THEME ANALYSIS ON HENRIK IBSEN “A DOLL’S HOUSE”

THEME ANALYSIS ON HENRIK IBSEN â€Å"A DOLL’S HOUSE† A Seminar Paper Presented to Prof. SIMBULAN Language Department College of Arts and Sciences ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY Echague, Isabela In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the course ENGLISH 32 By PEARL JOY VINLUAN TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION * Statements of the problem * Objectives of the Study * Significance of the Study * Scope and Limitations * Definition of Terms II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE III. METHOD OF DEVELOPMENT IV. SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY V.SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION * Summary and Conclusion * Recommendations INTRODUCTION The study of literature has two aspects; one, of simple enjoyment and appreciation; the other, of analysis and description. When we listen to a song that appeals to the ear or read literature that appeals to the heart, for the moment at least, we discover a new world, a world so difficult from ours that it seems to be a world of dreams and fancies. To analyze and explain them may be joyous but nevertheless, an important skill to develop.Our impulse to read and enjoy upon it is a universal one, answering a number of psychological needs that all of us, in certain moods and on certain occasion share. Such needs to be sure, vary greatly from individual to individual, for they are in turn, the product of our separate tastes, experiences and education. They also vary within each of us; they shift and alter as we change and grow. Enjoying Literature, however, means much more than getting pleasure from our reading. Enjoyment also includes understanding. Literature is a kind of mirror that enables us to see ourselves better and to understand what we see.When we read a character like Nora in â€Å"A Doll’s House†, realize that telling the truth will set her free and give her peace of mind. This kind of experience upon understanding literature is one of our greatest sources of enjoyment. Statement of the Problem This study is sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the theme of the story? 2. How is the theme manifested in the story? 3. What is the implication of the theme to the present time? Objective of the Study The objectives of the study are as follows: 1. To find out the theme of the story; 2.

Laptop with in Built Projector

June 5th, 2008 by Joanna Stern Beyond its Eee PC family line and slew of regular notebooks on display at Computex, ASUS is showing off an interesting prototype. In the corner of its booth is a  G1 laptop  with a built-in projector. Sure we have all heard about the possiblity of mini-projectors being built into cell phones, but no other company has incorporated them into laptops as of yet. Check out our video and first impressions. I went hands-on with the laptop and think it could be awesome if it works as promised. Built-in to the top bezel of the notebook, the rotatable micro-projector is able to project what is on the screen of the notebook onto a flat surface. On the prototype unit only the top right corner of the display was actually projecting. It was pretty neat to navigate to Web sites and see them appear on the facing wall. I even pulled up a YouTube clip and was able to watch it on the white wall. The contrast and coloring wasn’t vivid and I couldn’t find a way to adjust it on the system. But see for yourself and check out the video of the laptop projector in action. http://blog. laptopmag. com/asus-shows-off-built-in-laptop-projector ASUS Laptop With Built-In Projector Raises PowerPoint Threat to â€Å"Critical† Tucked away in a quiet corner at Computex, ASUS is showing a nondescript laptop with a built-in pico projector. Tiny projectors have made various  appearances  at the tech show so far, most recently  from Foxconn, but no other company has incorporated them into existing products, or for that matter shown many compelling applications for them other than in bulky and unrealistic cellphones. ASUS has provided the first example of what could be a fantastic use for this burgeoning new tech. For now though, the execution doesn’t seem great. The staff at PC Perspective, who were the first to lay eyes on the device, couldn’t tell much about the exact specs of the projection unit but judging by the photo below (and the capabilities of other miniature projectors) the images won’t exactly be dazzling. The camera is also built into the top of the bezel, which creates two pretty big chunks of wasted space. Speculative reservations aside, built-in projection capability could have serious potential in the business world, so ASUS may be on to something. http://gizmodo. com/5013328/asus-laptop-with-built+in-projector-raises-powerpoint-threat-to-critical Laptop with built-in projector Jun. 07, 2008  in  Computers [pic] The projector for handset has been developed for about one year and is expected to be released within this year. However, if you want make a presentation, laptop is apparently more useful than a cellphone, what’s more, laptop’s battery life is longer. So, I bet you would like to own a laptop with a built-in projector. ASUS, a Taiwan based PC maker provide a good choice for us. It comes with an mini-projector on the top of the LCD display and you can rotate it to adjust the position to get the best image. [pic] Fujitsu’s Pico Projector-Packing Laptops Replace Optical Drive with Something Even More Useless I can't remember the last time I put a disc in my laptop. Maybe an old mix CD. The world's moving on from physical media! Great! But how about replacing that slot with something useful, and not a  pico projector? Fujitsu's new LifeBook S761/C and P771/C notebooks are bizarre beasts, with fold-out pico projectors where your optical drive used to be. Not only are the machines crazily expensive ($2,675 and $3,110, for middling specs), but the addition of the pico projector is confounding and bizarre. How about adding an extra large battery in that space? Or hey, just  removing the optical drive  and making a lighter, slimmer notebook? The entire point of a pico projector was to be tiny and mobile—so if they're so conveniently small, why would you ever want or need one integrated? The thing is clearly pegged for conference room presentations and nothing else, as the pico projector is aimed  sideways, with no other angle available. If this appeals to you, then please just get a reasonably priced laptop and a (separate) reasonably priced pico projector. Hey guys, wanna watch this PowerPoint on my new $3,000 laptop? http://gizmodo. om/5794704/fujitsus-pico-projector+packing-laptops-replace-optical-drive-with-something-even-more-useless |HP to launch mini-projectors; integration into notebooks a future possibility | |Yen-Shyang Hwang, Taipei; Joseph Tsai, DIGITIMES  [Thursday 21 January 2010] | |[pic] | |Hewlett-Packard (HP) is planning to push two major product lines f or 2010 – tablet PCs and mini-projectors, according to Monty | |Wong, vice president and manager of personal computing systems group at HP Taiwan. |When asked if the mini-projector technology could be applied to other devices such as handsets and notebooks, Wong stated that it| |is is possible and should not be a technical issue. Wong explained that placing a projector where the webcam is normally located | |is not difficult (but facing outward or in a rotatable position). | |HP added afterward that the company has no plans for such a product this year. | |Although the idea of a mini-projector notebook is not new, successfully bringing products to market has been delayed by design | |and engineering obstacles mainly related to cooling solutions. In terms of which ODM would be able to develop such a product, | |market watchers speculated that HP would likely turn to Quanta Computer as one of its potential partners, as the notebook ODM has| |also invested in a projector manufacturer (Royaltek). | |Concerning HP's plans for this year, HP plans to launch several stand-alone mini-projector products in the market as an | |introduction to the notebook-integrated designs, Wong noted. As for tablet PCs, Wong said that HP will lean toward keyboard-less | |designs, meaning input will be through a touchscreen panel. |Wong believes that HP is unlikely to push non-Wintel products aggressively in the short term since these products are still have | |issues in software compatibility with Windows-based applications. Additionally, the segment is susceptible to fluctuating | |consumer demand and therefore needs to be carefully evaluated. | |(Editor's note: This article has been revised from its original version) | | |

Faith and Diplomacy

Katherine Donado Writing III October 5, 2012 Technology Technology is valuable because it is used in every day. As Mandana Mohsenzadega states in, â€Å"OMG: Tweeting, Trending, and Texting† people feel incomplete without technology (448). Technology was intended to bring people closer and increase communication. To be able to stay in contact more in a faster way when is impossible to see a family member. Maybe they might live in a different country and for many reasons not being able to travel.Technology is very important and useful, because it provides a lot of information, it makes businesses more efficient and it is a faster way to protect people in dangerous occasions. Technology is often used to find out information. It is a faster, quicker and easier way to get answers from Websites. Mohsenzadega refers to this (448), â€Å"†¦. with just the click of a button on our handy-dandy little gadgets. † Everything is there, with no need to struggle or go out to get things done. Some people do not need the doctor for check-ups. They can get the information from Medline. om which allows people to self-diagnose (448). Computers help us stay up to date with everything, whether it is the weather, or a family member that lives far. It is cheaper to communicate now over Facebook, Twitter, Facetime or Oovoo because it’s free, instead of buying a phone card every time they need to keep in contact with a relative. It has also brought people together from all over the world. They meet new people find out about them and most of the time fall in love and end up together. The internet is very useful and good.Some people feel better behind screens and are able to express themselves better and open up more to people, when they are not face to face. People get to know them better on the internet and get a lot of information from there. Just the simple fact of entertainment, of having memories with friends, photos, meaningful texts or listening to music, which is known to calm people and lets them get away from everything when they’re in their zone. Technology is known for something most people can’t live without, â€Å"Cannot imagine living a week without my laptop. Since I grew up in this culture, it would be exceedingly senseless. (450) Businesses have also become more efficient because of technology. Due to the self-service cashiers, have become defunct. Fewer employees need to be hired because machines do their jobs. One can go pay for their groceries with just a swipe of their card. Technology has also influenced many other businesses. There is no reason to wait for a conference and waste time, when they can call each other at any time and connect all lines so everyone can be in a conference call without having to be running late or being taken out of their house, office, or even state.Some businesses have jobs and meeting out of state to make it more comfortable for people that are far away in the same busines s. It is better to have everyone meet up in a place where they can all feel fair when it comes to traveling. Also can be very useful when people aren’t on time or running late, they can just send their work with a simple text or e-mail without having to waste time when certain paper work hs to be done at a certain time or wait to see the person to give them the work. Another reason why technology is important is because it keeps us safe.Many phones have a GPS system in them that helps law enforcement track and locate the subject. Cameras were invented to watch, there put just about in every store and place. With the phones, people are more likely to call the police in case of an emergency, with less difficulties. With just a push of a button, it connects you to help. Also alarm systems, to keep peoples home safe when they’re away. Technology prevents accidents from happening. Making it possible for crimes to be solved faster and more accurately. In conclusion, technolo gy would be known to be very useful in life.It has brought many people together and most importantly kept them safe. It has made people’s lives a lot easier and faster, without any difficulties or struggles. Everything can be done with just a push of a button. No need to get up or go out because everything in within reach. It has made life a lot more valuable and understanding when you have an object that gives you answers to any problems you may have with no solution. People have to understand that technology was made for the better, to be able to make life easier and make us feel comfortable knowing that there is answers to what we seek in life.

