Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation (Opinion Paper) Essay

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation (Opinion Paper) - Essay Example Intrinsic motivation comes from within such as a person's need to feel useful or need to seek self-actualization (Law, 2006). Extrinsic motivation consists of external factors that motivate an individual such as pay and benefits or other motivators provided by employers. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivators are not limited to the workforce. Motivators, or rewards, are provided beginning in childhood. Taking piano lessons and studying a foreign language are intrinsically motivated for this author. The intrinsic rewards that I am receiving are satisfaction and enjoyment. Extrinsically motivated activities include cooking and exercising. The extrinsically motivated activities are performed to please others who hope that diet and exercise will help improve my quality of life. There are several principals and theories related to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Motivation itself can be described as the "mental processes that arouse, sustain, and direct human behavior."(Law, 2006) People can be positively motivated or negatively motivated. One boss' leadership style may motivate productivity while another boss' leadership style may negatively affect productivity. It is key for any organization to conquer motivation within the workplace. In my opinion coaches of sports teams have known for years that the combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivating factors can create the need to excel or a... George Gipp was a varsity football player at Notre Dame. When he fell ill and died Knute Rockne used a statement that Gipp is said to have made on his death bed: I've got to go, Rock. It's all right. I'm not afraid. Some time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys, ask them to go in there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Rock. But I'll know about it, and I'll be happy. (Estate of George Gipp, 2007). Knute Rockne used this statement to motivate his team to defeat the undefeated Army team in 1928. He knew that his team would be intrinsically and extrinsically motivated to win the game. Another principal relating to motivation is the multicative principal. This principal is based upon the belief that intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are interactive rather than additive. I agree with this principal because I have seen how in playing the piano I am rewarded by other people noticing and commenting on my performance. At the same time I have a sense of personal satisfaction when I play well (intrinsic). Although it is nice to receive positive comments, and encouragement, I gain more from the intrinsic award. I am motivated more by how I feel about myself and am motivated to play better despite the extrinsic rewards. The discounting principal of motivation has to do with the rewards affect on atheletic performance. The athelete may be intrinsically motivated to perform and win. But, an athelete that is paid to perform (such as major league baseball and NFL football) may stop performing if the paid reward is removed. Thus the intrinsic motivation is pushed aside or 'discounted' when the extrinsic reward is

Monday, October 28, 2019

Gabriel urbain faure And His requiem mass Essay Example for Free

Gabriel urbain faure And His requiem mass Essay â€Å"Gabriel Faure is regarded as the master of the French art song, or melodie. His works ranged from Classical, when in his early years he emulated the style of Haydn and Mendelssohn, to Romantic, and finally to an ascetic 20th century aesthetic† (â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). Gabriel Urbain Faure was born in 1845 in a town called Pamiers. It has been said that even at an early age, his potentials as a musician were already evident and noticeable. It was not given much attention by his parents, because at that time, they were in the belief that sending Faure to school to receive formal learning was of more importance. In fact, it was Faure’s teacher that noted his talents in music. Consequently, this teacher suggested to Faure’s parents that their child be sent to Paris to study in Niedermeyer, a religious music school. From the age of nine, Faure studied music at the Ecole Niedermeyer, the ‘Ecole de musique religieuse et classique’, where Saint-Saens was a member of staff. Saint-Saens had been lifelong friends with Faure and later said that he owed everything to him, introducing him not only to traditional music and composers such as Mozart and Bach but also to controversial composers such as Wagner whom he admired, but was one of few composers of his generation not to come under his influence and also Lizst. Saint-Saens encouraged and helped him to get his music published. From then on, he was able to meet and encounter different individuals who played major roles in the life of Faure. He served as an organist in one of the churches in Rennes. Then, in 1870, â€Å"the Franco-Prussian War broke out and Faure was enlisted into the First Regiment of the Imperial Light Infantry as a messenger† (Martin, â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). After the war, Faure was once again an organist, but in another church this time. When Saint-Saens retired in 1877 Faure took over his post as choirmaster. Faure would remain at the Madeleine for almost 20 years. He also taught composition at the Paris Conservatoire, becoming director in 1905, and his pupils included Maurice Ravel and Nadia Boulanger. Gabriel Faure’s Music A perusal of different accounts concerning the life and music of Gabriel Faure would show that he always strived to be different. For instance, in the field of music, regardless of how popular a type of music was, Faure will come in and try to change it, in order for the same to reflect his views and emotions; he wanted to be unique and different from the usual. The subtlety of Faure’s music, and his concentration on the small-scale, led many to criticise him for lacking depth, a judgement based on the mistaken premise that the bigger and bolder a composer’s music the more worthwhile it must be (Bawden J. â€Å"Gabriel Faure). As to what Faure found himself interested in in the field of music, it has been said that The majority of Faures piano music up to 1871 had mainly been romantic songs. Poems by Hugo, Gautier, and Baudelaire, had been recommended to him by his teachers. His early songs hint at his developing originality but were written in the strict classical style he had learned in school. It was characteristic of Faure, however, to constantly renew himself in his compositions. He always wanted to try something new, something different that no one else had done; and he never followed the fads of his day, prefering instead to follow his heart. Thus his songs show a continuous personal and unique evolution (Martin, â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). It is this courage of his to change things, however, that made him face certain setbacks in his career when he joined the Madeleine as its choirmaster. There are individuals in his field who were not in favor of the changes that Gabriel Faure was introducing into the system. As a choirmaster, Faure would always find himself in disagreement with members of the clergy. â€Å"The clergy were only concerned with keeping the congregation happy; and so their musical preferences were for popular, operatic-styled church music that was all the rage, rather than for enlightening religious music† (Martin, â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). Hence, it was quite difficult for Faure to introduce the changes that he wanted. As will be discussed further, Gabriel Faure’s most popular work which depicts his love for uniqueness is his Requiem Mass, which totally differs from the traditional Requiem. In fact, In Armand Vivets book on French sacred music he wrote of the first performance, Immediately the ceremony was over. The vicar called Faure into the sacristy and questioned him as follows: What was that mass for the dead youve just conducted? It was a requiem of my own composition. Monsieur Faure, we dont need all these novelties; the Madeleines repertoire is quite rich enough, just content yourself with that. Family and Marriage Gabriel Faure was once engaged to Marianne Viadot. In 1877, Faure asked for Marianne’s hand in marriage. It took quite a while, but eventually, the lady gave a positive response to the proposal posted by the bachelor. The problem was Marianne kept on postponing the date of their wedding, and â€Å"this continued delay was more than Faure could handle and he complained vehemently. Marianne used his outburst of frustration as an excuse to break off their engagement for good† (Martin, â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). True, the failed engagement to Marianne Viardot made Gabriel Faure sad and depressed, but later on, he would find himself recovering from this hurdle and agreeing to his friend, Marguerite Baugnies’ suggestion of being in an arranged marriage. Mme. Baugnies found three possible young ladies who belonged to the artistic world: the daughters of Octave Feuillet and George Feydeau who were both writers; and the daughter of Emmanuel Fremiet, a well-known sculptor of the day. Unable to make up his mind, Faure hastily wrote the names down on slips of paper, placed them in a hat, and randomly picked Marie Fremiet, daughter of the sculptor. After a brief engagement, the wedding took place on March 27th, 1883 in Paris. (Martin, â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). In 1883 Faure married Marie Fremiet, with whom he had two sons. In order to support his family Faure spent most of his time in organising daily services at the Eglise de la Madeleine and teaching piano and harmony lessons. He only had time to compose during the summers. He earned almost no money from his compositions because his publisher bought them, copyright and all, for 50 francs each. During this period Gabriel Faure wrote several large scale works, in addition to many piano pieces and songs, but he destroyed many of them after a few performances, only retaining a few movements in order to re-use motives(â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). It could be his unique way of choosing his bride that led to an unhappy marriage. Later on, he would find out that he didn’t really share much in common with his wife. They talked less and grew apart despite being gifted with two children. In an account by Martin, she said that the couple would write each other letters to communicate even both of them were in one and the same city. The Latter Part of Faure’s Life â€Å"The last two decades of Gabriel Faures life were marked by his steady rise to fame, his increasing health problems, and the new love in his life. After serving as choirmaster for nineteen years, he became organist at the Madeleine in 1896. In the same year he also became Professor of Composition at the Paris Conservatoire† (Martin, â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). After his stint as organist, he joined the Paris Conservatoire as its director. It could be said that his success would have continued further, if not for the health problems that Faure had been experiencing. In 1902, Faure was having problems with is hearing. Martin would say that this problem was hereditary as Faure’s brother also had the same problem. His hearing problem, however, was not an obstacle to his finding another chance to love again. The output of Faure had greatly reduced because of his responsibilities at the conservatoire combined with his loss of hearing . during the World War I, he remained in France and retired from the Conservatoire at the age of 75. in the same year he received the Grand-Croix of the Legion d’Honneur, an honor rare for a musician. â€Å"In 1900 at the premiere of Promethee, Faure met and fell in love with Marguerite Hasselmans. She was born in 1876 and even though Faure was the same age as her father, nevertheless, they stayed together until the end of his life in 1924† (Martin, â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). Gabriel Faure died in Paris from pneumonia in 1924. He was given a state funeral at the Eglise de la Madeleine and is buried in the Cimetiere de Passy in Paris (â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). Legacy as a Composer and Music Teacher Aside from his numerous musical masterpieces described as elegant, introspective and intimate, Faure made an enormous mark on his younger contemporaries as an influential teacher and mentor. One of his students, Nadia Boulanger, herself known arguably as the greatest classical music teacher of all-time, is an achievement enough. Among other distinguished composition students are Ravel, Koechlin and Enescu (â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). â€Å"Although he wrote several works involving a full orchestra, his particular talent lay within the more intimate musical forms – songs, piano music and chamber music. His somewhat austere style and highly individual, impressionistic harmonic language contrasts markedly with the music of the Austro-German tradition which dominated European music from the time of Beethoven until well into the twentieth century†(Bawden, â€Å"Requiem†). â€Å"Gabriel Faure served as inspiration for crafting flexibility into their works. As performers, teachers, talented administrators, and church musicians they understood the fine art of composing pearls with limited forces which could then be jeweled for the concert hall† (McCauley M. , â€Å"Requiem†). The Requiem Mass of Faure â€Å"The Requiem flourished during the Renaissance period, despite during the 14th century when the Roman church limited the amount of times the Requiem was performed and of what chants it consisted† (Green, â€Å"The Requiem Mass†). As earlier pointed out, Faure’s love for trying out new things is best mirrored in his Requiem Mass. His Requiem Mass is different from the traditional Requiem being played in the chapels and churches and that time. â€Å"By the time of the first performance, on January 16 1888, there were five movements: an Introit and Kyrie, the Sanctus, Pie Jesu, Agnus Dei, and In Paradisum. To perform the work, Faure called for a mixed choir with divided tenors and basses, a soprano soloist, an orchestra of low strings (violas, cellos, and double basses), harp, timpani, and organ, with a violin solo in the Sanctus. He added an Offertoire in 1889, and added a setting of the Libera Me that he had written for baritone and organ some twelve years earlier. He added horns, trumpets, and trombones to the orchestra, and a baritone soloist, and this version was first performed at the Madeleine in January of 1893† (â€Å"Chorale Music Notes†). Compared to the Missa pro defunctis, Faure changed portions of the text in his setting of the Requiem Mass. In the Libera me and Offertory for example, he left out certain words or repeated others so that the movement became more musically balanced and the words more clearly heard. The Libera me and In Paradisum actually dont belong to the Missa pro defunctis but to the Office for the Dead. Libera me is the prayer for absolution which follows the Requiem Mass; and the In Paradisum is spoken outside the church at the moment of burial. The use of this last text in particular shows how much Faure wanted to break from tradition (Martin, â€Å"Gabriel Faure†). The most important feature of the Requiem mass is the reflection of the emotions and views of Faure towards the idea of death. Faure was recorded to have said My Requiem has been said to express no fear of death; it has been called a lullaby of death. But that is how I feel about death; a happy deliverance, a reaching for a happy deliverance, rather than a mournful passing Perhaps I have sought to depart from what is conventional because for so long I was organist at services of interment. Im fed up with that. I wanted to do something different (â€Å"Requiem-Gabriel Faure†). This kind of view made his Requiem lack the vibe of sadness and terror. In fact, some writers would say that there is a certain tone of sweetness in Faure’s Requiem, something that one cannot normally expect from any form of music associated with death. As confirmed by Bawden, †the prevailing mood is one of peacefulness and serenity, and the work has often been described, quite justly, as a Requiem without the Last Judgement† (â€Å"Requiem†). Faure originally designed this work to be functional for church services with appropriately conservative accompaniment: the organ supplemented by harp, tympani and strings generally omitting violins except in the Sanctus. The technique of backing off the violins for a more somber effect may have been an idea borrowed from Brahms (McCauley, â€Å"Requiem†). Besides numerous motets and a mass written for liturgical use, theres no question that Gabriel Faures best known choral work is the Messe de Requiem. Written between 1887 and 1890, the Requiem was written not for the death of his father, but as another experiment in Faures endless quest to write music that was new and different (â€Å"Requiem†). Despite the discouraging start, Faures Requiem did become popular during his lifetime and was played throughout Europe. Today it is still very popular and has been recorded more than any of his other works. REFERENCE Martin, S. â€Å" Gabriel Faure- A Biography†. http://w3. rz-berlin. mpg. de/cmp/faure. html Green, A. â€Å"The Requiem Mass† http://classicalmusic. about. com/od/classicalmusic101/a/requiemmass. htm â€Å"Online Guide to Requiem† http://requiemonline. tripod. com/ â€Å"Faure, Gabriel- Biography†. http://www. naxos. com/composerinfo/Gabriel_Faure/26049. htm â€Å"Requiem†. http://www. classiccat. net/faure_g/biography. htm â€Å"Gabriel Faure†. http://www. basicfamouspeople. com/index. php? aid=4340 Asiado, T. (2008). â€Å"Gabriel Faure Brief Biography†. http://great-teachers. suite101. com/article. cfm/gabriel_faure_brief_biography â€Å"Masses of Requiem†. http://www. newadvent. org/cathen/12776d. htm â€Å"Requiem†. http://requiemonline. tripod. com/history/masshistory. htm â€Å"Chorale Music Notes†. http://members. macconnect. com/users/j/jimbob/classical/Faure_Requiem. html â€Å"Gabriel Faure- Requiem†. http://www. beijingifc. org/index. php? option=com_contenttask=viewid=28Itemid=36 â€Å"Requiem†. http://www. orbilat. com/Encyclopaedia/R/Requiem. html Bawden, J. (2006). â€Å"Gabriel Faure- Requiem†. http://www. choirs. org. uk/prognotes/faure%20requiem. htm McCauley, M. â€Å"Requiem†. http://www. halway. com/mchorale/faure/program. html

