The Declaration of Independenc essays

The Declaration of Independenc essays America went through a major transition between the 1760s and 1770s. In the 60s, being an Englishmen was respectable and was wanted by all Americans, but by the 70s, independence from England was deemed necessary. Americans changed from following the crown and all its demands to standing up for their natural rights as free men. What used to be British rights and liberties soon became the natural liberties of mankind. Declaring independence from Great Britain was the only option for America in order to claim these natural rights. The Stamp Act was Great Britains first attempt to take away American liberties. It was met with an outcry for England to repeal the Act. The Act was considered dishonest because it brought about taxation without representation. Because there was no American representation in Parliament, acts that were oppressive towards America were passed easily. At this time, the colonists still referred to themselves as British-Americans. Because Americans were safe under British control, trade was steady, and Great Britain had never tried to impede on their liberties before this Act, most colonists wanted to reconcile their differences with England. All they wanted was a repeal and a repeal did happen, but not without consequences. With the repeal of the Stamp Act came the Declaratory Act. The colonists were pleased that the taxation had bee removed, however, they did not realize the magnitude of the Declaratory Act. The Act states the Kings majesty has full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies and people of America, in all cases whatsoever. This was a turning point in American history. Up until this point, Americans had been upset with Great Britain and the Parliament, but had always wished for reconciliation. When the Intolerable Acts were pa ...

Technology in Education

Technology in Education Introduction Technology has become essential in education as teachers are finding it more effective to adopt and apply certain technological principles in the learning process. This essay addresses the issue of technology in education by summarizing a scholarly article on the subject and synthesizing the impact of technology in education.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Technology in Education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Summary of the Article In their 2009 survey, Klopfer et al. (2009) discussed how games and simulations are applied in various fields including medicine, business, government and science in promoting and improving service delivery. Although the technologies have been mainly applied in training of employees at various levels, the authors affirmed that these tools are equally useful in classroom teaching and other educational procedures. Besides their description on how technology had transformed h umanity, they argued that some people have remained reluctant to adopting certain technological ideas (Klopfer et al., 2009). Some of these technologies are social media networks which most education stakeholders believe may cause security challenges to schools and other learning institutions. The scholars mainly focused on how digital gaming, social media networks and computer simulations had impacted the education system. Through background information, they emphasized that the three technologies had undergone a series of transformations. In addition, they explored major cognitive effects of the above mentioned technologies in the education system as many schools continue to adopt them. In ensuring fair research details, they explored some of the challenges which had been experienced in applying technology in education. Lastly, the scholars described the future of these technologies in education (Klopfer et al., 2009). Impact of the technologies According to Klopfer et al. (2009), digital gaming had become quite common in the United States with over forty five million homes playing these games. The games have particular characteristics like rules, objectives, feedback and competition which impact learners with skills. With their familiarity among students and parents, learners find digital games easier and compatible when they are applied in the classroom for learning purposes (Klopfer et al., 2009). Most games create an environment which allows learners to grasp certain skills that are quite fundamental in and outside the classroom.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some of these skills are: conflict resolution, appreciation of group work and embracing apprenticeship programs among others. They therefore reckon that adoption of these games is imperative in understanding their designs and benefits in education. On the other hand, simulations demonstrat e a modified version of the real world with teachers considering this technology as a major teaching tool. Simulations like â€Å"MOLECULAR WORKBENCH† are essential for teachers, tutors and lecturers especially in data collection and evaluation of learning using various models (Klopfer et al., 2009). Moreover, â€Å"STARLOGO TNG† simplifies programming languages which are essential in teaching of mathematics. Lastly, customized social networks like â€Å"NING†, â€Å"THINK.COM†, â€Å"DIIGO† and â€Å"PANWARA† enhance sharing of filtered information among peers and teachers (Klopfer et al., 2009). Since teachers have administrative powers, they are able to control web content and functions. Through these, learners share information and consult teachers outside the class. Future It is evident that digital games, simulations and social networks present interesting future progress as they get adopted in more learning institutions around the wor ld. More exploration is expected to fix existing barriers and address upcoming challenges (Quillen, 2011). By using these technologies in the current world, teachers and learners create answers for future generations. Conclusion From the analysis of the article above, it is clear that there are several technologies which continue to transform education today. Nevertheless, they present countless opportunities for exploration. References Klopfer et al. (2009). Using the technology of today, in the class room today. The Education Arcade, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Technology in Education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Quillen, I. (2011). Perceptive Computers and the Future of Ed Tech. Digital Education. Retrieved from: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2011/06/perceptive_computers_and_the_f.html

Distinguishing between an Offer and an Invitation to Treat Essay

Distinguishing between an Offer and an Invitation to Treat - Essay Example An invitation to treat comes in when something is displayed in a shop window or a catalogue mentioning prices of goods. Normally this is not an offer; hence it cannot coerce the shopkeeper to sell the items at the stated price. For this case a contract is made when a prospective buyer accepts the price stated in the items and it created when the item is placed over the counter but not when the customer remove the item on the supermarket shelves. There is an acceptance in both offer and invitation to treat. For example in an offer, there must be an offeror and an offeree while on the hand in invitation to treat there must be a place or a shop where goods have been displayed together with their prices and a customer makes an offer when he present them at the cash desk. For the case of an offer, it must be communicated for a contract to arise, therefore the two parties must be of the same mind otherwise it cannot be accepted by a person who has no knowledge that an offer has been made. In invitation to treat, it does not have to be communicated as items are displayed in a supermarket and a person enters and makes an offer when he places it on the counter and not necessary that he should have had knowledge that an offer had had been made. ... took them to the cash desk where they paid for them. It was held that the customer made the offer when he presented them at the cash desk, and not when he removed them from the shelves.3 Similarities between an Offer and an Invitation to Treat There is an acceptance in both offer and invitation to treat. For example in an offer, there must be an offeror and an offeree while on the hand in invitation to treat there must be a place or a shop where goods have been displayed together with their prices and a customer makes an offer when he present them at the cash desk. Both offer and acceptance remain open for duration of time and they can be accepted only before time expires. In both offer and invitation to treat, the offeror is free to attach any condition in the offer or invitation to treat before he communicated to the target group for acceptance. There is an intention to create a legal relation. One cannot bind the other party without his consent in both offer and invitation to treat. Both offer and invitation to a treat can be revoked anytime before an acceptance is made. Both offer and acceptance may be made by a word of mouth, in writing or by conduct. Differences between an Offer and Invitation to a Treat For the case of an offer, it must be communicated for a contract to arise, therefore the two parties must be of the same mind otherwise it cannot be accepted by a person who has no knowledge that an offer has been made. In invitation to treat, it does not have to be communicated as items are displayed in a supermarket and a person enters and makes an offer when he places it on the counter and not necessary that he should have had knowledge that an offer had had been made. The following

