College Admission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

College Admission - Essay Example In addition to Spanish, I would also like to learn languages such as German, French, Italian, Japanese, and Arabic. The reason why I am so interested in furthering my education at the Saint Louis University-Madrid Campus is that I plan to become a fully-licensed nurse practitioner in the future. My hard work ethic will hopefully help me to achieve my career goals; I have been working since I was 14. Currently, I am studying in conjunction with working as a bartender for almost 60 hours per week. Aside from this, I help an autistic child in the mornings. The reason why I feel so compelled to do this is that I love to help people of all ages and backgrounds; I am considering joining the Peace Corps. My hobbies include hiking, caving, and exploring. I do not feel in awe of new challenges because I see them as exciting and a chance for me to prove myself. I work best under pressure because I get a thrill of being able to overcome any obstacles that fall my way. I consider that learning is a life-long process, and is one that should not be taken lightly. There is never a time in our lives where we can claim to know it all. I prefer to be humble and open to anything that may improve my understanding about the world. My experiences with other cultures can help me to better understand how other groups of people think and

Body armor Essay Example for Free

Body armor Essay Body armor and other protective equipment are vital components of with-in protection services because it shields the body from severe injury that may be associated with the nature of the job. Body armor and other protective equipment are generally designed to shelter the body from materials that come in with a particular velocity or force, such as bullets and knives. This man-made material is designed to prevent the entry that could result in the destruction of internal organs. The body armor prevents damage to the abdominal area of an individual, while the other protective equipment prevents injury to the extremities such as the arm and legs. When a material such as a bullet or a knife is introduced to a body with sheer force, the body armor prevents its entry yet the force still results in a form of shock to the body and this is technically called blunt trauma. There are two general types of body armor, namely soft and hard. Soft body armor is generally composed of one of two fibers, namely aramid and polyethylene that are configured in a particular weave. There are some brands that contain both types of fibers. Unfortunately, soft body armors can only protect an individual from the regular forces such as knives and bullets but are not sturdy enough to prevent bullets coming from machine guns. In this situation, hard body armors are employed for protection and these equipments are composed of plates made of ceramic material. Hard body armors are made of two plates that are positioned to cover the front and the back of an individual. Since ceramic plates are usually rigid, an individual may find this protective material heavy and movement may be restricted. DQ 2: The use of biological weapons has become an increased threat, and amplified since 911. What can we do to prepare for such an attack and or minimize the catastrophic aftermath? In order to be prepared for a possible terrorist attack that involves biological weapons, it is important that government agencies, especially those responsible for monitoring public health, to design contingency plans that would tackle incidents associated with the deliberate introduction of biological weapons to harm a specific population or even the general public. The contingency plan should also be a regular part of the health response system that also deals with pandemic outbreaks, large-scale accidents, as well as natural disasters. In 2002, the World Health Assembly of the United Nations adopted a technical support program that prepares each of the member states to prepare an action plan that would address any future catastrophes (WHO, 2004). For every city, it is important to create an initial response team that would take action whenever a terrorist attack occurs. This initial response team will determine the nature of the attack, on whether it is biological, industrial or bomb-based. The initial response team carries this exclusive responsibility because they are physically present in the city and it is very easy for them to go to the place that has been attacked in order to generate a first-hand account of the incident to higher authorities. Once the nature of the terrorist attack has been established, the initial response team will inform the state agency of the incident, which will in turn report to the national agency. This office will then report to the United Nations office for subsequent action, such as international assistance, in case that the country is incapable of dealing with the disaster, or if the attack is synchronized among several states, such as that depicted in September 11, 2001 in the United States. Biological attacks can also be minimized by vigilant screening of activities in every city and state around the country, including reporting any peculiar individuals that are spotted in strategic locations around the state. Reference World Health Organization. (2004). Public health response to biological and chemical weapons: WHO guidance, 2nd ed. Geneva: World Health Organization. ISBN 92 4 154615 8. Downloaded from http://www. who. int/csr/delibepidemics/cover. pdf on June 17, 2009.

Outlines of a Value Typology Based on Decision Theorys Social Motives :: Philosophy

Values and their Collisions: Outlines of a Value Typology Based on Decision Theory's Social Motives ABSTRACT: Several years ago, I outlined a project to delineate ideological and scientific elements of our knowledge about values. I began by studying the typical configurations of values, their typical collisions, and some typical world-view-related standpoints as theoretical background. I now present the theoretical premises of my inquiry, the applied methods, and some of the results. I have tried to support the choice of variables used, make sensible the reliable limits of the findings, and underline some interconnections as well as some collisions between moral and/or ideological standpoints. Among values, and apart from the aesthetic (artistic) values, we can distinguish between ideological and moral ones. The ideological values (or social-political ones) concern and/or regulate the coexistence of larger groups of humans, while those considered moral ones are realized in the immediate interpersonal relationships. But there are weighty arguments suggesting their treatment in common or in parallel: (i) In the case of some systems of thought, the separation of moral values from the social political ones seems quite artificial (e.g. Aristotelian, Christian, utilitarian, liberal); (ii) Recent psychological research in the direction inaugurated by Piaget and Kohlberg supports the hypothesis that the lower phases of the moral development are constant across societies and ethic groups, while in the superior phases there is a culture-(respectively, society-) related differentiation. Higher level moral attitudes seem significantly related to the accepted political values (Kurt Bergling, 1981 (1) ). (2) (iii) In the case of many historical systems of thought (philosophies) the moral world-view is axiologically more elaborated than the political one. (The conceptions about the ontology of values, values' social functions and effects or values' acquirement are much more evident in the former.) Further, the moral inquiry is more nuanced in the elaboration of typologies and it is more concerned with the relations between cognitive sphere and values than the social-political thinking is. II I would distinguish 3 levels in approaching the moral phenomena: (i) Moral (of object-language) The level of valuations (good-wrong, just-unjust etc.) and norms, including laic knowledge about rewards and punishments, or about value legitimising and the metaphysical nature of good and evil. This can be considered the everyday moral conscience of the society, the object of anthropological, sociological, historical descriptions. (ii) Ethical (of meta-language) The level of categories introduced by ethics to study and to compare the specificities of moral systems, of the auto-reflection and self-defending argumentation of value hierarchies.