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Our Reliance on Computers :: essays research papers fc

â€Å"The society in which we live in has been so profoundly affected by computers that historians refer to the present time as the information age.† (Presley, 16) Comments like this show how computers have changed how we live, work, and play. For example, combined with the Internet, computers have incorporated many forms of communications into a universal one. The computer’s role in the world continues to grow in importance even as we sometimes take it for granted. We must realize how greatly computers have affected our lives. Computers have become such an integral part of our lives because we rely on them for numerical calculations, storage of data, communication, and technological processes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The idea of computing began at the start of civilization. The computer’s long history makes it, â€Å"†¦ one of the most interesting and important machines ever invented† (Anonymous). Computers are simply complex counting devices. The abacus was an ancient computer which used beads to solve math problems. The abacus was strictly manual and the desire for an automated machine grew. One of the earliest automated machines was invented in the nineteenth century when French weaver, Joseph Jacquard, created a loom that could be programmed. Large hole punched cards were used by the loom to create geometric patterns. Aside from producing beautiful patterns, the punched cards were later modified to become the main form of computer input. The system of punch cards led to the first successful semi-automated computer, a punch-card tabulating machine invented during the 1880s by American Herman Hollerith. It was used to tabulate the results of the U.S. censu s. Each punch card contained the data of each individual. Operators fed the countless cards into the computer. When the spring-mounted nails of the computer passed through the holes of the punch-card, an electric circuit was completed. As seen in diagram C, the results of each card were displayed on rows of dials. Hollerith’s company, the Tabulating Machine Company, was eventually sold and was renamed the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) in 1911, which still exists today. The first electronic computers were very large and elaborate machines that required a lot of money to build and use. The entire computer industry might never have taken off without government funding. World War II created a need for the U.S. military to calculate missile trajectories quickly, so Dr. John Machly was hired by the military to build a machine for this task.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Canteen hygiene in Eastern Visayas State University Essay

Every school in the country should be strongly committed to support student health and well-being through its curriculum and a range of initiatives that offer opportunities that promote physically fit individuals who love eating healthy food. Schools are encouraged to implement comprehensive health and well-being programs, including food and nutrition education. The establishment and operation of a school canteen is important in developing love and interest in buying nutritious and healthy food among students, faculty and the school personnel, making it possible for them to enjoy nutritious and healthy food at affordable prices during the school day. The canteen should also provide a variety of foods and dishes that enhance the skills and knowledge learnt in the classroom about food and nutrition. Canteen operation can be considered one of the auxiliary services of the school. Food handlers have a prime role to play in food businesses, and that is to guarantee that meals served are h ygienic for consumption. Conscious or inadvertent contamination of such food places consumers at risk of suffering from food- borne illnesses. Food poisoning in school canteens had been an occurrence. For this reason this study will be carried out to assess canteen hygiene of the privately managed canteens in Eastern Visayas State University. Read more:  An Introduction to the Importance of School Canteen Statement of the Problem This study will be conducted to assess hygiene on these privately managed canteens inside the campus of Eastern Visayas State University. Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions. 1. What is the level of premises cleanliness of the canteens in the following areas? 1.1 Food Preparation Area 1.2 Food Storage Area 1.3 Refreshment Area 1.4 Toilets and Staff Locker Area 1.5 Waste Disposal Area 2. What is the level of personal hygiene of canteen staff (food handlers)? 3. What is the level of hygiene on the following? 3.1 Dry Goods Storage Unit 3.2 Refrigerator/ Chiller/ Freezer 3.3 Cooking Equipment 3.4 Food Preparation and Holding 3.5 Food Handling and Serving Practices Research Hypothesis This study will advance and test the research hypothesis which states the level of premises cleanliness of the canteens, the level of personal hygiene of canteen staff and the level of hygiene of the canteens in Eastern Visayas State University. Conceptual Framework Schools are in a good position to endorse healthy food related behaviors in students and help ensure appropriate food intake. Food items sold in and around the school during school hours/recess play a special role in school life because it provides refreshment and fulfills energy requirements of students. Canteens vary in terms of capacity depending on the number of students who eat from there, type of food offered and the type of activities such as preparation, cooking and storage. The school canteen has an important role in the provision of food to students and the school community as well as being an integral part of the school environment. The school canteen should feflect the education goals of the school and support and complement student learning. When a university canteen is used daily, the food provided through this service may comprise a third of a student’s total daily intake and have a significant influence on their health and nutrition. The correct handling of food and a high level of personal hygiene are keys to food safety. Correct food safety procedures must be understood by everyone who handles food or works in  the canteen, including students. Significance of the Study This study is not only important to those operating canteens, but also to following people who are interested to have knowledge and compliance with the requirements on food safety and hygiene of canteens. To the Administrator. The result of this study will help both the teachers and the students gaining knowledge in maintaining the good hygiene in operating of canteen. To the Teachers. As the result of this study will guide the students on choosing canteens that serving well-prepared meals and has good hygiene habits. To the Canteen Owners. The use of these requirements will help them improve their management of their canteens. To the Students. This study benefits to the student who eat in diferrent canteens, which is help them to find canteens that they know prepareing safe food. Scope and Delimitation The study will determine the canteen hygiene in Eastern Visayas State University. The investigators will focus on canteens hygiene of the canteens in the Eastern Visayas State University. The respondents of this study consisted of the 75 canteen personnel and 50students from different year levels. This study was limited to the assessment of canteens hygiene in term of the level of hygiene in dry goods storage unit, refrigerator/ chiller/ freezer, cooking equipment, food preparation and holding, food handling and serving practices.This study conducted during the school year 2014-2015. Definition of Terms The following terms are having operationally defined for better understanding of the reader. Hygiene. In this study refers to the good healthful conditions of the personnel. Inadvertent. Not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning. Food- borne illness. is an infection or irritation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract caused by food or beverages that contain harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses, or chemicals. Chapter II Review of Related Literature and Studies Related Literature It is essential that food is properly handled and prepared to keep it for health. Food should be served in clean dishes. Food can be dangerous if not properly handled, prepared and stored. Schools canteen can play an important role in promoting healthy habits. Health promotion messages can be delivered to students to develop lifelong attitudes and skills. â€Å" Poor oral health can have a detrimental effect on children’s quality of life, their performance at school and their success in later life† , mentioned by Kwan, Petersen, Pine and Borutta (2005). In the local setting, Presidential Decree No. 856 embodies the code in sanitation of the Philippines. Section IX of the code specially pertains to food establishment sanitation. Knowledge and compliance with the requirements of the sanitation code by the foodservice operators will ultimately redound to their own benefit since customers prefer eating in clean and sanitary premises. The maintenance of high standards of san itation in the foodservice operation cannot be compromised by management. Sanitation should be treated as a way of life in foodservice because any laxity in sanitation rules can mean illness for customers, loss of business and financial bankruptcy. Hired people handling food in the canteen should be required to undergo training for food handlers, obtain a certificate of good health from the municipal health department and observe hygiene. Related Studies The aforementioned study was similar to the present study included factors like Sanitation in Physical Facilities. According to Medrana (2004) in her article, school canteens have always canteen or cafeteria is different from a commercial outfit that is also  subjected to government sanitary controls. Whereas commercial canteens and restaurants are established for profit as the main object, a school canteen is set-up mainly to benefit the students while offering them decent yet affordable fare. Recalled by Morphet (1994) the schoolfood service was since then a major division of school operations. It was estimated that the gross expenditures for the school lunch program was approximately one billion pesos during the year 1956-1957. According to Maniquiz (2009) enough knowledge is imperative to canteen managers for their role is to make decisions that will affect the entire canteen organization. Chaper III Methodology In this chapter presents the design or methods and produce with the study will be undertaken and describes the instruments used in gathering the data, the analysis of the data in testing the hypothesis. Research design This study will use a descriptive survey method with questionnaire as the main tool in gathering the data. It is descriptive, as it presents the different practices in canteen hygiene. In other words, this research endeavor will assess the hygiene of all canteens which is concerned the students. Research respondents The data of this study will be gathered from all the canteens in the Eastern Visayas State University. Included in this study will be the canteens who are officially registered in the University.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Angels Demons Chapter 126-129