An Analysis Of Why International Companies Fail In Emerging Economies Assignment

An Analysis Of Why International Companies Fail In Emerging Economies (China) And Facebooks Strategies For Entering In Chinese Emerging Markets - Assignment Example These companies are characterized y having factories and offices in different countries that are all managed form a centralized office that coordinates the corporation’s global management. These multinational corporations not only produce but also sell a variety of services and goods in various countries around the world (Fatemi, Saint-Phalle and Williams, 1975). According to Bjà ¶rkstà ©n and Haglund (2010), most multinational companies fail to perform well in China not because of the Chinese government policies but mainly because of their own incompetence. This is chiefly credited to the fact that the management teams of most companies fail to try and understand the Chinese market, drastically underestimates the challenges involved in doing business in China or even simply just choose the wrong business partners (BjörksteÃŒ n and Hägglund, 2010). This view is supported by Joerg Wuttke who is the Chief Representative of the German chemical giant BASF. Wuttke has ha d a long experience with working in China but points out that more often than not, every body is always rushing to blame China but when an indepth analysis of an organization’s failures is conducted, it is usually fond that the mistakes were mainly of the organization’s making. ... t lead to Google’s and eBay’s failure in China China first allowed its first internet 16 years ago and the various companies and western governments quickly hailed the move as being a major move away from the country’s traditional authoritarian control and censorship. Most of the foreign companies immediately laid down various policies and plans that were aimed at enabling them to take advantage of China’s massive consumer base that was perceived by many to be relatively untouched (Daltorio 2010). Google planned on taking over China in the same manner and fashion that it was taking over the United States market. In attempting to take over the Chinese market in the same way it took over the United States market, Google foolishly and blatantly ignored what is considered by many to essentially be one of the most vital rules necessary for conducting any business: Know your market. In essence, by attempting to impose its western vision of the internet on the As ian nation, Google ended up creating a huge mess for itself and inadvertently made easy profits for its local competition. China has about 384 million internet users that account for an average of one-fifth of the over 1.73 billion global internet users. It is especially in light of these statistics that Google adopted a trend that was keenly focused on global domination. Google is commonly faulted for the fact that it initially took many years for it to research and find out some of the basic facts as pertaining to some of its local Chinese competitors such as Baidu and Tencent Holdings. Google also happened to largely ignore the free music downloads market segment an element that was greatly capitalized by Baidu and helped to make Baidu extremely popular in the Chinese market (Daltorio 2010). Google’s

Act 2- Proctors house Essay Example for Free

Act 2- Proctors house Essay The crucible is set in the early 1920s in a place called Salem in Massachusetts America. The story is based on the problem of witchcraft; to be a witch or warlock in those days was unforgivable. The people living in Salem were all strict Puritans and anything un-natural was said to be wrong. Anyone with any evidence of another being in contact with the devil was immediately taken to court for a case, they could be imprisoned for many years or worse killed. As you can imagine this arose a great deal of problems including peoples greed or jealousy taking over their moral beliefs. People would accuse others to get what they wanted e.g. land. Act 2- Proctors house. Role of Elizabeth  Elizabeth- What keeps you so late? Its almost dark.  At this point in the story Elizabeth still has a slightly higher status than her husband, and has done for quite a while this is because he is the one that has sinned and still needs to watch his step if he wants to keep her as his wife. As she walks in from singing to the children, she will be looking at her husband at first, then look out side swiftly when she says Its almost dark. She asks a question about his work to be polite, not necessarily interested so will be busy with something on the table, e.g. a candle stick. When she has to respond to Proctor asking if the boys are asleep she will look up from what she is doing and answer while walking quickly over to the fireplace. She answers vaguely to Proctors wishing for a fair summer.  When Proctor asks if she is well today She turns around with the plate of his food and smiles kindly and responds I am Although not returning the question. She then nods at the plate and tells him it is rabbit. She then pulls out a chair and sits by him watching him sit down to eat. Her eyes never leave him apart from to look at the rabbit describing how painful it was for her to strip her. While she watches him taste it, there is a look of slight anticipation on her face to see his respond. She is still sitting up right facing him, perfect posture. It is at this point that their statuses are equal, she wants praise from him. Which when she gets she blushes and smiles, but asks for more; so asks- its tender? Maybe leaning slightly further forward, closing the distance that is between them. After proctor tells her that he means to please her, the eye contact becomes more intense for a split second but soon disappears. Her facial expression is of fake happiness maybe even slight sadness. As she replies she looks at Proctor for the beginning of the line I know it but then looks down when she says John. Indicating it is very hard for her to say. When Proctor tries to kiss her she does not lean in towards it but sits very still and up right in her chair, looking away. She receives it but does not return it. After he has sat down she continues to look at him, which is when he sullenly says Cider. In a thanking sort of way, for changing the subject she quickly stands replying Aye! The subject back onto the farm, Elizabeth still shows that there is something still annoying her. She walks quickly back with the cider and places it by him, and sits back down. Proctor then introduces the idea of flowers in the house, she answers quickly, and looking around, hands on the table and feet perfectly together on the floor. She says that she has forgotten, but this is not top on her list, so says it rather quickly, with the air of not really caring about it. Proctor then suggests that they go on a walk together one day to look at the flowers; he finishes the sentence with saying how beautiful Massachusetts is in the spring. Elizabeth only responds to this, not the walk through the wood together. Her answer is short and quick, and as she says it has a knowing look upon her face and nods slightly but it is obvious that she doesnt care and this is not what she is thinking about at the moment. There is a pause and she continues to watch him for a short while, with a look of enquiry and un-knowing on her face. When he does not say anything she gets up and picks up his plate and cutlery. She does this briskly not saying a word. She stands by the basin, after placing the plate and cutlery in it. She has her back to him and does not move, but waits.  Proctor then says I think youre sad again, are you? She doesnt reply immediately and still doesnt turn round, as if holding back words. She soon does however and when she speaks it is slowly, this is because she does not want an argument so she makes it look as if she is the one in the wrong asking herself a stupid question in her mind. This immediately lowers her status ever so slightly. His reply is harsh and sudden, which doesnt strike her, if anything makes her slightly more frightened, she rubs her hands around each other nervously but subtly, yet still stands tall. You did speak of going, earlier this week. As if reminding him, that she had good reason to think that he might have gone Salem that day.  When she tells him that Mary Warren had gone that day, she looks at him directly; she still does not move her body though, she announces it very clearly. After his reply she has weakened a little, she knew that by telling him this it would get to him, now she can see that he is holding back from shouting. This still gives her the upper status. So when she says I couldnt stop her. She shakes her head slightly but still watches him. She then goes on to say how Mary Warren frightened all her strength and power away from her, at this she will step forward, its now that she begins to use her body to express, all the way so far her torso has stayed upright. As she steps forward she looks Proctor in the eye. And she moves her arms forward, which shows her weakness breaking through.  It is a mouse no more. I forbid her to go, and she raises up her chin like the daughter or a prince and says to me, I must go to Salem, Goody Proctor, I am an official in the court!

