Research and Business Plan-based on my business idea Paper

And Business Plan-based on my business idea - Research Paper Example Actions done in the span of a few seconds may have great effect on someone else’s life. It is the driving factor in emergency cases. If immediate medical attention is not given particularly during life and death situations, a mishap could prove to be fatal. It is essential for a health care team to conduct necessary care and medical action to prevent the loss of life most especially during emergency situations. Much has been done to improve turnaround time in the medical field. Paramedics and emergency teams are well trained in ensuring swift and accurate handling of medical emergency cases. With this, the writers would like to introduce an innovation that would address challenges in establishing patient identity and medical history such that medical practitioners would no longer have to go through the motions of interviewing the patient or his companions/ relatives prior to implementing medical care. 911 Health Care Services Corporation is the driving force behind the 911 Eme rgency Health Care System, a product that aims to reduce the number of accidental deaths by providing instant medical history with just a scan of an eye. The objective of this product is to provide a secure product that will save lives without compromising identity. The management envisions eliminating the current turnaround time for administering emergency care services, and make patient identification as easy as it could be. The product will have a pilot launch in Massachusetts. Distribution will initially be limited to this state but management is looking at expanding to other cities and states, and eventually to other parts of the world. II. VALUE PROPOSITION Saving time and saving lives are the two value propositions of the product. 911 Emergency Health Care System aims to make patient identification quick and accurate, thereby resulting in fast and accurate administration of applicable drugs and health care. 911 Emergency Health Care System introduces the handheld retinal scan ning device to be used in recognizing patients. The device communicates with a software program where patient data is stored. Once a patient is scanned, the medical team handling the case may proceed updating the medical records to ensure that the next handling team will be supplied accurate medical information as well. The service provides physicians and patients with timely access to patient medical information to save lives. On the patient side, we want to assure him that with this device, his eyes will say it all – his identity, his medical needs and history. He would not have to worry about not being to divulge all information needed. This is important particularly in emergency situations, where the patient is alone or is unable to communicate due to his situation. On the medical team’s side, the scanning device will improve their response time for emergency situations. Giving appropriate medicine and health care is important, and they would not be able to do this without any patient background and information. III. PRODUCT FEATURES AND BENEFITS With 911 Emergency Health Care System, even patients with no identification papers will receive appropriate medical care. Other benefits of the product are as follows: Medical team will have easy access to the patient’s personal and medical information. They can also update the information accordingly. The product aims to reduce accidental deaths or health care errors The scanning device and software reduces paperwork

Traveling in the New Kingdom of Egypt Essay Example for Free

Traveling in the New Kingdom of Egypt Essay Life on the road to Thebes is hard for anyone, not the least for a foreigner from the land of Egypt’s former enemy. Not that it makes much difference if you have money. The poor walk; the rich take horses or camels. If you are walking along the roads and are suspected of being a foreigner, be prepared to be harassed. As for me, I am fortunate. I am neither poor, nor rich for I have some skills of value. These skills I would consider modest in comparison to the military conquests of other men which have defined most of my life. My name is Jakarob, the son of a stone mason from the land of Syria, but that land has long been abandoned by my family. The Hittite invasion swept away my father’s house. As a result, I received very little knowledge of stonemasonry and instead, survived by learning the art of languages such as Akkadian, Sumerian, and Egyptian. My knowledge of the surrounding regions, languages, and eventual journey into Egypt has made me a valuable asset to the court of Pharaoh Ahmose I. The caravan I ride with is apart of a group of professionals answering the request of the pharaoh; many of them have military expertise. These men are like me in ancestry. We are Semites who came across the Sinai into the land of Egypt seeking refuge in the land of Egypt from the Hittites. Our kings are referred to by the Egyptians as Hyksos, or â€Å"rulers of foreign lands† (Kishlansky, p. 22). We settled throughout the land of Egypt, taking up their customs, traditions, and assimilating into their culture. My father was among the first Semites to arrive in Egypt and settle. However, regardless of how assimilated our people have become in Egypt, we will never fully be accepted as Egyptian. To them we will always be foreigners. The most important innovation our people brought to the Egyptians was military technology, and hence the reason the caravan I am in consists of primarily military men. Before the Semites, the Egyptians had an army which was not very mobile. We introduced the chariot, along with a variety of tactics associated with using the chariot in combat. Then around 1552 B. C. E. , Ahmose I was able to expel the Hyksos and begin again the reign of Egyptian pharaohs (p. 23). Now it seems that no matter what Ahmose does, he will never get rid of his need for Semite military expertise, not to mention translators like myself. The chariot has become a symbol of Egyptian power, and in order for them to continue dominating local dissenters, the pharaoh must rely on our knowledge of chariot methods and tactics. Personally I have no qualms with helping the pharaoh build his base of power. Life under the Egyptians is much more preferable to life under the Hittites. Before coming to Egypt, my family spent a number of years fleeing the Hittites in Babylon and southern Mesopotamia. In this region I learned how to use the character system of writing of â€Å"cuneiform† and the language of Akkadian (p. 14). With this knowledge I was also able to learn how to write characters in my native tongue of Sumerian. The reason for this similarity I learned was that â€Å"for over a thousand years, scribes used the same symbols to write not only in Sumerian but also in the other languages of Mesopotamia, such as Akkadian, Babylonian, and Persian† (p. 15). Thus, culturally the peoples of Mesopotamia and Egypt share a common link in their system of languages. In contrast, the Hittites do not share in this cultural similarity. Instead, they originate from the Indo-European people with writing traditions vastly different than the cuneiform system. At one time, part of the Hittites’ land was of the Akkadian Empire under King Sargon and the Hittite influence was minimal (p. 16). Alas, that time has long since past, as well as the later period in which the Babylonian Hammurabi ruled his strong empire and prevented the Hittites from forming theirs. Over a period of time, Hammurabi’s successors were unable to deter the rise of the Hittites, and Babylon was overrun. Now on the road to Thebes, the threat of Hittite invasion is very far away. The Sinai desert protects Egypt from incursions by Hittite chariots. Egypt is a land of great wonder and ancient power, for the reign of the pharaohs has stretched back for generations. The source of Egyptian power comes from multiple sources, including religious authority, strong government bureaucracy, and the magnificent pyramids. Each of these pillars of Egyptian strength supports the other. King Zoser, â€Å"the founder of the Old Kingdom who built the first of the pyramid temples, the Step Pyramid at Sakkara,† could not have done so without an efficient bureaucracy and religious legitimacy (p. 21). Likewise, the pyramids reinforce a pharaoh’s power and religious significance, for the pyramids is the resting place for pharaohs in the afterlife. In other words, â€Å"the pyramids strengthen the image of the living king by honoring the physical remains of his predecessors† (p. 21). This focus on the afterlife is partially the reason for their early downfall. As I make each step closer to Thebes, I think about how the focus of Ahmose I have changed since his predecessors. Men from a multitude of backgrounds can contribute to the pharaoh’s court, even peasants (p. 22). I have no doubt my contribution will expand its power and that the second rise of Egypt’s power has just begun.

Frank Gehry Essay -- Biography Biographical Essays

Frank Gehry Quote â€Å"When everybody else is ready for the ending, I’m just ready to begin,† Frank Gehry once wrote. â€Å"It’s been the story of my life† (qtd. in Templer, 1999, pp.1) Laying the Foundation Born on 28 February 1929 in Toronto, Canada, Frank O. Goldberg entered a household with a strong Polish and Jewish heritage. Twenty years earlier, Thelma Caplanski left Poland with her parents, a couple with deep religious morals. Once they settled in Toronto, the two decided to change their last name to Caplan. The owner of a hardware store, her father was also the president of a synagogue. His wife, Frank’s grandmother, was said to have good visual abilities. Thelma would continue working with the Jewish community through a Yiddish theater and the Jewish Women’s Organization as she raised Frank. Like several of Howard Gardner’s figures, Frank was close with his mother and grandmother. Frank’s father, Irving Goldberg was born to Polish immigrants in Brooklyn, New York. He lived a hard life and had to work as a kid after his father died when he was 11. Since Irving liked to fight on the streets for money, Frank would learn these skills at a later age. Frank would later be a boxer and participated in full contact karate. When Irving moved to Canada as he moved from job to job, he met Thelma and they ultimately got married. A good student, Frank went to a Hebrew school and his best subject was math; he even spoke Yiddish (Hines, 1986). In later years, his French schooling would give him an advantage while he worked in Europe (Hines, 1986; Templer, 1999). For seven years, he worked in his grandfather’s hardware store where he began to notice the variety of supplies th... ...tions, Inc. Kandela, P. (2001). The buildings of Frank Gehry. The Lancet, 358, 677-678. Levene, R. C., et al. Frank Gehry 1991-1995. El Croquis, 74/75, 5. Temko, Allan. (1993). No Way to Build a Ballpark: and Other Irreverent Essays on Architecture. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. Templer, K. (1999, October 5). Frank Gehry. People. http://www.salon.com/people/bc/1999/10/05/gehry/print.html (2001 November 14). Frank Gehry: Architect. Guggenheim Museum. http://www.guggenheim.org/exhibitions/gehry/biography.html (2001 November 14). Frank Gehry:Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate 1989. Complete List of Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureates 1979 – 2001 http://www.pritzkerprize.com/gehry.htm Picture Web Links: http://www.pritzkerprize.com/gehry/gehrypg.htm http://www.guggenheim.org/exhibitions/gehry/ http://www.frank-gehry.com/projects.htm