126 Cardinal Mortati knew there were no words in any language that could have added to the mystery of this moment. The silence of the vision over St. Peter's Square sang louder than any chorus of angels. As he stared up at Camerlegno Ventresca, Mortati felt the paralyzing collision of his heart and mind. The vision seemed real, tangible. And yet†¦ how could it be? Everyone had seen the camerlegno get in the helicopter. They had all witnessed the ball of light in the sky. And now, somehow, the camerlegno stood high above them on the rooftop terrace. Transported by angels? Reincarnated by the hand of God? This is impossible†¦ Mortati's heart wanted nothing more than to believe, but his mind cried out for reason. And yet all around him, the cardinals stared up, obviously seeing what he was seeing, paralyzed with wonder. It was the camerlegno. There was no doubt. But he looked different somehow. Divine. As if he had been purified. A spirit? A man? His white flesh shone in the spotlights with an incorporeal weightlessness. In the square there was crying, cheering, spontaneous applause. A group of nuns fell to their knees and wailed saetas. A pulsing grew from in the crowd. Suddenly, the entire square was chanting the camerlegno's name. The cardinals, some with tears rolling down their faces, joined in. Mortati looked around him and tried to comprehend. Is this really happening? Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca stood on the rooftop terrace of St. Peter's Basilica and looked down over the multitudes of people staring up at him. Was he awake or dreaming? He felt transformed, otherworldly. He wondered if it was his body or just his spirit that had floated down from heaven toward the soft, darkened expanse of the Vatican City Gardens†¦ alighting like a silent angel on the deserted lawns, his black parachute shrouded from the madness by the towering shadow of St. Peter's Basilica. He wondered if it was his body or his spirit that had possessed the strength to climb the ancient Stairway of Medallions to the rooftop terrace where he now stood. He felt as light as a ghost. Although the people below were chanting his name, he knew it was not him they were cheering. They were cheering from impulsive joy, the same kind of joy he felt every day of his life as he pondered the Almighty. They were experiencing what each of them had always longed for†¦ an assurance of the beyond†¦ a substantiation of the power of the Creator. Camerlegno Ventresca had prayed all his life for this moment, and still, even he could not fathom that God had found a way to make it manifest. He wanted to cry out to them. Your God is a living God! Behold the miracles all around you! He stood there a while, numb and yet feeling more than he had ever felt. When, at last, the spirit moved him, he bowed his head and stepped back from the edge. Alone now, he knelt on the roof, and prayed. 127 The images around him blurred, drifting in and out. Langdon's eyes slowly began to focus. His legs ached, and his body felt like it had been run over by a truck. He was lying on his side on the ground. Something stunk, like bile. He could still hear the incessant sound of lapping water. It no longer sounded peaceful to him. There were other sounds too – talking close around him. He saw blurry white forms. Were they all wearing white? Langdon decided he was either in an asylum or heaven. From the burning in his throat, Langdon decided it could not be heaven. â€Å"He's finished vomiting,† one man said in Italian. â€Å"Turn him.† The voice was firm and professional. Langdon felt hands slowly rolling him onto his back. His head swam. He tried to sit up, but the hands gently forced him back down. His body submitted. Then Langdon felt someone going through his pockets, removing items. Then he passed out cold. Dr. Jacobus was not a religious man; the science of medicine had bred that from him long ago. And yet, the events in Vatican City tonight had put his systematic logic to the test. Now bodies are falling from the sky? Dr. Jacobus felt the pulse of the bedraggled man they had just pulled from the Tiber River. The doctor decided that God himself had hand-delivered this one to safety. The concussion of hitting the water had knocked the victim unconscious, and if it had not been for Jacobus and his crew standing out on the shore watching the spectacle in the sky, this falling soul would surely have gone unnoticed and drowned. â€Å"e Americano,† a nurse said, going through the man's wallet after they pulled him to dry land. American? Romans often joked that Americans had gotten so abundant in Rome that hamburgers should become the official Italian food. But Americans falling from the sky? Jacobus flicked a penlight in the man's eyes, testing his dilation. â€Å"Sir? Can you hear me? Do you know where you are?† The man was unconscious again. Jacobus was not surprised. The man had vomited a lot of water after Jacobus had performed CPR. â€Å"Si chiama Robert Langdon,† the nurse said, reading the man's driver's license. The group assembled on the dock all stopped short. â€Å"Impossibile!† Jacobus declared. Robert Langdon was the man from the television – the American professor who had been helping the Vatican. Jacobus had seen Mr. Langdon, only minutes ago, getting into a helicopter in St. Peter's Square and flying miles up into the air. Jacobus and the others had run out to the dock to witness the antimatter explosion – a tremendous sphere of light like nothing any of them had ever seen. How could this be the same man! â€Å"It's him!† the nurse exclaimed, brushing his soaked hair back. â€Å"And I recognize his tweed coat!† Suddenly someone was yelling from the hospital entryway. It was one of the patients. She was screaming, going mad, holding her portable radio to the sky and praising God. Apparently Camerlegno Ventresca had just miraculously appeared on the roof of the Vatican. Dr. Jacobus decided, when his shift got off at 8 A.M., he was going straight to church. The lights over Langdon's head were brighter now, sterile. He was on some kind of examination table. He smelled astringents, strange chemicals. Someone had just given him an injection, and they had removed his clothes. Definitely not gypsies, he decided in his semiconscious delirium. Aliens, perhaps? Yes, he had heard about things like this. Fortunately these beings would not harm him. All they wanted were his – â€Å"Not on your life!† Langdon sat bolt upright, eyes flying open. â€Å"Attento!† one of the creatures yelled, steadying him. His badge read Dr. Jacobus. He looked remarkably human. Langdon stammered, â€Å"I†¦ thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Easy, Mr. Langdon. You're in a hospital.† The fog began to lift. Langdon felt a wave of relief. He hated hospitals, but they certainly beat aliens harvesting his testicles. â€Å"My name is Dr. Jacobus,† the man said. He explained what had just happened. â€Å"You are very lucky to be alive.† Langdon did not feel lucky. He could barely make sense of his own memories†¦ the helicopter†¦ the camerlegno. His body ached everywhere. They gave him some water, and he rinsed out his mouth. They placed a new gauze on his palm. â€Å"Where are my clothes?† Langdon asked. He was wearing a paper robe. One of the nurses motioned to a dripping wad of shredded khaki and tweed on the counter. â€Å"They were soaked. We had to cut them off you.† Langdon looked at his shredded Harris tweed and frowned. â€Å"You had some Kleenex in your pocket,† the nurse said. It was then that Langdon saw the ravaged shreds of parchment clinging all over the lining of his jacket. The folio from Galileo's Diagramma. The last copy on earth had just dissolved. He was too numb to know how to react. He just stared. â€Å"We saved your personal items.† She held up a plastic bin. â€Å"Wallet, camcorder, and pen. I dried the camcorder off the best I could.† â€Å"I don't own a camcorder.† The nurse frowned and held out the bin. Langdon looked at the contents. Along with his wallet and pen was a tiny Sony RUVI camcorder. He recalled it now. Kohler had handed it to him and asked him to give it to the media. â€Å"We found it in your pocket. I think you'll need a new one, though.† The nurse flipped open the two-inch screen on the back. â€Å"Your viewer is cracked.† Then she brightened. â€Å"The sound still works, though. Barely.† She held the device up to her ear. â€Å"Keeps playing something over and over.† She listened a moment and then scowled, handing it to Langdon. â€Å"Two guys arguing, I think.† Puzzled, Langdon took the camcorder and held it to his ear. The voices were pinched and metallic, but they were discernible. One close. One far away. Langdon recognized them both. Sitting there in his paper gown, Langdon listened in amazement to the conversation. Although he couldn't see what was happening, when he heard the shocking finale, he was thankful he had been spared the visual. My God! As the conversation began playing again from the beginning, Langdon lowered the camcorder from his ear and sat in appalled mystification. The antimatter†¦ the helicopter†¦ Langdon's mind now kicked into gear. But that means†¦ He wanted to vomit again. With a rising fury of disorientation and rage, Langdon got off the table and stood on shaky legs. â€Å"Mr. Langdon!† the doctor said, trying to stop him. â€Å"I need some clothes,† Langdon demanded, feeling the draft on his rear from the backless gown. â€Å"But, you need to rest.† â€Å"I'm checking out. Now. I need some clothes.† â€Å"But, sir, you – â€Å" â€Å"Now!† Everyone exchanged bewildered looks. â€Å"We have no clothes,† the doctor said. â€Å"Perhaps tomorrow a friend could bring you some.† Langdon drew a slow patient breath and locked eyes with the doctor. â€Å"Dr. Jacobus, I am walking out your door right now. I need clothes. I am going to Vatican City. One does not go to Vatican City with one's ass hanging out. Do I make myself clear?† Dr. Jacobus swallowed hard. â€Å"Get this man something to wear.† When Langdon limped out of Hospital Tiberina, he felt like an overgrown Cub Scout. He was wearing a blue paramedic's jumpsuit that zipped up the front and was adorned with cloth badges that apparently depicted his numerous qualifications. The woman accompanying him was heavyset and wore a similar suit. The doctor had assured Langdon she would get him to the Vatican in record time. â€Å"Molto traffico,† Langdon said, reminding her that the area around the Vatican was packed with cars and people. The woman looked unconcerned. She pointed proudly to one of her patches. â€Å"Sono conducente di ambulanza.† â€Å"Ambulanza?† That explained it. Langdon felt like he could use an ambulance ride. The woman led him around the side of the building. On an outcropping over the water was a cement deck where her vehicle sat waiting. When Langdon saw the vehicle he stopped in his tracks. It was an aging medevac chopper. The hull read Aero-Ambulanza. He hung his head. The woman smiled. â€Å"Fly Vatican City. Very fast.† 128 The College of Cardinals bristled with ebullience and electricity as they streamed back into the Sistine Chapel. In contrast, Mortati felt in himself a rising confusion he thought might lift him off the floor and carry him away. He believed in the ancient miracles of the Scriptures, and yet what he had just witnessed in person was something he could not possibly comprehend. After a lifetime of devotion, seventy-nine years, Mortati knew these events should ignite in him a pious exuberance†¦ a fervent and living faith. And yet all he felt was a growing spectral unease. Something did not feel right. â€Å"Signore Mortati!† a Swiss Guard yelled, running down the hall. â€Å"We have gone to the roof as you asked. The camerlegno is†¦ flesh! He is a true man! He is not a spirit! He is exactly as we knew him!† â€Å"Did he speak to you?† â€Å"He kneels in silent prayer! We are afraid to touch him!† Mortati was at a loss. â€Å"Tell him†¦ his cardinals await.† â€Å"Signore, because he is a man†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the guard hesitated. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"His chest†¦ he is burned. Should we bind his wounds? He must be in pain.† Mortati considered it. Nothing in his lifetime of service to the church had prepared him for this situation. â€Å"He is a man, so serve him as a man. Bathe him. Bind his wounds. Dress him in fresh robes. We await his arrival in the Sistine Chapel.† The guard ran off. Mortati headed for the chapel. The rest of the cardinals were inside now. As he walked down the hall, he saw Vittoria Vetra slumped alone on a bench at the foot of the Royal Staircase. He could see the pain and loneliness of her loss and wanted to go to her, but he knew it would have to wait. He had work to do†¦ although he had no idea what that work could possibly be. Mortati entered the chapel. There was a riotous excitement. He closed the door. God help me. Hospital Tiberina's twin-rotor Aero-Ambulanza circled in behind Vatican City, and Langdon clenched his teeth, swearing to God this was the very last helicopter ride of his life. After convincing the pilot that the rules governing Vatican airspace were the least of the Vatican's concerns right now, he guided her in, unseen, over the rear wall, and landed them on the Vatican's helipad. â€Å"Grazie,† he said, lowering himself painfully onto the ground. She blew him a kiss and quickly took off, disappearing back over the wall and into the night. Langdon exhaled, trying to clear his head, hoping to make sense of what he was about to do. With the camcorder in hand, he boarded the same golf cart he had ridden earlier that day. It had not been charged, and the battery-meter registered close to empty. Langdon drove without headlights to conserve power. He also preferred no one see him coming. At the back of the Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Mortati stood in a daze as he watched the pandemonium before him. â€Å"It was a miracle!† one of the cardinals shouted. â€Å"The work of God!† â€Å"Yes!† others exclaimed. â€Å"God has made His will manifest!† â€Å"The camerlegno will be our Pope!† another shouted. â€Å"He is not a cardinal, but God has sent a miraculous sign!† â€Å"Yes!† someone agreed. â€Å"The laws of conclave are man's laws. God's will is before us! I call for a balloting immediately!† â€Å"A balloting?† Mortati demanded, moving toward them. â€Å"I believe that is my job.† Everyone turned. Mortati could sense the cardinals studying him. They seemed distant, at a loss, offended by his sobriety. Mortati longed to feel his heart swept up in the miraculous exultation he saw in the faces around him. But he was not. He felt an inexplicable pain in his soul†¦ an aching sadness he could not explain. He had vowed to guide these proceedings with purity of soul, and this hesitancy was something he could not deny. â€Å"My friends,† Mortati said, stepping to the altar. His voice did not seem his own. â€Å"I suspect I will struggle for the rest of my days with the meaning of what I have witnessed tonight. And yet, what you are suggesting regarding the camerlegno†¦ it cannot possibly be God's will.