Gap between Rich and Poor Essay

The issue of gap between rich and poor has still been significant over recent decades in our society. At present, the article â€Å"Issue Area: Gap between Rich & Poor†, Joyce deBoer and Ryan Warmouth inform growing gap between rich and poor will pose unstable feature for society in the near future by surveying and comparing the statistical evidences from Golden and Area A. In addition, authors hope this issue must be mentioned by the society and anticipate it will be controlled by developing policy. While others researchers state that growing gap between rich and poor can enhance the competition of the entire society. By looking through this article, I claim that growing gap between rich and poor without control will pose serious threaten for the local stability and development. In this article, writers indicate the case of growing gap between rich and poor in Golden – Area A by filing plenty of data. Initially, authors select Golden and Area A which has a stable middle class as a sample. Moreover, authors think analyses have constraints as a result of some elements, such as â€Å"back-to-the-Landers† in the Columbia Valley. Then, authors illustrates overall poverty rate in term of LICO and LIM and make a comparison between Golden – Area A and British Columbia. Also, writers describe the impact of community growth on the gap, such as the increasing price of house and food. Then, talk about household incomes in disparate levels. Ultimately, the article concludes that growing gap between rich & poor can impact the diversity and stability of the community. For growing gap between rich and poor, those who argue that it can cause the enhancement of the competition for the society my build their view on such an assumption that this gap can be considered one motivation for lower income class, who want to be higher class. Obliviously, growing economic gap can cause the the evolution in some sense. Even so, this view should be too idealized for the current intense social competition. In my opinion, it has detrimental influence in aspects local stability and evolution. According to the description of the article, this issue can cause the local wealthy people can change to be rich increasingly and have adequate money to buy the local tracts and stores. In addition, along with the huge immigration of the new comer, the majority of them are wealthy or retired. Thus, the local rich people increase the price of land and food for high interest from immigrants. However, the local income does not grow, thereby causing the economic burden for local young people and low income earners. Apparently, this tendency causes the rich people more abundant. But, it can also cause the growth of criminal rate in the local. On the other hand, an increasing number of people can no longer afford to live there and move out to others place, thereby causing the loss of local labor force. This can impact the evolution of local economy. To sum up, growing gap between rich and poor have drawbacks for local stability, which cause the high burden live for local young people and low income earners. On the other hand, it can also bring about the loss of local labor force. I would concede that growing economic gap can create the competition of the society. Despite that this opinion should be too unreal. This article talks about the Canadian area has lived in the gap rich and poor. However, under financial crisis, this issue has already altered to be severe in some developing country. Afterward, I will research some articles about this problem in developing country.

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 30-32

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

German Exercise on Wann, Wenn and Als

German Exercise on Wann, Wenn and Als When is not necessarily an easy translation in German. There are three words you need to know to express different English variations of when. They are wann, wenn, and als.   A Quick Lesson On Als In German Als means as, when or then, depending on its context. Its the when translation that stumps most German learners. One way to remember it:  als  refers to when in the past, whereas  wenn  (more on that below) refers to when in the future or hypothetically.   When in the past: I should have bought bread when I went to the store. When in the future: When I graduate culinary school, I will make my own bread. Als  can be used when you assign a role to something, like as a child. You could also think of this sentence as saying when I was a child, which works with the when-in-the-past rule. But thats not always the case. Sometimes, the as is more like an as if it is a, such as you can use the box as a table. In German, thats als. Similarly,  als  is used to compare things.   A Quick Lesson on Wann/Wenn Click on  wann/wenn  to review the differences between those two words. An easy way to think of it is  wann  refers to time. Wenn is a bit more complicated. But the good news is, once you memorize the four situations when  wenn  works, the German language rarely breaks its rules.   A German Exercise Now test your knowledge.   The following exercise requires you to fill in the blanks with either the word als, wenn or wann. You will find the answers to this exercise on the next page. 1. ______ du genug schlfst, dann bist du niemals mà ¼de.2.______ kannst du morgen kommen?3. Er ist grà ¶ÃƒÅ¸er _____ ich.4. Sag mir bitte, ______ ich vorbeikommen kann.5. ______ es dir nichts ausmacht, dann werde ich hier bleiben.6. ______ ich klein war, sang ich viel.7. Es gibt nichts Lustigeres ______ ein Clown.8. ______ ich Zeit htte, wà ¼rde ich viel mehr lesen.9. Ich weiß, ______ meine Freundin kommt.10. Ich weiß, dass _______ meine Freundin kommt, werden wir viel Spaß haben. 1. Wenn du genug schlfst, dann bist du niemals mà ¼de.2. Wann kannst du morgen kommen?3. Er ist grà ¶ÃƒÅ¸er als ich.4. Sag mir bitte, wann ich vorbeikommen kann.5.Wenn es dir nichts ausmacht, dann werde ich hier bleiben.6. Als ich klein war, sang ich viel.7. Es gibt nichts Lustigeres als ein Clown.8. Wenn ich Zeit htte, wà ¼rde ich viel mehr lesen.9. Ich weiß, wann meine Freundin kommt.10. Ich weiß, dass wenn meine Freundin kommt, dann werden wir viel Spaß haben.

Guevara, Che famous quote interpration essays

Guevara, Che famous quote interpration essays It is not a matter of wishing success to the victim of aggression, but of sharing his fate; one must accompany him to his death or to victory This quote is probably the most famous quote to have come from Che. It has been reproduced on T-shirts and posters across the world. This indicates this quote gives some meaning to those who read it. It is a powerful quote whether you like Che Guevara as a man or not. The quote seems to imply that simply hoping the oppressed will win their struggle is not enough. When people watch T.V. and see those poor children starving what do they do most of the time? They change the channel. This lack of compassion and courage to help the world around them is what Che was trying to change. Most of the time people in the West will sponsor a child from a developing nation and feel they have done all they can do. This is the attitude that needs to be changed. What is $30 dollars a month to a family with an average income of $60 000? Just simply hoping that the problem will fix itself if we all just give 30 dollars a month is not enough. After all hope will not win you a revolution. Oppression must be stopped by any means. If this means people have to leave their comfort zone to make a difference, than that is what has to be done. It is time people around the world rise up together as one and topple dictatorships, and other oppressive governments. We all live on this planet, it is time we start helping our neighbors. ...