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 1~3

PART ONE The Phoenix 1 The Cannibal Tree Tucker Case awoke to find himself hanging from a breadfruit tree by a coconut fiber rope. He was suspended facedown about six feet above the sand in some sort of harness, his hands and feet tied together in front of him. He lifted his head and strained to look around. He could see a white sand beach fringed with coconut palms, a coconut husk fire, a palm frond hut, a path of white coral gravel that led into a jungle. Completing the panorama was the grinning brown face of an ancient native. The native reached up with a clawlike hand and pinched Tucker's cheek. Tucker screamed. â€Å"Yum,† the native said. â€Å"Who are you?† Tucker asked. â€Å"Where am I? Where's the navigator?† The native just grinned. His eyes were yellow, his hair a wild tangle of curl and bird feathers, and his teeth were black and had been filed to points. He looked like a potbellied skeleton upholstered in distressed leather. Puckered pink scars decorated his skin; a series of small scars on his chest described the shape of a shark. His only clothing was a loincloth woven from some sort of plant fiber. Tucked in the waist cord was a vicious-looking bush knife. The native patted Tucker's cheek with an ashy callused palm, then turned and walked away, leaving him hanging. â€Å"Wait!† Tucker shouted. â€Å"Let me down. I have money. I can pay you.† The native ambled down the path without looking back. Tucker struggled against the harness, but only managed to put himself into a slow spin. As he turned, he caught sight of the navigator, hanging uncon scious a few feet away. â€Å"Hey, you alive?† The navigator didn't stir, but Tucker could see that he was breathing. â€Å"Hey, Kimi, wake up!† Still no reaction. He strained against the rope around his wrists, but the bonds only seemed to tighten. After a few minutes, he gave up, exhausted. He rested and looked around for something to give this bizarre scene some meaning. Why had the native hung them in a tree? He caught movement in his peripheral vision and turned to see a large brown crab struggling at the end of a string tied to a nearby branch. There was his answer: They were hung in the tree, like the crab, to keep them fresh until they were ready to be eaten. Tucker shuddered, imagining the native's black teeth closing on his shin. He tried to focus on a way to escape before the native returned, but his mind kept diving into a sea of regrets and second guesses, looking for the exact place where the world had turned on him and put him in the cannibal tree. Like most of the big missteps he had taken in his life, it had started in a bar. The Seattle Airport Holiday Inn lounge was all hunter green, brass rails, and oak veneer. Remove the bar and it looked like Macy's men's depart-ment. It was one in the morning and the bartender, a stout, middle-aged Hispanic woman, was polishing glasses and waiting for her last three customers to leave so she could go home. At the end of a bar a young wo-man in a short skirt and too much makeup sat alone. Tucker Case sat next to a businessman several stools down. â€Å"Lemmings,† the businessman said. â€Å"Lemmings?† asked Tucker. They were drunk. The businessman was heavy, in his late fifties, and wore a charcoal gray suit. Broken veins glowed on his nose and cheeks. â€Å"Most people are lemmings,† the businessman continued. â€Å"That's why they fail. They behave like suicidal rodents.† â€Å"But you're a higher level of rodent?† Tucker Case said with a smart-ass grin. He was thirty, just under six foot, with neatly trimmed blond hair and blue eyes. He wore navy slacks, sneakers, and a white shirt with blue-and-gold epaulets. His captain's hat sat on the bar next to a gin and tonic. He was more interested in the girl at the end of the bar than in the businessman's conversation, but he didn't know how to move without being obvious. â€Å"No, but I've kept my lemming behavior limited to my personal relationships. Three wives.† The businessman waved a swizzle stick under Tucker's nose. â€Å"Success in America doesn't require any special talent or any kind of extra effort. You just have to be consistent and not fuck up. That's how most people fail. They can't stand the pressure of getting what they want, so when they see that they are getting close, they engineer some sort of fuckup to undermine their success.† The lemming litany was making Tucker uncomfortable. He'd been on a roll for the last four years, going from bartending to flying corporate jets. He said, â€Å"Maybe some people just don't know what they want. Maybe they only look like lemmings.† â€Å"Everyone knows what they want. You know what you want, don't you?† â€Å"Sure, I know,† Tucker said. What he wanted right now was to get out of this conversation and get to know the girl at the end of the bar before closing time. She'd been staring at him for five minutes. â€Å"What?† The businessman wanted an answer. He waited. â€Å"I just want to keep doing what I'm doing. I'm happy.† The businessman shook his head. â€Å"I'm sorry, son, but I don't buy it. You're going over the cliff with the rest of the lemmings.† â€Å"You should be a motivational speaker,† Tuck said, his attention drawn by the girl, who was getting up, putting money on the bar, picking up her cigarettes, and putting them into her purse. She said, â€Å"I know what I want.† The businessman turned and gave his best avuncular-horndog smile. â€Å"And what's that, sweetheart?† She walked up to Tucker and pressed her breasts against his shoulder. She had brown hair that fell in curls to her shoulders, blue eyes, and a nose that was a tad crooked, but not horribly so. Up close she didn't even look old enough to drink. Heavy makeup had aged her at a distance. Looking the businessman in the eye, as if she didn't notice Tucker at all, she said, â€Å"I want to join the mile-high club, and I want to join it tonight. Can you help me?† The businessman looked at Tucker's captain's hat on the bar, then back at the girl. Slowly, defeated, he shook his head. She pressed harder against Tucker's shoulder. â€Å"How about you?† Tucker grinned at the businessman and shrugged by way of apology. â€Å"I just want to keep doing what I'm doing.† The girl put on his captain's hat and pulled him off of the barstool. He dug into his pocket for money as she dragged him toward the exit. The businessman raised a hand. â€Å"No, I've got the drinks, son. You just remember what I said.† â€Å"Thanks,† Tuck said. Outside in the lobby the girl said, â€Å"My name's Meadow.† She kept her eyes forward as she walked, taking curt marching steps as if she was leading him on an antiterrorist mission instead of seducing him. â€Å"Pretty name,† Tucker said. â€Å"I'm Tucker Case. People call me Tuck.† She still didn't look up. â€Å"Do you have a plane, Tuck?† â€Å"I've got access to one.† He smiled. This was great. Great! â€Å"Good. You get me into the mile-high club tonight and I won't charge you. I've always wanted to do it in a plane.† Tucker stopped. â€Å"You're a†¦I mean, you do this for†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She stopped and turned to look him in the eye for the first time. â€Å"You're kind of a geek, aren't you?† â€Å"Thank you. I find you incredibly attractive too.† Actually, he did. â€Å"No, you're attractive. I mean, you look fine. But I thought a pilot would have a little more on the ball.† â€Å"Is this part of that mistress-humiliation-handcuff stuff?† â€Å"No, that's extra. I'm just making conversation.† â€Å"Oh, I see.† He was beginning to have second thoughts. He had to fly to Houston in the morning, and he really should get some sleep. Still, this would make a great story to tell the guys back at the hangar – if he left out the part about him being a suicidal rodent and her being a prostitute. But he could tell the story without really doing it, couldn't he? He said, â€Å"I probably shouldn't fly. I'm a little drunk.† â€Å"Then you won't mind if I go back to the bar and grab your friend? I might as well make some money.† â€Å"It could be dangerous.† â€Å"That's the point, isn't it?† She smiled. â€Å"No, I mean really dangerous.† â€Å"I have condoms.† Tucker shrugged. â€Å"I'll get a cab.† Ten minutes later they were heading across the wet tarmac toward a group of corporate jets. â€Å"It's pink!† â€Å"Yeah, so?† â€Å"You fly a pink jet?† As Tuck opened the hatch and lowered the steps, he had the sinking feeling that maybe the businessman at the bar had been right. 2 I Thought This Was a Nonsmoking Flight Most jets (especially those unburdened by the weight of passengers or fuel) have a glide rate that is quite acceptable for landing without power. But Tucker has made an error in judgment caused by seven gin and tonics and the distraction of Meadow straddling him in the pilot seat. He thinks, per-haps, that he should have said something when the fuel light first went on, but Meadow had already climbed into the saddle and he didn't want to seem inattentive. Now the glide path is too steep, the runway a little too far. He uses a little body English in pulling back on the steering yoke, which Meadow takes for enthusiasm. Tucker brings the pink Gulfstream jet into SeaTac a little low, tearing off the rear landing gear on a radar antenna a second before impact with the runway, which sends Meadow over the steering yoke to bounce off the windscreen and land unconscious across the instrument panel. The jet's wings flap once – a dying flamingo trying to free itself from a tar pit – and rip off in a shriek of sparks, flame, and black smoke, then spin back into the air before beating themselves to pieces on the runway. Tucker, strapped into the pilot's seat, lets loose a prolonged scream that pushes the sound of tearing metal out of his head. The wingless Gulfstream slides down the runway like hell's own bobsled, leaving a wake of greasy smoke and aluminum confetti. Firemen and paramedics scramble into their vehicles and pull out onto the runway in pursuit of it. In a moment of analytical detachment, one of the firemen turns to a companion and says, â€Å"There's not enough fire. He must have been flying on fumes.