† The room fell silent. â€Å"How†¦ can you say that?† one of the cardinals finally demanded. â€Å"The camerlegno saved the church. God spoke to the camerlegno directly! The man survived death itself! What sign do we need!† â€Å"The camerlegno is coming to us now,† Mortati said. â€Å"Let us wait. Let us hear him before we have a balloting. There may be an explanation.† â€Å"An explanation?† â€Å"As your Great Elector, I have vowed to uphold the laws of conclave. You are no doubt aware that by Holy Law the camerlegno is ineligible for election to the papacy. He is not a cardinal. He is a priest†¦ a chamberlain. There is also the question of his inadequate age.† Mortati felt the stares hardening. â€Å"By even allowing a balloting, I would be requesting that you endorse a man who Vatican Law proclaims ineligible. I would be asking each of you to break a sacred oath.† â€Å"But what happened here tonight,† someone stammered, â€Å"it certainly transcends our laws!† â€Å"Does it?† Mortati boomed, not even knowing now where his words were coming from. â€Å"Is it God's will that we discard the rules of the church? Is it God's will that we abandon reason and give ourselves over to frenzy?† â€Å"But did you not see what we saw?† another challenged angrily. â€Å"How can you presume to question that kind of power!† Mortati's voice bellowed now with a resonance he had never known. â€Å"I am not questioning God's power! It is God who gave us reason and circumspection! It is God we serve by exercising prudence!† 129 In the hallway outside the Sistine Chapel, Vittoria Vetra sat benumbed on a bench at the foot of the Royal Staircase. When she saw the figure coming through the rear door, she wondered if she were seeing another spirit. He was bandaged, limping, and wearing some kind of medical suit. She stood†¦ unable to believe the vision. â€Å"Ro†¦ bert?† He never answered. He strode directly to her and wrapped her in his arms. When he pressed his lips to hers, it was an impulsive, longing kiss filled with thankfulness. Vittoria felt the tears coming. â€Å"Oh, God†¦ oh, thank God†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He kissed her again, more passionately, and she pressed against him, losing herself in his embrace. Their bodies locked, as if they had known each other for years. She forgot the fear and pain. She closed her eyes, weightless in the moment. â€Å"It is God's will!† someone was yelling, his voice echoing in the Sistine Chapel. â€Å"Who but the chosen one could have survived that diabolical explosion?† â€Å"Me,† a voice reverberated from the back of the chapel. Mortati and the others turned in wonder at the bedraggled form coming up the center aisle. â€Å"Mr†¦. Langdon?† Without a word, Langdon walked slowly to the front of the chapel. Vittoria Vetra entered too. Then two guards hurried in, pushing a cart with a large television on it. Langdon waited while they plugged it in, facing the cardinals. Then Langdon motioned for the guards to leave. They did, closing the door behind them. Now it was only Langdon, Vittoria, and the cardinals. Langdon plugged the Sony RUVI's output into the television. Then he pressed Play. The television blared to life. The scene that materialized before the cardinals revealed the Pope's office. The video had been awkwardly filmed, as if by hidden camera. Off center on the screen the camerlegno stood in the dimness, in front of a fire. Although he appeared to be talking directly to the camera, it quickly became evident that he was speaking to someone else – whoever was making this video. Langdon told them the video was filmed by Maximilian Kohler, the director of CERN. Only an hour ago Kohler had secretly recorded his meeting with the camerlegno by using a tiny camcorder covertly mounted under the arm of his wheelchair. Mortati and the cardinals watched in bewilderment. Although the conversation was already in progress, Langdon did not bother to rewind. Apparently, whatever Langdon wanted the cardinals to see was coming up†¦ â€Å"Leonardo Vetra kept diaries?† the camerlegno was saying. â€Å"I suppose that is good news for CERN. If the diaries contain his processes for creating antimatter – â€Å" â€Å"They don't,† Kohler said. â€Å"You will be relieved to know those processes died with Leonardo. However, his diaries spoke of something else. You.† The camerlegno looked troubled. â€Å"I don't understand.† â€Å"They described a meeting Leonardo had last month. With you.† The camerlegno hesitated, then looked toward the door. â€Å"Rocher should not have granted you access without consulting me. How did you get in here?† â€Å"Rocher knows the truth. I called earlier and told him what you have done.† â€Å"What I have done? Whatever story you told him, Rocher is a Swiss Guard and far too faithful to this church to believe a bitter scientist over his camerlegno.† â€Å"Actually, he is too faithful not to believe. He is so faithful that despite the evidence that one of his loyal guards had betrayed the church, he refused to accept it. All day long he has been searching for another explanation.† â€Å"So you gave him one.† â€Å"The truth. Shocking as it was.† â€Å"If Rocher believed you, he would have arrested me.† â€Å"No. I wouldn't let him. I offered him my silence in exchange for this meeting.† The camerlegno let out an odd laugh. â€Å"You plan to blackmail the church with a story that no one will possibly believe?† â€Å"I have no need of blackmail. I simply want to hear the truth from your lips. Leonardo Vetra was a friend.† The camerlegno said nothing. He simply stared down at Kohler. â€Å"Try this,† Kohler snapped. â€Å"About a month ago, Leonardo Vetra contacted you requesting an urgent audience with the Pope – an audience you granted because the Pope was an admirer of Leonardo's work and because Leonardo said it was an emergency.† The camerlegno turned to the fire. He said nothing. â€Å"Leonardo came to the Vatican in great secrecy. He was betraying his daughter's confidence by coming here, a fact that troubled him deeply, but he felt he had no choice. His research had left him deeply conflicted and in need of spiritual guidance from the church. In a private meeting, he told you and the Pope that he had made a scientific discovery with profound religious implications. He had proved Genesis was physically possible, and that intense sources of energy – what Vetra called God – could duplicate the moment of Creation.† Silence. â€Å"The Pope was stunned,† Kohler continued. â€Å"He wanted Leonardo to go public. His Holiness thought this discovery might begin to bridge the gap between science and religion – one of the Pope's life dreams. Then Leonardo explained to you the downside – the reason he required the church's guidance. It seemed his Creation experiment, exactly as your Bible predicts, produced everything in pairs. Opposites. Light and dark. Vetra found himself, in addition to creating matter, creating antimatter. Shall I go on?† The camerlegno was silent. He bent down and stoked the coals. â€Å"After Leonardo Vetra came here,† Kohler said, â€Å"you came to CERN to see his work. Leonardo's diaries said you made a personal trip to his lab.† The camerlegno looked up. Kohler went on. â€Å"The Pope could not travel without attracting media attention, so he sent you. Leonardo gave you a secret tour of his lab. He showed you an antimatter annihilation – the Big Bang – the power of Creation. He also showed you a large specimen he kept locked away as proof that his new process could produce antimatter on a large scale. You were in awe. You returned to Vatican City to report to the Pope what you had witnessed.† The camerlegno sighed. â€Å"And what is it that troubles you? That I would respect Leonardo's confidentiality by pretending before the world tonight that I knew nothing of antimatter?† â€Å"No! It troubles me that Leonardo Vetra practically proved the existence of your God, and you had him murdered!† The camerlegno turned now, his face revealing nothing. The only sound was the crackle of the fire. Suddenly, the camera jiggled, and Kohler's arm appeared in the frame. He leaned forward, seeming to struggle with something affixed beneath his wheelchair. When he sat back down, he held a pistol out before him. The camera angle was a chilling one†¦ looking from behind†¦ down the length of the outstretched gun†¦ directly at the camerlegno. Kohler said, â€Å"Confess your sins, Father. Now.† The camerlegno looked startled. â€Å"You will never get out of here alive.† â€Å"Death would be a welcome relief from the misery your faith has put me through since I was a boy.† Kohler held the gun with both hands now. â€Å"I am giving you a choice. Confess your sins†¦ or die right now.† The camerlegno glanced toward the door. â€Å"Rocher is outside,† Kohler challenged. â€Å"He too is prepared to kill you.† â€Å"Rocher is a sworn protector of th – â€Å" â€Å"Rocher let me in here. Armed. He is sickened by your lies. You have a single option. Confess to me. I have to hear it from your very lips.† The camerlegno hesitated. Kohler cocked his gun. â€Å"Do you really doubt I will kill you?† â€Å"No matter what I tell you,† the camerlegno said, â€Å"a man like you will never understand.† â€Å"Try me.† The camerlegno stood still for a moment, a dominant silhouette in the dim light of the fire. When he spoke, his words echoed with a dignity more suited to the glorious recounting of altruism than that of a confession. â€Å"Since the beginning of time,† the camerlegno said, â€Å"this church has fought the enemies of God. Sometimes with words. Sometimes with swords. And we have always survived.† The camerlegno radiated conviction. â€Å"But the demons of the past,† he continued, â€Å"were demons of fire and abomination†¦ they were enemies we could fight – enemies who inspired fear. Yet Satan is shrewd. As time passed, he cast off his diabolical countenance for a new face†¦ the face of pure reason. Transparent and insidious, but soulless all the same.† The camerlegno's voice flashed sudden anger – an almost maniacal transition. â€Å"Tell me, Mr. Kohler! How can the church condemn that which makes logical sense to our minds! How can we decry that which is now the very foundation of our society! Each time the church raises its voice in warning, you shout back, calling us ignorant. Paranoid. Controlling! And so your evil grows. Shrouded in a veil of self-righteous intellectualism. It spreads like a cancer. Sanctified by the miracles of its own technology. Deifying itself! Until we no longer suspect you are anything but pure goodness. Science has come to save us from our sic kness, hunger, and pain! Behold science – the new God of endless miracles, omnipotent and benevolent! Ignore the weapons and the chaos. Forget the fractured loneliness and endless peril. Science is here!† The camerlegno stepped toward the gun. â€Å"But I have seen Satan's face lurking†¦ I have seen the peril†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What are you talking about! Vetra's science practically proved the existence of your God! He was your ally!† â€Å"Ally? Science and religion are not in this together! We do not seek the same God, you and I! Who is your God? One of protons, masses, and particle charges? How does your God inspire? How does your God reach into the hearts of man and remind him he is accountable to a greater power! Remind him that he is accountable to his fellow man! Vetra was misguided. His work was not religious, it was sacrilegious! Man cannot put God's Creation in a test tube and wave it around for the world to see! This does not glorify God, it demeans God!† The camerlegno was clawing at his body now, his voice manic. â€Å"And so you had Leonardo Vetra killed!† â€Å"For the church! For all mankind! The madness of it! Man is not ready to hold the power of Creation in his hands. God in a test tube? A droplet of liquid that can vaporize an entire city? He had to be stopped!† The camerlegno fell abruptly silent. He looked away, back toward the fire. He seemed to be contemplating his options. Kohler's hands leveled the gun. â€Å"You have confessed. You have no escape.† The camerlegno laughed sadly. â€Å"Don't you see. Confessing your sins is the escape.† He looked toward the door. â€Å"When God is on your side, you have options a man like you could never comprehend.† With his words still hanging in the air, the camerlegno grabbed the neck of his cassock and violently tore it open, revealing his bare chest. Kohler jolted, obviously startled. â€Å"What are you doing!† The camerlegno did not reply. He stepped backward, toward the fireplace, and removed an object from the glowing embers. â€Å"Stop!† Kohler demanded, his gun still leveled. â€Å"What are you doing!† When the camerlegno turned, he was holding a red-hot brand. The Illuminati Diamond. The man's eyes looked wild suddenly. â€Å"I had intended to do this all alone.† His voice seethed with a feral intensity. â€Å"But now†¦ I see God meant for you to be here. You are my salvation.† Before Kohler could react, the camerlegno closed his eyes, arched his back, and rammed the red hot brand into the center of his own chest. His flesh hissed. â€Å"Mother Mary! Blessed Mother†¦ Behold your son!† He screamed out in agony. Kohler lurched into the frame now†¦ standing awkwardly on his feet, gun wavering wildly before him. The camerlegno screamed louder, teetering in shock. He threw the brand at Kohler's feet. Then the priest collapsed on the floor, writhing in agony. What happened next was a blur. There was a great flurry onscreen as the Swiss Guard burst into the room. The soundtrack exploded with gunfire. Kohler clutched his chest, blown backward, bleeding, falling into his wheelchair. â€Å"No!† Rocher called, trying to stop his guards from firing on Kohler. The camerlegno, still writhing on the floor, rolled and pointed frantically at Rocher. â€Å"Illuminatus!† â€Å"You bastard,† Rocher yelled, running at him. â€Å"You sanctimonious bas – â€Å" Chartrand cut him down with three bullets. Rocher slid dead across the floor. Then the guards ran to the wounded camerlegno, gathering around him. As they huddled, the video caught the face of a dazed Robert Langdon, kneeling beside the wheelchair, looking at the brand. Then, the entire frame began lurching wildly. Kohler had regained consciousness and was detaching the tiny camcorder from its holder under the arm of the wheelchair. Then he tried to hand the camcorder to Langdon. â€Å"G-give†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kohler gasped. â€Å"G-give this to the m-media.† Then the screen went blank.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Humble Foot

