflation is good for one who has invested and is selling it, but it is expensive for the buyer. The possibility of inflation rate typically increases the interest rate for borrowers the loans. The creditors are the ones who will get t he benefits of it since they will increase the interest rate hence getting more money that they can invest in the future. On the other hand, the borrowers will accept to take the loan with the high-interest rate simply because of the future inflation. The borrowers will be willing to pay a higher interest for them to invest and gain more when the inflation comes. At the end of it, the creditors will gain, the increased interest at that time will the borrowers will get more money in the future since the value of the investment will be higher.

Project Management Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project Management Review - Essay Example While the former deals with system, the latter is related to environment and culture. It is necessary to develop a clear project scope statement that connects the project and customer. In addition, it is necessary for planning and control. Thereafter, there is proper work breakdown that will enable proper planning and monitoring of the progress of the project. As a result, the project and its changes will be properly documented and traceable. On the other hand, as Larson, and Gray, point out, the sociocultural aspects deal with developing a social system that incorporates the talents of various people working together to complete a project (14). It is the sociocultural aspect that develops a project culture that enhances teamwork and ensures high level of motivation. In addition, it should ensure provisions to quickly solve problems. Also, the dimension takes into consideration the interaction between the project and external environment. In total, it is about developing conducive so cial network of skilled professionals. II The three main elements which are to be balanced continuously in a project are time, cost and performance. In fact, in a project, these three constraints are not independent. Instead, they interact each other. For example, if resources are added to shorten the time period, there will be a rise in the project cost. For example, every project is evaluated according to â€Å"accomplishment, cost, and time period† (Larson, and Gray, 5). So, it becomes the most important function of a project management to balance the tradeoffs between time, cost and performance as a way to satisfy the customer in the end. III There are three basic ways to organize a project team. They are functional organization, dedicated project teams, and matrix structure. In the functional organization, the project is managed within the traditional, functional departments of an organization. Some examples are the departments of R&D and IT. This form is usually selecte d when the number of functional departments in the project is just one or two. In addition, in this system, one department is mainly responsible for implementation and it is this department that plays the most important role in the project. However, this system many not be suitable when a project is complex that requires a lot of independent decision making. However, a dedicated project team is usually an independent organizational unit, and it has members who devote their full time effort on the project. This team is suitable when the project is complex and large which requires a considerable number of functional disciplines, often more than six. The last one is matrix structure of organization. For this team, multiple functional units within the company are incorporated for people to be team members as needed. This form is often adopted when the project size is medium; that is bigger for the traditional functional organization and smaller for a full time dedicated team. In other w ords, when there are four to six functional disciples in a project, the matrix system is favored. The advantages of the traditional functional organization are flexibility, in-depth expertise, easy project transition, and lack of changes. However, the issues associated with this form are lack of focus due to fewer obligations, poor interaction among functional units, slow speed, and lack of motivation

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Unemployment and Inflation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Unemployment and Inflation - Essay Example Other countries experience a large number of immigrants that other countries are hence causing this difference. Some countries have rigid protective labor legislation. This has made the employment rate to grow slowly in other industrial countries than other countries. Other countries have small or lack the land to do farming while other states do this business hence increasing the employment rate. The presence of different rules and regulation and different resource in this industrial countries contributes to the difference in the employment rates. 3.Inflation and interest rate Inflation causes the increase in the price of buying goods. Inflation is good for investment since it increases the price of the current investment hence making profits from it. Inflation is good for one who has invested and is selling it, but it is expensive for the buyer. The possibility of inflation rate typically increases the interest rate for borrowers the loans. The creditors are the ones who will get t he benefits of it since they will increase the interest rate hence getting more money that they can invest in the future. On the other hand, the borrowers will accept to take the loan with the high-interest rate simply because of the future inflation. The borrowers will be willing to pay a higher interest for them to invest and gain more when the inflation comes. At the end of it, the creditors will gain, the increased interest at that time will the borrowers will get more money in the future since the value of the investment will be higher.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Businese Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Businese - Essay Example Hip Hop music is different from the other music genres in many respects. The beat is specifically targeted at the young and energetic youths who still enjoy dancing and listening to fancy music. The targeted audience for Hip Hop music is also characterised by similar features such as interests, dressing as well as preferences. According to TSMITHCHS (2013), â€Å"People who listen to R&B/hip hop music listen to radio and TV stations such as MTV BASE, Radio1 Extra and Kiss.† The programmers of these specific channels design their content with the aim of fulfilling the needs and interests of the young urbanites. The other interesting facto about the targeted audience of Hip Hop music is related to the aspect of dressing. The youths mainly prefer trendy, fashionable and designer clothing. These youngsters mainly prefer to buy their clothes and footwear from reputable brands such as Nike, Adidas, Hugo Boss, Prada and  Giorgio Armani (TSMITHCHS, 2013). These youths also like to w ear stylish and high fashion clothes that are often associated with celebrities. Generally, the youths belonging to this category are more interested in their presentation and appearance more than anything else. The other important characteristic of the targeted audience is that this group is comprised of young adults who are working on either full or part time basis. These people are no longer dependents and they can afford to buy what they want on their own. The group is also characterised by people who still enjoy going to clubs and the majority of them are still at the stage of experimenting quite a number of youthful things. The genres of Hip Hop music are written by artists who are still young as well and they also have similar interests with their targeted audiences. The writers of these genres also wear designer fashion with expensive labels. They are the ones who influence as well as shape the behaviour of the targeted audiences. These people are often viewed as role models by the targeted audiences and they try to emulate their behaviour as much as possible. The writers of Hip Hop music also prefer to play live shows in places such as nightclubs which are frequented by many young people. The youthful behaviour is still evident between both the writers as well as target audiences of the genre of Hip Hop music. The targeted audiences for this particular genre mainly use it for entertainment. The young and energetic youths can dance to this kind of music the whole night and they find this so exciting. The audiences also enjoy the lyrics portrayed in different songs. Apart from playing the entertainment role, Hip Hop music is also comprised of messages that are designed to fulfil the needs of the targeted audiences. In some cases, the lyrics are comprised of love messages and the beat is presented in a unique way. The targeted audiences also use this particular type of music to create a culture and identity different from other groups. These people are a lso known as urbanites or bingers in social circles and they wish to maintain the culture of this cliche. The tastes and preferences of the listeners of Hip Hop music is different from any other group. Essentially, the listeners of Hip Hop music want to portray themselves as unique and a special group comprising of people who are so special by virtue of their preferences and interests. These people also feel that their

Monday, October 14, 2019

Instant Replay Would Ruin the World’s Most Popular Sport Essay Example for Free