† Tucker sees the end of the runway coming up, an array of an tennae, some spiffy blue lights, a chain-link fence, and a grassy open field where what's left of the Gulfstream will fragment into pink shrapnel. He realizes that he's looking at his own death and screams the words â€Å"Oh, fuck!†, meeting the FAA's official requirement for last words to be retrieved from the charred black box. Suddenly, as if someone has hit a cosmic pause button, the cockpit goes quiet. Movement stops. A man's voice says, â€Å"Is this how you want to go?† Tucker turns toward the voice. A dark man in a gray flight suit sits in the copilot's seat, waiting for an answer. Tuck can't seem to see his face, even though they are facing each other. â€Å"Well?† â€Å"No,† Tucker answers. â€Å"It'll cost you,† the pilot says. Then he's gone. The copilot's seat is empty and the roar of tortured metal fills the cabin. Before Tucker can form the words â€Å"What the hell?† in his mind, the wingless jet crashes through the antenna, the spiffy blue lights, the chain-link fence, and into the field, soggy from thirty consecutive days of Seattle rain. The mud caresses the fuselage, dampens the sparks and flames, clings and cloys and slows the jet to a steaming stop. Tuck hears metal crackle as it settles, sirens, the friendly chime of the FASTEN SEAT BELTS sign turning off. Welcome to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The local time is 2:00A.M., the outside temperature is 63 degrees, there is a semiconscious hooker gurgling at your feet. The cabin fills with black smoke from fried wires and vaporized hydraulic fluid. One breath burns down his windpipe like drain cleaner, telling Tucker that a second breath may kill him. He unfastens the harness and reaches into the dark for Meadow, connecting with her lace camisole, which comes away in shreds in his hands. He stands, bends over, wraps an arm around her waist, and picks her up. She's light, maybe a hundred pounds, but Tucker has forgotten to pull up his pants and Jockey shorts, which cuff his ankles. He teeters and falls backward onto the control console between the pilot seats. Jutting from the console is the flap actuator lever, a foot-long strip of steel topped by a plastic arrowheadlike tip. The tip catches Tuck in the rear of the scrotum. His and Meadow's combined weight drive him down on the lever, which tears though his scrotum, runs up inside the length of his penis, and emerges in a spray of blood. There are no words for the pain. No breath, no thought. Just deafening white and red noise. Tucker feels himself passing out and welcomes it. He drops Meadow, but she is conscious enough to hold on to his neck, and as she falls she pulls him off the lever, which reams its way back through him again. Without realizing it, he is standing, breathing. His lungs are on fire. He has to get out. He throws an arm around Meadow and drags her three feet to the hatch. He releases the hatch and it swings down, half open. It's de-signed to function as a stairway to the ground, designed for a plane that is standing on landing gear. Gloved hands reach into the opening and start pulling at it. â€Å"We're going to get you out of there,† a fireman says. The hatch comes open with a shriek. Tuck sees blue and red flashing lights illuminating raindrops against a black sky, making it appear as if it is raining fire. He takes a single breath of fresh air, says, â€Å"I've torn off my dick,† and falls forward. 3 And You Lost Your Frequent Flyer Miles As with most things in his life, Tucker Case was wrong about the extent of his injuries. As they wheeled him though the emergency room, he con-tinued to chant, â€Å"I've torn off my dick! I've torn off my dick!† into his oxygen mask until a masked physician appeared at his side. â€Å"Mr. Case, you have not torn off your penis. You've damaged some major blood vessels and some of the erectal tissue. And you've also severed the tendon that runs from the tip of the penis to the base of the brain.† The doctor, a woman, pulled down her mask long enough to show Tucker a grin. â€Å"You should be fine. We're taking you into surgery now.† â€Å"What about the girl?† â€Å"She's got a mild concussion and some bruises, but she'll be okay. She'll probably go home in a few hours.† ‘That's good. Doc, will I be able to? I mean, will I ever†¦?† â€Å"Be still, Mr. Case. I want you to count backward from one hundred.† â€Å"Is there a reason for that – for the counting?† â€Å"You can say the Pledge of Allegiance if you want.† â€Å"But I can't stand up.† â€Å"Just count, smart-ass.† When Tucker came to, through the fog of anesthesia he saw a picture of himself superimposed over a burning pink jet. Looking down on the scene was the horrified face of the matriarch of pyramid makeup sales, Mary Jean Dobbins – Mary Jean to the world. Then the picture was gone, replaced by a rugged male face and perfect smile. â€Å"Tuck, you're famous. You made the Enquirer.† The voice of Jake Skye, Tuck's only male friend and premier jet mechanic for Mary Jean. â€Å"You crashed just in time to make the latest edition.† â€Å"My dick?† Tuck said, struggling to sit up. There was what appeared to be a plaster ostrich egg sitting on his lap. A tube ran out the middle of it. Jake Skye, tall, dark, and unkempt – half Apache, half truck stop waitress – said, â€Å"That's going to smart. But the doc says you'll play the violin again.† Jake sat in a chair next to Tuck's bed and opened the tabloid. â€Å"Look at this. Oprah's skinny again. Carrots, grapefruit, and amphetamines.† â€Å"Tucker Case moaned. â€Å"What about the girl? What was her name?† â€Å"Meadow Malackovitch,† Jake said, looking at the paper. â€Å"Wow, Oprah's fucking Elvis. You got to give that woman credit. She stays busy. By the way, they're going to move you to Houston. Mary Jean wants you where she can keep an eye on you.† â€Å"The girl, Jake?† Jake looked up from the paper. â€Å"You don't want to know.† â€Å"They said she was going to be okay. Is she dead?† â€Å"Worse. Pissed off. And speaking of pissed off, there's some FAA guys outside who are waiting to talk to you, but the doctor wouldn't let them in. And I'm supposed to call Mary Jean as soon as you're coherent. I'd ad-vise against that – becoming coherent, I mean. And then there's a whole bunch of reporters. The nurses are keeping them all out.† â€Å"How'd you get in?† â€Å"I'm your only living relative.† â€Å"My mother will be pleased to hear that.† â€Å"Brother, your mother doesn't even want to claim you. You totally fucked the dog on this one.† â€Å"I'm fired, then?† â€Å"Count on it. In fact, I'd say you'd be lucky to get a license to operate a riding lawnmower.† â€Å"I don't know how to do anything but fly. One bad landing?† â€Å"No, Tuck, a bad landing is when the overheads pop open and dump people's gym bags. You crashed. If it makes you feel any better, with the Gulfstream gone I'm not going to have any work for at least six months. They may not even get another jet.† â€Å"Is the FAA filing charges?† Jake Skye looked at his paper to avoid Tuck's eyes. â€Å"Look, man, do you want me to lie to you? I came up here because I thought you'd rather hear it from me. You were drinking. You wrecked a million dollars' worth of SeaTac's equipment in addition to the plane. You're lucky you're not dead.† â€Å"Jake, look at me.† Jake dropped the paper to his lap and sighed. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Am I going to jail?† â€Å"I've got to go, man.† Jake stood. â€Å"You heal up.† He turned to leave the room. â€Å"Jake!† Jake Skye stopped and looked over his shoulder. Tucker could see the disappointment in his friend's eyes. â€Å"What were you thinking?† Jake said. â€Å"She talked me into it. I knew it wasn't a good idea, but she was persistent.† Jake came to the side of the bed and leaned in close. â€Å"Tucker, what's it take for you to get it? Listen close now, buddy, because this is your last lesson, okay? I'm out of a job because of you. You've got to make your own decisions. You can't let someone else always tell you what to do. You have to take some responsibility.† â€Å"I can't believe I'm hearing this from you. You're the one who got me into this business.† â€Å"Exactly. You're thirty years old, man. You have to start thinking for yourself. And with your head, not your dick.† Tucker looked at the bandages in his lap. â€Å"I'm sorry. It all got out of hand. It was like flying on autopilot. I didn't mean to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Time to take the controls, buddy.† â€Å"Jake, something weird happened during the crash. I'm not sure if it was a hallucination or what. There was someone else in the cockpit.† â€Å"You mean besides the whore?† â€Å"Yeah, just for a second, there was a guy in the copilot seat. He talked to me. Then he disappeared.† Jake sighed. â€Å"There's no insanity plea for crashing a plane, Tuck. You lost a lot of blood.† â€Å"This was before I got hurt. While the plane was still skidding.† â€Å"Here.† Jake tucked a silver flask under Tuck's pillow and punched him in the shoulder. â€Å"I'll call you, man.† He turned and walked away. Tuck called after him, â€Å"What if it was an angel or something?† â€Å"Then you're in the Enquirer next week too,† Jake said from the door. â€Å"Get some sleep.†