The Humble Foot The Humble Foot The Humble Foot By Maeve Maddox For obvious reasons, the word for foot is one of the oldest in the language: O.E. fot, from P.Gmc. *fot (cf. O.N. fotr, Du. voet, Ger. Fuß, Goth. fotus foot), from PIE *pod-/*ped- (cf. Avestan pad-; Skt. pat, acc. padam foot; Gk. pos, Attic pous, gen. podos; L. pes, gen. pedis foot; Lith. padas sole, peda footstep). Like other body parts, foot has found its way into numerous idiomatic expressions. Here are just a few. foot the bill to pay for something, usually for something one would rather not pay for oneself: Ill go to the convention if the company will foot the bill. put your foot in your mouth to say something one regrets immediately (or should!): You put your foot in your mouth with that remark about her hat. have one foot in the grave about to die: When you had the flu, you looked as if you had one foot in the grave. to have itchy feet to have a frequent desire to travel: Hes not a good marriage prospect; he has itchy feet. to get cold feet to feel sudden misgivings about doing something one had planned to do: Its the morning of the wedding and the bride has cold feet. to get off on the wrong footto begin an enterprise by doing something inappropriate: Susie got off on the wrong foot with her old-fashioned boss when she told him she didnt make coffee. to get off on the right foot to start out doing everything right: The new fireman got off on the right foot when he saved that baby. to put ones best foot forward to present oneself at ones best: She bought a new dress and had her hair done because she wanted to put her best foot forward for the job interview. to land on your feet to come through a difficult situation without harm: Dont worry about Jack in this storm. He always lands on his feet. to drag your feet to be reluctant: Stop dragging your feet and mow the grass! to have your feet on the ground to have a practical outlook: His decision to put off the move until hes sure he has the job shows he has his feet on the ground. not to put a foot wrong to do everything according to rule and expectation: Mr. Perfect there never puts a foot wrong with the boss. to have feet that hardly touch the ground to move quickly: On the day of the church picnic, her feet hardly touched the ground. to put ones feet up to relax: Now that youve finished the project, you can put your feet up for awhile. to put ones foot down to take a firm stand: When little Jimmy kicked the dog, his father finally put his foot down. My foot! expression of disbelief: Abner Potts made a perfect score on the SAT? My foot! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What is the Difference Between "These" and "Those"?How to Punctuate Descriptions of Colors"To Tide You Over"