Instant Replay Would Ruin the World’s Most Popular Sport Essay The quarterback gets the snap, lobs it to the corner of the end zone, the wide receiver jumps up†¦.. it’s a catch! But did he get his feet in? Let’s look at the replay. Over 25 years ago on March 11th, 1986, the National Football League (NFL) introduced â€Å"instant replay† into the sports world (Wired, 2009, p.1). This recording technology has slowly worked its way into professional basketball, tennis, baseball many other sports around the world. Soccer, often called Football outside of the United States, is one of the few sports that have resisted the temptation to introduce technology to the officiating of its games. Although the implementation may make the game more precise, this resistance has kept soccer â€Å"pure,† embracing its imperfections and old tradition. To put it in the most basic of terms, instant replay is â€Å"a recording of an action in a sports event that can be shown on television immediately after the original play happens† (Merriam-Webster, 2013, p.1). Instant replay may appear to be nothing but a tool to help officials make the right call, but with benefits comes consequences. One of the consequences of instant replay is an intense slowdown of the time it takes a sporting match to be completed. For example, in the NFL, a 2010 study breaking down a four-game playoff marathon (around 12 hours of broadcast time) resulted in fans watching on average for each of the four games: 67 mins of players standing around, 17 mins of instant replays, 11 mins of actual playing time, and 3 seconds of cheerleaders (The Wall Street Journal, 2010). When replays take up more time then the â€Å"live game,† our priorities, as players, announcers, and fans clearly need to be adjusted. Focusing on these replays often takes the attention away from what is currently going on in the game, which in my opinion takes away from the joy and passion that comes with sport. NFL football, although hugely popular, can’t compete with the fluidity and beauty of Soccer football. The word â€Å"beauty† is often thrown around loosely in describing soccer because of the games continuous ability to surprise. With soccer, the fans have two 45-minute halves sandwiching a 15-minute break. The clock never stops and in many respects, the players and ball never stops. This elegance of 11 players on each side keeping continuous play of one round ball for minutes on end, making passes and runs, and connecting 45-yard balls is where the â€Å"beauty† of the game is established. The simplicity of the game is what makes it so special. This simplicity can’t be compromised by technology, which in turn would cloud the games purity. â€Å"The beauty of sport is its humanity and the sense that it is peopled with people and not automatons.† (The New York Times, 1989, p.2). Berkow in his New York Times editorial puts this idea in the simplest of terms, stating that people play and officiate sports, and to take just a little part of that away is when sport loses its integrity. The technological advances in sport and society in the last 30 years have been unimaginable and the biggest challenge society has had is to know when to use these technologies. The first official rules of soccer were drawn-up by the English Football Association in 1863. Nothing much has changed since then. (Livestrong, 2010, p.3). There is a great source of pride and passion knowing that rules have been roughly the same since this time. The requirement of the players and referees to have the stamina to run for 45 uninterrupted minutes is truly demanding. It requires a dedication not only physical but spiritually, knowing the game has been virtually the same for over a 120 years. The biggest promoters of instant replay technology has been media companies in every sport that instant replays exist. But why? One of the key reasons is the opportunity to stop games and therefore play more commercials, which results in more profits for the networks. The New York Times commented in 2010 that its important to â€Å"never stop the game (of soccer), because that leads to television sticking its grubby commercials where they do not belong.† In fact, purists actually spit up at the thought of â€Å"The Beautiful Game† being interrupted by referees peering at replay video screens (NBC Sports, 2010, p.3). Also from a purely technical approach, there is absolutely no time periods long enough to review any calls. Referees often have 3-5 seconds to make a call. This constant demand to make a call and keep the game flowing is not only what makes soccer beautiful but is how the game needs to be officiated. â€Å"Test cricket, for instance, is made up of 540 separate moments of play balls each day; tennis is a series of points; rugby has regular breakdowns† (Sports Illustrated, 2010, p.1). Other sports have this segmented structured to them, which give them these constant opportunities to review or questions calls. All else aside, soccer can’t have instant replays implemented because that would mean the entire structure and rules would have to change along with them. Many soccer fanatics, particularly in the 2010 World Cup, which there were multiply questionable calls, are fed up with referees missing/making bad calls. Certainly, an argument can be made that instant replay may help change a bad officiating decision. But â€Å"indisputable visual evidence† to overturn a goal or call by a referee on the field could result in a 5 minute pause, which results in the referee returning to announce that there is no conclusive evidence, so the call on the field remains. How satisfying is that to any spectator or competitor? The â€Å"human error† element of game is sometimes an issue but also is a beautiful part of the game. If we had technology run every call, the element of surprise within the game would be lost. There is nothing better than teams fighting back from a few bad calls to come out on top; this ability of athletes to overcome obstacles (bad referees) makes watching soccer all the more worth it. Yet the controversy remains and the fans will continue to be mad at the referees. In the modern age technology is viewed as a solution to almost anything. If you have a hot room, buy an air conditioner to cool it down. But is soccer’s problem that black and white? Can we implement instant replay and we will fix the underlying issue? â€Å"The main difficulty underlying the use of technology to solve social problems is that these problems are fundamentally different from technical problems† (Society and Technological Change, 2014, pg. 31). Now many may argue that officiating mistakes aren’t a social problem, but something like soccer so ingrained into society and culture makes for a different situation. People world-wide have a loyalty and in their mind an obligation to the sport even though many never even step on a field. The implementation of instant replays could cause an absolute outcry world wide because we would be trying to â€Å"fix,† (missed/wrong calls) something that doesn’t need fixing to begin with. In many respects, Soccer is and has become a universal language. Spanning across the globe with over a thousand professional leagues, most ever country has at least one professional league for people to view. Other sports are also played worldwide but not nearly at the magnitude that soccer is at a professional level. Instant replay, if implemented in soccer, would completely change the playing field and spectator’s view of the game. Tarnishing the 100 years of soccer world-wide may cause a loss in the universal language that has been cherished and appreciated for so long. An even playing field for every professional team is just another beautiful part of the game that cannot be tampered with. Finally, I believe soccer allows fans and announcers to get lost in the game. Almost removing themselves from all external forces such as social media, texting, and technology in general and putting focus on the simple game of â€Å"football.† Other sports give you the ability to stay distanced from the game because the most critical points will always be showed over and over again between plays, sets, points. With no stops or ability to look away, real soccer fans stay true to their selves when their team is on because otherwise they may miss something spectacular. The absence of technology in soccer is just another reason why the game is so simple, yet so beautiful. So risking an occasional bad call to retain the fluidity of the sport is something I embrace. â€Å"If one picture is worth a thousand words, moving pictures can speak volumes.† (American Journal Sports Medicine, 2007, pg. 358). The real world has mistakes and the real world doesn’t stop for a 60-second commercial. I vote yes for the real world and all its warts, particularly when it results in allowing myself and the rest of the world to watch and play in the world’s most popular and beautiful game! Bibliography Berkow, Ira. SPORTS OF THE TIMES; Bloodless Instant Replays. The New York Times. The New York Times, 14 Nov. 1989. 26 Sept. 2013. . Biderman, David. 11 Minutes of Action. The Wall Street Journal 10 Jan. 2010: Print. FIFA Shows Its Still Leery of Instant Replay. Yahoo Sports. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . FIFA’s Plan To Quash Bad Call Controversy: Censor In-Stadium Replays. SportsGrid RSS. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . Instant Replay Controversy in Baseball Rears Its Ugly Head Again. Bob Long Sports. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . Instant Replay. Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . Length of a Regulation Soccer Game. LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . March 11, 1986: NFL Adopts Instant Replay. Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . Off the Bench. Off the Bench. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . Soccer Could Use Instant Replay, but Not at Expense of the Sports Flow. Soccer Could Use Instant Replay, but Not at Expense of Flow. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . Soccer Resists Instant Replay Despite Criticism. Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, 30 Nov. 2009. 26 Sept. 2013.. World Football. Bleacher Report. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. .