The French Terms of Order of Events

The French Terms of Order of Events The English word then has two distinct meanings: one related to consequence and the other to time. These two meanings translate differently into French, and the various synonyms fall roughly into two groups: Words commonly used to explain the consequences or effect of an action, like  ainsi,  alors, and  donc,And terms used to indicate the sequence of events, such as  aprà ¨s,  ensuite, and  puis.   Cause and Effect Ainsi 1. so, thus, therefore  (adverb)   Ainsi, jai dà ©cidà © de partir.   So I decided to leave.Jai perdu mon emploi, ainsi je ne peux pas acheter la voiture.   I lost my job, so I cant buy the car. This use of ainsi is roughly interchangeable with donc (below). 2. this way, like that Si tu vas agir ainsi, je ne peux pas taider.   If youre going to act like that, I cant help youCest ainsi ; tu dois laccepter.   Thats the way it is; you have to accept itAinsi va la vie.   Such is life.Ainsi soit-il.   So be it. 3. ainsi que:  just as, like, as well as  (conjunction) Ainsi que javais pensà ©Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚  Just as I thought†¦   Je suis impressionà © par son intelligence ainsi que son honnà ªtetà ©.   I am impressed by his intelligence as well as his honesty. Alors 1.  then, so, in that case  (adverb)   Tu ne vas pas la fà ªte ? Alors, moi non plus.   Youre not going to the party? Then I wont either.Elle ne comprend pas, alors il faut laider.   She doesnt understand, so we need to help her.Je nai pas mangà ©, alors il est difficile de me concentrer.   I didnt eat, so its difficult to concentrate. When used in this way, alors is more or less interchangeable with the first meanings of ainsi and donc; however, alors is not as strong in its cause-effect.  It means so or then rather than therefore. In other words, ainsi and donc indicate that something happened, and specifically because of that, something else happened. Alors, on the other hand, is more well then I guess this will/did happen.2.  so, then, well  (filler)   Alors, quest-ce quon va faire ?  Ã‚  So what are we going to do?Alors l, je nen sais rien.  Ã‚  Well, I dont know anything about that.Et alors ?   And then? So what? 3.  at that time Il à ©tait alors à ©tudiant.   At that time, he was a student. /  He was a student at the time.Le prà ©sident dalors Bill Clinton†¦Ã‚  Ã‚  The president at that time /  Then-president Bill Clinton†¦ 4.  alors que: at that time, while; even though  (conjunction)   Il est allà © la banque alors que je faisais les achats.   He went to the bank while I did the shopping.Il est sorti alors que je ne voulais pas.   He went out even though I didnt want to. Donc 1.  therefore, so, thus  (conjunction)   Il nest pas arrivà ©, donc jai dà » manger seul.   He didnt arrive, so I had to eat alone.Je pense, donc je suis (Renà © Descartes).   I think, therefore I am. This usage of donc is interchangeable with the first meaning of ainsi. The only difference is that donc is a conjunction and, in theory, must join two clauses, whereas ainsi can be used with one or two clauses. In reality, donc is often used with just one clause as well: Donc je suis allà ©Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ So I went†¦ When used in this sense, both ainsi and donc indicate a cause-effect relationship. 2.  then, it must be, in that case Si ce nest pas Philippe cest donc Robert.  Ã‚  If its not Philippe then it is (it must be) Robert.Jai perdu mon stylo donc celui-ci est toi.  Ã‚  I lost my pen so this one must be yours. 3.  then, so  (intensifier or filler)   Donc, elle à ©tait enceinte ?   Was she pregnant, then? So was she pregnant?Voil donc notre conclusion.   So here is our conclusion.Qui donc à ªtes-vous ?   So who are you?Allons donc !   Come on (already)! This usage is similar to the way so is used in English. Technically, so indicates a cause-effect relationship, but it is often used colloquially as a filler. For example, you might greet someone and say So I bought a car or So, are you going out tonight? even though nothing was said previously that the so is linking back to. Sequence of Events Aprà ¨s 1.  after  (preposition)   Il a tà ©là ©phonà © aprà ¨s toi.   He called after you (did).Aprà ¨s avoir tout lu†¦ (past infinitive) After having read everything†¦ 2.  afterwards, later  (adverb)   Viens me voir aprà ¨s.   Come see me afterwards.Quest-ce qui sest passà © aprà ¨s ?   What happened later/afterwards? Aprà ¨s is not interchangeable with ensuite and puis. Those adverbs indicate a sequence of events, whereas aprà ¨s simply modifies a verb to say what will/did happen at a later time. There is no sense of progression from one action to the next when using aprà ¨s. 3.  aprà ¨s que: after  (conjunction)   Aprà ¨s quil est mort, jai dà ©mà ©nagà © en Belgique.   After he died, I moved to Belgium.Je vais le faire aprà ¨s quil arrivera.   Im going to do it after he arrives. Aprà ¨s que is followed by the indicative, not the subjunctive. However, when describing something that has not happened yet, the verb after aprà ¨s que is in the future, rather than in the present, as it is in English. Ensuite 1. then, next, later  (adverb)   Jai mangà © et ensuite je me suis habillà ©.   I ate and then I got dressed.Je suis allà © la banque et ensuite au musà ©e.   I went to the bank and then (to) the museum.Il ma dit ensuite que†¦   And then he told me†¦, / He told me later that†¦ Puis 1. then, next  (adverb)   Jai mangà ©, puis je me suis habillà ©.   I ate and then I got dressed.Je suis allà © la banque et puis au musà ©e.   I went to the bank and then (to) the museum.Puis il ma dit que†¦   Then he told me†¦ This meaning of puis is interchangeable with ensuite, except for the sense of later, which only ensuite has. They do not indicate a cause-effect relationship; they simply relate a sequence of events. 2.  et puis: and besides, moreover (conjunction) Je nai pas envie de sortir, et puis je nai pas dargent.   I dont feel like going out, and besides, I dont have any money.Nous devons à ©tudier, et puis toi aussi.   We have to study, and so do you.

The connection between theories and child development at Kindergarten Research Paper

The connection between theories and child development at Kindergarten age - Research Paper Example These changes include; how children are growing, how they are moving, and how they are identifying their environment (Wadsworth, & Wadsworth, 1984). The cognitive development domain of childhood development relates to the mental development processes such as language development, memory development, and problem solving capability that children often use in order to acquire and use knowledge. Finally, the emotional and social development domain of childhood development focuses on how children learn to handle associations with others, as well as comprehend of their own emotional states (Wadsworth, & Wadsworth, 1984). During the kindergarten years of children, their bodies undergo continuous and dramatic changes. The changes are not only an issue of growing taller and gaining but also entail multifaceted series of changes in body composition, proportion, and motor development especially at the kindergarten (State Department of Early Learning, 2012). Physical and motor development often takes place alongside relatively predictable sequences from simple to more complexes (Salkind, 2002). During the kindergarten age, children develop motor skills concerning great share of their bodies and then progress to abilities using precise body parts. For example, they grip objects by holding them between their fingers and palm before using the thumb and index finger in a more refined gripper grasp (Salkind, 2002). During the kindergarten age, children often learn about health practices that could affect their health and consequently and usually set patterns for their lives. Adult molding and dialogue about good hygienic practices assist in equipping children at this age with the awareness and skills to flourish physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially. It also assists young children in meeting the tests of growing up while understanding the importance of safety, good hygiene, disease prevention, the right medical care (Salkind, 2002). According