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Themes Of Louisa May Alcott

Themes often help to create a whole story line. Writers tend to use the same themes in their writing. During their careers the themes they use may change due to how the writers have changed. Some writers use the same themes in all of their writing, but others tend to use many different themes. In her writing, Louisa May Alcott touched upon various different themes. The early writings of Louisa May Alcott were rarely recognized. In the first phase of her writing, 1840’s-1860’s, she wrote some short stories. Most of them featured a mysterious, vengeful woman bent on manipulation and destruction (Schafer 1). Common themes that Louisa often used included self-sacrifice, duty, charity, self-reliance, and patients. She also touched the surfaces of jealousies, fears and frivolities (Durbin 1). A lot of the stories Louisa wrote early on she never really put her name too. She also wrote children’s stories and was mostly know for these. â€Å"Flower Fables, the first volume that she put her name on, were stories and poems that were moral fables, rather windy and obvious but emotionally revealing† (Saxton 192). Most of Louisa’s early works touched upon these themes along with domestic life in the nineteenth-century and maturing adolescent. These themes are what Louisa’s early writings were based around. In the early writings the themes used tend to come from 2 some point of Louisa’s. â€Å"Louisa’s world works with clocklike moral regularity† (Saxton 4). With Louisa’s father being very critical of her work, she tried her hardest to write to his approval. She used her own life experiences for her writing. She took what she knew and what she likes and used them to write, which showed in the themes. Her stori... Free Essays on Themes Of Louisa May Alcott Free Essays on Themes Of Louisa May Alcott Themes often help to create a whole story line. Writers tend to use the same themes in their writing. During their careers the themes they use may change due to how the writers have changed. Some writers use the same themes in all of their writing, but others tend to use many different themes. In her writing, Louisa May Alcott touched upon various different themes. The early writings of Louisa May Alcott were rarely recognized. In the first phase of her writing, 1840’s-1860’s, she wrote some short stories. Most of them featured a mysterious, vengeful woman bent on manipulation and destruction (Schafer 1). Common themes that Louisa often used included self-sacrifice, duty, charity, self-reliance, and patients. She also touched the surfaces of jealousies, fears and frivolities (Durbin 1). A lot of the stories Louisa wrote early on she never really put her name too. She also wrote children’s stories and was mostly know for these. â€Å"Flower Fables, the first volume that she put her name on, were stories and poems that were moral fables, rather windy and obvious but emotionally revealing† (Saxton 192). Most of Louisa’s early works touched upon these themes along with domestic life in the nineteenth-century and maturing adolescent. These themes are what Louisa’s early writings were based around. In the early writings the themes used tend to come from 2 some point of Louisa’s. â€Å"Louisa’s world works with clocklike moral regularity† (Saxton 4). With Louisa’s father being very critical of her work, she tried her hardest to write to his approval. She used her own life experiences for her writing. She took what she knew and what she likes and used them to write, which showed in the themes. Her stori...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Applying for Federal Loans for Online College Students

Applying for Federal Loans for Online College Students Federal student loans offer distance learners the opportunity to pay for their online class tuition without draining their bank accounts or seeking additional employment. By filling out a single online application, you might qualify for federal student loans with reasonable interest rates and terms. Federal Student Loan Benefits Many banks offer private student loans. However, federal student loans are almost always the best choice for students who qualify. Federal student loans generally offer the lowest interest rates available. Federal loan borrowers are also given generous terms and might be able to defer loan payments if they return to college or are facing hardship. Types of Federal Student Loans The federal government offers several financial aid opportunities for students. Some of the most common federal student loans include: Federal Perkins Loans: These loans offer a very low interest rate and are available to students who demonstrate â€Å"exceptional financial need.† The government pays the interest on Federal Perkins Loans while the student is enrolled in school and for a nine-month grace period following graduation. Students begin making payments after the grace period.Federal Direct Subsidized Loans: Federal direct loans feature a low interest rate. The government pays the interest on subsidized loans while the student is enrolled in school and during a six-month grace period after graduation. Students begin making payments after the grace period.Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans: Unsubsidized loans also feature a low interest rate. However, these loans begin accumulating interest as soon as the loan money is dispersed. After graduation students have a six-month grace period before their first payment is due.Federal Direct PLUS Loans: The Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students is available fo r parents who intend to pay for their child’s education. Parents must pass a credit check or have a qualified cosigner. The first payment is due after the loan is disbursed. Federal Direct PLUS Loans for Graduate and Professional Degree Students: Adult students may also take out PLUS loans after exhausting the limits for other federal loan options. Students must pass a credit check or have a cosigner. Interest begins accumulating after the loan is disbursed. However, students may ask for a payment deferment while they are in school. In the case of a deferment, the first payment is due 45 days after the end of the deferment period. Online School Student Loan Laws Before 2006, many online students were unable to receive federal aid. In 1992, Congress enacted the 50 Percent Rule, mandating that schools qualify as financial aid distributors by offering more than 50 percent of courses in traditional classrooms. In 2006, the law was overturned. Today a growing number of online schools offer federal student aid. To offer aid, schools must still meet requirements, but the percentage of online courses no longer applies. Online Schools Offering Federal Student Loans Keep in mind that not all online schools offer federal student loans. To find out if your school is able to distribute student loans, call the school’s financial aid office. You might also search for the college’s federal school code on the federal financial aid website. Qualifying for Federal Student Loans To be eligible for federal student loans you must be a U.S citizen with a social security number. You must have a high school diploma, a GED certificate or have passed an alternative exam. You must be enrolled as a regular student working toward a certificate or degree at a school that is eligible to offer federal aid. Additionally, you must not have certain drug convictions on your record (convictions that happened prior to your eighteenth birthday don’t count, unless you were tried as an adult). You cannot currently be in default for any student loans you already have, or owe the government refund money from grants you were awarded. If you are a male, you must register for Selective Services. If you don’t meet these qualifications, it’s still a good idea to discuss your situation with a financial aid counselor. There is some flexibility with the rules. For example, some non-citizens are eligible to apply for federal aid, and students with recent drug convictions may be able to receive aid if they attend drug rehabilitation. How Much Aid Will You Receive? The type and amount of federal aid you receive is determined by your online school. Aid amount is based on several factors including your financial need, your year in school and the cost of attendance. If you are a dependent, the government will determine an expected family contribution (how much your family should be expected to contribute, based on your parent’s income). For many students, the entire cost of college attendance can be covered by federal student loans and grants. Applying for Federal Student Loans Before applying for federal student loans, set up an in-person or phone appointment with your online school’s financial aid counselor. He or she will be able to offer advice for applying and suggestions for alternative sources of aid (such as scholarships and school-based grants). Once you’ve collected the needed documents such as social security numbers and tax returns, it’s easy to apply. You will need to fill out a form called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA can be filled out online or on paper. Using Student Loans Wisely When you receive your federal aid award, the bulk of the money will be applied to your tuition. Any remaining money will be given to you for other school-related expenses (textbooks, school supplies, etc.) Often, you will be eligible to receive more money than is necessary. Try to use as little money as possible and return any money you do not need. Remember, student loans must be repaid. Once you finish your online education, you will begin student loan repayment. At this point, consider refinancing your student loans so you have one monthly payment at a lower interest rate. Meet with a financial counselor to discuss your options.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