Linguistic Diversity Essay

All children deserve an early childhood program or education that recognizes and respects their family, community, and linguistic diversity. In this nation, there are children of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds. â€Å"For young children to develop and learn optimally, the early childhood professional must be prepared to meet their diverse developmental, cultural, linguistic, and educational needs. Early childhood educators face the challenge of how best to respond to these needs. † (NAEYC, 1991) With that conveyed, I of course, believe that providing a child with quality linguistic diverse classrooms will allow them to grow and learn in a more successful way. Therefore, in this thesis, I will discuss the importance of having family and cultural involvement in language acquisition, formal English in the early childhood classroom and last but not least immersion programs. Let us first define what linguistic miscellany is. â€Å"Linguistically and culturally diverse is an educational term used by the U. S. Department of Education to define children enrolled in educational programs who are either non-English-proficient (NEP) or limited-English-proficient (LEP). Educators use this phrase, linguistically and culturally diverse, to identify children from homes and communities where English is not the primary language of communication. † (Garcia 1991). First learning the families and cultural involvement in language acquisition is essential. In this day and time, one must respect the issue of language in the child’s home. I have come to find in my experience with home visits and conferences that different cultures have different ways of communicating. Research has shown that the substance of family framework in verbal communication achievement is significant as to the â€Å"talkativeness in families in influencing language acquisition rather than the family’s socioeconomic status or ethnic group identity. Differences in language use were attributed to the complex family culture—not simply due to socioeconomic status or ethnic group identity. † (Otto, 2010)Just as your families, have rules for the household as to when children talk and when adults talk, so do other cultures. In some cultures or ethnic background, children are not allowed to talk unless they are spoken too. They are pretty much seen and not heard to an extend. Other cultures I have found that the child is allowed to say no matter how respectful or disrespectful it may be. However, the research has showed that children who are allowed to talk more have been found to score higher in language skills such as vocabulary growth and use. Therefore, these children tend to be more social and successful in all areas of development. Our text states there are five quality features in parents’ language interaction with their children that we can look at to help access them: †¢ Language diversity: the variation and amount of nouns and modifiers used by the parents, †¢ Feedback tone: the positive feedback given to children’s participation in the interaction, †¢ Symbolic emphasis: the emphasis placed on focusing on names and associated relations of the concepts and the recall of those symbols, †¢ Guidance style: parental interaction that used asking rather than demanding in eliciting specific behavior from the child and, †¢ Responsiveness: parental responsiveness to requests or questions initiated by children. (Otto, 2010) All these qualities can help you find the best way to build with the families and child’s language skills. In looking at the qualities of communication with children, we also need to look at the educational activities in the classroom. Instruction activities in the classroom should involve specific types of communication and relations. When teachers are looking at formal English, â€Å"they must remember that the second language must first target language in oral conversational form prior to being able to effectively acquire the academic register and written form used educational setting. † (Otto, 2010) Three approaches that involve precise language competencies related to formal English and academic register. They are: †¢ Cognitive includes written and hands on resources. The strategy must include the procedure that uses the cognitive processes. †¢ Metacognitive includes resources that evaluate their success. Once a child begins to reflect on their own learning, they can then begin to notice how they learn, how others learn and how they might amend how they learn to become more successful. This process may include organizing or planning, managing, monitoring, and then evaluating their learning process. †¢ Social-affective would be a teamwork activity with peers. It can include asking questions to simplify information or self-talking with positive statements. Formal English in the classroom becomes essential in learning especially when moving into higher grades in both verbal and written communication. Finally yet importantly, we need to look at immersion programs. In immersion programs, the intended language is used to instruct regular educational topics such as math and science. Students are then expected to achieve the same standards in these subjects as students learning through the medium of their first language. Immersion programs have goals that include: †¢ â€Å"advanced levels of functional proficiency in second language reading, writing, speaking and listening comprehension; †¢ age-appropriate levels of home language competence; †¢ grade-appropriate levels of academic achievement in non-language subjects, such as mathematics; and †¢ an understanding and appreciation of the culture of the target language group. † (LIC, 2008) Teachers in positions that include immersion programs should be fluent in both the language being taught and their first language. Success rates are immense in the United States and continue to sore in the classrooms. Providing opportunities to build language skills is essential in today’s society. We have so many different ethnical and cultural backgrounds. Each language brings a unique and imperative characteristic. We must continue to improve our language skills in ourselves and in the classroom. We do want all students to be victorious and achieve their goals at the highest level possible. I believe it would be a mind-numbing world if we did not have the diversity in this great country of ours. In review, this thesis looked at how family and cultural involvement in language acquisition is important. Formal English in the classroom is essential for a student to reach their highest goal to the fullest and with immersion programs; students can still be unique and successful at the same time. References Hakuta, K. , & E. Garcia. 1989. Bilingualism and education. American Psychologist 44 (2): 374–79. Language Immersion Centre (LIC) 2008 Retrieved from: http://www. kke. ee/index. php? lang=eng&menus_ID=1&pages_ID=1&mark=0 National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE). 1991. Retrieved from: http://www. naeyc. org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSDIV98. PDF Otto, B. (2010). Language development in early childhood (3rd ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Schitzoid personality essays

Schitzoid personality essays Schizophrenia is a mental disease that effects over 1 percent of the population. It can occur at any age but most commonly happens between 16-30. It leaves the patient confused in a chaotic state of mind with multiple debilitating mental confusion. The first of them being delusions, the patient is convinced that people around them can read their minds, and that they can read other peoples (British Journal of Psychology, 625). The patient then begins to believe that the people around them are plotting against them and are out to get them. Not only does the disease effect the patient mentally though, but also it starts to effect their physical sensations. The patients cant interpret incoming sensations and cant control their physical emotions, this effects the patients common sense of what to do in every day situations. For example when a person with normal mental health receives a gift their natural reaction would be to thank the person who gave it to them. A schizophrenic person wou ld become confused and be unable to react and cope with the situation. The patient begins to get an altered sense of themselves and have an extremely hard time functioning in every day life. They start to believe they can control other peoples thoughts. They usually start to become violent because they get so confused with the thoughts of plots against them they believe they are defending themselves. A person who is diagnosed with a schizoid personality is basically on the way to having schizophrenia. It is considered a stage to the disease. The causes of each of the diseases are the same, and most of them are physical abnormalities of the brain. In over hundreds of studies on schizophrenia and similar mental conditions doctors have found some similar abnormalities in the brains of the patients. The first being enlarged ventricles in the brain (British Journal of Psychology, 697). The second be ...

Patron and Matron

Patron and Matron Patron and Matron Patron and Matron By Mark Nichol As Latin scholars may recognize, patron and matron are cognate with the Latin words for â€Å"mother† and â€Å"father.† However, their senses, and those of inflectional forms of these words, extend beyond the immediately family. Patron, which means â€Å"sponsor† or â€Å"supporter,† ultimately derives from the Latin term pater, meaning â€Å"father,† but the senses of its intermediate form, patronus, are â€Å"bestower,† â€Å"lord,† and â€Å"master† as well as â€Å"model† and â€Å"pattern.† (Pattern, as a matter of fact, stems from patron, the identical French forebear of the English word.) Because of the diversity of definitions, a patron can be a wealthy philanthropist who supports an artistic endeavor or a social cause or a mere customer of a business establishment. The similar-looking term patroon, a Dutch variation on the French word, denotes in historical American English usage a landholder in Dutch colonial territories in what is now the northeastern United States. Patronage applies in either sense to the act of being a patron. Likewise, patronize has a dual meaning: In its positive connotation, it simply describes being a customer, but it also has the pejorative sense of â€Å"condescend,† or â€Å"look down on,† from the notion of a person of higher social status arrogantly regarding someone of supposedly inferior standing. Two words that contain the letter sequence seen in patron but are descended directly from pater are patronym (literally, â€Å"father’s name†) and patronymic (literally, â€Å"from the father’s name†); the latter is both a noun and an adjective. Matron, from the Latin word mater by way of matron, meaning â€Å"married woman,† also has modern senses that deviate from its familial origins: The word now signifies a woman with a mature demeanor and high social status, though the adjective matronly derogatorily suggests someone of a certain age and a certain bulk. In a wedding party, however, a married maid of honor is called a matron of honor regardless of age or size. Historically, a female supervisor in a public institution such as a prison or a school was called a matron, and in animal husbandry, a matron is the female equivalent of a stud. Matronym and matronymic are the female equivalents of patronym and patronymic. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Slang Terms for MoneyHyper and Hypo7 Sound Techniques for Effective Writing

4 Criminals Prosecuted During the American Civil War

4 Criminals Prosecuted During the American Civil War The conditions that captured Union soldiers endured at the Confederacy’s Andersonville Prison were horrific. During the 18 months that the prison was in operation, nearly 13,000 Union soldiers died from malnutrition, disease, and exposure to the elements due to inhumane treatment by Andersonville’s Commander Henry Wirz.  So it really should come as no surprise that his prosecution for war crimes after the South’s surrender is the most well-known trial resulting from the Civil War.  But it is not as commonly known that there were almost one thousand other military prosecutions of Confederates. Many of these were due to the mistreatment of captured Union soldiers. Henry Wirz Henry Wirz took command of Andersonville Prison on March 27, 1864, about one month after the first prisoners arrived there.  One of Wirz’s first acts was to create an area called the dead-line fence, designed to increase security by keeping prisoners away from the stockade wall. Any prisoner who crossed the â€Å"dead-line† was subject to being shot by the prison guards.  During Wirzs reign as commander, he used threats to keep prisoners in line. When threats didn’t appear to work, Wirz ordered sentries to shoot prisoners.  In May 1865, Wirz was arrested at Andersonville and transported to Washington, D.C. to await trial.  Wirz was tried for conspiring to injure and/or kill captured soldiers by improperly denying them access to food, medical supplies, and clothing. He was also charged with murder for personally executing a number of prisoners. Approximately 150 witnesses testified against Wirz at his military trial, which lasted from August 23 to October 18, 1865.  After being found guilty of all charges against him, Wirz was sentenced to death and hanged on November 10, 1865. James Duncan James Duncan was another officer from Andersonville Prison who was also arrested.  Duncan, who had been assigned to the quartermasters office, was convicted of manslaughter for intentionally withholding food from the prisoners.  He was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor but escaped after serving only one year of his sentence. Champ Ferguson At the onset of the Civil War, Champ Ferguson was a farmer in Eastern Tennessee. This areas population was fairly equally divided between supporting the Union and the Confederacy.  Ferguson organized a guerilla company that attacked and killed Union sympathizers.  Ferguson also acted as a scout for Colonel John Hunt Morgans Kentucky cavalry, and Morgan promoted Ferguson to the rank of Captain of Partisan Rangers.  The Confederate Congress passed a measure called the Partisan Ranger Act which allowed for the recruitment of irregulars into service.  It should be noted that due to a lack of discipline amongst Partisan Rangers, General Robert E. Lee called for the repeal of the Act by the Confederate Congress in February 1864.  After a trial before a military tribunal, Ferguson was convicted of killing more than 50 captured Union soldiers. He was executed by hanging in October 1865. Robert Kennedy Robert Kennedy was a Confederate officer who had been captured by Union forces and was imprisoned at Johnson’s Island Military Prison. The prison was located in Sandusky Bay, which is on the Lake Erie coast just a few miles from Sandusky, Ohio.  Kennedy escaped from Johnson’s Island in October 1864, making his way into Canada - which maintained neutrality towards both sides.  Kennedy met up with several Confederate officers who were using Canada as a launching  pad to conduct war acts against the Union. He participated in a plot to start fires at numerous hotels, as well as at a museum and a theatre in New York City, with the intent to overwhelm local authorities.  All the fires were either put out quickly or failed to do any damage.  Kennedy was the only one who was captured.  After a trial before a military tribunal, Kennedy was executed by hanging in March 1865.