EU Law Assignment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

EU Law Assignment - Case Study Example The Fictitious Carrier Pigeons Directive 2004 provides that all carrier pigeons must be subject to quarterly veterinary inspections, their health problems must be promptly remedied, and that the animals must be kept separately from other animals, until they are certified as being in good health. If certification does not take place within three months of the inspection reporting problems, the animals must be slaughtered. More importantly the directive provides that a fund must be set up to compensate farmers whose animals are slaughtered pursuant to the directive. The directive was to be transposed into UK law on the 1st of January and the time has expired as at now .In such circumstances the Council would be entitled to commence a formal Article 226 action if subtle persuasion and warnings failed to convince the UK that it should implement the directive within reasonable time .According to Article 226 "if the commission considers that a member state has failed to fulfill an obligati on under this Treaty it shall deliver a reason opinion of this matter". Therefore once the commission has been alerted regarding this implementing omission of the UK.1 Following the reply from the member state or after a reasonable time where no reply is received the commission will then deliver a reasoned opinion which records the reasons for the failure UK to implement this directive which required the setting up of a fund and the treatment of such pigeon's.2.If the matter is taken to the ECJ in this regard, its judgment would be merely declaratory; the member states are required under Art 228 to take the necessary measures to comply with the judgment. It seems here that the UK does not have a defence that could be raised for non compliance because under Art 10EC the member states are required to fulfill all their community law obligations and Art 292 obliges Member States not to seek other solutions to disputes. S and A are advised that if the UK does not comply with this judgmen t a further action may lie against their government under Art 226 for a breach of Art 228.3 Remedies for S and A Secondly, coming to the remedies available to S and A because of the loss of profit they have suffered due to the death of their gaming pigeons ,they are advised to start an action for compensation for the dead pigeons with a UK court. They can rely on community law within their domestic courts but only on the condition that the directive must have either been already implemented by the UK (which it has not been done so here) or give rise to direct effects. As mentioned before the directive has already passed its deadline for implementation by the UK. Therefore subject to the application of the doctrine of direct effect in this regard S and A might have a possible remedy under EU law. The doctrine of direct effect is one of the most important aspects of the community law. Summarised, it states that community law creates legal rights which are directly enforceable by individuals in member states. This was held in the case of Van Gend En Loos v Nederlandse Belastingadministratie (case 26/62) as follows:4If a legal instrument of the EU confers direct effects then the individual has locus standi to enforce a right under community law in national courts and the European Court of Justice (ECJ) .Under Article 249 EC

Global Economic Environment and Marketing Assignment

Global Economic Environment and Marketing - Assignment Example had made a net of over $50 million by the end of 1979 and it had become a household name in the United States as the provider of personal computers (Reuters 2014). Wozniak retired in 1985 and Jobs left later that year owing to power issues within the company management. Between Jobs departure and his return to Apple in 1997, Apple went through a rough patch with changes in leadership and loss of consumer confidence thereby reduced growth prospects. Jobs major idea was to rejuvenate Apple by developing more sophisticated and stylish products which were also user friendly (Gillam, 2012). He also opened up Apple stores as the biggest flagship project towards making global the company and its products. He also ensured that software production became a forefront product. His innovative ideas saw Apple become the second most valuable company by 2010 according to Gillam (2012). Today, the company’s main strategy is the improvement of the current products which is well seen in the current unveiling of iPhone 6. It is worth mentioning that the company also owns FileMaker Inc., Braeburn Capital, Hopstop.com Inc. and Locationary Inc. among many others as

JPMorgan Chase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

JPMorgan Chase - Essay Example comparing with the laws existing or the existing banks’ policies and in case of any fraud, they take the financial institutions in court with enough evidence to prosecute. A valid contract has four major elements as explained by (Meiners, Ringleb and Edwards, 2014). The first of these elements is the offer and acceptance by both parties involved in the contract. An offer is made to the consumer who then accepts it. This is followed by intention to create legal relations which are carried out in order to ensure that the contract will be declared legally binding in which case both parties have to fulfill and abide by it. This is conducted with the presence of a witness orally or even with writing. After these two elements comes the considerations where the actual contract terms are discussed and negotiated. These include terms such as payments or any financial obligations involved or even the duration of the contract. Lastly is the signing of the contract and sealing the deal. The signing or completion of the deal through handshake should not be carried out under duress, undue influence or even under false statements which is what the fraudulent banks d o. Each party of the contract is supposed to honor their contract and not intentionally breach it as it will not only invalidate the contract but will destroy the relationship with the contracting party and this is not fair. Intentional tort actions according to (Meiners, Ringleb and Edwards, 2014) are the actions which are done by people will the desire or sole purpose to harm them. These actions are wrongful and are committed by these people consciously. The individual carrying out these wrongful actions that harm are fully aware of the consequences of his or her action as they are purposeful but does not to stop them from happening. On the other hand, negligence tort actions are those actions that are committed through the failure of individuals to be responsible enough and do the correct actions they were

Music Buisness Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Music Buisness Plan - Assignment Example For profit entities major stakeholders include customers and investors while in non-profit entities key stakeholders are donors. On the other hand, business plans that are internally focused embark on attaining intermediate goals so as to reach external objectives. Company description Due to the increased need by individuals to engage in health maintenance programs offered by various SPA centers, my Idea is to establish a music company that will ensure adequate relaxation and enjoyment with the SPA centers. On the Beat Company (OBC) will embark on producing Rhythm and Blues (R&B) music. In this way, the company aims at providing various genre of music that make up the contemporary (R&B) music that includes funks among others. In this way, the company targets both the old and young clients who visit the centers. To expand its capital base, OBC will operate as a limited company. In this way, it will attract more investors who will be focused at contributing a significant capital to rec eive high dividends. OBC mission statement is to provide high quality entertainment that will ensure it capitalize on the expanding music industry across the world. Product and services As mentioned earlier, OBC embark on producing (R&B) music. Do to the high demand of this type of music especially among the young people, the company is focused at expanding its sources of revenue by engaging in various income generating activities that are related to the music industry as outlined in this section. Ringtones OBC will provide an opportunity to ensure that our customers can subscribe for ringtones in monthly bases. Each ringtone will cost US$1. With the partnership of a local mobile company, OBC will provide a framework that will streamline the sharing of profits generated by the monthly subscriptions from our customers. Based on the high number of our customers who owns mobile phones, OBC will generate a significant amount of funds that will enhance our expansion. Selling of albums In order to ensure that our customers can regularly enjoy our services in the health centers and back in their homes, OBC will also embark on selling its albums in the local and international market. Selling and loading of flash disks In the contemporary world, individuals who possess computers like to listen to a wide range of music while undertaking their duties. In this regard, OBC will embark on selling flash disks to our clients and then loading them with music at a fee. In order to attain a competitive advantage, OBC will utilize mobile phones, Ipods and social sites such as twitter and face book to communicate with our customers. As the number of clients who visit the SPA centers increase day by day, we expect our customer base to expand thus increasing our total sales. Marketing plan The new technology in the music industry has resulted into a stiff competition that has forced many companies to depart from the traditional lines that created divisions among the artists and reco rding companies among other stakeholders. In the same way, the growth of music companies has been enhanced as a result of extensive marketing and promotional strategies through free services such as you tube, face book and twitter. One of

JPMorgan Chase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

JPMorgan Chase - Essay Example comparing with the laws existing or the existing banks’ policies and in case of any fraud, they take the financial institutions in court with enough evidence to prosecute. A valid contract has four major elements as explained by (Meiners, Ringleb and Edwards, 2014). The first of these elements is the offer and acceptance by both parties involved in the contract. An offer is made to the consumer who then accepts it. This is followed by intention to create legal relations which are carried out in order to ensure that the contract will be declared legally binding in which case both parties have to fulfill and abide by it. This is conducted with the presence of a witness orally or even with writing. After these two elements comes the considerations where the actual contract terms are discussed and negotiated. These include terms such as payments or any financial obligations involved or even the duration of the contract. Lastly is the signing of the contract and sealing the deal. The signing or completion of the deal through handshake should not be carried out under duress, undue influence or even under false statements which is what the fraudulent banks d o. Each party of the contract is supposed to honor their contract and not intentionally breach it as it will not only invalidate the contract but will destroy the relationship with the contracting party and this is not fair. Intentional tort actions according to (Meiners, Ringleb and Edwards, 2014) are the actions which are done by people will the desire or sole purpose to harm them. These actions are wrongful and are committed by these people consciously. The individual carrying out these wrongful actions that harm are fully aware of the consequences of his or her action as they are purposeful but does not to stop them from happening. On the other hand, negligence tort actions are those actions that are committed through the failure of individuals to be responsible enough and do the correct actions they were