International Organizations and Ecological Security Essay

International Organizations and Ecological Security - Essay Example The mandates of the international organizations are determined by the member states (Michael and Finnemore 699). Nevertheless, differences in power control and resources among the member states are always evident, and some countries, for various reasons, are more successful in placing and pushing for their own interests and policy preferences on the policy agendas of international organizations than others are. After their establishment, many international organizations lose focus on the primary goals and mandates they were meant to address and exercise their authority independently in a manner unplanned and unimagined by member states at inception, which results in proclivity for dysfunctional, sometimes pathological, actions and conduct. International organizations act as a mechanism for the implementation and accomplishment of the collective aims and policies desired by the members, they often organize the arenas or forums within which interrelationships among member countries are discussed and pursued, and occasionally, they act as independent actors in the international arena (Michael and Finnemore 701). Today, international organizations have progressively evolved to be entrusted with roles that were conventionally performed by sovereign states. International organizations are sometimes faced with bureaucracy and other problems associated with social institutionalism that gives them authority and autonomy from the countries that established them, and channels that authority and autonomy in specific directions. Bureaucracies in international organizations are ubiquitous. Bureaucratic rules guide the actions of actors both within and outside the international organizations. Within the organization, they are the criterions that let the international organizations respond more effectively and efficiently to the needs and demands of a situation or circumstance. However, bureaucracies frequently establish rules and rubrics that set the behavior, actions and con duct of others, for instance countries in conflict, countries hosting refugees or indebted states. These rules usually contour how bureaucrats view the global affairs and how they perceive the problems and challenges facing them; they define, classify and organize the world (Michael and Finnemore 710). Bureaucrats employ their rules to aid in creating or constituting the social world and inclined to make their intervention in the world affairs easy and pliable. For instance, they delineate common international tasks such as development, establish and outline new groups of actors such as immigrants and refugees, develop novel interests for actors such as upholding human rights, and spread principles of political organization globally, such as markets and democracy (Michael and Finnemore 711). Nevertheless, these rules and powers that characterize bureaucracies and make international organizations powerful can similarly make them unresponsive to the requirements of the global environm ents, due to obsession with their bureaucratic rules neglecting their primary missions, and eventually resulting in dysfunctional, self-defeating behavior. This is also because their authority and powers are autonomous of the policies and interests of nations that establish them. International organizations can be theorized using two broad approaches: the economistic and sociological ones. The economistic approach is founded on concerns about instrumental rationality and efficiency

Friday, October 18, 2019

Death of Sun - 1 page discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Death of Sun - 1 page discussion - Essay Example ve until this time, it is therefore clear that the use of space shuttles and similar vehicles to transport humans to outside of Earth will have become mass produced. It is therefore sensible to conclude that there should be technology which is advanced enough to propel all human beings to a refugee planet in outer space. However, the only problems that might be encountered here would be the probable fight for who will be on those vehicles first, plus the money needed for it. Human greed might then become the reason for the probable failure of this evacuation plan. Anyone anywhere should therefore cooperate with the government and the media on what to do, although this would be highly impossible because of panic. There is nothing much anyone can do at this time but to keep their ears glued to the news, to pack up all their essentials, and to say their prayers. They should then await any directive from the government. They should then await any directive from the government for a possible relocation to where they should be transported to space. If the sun dies out, then the whole solar system should also die, and so only an exoplanet could be the answer. According to National Geographic, there is an exoplanet named Gliese 581g which is â€Å"a rocky place with an atmosphere, temperate regions, and crucially, liquid water considered vital for life as we know it† (Roach). This is a proof that such an exoplanet is worth a try. We may not know what is in Gliese 581g, but we definitely know the death that awaits us on Earth. Roach, John. â€Å"First Truly Habitable Planet Discovered, Experts Say.† 2010. National Geographic. 4 Mar 2013.

QUALITY OF LIFE & FUNCTIONING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

QUALITY OF LIFE & FUNCTIONING - Essay Example On the other hand, if I had a similar perception of quality of life with her family, we could discuss their problems, giving me a chance to help them get through with the ordeal. It becomes easier to empathize with the patient while she accepts the fact that she is dying, and it allows me to help ease the journey for her and her family. B. Palliative care is all about improving the quality of life for patients undergoing a terminal illness and are expecting death. Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston published a report which identified factors that greatly affected patient’s quality of life at the end of their lives. Two of the most powerful determinants of poor patient quality of life were dying in a hospital or being admitted to the ICU during the last week of life. No patient wants that, and considering how the patient does not have much in the way of money, additional hospital costs would severely stress the family. A good strategy would be to preven t these by keeping the patient home while assessing him regularly for complications which should be promptly treated before the patient would need to go to the hospital. Another thing that impacts the quality of life would be the patient's level of worry at the beginning of care. As a nurse, we must dispel the patient’s worries and fears by providing them with information and offering to them your help as a nurse. Try to forge a therapeutic alliance with the patient to make them feel like they are being taken care of holistically. Lastly, religion plays a large role in many people’s lives, and during the end of life, many people would like to talk with a religious figure such as a priest or pastor before they pass away. Bringing in a pastor at the request of the patient could help ease the feeling of dying with the thought of her God watching over her and her remaining family. Religion could also help the family cope with the situation (Nordqvist, 2012) C. Pain and fat igue from the treatment and the stresses of her illness cause Mrs. Thomas to lose the ability to care for herself, and this problem can only get worse over the course of her illness. She needs to find ways to make taking care of herself easier, and find other ways to do help her husband and family do it for her once she reaches the point wherein she can no longer do it herself. Pain is a major deterrent to the patient’s ability to perform her activities of daily life. This pain caused her to lose her job, and her insistence on not taking the pain relief medication leaves her crying in the daytime. Reducing the pain nonpharmacologically would really help in increasing Mrs. Thomas’s functionality. There are many nonpharmacological pain methods that could be done by Mrs. Thomas or with the help of Mr. Thomas. Massage and backrubs are can be very effective when done correctly. Teaching this to Mr. Thomas would allow him to care for his wife when she needs help with the pai n. Since Mr. Thomas has to work, there would be times wherein Mrs. Thomas would be left alone. To handle the pain during these times, she can apply warm and cold compresses to the painful areas, and if she has trouble sleeping because of the pain, she can try to reposition herself to find a comfortable position. Diversional activities can also help, especially if they are done in combination

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Egyptian shabtis' style and description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Egyptian shabtis' style and description - Essay Example Further, the concept of doubling or imitation extended to the mummified body of the deceased, which was viewed as a different form of the living body. These dimensions were considered as material doubles, while the essential parts of the self as ba, ka, shadow and name formed the doppelganger or ghostly double of the living person (Meskell, 119). After the body of the deceased was prepared and mummified, it was necessary to ensure that the deceased person would not be called upon in the after life to perform menial labor in the form of farm work or labor in the irrigation ditches. The funerary figurines called shabtis, shawabtis or ushebtis were meant to answer on behalf of the mummy. Linguistically, the word shabti was derived from the verb: to answer, and their name meant â€Å"answerer†. The actual meaning of their name was the words â€Å"Here I am† which these servant figures were to answer when their master was called by Osiris, the Lord of the Dead (O’Connor & Cline, 122). Because of Ancient Egypt’s great and pervasive concern regarding their comfort in the afterlife, Egyptians placed differing numbers shabtis in the tombs of the deceased to act as â€Å"servants of the dead†. From the period of the New Kingdom, the deceased were buried in the company of 365 of these statue workmen, which were meant to be miniature imitation copies of themselves. Their purpose was to work as substitute laborers. Around thirty-six overseer figures were also included to supervise the workers, in case of any resistance from them (Meskell, 119). Shabtis were imitation workers who were regarded as servants of their owner and were referred to as male and female slaves (Taylor, 114). They were represented as carrying hoes, grain baskets, yoke and water pots, apparently always ready to undertake their agricultural tasks. The command to do their master’s work on his behalf was literally inscribed textually on their bodies, in the form of a potent spell. Power was directly

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

Cancer - Essay Example Thyroid hormones are essential for the regulation of blood pressure, heart rate, metabolism and temperature of body, influences nervous system, muscular system and other systems as well. Regulation of the hormone produced by this gland may result in hyperthyroidism (Graves' Disease) or hypothyroidism. Thyroid cancer is considered as an uncommon type of cancer. Thyroid cancer is categorized into four groups encompassing papillary, medullary, follicular and anaplastic thyroid cancers. Lumps or masses grow in thyroid which are benign in ninety-five percent of cases. There is always a propensity that they may spread to other body parts if remain untreated (Web. "Thyroid Cancer", n.d.). Epidemiology The American Cancer Society reveals that around 17,200 cases of thyroid cancer appear each year, this number contributes to 1 percent of all the cancer cases prevalent in United States. Women are considered to be three times more prone to display the symptoms of thyroid cancer as compared to m en. Problems related to thyroid hormone is common in teenagers, adolescents and younger individuals, but thyroid cancer is known to develop at the age of over 50 years (Web. "Thyroid Cancer", n.d.). Worldwide estimations reveal that more than 862,000 individuals diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2003 were alive in 2008 (Web."Thyroid cancer incidence statistics", n.d.). Genetic-associated risk factors: chromosome(s)/gene(s) involved Genes are responsible for the metabolism of the organism, they control the functions of the cells. Cancers initially progress from the normal cells and gradually gain the potential to multiply unusually and ultimately become malignant. These malignant cells proliferate clonally and form tumors which in due course impend to turn metastatic. Cancer, also known as malignant neoplasm, the hallmark characteristic involves uncontrolled proliferation of cells. Under normal conditions cell grow, divide and die, but in cancer cells the defect takes place at the gen e level leading to the formation of an abnormal DNA. As genes are the basic control machine of the cell, alteration of any kind may bring devastating consequences, or malignancy. Autosomal dominance inheritance of mutated gene (only single cope) could lead to thyroid cancer, although its prevalence is only 1 percent. The inheritance of defective gene could be estimated with genetic testing. Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) contributes to 5 percent of thyroid cancers. Genetic conditions playing role in inheritance of MTC are multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) 2A, 2B as well as familial medullary thyroid carcinoma (FMTC). On the other hand, papillary and follicular thyroid cancers contribute to 90 percent of all thyroid cancers (Web. "The Genetics of Thyroid Cancer", 2011). Risk factors other than genetics Risk factors enhances the chance of developing cancer. In most of the cases, thyroid cancers are sporadic. About 10 percent of the thyroid cancers are inherited (5 percent papillary, and follicular, while 25 percent MTC). Other risk factors involve gender (women are more prone), age (2/3 of the cases are reported between 20 and 55 years), while anaplastic thyroid cancer is reported after 60 years of age. Radiation exposure (X-ray treatment to treat tonsillitis), exposure to radioactive iodine in childhood days enhance the chances of papillary and follicular thyroid cancers. Low iodine in diet may also cause thyroid cancer (Web. "Thyroid Cancer- Risk Factors", 2013). Symptoms Typical