Pornography Does Not Cause Rape :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Pornography Does Not Cause Rape      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It started by way of messengers and scribes, evolved through the presentation of newspapers and radio, brought us together with television, and now serves us world-wide via the ever-popular Internet.   It is the mass media, and even from the earliest days of its existence, it has contributed greatly in ways that both enlighten and enrich society, and ways that deteriorate and perplex it.   It is not a surprise to learn, then, that the mass media is the most powerful source of information we have, and nothing else in today's world influences public perception quite as heavily.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unfortunately, however, most of what is broadcast or transmitted in the news today is with reference to the chaotic condition of our planet, or something else that society as a whole sees as detrimental or damaging. But the news on television is not the only type of media taking the criticism of society. Other forms of mass media, specifically movies and television programs containing pornography and violence have been heavily criticized. The underlining concept to be debated here is that society is negatively influenced, specifically, by these images of pornography and the result is increased violence against women. This assumption, and it is indeed only an assumption, is completely fallacious, however, as no concrete and completely conclusive evidence has ever been formulated in support of the theory.   The key premise here is that the mass media does not cause undesirable social behaviour and in actuality, the media people should not be dubbed as the "bad guys".   They simply use their power in the most constructive ways possible in order to promote their ratings and popularity.   One way to do that is to concentrate on what sells: sex, violence and disaster.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Having said this, why is it then, that many in society still believe otherwise; why do they continue to believe that pornography is " evil" and is a major cause for violence against women, specifically rape? There are many reasons for this misinterpretation and through the following few points, an attempt will be made to show that pornography has very little to almost no correlation with violence against women (of course nothing is "absolute" in society). In order to demonstrate this, it must be made evident that pornography is not "evil" and does not cause

Statement of Facts

This case in Fenton, Missouri involves 17 yrs. old Christopher Simmons born in 1993. Charles Benjamin and John Tessmer were Christopher Simmons friends and accomplices. Christopher Simmons planned and committed a capital murder along with Charles Benjamin. The plan was to commit burglary and murder by breaking and entering, tying up Shirley Crook, and tossing her off a bridge. The three boys met at 2am in the morning however, Tessmer then dropped out of the plan. Simmons and Benjamin broke into Mrs. Crook's home, bound her hands and covered her eyes. They put Mrs. Crook in a minivan drove her to a state park and threw her off a bridge. Once the case was brought to trial court, the evidence was solid and overwhelming. Simmons had confessed to the murder, performed a videotaped reenactment at the crime scene, and there was testimony from John Tessmer against him that showed premeditation. After the crime Christopher discussed the plot in advance and later bragged about the crime. After 2 hours of investigation Christopher broke down and confessed. At trial the State introduced Simmons confession and the videotaped reenactment of the crime, along with testimony that Simmons discussed the crime in advance and him bragging to fellow classmates about it later. The defense called no witnesses due to the evidence and confession. The jury having returned a verdict of murder, the trial proceeded to the penalty phase. The jury returned a guilty verdict. The jury recommended a death sentence in which the trial court imposed despite Christopher not having a criminal background. The State charged Simmons with burglary, kidnaping, stealing, and murder in the first degree. Simmons was 17 at the time of the crime. He was outside the criminal jurisdiction of Missouri’s juvenile court system. Charles Benjamin and was 15 years old and John Tessmer was 16 years old. The State later charged Tessmer with conspiracy, but dropped the charge in exchange for his testimony against Simmons. The jury recommended the death penalty after finding the State had proved each of the three aggravating factors submitted to it. Accepting the jury’s recommendation, the trial judge imposed the death penalty. Defense counsel reminded the jurors that juveniles of Simmons age couldn’t drink, serve on juries, or even see certain movies, because â€Å"the legislatures have wisely decided that individuals of a certain age aren’t responsible enough. Defense counsel argued that Simmons age should make a huge difference to the jurors in deciding just exactly what sort of punishment to make. Procedural History At eh age of 17, Christopher Simmons along with partner Charles Benjamin planed and killed Shirley Crook. After, he turned 18 he was sentenced to death. Christopher processed a direct appeal and subsequent petitions for state and federal post convictions relief but was rejected. Simmons filed a new petition for state post convection relief arguing that Atkins v. Virginia reasoning established that the constitution prohibits the execution of a juvenile who was under the 18 when he committed the crime. The Supreme Court agreed in favor of Simmons and abandons the death sentence in agreement of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Issues Does the Eighth Amendment prohibit the execution of juveniles who commit capital crimes prior to turning 18 years of age? Arguments For Roper * Currently, juries are very careful when they decide whether a 16 or 17 year old should be given the death penalty. When sentences are made, the jury considers the defendant’s age and other relevant information. Since only one juvenile has been executed in Missouri, this shows that juries only use the death penalty for the worst offenders. * Since 1989, only Indiana, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming have changed their laws to make it impossible for 16 and 17 year olds to get the death penalty. The previous amount of states was not enough show the nation agrees on this issue. * The Supreme Court case that ruled against using the death penalty for the mentally retarded Atkins v. Virginia should not be compared to this case. Sixteen and seventeen year old offenders should not be placed in the same category with the mentally retarded. Juries should decide in each individual case whether a juvenile was mature enough to take responsibility for a crime. * Some crimes are so horrible that the death penalty is the only appropriate sentence. It is better for society to remove the worst criminals with the death penalty. Using the death penalty will also discourage other youth from committing crimes. Arguments For Simmons * In many cases, juries are overwhelmed by how horrible the crimes are that some juveniles commit. It is a problem, then, for juries to consider the maturity of a juvenile in each individual case, because the crime itself may make it difficult for the juries to be fair. The juries may get distracted by the crime and not consider the offender’s age as an explanation for the crime. * A national consensus has developed in which the majority of states do not support the use of the death penalty for juveniles. Currently, 30 states prohibit the juvenile death penalty, and 12 of those states have banned the death penalty completely. In addition, since 1989, five states that previously allowed the juvenile death penalty have banned its use. Most other countries in the world disapprove of using the death penalty on juvenile offenders. The United States is one of the only countries in the world that still allows the execution of juveniles. There is a clear global opinion that the death penalty is too strong a punishment for offenders under the age of 18. * There is research that shows that adolescents do not have the maturity and judgment necessary to fully weigh decisions and control their impulses. Brain research shows that the brain is not fully developed until adulthood. Our society has decided that age 18 is an important turning point. The majority of states do not allow people under the age of 18 to vote, serve on juries, or marry without their parents’ permission. It makes sense then that 18 should also be the age when a person can be held fully responsible for committing a crime. Judgment The United States Supreme Court judgment in the Roper v. Simmons cases ruled in favor of Simmons. The United States Supreme Court said, â€Å"that sentencing a minor to death was indeed cruel and unusual punishment and voided against the 8th amendment†. The United States Supreme Court overturned the ruling that was established in Sanford v. Kentucky case that took place in 1989, in which the court decided that minors could be subject to the death sentence only if the charges warrant execution. Christopher was sentenced to life in prison with out the possibility of parole. Holding The Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid obligation of the death penalty on offenders who were under the age of 18 when their crimes were committed. Supreme Court of Missouri affirmed and the United States overruled the Atkins v. Virginia case and Simmons original sentence. Rule Of Law Or Legal Principles Applied The 8th amendment is prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Any amendment is an unchanging statue. Therefore the case itself or whatever the ruling is has to change if proven justified. Reasoning The Missouri Court voted 6 to 3 that he should receive the death penalty. They believed if he was older and committed murder it would just get worse f rom there. The lawyers argued that this was unfair punishment for a boy who couldn’t see an R rated movie. The Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 that executing a minor is cruel and unusual punishment. Society didn’t like the view of executing children. What he did was wrong but at the same time he is still a child and should be treated like one. If they had executed him society would have a negative aspect on the criminal justice system. Additional Comments I think Christopher Simmons deserve the death penalty. Despite he background and rough up bringing that doesn’t give you the right to kill an innocent lady for no reason. Due to the planning and precision behind the murder he deserves to die. His intentions from the beginning were for her to die and die painfully. Tying her up and throwing her off the bridge requires a lot of hatred and regards for humanity. Despite his confessing to the murder Chris didn’t feel remorseful for the family or his actions. My opinions would be different if he had a mental disorder, suffered more serious child neglect or maybe Shirley harmed his family in retaliation he killed her. Other wise Chris actions are similar to the James Holmes massacre and the Newtown shooting. All three deserve to die slow in my opinion.