SWOT Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SWOT Analysis - Assignment Example In was clearly stated in the Occupational Outlook Handbook published online by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that the nursing profession has growth prospects of â€Å"26 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will occur primarily because of technological advancements, permitting a greater number of health problems to be treated; an increased emphasis on preventive care; and the large, aging baby boomer population who will demand more healthcare services as they live longer and more active lives than previous generations† (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012, par. 1). As expounded, â€Å"growth is expected to be much faster than average in outpatient care centers, where patients do not stay overnight, such as those that provide same-day chemotherapy, rehabilitation, and surgery. Also, an increased number of procedures, as well as more sophisticated procedures once done only in hospitals, are being done in physicians' offices† (B ureau of Labor Statistics, 2012, par. 2). Due to these opportunities, the types of skills sets that nurses need to lead in some of the identified areas should focus on â€Å"traditional nursing competencies such as care management and coordination, patient education, public health intervention, and transitional care are likely to dominate in a reformed health care system as it inevitably moves toward an emphasis on prevention and management rather than acute care†.... Growth will occur primarily because of technological advancements, permitting a greater number of health problems to be treated; an increased emphasis on preventive care; and the large, aging baby boomer population who will demand more healthcare services as they live longer and more active lives than previous generations† (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012, par. 1). As expounded, â€Å"growth is expected to be much faster than average in outpatient care centers, where patients do not stay overnight, such as those that provide same-day chemotherapy, rehabilitation, and surgery. Also, an increased number of procedures, as well as more sophisticated procedures once done only in hospitals, are being done in physicians' offices† (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012, par. 2). Due to these opportunities, the types of skills sets that nurses need to lead in some of the identified areas should focus on â€Å"traditional nursing competencies such as care management and coordination, patient education, public health intervention, and transitional care are likely to dominate in a reformed health care system as it inevitably moves toward an emphasis on prevention and management rather than acute care† (O’Neil, 2009; cited in Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2011, p. 1-5). Likewise, to address cultural diversity of patients, nurses must enhance skills on cultural competencies and diversity consciousness, as indicated. Question Three: What are some of the threats to nursing as a profession and to nurses as they work to implement change with quality care and patient centered focus in the acute care environment and in ambulatory

Determine whether ethnocentrism or ethical relativism apply for Essay

Determine whether ethnocentrism or ethical relativism apply for specific cross-cultural business circumstances - Essay Example Therefore, business leaders and executives should critically evaluate their business circumstances, especially for those involving specific cross-cultural situations, in order to avoid applying ethnocentrism, which may jeopardize the business transactions. For instance, one of the parties to the business contract may pull away if he or she feels considered as a junior partner to the contract due to his or her culture or religion (Egger, 2008). Ethical relativism is a similar practice to ethnocentrism whereby an individual tends to make ethical choices basing on what he or she feels is reasonable or right in accordance with an individual’s own value system or belief. Globalization intensified the interaction of different cultures across the world. This demands that business leaders as well as executives apply considerable accommodation to new cultures and beliefs whenever dealing with cross-cultural business transactions to avoid offending the other party to the contract or bus iness deal. In most circumstances, business leaders use language barriers as a basis to judge other cultures, e.g. the fact that English is the international language in the world does not mean that those who do not know the language do not have anything valuable to offer. Therefore, it is necessary to apply considerable accommodation to such cultural differences in order to foster understanding, e.g. hiring an interpreter to mediate between them during a business transaction (Guffey, Rhodes & Rogin, 2008). International business ethics refers to the standardized cord of ethics or norms that guides the conduct of transacting businesses in an international field. Due to the conflicting provisions of cultures as well as religions across the world, business have to adhere to the set cord of ethics while doing international business in order to facilitate smooth transaction across various cultures. Furthermore, international business ethics enables the companies as well as their represe ntatives and agents to stay above ethnocentrism or ethical relativism. However, global leaders as well as guardians of international trade such as the United Nations have a stipulated set of recognized norms that businesses have to abide to, such as the UN Global Impact. This provision enables businesses to engage professionally when confronted with cross cultural business circumstances as well as maintain cordial business relations with their partners (Jhingran, 2001). Some of the common aspects of international business ethics include: Environment friendly technologies Eradicating corruption, extortion, and bribery Promote environmental responsibility. Eliminate employment discrimination. Eliminate forced and compulsory labor. Eradicate child labor and slavery. Foster international cooperation. Despite the need to conform to international business ethics, there are situations that require business executives as well as marketing professionals to apply local culture when determinin g their ethical practices. This is especially in cases where the business transaction has a lot more sentimental value as compared to its commercial value. Take for instance in a business transaction that involves dealing with antiques and traditional artifacts such as monuments, curving, drawings and idols. These artifacts have a certain protocol of handling them, failure to which it may cast an evil

Follow-Up to Concept Analysis Reports Assignment

Follow-Up to Concept Analysis Reports - Assignment Example The paper identifies three related concepts of Patrimonialism, and they are Neo-Patrimonialism, Corporatism, and Clientelism. In defining Neo-Patrimonialism, the paper takes the stand of Bach and Mammadou (2012). The two authors define it as a concept whereby a ruler mismanages the resources of a state, for purposes of acquiring power, and maintaining it (Bach and Mammadou, 2012). The initial paper defines Clientelism as an art of exchanging non-financial and financial benefits, for purposes of maintaining power. Corporatism refers to a situation where there are groups within a state, and they compete to gain favor from the ruler. In highlighting the Similarities of patrimonialism in Vietnam and Morocco, the paper observed that Patrimonialism in the two countries take place through the systems of governance. The paper stated that the system of governance in Morocco is through a monarch, while in Vietnam, it is through the Presidency. Patrimonialism thrives in these states because they have weak governance institutions, and it is easy to manipulate the holders of these institutional officers to serve the purposes of a ruler. Another similarity emanates from the motives of the Moroccan monarch, and Vietnam Presidents to engage in Patrimonialism. The two do so for purposes of maintaining power, and authority. A difference emanates from the objectives for which the leaders of the two states practice the policy. In Vietnam, the communist party practices the policy to promote socialism, and maintain unity in the country (Clapham, 1985). In Morocco, the Monarch practices the policy to maintain power, and for selfish gains. Another difference emanates at how the two countries implement the policy of Patrimonialism. In Morocco, the Monarch practices the policy by forming tribal groups, therefore creating divisions in the society (Bach and Mammadou, 2012). In Vietnam, the policy is practiced in such a way that it unites

Comparative genomics using myosin heavy chain gene of 3 related Essay

Comparative genomics using myosin heavy chain gene of 3 related species human,rat,rabbit and 3 unrelated human,fish,chicken just 3000 word introduction only - Essay Example The encoding of genes that isoforms Myosin Heavy Chains have been developed according to their transcriptional orientations and linear order within the set kb of 350 in human, rat, and rabbit. From the maps it is noted that transcriptional orientation, relative intragenic distances, and order of the genes are conserved between the species. Unlike other gene families that are clustered, the order does not portray the temporal patterns of those genes. Conversely, the gene organization, conservation from the divergence of the genes shows that the organization of the genes can be important for their function and regulation. Myosin Heavy Chains converts chemical energy from the hydrolysis of ATP to form a mechanical force that moves the motile processes like cytokines, cellular locomotion, and vesicular transport in eukaryotic cells. Myosin Heavy Chains are subdivided into class comprising of 9 to 11 classes. The conventional Myosin Heavy Chains include the sarcomere Myosin Heavy Chains that associates itself to form a function enzymatically and filaments in promoting contraction in striated muscles. Muscle myosin consists of double Myosin Heavy Chains and two associated dissimilar myosin light chains pairs. The seven Myosin Heavy Chains isoforms that dominate the mammalian skeletal muscles are 2 developmental isoforms, Myosin Heavy Chains embryonic and Myosin Heavy Chains perinatal; 3 adult skeletal muscles, Myosin Heavy Chains-Ha, Myosin Heavy Chains-IIb, Myosin Heavy Chains-IIx/d, and Myosin Heavy Chains-ß/slow which is outlined in the cardiac muscles. The Myosin Heavy Chains isoforms are regulate d differently in response to diverting stimuli that include mechanical, physiological, hormonal, and other signals. The activity of ATPase conferred by the Myosin Heavy Chains in a muscle correlated the contraction speed, thus Myosin Heavy Chains are the

Perceptions of Leadership Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Perceptions of Leadership - Coursework Example If on the other hand followers’ perception instigates them to motivate themselves in order to achieve the set goals, leaders may end up collaborating with the followers hence adopting a completely new leadership style. Leaders can best assess follower perceptions of their leadership style in a number of ways. One of the most effective strategies is by carrying out a survey or giving them questionnaires to fill. The questionnaire should contain questions that would help the leaders establish the level of satisfaction followers have on their leadership style (Bolton & Veldkamp, 2013). The questions should also be open so that followers can criticize and fully express their attitude towards the type of leadership in an organization. However, they should not require them to fill their personal information like names and contact. Other strategies include observing followers behaviors though this method may be less effective. In case the perception of the leader is not aligned with that of the followers, he or she should try adjusting his or her perception as well as that of the followers so that they can reach to a balance. However, this should apply in case the perception of the followers is effective and worthwhile. If their perception is ineffective, leaders should focus on gradually introducing the necessary change while giving the followers adequate time to adapt (Hughes, Ginnett & Curphy, 2012). Assessing followers’ perception by making them fill survey questions that are open is the best method because it would give the followers a chance to freely express themselves without any intimidation. This method has been proven to be effective by many researchers particularly if the followers are assured of privacy and that they cannot be victimized. Other methods like observing followers’ behaviors may not be effective because followers would pretend when they realize that they are being assessed (Bolton & Veldkamp,

The Impact of Death on a Child Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Impact of Death on a Child - Essay Example Apparently, the dramatic situation at home when they discovered my grandmother had died; during a nap, so they thought she was sleeping for quite some time before they found her and came to a consensus that she was, indeed, dead, warranted forgetting to pick me up. At the time, though, it felt like they forgot my existence. My mother finally arrived looking tormented, even to my young eyes. I started crying as soon as she got out of the car and I saw her swollen eyes and reddened face, the deep creases set around her mouth. She did try to comfort me as best she could, given the situation, but her own suffering just added to my fear. We both cried the entire drive home despite the fact that she never actually told me my grandmother had died, perhaps she thought my immature emotions could not handle this information or maybe she could simply not bear to say the words, either way I was puzzled nonetheless and my tears were just a knee jerk reaction to the intense emotions of my mother, it is always scary for a child to see their parent distressed. When we finally arrived home (the seven-minute drive seemed like hours to me at the time) our entire family was at our house, yet, the packed bungalow was silent. Perhaps the state my mother and I led them to believe I had already been told, but the truth was I wondered and waited for my "Nana" for days before I understood she was never coming back. Looking back at this time I remember a dark and menacing atmosphere where I just tried to stay out of people's way (our house was the headquarters for all grief, big and small) and try and figure out what everything that was going on meant and, mainly, where my 'Nana' was and when she would be coming home. I recall relating the idea of my grandmother's return to one of my older cousins whose parents had come by to 'let it all out' (a phrase I'd overheard my mother using when one of our guests would buckle, allowing their face to contort as their pain cascaded down their cheeks); I think I simply mentioned an activity I would partake in as soon as my grandmother returned and I was met with the cruel and mocking laughter and was told she wasn't coming back, she was dead and that meant asleep forever.