Sunday, October 13, 2019

A Study on the Legal Trade Cases between Canada and Africa

A Study on the Legal Trade Cases between Canada and Africa Khushal Mewada Vishnu Sabu Priyank Patel Jayesh Patel INTRODUCTION The term legal is used to define the thing related with law. Develop and maintain security policies, procedures and practices which comply with relevant elements of criminal, civil, administrative and regulatory law to minimize adverse legal consequences. Law can be three type that is Public International Law, Private International Law, Foreign Law. Public international law is the system of rules and principles governing the relationships between states and international organizations as well some of their persons and Private international law governs relationships between persons and organizations engaged in international transactions and their legal cases whereas Foreign law is a law enacted by a foreign country. We need to know all these cases before doing transaction overseas because all can affect the trade. This report study is on three legal court cases related with trade between Canada and Africa. These cases include information about the conflicts between companies of both countries and their court case as well as the result of case by court with acts. LEGAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CANADA AND AFRICA Canada established its diplomatic relations with South Africa in 1939, due to the outbreak of World War II. Africa and Canada had few contacts before the twentieth century. Canada and Africa were both part of a global trading system, linked by European trading companies such as the Hudsons Bay Company and the Royal African Company. Canada and African were raw-material exporting areas, they mostly traded with manufacturers in Europe, and not with each other. Canada is a significant investor in Africa. Trade between the two countries totaled $1.8 billion in 2008. Canadian investments largely focus on the mineral and mining sector, as well as transportation, food processing, hospitality, information and communication technologies. A Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in mining and mineral development was signed between Canada and South Africa in March 2015. A Double Taxation Agreement has been signed to facilitate trade and investment, between Canada and South Africa. Top Canadian exports to Africa include lentils and wheat, power generation machinery, electrical machinery, sulfur, optical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and pork. Africas exports to Canada include citrus, beverages (wine), nuclear machinery parts and minerals such as iron, titanium, chromium and copper. CASE:1 WHITE SOUTH AFRICAN,S VS CANADIAN GOVERNMENT TITLE: White South Africans battle for refugee status in Canada ended by appeals court. In this case, a white South African asked for refugee protection in Canada due to the fear of his Countrys major black, and his case was recalled and the case was rejected, moreover made necessary arrangement for returning to his country, where his cases started as an angry upset and reaction against Canada. For analysing the case we are following the IRAC method which directly goes deeply to the case between Canada and Africa. Issue In 2009, an international protest welcomed Canadas Immigration and Refugee Board and decided Brandon Huntley, a white citizen of South Africa, had an all around established dread of mistreatment on the bases of his race and the South Africa government had lack of interest or failure or unwillingness to shield white South Africans from oppression by African South Africans. In this case, a white South African asked for refugee protection in Canada due to the fear of his countrys major black people, but his case was recalled and his case got rejected. The South Africas government called the decision as a perverse by Ottawa and racist. The African Social Medias, newspapers who severely criticized the claim made by Mr. Huntley and protest against IRBs decision. The IRB Canada take another look into the case and in 2010 Mr. Huntleys then-lawyer accused Ottawa of interfering to mend international relations. The supreme court of Canada refuse to hear the case in 2012. Rule The African National Congress, the party that liberated South Africa from apartheid under Nelson Mandelas leadership in 1994, said the refugee decision was racist and alarmist. Canadas reasoning for granting Huntley a refugee status can only serve to perpetuate racism, the ANC said Tuesday. Stephane Malepart, a spokesman for the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, said the board cannot release the Huntley decision or make any comment on the ruling since all of its cases are heard in private and its tribunals operate at arms length from the government. But he said the federal government could seek judicial review of any decision by appealing it to the Federal Court of Canada. Analysis His case, however, drew intense publicity. It was reported in newspapers around the world, especially in South Africa. His picture, he said, was featured in newspaper ads on buses in his hometown. Online, he was threatened, he said. If he was not a person in need of protection before, he was now, he claimed in court, a distinction referred to as being a refugee sur place. The IRB acknowledged that South Africa was a young democracy with ongoing problems, the court summarized, but remained a functioning democracy with independent judicial institutions. In judging the IRBs second decision, Federal Court Judge Catherine M. Kane said the reasons given by the IRB were adequate and the decision was a reasonable one to arrive at. Conclusion This case adversely affect the relationship between Canada and Africa. There are some legal barriers for refugees from Africa to Canada. The discussion above details a range of problems with the asylum application process that adversely affects the human rights of refugees from various parts of the world. These issues calls into the question of ability DHA to administer an asylum system in accordance with its Constitutional obligation to ensure just administrative action. The problems also make a mockery of the rights guaranteed in both international and domestic refugee law, casting doubt on the Departments commitment to these legal guarantees. CASE:2 CANADA VS AFRICA,US Subject : Subsidies and other Domestic Support for Corn and other Agricultural Products Complainant: Canada Respondent: US Third Party : Argentina; Australia; Chile; European Union; India; Japan; Mexico; New Zealand; Nicaragua; South Africa; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; Turkey; Uruguay The Canada complained and requested the consultations with the United States regarding three different types of measures on 8 January, 2007: Firstly, the Canada claims that the subsidies to the US corn industry that are particular for US producers of primarily agricultural products provided by the United States. Canada considered that the issued measures are not compatible with Articles 5(C) and 6.3(C) of the SCM agreement. Secondly, Canada claims that the United States makes accessible to its exporters premium rates and other conditions more suitable than those which the market would otherwise make them available through export credit guarantee programmes under the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 and other measures such as the GSM-102 programme and SCGP as well as the programmes, legislation, regulations and statutory instruments providing