Angels Demons Chapter 46-48

46 The Secret Vatican Archives are located at the far end of the Borgia Courtyard directly up a hill from the Gate of Santa Ana. They contain over 20,000 volumes and are rumored to hold such treasures as Leonardo da Vinci's missing diaries and even unpublished books of the Holy Bible. Langdon strode powerfully up the deserted Via della Fondamenta toward the archives, his mind barely able to accept that he was about to be granted access. Vittoria was at his side, keeping pace effortlessly. Her almond-scented hair tossed lightly in the breeze, and Langdon breathed it in. He felt his thoughts straying and reeled himself back. Vittoria said, â€Å"You going to tell me what we're looking for?† â€Å"A little book written by a guy named Galileo.† She sounded surprised. â€Å"You don't mess around. What's in it?† â€Å"It is supposed to contain something called il segno.† â€Å"The sign?† â€Å"Sign, clue, signal†¦ depends on your translation.† â€Å"Sign to what?† Langdon picked up the pace. â€Å"A secret location. Galileo's Illuminati needed to protect themselves from the Vatican, so they founded an ultrasecret Illuminati meeting place here in Rome. They called it The Church of Illumination.† â€Å"Pretty bold calling a satanic lair a church.† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Galileo's Illuminati were not the least bit satanic. They were scientists who revered enlightenment. Their meeting place was simply where they could safely congregate and discuss topics forbidden by the Vatican. Although we know the secret lair existed, to this day nobody has ever located it.† â€Å"Sounds like the Illuminati know how to keep a secret.† â€Å"Absolutely. In fact, they never revealed the location of their hideaway to anyone outside the brotherhood. This secrecy protected them, but it also posed a problem when it came to recruiting new members.† â€Å"They couldn't grow if they couldn't advertise,† Vittoria said, her legs and mind keeping perfect pace. â€Å"Exactly. Word of Galileo's brotherhood started to spread in the 1630s, and scientists from around the world made secret pilgrimages to Rome hoping to join the Illuminati†¦ eager for a chance to look through Galileo's telescope and hear the master's ideas. Unfortunately, though, because of the Illuminati's secrecy, scientists arriving in Rome never knew where to go for the meetings or to whom they could safely speak. The Illuminati wanted new blood, but they could not afford to risk their secrecy by making their whereabouts known.† Vittoria frowned. â€Å"Sounds like a situazione senza soluzione.† â€Å"Exactly. A catch-22, as we would say.† â€Å"So what did they do?† â€Å"They were scientists. They examined the problem and found a solution. A brilliant one, actually. The Illuminati created a kind of ingenious map directing scientists to their sanctuary.† Vittoria looked suddenly skeptical and slowed. â€Å"A map? Sounds careless. If a copy fell into the wrong hands†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It couldn't,† Langdon said. â€Å"No copies existed anywhere. It was not the kind of map that fit on paper. It was enormous. A blazed trail of sorts across the city.† Vittoria slowed even further. â€Å"Arrows painted on sidewalks?† â€Å"In a sense, yes, but much more subtle. The map consisted of a series of carefully concealed symbolic markers placed in public locations around the city. One marker led to the next†¦ and the next†¦ a trail†¦ eventually leading to the Illuminati lair.† Vittoria eyed him askance. â€Å"Sounds like a treasure hunt.† Langdon chuckled. â€Å"In a manner of speaking, it is. The Illuminati called their string of markers ‘The Path of Illumination,' and anyone who wanted to join the brotherhood had to follow it all the way to the end. A kind of test.† â€Å"But if the Vatican wanted to find the Illuminati,† Vittoria argued, â€Å"couldn't they simply follow the markers?† â€Å"No. The path was hidden. A puzzle, constructed in such a way that only certain people would have the ability to track the markers and figure out where the Illuminati church was hidden. The Illuminati intended it as a kind of initiation, functioning not only as a security measure but also as a screening process to ensure that only the brightest scientists arrived at their door.† â€Å"I don't buy it. In the 1600s the clergy were some of the most educated men in the world. If these markers were in public locations, certainly there existed members of the Vatican who could have figured it out.† â€Å"Sure,† Langdon said, â€Å"if they had known about the markers. But they didn't. And they never noticed them because the Illuminati designed them in such a way that clerics would never suspect what they were. They used a method known in symbology as dissimulation.† â€Å"Camouflage.† Langdon was impressed. â€Å"You know the term.† â€Å"Dissimulacione,† she said. â€Å"Nature's best defense. Try spotting a trumpet fish floating vertically in seagrass.† â€Å"Okay,† Langdon said. â€Å"The Illuminati used the same concept. They created markers that faded into the backdrop of ancient Rome. They couldn't use ambigrams or scientific symbology because it would be far too conspicuous, so they called on an Illuminati artist – the same anonymous prodigy who had created their ambigrammatic symbol ‘Illuminati' – and they commissioned him to carve four sculptures.† â€Å"Illuminati sculptures?† â€Å"Yes, sculptures with two strict guidelines. First, the sculptures had to look like the rest of the artwork in Rome†¦ artwork that the Vatican would never suspect belonged to the Illuminati.† â€Å"Religious art.† Langdon nodded, feeling a tinge of excitement, talking faster now. â€Å"And the second guideline was that the four sculptures had to have very specific themes. Each piece needed to be a subtle tribute to one of the four elements of science.† â€Å"Four elements?† Vittoria said. â€Å"There are over a hundred.† â€Å"Not in the 1600s,† Langdon reminded her. â€Å"Early alchemists believed the entire universe was made up of only four substances: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.† The early cross, Langdon knew, was the most common symbol of the four elements – four arms representing Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Beyond that, though, there existed literally dozens of symbolic occurrences of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water throughout history – the Pythagorean cycles of life, the Chinese Hong-Fan, the Jungian male and female rudiments, the quadrants of the Zodiac, even the Muslims revered the four ancient elements†¦ although in Islam they were known as â€Å"squares, clouds, lightning, and waves.† For Langdon, though, it was a more modern usage that always gave him chills – the Mason's four mystic grades of Absolute Initiation: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Vittoria seemed mystified. â€Å"So this Illuminati artist created four pieces of art that looked religious, but were actually tributes to Earth, Air, Fire, and Water?† â€Å"Exactly,† Langdon said, quickly turning up Via Sentinel toward the archives. â€Å"The pieces blended into the sea of religious artwork all over Rome. By donating the artwork anonymously to specific churches and then using their political influence, the brotherhood facilitated placement of these four pieces in carefully chosen churches in Rome. Each piece of course was a marker†¦ subtly pointing to the next church†¦ where the next marker awaited. It functioned as a trail of clues disguised as religious art. If an Illuminati candidate could find the first church and the marker for Earth, he could follow it to Air†¦ and then to Fire†¦ and then to Water†¦ and finally to the Church of Illumination.† Vittoria was looking less and less clear. â€Å"And this has something to do with catching the Illuminati assassin?† Langdon smiled as he played his ace. â€Å"Oh, yes. The Illuminati called these four churches by a very special name. The Altars of Science.† Vittoria frowned. â€Å"I'm sorry, that means noth – † She stopped short. â€Å"L'altare di scienza?