Chemistry Practice - Bonding energy kinetics Lab Report

Chemistry Practice - Bonding energy kinetics - Lab Report Example The bond is covalent in nature. There is a sharing of electrons between these two atoms, giving rise to a covalent bond. The electronegativity value of H is 2.1 while that of O is 3.5 (Brown, LeMay and Bursten, 1991). There will hence be a distortion of the electron cloud, thus causing the molecule to be polar. The bonding between oxygen and hydrogen is polar covalent in nature. Polar molecules are attracted to a charged rod. In these molecules, the centres of positive and negative charges do not cancel each other out, giving rise to permanent dipoles. When a positive rod is used, the negative end of the dipoles are attracted towards the rod while the positive end of the dipoles are attracted to a negative rod. 3. Using the 'electron pair repulsion theory', state and explain the shape of the following compounds and in each case sketcha diagram to show the arrangemant of the atoms in space, labelling the bond angles. In AlCl3, the three outer electrons of the aluminium atom are bonded to the outer electrons of three chlorine atoms. Since there are no lone pair of electrons, the structure will not be distorted. According to the electron pair replusion theory, the three bonded pairs repel each other as far apart as possible. AlCl3 will hence be trigonal planar in shape with a bond angle of 120 (Brown, LeMay and Bursten, 1991). (b) SiH4 In SiH4, the four outer electrons of the silicon atom are bonded to the outer electrons of four hydrogen atoms. There are no lone pair of electrons. According to the electron pair replusion theory, the four bonded pairs repel each other as far apart as possible. SiH4 will hence be tetrahedral in shape with a bond angle of 109.5. (c) PCl5 In PCl5, the five outer electrons of the phosphorus atom are bonded to the outer electrons of five chlorine atoms. There are no lone pair of electrons. According to the electron pair replusion theory, the five bonded pairs repel each other as far apart as possible. The shape of PCl5 will be trigonal bipyramid, with bond angles of 120 and 90. 12 marks 4. Enthalpy changes for the reactions of carbon and aluminium with oxygen are given in the following equations, where all substances are in their standard states. C(s) + O2(g) CO2(g) H = -394 kJ mol -1 4Al(s) + 3O2(g) 2Al2O3(g) H = -3352 kJ mol -1 (a) What is the value for the standard enthalpy of combustion of carbon The standard

Managing Organizational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managing Organizational Change - Essay Example The move was an intentional one to ensure that the organization is able to resurrect itself from a loss of market share, loss of revenues and unwitting loss of employees that may take place in case the organization undergoes an organizational decline. Downsizing in my organization led to employee and personnel reduction only. However, resources are also brought down in some other organizations. The goal is to improve the efficiency of the organization. According to Freeman and Cameron (1993), downsizing affects the way work is accomplished. The overall workforce declines when downsizing takes place and hence less number of individuals is available to do the same amount of work. The same happened in my organization. As a result of downsizing the overall work load on one individual increased. This led to burnout, lower morals and inefficiencies. Thus the change within my organization was directly related to marshalling and channeling of resources. This has also been referred to and exp lained in the IBM change story of Table 1.1. The story depicts how it is important for resources to be channeled appropriately when an organization is undergoing an organizational change. (Alexander, 2003) Reference: Alexander. (2003, Feb). From the President. Retrieved Jan 12, 2009, from Leadership in Action: http://www.ccl.org Week 2: Forum 2 Over the course of last couple of decades internet has changed the paradigms of media. News is no longer restricted and limited to print media. Electronic media has emerged on the forefront and now it is being regularly referred to by many. Its integration on the media front is also coupled with the fact that technology has embedded itself in the society today. Today’s man is more dependent on the web then he was ever before. In a recent study conducted by a firm, it was claimed that over three quarters of American adults make use of the Internet while more than half of them connect to the net through wireless connections either throug h laptops or through their handsets. Over 60% of these broadband connections are consumed at home. This in itself is indicative of the fact of the extent internet and with that how e-media has integrated itself in today’s society. I believe that both news print and online media are important in their own right though in my life I won’t deny the fact that the latter holds more significance. This is because I am always on the go and hence it becomes easy for me to read the news on my handset then piquing it down through newspapers. I very seldom read news on newspapers. Most of the time I find myself logging in on websites like nytimes.com, washingtonpost, bbc.com and cnn.com In the given article, the demise of TDI is illustrative of the growing influence of e-media in our society today. Reference: R.E.Goodin. (1975). How to determine who should get what. Ethics , 310-21. Week 3: Forum 3 Post economic down turn and recession, leadership roles and leadership perception ac ross the board has changed significantly. There are innumerable issues and challenges that confront the leaders of today, each of which is engrossing and highly intimidating. Empowerment of work forces, cultural and ethnic diversity, demands of the labor unions are some but of

Characters in Animal Farm Essay Example for Free

Characters in Animal Farm Essay The over worked and malnourished animals over throw the humans in charge and took power; only to find that the obligation of freedom maybe more dangerous. Out of all the animals, however, one is sure to stand out. That animal is Boxer, the farm’s hardest and strongest worker. George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm, is an allegory that reflects events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917, and then on into the Stalinist Era in the Soviet Union. Through a depiction of Boxer, George Orwell allows the reader to make a discernment of the Russian proletariat’s loyalty and hardworking skills, by presenting him as an allegiant, reputable, diligent worker. From the beginning to the end, Boxer remains a diligent worker despite the abundance of toil. After the Rebellion, â€Å"Boxer [seems] more like three horses than one; [and] there [are] days when the entire work of the farm seems to rest on his mighty shoulders.† (46) Therefore, Boxer is precisely the hardest worker on the farm for the reason that he agrees to do the majority of the labor on the farm. In comparison to Mollie and Moses, who depart from the farm without doing any work, Boxer agrees to do additional tasks. Furthermore, after Boxer’s severe depravity, â€Å"Boxer [refuses] to take even a day off work, and [makes] it a point of honor not to let it be seen that he [is] in pain.† (114) Thus, Boxer is an eager worker for the reason that he never renounces his job. On the contrary, Mollie â€Å"[is] late for work every morning and [excuses] herself by saying that she [has] overslept.† This proves that Boxer loves to work. When the going gets bad he sees working as the solution. Boxer is truly the farm’s hero because of his hard work. In addition to his resolution to work harder, Boxer demonstrates fidelity. After Snowball’s expulsion, Boxer is worried about the farm, but he is not smart enough to figure things out on his own. Rather than thinking for himself, Boxer forces himself to believe others. Boxer tries to think things  over for himself, but all he can come up with is, â€Å"If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right,† and he takes up a new personal motto: â€Å"I will work harder.† (70) For this reason, Boxer illustrates allegiance for coinciding with authority. Furthermore, when Napoleon begins executing other animals, Boxer can only say, â€Å"I would not have believed that such things could happen on our farm. It must be due to some fault in ourselves. The solution, as I see it, is to work harder.† (94) Therefore, Boxer is devoted considering that he always falls back on his personal motto: Napoleon is always right. Boxer is loyal to the farm animals and allegiance is w hat makes a worker a good worker. Throughout the most troublesome times on Animal Farm, Boxer is praised by the animals. As time goes on, the animals are much inspired by Boxer’s work ethic than by Squealer’s clever speeches. â€Å"With his tremendous muscles [Boxer] always [pulls] them through. Boxer [is] the admiration of everybody.† (46) Hence, Boxer is admired by the other animals for the reason that he is an inspiration for them. Unlike the pigs who are considered the most intelligent, it is Boxer, who commands the animals simply because of his work ethic. Moreover, during the winter, little progress is made; the animals can not feel so impelled about it as they felt before. However Boxer never loses heart, â€Å"the other animals [find] more inspiration in Boxer’s strength and his never-failing cry of ‘I will work harder!’† (85) Ultimately, Boxer is honored by the other animals as a result of the animals being propelled by Boxer. In comparison to Squealer’s adroit speeches, the other animals find more inspiration in Boxer. This clearly identifies that Boxer’s role and personality is highly respected by the animals. These are just some of the examples that prove why Boxer is am allegiant, reputable, diligent worker. These three traits are what make Boxer unique. Unfortunately, his loyalty makes him easy to manipulate. Boxer is a very important character and without him Animal Farm would not exist. Boxer is the one who gives everyone hope and a reason to work harder. For these reasons Boxer is the farm’s hero and is one of the most beloved characters in Animal Farm.