the support. Canada reflects on these programmes provide subsidies contingent upon export performance opposing to Article 3.1(a) and 3.2 of the SCM Agreement, and they also breach Articles 3.3, 8, 9.1 and 10.1 of the Agreement on Agriculture. Thirdly, Canada makes demand that, through the improper exclusion of domestic support, the United States supported in favour of domestic producers in excess of the commitment levels mentioned in Section I of Part IV of the Schedule, opposing to Article 3.2 of the Agreement on Agriculture. From 18 January 2007, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, the European Communities, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Thailand and Uruguay requested to join the consultations. Afterwards, the United States informed the DSB that they had granted the requests of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the European Communities, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Thailand and Uruguay to join the consultations. On 7 June 2007, Canada requested the establishment of a panel. Then, in the meeting the DSB deferred the establishment of a panel. On 11 July 2007, Brazil requested consultations with the United States regarding two different categories of US agricultural measures: (i) domestic support for agricultural products and (ii) export credit guarantees for agricultural products. After 20 July 2007, Canada, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Mexico, the European Communities, Argentina, Australia, India and Nicaragua, Thailand requested to join the consultations. Thereafter, the United States enlightened the DSB that it had approved the requests of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, the European Communities, Guatemala, India, Nicaragua, Mexico and Thailand to join the consultations. Later Canada and Brazil each requested the establishment of a panel. On 15 November 2007, Canada withdrew its first request to establish a panel dated 7 June 2007. But when the meeting held again the DSB postponed the establishment of a panel. Panel and Appellate Body proceedings Following to a other request to establish a panel from both Canada and Brazil, the DSB settled a single panel in the meeting on 17 December 2007.Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, the European Communities, India, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, South Africa, Chinese Taipei and Thailand, Turkey and Uruguay reserved their third-party rights. Conclusion This case clearly defines that which ever the countries as a third party reserved their rights. But the country Canada who is complaining against US and demanding upon some measures, at last they withdrew their request as they were not gaining any benefits from US. Countries: South Africa, Canada and Zimbabwe Appeal considered/heard at: Vancouver, BC Date of decision: January 2, 2014 Counsel for the person who is the subject of the appeal: Simon Trela (Barrister and Solicitor) To begin with, the applicant who is the resident of Zimbabwe was the member of a moment of democratic (MDC) changes and she went to south Africa, but as a foreigner, she was sexually assaulted so she applied for Canadian visitor visa on her African passport. Secondly, after coming to Canada section 97 of the Act, she requested for refugee protection at an immigration office in Edmonton on May 3, 2013. The RPD heard the appellants refugee protection claim on June 28 and July 4, 2013. The RPDs written reasons and Notice of Decision are dated August 19, 2013.ÂÂ   Moreover, she was also rejected in south Africa for state protection after her rape, because she was not the citizen of Africa and applicant not have concerned evidence.ÂÂ   The RPD Member found the issue of identity to be determinative to findings under both sections 96 and 97(1) of the Act. Moreover, the appellants Record received on September27,2013. The appellants submissions in this appeal are primarily based on consideration of the new evidence that was presented and documents submitted as being new evidence of the case. The appellant has requested an oral hearing pursuant to subsection 110(6) of the Act. subsections 110(3), (4), and (6) new evidence has been accepted in support of this appeal. As such, the RAD must proceed without a hearing in this appeal. Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Subsection 162(1) The RAD finds that the RPD is to be provided with deference on questions of fact and mixed law and fact in relation to the assessment of the claim for protection. To put in a nutshell, The RPD Member was referring to several actions by the appellant such as using significant deception in order to be approved for her visa, including having her friends in Canada provide false information in support of her application, having her employer in South Africa falsify an employment record, and providing a false document to establish that she was going to be married in South Africa subsequent to her visit to Canada (thus establishing a motive for her to return to that country as opposed to remaining in Canada illegally).The applicant neither was Convention refugee nor a person in need of protection. This appeal is therefore dismissed. REFERENCES http://www.refworld.org/cases,IRBC,5385ede34.html http://www.google.ca/amp/news.nationalpost.com

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Poes Fall of The House of Usher Essays: A Perspective :: Fall House Usher Essays

The Fall of The House of Usher The Fall of The House of Usher is an eerie, imaginative story. The reader is captured by the twisted reality. Many things in the story are unclear to the reader; but no less interesting. For instance, even the conclusion of the story lends it self to argument. Did the house of Usher truly "fall"? Or, is this event simply symbolism? In either case, it makes a dramatic conclusion. Also dramatic is the development of the actual house. It seems to take on a life of its own. The house is painted with mystery. The narrator himself comments on the discerning properties of the aged house; "What was it, I paused to think, what was it that so unnerved me in the contemplation of the house of Usher" (54)? The house is further developed in the narrator's references to the house. "...In this mansion of gloom" (55). Even the surroundings serve the purpose. The narrator describes the landscape surrounding as having, "... an atmosphere which had no affinity with the air of heaven, but which had reek ed up from the decayed trees, and the gray wall, and the silent tarn a pestilent and mystic vapor, dull, sluggish, faintly discernible, and leaden hued" (55). This fantastic imagery sets the mood of the twisted events. Roderick Usher complements the forbidding surroundings terrifically. His temperament is declining and he seems incessantly agitated and nervous. And, as it turns out, Roderick's fears are valid. For soon enough, before his weakening eyes, stands the Lady Madeline of Usher. This shocking twist in the story is developed through the book that the narrator is reading. The last line that he reads is, "Madman! I tell you that she now stands without the door" (66)! Without suspecting such an event, the reader soon finds Lady Madeline actually standing at the door. She is described as having, "...blood on her white robes, and the evidence of some bitter struggle upon every portion of her emaciated frame" (66). This line not only induces terror but invites debate. Upon seeing the woman the reader has to consider the cause of her death.