'Prison works and community sentences are a soft option.' Critically Essay

'Prison works and community sentences are a soft option.' Critically discuss - Essay Example Nevertheless, the public and the government remain divided on the issue of sentencing and punishments. On the one hand, there are people who believe that punishments are not as tough as they should be (Bowditch 2008). They believe that hardened and repeating criminals do not deserve mere slaps in the wrists through community sentences (Powell 1999, p.209). On the other hand, others insist that community sentences and prison works have worthy merits (Gibb 2006). They are cheaper than imprisonment and can be effective punishment alternatives on their own. Community sentences, if properly managed, can do more rehabilitation than custodial sentences (Edwards 2011). This paper explores the issue that asserts that prison works and community sentences are soft options and it also discusses dissent against soft options, especially in an era that demands stiffer penalties. This statement underscores that these soft options are only for minor crimes and not recommended in resolving penology an d social problems. This paper argues prison works and community sentences are soft options, compared to custodial sentences, but they can also be effective in addressing penal issues and decreasing the social concern of recidivism, as long as they are properly and strictly managed and implemented. Community sentences Notions of probation can be traced to local court practices in the early nineteenth century, where young offenders or those guilty with small offences could be discharged or bound if a suitable person offered to take accountability for supervising future conduct (Raynor 2002: 1172). In 1876, the Church of England Temperance Society started to create an active presence in some city police courts to promote moral reform of offenders and to keep them abstained from alcohol (Raynor 2002: 1172). From the 1950s to the 1980s, probation experienced two reformulations and rethinking, with major effects on the questions tackled by probation research (Raynor 2002: 1174). Wilkins ( 1958) and Radzinowicz (1958) asserted that the effects of probation can be located in the â€Å"treatment model,† where for Radzinowicz (1958), probation was â€Å"a form of social service preventing further crime by a readjustment of the culprit† (Raynor 2002: 1174). Wilkins agreed that the treatment model focused more on subsequent behaviour of offenders and not issues of the criminal justice system (Raynor 2002: 1174). As the 1970s ended, the â€Å"treatment model† faced strong criticisms. Empirically, the studies of the effectiveness of penal sanctions of different forms led to negative results and the general finding that â€Å"nothing works† (Raynor 2002: 1175). There were also moral and philosophical arguments against the treatment, such as the objectification and dehumanisation of subjects and resting on the unverified claims of superior professional knowledge† (Raynor 2002: 1175). Community sentences were first enacted by law in 1907 for th e â€Å"probation† of offenders (Ministry of Justice 2008: 1). They departed from the treatment agenda, because they focused on effects of systems, instead of people (Raynor 2002: 1177). During the 1980s, an emphasis on community sentencing emerged as part of crime policymaking (Charman and Savage 1999: 194). Community service and supervision orders took greater priority over prisons as ways of resolving crimes (Charman

Writing With Description Essay Example for Free

Writing With Description Essay Before you begin your paragraph, you have to be sure to pick something that is worth describing. If you want to describe a character, make sure the person is interesting in some way. If you want to describe an object, make sure it has some deeper meaning beyond itself so you have enough to write about. If you pick a place, make sure you can describe it in a unique way that can capture a readers attention. For example, in the opening pages of _The Catcher in the Rye,_ Holden Caulfield describes a baseball mitt. The mitt itself is not that remarkable, but he describes it in a way that fills it with meaning because it used to belong to his deceased brother. Though not every object you describe needs an elaborate backstory, if it has some meaning behind it, this can help the description carry weight. If you want to pick a place, dont just pick any old spot at a beach, but one that is meaningful to you or, if youre writing fiction, to one of your characters in some way. This can add a layer of depth to the place in question. INTRODUCE THE PERSON, PLACE, OR THING YOU ARE DESCRIBING. If you want to get the readers attention, then you should let him or her know what youre describing as soon as possible instead of leaving them guessing. Here is an example of some opening lines in a descriptive paragraph: _Natashas basement was our sanctuary. I return to it in my best dreams and wake up feeling like I could die happy._ These opening sentences introduce the subject that is being described, the basement of the narrators friend. They make it clear that this place is very important to the narrator. ENGAGE YOUR READERS SENSE OF SIGHT. You can start with what the reader can see and appeal to his or her sense of sight to help introduce the object. Since sight is the most helpful sense, any good descriptive paragraph must  first discuss what the writer wants the reader to visualize. Using strong adjectives to illustrate your scene, moment, experience or item to the reader will help provide a visual picture in your readers mind. Keep in mind that, while adjectives can help convey a sense of the subject, overusing them can lead to boring, overwrought writing. Heres an example of the opening of a descriptive paragraph: _Even today I could paint a perfect picture of it, right up to the last piece of neglected pizza crust festering under the ping-pong table._ Immediately, the reader is given a visual description of some things in the basement: old pizza crust and a ping-pong table. The reader is given a sense of a messy, chaotic place.