† she exclaimed. â€Å"The Illuminati assassin. He warned that the cardinals would be virgin sacrifices on the altars of science!† Langdon gave her a smile. â€Å"Four cardinals. Four churches. The four altars of science.† She looked stunned. â€Å"You're saying the four churches where the cardinals will be sacrificed are the same four churches that mark the ancient Path of Illumination?† â€Å"I believe so, yes.† â€Å"But why would the killer have given us that clue?† â€Å"Why not?† Langdon replied. â€Å"Very few historians know about these sculptures. Even fewer believe they exist. And their locations have remained secret for four hundred years. No doubt the Illuminati trusted the secret for another five hours. Besides, the Illuminati don't need their Path of Illumination anymore. Their secret lair is probably long gone anyway. They live in the modern world. They meet in bank boardrooms, eating clubs, private golf courses. Tonight they want to make their secrets public. This is their moment. Their grand unveiling.† Langdon feared the Illuminati unveiling would have a special symmetry to it that he had not yet mentioned. The four brands. The killer had sworn each cardinal would be branded with a different symbol. Proof the ancient legends are true, the killer had said. The legend of the four ambigrammatic brands was as old as the Illuminati itself: earth, air, fire, water – four words crafted in perfect symmetry. Just like the word Illuminati. Each cardinal was to be branded with one of the ancient elements of science. The rumor that the four brands were in English rather than Italian remained a point of debate among historians. English seemed a random deviation from their natural tongue†¦ and the Illuminati did nothing randomly. Langdon turned up the brick pathway before the archive building. Ghastly images thrashed in his mind. The overall Illuminati plot was starting to reveal its patient grandeur. The brotherhood had vowed to stay silent as long as it took, amassing enough influence and power that they could resurface without fear, make their stand, fight their cause in broad daylight. The Illuminati were no longer about hiding. They were about flaunting their power, confirming the conspiratorial myths as fact. Tonight was a global publicity stunt. Vittoria said, â€Å"Here comes our escort.† Langdon looked up to see a Swiss Guard hurrying across an adjacent lawn toward the front door. When the guard saw them, he stopped in his tracks. He stared at them, as though he thought he was hallucinating. Without a word he turned away and pulled out his walkie-talkie. Apparently incredulous at what he was being asked to do, the guard spoke urgently to the person on the other end. The angry bark coming back was indecipherable to Langdon, but its message was clear. The guard slumped, put away the walkie-talkie, and turned to them with a look of discontent. Not a word was spoken as the guard guided them into the building. They passed through four steel doors, two passkey entries, down a long stairwell, and into a foyer with two combination keypads. Passing through a high-tech series of electronic gates, they arrived at the end of a long hallway outside a set of wide oak double doors. The guard stopped, looked them over again and, mumbling under his breath, walked to a metal box on the wall. He unlocked it, reached inside, and pressed a code. The doors before them buzzed, and the deadbolt fell open. The guard turned, speaking to them for the first time. â€Å"The archives are beyond that door. I have been instructed to escort you this far and return for briefing on another matter.† â€Å"You're leaving?† Vittoria demanded. â€Å"Swiss Guards are not cleared for access to the Secret Archives. You are here only because my commander received a direct order from the camerlegno.† â€Å"But how do we get out?† â€Å"Monodirectional security. You will have no difficulties.† That being the entirety of the conversation, the guard spun on his heel and marched off down the hall. Vittoria made some comment, but Langdon did not hear. His mind was fixed on the double doors before him, wondering what mysteries lay beyond. 47 Although he knew time was short, Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca walked slowly. He needed the time alone to gather his thoughts before facing opening prayer. So much was happening. As he moved in dim solitude down the Northern Wing, the challenge of the past fifteen days weighed heavy in his bones. He had followed his holy duties to the letter. As was Vatican tradition, following the Pope's death the camerlegno had personally confirmed expiration by placing his fingers on the Pope's carotid artery, listening for breath, and then calling the Pope's name three times. By law there was no autopsy. Then he had sealed the Pope's bedroom, destroyed the papal fisherman's ring, shattered the die used to make lead seals, and arranged for the funeral. That done, he began preparations for the conclave. Conclave, he thought. The final hurdle. It was one of the oldest traditions in Christendom. Nowadays, because the outcome of conclave was usually known before it began, the process was criticized as obsolete – more of a burlesque than an election. The camerlegno knew, however, this was only a lack of understanding. Conclave was not an election. It was an ancient, mystic transference of power. The tradition was timeless†¦ the secrecy, the folded slips of paper, the burning of the ballots, the mixing of ancient chemicals, the smoke signals. As the camerlegno approached through the Loggias of Gregory XIII, he wondered if Cardinal Mortati was in a panic yet. Certainly Mortati had noticed the preferiti were missing. Without them, the voting would go on all night. Mortati's appointment as the Great Elector, the camerlegno assured himself, was a good one. The man was a freethinker and could speak his mind. The conclave would need a leader tonight more than ever. As the camerlegno arrived at the top of the Royal Staircase, he felt as though he were standing on the precipice of his life. Even from up here he could hear the rumble of activity in the Sistine Chapel below – the uneasy chatter of 165 cardinals. One hundred sixty-one cardinals, he corrected. For an instant the camerlegno was falling, plummeting toward hell, people screaming, flames engulfing him, stones and blood raining from the sky. And then silence. When the child awoke, he was in heaven. Everything around him was white. The light was blinding and pure. Although some would say a ten year old could not possibly understand heaven, the young Carlo Ventresca understood heaven very well. He was in heaven right now. Where else would he be? Even in his short decade on earth Carlo had felt the majesty of God – the thundering pipe organs, the towering domes, the voices raised in song, the stained glass, shimmering bronze and gold. Carlo's mother, Maria, brought him to Mass every day. The church was Carlo's home. â€Å"Why do we come to Mass every single day?† Carlo asked, not that he minded at all. â€Å"Because I promised God I would,† she replied. â€Å"And a promise to God is the most important promise of all. Never break a promise to God.† Carlo promised her he would never break a promise to God. He loved his mother more than anything in the world. She was his holy angel. Sometimes he called her Maria benedetta – the Blessed Mary – although she did not like that at all. He knelt with her as she prayed, smelling the sweet scent of her flesh and listening to the murmur of her voice as she counted the rosary. Hail Mary, Mother of God†¦ pray for us sinners†¦ now and at the hour of our death. â€Å"Where is my father?† Carlo asked, already knowing his father had died before he was born. â€Å"God is your father, now,† she would always reply. â€Å"You are a child of the church.† Carlo loved that. â€Å"Whenever you feel frightened,† she said, â€Å"remember that God is your father now. He will watch over you and protect you forever. God has big plans for you, Carlo.