Friday, October 11, 2019

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 68-72

CHAPTER 68 New York editor Jonas Faukman had just climbed into bed for the night when the telephone rang. A little late for callers, he grumbled, picking up the receiver. An operator's voice asked him,† Will you accept charges for a collect call from Robert Langdon?† Puzzled, Jonas turned on the light. â€Å"Uh†¦ sure, okay.† The line clicked. â€Å"Jonas?† â€Å"Robert? You wake me up and you charge me for it?† â€Å"Jonas, forgive me,† Langdon said. â€Å"I'll keep this very short. I really need to know. The manuscript I gave you. Have you – â€Å" â€Å"Robert, I'm sorry, I know I said I'd send the edits out to you this week, but I'm swamped. Next Monday. I promise.† â€Å"I'm not worried about the edits. I need to know if you sent any copies out for blurbs without telling me?† Faukman hesitated. Langdon's newest manuscript – an exploration of the history of goddess worship – included several sections about Mary Magdalene that were going to raise some eyebrows. Although the material was well documented and had been covered by others, Faukman had no intention of printing Advance Reading Copies of Langdon's book without at least a few endorsements from serious historians and art luminaries. Jonas had chosen ten big names in the art world and sent them all sections of the manuscript along with a polite letter asking if they would be willing to write a short endorsement for the jacket. In Faukman's experience, most people jumped at the opportunity to see their name in print. â€Å"Jonas?† Langdon pressed. â€Å"You sent out my manuscript, didn't you?† Faukman frowned, sensing Langdon was not happy about it. â€Å"The manuscript was clean, Robert, and I wanted to surprise you with some terrific blurbs.† A pause. â€Å"Did you send one to the curator of the Paris Louvre?† â€Å"What do you think? Your manuscript referenced his Louvre collection several times, his books are in your bibliography, and the guy has some serious clout for foreign sales. Sauniere was a no-brainer.† The silence on the other end lasted a long time. â€Å"When did you send it?† â€Å"About a month ago. I also mentioned you would be in Paris soon and suggested you two chat. Did he ever call you to meet?† Faukman paused, rubbing his eyes. â€Å"Hold on, aren't you supposed to bein Paris this week?† â€Å"I am in Paris.† Faukman sat upright. â€Å"You called me collect from Paris?† â€Å"Take it out of my royalties, Jonas. Did you ever hear back from Sauniere? Did he like the manuscript?† â€Å"I don't know. I haven't yet heard from him.† â€Å"Well, don't hold your breath. I've got to run, but this explains a lot Thanks.† â€Å"Robert – â€Å"But Langdon was gone. Faukman hung up the phone, shaking his head in disbelief Authors, he thought. Even the sane ones are nuts. Inside the Range Rover, Leigh Teabing let out a guffaw. â€Å"Robert, you're saying you wrote a manuscript that delves into a secret society, and your editor sent a copy to that secret society?† Langdon slumped. â€Å"Evidently.† â€Å"A cruel coincidence, my friend.† Coincidence has nothing to do with it, Langdon knew. Asking Jacques Sauniere to endorse a manuscript on goddess worship was as obvious as asking Tiger Woods to endorse a book on golf. Moreover, it was virtually guaranteed that any book on goddess worship would have to mention the Priory of Sion. â€Å"Here's the million-dollar question,† Teabing said, still chuckling. â€Å"Was your position on the Priory favorable or unfavorable?† Langdon could hear Teabing's true meaning loud and clear. Many historians questioned why the Priory was still keeping the Sangreal documents hidden. Some felt the information should have been shared with the world long ago. â€Å"I took no position on the Priory's actions.† â€Å"You mean lack thereof.† Langdon shrugged. Teabing was apparently on the side of making the documents public. â€Å"I simply provided history on the brotherhood and described them as a modern goddess worship society, keepers of the Grail, and guardians of ancient documents.† Sophie looked at him. â€Å"Did you mention the keystone?† Langdon winced. He had. Numerous times. â€Å"I talked about the supposed keystone as an example of the lengths to which the Priory would go to protect the Sangreal documents.† Sophie looked amazed. â€Å"I guess that explains P. S. Find Robert Langdon.† Langdon sensed it was actually something else in the manuscript that had piqued Sauniere's interest, but that topic was something he would discuss with Sophie when they were alone. â€Å"So,† Sophie said, â€Å"you lied to Captain Fache.† â€Å"What?† Langdon demanded. â€Å"You told him you had never corresponded with my grandfather.† â€Å"I didn't! My editor sent him a manuscript.† â€Å"Think about it, Robert. If Captain Fache didn't find the envelope in which your editor sent the manuscript, he would have to conclude that you sent it.† She paused. â€Å"Or worse, that you hand- delivered it and lied about it.† When the Range Rover arrived at Le Bourget Airfield, Remy drove to a small hangar at the far end of the airstrip. As they approached, a tousled man in wrinkled khakis hurried from the hangar, waved, and slid open the enormous corrugated metal door to reveal a sleek white jet within. Langdon stared at the glistening fuselage. â€Å"That's Elizabeth?† Teabing grinned. â€Å"Beats the bloody Chunnel.† The man in khakis hurried toward them, squinting into the headlights. â€Å"Almost ready, sir,† he called in a British accent. â€Å"My apologies for the delay, but you took me by surprise and – † He stopped short as the group unloaded. He looked at Sophie and Langdon, and then Teabing. Teabing said, â€Å"My associates and I have urgent business in London. We've no time to waste. Please prepare to depart immediately.† As he spoke, Teabing took the pistol out of the vehicle and handed it to Langdon. The pilot's eyes bulged at the sight of the weapon. He walked over to Teabing and whispered,† Sir, my humble apologies, but my diplomatic flight allowance provides only for you and your manservant. I cannot take your guests.† â€Å"Richard,† Teabing said, smiling warmly,† two thousand pounds sterling and that loaded gun say you can take my guests.† He motioned to the Range Rover. â€Å"And the unfortunate fellow in the back.† CHAPTER 69 The Hawker 731's twin Garrett TFE-731 engines thundered, powering the plane skyward with gut- wrenching force. Outside the window, Le Bourget Airfield dropped away with startling speed. I'm fleeing the country, Sophie thought, her body forced back into the leather seat. Until this moment, she had believed her game of cat and mouse with Fache would be somehow justifiable to the Ministry of Defense. I was attempting to protect an innocent man.I was trying to fulfill my grandfather's dying wishes.That window of opportunity, Sophie knew, had just closed. She was leaving the country, without documentation, accompanying a wanted man, and transporting abound hostage. If a† line of reason† had ever existed, she had just crossed it. At almost the speed of sound. Sophie was seated with Langdon and Teabing near the front of the cabin – the Fan Jet ExecutiveElite Design, according to the gold medallion on the door. Their plush swivel chairs were bolted to tracks on the floor and could be repositioned and locked around a rectangular hardwood table. A mini-boardroom. The dignified surroundings, however, did little to camouflage the less than dignified state of affairs in the rear of the plane where, in a separate seating area near the rest room, Teabing's manservant Remy sat with the pistol in hand, begrudgingly carrying out Teabing's orders to stand guard over the bloody monk who lay trussed at his feet like a piece of luggage. â€Å"Before we turn our attention to the keystone,† Teabing said,† I was wondering if you would permit me a few words.