Renewable And Non Renewable Resources

Renewable And Non Renewable Resources Our societys emphasis on green living and the global focus on conservation provide the perfect backdrop for teaching students about fossil fuels. Children are naturally curious about whats going on in the world around them. Now is the perfect time for us, as educators, to capitalize on our students innate curiosity by leveraging current events in the world such as the rapidly increasing prices of gasoline for motor vehicles and the ongoing search for economical and efficient forms of renewable energy to engage students in study about how fossil fuels, natural resources and Provide appropriate vocabulary words. Give students the basic vocabulary words they will need in order to achieve your lesson objectives. Basic vocabulary words for teaching students about fossil fuels would include: fossil fuels, coal, oil, natural gas, renewable and nonrenewable. This module will help the students to learn about the fossils fuel , its importance ,need of its conservation and its harmful effects The teacher may use various skills to decide the complexity level of the content. However teacher may take up the topic as given below- (a)Complexity of content(concrete, Symbolic,Abstract) CONCRETE SYMBOLIC ABSTRACT Natural resources,Destructive distillation of coal, Combustion of fossils fuel Exhaustible and non exhaustible energy resources , Formation of fossils fuel, Harmful effects of caused by fossils fuels Fractional distillation (b) Learning Environment- 1. The chapter may be introduced in class rooms, school lab (bringing sample of different items to the lab) , computer lab (by a power point presentation),Outdoor trip etc. 2.Sequence of the lesson can be taken this way_ Introduction Using concrete or symbolic material for group discussion or the class can be divided into groups or individually students may be engaged in a warm up activity as given in students module. Students wi;ll be asked to make a table and fill that PLASTIC PAPER GLASS METAL WOOD OTHER The possible answers to the questions asked in students module will be- Which column had the longest list? (Answer: It will very likely be plastic.) Which category do you think you depend on most? Why? (Answers will vary.) Where do you think these items come from? (Answer: Everything at some point comes from our natural resources. Paper and wood come from trees, plastics are made from oil, glass is made from sand, and metal is made from ore, etc.) You may also do this as a whole class, instead of individually. You may draw a puzzle with blanks and may ask the students to fill in the blanks to complete the schemetic diagram related to natural resources as shown in students module or show the diagram and ask them to list natural resources 1.2 RENEWABLE AND NON RENEWABLE RESOURCE Teacher may begin the lesson with a small activity of hunting fossil fuel STUDENT ACTIVITY 1 or any other activity or can narrate a story to introduce two categories of natural resources Teacher may involve the students in activities highlighting the depelition of resources as in students module Students Activity 2 DEPLETION OF RESOURCES SIMULATION Through the activity, students will hypothesize that as the next generation comes along, there will be fewer resources available to them and eventually, there could be nothing at all. In addition the number of people using a resource and the amount each person uses are critical in determining the rate at which resources, both renewable and nonrenewable, get used up. Teacher may have a supply of extra popcorn (out of sight of the class) for those students who do not participate directly in the simulation Students will probably eat as much of the popcorn as they can without any thought as to who will come after them. By the time the 3rd generation students are finished, there should be little or no popcorn left. Some of the generation coming next people will therefore have little or none at all. Do not discuss what is happening to the popcorn until all the generations have gotten their popcorn. Some students will begin to realize what is happening. Some students in the 2nd generation may think of the 3rd generation and not take as much. The teacher should just watch and listen without making any comments. Review the definitions of renewable resource, and nonrenewable resource. Relate these definitions to the popcorn simulation. Did any of the students who were part of this simulation think about those who might be eating after them, or were they only trying to get as much popcorn as they could? Assessment, Student Product Each student will turn in their own report after they have gone over the discussion points. Each group of 4 will create a slogan that advocates personal responsibility for resource conservation Teacher may build up the lesson by asking the students to perform another activity in groups comparing renewable and non renewable resources as in students module or may use internet for the students research to compare different energy sources for which the class may be divided into groups and assign different energy resources to be researched and compared to coal energy. Students should include topics of safety, efficiency,environmental impacts and cost. Teacher may involve the students in STUDENTS ACTIVITY 3 to understand symbolically that Coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear fuels will last some day and so they are non renewable resource while renewable source will never finish Assessment: Have students explain the exercise and their findings to the class. Encourage them to discuss what other factors might dictate which energy sources are used by a community, such as environmental impact and the persuasion of special interest groups. What specific factors influence the choices of energy sources in your area? How have local energy costs changed over the past ten years? Use a debate format to discuss factors that might dictate community decisions as stated above. Extension: Encourage students to find out what energy sources are used in other countries. Direct them toward coal-dependent countries (such as the United Kingdom and Germany), as well as countries that do not rely primarily upon coal for their energy (such as Sweden, France, and Japan). Challenge them to find out and compare the energy costs of other countries to that of the United States. Continue with researching 10 years of costs/supply and demand and graph the changes over the 10-year period. Have students compare and contrast the outcomes between the different energy sources. Teacher may share the following facts with students to arouse their interest such as- It took 10 feet of plant matter to make 1 foot of coal. The first oil well in the world was drilled in Pennsylvania, USA. World coal consumption is more than 5.3 billion tons annually of which three quarters are used for generating electricity. The earliest known use of coal was in China. Coal from the Fu-shun mine in northeastern China may have been used to smelt copper as early as 3,000 years ago. The Chinese thought coal was a stone that could burn To run a 100-watt light bulb 24 hours a day for a year we need to use about 714 pounds (325 kg) of coal in coal powered power plant (thermal efficiency of such power plant is typically abut 40%). One liter of regular gasoline is the time-rendered result of about 23.5 tonnes of ancient organic material deposited on the ocean floor. . On August 27, 1859, Edwin L. Drake (the man standing on the right in the black and white picture to the right), struck liquid oil at his well near Titusville, Pennsylvania. He found oil under ground and a way that could pump it to the surface. The well pumped the oil into barrels made out of wood. This method of drilling for oil is still being used today all over the world in areas where oil can be found below the surface. 1.3 COAL Coal is a hard, black colored rock-like substance. It is made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and varying amounts of sulphur. There are three main types of coal anthracite, bituminous and lignite. Anthracite coal is the hardest and has more carbon, which gives it a higher energy content. Lignite is the softest and is low in carbon but high in hydrogen and oxygen content. Bituminous is in between. Today, the precursor to coal-peat-is still found in many countries and is also used as an energy source. Teacher may introduce the concept by giving the students the basic knowledge about coal which they are already familiar of or may ask some general questions about the coal 1.3.1 COAL FORMATION The teacher may plot a story of historical background of coal or give the idea by demonstrating an activity as described in student module-COAL FORMATION ACTIVITY The teacher must arrange the material beforehand. The activity will help in reinforcing Critical thinking ,Cooperative learning The activity may take two class periods over four weeks I f you line your container with plastic wrap before you begin, you can lift the whole formation out when it is dry. T his is a smelly activity. If you have an area where you can put this out of the way and observe it occasionally, you will like it better! Teacher can further illustrate the mining of coal through the activity discussed in students modulestudents activity 4 Chocolate Chip Cookie Mining This activity teaches students about coal and mining. Discuss with the students how coal is excavated . Coal is mined out of the ground using various methods. Some coal mines are dug by sinking vertical or horizontal shafts deep underground, and coal miners travel by elevators or trains deep under ground to dig the coal. Other coal is mined in strip mines where huge steam shovels strip away the top layers above the coal. The layers are then restored after the coal is taken away. The coal is then shipped by train and boats and even in pipelines. In pipelines, the coal is ground up and mixed with water to make whats called a slurry. This is then pumped many miles through pipelines. At the other end, the coal is used to fuel power plants and other factories. 1.3.2 TYPES OF COAL: Types of coal may be introduced to the students by showing them samples of different types of coal and comparing their physical properties through STUDENTS ACTIVITY 5- coal identification activity. This will help students to understand the characteristics of different types of coal and enhance their Critical thinking,Cooperative learning and skill of Comparison and contrast. They will lso understand that the harder coal absorbs more heat. Teacher may discuss with students . Does burning show that peat is the lowest rank of coal? Does the manner of burning of bituminous coal show that it still has volatile material (gas) in it? 1.3.3 COMBUSTION OF COAL Combustion or burning is the sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat and conversion of chemical species. The release of heat can result in the production of light in the form of either glowing or a flame. To understand that coal is combustible teacher may perform an activity as stated in students moduleSTUDENTS ACTIVITY- 6 Teacher must arrange for the material before hand . If lignite coal sample is not available, charcoal may be used Students should be motivated to illustrate and describe their observations. Teacher may discuss how coal may be useful because it is combustible and gives off heat. Teacher may take a small sample of the dried plant matter from and hold with forceps. Place sample in the flame of a candle and observe combustion. (This matter can be compared to peat.) Discuss observations. . 1.3.4 DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF COAL Destructive distillation is the chemical process involving the decomposition of feedstock by heating to a high temperature; the term generally applies to processing of organic material in the absence of air or in the presence of limited amounts of oxygen or other reagents, catalysts, or solvents, such as steam or phenols. The process breaks up or cracks large molecules. Products like coke, coal gas, gas carbon, coal tar and ammonia liquor are formed after the destructive distillation of coal. This helps in producing thousands of distinct chemical compounds. Teacher may demonstrate the pocess of destructive distillation of coal in lab or class as illustrated in students module,and keep the students interest entact . Teacher will discuss different observations about the mixtures collected in the end in test tube and beaker and also explain their uses eith the help of placards or flashcards. 1.4PETOLEUM . Petroleum or crude oil, and natural gas are important hydrocarbons that are found in nature within pores and fractures of rocks. Oil and gas form over millions of years as the result of the decay of marine organisms. These organisms die and collect on the ocean floor. Sediments such as clay and mud are deposited above these organisms. During burial and compaction, the organic matter becomes heated. Hydrocarbons are formed and are forced out of the source rock into permeable beds such as sandstone. As by now the students are familiar with the concept of fossils fuel with its examples and its formation in case of coal the teacher may build the lesson on the previous knowledge of the students with the help of role play Teacher may give students more information about the excretion of petroleum Because oil and gas are not very dense, they migrate upward through the water-saturated rock layers. In some cases, this movement is stopped by overlying impermeable layers of rock such as shale or rock salt and the hydrocarbons are trapped. Then, the oil and natural gas form a reservoir in the porous rock. This type of hydrocarbon accumulation requires a source rock, a reservoir rock, and a cap rock. Most of the worlds reservoirs are in sandstone, limestone, and dolomites. Structural traps are related to folds, faults, or salt domes. When an anticline fold that contains hydrocarbons is drilled, the first material encountered is usually natural gas. This gas often is underlain by oil due to density differences. Water is the densest fluid and is found at the bottom of a reservoir. Secondary recovery methods can be used to increase the amount of crude oil that can be pumped from wells. Presently only about 30 percent of the crude oil in a well can be recovered. However, as oil reserves dwindle, steam, carbon dioxide, and detergents can be used to force out the heavy oil that normally cannot be pumped. 1.4.1 REFINING OF PETROLEUM Petroleum in its crude state consists of various organic compounds that must be refined to form usable products. After giving a brief idea about refining of petroleum and fractional distillation the divide the students into research teams. Each team will research how fractional distillation works, as well as describe one of the major products of fractional distillation. Students may then be motivated to use distillation to separate 2 liquids . The teacher must approve the distillation set-up of the students Misconceptions: Students will assume that the mixture will keep getting hotter and hotter as the water boils. They will not expect the temperature to stay steady until almost all the water has been converted to steam. Students may also think that the melted ice cube is dripping through the foil into the beaker. Teacher needs to clarify their misconception Students should be encouraged to use diagrams and charts to present their information. A rubric is provided for assessing the group work at this stage. A copy of this rubric should be given to students before they start their research so that they are aware of the grading criteria. The objectives of the activity performed are . Students will learn that fractional distillation is the first stage in processing crude oil into usable products. (The other two stages are: Conversion: cracking and rearranging of molecules, and Treatment.) Students will understand how fractional distillation works and what products are produced. They will become aware of how these products are used in their world. Students will familiarize themselves with 8 major products of fractional distillation. Students will be able to perform a simple distillation of liquids modeling the distillation of crude oil. Students will share, display, and explain specific information gathered in their research. Research time will vary based on the availability of computers. Most of the research can be completed in 1 to 2 class periods on the computer. The actual distillation will take one period The activity will help improving the following skills of the students Cooperative learning Student centered learning Communication of information Relevant application to daily life Following Directions Making Connections Mathematics integration Drawing Conclusions Because so many petroleum-based products are found in the home,so teacher may motivate the students to perform a take home activity. To complete the activity, students work with their families to identify six petroleum-based products at home. They write those products on the list. Then they think of one way to help conserve petroleum, by reducing their use of a petroleum product, reusing a petroleum product many times over, or recycling a product so it can be made into something else. They add their conservation idea to the bottom of the list, and have their at-home helper sign the form. When students have completed this short at-home activity, they will bring their list back to school and share it with their classmate. If students are having difficulty completing the project at home, a few minutes could be devoted to the activity in school. 1.4.2 COMBUSTION OF PETROL Teacher may correlate the topic with combustion of petrol in vehicles and explain that incomplete combustion of petrol is dreadful as it produces CO which is suffocating. Students may be motivated to collect data in this regard and analyze and help them to differentiate between the combustion of coal and petrol. 1.5 HARMFUL EFFECTS OF EXCCESSIVE COMBUSTION OF COAL AND PETROLEUM Many non renewable energy resources have detrimental consequences upon the environment. Most people are aware of the greenhouse effect created by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are released by gasoline-powered vehicles, but this is only one of many serious consequences. Coal plants alone generate hundreds of millions of tons of harmful byproducts, including flue gas, desulfurization sludge, fly ash, and bottom ash. These materials can poison waterways and leach harmful toxins such as arsenic, mercury, uranium, and thorium into the ground and water.. Combustion of these fossil fuels is considered to be the largest contributing factor to the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Teacher may use powerpoint presentations or vedieosto illustrate the concept 1.6 IMPORTANCE OF NONRNEWABLE SOURCES Fossil fuels are of great importance because they can be burned (oxidized to carbon dioxide and water), producing significant amounts of energy per unit weight. The use of coal as a fuel predates recorded history. Coal was used to run furnaces for the melting of metal ore. . Teacher may introduce the topic with some questions such as What function crude oil serves in our life. Is it something that is really necessary in life? What if it was not available, how would our lives differ? (Students answers will vary). Emind students that Petroleum is the Source of many objects ,e.g. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ bandage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ glue à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ plastic bagà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ bubble gum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ golf ball à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ plastic container or bottleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ comb à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ lipstick à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ toothbrush and toothpasteà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ crayon à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ nail polish à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ tube of hand creamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ elastic band à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ panty hose à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ wax paper T ell students that one of the most common petroleum products is gasoline that goes into a car to make it run. Remind students that petroleum-based products can last a very long time. Thats why we should reuse and recycle them whenever we can. For a greater challenge, students could be motivated to write their own Who Am I? questions for different petroleum-based products. When there are enough clues written, each student could read out a clue and ask the rest of the class to guess the product. In the end teacher may guide the students to conserve the fossils fuel -coal and petoleum