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Egyptian shabtis' style and description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Egyptian shabtis' style and description - Essay Example Further, the concept of doubling or imitation extended to the mummified body of the deceased, which was viewed as a different form of the living body. These dimensions were considered as material doubles, while the essential parts of the self as ba, ka, shadow and name formed the doppelganger or ghostly double of the living person (Meskell, 119). After the body of the deceased was prepared and mummified, it was necessary to ensure that the deceased person would not be called upon in the after life to perform menial labor in the form of farm work or labor in the irrigation ditches. The funerary figurines called shabtis, shawabtis or ushebtis were meant to answer on behalf of the mummy. Linguistically, the word shabti was derived from the verb: to answer, and their name meant â€Å"answerer†. The actual meaning of their name was the words â€Å"Here I am† which these servant figures were to answer when their master was called by Osiris, the Lord of the Dead (O’Connor & Cline, 122). Because of Ancient Egypt’s great and pervasive concern regarding their comfort in the afterlife, Egyptians placed differing numbers shabtis in the tombs of the deceased to act as â€Å"servants of the dead†. From the period of the New Kingdom, the deceased were buried in the company of 365 of these statue workmen, which were meant to be miniature imitation copies of themselves. Their purpose was to work as substitute laborers. Around thirty-six overseer figures were also included to supervise the workers, in case of any resistance from them (Meskell, 119). Shabtis were imitation workers who were regarded as servants of their owner and were referred to as male and female slaves (Taylor, 114). They were represented as carrying hoes, grain baskets, yoke and water pots, apparently always ready to undertake their agricultural tasks. The command to do their master’s work on his behalf was literally inscribed textually on their bodies, in the form of a potent spell. Power was directly

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Review about Orientalism by Edward Said Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

About Orientalism by Edward Said - Movie Review Example In the video, Said makes several points about the way our opinions as Westerners about the East are incorrect. The first point he makes is that we as Westerners tend to think of the East as having a single identity. Whether the individual in question is from Egypt, Palestine, Iraq or India, we tend to think of them all as existing under the same identity. Said makes this point by showing a map that has an overlay of three different men, each wearing a different traditional outfit and each associated with a different region of what we consider the ‘East’. Even though these people were obviously very different, the graphic has these images come together so that they are all stacked on top of each other. While it may be common for us to try to blend these people together under a single identity, the graphic keeps this error clear by not allowing the shapes to blend so that they look awkward and incorrect. This identity Westerners have created is relatively well-defined and has very little in common with the reality. This idea is based on ancient conceptions of the East and idealized images provided through centuries of artistic expression. As Said points out, most of the information distributed about the East was information that all referred back to a single source. That single source had given a very limited view of what he understood about a very small segment of the East. In keeping with our ideas that the men of the East are all the same, there is also an idea among Westerners that the women of the East are essentially non-people. Constantly depicted wearing silks and seductive clothing when inside or being completely covered when outside, these women are shown to be nothing more than the toys of the men in depictions in the West. This is pointed out by Said at several points during the video. In the West, we were given the impression that these women are

Pollution Essay Essay Example for Free

Pollution Essay Essay Pollution happens absolutely everywhere, every single second of the day, everywhere on earth. It happened in any city, any town, or any state. You can find pollution in cars, home electronics, personal hygiene products, natural disasters, and even your own home. Pollution is poison for anything that lives and breathes; it could toxify water, air, land, humans, and animals, and is not to be taken lightly. As a law people should be more considerate of their surroundings and try harder to preserve the world we live in, even if it is inconvenient to us. Because if we don’t save ourselves, who will? The effects we could do to save our planet from pollution could be proactive, instead of catastrophic and disastrous. Everyone benefits when we have clean water, air, land, etc. not just one thing. For example, you never hear any news on the TV, or over the internet talking about how a person passed away from clean air overdose, that would be crazy. Instead we hear news like, man died from pollution, family living in home pollution, water tests show pollution particles, the list could go on forever. By identifying the problem early, we can start to reverse the pollution process. Therefore, we can take what we have now and set new standards and laws that can help us from killing ourselves in the long run and putting the earth in a more clean state. The problem is, not everyone agrees with the fact that pollution is hurting us right now, or going to hurt us, and new generations to come. People get this information from insignificant and false sources and then spread that information to others that will willingly listen, without objection. This statement misses the point though; the fact is people are trying to help us now. And even though we might not feel the negative effects, it doesn’t mean it’s not happening to us right now. Some places have higher levels of pollution in their air and water and those people might be in more danger than others, and they might not even know it. For this reason one person cannot do this by themselves, it needs worldwide effort, from everyone. People need to stop being lazy and do something for themselves, and others. Also people need to start thinking about the future, and not just the year that’s going on right now. To meet these high demands of labor and cost, I think people should be required to carpool with other people a few times a week, or stop using girl products like hairspray and other cans of manmade chemicals and CFC’s that deplete the ozone layer and cause minor but significant pollution. If people really did try to change something small they do every day, and everyone did it, think of how much good change could happen. And never think just because something’s small, it won’t hurt â€Å"As much† because its people like that who chose the worst decisions. Also I’m sure for most objects, or personal hygiene products wouldn’t have a problem changing a few chemicals in their product to make it more people and planet friendly. There have been so many companies and organizations that have helped the earth and have reduced the amount of toxins we use. People everyday try to come up with new ideas, and strategies to get us where we need to go, and what we need to do, without the harmful effects of chemicals and toxins. So as iv stated many times in this essay, one little person can make a huge difference, but not only one person can do it alone. We all need to try to help to save our environment from pollution for ourselves, and for future generations. And just think, if everyone changed something in their daily routine to make it more planet friendly, how that could turn out to help all of us in the long run.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Rhetorical Analysis Of I Want A Wife English Literature Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Of I Want A Wife English Literature Essay The second wave of the feminist movement in the United States began during early 1960s and lasted throughout late 1970s. The purpose of the feminist movement was to have a right to vote and have the same equal rights as male citizens. Judy Bradys essay I Want A Wife first appeared in the Ms. Magazines inaugural issue in 1971. The genre of the article is a classic piece of feminist humor and is depicted as satirical prose. In this essay Brady aims to convince her readers to look objectively at a mans viewpoints and expectations of what he thinks a wife is and what she should be. Brady skillfully uses clear arguments, repetition of key words and stylish language to make her essay strong and convincing. Exigence: Judy Brady writes in her essay about the demands that are required from wife. She emphasizes the point that the roles of wife are unfair to the role of husband, and that there is an obvious difference, inequality, between the roles of husband and wife. Exhausted by disparities in the household work and by the fact that the work done by wife goes unnoticed, she boldly expresses her feelings. Brady demonstrates her point by giving examples of some household chores that are commonly performed by wife. I want a wife who will have the house clean, keep my clothes clean, ironed, mended, replaced when need be, and who will see to it that my personal things are kept in their proper place so that I can find what I need the minute I need it . After listing all this numerous outrageous tasks, she concludes the article with an emotional statement, My God, who wouldnt want a wife? Audience: Clearly Judy Brady is writing to married men and women. This can be inferred because the article is about expectations of a wife in a marriage. But not only does she write for married couples, she also writes to men and women in general. The fact that person is married or not doesnt matter in this article. The audience is expected to know a little bit about divorce and marriage life. The audience is also presumed at least to have a high school level of reading and basic understanding of words such as adherence, monogamy, and nurturance. She is trying to get out to the public that these expectations and these stereotypes of roles of women, should stop. This goes back to her exigence, which is the unfairness of roles of women. Purpose: Why should people read and act upon her statements? With her arguments, she is trying to say, All women stop! You dont have to act this way. She wants women to stop immediately acting as slaves. Her constant phrase I want a wife to rattles up emotions of readers, which in turn, might encourage people to take action. The reason she wants people to read it is because she wants people to understand that the roles of women is demoralizing to them. Brady classifies what a wife is through husbands eyes. Brady connects wit and sarcasm, effective use of language, and rhetoric to make a very strong piece of influential writing with the purpose to show how men see their wives. This piece of rhetoric ultimately implies the husbands selfishness and laziness, and his want to be left free. This article was made to make the audience to think and ponder. Brady effectively uses the Greek umbrella term, Rhetoric, which is clearly organized and very well thought out. Rhetoric means the art of using language to communicate effectively and images to affect an audience. Brady uses Rhetoric throughout her essay involving three audience appeals: Ethos, Pathos and Logos. Ethos: She establishes her credibility in the first couple of paragraphs of her argument. I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am A Wife, not altogether incidentally, I am a mother. Not only does her being a wife make her creditable, she also seems to have a lot of knowledge and this gives the audience to know that she really knows something about her subject. And all that knowledge of what the wife roles are does not come from anywhere. She must have experienced it herself to know what the roles of women are. She lists numerous jobs that are expected of a wife and her language sounds that of a fed up and annoyed wife. In addition, her article was printed in the spring 1972 issue of Ms. Magazine which sets her credibility for the article. Moreover, she was an activist for the feminist movement. Pathos: When reading her article, she wants people to take action. She wants people to get angry at the topic. She also wants the men who expect this from women to feel jealous. She does this by first stating who she is. I belong to that classification of people known as wives. She addresses the stresses of everyday life and exaggerated expectations of a man from their wives. Then she goes on by listing the jobs required by women. After couple pages of jobs she says, My God, who wouldnt want a wife? This conclusion is very emotional towards the argument, and the presence of irony in it clearly indicates that women are under too much stress. Brady demonstrates how men treat their wives unfairly and demand too much from them. She wants to discourage men from abusing their wives. Brady also encourages women who are unaware of such abuses to step up and take some actions. Many women are also unaware of what things they are doing wrong. By reading this essay, women can assess their life a nd find out if their husbands demand too much from them in terms of wives duties. Logos: Judy Bradys article contains clear arguments. One of her arguments is that women are expected to do too much. She doesnt deliver this message directly, but refers to it by listing the role of women. Another argument identified in her essay is the inequality of men and women. In her article she writes that she is a man that wants to go to school and be supported financially. She needs a wife to fulfill her needs such as taking care of the house, children, bills, regular health check-ups of family members, and social life. She argues that husbands require too much from their wives and points out that it should be avoided. Her arguments are effectively structured. She attracts the readers by her credibility. And by showing the tasks of women, one by one; she involves her readers in her strong arguments. She uses simple words which are very effective in expressing her views.