† The boy knew she was right. He could already feel God in his blood. Blood†¦ Blood raining from the sky! Silence. Then heaven. His heaven, Carlo learned as the blinding lights were turned off, was actually the Intensive Care Unit in Santa Clara Hospital outside of Palermo. Carlo had been the sole survivor of a terrorist bombing that had collapsed a chapel where he and his mother had been attending Mass while on vacation. Thirty-seven people had died, including Carlo's mother. The papers called Carlo's survival The Miracle of St. Francis. Carlo had, for some unknown reason, only moments before the blast, left his mother's side and ventured into a protected alcove to ponder a tapestry depicting the story of St. Francis. God called me there, he decided. He wanted to save me. Carlo was delirious with pain. He could still see his mother, kneeling at the pew, blowing him a kiss, and then with a concussive roar, her sweet-smelling flesh was torn apart. He could still taste man's evil. Blood showered down. His mother's blood! The blessed Maria! God will watch over you and protect you forever, his mother had told him. But where was God now! Then, like a worldly manifestation of his mother's truth, a clergyman had come to the hospital. He was not any clergyman. He was a bishop. He prayed over Carlo. The Miracle of St. Francis. When Carlo recovered, the bishop arranged for him to live in a small monastery attached to the cathedral over which the bishop presided. Carlo lived and tutored with the monks. He even became an altar boy for his new protector. The bishop suggested Carlo enter public school, but Carlo refused. He could not have been more happy with his new home. He now truly lived in the house of God. Every night Carlo prayed for his mother. God saved me for a reason, he thought. What is the reason? When Carlo turned sixteen, he was obliged by Italian law to serve two years of reserve military training. The bishop told Carlo that if he entered seminary he would be exempt from this duty. Carlo told the priest that he planned to enter seminary but that first he needed to understand evil. The bishop did not understand. Carlo told him that if he was going to spend his life in the church fighting evil, first he had to understand it. He could not think of any better place to understand evil than in the army. The army used guns and bombs. A bomb killed my Blessed mother! The bishop tried to dissuade him, but Carlo's mind was made up. â€Å"Be careful, my son,† the bishop had said. â€Å"And remember the church awaits you when you return.† Carlo's two years of military service had been dreadful. Carlo's youth had been one of silence and reflection. But in the army there was no quiet for reflection. Endless noise. Huge machines everywhere. Not a moment of peace. Although the soldiers went to Mass once a week at the barracks, Carlo did not sense God's presence in any of his fellow soldiers. Their minds were too filled with chaos to see God. Carlo hated his new life and wanted to go home. But he was determined to stick it out. He had yet to understand evil. He refused to fire a gun, so the military taught him how to fly a medical helicopter. Carlo hated the noise and the smell, but at least it let him fly up in the sky and be closer to his mother in heaven. When he was informed his pilot's training included learning how to parachute, Carlo was terrified. Still, he had no choice. God will protect me, he told himself. Carlo's first parachute jump was the most exhilarating physical experience of his life. It was like flying with God. Carlo could not get enough†¦ the silence†¦ the floating†¦ seeing his mother's face in the billowing white clouds as he soared to earth. God has plans for you, Carlo. When he returned from the military, Carlo entered the seminary. That had been twenty-three years ago. Now, as Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca descended the Royal Staircase, he tried to comprehend the chain of events that had delivered him to this extraordinary crossroads. Abandon all fear, he told himself, and give this night over to God. He could see the great bronze door of the Sistine Chapel now, dutifully protected by four Swiss Guards. The guards unbolted the door and pulled it open. Inside, every head turned. The camerlegno gazed out at the black robes and red sashes before him. He understood what God's plans for him were. The fate of the church had been placed in his hands. The camerlegno crossed himself and stepped over the threshold. 48 BBC journalist Gunther Glick sat sweating in the BBC network van parked on the eastern edge of St. Peter's Square and cursed his assignment editor. Although Glick's first monthly review had come back filled with superlatives – resourceful, sharp, dependable – here he was in Vatican City on â€Å"Pope-Watch.† He reminded himself that reporting for the BBC carried a hell of a lot more credibility than fabricating fodder for the British Tattler, but still, this was not his idea of reporting. Glick's assignment was simple. Insultingly simple. He was to sit here waiting for a bunch of old farts to elect their next chief old fart, then he was to step outside and record a fifteen-second â€Å"live† spot with the Vatican as a backdrop. Brilliant. Glick couldn't believe the BBC still sent reporters into the field to cover this schlock. You don't see the American networks here tonight. Hell no! That was because the big boys did it right. They watched CNN, synopsized it, and then filmed their â€Å"live† report in front of a blue screen, superimposing stock video for a realistic backdrop. MSNBC even used in-studio wind and rain machines to give that on-the-scene authenticity. Viewers didn't want truth anymore; they wanted entertainment. Glick gazed out through the windshield and felt more and more depressed by the minute. The imperial mountain of Vatican City rose before him as a dismal reminder of what men could accomplish when they put their minds to it. â€Å"What have I accomplished in my life?† he wondered aloud. â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"So give up,† a woman's voice said from behind him. Glick jumped. He had almost forgotten he was not alone. He turned to the back seat, where his camerawoman, Chinita Macri, sat silently polishing her glasses. She was always polishing her glasses. Chinita was black, although she preferred African American, a little heavy, and smart as hell. She wouldn't let you forget it either. She was an odd bird, but Glick liked her. And Glick could sure as hell use the company. â€Å"What's the problem, Gunth?† Chinita asked. â€Å"What are we doing here?† She kept polishing. â€Å"Witnessing an exciting event.† â€Å"Old men locked in the dark is exciting?† â€Å"You do know you're going to hell, don't you?† â€Å"Already there.† â€Å"Talk to me.† She sounded like his mother. â€Å"I just feel like I want to leave my mark.† â€Å"You wrote for the British Tattler.† â€Å"Yeah, but nothing with any resonance.† â€Å"Oh, come on, I heard you did a groundbreaking article on the queen's secret sex life with aliens.† â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"Hey, things are looking up. Tonight you make your first fifteen seconds of TV history.† Glick groaned. He could hear the news anchor already. â€Å"Thanks Gunther, great report.† Then the anchor would roll his eyes and move on to the weather. â€Å"I should have tried for an anchor spot.† Macri laughed. â€Å"With no experience? And that beard? Forget it.† Glick ran his hands through the reddish gob of hair on his chin. â€Å"I think it makes me look clever.† The van's cell phone rang, mercifully interrupting yet another one of Glick's failures. â€Å"Maybe that's editorial,† he said, suddenly hopeful. â€Å"You think they want a live update?† â€Å"On this story?† Macri laughed. â€Å"You keep dreaming.† Glick answered the phone in his best anchorman voice. â€Å"Gunther Glick, BBC, Live in Vatican City.† The man on the line had a thick Arabic accent. â€Å"Listen carefully,† he said. â€Å"I am about to change your life.†