Biological Psychology Applications

Biological Psychology Applications SOCIAL NEUROSCIENCE AND THE COMPLEMENTING NATURE OF SOCIAL AND BIOLOGICAL APPROACHES Frankie S. Frazier Jr Part A What careers other than psychology, would benefit from a foundational knowledge of biological psychology? There are a variety of professions that would benefit from the foundational knowledge of biological psychology, particularly, the guidance counseling field. A guidance counselor is an individual whose job description is to assist in guiding children toward making successful choices. Guidance counselors provide the support that is needed to help children who may be experiencing an unstable and/or somewhat confusing time in their lives. Children are offered additional support that provides the child with the foundation to thrive, instead of becoming yet another statistic. When it comes to the biological aspect of this particular career path, behavior definitely plays an important role in determining a child’s actions, a child’s emotions, as well as the child’s ability to learn within a classroom setting. â€Å"Biological psychology is the branch of psychology that studies the relationships between behavior and the body, particularly the brain† (Garrett, 2015 , pg. 3). A Mental Health counselor would also benefit from the foundational knowledge of biological psychology. A mental health counselor that chooses to work within a school environment would be able to provide further assistance. He or she is a critical link between the school faculty and â€Å"the child†. He or she has the background through his or her education and interactions with other children to better aid staff who may be unfamiliar with this area of study, to better understand the principles of human development, psychology, and mental health and change theories. Mental health counselors are also skilled in the assessment of people and situations, diagnosing, and providing referrals for treatment of mental disorders. Mental health counselors are experienced with effectively working with children who need the extra support beyond the services that have previously been available to them. Children that are also at a disadvantage academically, due to behavioral reasons are in di re need of more extensive interventions and can benefit tremendously from the prior knowledge and experience of a competent Mental Health counselor. A student’s inability to make good, solid behavioral choices often interferes with his or her ability to stay within the classroom setting, often affecting his or her opportunity to benefit from crucial instructional time. Children who take medication, may also struggle with ADHD or a plethora of other diagnoses, need the extra support. This somewhat levels the playing field so to speak, and give students with special needs the same opportunity to become as successful as their peers. What are the practical applications of biological psychology? When it comes to the practical applications of biological psychology, biological psychology combines research from genetics and physiology in order to be able to understand human behavior. â€Å"When it comes to how individuals think such as making decisions and choices, there’s a compelling theory that is a â€Å"mind† behind it all†. (Garrett, 2015, pg. 3). Biological psychology has many practical applications in the understanding of how the human brain functions. Understand and explaining how the brain works can be very complex. The brain interacts with so many aspects of the body to include: movement, body sensation, an individual’s speech, hearing, vision, and language. The brain functions in such a diverse and complex manner, which explains why many individuals would consider the subject psychology to be a very broad and controversial area of study when it comes to the relationship between the brain and an individual’s behavior. How will you apply what you have learned in this course to your life? How will I apply what I have learned throughout this course in my life? I know I will personally benefit from the foundational knowledge of biological psychology because of my current profession, as well as my future career goals. I currently work within an elementary school setting with students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. North Charleston Elementary School is predominantly an African-American school, with only a small percentage of Caucasian students or students from other ethnic backgrounds. The school’s staff is well diversified, which in turn helps students who may come from other schools that aren’t as culturally diversified within the faculty population. I am now better able to relate to all students, regardless of race, gender, ethnic, or socioeconomic status compared to when I first started working as an educator. I am now confident in my ability and skills to not only relate, but differentiate between adversities that an individual student migh t be facing at home or within the classroom. Students often show a range of behaviors, both positive and negative, and tend to go through many phases, such as peer acceptance and peer-pressure. â€Å"Behavior results from the interaction of many wide spread areas of the brain† (Garrett, 2015, pg. 7). For the past seven years, I have spent my time as an educator working in a number of diverse elementary schools. Many of the schools were considered â€Å"high poverty† schools due to the number of students receiving primarily free or reduced lunch. I have had the opportunity to work with students, who despite living in high poverty areas, still came to school eager to learn and receive their education. Often times, their poverty stricken lifestyle was a motivating factor in encouraging them to get a quality education so that they could eventually break the cycle of poverty and strive to attain whatever goal they set. I have also had the opportunity to experience what it was like to work in more affluent areas of Charleston. There is a huge disparity between the two school environments. I believe that I have an advantage over individual coming from off the street without any experience. I believe that the experience that I have gained throughout these past years and all of the knowledge that I have acquired throughout this course will be advantageous to me in the near future. I am now able to better understand a child’s individual needs from a different perspective. When I first started working for the school system, one of the biggest issues that resonated with me was the lack of a support system in high poverty areas. The schools received less assistance and student interventions than the schools in the high income areas. I strongly believe that school’s physical location and/or culture dissimilarities should not dictate the amount of funds or resources available to a particular school is allocated. All schools should be equitable in financing and also, in meeting the needs of its student population and community. Every child deserves an equal opportunity to obtain a quality education. The current generation is our future and we need to become fully vested in it. If we invest our time, resources, and money into guiding our students now to eventually become our great leaders of the future. Studies have shown that we can choose to allocate our resources now to provide children with additional support and therapeutic interventions early on in their life that will lay the foundation for future success. Or, we have the option of ignoring our population of youth with the greatest needs to continue to be passed on from teacher to teacher or school to school, forcing us to have to invest more time and financial resources on remediation later on in their lives. The choice is ours! Success has always been my responsibility! As an educator, I will encourage, promote, support, and share in the ownership of a student’s success. Students should feel at ease when going to school, and never have to fear for their safety. Having the knowledge and skills needed to maintain order within a classroom are key factors when it comes to understanding the foundational knowledge of biological psychology. Insight into the foundational knowledge of biological psychology can contribute too many fields of study and career paths. Part B State the research problem The research problem expresses that approaches to human behavior cannot be fully explained by social or biological approach alone but as a multi-level integrative analysis. Researchers state, â€Å"Social and biological approaches to human behavior have contrasted as if the two maybe antagonistic or mutually exclusive† (Cacioppo Bernston, 1992, pg. 829). These contrasts have surfaced within the field of psychology. Tensions between biological and social approaches surface in behavioral neuroscience and social psychology. Human biology is rooted in concrete anatomy and genetics while the social science is completely opposite. Social approaches are based upon an abstract set of actions by different groups and societies and their influences. The research will be rooted and based on the differences in both approaches and how they can and do work together toward understanding human behavior. Provide an effective literature review of other studies done on the same research problem Science brief written by Kristen Jacobson, Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies summarizes that genetics and social environment are not only important to human development but can also play and integral role in the resilience to specific behavioral and psychological disorders. This study is comparable to the research problem because it complies with the idea that these approaches are not always mutually exclusive. The brief also supports the research hypothesis that the biological and social approaches must work as part of an integrated system of processes to better understand human development and behavior. (Kristen Jacobson, 2009) Discuss the importance or implications of this research problem The importance of the research problem is the understanding of human behavior. Understanding human behavior by using social or biological approaches may help to shed light on matters of violence, education, economics and environmental factors. Human behavior is said to occur from the interactions of many wide spread areas of the brain. Human behavior is susceptible and affected by contact and relationships with others. The human brain allows us to recognize faces but it is â€Å"language, the bedrock of complex social interactions†, that will nevertheless develop in all humans thusly affecting behavior. (Cacioppo Bernston, 1992, pg. 831) State the hypothesis The hypothesis for this article is that researchers want to determine whether or not â€Å"mechanisms underlying the mind and behavior are not fully explicable by a biological or a social approach alone but rather than a multilevel integrative analysis may be required† (Cacioppo Bernston, 1992, pg. 829). Researchers surmise that all human behavior at some level is biological. Others dispute that not only is human behavior biological but affected by social settings and environments. Research that has been gathered by both the psychological and biological fields have shown that human development and behavior is affected by both social and biological approaches. The study of animal behavior has also been utilized to further support this hypothesis. Discuss research method and rational for research method to be used in this study One research method that was used within this article was the experimental method. â€Å"An experiment is a study in which a researcher manipulates a condition which is expected to produce a change in the subjects’ behavior† (Garrett, 2015, pg. 97). Researchers found that animal studies provide the best experimental evidence for social influences on cardiovascular disease. Researchers used cynomolgus monkeys and found that in a series of studies, social disruptions promoted coronary atherogenesis. This implicates that the sympathetic nervous system is behaviorally induced. Discuss how the study would be designed to verify the hypothesis Design of the study would need to involve the consideration of social influences on biological processes, experiments with animal and/or human subjects to explain and quantify these findings. Utilizing various age, social and economic groups to differentiate the studies. Studies would be centralized around how extreme environmental factors play a role in human behavior and the biological effects. Describe how the validity of the research will be ensured Comparison and citation of similar studies done on the hypothesis may help to further validate the research. Expanding research groups from a localized setting to a global setting would help to ensure that the research is covering a broader audience. Research groups would contain not only age, economic and social variations but geographical influences as well. Results from this broader variation of test subjects would help to ensure that there is no bias in the research findings. Discuss the necessary criteria to ensure the study will be conducted safely and ethically I do not believe that any of these particular experiments were conducted in an ethical fashion. In my opinion, using animals, rodents etc. should never be considered an ethical approach to science. Animals have similar sensory receptors and while they may not be able to verbally report pain like humans, they most certainly â€Å"sense† or feel the pain. This can be observed in an animal’s response to pain. While an animal may not be able to convey in spoken words to a researcher that they are in physical or emotional pain, they can create audible sounds and display muscular reflexes that clearly confirm their discomfort. There was an experiment that was conducted using rodents such as rats or mice, in order to determine whether animals such as mice or monkeys had the same effect that humans may have when it comes to the social and biological approach. Although, I strongly disagree that the use of animals is safe or ethically safe, â€Å"research states that animals pro vide among the best experiment evidence for social influences on autonomic function and cardiovascular disease† (Cacioppo Bernston, 1992, pg. 829). Therefore, some of the implications and findings from research that requires the use of animals may potentially be somewhat accurate due to the in-depth studies that have already been conducted. Conclusion Biological and social approaches and how they work in conjunction to display their effects on human behavior have been the topic of discussion amongst researchers and psychologist. As there is a dispute between psychologist and biologist on which approach is most effective, both approaches have shown to be sufficient techniques in defining human behavior. Science studies research groups and experiments have been conducted to show these approaches are part of a multilevel system of analysis. Although both approaches have traditionally been viewed as opposing techniques, research studies have proven that there are complimentary. References Cacioppo, J. T., Bernston, G. G., (1992). Social psychological contributions to the decade of the brain: The doctrine of multilevel analysis. American Psychologist. 47, 819-1028. Garrett, B. (2015).Brain and behavior: An introduction to biological psychology(4th Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Genesis Flood of the Christian Bible and the Flood of Gilgamesh :: Epic of Gilgamesh