Essay On Corporate Social Responsibility Accounting Essay

Essay On Corporate Social Responsibility Accounting Essay The term stakeholders means a party that can effect or be effected by the actions of the business as a whole and they are the group of members without whose support the organisation cannot exist or they are the interested parties who is keen to know what the business is doing. In this situation the stakeholder is Steve Morgan who is the controller of the Newton Industries and is interested in production cost reports. What are the ethical issues involved in this situation? Steve Morgan is involved in the ethical issue as he did not inform the management that the advertising cost is expensed in the current period the net income wouldnt be overstated and this would help the financial managers to make decisions and maintain effective control over resources. What would you do if you were Steve Morgan ? Managerial Accounting or management accounting is a set of practices and techniques aimed at the providing managers with financial information to help them make decisions and maintain effective control over corporate resources. So, if I was in Steve Morgans position I would had recorded the advertising cost as expense in the current period , so as to not to overstate net income. BYP 3-6 Who are the potential stakeholders involved in this situation? The term stakeholders means a party that can effect or be effected by the actions of the business as a whole and they are the group of members without whose support the organisation cannot exist or they are the interested parties who is keen to know what the business is doing. In this case the potential stakeholders are Jan Wooten who is department head in the Moulding Dept. And Tony Ferneti who is quality control inspector of moulding department and are interested in saving the companys money. What alternatives does Tony have in this situation? What might the company do to prevent this situation from occurring? Tony has two alternatives in this situation, first alternative is that pass through the inspection and on to the Assembly Department all the units that had defects non-detectable to the human eye. The second alternative is that Tony can reject all the units that had defects. The company can lower the wages of the employees so that the employees will be extra vigilant and will be careful. Also the company could use the extra money after lowering the wages in providing the employees a better training and could avoid such situation in the future. Part B: Essay on corporate social responsibility CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in business is related to the obligation of companies and other business organizations to increase their positive influence and reduce their negative activity toward society. In that sense, while ethics is a matter for each individual in the business field, social responsibility is related to the influence of an organizations business decisions on society. One of the most significant principles on which modern business is based is that of an organization based on responsibility. Organizations must take responsibility for their role in society. Corporate Social Responsibility is becoming an increasingly important activity to businesses nationally and internationally. As globalization accelerates and large corporations serve as global providers, these corporations have progressively recognised the benefits of providing CSR programs in their various locations. CSR activities are now being undertaken throughout the globe. The rationale for CSR has been articulated in a number of ways. In essence it is about building sustainable businesses, which need healthy economies, markets and communities.(megatrend) The key drivers for CSR are: Enlightened self-interest creating a synergy of ethics, a cohesive society and a Sustainable global economy where markets, labour and communities are able function well together. Social investment contributing to physical infrastructure and social capital is increasingly seen as a necessary part of doing business. Transparency and trust business has low ratings of trust in public perception. There is increasing expectation that companies will be more open, more accountable and be prepared to report publicly on their performance in social and environmental. Increased public expectations of business globally companies are expected to-do more than merely provide jobs and contribute to the economy through taxes and employment. The concept of corporate social responsibility has been standardized and today represents an integral part of integrated management systems. The principles connected with existing definitions of corporate social responsibility consist of the following: taking part in community life, accountability, sustainability, transparency, ethical behaviour (without corruption), honesty and inclusion. Socially responsible companies adhere to the triple result approach, keeping in mind the social, economic and environmental influence of their business operations. (Weygand, kimmel kieso. 6th Ed, p 21) Framework of CSR CSR is important, as its a starting point towards building CSR into management control systems. The different phases are also named steps. This is done because the framework works as a continuum where different steps follow one another and a step cannot be skipped when heading to a system working in day-to-day work and helping to reach set goals. In step three the management control system is shaped and it represent the processes, systems and tools by which the management guides the organizations and its employees behaviour to fulfil the set strategy and targets. To facilitate management actions management should get proper reporting of the step three. After attaining CSR outcomes these outcomes can be reported to the stakeholders via CSR reporting. The steps will be used to analyze the empirical results of the study. The stage of alignment of CSR into management control systems in the case companies will be analyzed according to this framework. In this internal control the role of a ccounting plays a very important concept. Corporate social responsibility and important of accounting à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ CSR is a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns into their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ CSR is the process by which managers within an organization think about and discuss relationships with stakeholders as well as their roles in relation to the common good, along with their behavioural disposition with respect to the fulfilment and achievement of these roles and relationships Several concepts related to CSR, which apply to the accounting areas: Environmental Management Accounting, Social Environmental Accounting and Environmental Reporting or Social Responsibility Accounting. These concepts link CSR to the accounting system, arguing for the importance of such aspects in the work of accountants. Very well informed businesses and non-profit organizations environment seems aware of the importance of good CSR practices. CSR developed a portal presenting and advertising very well the experience of CSR and international organizations in this area. Such companies in our country have initiated several projects and initiatives. CSR-related concepts influence significantly the accountancy profession for example, Environmental Management Accounting is the management of environmental and economic performance via management accounting systems and practices that focus on both physical information on the flow of energy, water, materials, and wastes, as well as monetary information on related costs, earnings and savings. (tkf.org.in) Managerial accounting is reflected by both physical information on the use, flows and destinies of energy, water and materials, and monetary information on environment-related costs, earnings and savings sides. It has such application fields as: assessment of annual environmental costs/expenditure, product pricing, budgeting, investment appraisal, calculating costs, savings and benefits of environmental systems, environmental performance evaluation, indicators and benchmarking, external disclosure on environmental expenditures, investments and liabilities. As this shows, and we will further develop, it is then imperative that all parties involved in the accounting domain consider fostering such competencies in accountants, for the overall good of the society. Managerial Accountability is an international standard for social responsibility, created by Council on Economic Priority Accreditation Agency with the goal of securing an ethical source of products and services. This standard is of a voluntary character and can be applied to any company, regardless of size and branch of operations. Also, the standard can either replace or be a supplement to companies or industries with a specific code of social responsibility.(amfiteatur.economic) Part C: Essay on budgeting Budget: Is a formal written statement of managements plan for a specified future time period, expressed in financial terms. It represents the primary method of communicating agreed-upon objectives throughout the organization. Once adopted, a budget becomes an important basis for evaluating performance. It promotes efficiency and serves as a deterrent to waste and inefficiency. (Weygandt, Kimmel Kieso, 6th Ed, p 384) Some employees will question the need for a budget. The procedure of budget preparation is at times seen as difficult, and it is not constantly clear how the attempt that is required leads to any fruitful production. Furthermore, budgets can be seen as imposing constraint that is hard to live with and establish goals that are difficult to meet. Despite these dismal remarks, it is very important that organizations carefully plan their financial affairs to attain financial achievement. These plans are normally expressed as budgets. A budget is detailed financial plans that quantify future expectations and actions relative to acquiring and using resources. (Principles of Accounting) In small organization, formal budgets are an unusual object. The individual management/owners likely manage only by reference to a common mental budget. The person has a good sense of estimated sales, costs, financing, and asset needs. Each operation is under direct oversight of this person and confidently she or he has the capacity to keep things on a logical course. When things dont go well, the management/owners can normally take up the slack by not taking a pay check or engage in some other form of financial requirement. Of course, much small business eventually is unsuccessful anyway. Explanation for unsuccessful are several and varied, but are often pinned on undercapitalization or insufficient resources to sustain operations. Many of these post-mortem assessments reflect a failure to adequately plan! Even in a small company, a reliable business budget/plan can often result in anticipate and avoiding terrible outcomes. Medium and big organization consistently relies on budgets. This is likewise true in business, government, and non-profit organization. The budget provides a formal quantitative phrase of opportunity. It is an essential aspect of the planning and control process. Without a budget, an business will be highly unproductive and ineffective. (Principles of Accounting) Advantages of Detailed Budgeting: There are several advantages of detailed budgeting for business which are. First of all creating a budget is a long term perspective so it enables to think in a long term and moves away from making short term goals. It also allows thinking long term financial position and profitability of a business no matter if the planned budget doesnt successes. (Accounting Tools) Making a detailed business budget allows to pin point where the company generates it most of the revenue as in many cases it is easy that the management looses the most profitable aspect. It forces management to consider to whether it should let go non productive part of business and which new one to invest in. (Accounting Tools) Budgeting allows business to think what the key purpose of the business is and to forecast environmental factors that may affect the performance of the business. This forecasting enables to develop strategy to overcome different environmental pressure. (Accounting Tools) A detailed budgeting allows business to look forward what future cash flows will be required for the expansion of the business and from where to generate funds in order to meet the future growth needs. (Beyond) Formulating a budget also allows you to evaluate the performance of the business. Where the business is now and where to be and how to get there. It provides step by step information which is helpful in reaching where the business wants to be. Without budget it is very difficult to evaluate the current performance of business. It measures the planned performance with actual which gives a complete and true picture of the business. (Weygandt, Kimmel Kieso, 6th Ed, p 385) Budgeting enables managers to decide where to allocate funds as cash are always limited. Whether to invest in fixed assets to increase production for matching future demands or to invest in working capital. It also enables business to decide which asset is worth investing. (Beyond) A realistic established budget enhances the probability that the business will successes because it contains all the essentials and targets that have to be accomplished and also enables the business owner to according to the planned activities. (Accounting Tools) In addition detailed budgeting also helps to formulate different department goals and different functional goals. The functionality of all the departments are necessary to run the business mechanism. Basically budget creates a harmony among the entire department prevailing in a particular business. (Principles of Accounting) A budget is not only useful for owner or managers of business but it is also useful for the investors. Budgets helps investors to check if the business have enough potential and if the business if worth investing. Investors see the budget to find out what are the goals of business and investing in that particular business will maximize the probability of better return in terms of interest. (Accounting Tools) Budgets are not just useful in comparing your own performance with the planned one but it is also useful in comparing the performance of your business with the overall industry, like what are the labor rate prevailing in the market, what price to charge from customer, what volume to sell in order to get maximum revenue. (Accounting Tools) Conclusion: A strong budgeting system serves as an effective planning and control tool that allows a business to plan its short term and long term strategy towards achievement of its short term and long term goals, by: Setting up targets for individual departments of the Company, Checking and ensuring the availability of necessary resources for the achievement of the said targets, Streamlining the goals of different departments with that of the organization, Monitoring the actual performance against the budget, Adjusting the performance deficiencies by referring back to the budget Adjusting the budget where required by incorporating the changes in the working environment, and Continuously planning for effective and better performance. All in all a budget is a system of governance that enables the management to build up the business by adequately planning its each move in the market and maintain a pro-active approach in its business that serves as a plus point in a competitive business environment if managed effectively and intelligently. (Weygandt, Kimmel Kieso, 6th Ed, p 385 386)