† He sounded apprehensive, like a father about to give the birds-and-the-bees lecture to his children. â€Å"My friends, I realize I am but a guest on this journey, and I am honored as such. And yet, as someone who has spent his life in search of the Grail, I feel it is my duty to warn you that you are about to step onto a path from which there is no return, regardless of the dangers involved.† He turned to Sophie. â€Å"Miss Neveu, your grandfather gave you this cryptex in hopes you would keep the secret of the Holy Grail alive.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Understandably, you feel obliged to follow the trail wherever it leads.† Sophie nodded, although she felt a second motivation still burning within her. The truth about my family.Despite Langdon's assurances that the keystone had nothing to do with her past, Sophie still sensed something deeply personal entwined within this mystery, as if this cryptex, forged by her grandfather's own hands, were trying to speak to her and offer some kind of resolution to the emptiness that had haunted her all these years. â€Å"Your grandfather and three others died tonight,† Teabing continued,† and they did so to keep this keystone away from the Church. Opus Dei came within inches tonight of possessing it. You understand, I hope, that this puts you in a position of exceptional responsibility. You have been handed a torch. A two-thousand-year-old flame that cannot be allowed to go out. This torch cannot fall into the wrong hands.† He paused, glancing at the rosewood box. â€Å"I realize you have been given no choice in this matter, Miss Neveu, but considering what is at stake here, you must either fully embrace this responsibility†¦ or you must pass that responsibility to someone else.† â€Å"My grandfather gave the cryptex to me. I'm sure he thought I could handle the responsibility.† Teabing looked encouraged but unconvinced. â€Å"Good. A strong will is necessary. And yet, I amcurious if you understand that successfully unlocking the keystone will bring with i t a far greatertrial.† â€Å"How so?† â€Å"My dear, imagine that you are suddenly holding a map that reveals the location of the Holy Grail. In that moment, you will be in possession of a truth capable of altering history forever. You will be the keeper of a truth that man has sought for centuries. You will be faced with the responsibility of revealing that truth to the world. The individual who does so will be revered by many and despised by many. The question is whether you will have the necessary strength to carry out that task.† Sophie paused. â€Å"I'm not sure that is my decision to make.† Teabing's eyebrows arched. â€Å"No? If not the possessor of the keystone, then who?† â€Å"The brotherhood who has successfully protected the secret for so long.† â€Å"The Priory?† Teabing looked skeptical. â€Å"But how? The brotherhood was shattered tonight. Decapitated, as you so aptly put it. Whether they were infiltrated by some kind of eavesdropping or by a spy within their ranks, we will never know, but the fact remains that someone got to them and uncovered the identities of their four top members. I would not trust anyone who stepped forward from the brotherhood at this point.† â€Å"So what do you suggest?† Langdon asked. â€Å"Robert, you know as well as I do that the Priory has not protected the truth all these years to have it gather dust until eternity. They have been waiting for the right moment in history to share their secret. A time when the world is ready to handle the truth.† â€Å"And you believe that moment has arrived?† Langdon asked. â€Å"Absolutely. It could not be more obvious. All the historical signs are in place, and if the Priory did not intend to make their secret known very soon, why has the Church now attacked?† Sophie argued,† The monk has not yet told us his purpose.† â€Å"The monk's purpose is the Church's purpose,† Teabing replied,† to destroy the documents that reveal the great deception. The Church came closer tonight than they have ever come, and the Priory has put its trust in you, Miss Neveu. The task of saving the Holy Grail clearly includes carrying out the Priory's final wishes of sharing the truth with the world.† Langdon intervened. â€Å"Leigh, asking Sophie to make that decision is quite a load to drop on someone who only an hour ago learned the Sangreal documents exist.† Teabing sighed. â€Å"I apologize if I am pressing, Miss Neveu. Clearly I have always believed these documents should be made public, but in the end the decision belongs to you. I simply feel it is important that you begin to think about what happens should we succeed in opening the keystone.† â€Å"Gentlemen,† Sophie said, her voice firm. â€Å"To quote your words, ‘You do not find the Grail, the Grail finds you.' I am going to trust that the Grail has found me for a reason, and when the time comes, I will know what to do.† Both of them looked startled. â€Å"So then,† she said, motioning to the rosewood box. â€Å"Let's move on.† CHAPTER 70 Standing in the drawing room of Chateau Villette, Lieutenant Collet watched the dying fire and felt despondent. Captain Fache had arrived moments earlier and was now in the next room, yelling into the phone, trying to coordinate the failed attempt to locate the missing Range Rover. It could be anywhere by now, Collet thought. Having disobeyed Fache's direct orders and lost Langdon for a second time, Collet was grateful that PTS had located a bullet hole in the floor, which at least corroborated Collet's claims that a shot had been fired. Still, Fache's mood was sour, and Collet sensed there would be dire repercussions when the dust settled. Unfortunately, the clues they were turning up here seemed to shed no light at all on what was going on or who was involved. The black Audi outside had been rented in a false name with false credit card numbers, and the prints in the car matched nothing in the Interpol database. Another agent hurried into the living room, his eyes urgent. â€Å"Where's Captain Fache?† Collet barely looked up from the burning embers. â€Å"He's on the phone.† â€Å"I'm off the phone,† Fache snapped, stalking into the room. â€Å"What have you got?† The second agent said,† Sir, Central just heard from Andre Vernet at the Depository Bank of Zurich. He wants to talk to you privately. He is changing his story.† â€Å"Oh?† Fache said. Now Collet looked up. â€Å"Vernet is admitting that Langdon and Neveu spent time inside his bank tonight.† â€Å"We figured that out,† Fache said. â€Å"Why did Vernet lie about it?† â€Å"He said he'll talk only to you, but he's agreed to cooperate fully.† â€Å"In exchange for what?† â€Å"For our keeping his bank's name out of the news and also for helping him recover some stolen property. It sounds like Langdon and Neveu stole something from Sauniere's account.† â€Å"What?