The Flood of Noah and the Flood of Gilgamesh The Epic of Gilgamesh has been of interest to Christians ever since its discovery in the mid-nineteenth century in the ruins of the great library at Nineveh, with its account of a universal flood with significant parallels to the Flood of Noah's day.1, 2 The rest of the Epic, which dates back to possibly third millennium B.C., contains little of value for Christians, since it concerns typical polytheistic myths associated with the pagan peoples of the time. However, some Christians have studied the ideas of creation and the afterlife presented in the Epic. Even secular scholars have recognized the parallels between the Babylonian, Phoenician, and Hebrew accounts, although not all are willing to label the connections as anything more than shared mythology.3 There have been numerous flood stories identified from ancient sources scattered around the world.4 The stories that were discovered on cuneiform tablets, which comprise some of the earliest surviving writing, have obvious similarities. Cuneiform writing was invented by the Sumerians and carried on by the Akkadians. Babylonian and Assyrian are two dialects of the Akkadian, and both contain a flood account. While there are differences between the original Sumerian and later Babylonian and Assyrian flood accounts, many of the similarities are strikingly close to the Genesis flood account.5 The Babylonian account is the most intact, with only seven of 205 lines missing.6 It was also the first discovered, making it the most studied of the early flood accounts. The Epic of Gilgamesh is contained on twelve large tablets, and since the original discovery, it has been found on others, as well as having been translated into other early languages.7 The actual tablets date back to around 650 B.C. and are obviously not originals since fragments of the flood story have been found on tablets dated around 2,000 B.C.8 Linguistic experts believe that the story was composed well before 2,000 B.C. compiled from material that was much older than that date.9 The Sumerian cuneiform writing has been estimated to go as far back as 3,300 B.C.10 The Story The Epic was composed in the form of a poem. The main figure is Gilgamesh, who actually may have been an historical person. The Sumerian King List shows Gilgamesh in the first dynasty of Uruk reigning for 126 years.11 This length of time is not a problem when compared with the age of the pre-flood patriarchs of the Bible.