The eNotes Blog To the Beat of Our Own Drum My Life Among the BeatGeneration

To the Beat of Our Own Drum My Life Among the BeatGeneration This guest post comes to us by way of one of our educators, wordprof. Besides serving as one of our literary experts, having written two books on drama and worked for Purdue University, wordprof has much to share for having witnessed firsthand one of the most interesting time periods in American literary history. Read on to find out a little more about one of our best educators as well as the decade dominated by  the Beat movement. There is an interesting way to think of History: it is any time you didn’t live through.  The Beatnik era, however, for me is not history, because I was there, in San Francisco in the 1950’s, and I experienced the emergence of a new sensibility, in the contrasting lifestyles of the time. San Francisco (of course, New York also) experienced a dynamic, innovative time just before the invasion of the â€Å"Flower Children† in the 1960’s.   It was known as the Beatnik era (named by Herb Caen), combining the Russian suffix –nik from Sputnik (1957) to the â€Å"Beat† designation from Kerauoc’s â€Å"Beat Generation† (meaning many things, including â€Å"The Beatitudes,† because there was a beatific, nonviolent atmosphere to the art of the time). I remember at the time that the aesthetic atmosphere brought an interesting contrast between the commercial, conservative atmosphere of the Ayn Rand   mentality  (The Fountainhead,  Atlas Shrugged), and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, Allen Ginsberg’s Howl, Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s A Coney Island of the Mind, and the like. The contrast could most easily be seen in the two dominant book stores- Paul Elder’s Books, downtown, where multiple copies of such novel bestsellers as Pasternak’s Dr. Zhivago (1957) and Nabakov’s Lolita (1957 in English translation) were stacked in towers in the expanses of window displays, and City Lights Book Store in North Beach. The latter, co-owned by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, featured single copies of books on shelves marked â€Å"Alternate Lifestyles† and â€Å"Non-Western religions,† where my friends would keep in touch with me by leaving notes on the cork bulletin board made available to all. Lawrence Ferlinghetti stands outside City Lights Bookstore, which devoted itself to selling alt and ,yes, banned books. The reading habits of this period reflected a vital new interest in Eastern philosophies and literature, prompted in large part by translation of eastern thought by Alan Watts ( The Way of Zen, 1957) and by English editions of Herman Hesse’s work (Siddhartha, Steppenwolf, Glass Bead Game, Journey to the East).   The Lebanese writer Kahlil Gibran of The Prophet  and the ancient Egyptian â€Å"Hermes Trismegistus† of The Kybalion also became widely read; Krishnamurti and the theosophists were much admired, along with existential philosophical writers- Jean-Paul Sartre (Being and Nothingness, but more often Existentialism and Human Emotion), Albert Camus’ novels, Andre Gide, Dostoevsky, Ouspensky’s Tertium Organum,   all much read, passed along, and discussed. It was a time of experimentation for all. Other influences, both philosophically and stylistically, were Walt Whitman, T.S Eliot, Ezra Pound, and especially E. E. Cummings, not only because of his distinct poetry, but for his prose autobiographical The Enormous Room and his seminal Norton Lectures i. six nonlectures. (I enjoyed a brief correspondence with Cummings that started as a paean to his genius and an inquiry about whether we should capitalize his name in our writings, and ended up with a request to be his apprentice, to which he responded in a postcard: â€Å"This nonhero is too busy being to teach.†)   Erich Fromm’s Art of Loving (1956), in many ways a contrast to the other popular literature of the time, was also read widely.   My personal â€Å"book of wonder† during these years of the Beatnik era was Bucke’s Cosmic Consciousness (written earlier but enjoying a revival), a conjecture about the next phase of human development, followed by a collection of brief biographies of persons who had transcended self-consciousness into â€Å"cosmic† consciousness (Francis Bacon, Walt Whitman, Gautama Buddha, etc.). It was all very beatific. As for my own enlightenment, I had my spine read by a â€Å"chiropracter† who could tell me all about my previous lives (I had been a sailor and an astronomer!). I was charted by a â€Å"personology† expert, who read my face, hair, and head bumps to determine my predilections toward a profession in this lifetime.   I also tried to teach myself Greek by reading interlinear translations of The Odyssey (no luck), and took playwriting lessons at the Sears-Whiteside School of Drama. That was the world of the â€Å"Beatnik† wannabe. Between that world and the world of ego-driven commercialism lay a chasm only bridged by San Francisco’s geographic splendor.   Besides the obvious tourist attractions- Pelican Island (Alcatraz), the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, Fisherman’s Wharfthere was Golden Gate Park, containing, besides expansive grass valleys, dozens of commemorative statues (many hidden by fast-growing shrubbery), as well as the De Young Museum and the Japanese Tea Gardens.   At the park’s western edge, guarded by two old-fashioned windmills, was the Pacific Ocean beach, a free public expanse of sand beyond which nothing existed except the Farallon Islands and the mysterious East.   At the top, northern tip of the beach, was Seal Island, close enough to shore to observe the seals without the coin-operated   binoculars, overlooked by the Camera Obscura and the Cliff House restaurant and bar, next to Sutro’s Bath House (since burned down).   These sites were somehow almo st reserved for natives to discover (despite the gift shops), again because the beach was free and we were always broke. Living as a young adult in the mid-50s to early 1960’s, I witnessed the contrasts daily. In North Beach, for example, (not a beach, but the Italian-American area surrounding the intersection of Columbus and Broadway streets) one could walk from a sublime, subtle Benny Bufano bronze statue of St. Francis in front of St. Francis Church, to the frighteningly commercial art studio and gallery of Walter Keane, where the big-eyed clown portraits reeked of poor taste.   Elsewhere throughout the Bay Area, Elmer Bischoff, Richard Diebenkorn (my friend, a student at S.F. School of Fine Art, did his gardening and mowed his lawn), and Paul Thiebaud were carving out Fine Art careers. (I remember one abstract expressionist painting at the DeYoung originally called something like â€Å"Study No. 2† but renamed â€Å"The Unnatural Battle of the Four Primal Elements† but I don’t recall the artist’s name.) The contrast in drinking establishments, too, was always apparent, from the upscale nightclubs- The Condor, Finnochio’s, Bimbo’s, Vesuvio’s, and the Buena Vista at the cablecar terminus- to â€Å"The Place†, a simple bar where anyone could speak publicly on the topic of the day, on Blabbermouth night, posted on a blackboard behind the bar. I myself spoke to â€Å"Is Nixon a Stone Fetishist?† (when he was vice-president and was stoned by the crowds as he toured South America on a â€Å"goodwill mission†) and to â€Å"Is Nudism a Form of Catharsis?† before nudism entered the free enterprise system with Carol Doda. Poet Allen Ginsberg (right), at North Beachs popular hangout Caffe Trieste. Hes joined by City Lights clerk Shig Murao, who was once arrested for selling Howl to an undercover police officer. In music (pre-British Invasion), Bob Dylan, Odetta, and Mose Allison sang out from apartment windows, while Flamenco dance music and West Coast Jazz floated out of the nightclubs (financially out of reach for the Beatniks, who would cluster on the sidewalks just outside the bouncer-doorman’s jurisdiction). A startlingly good recording of Porgy and Bess, with Mel Torme and Francis Faye, came out- in vinyl, of course- with a real red handkerchief in a pocket on the cover. Comics considered cutting-edge at the time would be featured at the Hungry I- Lenny Bruce, Nichols and May, George Carlin. Entertainment- other than the private gatherings in apartments decorated with free posters of faraway places (handed out by downtown travel agencies) featuring cheap wine and Tarot card readings, I Ching yarrow stick interpretations, and Mah Jongg games- was self-generated. We played chess at the Co-Existence Bagel Shop (where no bagels were served), or attending Auteur theatre. We watched  Jules et Jim,  Hiroshima, Mon Amour,  La Dolce Vita  and a dozen others, or the free performances in Golden Gate Park of the San Francisco Mime Troupe. There was a growth of experimental theatre, with 1957s  Waiting for Godot, (an outstanding production directed by Herbert Blau, with Jules Irving as Lucky, performed downtown and then at San Quentin prison), Albee’s The Sandbox, Kopit’s Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama’s Hung You in the Closet and I’m Feeling So Sad, the Happenings of Allen Kaprow, and an interest in the New York theatre experiments emerging at the begin ning of the 1960’s, Living Theatre, Open Theatre, etc.   In the conservative category at the same time, the best were the movies The Vikings and The Horse’s Mouth and on stage a traveling production of West Side Story.   I remember the Jack Tar hotel (finished in 1960) being built, ugly, rectangular, devoid of charm, an outsider to San Francisco’s opulent tradition of upscale hotels- the Mark Hopkins, and the St Francis.   As one critic put it: â€Å"It looks like the box that the Mark Hopkins came in.† The changing landscape of Broadway and Columbus signified the ushering in of a new era and the end of the time that belonged to the Beats. Geographically and socially, the Beatnik era ended around 1962, not only because of the Kennedy assassination, but also because Carol Doda at the Condor brought a different kind of tourism to the Columbus and Broadway area (her larger-than-life image in neon became a visual reminder of the change in atmosphere). The creative forces of the writers and poets were moving on, to Telegraphic Hill and to the Eastern cultures that Zen, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Krishnamurti had introduced them to- Japan, China, India, Tibet. The new neighborhoods were the Castro district and the Haight-Cole area (later claimed and re-named by the Flower Children as the Haight-Ashbury area, surrounding the panhandle of Golden Gate Park.) The writing generation just before the Beatniks, such as William Saroyan (Fresno), Jack London (Oakland), and John Steinbeck (Monterey), had branded California as a literary haven, but the Beats took San Francisco as their own (Saroyan lived on Carl Street in the Haight-Co le district before returning to Fresno). They- we- branded it with the indelible image still found today between the stacks of City Lights, or the pages of On the Road. All in all, if my memory hasn’t distorted the actual facts (Hinman Collator needed), the contrasting worlds served to heighten my awareness of the changes in social aesthetics that were taking place at that time. Whether the Beat Generation or the Ayn Rand Establishment won that particular battle, only history will tell. Besides, I wasn’t in history- I was in my salad days, in San Francisco during the Beatnik era.