† Collet blurted. â€Å"How?† Fache never flinched, his eyes riveted on the second agent. â€Å"What did they steal?† â€Å"Vernet didn't elaborate, but he sounds like he's willing to do anything to get it back.† Collet tried to imagine how this could happen. Maybe Langdon and Neveu had held a bank employee at gunpoint? Maybe they forced Vernet to open Sauniere's account and facilitate an escape in the armored truck. As feasible as it was, Collet was having trouble believing Sophie Neveu could be involved in anything like that. From the kitchen, another agent yelled to Fache. â€Å"Captain? I'm going through Mr. Teabing's speed dial numbers, and I'm on the phone with Le Bourget Airfield. I've got some bad news.† Thirty seconds later, Fache was packing up and preparing to leave Chateau Villette. He had just learned that Teabing kept a private jet nearby at Le Bourget Airfield and that the plane had taken off about a half hour ago. The Bourget representative on the phone had claimed not to know who was on the plane or where it was headed. The takeoff had been unscheduled, and no flight plan had been logged. Highly illegal, even for a small airfield. Fache was certain that by applying the right pressure, he could get the answers he was looking for. â€Å"Lieutenant Collet,† Fache barked, heading for the door. â€Å"I have no choice but to leave you in charge of the PTS investigation here. Try to do something right for a change.† CHAPTER 71 As the Hawker leveled off, with its nose aimed for England, Langdon carefully lifted the rosewood box from his lap, where he had been protecting it during takeoff. Now, as he set the box on the table, he could sense Sophie and Teabing leaning forward with anticipation. Unlatching the lid and opening the box, Langdon turned his attention not to the lettered dials of the cryptex, but rather to the tiny hole on the underside of the box lid. Using the tip of a pen, he carefully removed the inlaid Rose on top and revealed the text beneath it. Sub Rosa, he mused, hoping a fresh look at the text would bring clarity. Focusing all his energies, Langdon studied the strange text. The Da Vinci Code After several seconds, he began to feel the initial frustration resurfacing. â€Å"Leigh, I just can't seem to place it.† From where Sophie was seated across the table, she could not yet see the text, but Langdon's inability to immediately identify the language surprised her. My grandfather spoke a language so obscure that even a symbologist can't identify it? She quickly realized she should not find this surprising. This would not be the first secret Jacques Sauniere had kept from his granddaughter. Opposite Sophie, Leigh Teabing felt ready to burst. Eager for his chance to see the text, he quivered with excitement, leaning in, trying to see around Langdon, who was still hunched over the box. â€Å"I don't know,† Langdon whispered intently. â€Å"My first guess is a Semitic, but now I'm not so sure. Most primary Semitics include nekkudot.This has none.† â€Å"Probably ancient,† Teabing offered. â€Å"Nekkudot?† Sophie inquired. Teabing never took his eyes from the box. â€Å"Most modern Semitic alphabets have no vowels and use nekkudot – tiny dots and dashes written either below or within the consonants – to indicate what vowel sound accompanies them. Historically speaking, nekkudot are a relatively modern addition to language.† Langdon was still hovering over the script. â€Å"A Sephardic transliteration, perhaps†¦ ?† Teabing could bear it no longer. â€Å"Perhaps if I just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Reaching over, he edged the box away from Langdon and pulled it toward himself. No doubt Langdon had a solid familiarity with the standard ancients – Greek, Latin, the Romances – but from the fleeting glance Teabing had of this language, he thought it looked more specialized, possibly a Rashi script or a STA'M with crowns. Taking a deep breath, Teabing feasted his eyes upon the engraving. He said nothing for a very long time. With each passing second, Teabing felt his confidence deflating. â€Å"I'm astonished,† he said.† This language looks like nothing I've ever seen!† Langdon slumped.† Might I see it?† Sophie asked. Teabing pretended not to hear her. â€Å"Robert, you said earlier that you thought you'd seen something like this before?† Langdon looked vexed. â€Å"I thought so. I'm not sure. The script looks familiar somehow.† â€Å"Leigh?† Sophie repeated, clearly not appreciating being left out of the discussion. â€Å"Might I have a look at the box my grandfather made?† â€Å"Of course, dear,† Teabing said, pushing it over to her. He hadn't meant to sound belittling, and yet Sophie Neveu was light-years out of her league. If a British Royal Historian and a Harvard symbologist could not even identify the language – â€Å"Aah,† Sophie said, seconds after examining the box. â€Å"I should have guessed.† Teabing and Langdon turned in unison, staring at her.† Guessed what?† Teabing demanded. Sophie shrugged. â€Å"Guessed that this would be the language my grandfather would have used.† â€Å"You're saying you can read this text?† Teabing exclaimed.† Quite easily,† Sophie chimed, obviously enjoying herself now. â€Å"My grandfather taught me this language when I was only six years old. I'm fluent.† She leaned across the table and fixed Teabing with an admonishing glare. â€Å"And frankly, sir, considering your allegiance to the Crown, I'm a little surprised you didn't recognize it.† In a flash, Langdon knew. No wonder the script looks so damned familiar! Several years ago, Langdon had attended an event at Harvard's Fogg Museum. Harvard dropout Bill Gates had returned to his alma mater to lend to the museum one of his priceless acquisitions – eighteen sheets of paper he had recently purchased at auction from the Armand Hammar Estate. His winning bid – a cool $30.8 million. The author of the pages – Leonardo Da Vinci. The eighteen folios – now known as Leonardo's Codex Leicester after their famous owner, the Earl of Leicester – were all that remained of one of Leonardo's most fascinating notebooks: essays and drawings outlining Da Vinci's progressive theories on astronomy, geology, archaeology, and hydrology. Langdon would never forget his reaction after waiting in line and finally viewing the priceless parchment. Utter letdown. The pages were unintelligible. Despite being beautifully preserved and written in an impeccably neat penmanship – crimson ink on cream paper – the codex looked like gibberish. At first Langdon thought he could not read them because Da Vinci wrote his notebooks in an archaic Italian. But after studying them more closely, he realized he could not identify a single Italian word, or even one letter. â€Å"Try this, sir,† whispered the female docent at the display case. She motioned to a hand mirror affixed to the display on a chain. Langdon picked it up and examined the text in the mirror's surface. Instantly it was clear. Langdon had been so eager to peruse some of the great thinker's ideas that he had forgotten one of the man's numerous artistic talents was an ability to write in a mirrored script that was virtually illegible to anyone other than himself. Historians still debated whether Da Vinci wrote this way simply to amuse himself or to keep people from peering over his shoulder and stealing his ideas, but the point was moot. Da Vinci did as he pleased. Sophie smiled inwardly to see that Robert understood her meaning. â€Å"I can read the first few words,† she said. â€Å"It's English.