Computer Sciences and Information Technology Essay

Computer Sciences and Information Technology - Essay Example On the other hand, web applications like Google Docs and its updates are always available to the users free of cost. However, web applications lack security which means for doing highly confidential work, application software is always better than web applications. Moreover, web based applications are shared by a number of users and therefore the system loading speeds at a particular moment may depend on the number of users at that moment. Web applications require internet connection and it is impossible to work on web applications while internet connection problems are there. On the other hand, normal software may not have such problems loading speed problems or internet connection problems. I recommend normal software to my company since normal software provides more flexibility to the users and it is difficult for a company to rely fully on web applications for executing its functions because of the safety, loading speed and internet related problems. 2. Mac vs. PC. Mac computers start always faster than PC’s and it opens the files faster than PC’s. Web pages also open faster in Mac computers than in PC’s. Mac computer make use of Motorola processors which are superior in performance than the Intel processors used in the PC’s. ... p publishing works, Mac computers are preferred worldwide because of its superior image handling abilities whereas PC’s are preferred because of its better software compatibility. In short, performance-wise and operational-wise, Mac computers are superior to PC’s even though it is slightly expensive. I would advise Universal Computing to purchase both Mac and PC’s based on the nature of works in each department. 3. Ethics in Action Privacy is a hotly debated topic in the world at present. There are many cases, in which the security agencies monitor the private communications between people. They are doing so for the national interests or for avoiding security threats. The threats from the terrorists are increasing day by day and all communication mediums including electronic media are used by the terrorists. Many of the countries like China, Pakistan, America etc are believed to be engaged in undeclared Cyber-attacks. It is impossible to counter cyber-attacks wit hout censoring the information passed through internet. Under such circumstances, nobody can blame the security agencies if they monitor private messages. Security is more important than privacy in my opinion. The loss of privacy of some people can save the lives of thousands of people and monitoring of communication channels can be ethically justified in that sense. 4. Should the government require that all Web sites meet the W3C accessibility guidelines? It is not necessary that all web sites meet the W3C accessibility guidelines. For example, it is difficult to implement W3C accessibility guidelines to Web sites hosted by disability organizations since these guidelines can cause more barriers in front of the disabled people in accessing web pages. Websites which are designed properly can be handled

How has exposure to the study of marketing and society helped me to Essay

How has exposure to the study of marketing and society helped me to understand how I consume and what influences my decisio - Essay Example The extensive research made into studying marketing and its strategies has helped us; consumers tend to develop more informed decisions. If the marketing department is successful in identifying customer requirements and predicting future customer needs, it should enable the business to not only increase its sales revenue, profitability and market share but also to maintain and improve the image of its products and bring variety and innovations to existing ones to facilitate the consumer at the end of the day. The product itself is probably the most important element in the marketing mix. The product must fulfill a want. Consumers buy products for pleasure, satisfaction or benefits they provide. If it does provide the satisfaction, the good will not be purchased. The level of satisfaction achieved may differ. For example, some products are bought because they satisfy a basic need, like food which stops hunger. Other products like a refrigerator, in addition to keeping food cool, would be expected to be reliable and last a long time. An expensive perfume would give a certain image to the consumer when they used it and it would be expected to be of high quality. Informed and aware customers will pay a price that is worthy of the quality of the product. The design that is the performance, reliability and quality should all be consistent with the product’s brand image. The marketing should be capable of stimulating new wants from the consumers. It must give something very distinctive that makes it appear different to encourage brand loyalty. Competition amongst businesses in an economy in terms of the prices of goods and services being set has also helped consumers make the right buying decisions. Demand is not just what people want to buy but they must also have the money to be able to purchase the product. The market price is determined by the demand and supply of that particular good and various factors affect these such as, change in income, taste and fas hion, advertising and prices of other products. The pricing strategy should be such that it should provide good value for money to consumers. They will not unnecessarily pay a high price for a good of low quality or which serves no purpose. Consumers are in search of best deal for money for example, economy packs, bulk-buying and discounted products. (Titley, 2008) Packaging is another part of marketing mix that influences consumer decisions. Consumers consider suitable packaging because it has to give protection to the product and not allow it to spoil. It also has to allow product to be used easily. It is no good having hair shampoo in a tin that would not allow the liquid to pour out easily. Packaging is also used for promoting the product. It must appeal to the consumer because it is usually the packaging that catches the eye and the product inside! Consumers will prefer to buy products with packaging carrying vital information about its use, storage and its ingredients. Recycla ble packaging is most preferred by the society. Getting the best value for money is what any rational consumer would want. Advertising as part of marketing and promotion will influence consumers to quite an extent. Advertisements which give information to the public are known as informative advertising. It increases consumer choice by making consumers aware of the range of

The NEGATIVE MESSAGE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The NEGATIVE MESSAGE - Essay Example It is essential that our facility creates a good impression so that the public feels that we are professional and efficient organization. Our product requires that our clients trust us enough to believe that we will reliably insure their possessions and lives, and not let them down. Their first impression of us must be good and the condition of our offices must reflect our professionalism. Often in the last few months, we have found it necessary to contact your company so that tasks would be done that should have been part of every day’s routine. Accidental messes and spills were not taken care of on six occasions at least, during the ordinary cleaning rounds of the crews. We then had to contact your company directly to have the required work done. We also to escalated our communications and did, on two occasions in the last three months, contact you directly. Despite your assurances that the situation would improve, we are still experiencing problems.

ENG 102 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

ENG 102 - Assignment Example People are losing opportunities due to actions that they committed on the web years back. Despite the fact that our image might not be tarnished at the moment, future consequences still await every person who uses the web wrongly. The question that every person should therefore ask themselves is: Just how much are we losing via entering private data on the web? Research has shown that these inconveniences can be curbed by implementing the idea of expiry dates. This is whereby the information entered by the user disappears after a stipulated period of time unless the user specifies otherwise (Rosen, 1). This would be an excellent way to ensure that the web does not keep in store any sensitive or unwanted data. However, in my opinion, it is our responsibility to monitor and regulate the information that we share in the websites because; after all who knows when the machine might decide to refute the instructions given? People should therefore, just understand that they cannot control their reputations via the internet. Every adult or young person should just understand that what the society really cares about is our privacy and our actual personalities. Hence, every person should sit back and just ask; which is the right way to use this over-exciting technology? Rosen, Jeffrey. "The Web Means the End of Forgetting." The New York Times [Ney York] 21  July  2010: 1. Web. 30  Aug.  2012.

Explaining Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Explaining Crime - Essay Example Deprived individuals are depressed, frustrated, and go through anxiety attacks predisposing them to be involved in robbery. Such findings are consistent with the interpretation of Bethune (2011) where she indicated that underprivileged individuals steal to keep up with people they view as privileged who could always have things they desire. Their frustration to acquire their necessities or wants is achieved through stealing thus Bethune further stated that stolen items could be a mixture of must have and desired items and not only in the form of money. Unfortunately, thieves view stealing as their â€Å"relief mechanism† without considering its consequences. Bethune also revealed Kleptomania as another reason for theft which is not uncommon to thieves. Kleptomania is the irresistible impulse to steal so that they would lift even small things they could afford to buy. Such psychological disorder is also discussed in the articles by NASP (2006) where kleptomania is viewed as a r elief phenomenon of an underlying mental conflict. Another interesting reason Bethune pointed out as a contributory factor to robbery is how we live our life. Individuals spending for jewelries, clothing, and travel beyond their financial means may commit robbery to be able to maintain their lifestyle. Others who are involved in drugs and alcohol likewise rob to sustain their addiction to such substances. Since drugs are expensive whether in small or large quantity, fund is very important to maintain the supply. Several news reports had indicated the proliferation of robbery related to drugs. The case of Rogers who was arrested of robbery with possession of cocaine and amphetamines proves that people who choose to maintain illicit pastime are involved in robbery (Everly, 2003). A separate case of robbery found to be likewise associated with drug is the case of two people who were arrested and

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 42

Marketing - Essay Example A personal touch with the customer, understanding his need, proper courtesy and a genuine smile is all that he longs for. It has something more to do with Max Weber bureaucracy or organizational pyramid (2) where everyone points a finger to the other one. In last two decade, the entire marketing scenario has gone through a paradigm shift and excellent customer service appears to be the deciding factor in this changing order. First of all, it is the sense of belonging, the proud ownership of the employees that literally change the face of the organization. The training of the employees that makes them serve the customer in a better manner plays the pivotal role. He should learn to communicate effectively, put a genuine smile in his face and be willing to serve his customer in every conceivable way. The stuffs should also know how to outmaneuver the customer without compromising the It is observed that a typical grocery shop stores 30,000 products and the owner answers same no of quarries. In supermarket the product listing may cross well past six digit marks but the product information which needs to be volunteered is surprisingly absent. The profit surges upwards if some subtle changes can be taken care of. For instance, Wal-Mart has a concerted return policy and a podium in every store where anyone can put a question regarding any service (3).The resultant outcome is a satisfied customer who returns again and again – to contribute to the profit of the organization. There can be multi pronged way to provide better customer care in a supermarket. Firstly, the proper motivations of the employees that work wonder. â€Å"At IBM, every one sells† as Buck Rodgers had put it in his best seller ‘The IBM Way’ (4) which should be the anthem of every supermarkets which aspires to make it big. From the doorman to the casher, every one needs to work in unison, compromising over everything except company ethics and profitability. The