Spiracles Aid in Breathing on Fish, Whales, and Insects

Spiracles Aid in Breathing on Fish, Whales, and Insects Spiracles are breathing openings found on the surface of insects, certain  cartilaginous fish  such as certain species of  sharks, and stingrays. Hammerheads and  chimeras dont have spiracles. In fish, spiracles are composed of a pair of openings just behind the fishs eyes that allow it to draw oxygenated water in from above without having to bring it in through the gills. The spiracles open into the fishs mouth, where water is passed over its gills for gas exchange and out of the body. Spiracles aid fish in breathing even when they are lying on the ocean bottom or when theyre buried in the sand.   Evolution of Spiracles Spiracles likely evolved from gill openings. In primitive jawless fish, spiracles were simply the first gill openings behind the mouth. This gill opening eventually separated as the jaw evolved out of the structures between it and the other gill openings. The spiracle remained as a small, hole-like opening in most cartilaginous fish. Spiracles are useful for the types of rays that bury themselves in the ocean bottom because they allow them to breathe without the aid of exposed gills. Primitive bony fish with spiracles include the sturgeon, paddlefish, bichirs, and coelacanth. Scientists also believe  that spiracles are associated with the hearing organs of frogs and some other amphibians. Examples of Spiracles Southern stingrays  are sand-dwelling sea animals that use their spiracles to breathe when they are lying on the ocean bottom. Spiracles behind the rays eyes draw in water, which is passed over the gills and expelled from its gills on its underside.  Skates, cartilaginous fish  that have a flat body and wing-like pectoral fins attached to their head, and stingrays sometimes use spiracles as their primary method of breathing, bringing oxygenated water into the gill chamber where it is exchanged for carbon dioxide. Angel sharks are large, flat-bodied sharks that bury themselves in the sand and breathe through their spiracles. They lie in wait, camouflaged,  for fish, crustaceans, and mollusks and then lunge to strike and kill them with their jaws. By pumping water in through their spiracles and out through their gills, these sharks can absorb oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide without constantly swimming, as more mobile sharks must do. Insects and Animals  With Spiracles Insects have spiracles, which allow air to move into their tracheal system. Since insects dont have lungs, they use spiracles to  exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide  with the outside air. Insects open and close their spiracles through muscle contractions.  Oxygen molecules then travel via the insects tracheal system. Each tracheal tube ends with a tracheole, where the oxygen dissolves into the tracheole fluid. The O2  then diffuses into the cells. The blowhole of the  whale  is also sometimes called a spiracle in older texts. Whales use their blowholes to take in the air and dispel carbon dioxide when they surface. Whales have lungs like other mammals rather than gills like fish. They have to breathe air, not water.

Information Systems and Strategy Management Assignment

Information Systems and Strategy Management - Assignment Example The firm must therefore radically change its information management systems to survive against the expected challenge. The European Union electricity supply sector represents a market share of over â‚ ¬150 billion annually, an annual investment of â‚ ¬30 billion Euros, while it employs over 750, 000 workers. The Electricity Supply Industry (ESIC) has a virtual monopoly in the European Union power supply industry, but the EU has decided to open up the market hence create competition for ESIC. In order for the power supply company, ESIC transform from a monopolistic system into a highly competitive market oriented firm, it needs to radically overhaul its information management systems. This will involve the company adopting a modern information technology (IT) system that incorporates all the firm’s divisions including the financial, production, and marketing sectors. Contemporary organizations have come to value the crucial importance of customer service to their continued survival. Firms with good customer oriented policies are able to able to maintain client royalty albeit the current fierce competition. The release of correct, regular and appropriate product information to workers, clients and providers across all channels is one of the fundamentals in retaining and acquiring new clientele. ESIC emerging from a monopolistic system will therefore need to change her information dissemination sector by revealing new products innovation information, financial dealings, among other news hence change her corporate image. ESIC must be geared to offer high quality customer service to her clientele by creating a seamless customer rapport across all the channels (generating, transmission, system control, distribution, supply sectors) by developing strategies aimed at surpassing the competing firms. Company products and information should be easily accessed either through the normal supply

Epigenetics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Epigenetics - Research Paper Example Arthur L. Beaudet earned his bachelor’s degree at the College of the Holy Cross. He studied medicine at the Yale University School of Medicine and is currently the professor and chairman of the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at the Baylor College of Medicine (Arthur L. Beaudet, 2012). This paper aims to provide a summary of the article, along with statements of opinion in regard to some of the aspects tackled in the research. It also seeks to discuss the impact of the article to the study of epigenetics. Finally, it seeks to provide suggestions on how additional research in the subject matter can help in understanding the role of epigenetics on human health. According to Jiang, Bressler, and Beaudet epigenetics is the â€Å"study of stable and heritable (or potentially heritable) changes in gene expression,† which do not result to â€Å"a change in DNA sequence† (2004, p. 479). The two components of gene expression are labile regulation and epigenetic regulation. Jiang, Bressler, and Beaudet (2004) provided historical perspectives about epigenetics. They have further discussed the role of epigenetics to studying the development of human disease. Jiang, Bressler, and Beaudet (2004) have inferred that epigenetics is crucial to the study of human disease which is manifested in genes that is susceptible to genomic imprinting. In genomic imprinting, gene activities are reversibly altered based on the gender of the parent who is transferring the genes which cause â€Å"unequal expression of paternal and maternal alleles for a diploid locus† (Jiang, Bressler, & Beaudet, p. 480). Genetic and epigenetic phenotypes (e.g. uniparental disomy, as well as imprinting defects, appear as epigenetic disease phenotypes) are produced in the event of mutations and epimutations in human imprinted genes. In addition, chromatin structure and remodeling are also influenced by genetic disorders. Genetic