How Children of Single Parent Families are Affected Essay -- The Effect

The Effects of a Single Parent Home on a Child's Behavior The Family structure has changed significantly in the last fifty years. With higher percentages of marriage ending in divorce, and higher rates of childbearing out of wedlock, single parent families are increasing rapidly. â€Å"Seventy percent of all the children will spend all or part of their lives in a single-parent household.† (Dowd) Studies have shown that the children of these families are affected dramatically, both negatively and positively. Women head the majority of single- parent families and as a result, children experience many social problems from growing up without a father. Some of these problems include lack of financial support, and various emotional problems by not having a father around, which may contribute to problems later in life. At the same time, children of single-parent homes become more independent because they learn to take care of themselves, and rely on others to do things for them. It is never a child’s decision to only live with one parent. There are many ways that single-parent homes occur. Some of these ways include unplanned pregnancy, divorce, the decision to be a single parent by choice, and death of a spouse. In every case families are disputed greatly. Parents might experience depression, emotional problems etc†¦. but the child is affected the most. Single-parent families are commonly targeted for controversial issues. We must be careful that we don’t stereotype these when they’re very hard to take care of themselves and their children. We do however need to notice distinct patterns in children who give up in a single parent home and what problems they face. Even though a dual family is noted as the best environment for c... ... social issue is being addressed, we are finding more ways of how to deal with the problems that single-parent families face. The parents might go through a lot providing for their children, but we cannot forget the efforts of the children that are making it without two parents and becoming strong, independent, self-sufficient individuals. Work Cited 1. Blankenhorn, David. Fatherless America. New York: A Davidon Of Harper Collins Publisher, 1995 2. Dowd, Nancy. In Defense Of Single Parent Families. New York: New York University, 1997 3. Single Parents’ Kids Do as well in School As Those in Two-Parent Homes: Infotrac.. October 25, 1999.Online. . 4. Swisher, Karin L. Single-Parent Families. Ca : GreenhavenPress Inc, 1997 Wurzel, Barbara J. Growing up in Single Parent Families. Columbus: November1, 2000. Infotrac. Online. .

Human Breast Milk Essay -- Health, Human Milk

Introduction Human breast milk is uniquely suited to our biologic needs and remains the best source of nutrition for the human infant (Kunz et al , 1999). It provides the necessary support for the developing immune system (Goldman et al., 1994 ; Garofalo and Goldman, 1999). The powerful anti-infective qualities of breast milk are measured by decreased infant mortality in developing countries where exclusive breastfeeding is the norm (Scariati et al, 1997 ; Ball and Wright, 1999). The human breast milk is composed of about 6% carbohydrates, about 4% fats, about 1% proteins and about 89% water. The composition of human milk is very different than artificial milk or "formula". Most artificial breast milk products use bovine milk as a substrate. The latter has more proteins and less lactose when compared to human milk (Kunz, et al ,1999). Lactose levels correlate well with brain size across species. Given their large brain size, it is not surprising that humans have a higher concentration of lactose in their milk than any other species (Newton, 2004). From the Islamic religion point of view, although it is recommended to prolong adequate lactation for up to two years, Prophet Mohamed pointed that the milk of the pregnant women is harmful for the infants and strongly advised that pregnant mothers should never breastfeed their infants. The aim of this study was to compare milk composition in lactating pregnant and lactating non-pregnant mothers in order to know to what extent could pregnancy affect milk composition, and how this could be reflected on both child development and health. Subjects and Methods I- Subjects This study was carried out on 64 urban healthy lactating females attending the Outpatient... ...urs in the cerebrum and 60% of this tissue is lipid (Newton, 2004). Stopping breastfeeding , should pregnancy occurs, to avoid its adverse effect on the nursed infants may expose them to many hazards as gastroenteritis and malnutritional diseases. And so , it is our responsibility to strongly advice against pregnancy during lactation so that the newly born receives the best nutritional support to ensure its full physical and neurological development. This is what exactly recommended by the Islamic religion to prolong adequate lactation, up to two years, to face infant's requirements and at the same time to avoid pregnancy on top of lactation with its bad effects on both the nursed infant and the fetus. It is hoped that further works will be done to study the effect of pregnancy on other milk constituents that could also possibly affect the nursed infant.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 122-126