Explaining Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Explaining Crime - Essay Example Deprived individuals are depressed, frustrated, and go through anxiety attacks predisposing them to be involved in robbery. Such findings are consistent with the interpretation of Bethune (2011) where she indicated that underprivileged individuals steal to keep up with people they view as privileged who could always have things they desire. Their frustration to acquire their necessities or wants is achieved through stealing thus Bethune further stated that stolen items could be a mixture of must have and desired items and not only in the form of money. Unfortunately, thieves view stealing as their â€Å"relief mechanism† without considering its consequences. Bethune also revealed Kleptomania as another reason for theft which is not uncommon to thieves. Kleptomania is the irresistible impulse to steal so that they would lift even small things they could afford to buy. Such psychological disorder is also discussed in the articles by NASP (2006) where kleptomania is viewed as a r elief phenomenon of an underlying mental conflict. Another interesting reason Bethune pointed out as a contributory factor to robbery is how we live our life. Individuals spending for jewelries, clothing, and travel beyond their financial means may commit robbery to be able to maintain their lifestyle. Others who are involved in drugs and alcohol likewise rob to sustain their addiction to such substances. Since drugs are expensive whether in small or large quantity, fund is very important to maintain the supply. Several news reports had indicated the proliferation of robbery related to drugs. The case of Rogers who was arrested of robbery with possession of cocaine and amphetamines proves that people who choose to maintain illicit pastime are involved in robbery (Everly, 2003). A separate case of robbery found to be likewise associated with drug is the case of two people who were arrested and

Strategic Supply Chain Managemnt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words - 1

Strategic Supply Chain Managemnt - Essay Example As any student of management accounting is aware of, the quantum of capital employed in plant and machinery is more or less uniform across an industry as all players generally opt for the latest technology so as to enjoy maximum levels of operating efficiency. So, there is not much to differentiate between the competitors in that regard. But the area where the leaders leave the stragglers behind is supply chain management and inventory control. If a proper and taut control over inventory is not maintained, the level of capital employed can never be brought down while keeping the operational efficiency intact. (Cox, Sanderson and Watson 2001) These days the management gurus are looking beyond the narrow and immediate confines of inventory management and are looking at managing the supply chain as a whole. Supply chain attempts to view the whole production process as a seamless entity that begins with market research for correctly evaluating consumer demand and follows the flow of inputs and services through the production process right till the time when the finished product reaches the final consumer. Thus this is a wider concept that includes all the stakeholders; right from the supplier that supplies raw materials to the final consumer that buys the product to satisfy a particular need. In between of course lie the producer, the labour and the service inputs from the tertiary sector of the economy. A supply chain in its most basic form has four components, and they are: Supply chain management, as is clear from the above diagram, is basically akin to running a relay race and just as in a relay race the entire team is as good as its weakest link, so also in supply chain management the entire operation is as efficient as its least efficient sections. That is to say, a super efficient manufacturer is not enough to make the entire supply chain effective – all the components must be

Britain’s Attempts to Appease Mussolini in the 1930’s Were Successful’ Discuss Essay Example for Free

Britain’s Attempts to Appease Mussolini in the 1930’s Were Successful’ Discuss Essay ‘Britain’s attempts to appease Mussolini in the 1930’s were successful’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view. (24 marks) Britain’s attempt to appease Mussolini were successful up until the Abyssinian crisis of 1935, as Italy were not in league with Germany but on the contrary, were opposed to German expansion and revision of the treaty of Versailles. However after the Abyssinian crisis, this stance from Mussolini disappeared and changed greatly. Hence British attempts becoming unsuccessful, as ultimately Mussolini entered the Second World War on the side of Germany. Britain and Italy’s relationship was cordial before the Abyssinian crisis, indicating success in their appeasement policies. The Stresa front of 1935 between: Britain, France and Italy manifested this, as they agreed to prevent further revision of the treaty from Hitler and to resist him in his expansionist aims, and to also condemn Hitler’s actions. The Stresa front was suggested by Mussolini himself who was very co-operative and acted on the side of Britain and France as they all shared the same opinion on German rearmament. This showed how prepared Mussolini was to take action and stand against German aggression, as Mussolini was the only one who actually sent troops, during the Austrian Putsch of 1934, when the Nazi’s attempted to exploit Austria’s condition by trying to take over and employ a Nazi government. Italy was the only country who was prepared to take stance that was not mere condemnation but an actual military reaction, these clearly suggest ed Mussolini strong feelings in regards to Hitler. This found great success as they all agreed to it and this manifested Britain’s success in appeasement policies. Although Britain applied economic sanctions with the league, the sanctions did not include oil, which was the main necessity required for Italy’s invasion, as they required oil to run their ships for transportation. Britain did not close the Suez Canal, which was a fundamental route for Mussolini to transport his troops by; this meant that Italy’s invasion was not severely obstructed. These actions seemed to have been undertaken to appease Mussolini and to prevent him from engaging in a ‘mad dog’ activity  such as declaring war on Britain, this found success, as Mussolini did not declare war on Britain. This is another example of British success in their appeasement policies. Before the Hoare-Lavale pact was leaked into to the public, it seemed as if Mussolini would accept this proposal. Hitherto the pact, Hoare, the British secretary worked well with Italy, and demonstrated a close relationship. If Mussolini had accepted then it would be a success, as Mussolini would still be on the side of Britain. This could be seen as some sort of success, as at first it did seem that it would be successful. Ultimately, it was a failure of British appeasement, as Mussolini did not accept the proposal to ‘save face’. However, there were also many examples of British failure of appeasement, such as the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, which was poor example of British policy, as it did nothing but completely undermine, consequently damaging the Stresa front irrevocably. As it angered Mussolini greatly and it was almost as if Britain were stabbing the other members of the Front in the back, as they condemned Germany in the Stresa Front and then signed an agreement with them, allowing them some sort of navy. Britain’s condemnation of Mussolini and the sanctions made him disgruntled and dissatisfied. These sanctions were an example of complete failure, as it achieved nothing at all. It was half hearted and it angered Mussolini at the same time, which pushed him into the arms of Germany, resulting in nothing being achieved. As during the time of the crisis, Hitler supported Mussolini and gained his favour, which ended up in them two signing pacts such as the Rome-Berlin axis and the pact of steel. The policy of appeasement failed wholly in some respects, because Britain did not achieve her aim of keeping Mussolini on her side, which was what Britain wanted. But it ended up that Mussolini and Hitler became much closer as they supported the Fascist group during the Spanish Civil War, by both sending troops to aid them, while Britain stood idly by doing nothing. The acceptance of the Anschluss from Italy was a great success for Germany and a  greater blow to the treaty and Britain. Mussolini invaded and conquered Abyssinia in the end, which was the result of Britain’s half-hearted sanctions. This also gave confidence to both Mussolini and Hitler, as it showed them how feeble and indecisive Britain during the Abyssinian crisis, giving them the impression that they could perform such acts again. In conclusion, Britain’s policies of appeasement were successful up until the Hoare-Laval pact, as from then on; British appeasement failed and became unsuccessful, because Italy ended up on Germany’s side in the Second World War. Also after the Abyssinian crisis, appeasement could be seen as an unnecessary policy, due to the fact that Mussolini was on Hitler’s side. Yet Britain pressed on with appeasement, such as the Easter Accords, which accepted the status quo of the Middle East and Abyssinia, but this is negligible as Mussolini did not actually stick to it and did not achieve anything. The successful examples were not significant overall, as the unsuccessful cases were more prevalent and outweigh them.

Significance of Fog in Long Days Journey into Night Eugene by ONeill

Long Days Journey: The Significance of Fog (8) A Long Day’s Journey Into Night, by Eugene O’Neill, is a deeply autobiographical play. His life was rampant with confusion and addictions in his family. Each character in this play has a profound resemblance, and draws parallels and connections with a member of his own family. The long journey that the title of the play refers to is a journey into his past. Fog is a recurring metaphor in the play; it is a physical presence even before it becomes a crucial symbol of the family’s impenetrable confusion. It is referred to in the text as well as stage directions in this play. It sets the mood for the play in all its somber hues. He uses the fog outside the house as an atmospheric element that has an ominous presence throughout this play. His parents and the surroundings that he grew up in were tainted by broken dreams, lies, disease, past issues, alcoholism and drug addiction. There was this web of darkness and fogginess that encased his life and past that is portrayed in this play as well as others by O’Neill. The symbolic implications of fog in the play are descriptive of the struggle in the minds of this deeply conflicted family. The significance of fog in O’Neill’s writing can be examined in two forms. The first is what type of emblematic quality does the fog provide in this play, and the second is what are other plays in which O’Neill has used fog in a similar way. This play takes place through an entire day where the climate mirrors the mood of the family. â€Å" The play begins at 8:30 in the morning with a trace of fog in the air, and concludes sometime after midnight, with the house foghorn.† (Brustein 1020). The intensity of the fog continuously increases throughout the day, directly correlating to the murkiness in the household. The family’s mood significantly intensifies with the intensity of the fog. There are copious connections between the life of the fog and that of the Tyrone family. All throughout the play there is a conflict between past vs. present, truth vs. lies, and addiction vs. sobriety. This family lives amidst a haze of denial and as the fog gets thicker, they continue to get further lost. The fog has a polarity that directly relates to Mary, â€Å"†¦ the mood changing from sunny cheer over Mary’s apparent recovery to gloomy despair over her new descent into hell † (Brustein 1020). The fog is fi... ...n clarities. The fog is created out of pain in order to dilute clarity. The individuals in this play needed to escape themselves but didn’t succeed. O’Neill expresses the same fear of truth and uses the imagery of fog in The Iceman Cometh. The Iceman Cometh is written in the same time period as Long Day’s Journey Into Night, and is a parallel in the struggle of the past vs. present. The use of the fog imagery is not as direct in this play, but there are subtle mentions of fog in the play, such as â€Å" the gray subdued light of early morning in a narrow street† (O’Neill 660). This grayness is almost identical to the morning that the Tyrone family experiences after being awakened by the foghorns. Both stories spell the gloom and dreariness of these characters and their lives. The imagery of fog wasn’t as prominent in the rest of his plays. O’Neill had a great amount of turmoil in his life and the Long Day’s Journey Into Night story reflected perfectly the fogginess and daze he lived through. His dark life experiences have given him a rich, emotionally charged place, from which to write. The fog serves as a tool to paint the dreary picture and symbolize this darkness through his plays.