Start Up of New Fast Food Chain in India

Group 3 Member Debashish Das Pallavi Talwar Hari Das Gupta Pramod Balakrishnan Ans Since the maiden business venture would be the first business venture of the group, we would prefer to keep the funding internal. The business venture we would start is Indian Street food restaurant â€Å" Pao Khao† Executive Summary Pao Khao is a locally owned fast food outlet that will be positioned as an international franchise through our creative approach to the company's image and detail presentation. Pao Khao will provide a combination of excellent food at value pricing, with fun packaging and atmosphere. Pao Khao is the answer to an increasing demand for snack-type & Ethnic Indian food. In today's highly competitive environment, it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate one fast food outlet from another. Delhi NCR , has population of more than 2 million. Our main priority is to establish starting in Gurgaon , preferably close to one of prominent shopping malls in MG road. Later, our effort will be a further development of more retail outlets in the surrounding area. This plan is prepared to obtain a location for the initial launch of this concept. Additional financing will need to be secured for the two subsequent outlets, anticipated in month 13 and early in year three. The financing, in addition to the capital contributions from shareholders, will allow Pao Khao to successfully open and expand through year two. The initial capital investment will allow Pao Khao to provide its customers with a value-driven, entertaining experience through the creativity of its founders. Pao Khao will entice youngsters as well as working couple (DINK) to bring their friends and family with our innovative environment, fresh Indian Snack /Ethnic food . 1 Objectives †¢To establish a presence as a successful local fast food outlets and gain a market share in Delhi NCR Fastest growing fast food industry. †¢To make Pao Khao a destination spot for mall-goers, leisure & pleasure seekers 1. 2 Mission Our main goal is to be one of the most successful fast food outlets in Gurgaon, starting with one retail outlet located inside a major shopping mall as a â€Å"market tester. † Pao Khao will strive to be a premier local fast food brand in the local marketplace. We want our customers to have the total experience when visiting our outlet(s) and website as they will learn about this fascinating new â€Å"pop culture. † We will sell merchandise from pre-packaged chutney and t-shirts, to innovative combinations such as Idli Dhokla, all with our official brand attached to them. Our main focus will be serving high-quality food at a great value. 1. 3 Keys to Success To succeed in this business we must: †¢Create a unique, innovative, entertaining menu that will differentiate us from the rest of the competition. Control costs at all times, in all areas and implement a conservative approach to growth policy. Although, we provide more than enough fund to open more than one outlet, we want to be on the safe side of the business. †¢Sell the products that are of the highest quality, as well as keeping the customers happy with all of our product categories from food to store merchandising. †¢Provide 100% satisfaction to our customers and maintaining the level of excellent services among other competitors. Encourage the two most important values in fast food business: brand and image, as these two ingredients are a couple of main drivers in marketing communications. †¢Get access to high-traffic shopping malls near the target market. †¢Promote good values of company culture and business philosophy. 2. 1 Company Ownership Pao Khao is a privately held company. It will be registered as a Limited company, with ownership 25% – Hari Das Gupta, 25% – Pallavi, 25% – Pramod, 25% – Debashish 2. 2 Start-up Summary The retail outlet will be rented at one of the target location shopping malls. Our preference is Space A, for the main reason of reaching larger traffic. Startup requirements will be financed through owner investments. (all values in INR) a 2. 3 Company Locations and Facilities Pao Khao locations will range in size from 70~100 meter square and will seat from 15 – 25 guests. Our first location will be on the larger end of this range. The location will feature its own originality in merchandise display and other brand building attributes. We will equip the outlet with modern furniture and aim for cleanliness and an open feeling. We are currently looking at several possible sites in shopping malls along MG Road. The space selection will be chosen based upon the following criteria: †¢Community size: minimum of 10,00,000 people within a radius of 5 kilometers. †¢Office Areas and Tourist destination. †¢Easy access. †¢Large percentage of upwardly mobile upper middle class in the community. All of these qualities are consistent with Pao Khao goal of providing a top quality fast food experience. We want â€Å"word-of-mouth† to be our best form of marketing, where our customers value our brand as something exciting and cannot wait to tell their friends and neighbors. Pao Khao will directly compete with several fast food joints inside the chosen shopping mall, including Mac Donald, Pizza Hut and other but create niche for its ethnic Indian Flavour. Products We want to focus only on selling Indian Food. Alcoholic drinks will not be sold in our outlet, as Pao Khao promotes a healthy and positive Indian lifestyle. 3. 1 Product Description Pao Khao primarily ethnic Indian Street/Snack food †¢Chole Bature †¢Dahi Bhalla †¢Indian Thaali †¢Executive Thali †¢Rajmaa chawal or noodles.. (fusion) †¢Pao Bhaji †¢Dhokla etc 3. Competitive Comparison Pao Khao has several advantages over its leading competitors: †¢Unique â€Å"fusion† concept of Indian Food. †¢We expect a high degree of enthusiasm and offer a fun store with friendly staff, that reflects the company's youthful and energetic culture. †¢Supporting merchandise items that support the company's brand building. †¢Our innovative packaging will be more entertaining than our competitors †¢Direct relation with farmers to procure fresh vegetable and grains at lower prices. Core essential for successful business strategy would be 1. Indentifying appropriate and correct place for the first restaurant. 2. Quality of service and food , cleanliness 3. Commitment to customer and creating the right ambience 4. Chefs are key USP and need to have competency to develop this and also keep in mind attrition due to competition. 5. Marketing – Without proper marketing, howsoever a good idea can fail , hence marketing strategy is paramount importance Marketing has to be both ATL and BTL†¦Since we are promoting amidst fierce competition, we need to have aggressive marketing strategy which creates buzz in

Reasons Why People Use the Internet

What is the Internet, and how does it work? The Internet, including the World Wide Web, is perhaps the single most important invention to impact on elementary, secondary, and higher education in today's world. If parents are to understand how their children use technologies for learning, they must understand some things about the Internet and the Web. This section of the San Diego Public Library site offers information for parents on various aspects of this invention. What is the Internet? The Internet, in simplest terms, is the large group of millions of computers around the world that are all connected to one another. These computers are connected by phone lines, fiber optic lines, coaxial cable, satellites, and wireless connections. When you log on to the Internet you are given access to many of the other computers that are connected around the world. Internet A global network connecting millions of computers. More than 100 countries are linked into exchanges of data, news and opinions. Unlike online services, which are centrally controlled, the Internet is decentralized by design. Each Internet computer, called a host, is independent. Its operators can choose which Internet services to use and which local services to make available to the global Internet community. Remarkably, this anarchy by design works exceedingly well. There are a variety of ways to access the Internet. Most online services, such as America Online, offer access to some Internet services. It is also possible to gain access through a commercial Internet Service Provider (ISP). The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries a vast range of information resources and services, such as the inter-linked hypertext documents of the World Wide Web (WWW) and the infrastructure to support email. Top 10 Reasons People Use the Internet 1. Information – The Internet is arguably one of the most successful and useful tools mankind has ever created. It is, in fact, the largest library ever created, and is growing daily. Although you need to always be careful of your sources, the Internet is THE modern source of information, delivered in multiple media: written word, visual graphics and images, video, and audio have changed the way that we humans look for and find information. 2. Communication – People use the Internet to communicate with one another. Software has made it possible to stream voice and video across the world with minimal delay, and email has become the main means of communicating for many a modern person. Without the Internet, it would be both more expensive and slower to maintain personal and professional relationships. 3. Entertainment – Many people use the Internet to enjoy themselves and to engage in personal interests. In recent years, multiple player games and virtual worlds have engaged the time and money of many. Plus, video and music are easy to find, stream and download†¦plus, the medium encourages feedback! Indeed, Internet use can go too far. But how can you know if you’re addicted to the Internet? We list the criteria and signs of Internet addiction in the link above. 4. Work – The Internet provides an alternative to 9-5 workdays, as more and more people can work from home, or â€Å"telecommute†. Plus, a growing number of people are making a living from the Internet itself, wither becoming experts in how people search the Internet, providing IT or web development services, or specializing in Internet marketing. 5. School – More and more elementary, high school and university curricula require use of the Internet for school work. 6. Relationships – People use the Internet to find, maintain, or end relationships. But people can get addicted to social networks, too. More on how to know if you’re a Facebook addict here. 7. Market – People use the Internet to research, find and buy services and products. Or to target and sell to the ultimate consumer. In effect, the Internet has become THE best way to buy and sell merchandise, as online â€Å"stores† are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 8. Sexuality – Although it may surprise you, it’s no secret that a real majority of search is centered around porn. So, people [men] use the Internet to view pornography and to engage their sexual instinct. 9. Self expression – People not only consume information on the Internet, they CREATE it. And in doing so, people are able to express themselves politically, artistically, vocally, socially, etc. and give voice to what is important to them. The Internet is the ultimate forum on which you can discuss or monologue as you like. 10. Ask for help – The protocol for Internet use is one of private consumption without need for naming yourself. By virtue of the privacy and anonymity factor of cyber space, Some people use the Internet to ask for help. People ask for help in the form of emotional support, medical advice, or even simply listening. If you think that you may be an Internet addict, there is help out there for you. If you want to explore the deeper emotional and psychological issues for compulsive use of the Internet, first start by asking for help from your family doctor. S/He may refer you to a mental health specialist or center for technology addictions in your area. Or, if there are no specialists that live in your area, you might even consider videoconferencing, a form of distance psycho therapy that is starting to help people, no matter where you are. Whatever the case, you may need help to uncover the real reasons behind your reliance on the Internet, and to learn how to cut back and monitor Internet use for a healthy mind.