† Teabing was still sputtering. â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"Reverse text,† Langdon said. â€Å"We need a mirror.† â€Å"No we don't,† Sophie said. â€Å"I bet this veneer is thin enough.† She lifted the rosewood box up to a canister light on the wall and began examining the underside of the lid. Her grandfather couldn't actually write in reverse, so he always cheated by writing normally and then flipping the paper over and tracing the reversed impression. Sophie's guess was that he had wood-burned normal text into a block of wood and then run the back of the block through a sander until the wood was paper thin and the wood-burning could be seen through the wood. Then he'd simply flipped the piece over, and laid it in. As Sophie moved the lid closer to the light, she saw she was right. The bright beam sifted through the thin layer of wood, and the script appeared in reverse on the underside of the lid. Instantly legible.† English,† Teabing croaked, hanging his head in shame. â€Å"My native tongue.† At the rear of the plane, Remy Legaludec strained to hear beyond the rumbling engines, but the conversation up front was inaudible. Remy did not like the way the night was progressing. Not at all. He looked down at the bound monk at his feet. The man lay perfectly still now, as if in a trance of acceptance, or perhaps, in silent prayer for deliverance. CHAPTER 72 Fifteen thousand feet in the air, Robert Langdon felt the physical world fade away as all of his thoughts converged on Sauniere's mirror-image poem, which was illuminated through the lid of the box. The Da Vinci Code Sophie quickly found some paper and copied it down longhand. When she was done, the three of them took turns reading the text. It was like some kind of archaeological crossword†¦ a riddle that promised to reveal how to open the cryptex. Langdon read the verse slowly. An ancient word of wisdom frees this scroll†¦ and helps us keep her scatter'd family whole†¦ a headstone praised by templars is the key†¦ and at bash will reveal the truth to thee. Before Langdon could even ponder what ancient password the verse was trying to reveal, he felt something far more fundamental resonate within him – the meter of the poem. Iambic pentameter. Langdon had come across this meter often over the years while researching secret societies across Europe, including just last year in the Vatican Secret Archives. For centuries, iambic pentameter had been a preferred poetic meter of outspoken literati across the globe, from the ancient Greek writer Archilochus to Shakespeare, Milton, Chaucer, and Voltaire – bold souls who chose to write their social commentaries in a meter that many of the day believed had mystical properties. The roots of iambic pentameter were deeply pagan. Iambs. Two syllables with opposite emphasis. Stressed and unstressed. Yin yang. A balanced pair. Arranged in strings of five. Pentameter. Five for the pentacle of Venus and the sacred feminine. â€Å"It's pentameter!† Teabing blurted, turning to Langdon. â€Å"And the verse is in English! La lingua pura!† Langdon nodded. The Priory, like many European secret societies at odds with the Church, had considered English the only European pure language for centuries. Unlike French, Spanish, and Italian, which were rooted in Latin – the tongue of the Vatican – English was linguistically removed from Rome's propaganda machine, and therefore became a sacred, secret tongue for those brotherhoods educated enough to learn it. â€Å"This poem,† Teabing gushed,† references not only the Grail, but the Knights Templar and the scattered family of Mary Magdalene! What more could we ask for?† â€Å"The password,† Sophie said, looking again at the poem. â€Å"It sounds like we need some kind of ancient word of wisdom?† â€Å"Abracadabra?† Teabing ventured, his eyes twinkling. A word of five letters, Langdon thought, pondering the staggering number of ancient words that might be considered words of wisdom – selections from mystic chants, astrological prophecies, secret society inductions, Wicca incantations, Egyptian magic spells, pagan mantras – the list was endless. â€Å"The password,† Sophie said, â€Å"appears to have something to do with the Templars.† She read the text aloud. † ‘A headstone praised by Templars is the key. ‘† â€Å"Leigh,† Langdon said, â€Å"you're the Templar specialist. Any ideas?† Teabing was silent for several seconds and then sighed. â€Å"Well, a headstone is obviously a grave marker of some sort. It's possible the poem is referencing a gravestone the Templars praised at the tomb of Magdalene, but that doesn't help us much because we have no idea where her tomb is.† â€Å"The last line,† Sophie said,† says that Atbash will reveal the truth. I've heard that word. Atbash.† â€Å"I'm not surprised,† Langdon replied. â€Å"You probably heard it in Cryptology 101. The Atbash Cipher is one of the oldest codes known to man.† Of course! Sophie thought. The famous Hebrew encoding system. The Atbash Cipher had indeed been part of Sophie's early cryptology training. The cipher dated back to 500 B. C. and was now used as a classroom example of a basic rotational substitution scheme. A common form of Jewish cryptogram, the Atbash Cipher was a simple substitution code based on the twenty-two-letter Hebrew alphabet. In Atbash, the first letter was substituted by the last letter, the second letter by the next to last letter, and so on. â€Å"Atbash is sublimely appropriate,† Teabing said. â€Å"Text encrypted with Atbash is found throughout the Kabbala, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and even the Old Testament. Jewish scholars and mystics are stillfinding hidden meanings using Atbash. The Priory certainly would include the Atbash Cipher as part of their teachings.† â€Å"The only problem,† Langdon said,† is that we don't have anything on which to apply the cipher.† Teabing sighed. â€Å"There must be a code word on the headstone. We must find this headstone praised by Templars.† Sophie sensed from the grim look on Langdon's face that finding the Templar headstone would be no small feat. Atbash is the key, Sophie thought. But we don't have a door. It was three minutes later that Teabing heaved a frustrated sigh and shook his head. â€Å"My friends, I'm stymied. Let me ponder this while I get us some nibblies and check on Remy and our guest.† He stood up and headed for the back of the plane. Sophie felt tired as she watched him go. Outside the window, the blackness of the predawn was absolute. Sophie felt as if she were being hurtled through space with no idea where she would land. Having grown up solving her grandfather's riddles, she had the uneasy sense right now that this poem before them contained information they still had not seen. There is more there, she told herself. Ingeniously hidden†¦ but present nonetheless. Also plaguing her thoughts was a fear that what they eventually found inside this cryptex would not be as simple as† a map to the Holy Grail.† Despite Teabing's and Langdon's confidence that the truth lay just within the marble cylinder, Sophie had solved enough of her grandfather's treasure hunts to know that Jacques Sauniere did not give up his secrets easily.