Literary Utopian Societies Essay examples -- essays research papers f

Literary Utopian Societies â€Å"The vision of one century is often the reality of the next†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Nelson 108). Throughout time, great minds have constructed their own visions of utopia. Through the study of utopias, one finds that these â€Å"perfect† societies have many flaws. For example, most utopias tend to have an authoritarian nature (Manuel 3). Also, another obvious imperfection found in the majority of utopias is that of a faulty social class system (Thomas 94). But one must realized that the flaws found in utopian societies serve a specific purpose. These faults are used to indicate problems in contemporary society (Eurich 5, Targowski 1). Over the years, utopian societies have been beneficial in setting improved standards for society. By pointing out the faults of society, improvement is the most likely next step. Citizens should take advantage of utopian literature in order to better future societal conditions (Nelson 104). Because it is impossible to create a perfect society in whi ch everyone’s needs can be met, society must analyze utopias in order to improve their existing environment. Plato’s Republic was the first â€Å"true† work considered to be utopian literature. In fact, the Republic influenced almost all later text written on the subject of utopia (Manuel 7). Although the Republic was one of the most influential works in utopian literature, the society that it represented also had many obvious flaws. First, Plato’s utopia had a distinct class system (Morely iii, Bloom xiii). The privileged class that ruled the society also enforced censorship in order to keep control over the Republic (Manuel 5). To perform all of the lowly tasks of the society, a system of slavery was enforced (Manuel 9). In addition, different forms of propaganda were used to keep the citizens in check (Manuel 5, Bloom xiv). The political and economic systems, in which the wealthy class controlled all the funds, were extremely restrictive (Mumford 4, Bloom xiii). With the society being in opposition to change, it would have obviously failed. A static society, in which propaganda is used to promote the State, disrupts the creative thinking process. And, without the creative thinking process, intellectual growth as a whole also slows (Mumford 4, Benz 3). Yet another famous Utopian society that appears to thrive on the surface is that of Sir Thomas More’s Utopia. More’s society was ... ...us. Brave New World. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1932. Kateb, George, ed. Utopia. New York: Atherton Press, 1971. Manuel, Frank E., ed. Utopias and Utopian Thought. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1966. Morley, Henry, ed. Ideal Commonwealths. New York: Kennikat Press, 1968. Mumford, Lewis. The Story of Utopias. New York: The Viking Press, 1962. Nelson, William, ed. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Utopia. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1968. Taragowski, Henry W. Utopia. 6 Jan. 1999 . Thomas, John L., ed. Looking Backward 2000-1887. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1967. Utopia and Utopian Philosophy. Ed. Jon Will. 1999. Utopia Pathway Association. 6 Jan. 1999 . Validation of Electronic Sources Phillip Benz received a Master’s Degree in English Literature and currently teaches in France. Philip Coupland is a professor at Warwick University. Jon Will is the Vice President of the Utopia Pathway Association. Henry Taragowski is a professor at Xavier University. Peter Fitting is the Chairman of the Society for Utopian Studies.

Philosophy of Religion Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Is religion necessary in maintaining a happy and successful family? Yes, religion plays a vital role in good family structure. Whenever religion is taken seriously and applied to family life, there is a definite prosperous and positive outcome. When families attend church together, there is a closer bond between family members and it is highly probable that family members who attend religious services push toward higher moral standards which in turn, builds a more solid and moral household. When the man observes religion in the home, he takes on the role as head of the household and creates harmony with other family members by providing for his family and treating his family with respect. When the woman recognizes her role in the home as a religious follower, she will also respect her husband and nurture her children as she is taught through religion. The children will do their part in their home by respecting both parents and also by using good moral values. Many people find it hard to understand why it is important to practice religion in homes since we rarely witness this in recent history but by following the laws of God, we lead ourselves and our families in the right direction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Should parents stay together when they feel that their marriage is one that has lost passion? Yes, it is important for families to work together in resolving marital problems in order to have a happy family. Children need the support of both parents working in unison and married couples should seek outside support if necessary such as members of the church if they feel they can’t work through the unhappiness in the marriage. The high divorce rate in America has broken down families and has increasingly left children in broken homes when on most occasions, the problems could have been worked through. The Bible gives us many guidelines concerning marriage and if we heed God’s Word, then it is highly possible for broken homes to be mended in order for children to grow up in a stable environment. If more parents would work harder at their marriage instead of getting divorced, family life and the quality of life would be much greater for everyone in the family.

Is Macbeth a machiavellian character? Essay

† †¦for how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather learn to bring about his own ruin than his preservation†.(Machiavelli 12) This is a quote from Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Prince†. This is only one belief of Machiavelli, which, many great leaders have been known to use. Have you ever thought about a leader that possessed these qualities that was from a play? Shakespeare’s character Macbeth represents the Machiavellian idea that a ruler should appear well in public, be smart and strong, and do what is necessary to hold onto power. Shakespeare used imagery, and metaphors to portray Macbeth this way because, although he dies in the end, Macbeth still used Machiavelli’s ideals, and was successful in many ways. Both Machiavelli and Shakespeare knew that it matters how a leader portrays himself to the public. Machiavelli thought that it was important for a leader to appear to be good in public, and hide his bad qualities from his people. â€Å"†¦he should seem to be all mercy, faith, integrity, humanity, and religion†¦.Everybody sees what you appear to be, few feel what you are, and those few will not dare oppose themselves to the many†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . (Machiavelli 15) Machiavelli used diction to portray what a leader should be like in the old ages, such as; having mercy, faith, and religion. He also says that you should at least pretend to show some of these qualities to your people. As Machiavelli writes, Macbeth talks about hiding his dark self to the world. â€Å"MACBETH [aside]: The Prince of Cumberland-that is a step/ On which I  must fall down or else o’erleap/ For in my way it lies. Stars hide your fires / Let not light see my black and deep desires/ The eye wink at the hand; yet be/ Which the eye fears, when it is don’t to see†. (1.4 49-54) Like Machiavelli’s idea to hide your dishonest self, Macbeth reassures himself to do so. Macbeth’s use of metaphors such as light versus dark, emphasized good versus bad. Macbeth clearly states that he has an immoral side that he is trying to hide form everyone else, and in doing so he believes he will gain more power, and the trust of his people. wrote to get the attention to people, and they both knew the importance of how a leader  should act. Both Machiavelli and Shakespeare knew that rulers need to be able to do whatever is necessary to benefit himself, or the state. Machiavelli also believed that a ruler must do whatever is necessary, good or bad to benefit himself or his state; â€Å"†¦but you must have the mind so disposed that when it is needful to be otherwise you may be able to change to the opposite qualities†¦.And therefore, he must have a mind disposed to adapt itself according to the wind, and as the variations of fortune dictate and, as I said before, not deviate from what is good, if possible but able to do evil if constrained†. (Machiavelli 15) Machiavelli’s ideal pertains to this example of Macbeth doing what he needs to do in order to gain power for himself, by the murder of King Duncan. â€Å"MACBETH I go, and it is done. The bell invites me./ Hear it not Duncan, for it is a knell/ That summons thee to heaven or hell†. (2.1 62-64) Machiavelli’s ideal is shown through Macbeth’s thought on his murder of King Duncan. He is using an apostrophe to say to King Duncan that he will not hear the bells because he is dead. He is talking about this because, he knew that he needed to get rid of him, or else he would not have been able to gain power. As this specific incident shows Macbeth is using a Machiavellian ideal to push himself, and his power further. Shakespeare and Machiavelli knew that rulers should have wit and bravery to really have control of their power. Machiavelli believed that a ruler should be smart, sly, brave, and strong to frighten away those who would challenge his power. â€Å"A prince being thus obliged to know well how to act as a beast must imitate the fox and the lion, for the lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from the wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves†. (Machiavelli14) Machiavelli uses imagery/ symbolism to show animals being certain characteristics, the fox being wit and slyness, and the lion strength and bravery. Just as Machiavelli wrote, his rule applies to Macbeth’s character in this quote. â€Å"MACBETH Who can be wise, amazed, temp’rate and furious, / Loyal and neutral in a moment? No man,/ Th’expidition of my violent love/ Outran the pauser reason. Here lay Duncan,/ His silver skin laced with his golden blood,/ And his gashed stabs looked like a breach in nature/ For ruins wasteful entrance; there the murderers,/ Steeped in the colours of their trade, their daggers/ Unmannerly breeched with gore. Who could refrain/ That had a heart to love, and in hat heart/ Courage to make loves known†. (2.3 105-115) As Machiavelli wrote Macbeth is showing this idea. He is using his wit to say he killed to guards out of violent love for the king. This quick witty response not only added to the trust from people around him, but also it stopped the guards from coming back to defend themselves, and challenge Macbeth. Macbeth used imagery of Duncan’s body, which was so perfect and royal lying dead, still looking perfect and regal. Macbeth used this to make it seem that he loved King Duncan so much and he looked up so highly of him, he needed to kill the guards after what he they had done. Both Shakespeare and Machiavelli used imagery to show what a ruler needs in order to hold onto power. Macbeth inhabits many qualities of a Machiavellian ruler, he may not inhabit all, but of the majority he does, because he appears well, he’s smart and brave, and he knows what he needs to do to keep power. Shakespeare used Machiavelli’s beliefs to show what a Machiavellian ruler would be like, but in his case it didn’t turn out successfully for him in the end, because he lost the main idea of Machiavelli’s ideas. This is because Macbeth was able to do cruel things to benefit himself on his way to power, but once he had the power, he lost the main idea of keeping that power, and he went mental. If Macbeth had kept a clear view of exactly what he wanted, and didn’t go a little insane with guilt then he would have been able to avoid the end tragedy of his death. Do you think the play Macbeth would have ended the  same if Macbeth had been able to accept the fact that his cruel deeds were going to further his power and his state?