CHAPTER 122 The secret is how to die. Mal'akh knew it had all gone wrong. There was no brilliant light. No wondrous reception. Only darkness and excruciating pain. Even in his eyes. He could see nothing, and yet he sensed movement all around him. There were voices . . . human voices . . . one of them, strangely, belonging to Robert Langdon. How can this be? â€Å"She's okay,† Langdon kept repeating. â€Å"Katherine is fine, Peter. Your sister is okay.† No, Mal'akh thought. Katherine is dead. She must be. Mal'akh could no longer see, could not tell if his eyes were even open, but he heard the helicopter banking away. An abrupt calm settled through the Temple Room. Mal'akh could feel the smooth rhythms of the earth becoming uneven . . . as if the ocean's natural tides were being disrupted by a gathering storm. Chao ab ordo. Unfamiliar voices were shouting now, talking urgently with Langdon about the laptop and video file. It's too late, Mal'akh knew. The damage is done. By now the video was spreading like wildfire into every corner of a shocked world, destroying the future of the brotherhood. Those most capable of spreading the wisdom must be destroyed. The ignorance of mankind is what helped the chaos grow. The absence of Light on earth is what nourished the Darkness that awaited Mal'akh. I have done great deeds, and soon I will be received as a king. Mal'akh sensed that a lone individual had quietly approached. He knew who it was. He could smell the sacred oils he had rubbed into his father's shaved body. â€Å"I don't know if you can hear me,† Peter Solomon whispered in his ear. â€Å"But I want you to know something.† He touched a finger to the sacred spot atop Mal'akh's skull. â€Å"What you wrote here . . .† He paused. â€Å"This is not the Lost Word.† Of course it is, Mal'akh thought. You convinced me of that beyond a doubt. According to legend, the Lost Word was written in a language so ancient and arcane that mankind had all but forgotten how to read it. This mysterious language, Peter had revealed, was in fact the oldest language on earth. The language of symbols. In the idiom of symbology, there was one symbol that reigned supreme above all others. The oldest and most universal, this symbol fused all the ancient traditions in a single solitary image that represented the illumination of the Egyptian sun god, the triumph of alchemical gold, the wisdom of the Philosopher's Stone, the purity of the Rosicrucian Rose, the moment of Creation, the All, the dominance of the astrological sun, and even the omniscient all-seeing eye that hovered atop the unfinished pyramid. The circumpunct. The symbol of the Source. The origin of all things. This is what Peter had told him moments ago. Mal'akh had been skeptical at first, but then he had looked again at the grid, realizing that the image of the pyramid was pointing directly at the lone symbol of the circumpunct–a circle with a dot in its center. The Masonic Pyramid is a map, he thought, recalling the legend, which points to the Lost Word. It seemed his father was telling the truth after all. All great truths are simple. The Lost Word is not a word . . . it is a symbol. Eagerly, Mal'akh had inscribed the great symbol of the circumpunct on his scalp. As he did so, he felt an upwelling of power and satisfaction. My masterpiece and offering are complete. The forces of darkness were waiting for him now. He would be rewarded for his work. This was to be his moment of glory . . . And yet, at the last instant, everything had gone horribly wrong. Peter was still behind him now, speaking words that Mal'akh could barely fathom. â€Å"I lied to you,† he was saying. â€Å"You left me no choice. If I had revealed to you the true Lost Word, you would not have believed me, nor would you have understood.† The Lost Word is . . . not the circumpunct? â€Å"The truth is,† said Peter, â€Å"the Lost Word is known to all . . . but recognized by very few.† The words echoed in Mal'akh's mind. â€Å"You remain incomplete,† Peter said, gently placing his palm on top of Mal'akh's head. â€Å"Your work is not yet done. But wherever you are going, please know this . . . you were loved.† For some reason, the gentle touch of his father's hand felt like it was burning through him like a potent catalyst that was initiating a chemical reaction inside Mal'akh's body. Without warning, he felt a rush of blistering energy surging through his physical shell, as if every cell in his body were now dissolving. In an instant, all of his worldly pain evaporated. Transformation. It's happening. I am gazing down upon myself, a wreck of bloody flesh on the sacred slab of granite. My father is kneeling behind me, holding my lifeless head with his one remaining hand. I feel an upwelling of rage . . . and confusion. This is not a moment for compassion . . . it is for revenge, for transformation . . . and yet still my father refuses to submit, refuses to fulfill his role, refuses to channel his pain and anger through the knife blade and into my heart. I am trapped here, hovering . . . tethered to my earthly shell. My father gently runs a soft palm across my face to close my fading eyes. I feel the tether release. A billowing veil materializes around me, thickening and dimming the light, hiding the world from view. Suddenly time accelerates, and I am plunging into an abyss far darker than any I have ever imagined. Here, in the barren void, I hear a whispering . . . I sense a gathering force. It strengthens, mounting at a startling rate, surrounding me. Ominous and powerful. Dark and commanding. I am not alone here. This is my triumph, my grand reception. And yet, for some reason, I am filled not with joy, but rather with boundless fear. It is nothing like I expect. The force is churning now, swirling around me with commanding strength, threatening to tear me apart. Suddenly, without warning, the blackness gathers itself like a great prehistoric beast and rears up before me. I am facing all the dark souls who have gone before. I am screaming in infinite terror . . . as the darkness swallows me whole. CHAPTER 123 Inside the National Cathedral, Dean Galloway sensed a strange change in the air. He was not sure why, but he felt as if a ghostly shadow had evaporated . . . as if a weight had been lifted . . . far away and yet right here. Alone at his desk, he was deep in thought. He was not sure how many minutes had passed when his phone rang. It was Warren Bellamy. â€Å"Peter's alive,† his Masonic brother said. â€Å"I just heard the news. I knew you'd want to know immediately. He's going to be okay.† â€Å"Thank God.† Galloway exhaled. â€Å"Where is he?† Galloway listened as Bellamy recounted the extraordinary tale of what had transpired after they had left Cathedral College. â€Å"But all of you are okay?† â€Å"Recuperating, yes,† Bellamy said. â€Å"There is one thing, though.† He paused. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"The Masonic Pyramid . . . I think Langdon may have solved it.† Galloway had to smile. Somehow he was not surprised. â€Å"And tell me, did Langdon discover whether or not the pyramid kept its promise? Whether or not it revealed what legend always claimed it would reveal?† â€Å"I don't know yet.† It will, Galloway thought. â€Å"You need to rest.† â€Å"As do you.† No, I need to pray. CHAPTER 124 When the elevator door opened, the lights in the Temple Room were all ablaze. Katherine Solomon's legs still felt rubbery as she hurried in to find her brother. The air in this enormous chamber was cold and smelled of incense. The scene that greeted her stopped her in her tracks. In the center of this magnificent room, on a low stone altar, lay a bloody, tattooed corpse, a body perforated by spears of broken glass. High above, a gaping hole in the ceiling opened to the heavens. My God. Katherine immediately looked away, her eyes scanning for Peter. She found her brother sitting on the other side of the room, being tended to by a medic while talking with Langdon and Director Sato. â€Å"Peter!† Katherine called, running over. â€Å"Peter!† Her brother glanced up, his expression filling with relief. He was on his feet at once, moving toward her. He was wearing a simple white shirt and dark slacks, which someone had probably gotten for him from his office downstairs. His right arm was in a sling, and their gentle embrace was awkward, but Katherine barely noticed. A familiar comfort surrounded her like a cocoon, as it always had, even in childhood, when her protective older brother embraced her. They held each other in silence. Finally Katherine whispered, â€Å"Are you okay? I mean . . . really?† She released him, looking down at the sling and bandage where his right hand used to be. Tears welled again in her eyes. â€Å"I'm so . . . so sorry.† Peter shrugged as if it were nothing of consequence. â€Å"Mortal flesh. Bodies don't last forever. The important thing is that you're okay.† Peter's lighthearted response tore at her emotions, reminding her of all the reasons she loved him. She stroked his head, feeling the unbreakable bonds of family . . . the shared blood that flowed in their veins. Tragically, she knew there was a third Solomon in the room tonight. The corpse on the altar drew her gaze, and Katherine shuddered deeply, trying to block out the photos she had seen. She looked away, her eyes now finding Robert Langdon's. There was compassion there, deep and perceptive, as if Langdon somehow knew exactly what she was thinking. Peter knows. Raw emotion gripped Katherine–relief, sympathy, despair. She felt her brother's body begin trembling like a child's. It was something she had never witnessed in her entire life. â€Å"Just let it go,† she whispered. â€Å"It's okay. Just let it go.† Peter's trembling grew deeper. She held him again, stroking the back of his head. â€Å"Peter, you've always been the strong one . . . you've always been there for me. But I'm here for you now. It's okay. I'm right here.† Katherine eased his head gently onto her shoulder . . . and the great Peter Solomon collapsed sobbing in her arms. Director Sato stepped away to take an incoming call. It was Nola Kaye. Her news, for a change, was good. â€Å"Still no signs of distribution, ma'am.† She sounded hopeful. â€Å"I'm confident we would have seen something by now. It looks like you contained it.† Thanks to you, Nola, Sato thought, glancing down at the laptop, which Langdon had seen complete its transmission. A very close call. At Nola's suggestion, the agent searching the mansion had checked the garbage cans, discovering packaging for a newly purchased cellular modem. With the exact model number, Nola had been able to cross-reference compatible carriers, bandwidths, and service grids, isolating the laptop's most likely access node–a small transmitter on the corner of Sixteenth and Corcoran–three blocks from the Temple. Nola quickly relayed the information to Sato in the helicopter. On approach toward the House of the Temple, the pilot had performed a low-altitude flyover and pulsed the relay node with a blast of electromagnetic radiation, knocking it off-line only seconds before the laptop completed its transfer. â€Å"Great work tonight,† Sato said. â€Å"Now get some sleep. You've earned it.† â€Å"Thank you, ma'am.† Nola hesitated. â€Å"Was there something else?† Nola was silent a long moment, apparently considering whether or not to speak. â€Å"Nothing that can't wait till morning, ma'am. Have a good night.† CHAPTER 125 In the silence of an elegant bathroom on the ground floor of the House of the Temple, Robert Langdon ran warm water into a tile sink and eyed himself in the mirror. Even in the muted light, he looked like he felt . . . utterly spent. His daybag was on his shoulder again, much lighter now . . . empty except for his personal items and some crumpled lecture notes. He had to chuckle. His visit to D.C. tonight to give a lecture had turned out a bit more grueling than he'd anticipated. Even so, Langdon had a lot to be grateful for. Peter is alive. And the video was contained. As Langdon scooped handfuls of warm water onto his face, he gradually felt himself coming back to life. Everything was still a blur, but the adrenaline in his body was finally dissipating . . . and he was feeling like himself again. After drying his hands, he checked his Mickey Mouse watch. My God, it's late. Langdon exited the bathroom and wound his way along the curved wall of the Hall of Honor–a gracefully arched passageway, lined with portraits of accomplished Masons . . . U.S. presidents, philanthropists, luminaries, and other influential Americans. He paused at an oil painting of Harry S. Truman and tried to imagine the man undergoing the rites, rituals, and studies required to become a Mason. There is a hidden world behind the one we all see. For all of us. â€Å"You slipped away,† a voice said down the hall. Langdon turned. It was Katherine. She'd been through hell tonight, and yet she looked suddenly radiant . . . rejuvenated somehow. Langdon gave a tired smile. â€Å"How's he doing?† Katherine walked up and embraced him warmly. â€Å"How can I ever thank you?† He laughed. â€Å"You know I didn't do anything, right?† Katherine held him for a long time. â€Å"Peter's going to be fine . . .† She let go and looked deep into Langdon's eyes. â€Å"And he just told me something incredible . . . something wonderful.† Her voice trembled with anticipation. â€Å"I need to go see it for myself. I'll be back in a bit.† â€Å"What? Where are you going?† â€Å"I won't be long. Right now, Peter wants to speak with you . . . alone. He's waiting in the library.† â€Å"Did he say why?† Katherine chuckled and shook her head. â€Å"You know Peter and his secrets.† â€Å"But–â€Å" â€Å"I'll see you in a bit.