I History of Taj Mahal Essay

The Taj Mahal of Agra is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, for reasons more than just looking magnificent. It’s the history of Taj Mahal that adds a soul to its magnificence: a soul that is filled with love, loss, remorse, and love again. Because if it was not for love, the world would have been robbed of a fine example upon which people base their relationships. An example of how deeply a man loved his wife, that even after she remained but a memory, he made sure that this memory would never fade away. This man was the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who was head-over-heels in love with Mumtaz Mahal, his dear wife. She was a Muslim Persian princess (her name Arjumand Banu Begum before marriage) and he was the son of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir and grandson of Akbar the Great. It was at the age of 14 that he met Mumtaz and fell in love with her. Five years later in the year 1612, they got married. Mumtaz Mahal, an inseparable companion of Shah Jahan, died in 1631, while giving birth to their 14th child. It was in the memory of his beloved wife that Shah Jahan built a magnificent monument as a tribute to her, which we today know as the â€Å"Taj Mahal†. The construction of Taj Mahal started in the year 1631. Masons, stonecutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome-builders and other artisans were requisitioned from the whole of the empire and also from Central Asia and Iran, and it took approximately 22 years to build what we see today. An epitome of love, it made use of the services of 22,000 laborers and 1,000 elephants. The monument was built entirely out of white marble, which was brought in from all over India and central Asia. After an expenditure of approximately 32 million rupees (approx US $68000), Taj Mahal was finally completed in the year 1653. It was soon after the completion of Taj Mahal that Shah Jahan was deposed by his own son Aurangzeb and was put under house arrest at nearby Agra Fort. Shah Jahan, himself also, lies entombed in this mausoleum along with his wife. Moving further down the history, it was at the end of the 19th century that British Viceroy Lord Curzon ordered a sweeping restoration project, which was completed in 1908, as a measure to restore what was lost during the Indian rebellion of 1857: Taj being blemished by British soldiers and government officials who also deprived the monument of its immaculate beauty by chiseling out precious stones and lapis lazuli from its walls. Also, the British style lawns that we see today adding on to the beauty of Taj were remodeled around the same time. Despite prevailing controversies, past and present threats from Indo-Pak war and environmental pollution, this epitome of love continuous to shine and attract people from all over the world. II Taj Mahal Story Male Protagonist: Shah Jahan (Prince Khurram) Female Protagonist: Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Banu Begum) Taj Mahal, the magnificent monument that stands at the heart of India has a story that has been melting the hearts of millions of listeners since the time Taj has been visible. A story, that although ended back in 1631, continues to live on in the form of Taj and is considered a living example of eternal love. It’s the love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, two people from the course of history who set an example for the people living in present and the future to come. An English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold best describes it as â€Å"Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passion of an emperor’s love wrought in living stones.† The story that follows next will prove why the statement is true. Shah Jahan, initially named Prince Khurram, was born in the year 1592. He was the son of Jehangir, the fourth Mughal emperor of India and the grandson of Akbar the Great. In 1607 when strolling down the Meena Bazaar, accompanied by a string of fawning courtiers, Shah Jahan caught a glimpse of a girl hawking silk and glass beads. It was love at first sight and the girl was Mumtaz Mahal, who was known as Arjumand Banu Begum at that time. At that time, he was 14 years old and she, a Muslim Persian princess, was 15. After meeting her, Shah Jahan went back to his father and declared that he wanted to marry her. The match got solemnized after five years i.e., in the year 1612. It was in the year 1628 that Shah Jahan became the Emperor and entrusted Arjumand Banu with the royal seal. He also bestowed her with the title of Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the â€Å"Jewel of the Palace†. Though Shah Jahan had other wives also, but, Mumtaz Mahal was his favorite and accompanied him everywhere, even on military campaigns. In the year 1631, when Mumtaz Mahal was giving birth to their 14th child, she died due to some complications. While Mumtaz was on her deathbed, Shah Jahan promised her that he would never remarry and will build the richest mausoleum over her grave. It is said that Shah Jahan was so heartbroken after her death that he ordered the court into mourning for two years. Sometime after her death, Shah Jahan undertook the task of erecting the world’s most beautiful monument in the memory of his beloved. It took 22 years and the labor of 22,000 workers to construct the monument. When Shah Jahan died in 1666, his body was placed in a tomb next to the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. This magnificent monument came to be known as â€Å"Taj Mahal† and now counts amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. This is the true story of the Taj Mahal of India, which has mesmerized many people with its bewitching beauty. III Taj Mahal Architecture Involvement of 22, 000 workers including masons, stonecutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome-builders and other artisans called on from all over the central Asia and Iran, and some 22 years later when a monument with a unique blend of Persian, Islamic, and Indian architectural styles came into its own, it was a sight to behold! The grandeur of the structure then created was such that even decades after its creation, it is still regarded as one of the most arresting and attention-grabbing manmade monuments of the world. Not just Taj, even structures alongside it add to the architectural beauty and artistic wonder of the place. The entire Taj complex consists of five major constituents, namely Darwaza (main gateway), Bageecha (gardens), Masjid (mosque), Naqqar Khana (rest house) and Rauza (main mausoleum). The Taj Mahal covers an area of 42 acres in total with the terrain gradually sloping from south to north, towards the river Yamuna in the form of descending terraces. The main gateway situated at the end of the long watercourse, decorated in calligraphy with verses from Holy Quran and a domed central chamber, was constructed from the period 1932 to 1938. The original door of this massive sandstone gateway was made out of solid silver. It was constructed to serve the function of preventing the people from getting any glimpse of the tomb until they are right in the doorway itself. With a vertical symmetry, the main gateway of Taj Mahal stands bordered with Arabic calligraphy of verses from the Quran, made up of black stone. The main tomb of Taj Mahal stands on a square platform that was raised 50 meter above the riverbank and was leveled with dirt to reduce seepage from the river. The four minarets on each corner of this square are detached, facing the chamfered angles of the main and are deliberately kept at 137 feet to emphasize the beautiful and spherical dome that itself is 58 feet in diameter and 81 feet high. The western side of the main tomb has the mosque and on the eastern side is the Naqqar Khana (rest/guest house), both made in red sandstone. The two structures not only provide an architectural symmetry, but also make for an aesthetic color contrast. One can only marvel at the mosque and the rest house as despite being on the opposite ends, the two are mirror image of each other. Out of the total area of 580 meter by 300 meter, the garden alone covers 300 meter by 300 meter. The immaculate symmetry with which this garden has been laid out can be experienced everywhere. The Islamic style architecture of this garden also has a well defined meaning that symbolizes spirituality and according to the Holy Quran, the lush green, well watered is a symbol of Paradise in Islam. The raised pathways divide each of the four quarters into 16 flowerbeds with around 400 plants in each bed. Even today, the garden boasts of being a tranquil and soothing region in the entire complex and is considered best place for taking snaps of the main tomb. A shadowy burial crypt inside the Taj Mahal houses the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan himself, who was buried there after he died. Above these tombs is the main chamber that has the false tombs and perforated marble screens have been used to transmit light into the burial chamber, typical of mausoleums of the Mughals. Semi-precious stones are exquisitely inlaid in both the tombs. Calligraphic inscriptions of the ninety nine names of Allah can also be found on the sides of actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj has some wonderful specimens of polychrome inlay art both in the interior and exterior on the dados, on cenotaphs and on the marble jhajjhari (jali-screen) around them. Shah Jahan’s tomb, which lies next to that of Mumtaz Mahal, was never planned and deranges the otherwise perfect symmetry of the Taj. IV Inside The Taj Mahal As majestically dazzling as it looks from the main gateway, with the glorious view of the mosque and the guest house on the sides and the main mausoleum in the centre with four minarets standing proud at each corner, the insides of TAj Mahal are no less stunningly beautified either. Rather, the painstakingly designed and richly carved interiors brilliantly compliment the grandeur of the entire structure with subtleness. With basic elements in Persian, the large white marble structure that stands on the square plinth consists of a symmetrical building with an arch shaped doorway known as Iwan, which is adorned with exquisite calligraphy and is topped by a large dome and a finial. The angles of the tomb consist of semi-octagonal arched alcoves of equal size. Attached pilasters rising from the base of the tomb demark each of the porticos, on both the sides. The main chamber houses the false sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan; as the actual graves are located at a much lower level. Moving ahead, all the elements, architecture, furniture, and decorations culminate together to create an eschatological house for Mumtaz Mahal, and that of Shah Jahan. Formed with black marble inlaid in white, the floor of the Taj is paved in a geometrical pattern consisting of octagonal stars alternating with cruciform shapes. One of the longest echoes of any building in the world can be heard in this perfectly designed hall of 24 feet to a side, with two tiers of eight radiating niches. The natural and beautiful flowers like tulips, irises, daffodils, and narcissus filled in opulent vases appear here in basic tripartite arrangement rather than individual flowering plants of the pishtaq halls outside. Another remarkable feature that surrounds the cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan in the central chamber is the intricately carved marble screen or jali and is a delight to look at. The semi precious stones forming twining vines, fruits, and flowers inlaid delicately form the rest of the surfaces. The burial chamber is located right beneath the central chamber and consists of the actual graves of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan covered by two cenotaphs. And since the Muslim tradition forbids elaborate decoration of graves, these cenotaphs have different motifs in their decoration. The real cenotaph of Mumtaz The cenotaph of Shah Jahan that was added much later is bigger than the cenotaph of his wife and is more simplistically decorated than his cenotaph above. Although the same designs appear on the sides of the sarcophagus elements, they are smaller in size. Coming out of such elaborately designed structure as Taj is like coming out of an era that had gone by, an era that added to the world in more than one way, an era that has been kept alive by the wonder that is Taj Mahal.