† Then she was gone. Langdon sighed heavily. He felt like he'd had enough secrets for one night. There were unanswered questions, of course–the Masonic Pyramid and the Lost Word among them–but he sensed that the answers, if they even existed, were not for him. Not as a non-Mason. Mustering the last of his energy, Langdon made his way to the Masonic library. When he arrived, Peter was sitting all alone at a table with the stone pyramid before him. â€Å"Robert?† Peter smiled and waved him in. â€Å"I'd like a word.† Langdon managed a grin. â€Å"Yes, I hear you lost one.† CHAPTER 126 The library in the House of the Temple was D.C.'s oldest public reading room. Its elegant stacks burgeoned with over a quarter of a million volumes, including a rare copy of the Ahiman Rezon, The Secrets of a Prepared Brother. In addition, the library displayed precious Masonic jewels, ritual artifacts, and even a rare volume that had been hand-printed by Benjamin Franklin. Langdon's favorite library treasure, however, was one few ever noticed. The illusion. Solomon had shown him long ago that from the proper vantage point, the library's reading desk and golden table lamp created an unmistakable optical illusion . . . that of a pyramid and shining golden capstone. Solomon said he always considered the illusion a silent reminder that the mysteries of Freemasonry were perfectly visible to anyone and everyone if they were seen from the proper perspective. Tonight, however, the mysteries of Freemasonry had materialized front and center. Langdon now sat opposite the Worshipful Master Peter Solomon and the Masonic Pyramid. Peter was smiling. â€Å"The `word' you refer to, Robert, is not a legend. It is a reality.† Langdon stared across the table and finally spoke. â€Å"But . . . I don't understand. How is that possible?† â€Å"What is so difficult to accept?† All of it! Langdon wanted to say, searching his old friend's eyes for any hint of common sense. â€Å"You're saying you believe the Lost Word is real . . . and that it has actual power?† â€Å"Enormous power,† Peter said. â€Å"It has the power to transform human kind by unlocking the Ancient Mysteries.† â€Å"A word?† Langdon challenged. â€Å"Peter, I can't possibly believe a word–â€Å" â€Å"You will believe,† Peter stated calmly. Langdon stared in silence. â€Å"As you know,† Solomon continued, standing now and pacing around the table, â€Å"it has long been prophesied that there will come a day when the Lost Word will be rediscovered . . . a day when it will be unearthed . . . and mankind will once again have access to its forgotten power.† Langdon flashed on Peter's lecture about the Apocalypse. Although many people erroneously interpreted apocalypse as a cataclysmic end of the world, the word literally signified an â€Å"unveiling,† predicted by the ancients to be that of great wisdom. The coming age of enlightenment. Even so, Langdon could not imagine such a vast change being ushered in by . . . a word. Peter motioned to the stone pyramid, which sat on the table beside its golden capstone. â€Å"The Masonic Pyramid,† he said. â€Å"The legendary symbolon. Tonight it stands unified . . . and complete.† Reverently, he lifted the golden capstone and set it atop the pyramid. The heavy gold piece clicked softly into place. â€Å"Tonight, my friend, you have done what has never been done before. You have assembled the Masonic Pyramid, deciphered all of its codes, and in the end, unveiled . . . this.† Solomon produced a sheet of paper and laid it on the table. Langdon recognized the grid of symbols that had been reorganized using the Order Eight Franklin Square. He had studied it briefly in the Temple Room. Peter said, â€Å"I am curious to know if you can read this array of symbols. After all, you are the specialist.† Langdon eyed the grid. Heredom, circumpunct, pyramid, staircase . . . Langdon sighed. â€Å"Well, Peter, as you can probably see, this is an allegorical pictogram. Clearly its language is metaphorical and symbolic rather than literal.† Solomon chuckled. â€Å"Ask a symbologist a simple question . . . Okay, tell me what you see.† Peter really wants to hear this? Langdon pulled the page toward him. â€Å"Well, I looked at it earlier, and, in simple terms, I see that this grid is a picture . . . depicting heaven and earth.† Peter arched his eyebrows, looking surprised. â€Å"Oh?† â€Å"Sure. At the top of the image, we have the word Heredom–the `Holy House'–which I interpret as the House of God . . . or heaven.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"The downward-facing arrow after Heredom signifies that the rest of the pictogram clearly lies in the realm beneath heaven . . . that being . . . earth.† Langdon's eyes glided now to the bottom of the grid. â€Å"The lowest two rows, those beneath the pyramid, represent the earth itself–terra firma–the lowest of all the realms. Fittingly, these lower realms contain the twelve ancient astrological signs, which represent the primordial religion of those first human souls who looked to the heavens and saw the hand of God in the movement of the stars and planets.† Solomon slid his chair closer and studied the grid. â€Å"Okay, what else?† â€Å"On a foundation of astrology,† Langdon continued, â€Å"the great pyramid rises from the earth . . . stretching toward heaven . . . the enduring symbol of lost wisdom. It is filled with history's great philosophies and religions . . . Egyptian, Pythagorean, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Judeo-Christian, and on and on . . . all flowing upward, merging together, funneling themselves up through the transformative gateway of the pyramid . . . where they finally fuse into a single, unified human philosophy.† He paused. â€Å"A single universal consciousness . . . a shared global vision of God . . . represented by the ancient symbol that hovers over the capstone.† â€Å"The circumpunct,† Peter said. â€Å"A universal symbol for God.† â€Å"Right. Throughout history, the circumpunct has been all things to all people–it is the sun god Ra, alchemical gold, the all-seeing eye, the singularity point before the Big Bang, the–â€Å" â€Å"The Great Architect of the Universe.† Langdon nodded, sensing this was probably the same argument Peter had used in the Temple Room to sell the idea of the circumpunct as the Lost Word. â€Å"And finally?† Peter asked. â€Å"What about the staircase?† Langdon glanced down at the image of the stairs beneath the pyramid. â€Å"Peter, I'm sure you know as well as anyone, this symbolizes the Winding Staircase of Freemasonry . . . leading upward out of the earthly darkness into the light . . . like Jacob's ladder climbing to heaven . . . or the tiered human spine that connects man's mortal body to his eternal mind.† He paused. â€Å"As for the rest of the symbols, they appear to be a blend of celestial, Masonic, and scientific, all lending support to the Ancient Mysteries.† Solomon stroked his chin. â€Å"An elegant interpretation, Professor. I agree, of course, that this grid can be read as allegory, and yet . . .† His eyes flashed with deepening mystery. â€Å"This collection of symbols tells another story as well. A story that is far more revealing.† â€Å"Oh?† Solomon began pacing again, circling the table. â€Å"Earlier tonight, inside the Temple Room, when I believed I was going to die, I looked at this grid, and somehow I saw past the metaphor, past the allegory, into the very heart of what these symbols are telling us.† He paused, turning abruptly to Langdon. â€Å"This grid reveals the exact location where the Lost Word is buried.† â€Å"Come again?† Langdon shifted uneasily in his chair, suddenly fearing that the trauma of the evening had left Peter disorientated and confused. â€Å"Robert, legend has always described the Masonic Pyramid as a map–a very specific map–a map that could guide the worthy to the secret location of the Lost Word.† Solomon tapped the grid of symbols in front of Langdon. â€Å"I guarantee you, these symbols are exactly what legend says they are . . . a map. A specific diagram that reveals exactly where we will find the staircase that leads down to the Lost Word.† Langdon gave an uneasy laugh, treading carefully now. â€Å"Even if I believed the Legend of the Masonic Pyramid, this grid of symbols can't possibly be a map. Look at it. It looks nothing like a map.† Solomon smiled. â€Å"Sometimes all it takes is a tiny shift of perspective to see something familiar in a totally new light.† Langdon looked again but saw nothing new. â€Å"Let me ask you a question,† Peter said. â€Å"When Masons lay cornerstones, do you know why we lay them in the northeast corner of a building?† â€Å"Sure, because the northeast corner receives the first rays of morning light. It is symbolic of the power of architecture to climb out of the earth into the light.† â€Å"Right,† Peter said. â€Å"So perhaps you should look there for the first rays of light.† He motioned to the grid. â€Å"In the northeast corner.† Langdon returned his eyes to the page, moving his gaze to the upper right or northeast corner. The symbol in that corner was . â€Å"A downward-pointing arrow,† Langdon said, trying to grasp Solomon's point. â€Å"Which means . . . beneath Heredom.† â€Å"No, Robert, not beneath,† Solomon replied. â€Å"Think. This grid is not a metaphorical maze. It's a map. And on a map, a directional arrow that points down means–â€Å" â€Å"South,† Langdon exclaimed, startled. â€Å"Exactly!† Solomon replied, grinning now with excitement. â€Å"Due south! On a map, down is south. Moreover, on a map, the word Heredom would not be a metaphor for heaven, it would be the name of a geographic location.† â€Å"The House of the Temple? You're saying this map is pointing . . . due south of this building?† â€Å"Praise God!† Solomon said, laughing. â€Å"Light dawns at last.† Langdon studied the grid. â€Å"But, Peter . . . even if you're right, due south of this building could be anywhere on a longitude that's over twenty-four thousand miles long.† â€Å"No, Robert. You are ignoring the legend, which claims the Lost Word is buried in D.C. That shortens the line substantially. In addition, legend also claims that a large stone sits atop the opening of the staircase . . . and that this stone is engraved with a message in an ancient language . . . as a kind of marker so the worthy can find it.† Langdon was having trouble taking any of this seriously, and while he didn't know D.C. well enough to picture what was due south of their current location, he was pretty certain there was no huge engraved stone atop a buried staircase. â€Å"The message inscribed on the stone,† Peter said, â€Å"is right here before our eyes.† He tapped the third row of the grid before Langdon. â€Å"This is the inscription, Robert! You've solved the puzzle!† Dumbfounded, Langdon studied the seven symbols. Solved? Langdon had no idea whatsoever what these seven disparate symbols could possibly mean, and he was damned sure they were not engraved anywhere in the nation's capital . . . particularly on a giant stone over a staircase. â€Å"Peter,† he said, â€Å"I don't see how this sheds any light at all. I know of no stone in D.C. engraved with this . . . message.† Solomon patted him on the shoulder. â€Å"You have walked past it and never seen it. We all have. It is sitting in plain view, like the mysteries themselves. And tonight, when I saw these seven symbols, I realized in an instant that the legend was true. The Lost Word is buried in D.C. . . . and it does rest at the bottom of a long staircase beneath an enormous engraved stone.† Mystified, Langdon remained silent. â€Å"Robert, tonight I believe you have earned the right to know the truth.† Langdon stared at Peter, trying to process what he had just heard. â€Å"You're going to tell me where the Lost Word is buried?† â€Å"No,† Solomon said, standing up with a smile. â€Å"I'm going to show you.† Five minutes later, Langdon was buckling himself into the backseat of the Escalade beside Peter Solomon. Simkins climbed in behind the wheel as Sato approached across the parking lot. â€Å"Mr. Solomon?† the director said, lighting a cigarette as she arrived. â€Å"I've just made the call you requested.† â€Å"And?† Peter asked through his open window. â€Å"I ordered them to give you access. Briefly.† â€Å"Thank you.† Sato studied him, looking curious. â€Å"I must say, it's a most unusual request.† Solomon gave an enigmatic shrug. Sato let it go, circling around to Langdon's window and rapping with her knuckles. Langdon lowered the window. â€Å"Professor,† she said, with no hint of warmth. â€Å"Your assistance tonight, while reluctant, was critical to our success . . . and for that, I thank you.† She took a long drag on her cigarette and blew it sideways. â€Å"However, one final bit of advice. The next time a senior administrator of the CIA tells you she has a national-security crisis . . .† Her eyes flashed black. â€Å"Leave the bullshit in Cambridge.† Langdon opened his mouth to speak, but Director Inoue Sato had already turned and was headed off across the parking lot toward a waiting helicopter. Simkins glanced over his shoulder, stone-faced. â€Å"Are you gentlemen ready?† â€Å"Actually,† Solomon said, â€Å"just one moment.† He produced a small, folded piece of dark fabric and handed it to Langdon. â€Å"Robert, I'd like you to put this on before we go anywhere.† Puzzled, Langdon examined the cloth. It was black velvet. As he unfolded it, he realized he was holding a Masonic hoodwink–the traditional blindfold of a first-degree initiate. What the hell? Peter said, â€Å"I'd prefer you not see where we're going.† Langdon turned to Peter. â€Å"You want to blindfold me for the journey?† Solomon grinned. â€Å"My secret. My rules.†