Friday, May 31, 2019

Origin and Fate of the Empire of Mali :: World History

Origin and Fate of the Empire of MaliIntroduction In its peak, the people of Mali occupied land as far west as theAtlantic Ocean. They also worked as far east as Gao, the capital of theSonghai, as far south as the Niger bend, and as far north as the Saharadesert. They built a great empire between 1240 and 1337 that underwent acourse of slow decline until the seventeenth century. score The empire of Mali originated from a small country known as Kangaba.Its people where known as the Mandingo (they have also been called theMalinke and the Mandinka). After the breakup of Ghana, the Sosso, who hadcaused the breakup, were still in power. Apparently Sundiata, an heir tothe Mandingo throne raised an army and defeated the Sosso in the battle ofKirina. Afterward, Sundiata established the empire of Mali. He converted toIslam for support of the Muslim peoples. When Mansa genus Musa came into power,in the early 1300s, the empire reached its height. Mansa Musa traveledthrough Cairo on his pilgrimage to Mecca. It is said that he gave away somuch favourable that it dropped in value in Cairo for 12 years. Afterward the empire slowly declined, until, in the 1600s it was nomore than it had been originally when it originated the small kingdom ofKangaba. giving medication The government of Mali was a dictatorship. The dictator, who had thetitle of Mansa, was the sole secular and religious leader of his people,though not he did not enjoy the same power as Egyptian Pharaohs did. Thebase of government was located in the capital, known as Niani. It was oncewritten by a traveler that a person could travel safely without fear ofharm, and that the people of Mali hated injustice and the Mansa did nottolerate injustice at all. The military branch of government was constant. There was a standarmy of professional soldiers, so that Mali was ready for a battle withouthaving to raise an army every time.Religion The religion in Mali was divided between both groups. The merchants,traders, and government officials, including the Mansa, were Islam, though,apparently, they did not adhere to it very well. Women were allowed freedomand even the Mansa still believed in the tactile sensation of the land. The basicpeasant farmer believed in a spirit of the land to whom he prayed so that

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck Essay -- literary analysis, Steinbec

Introduction To some extent, writers are the most powerful people in the world as they can expend words to change peoples perceptions and ideas. Around the world, in that location are numerous writers who choose to convey their thoughts within their works, no matter fictions or poems. However, there are also some other representatives who prefer to be objective as a writer, and from my perspective, John Steinbeck should be one of them. Hence, I agree with the presumption quotation. In this essay, I will try to prove the quotation in three aspects. Firstly, I will discuss some characteristic of Of Mice and Men as well as John Steinbecks writing approach. Then, I will explore the fascinating and bewildering aspects of life in his fiction to demonstrate my statement. Finally, a shutting will be given. During 1930s, the relationship between the suffered labors and the government is very tense as a type of remarkable social contradictions. Of Mice and Men, the book that Steinbeck wrot e that period, is neither approximately the resistance of Californias newcomers nor their economic threat to the landed elite. (Shillinglaw, 1994) This book is about common people, their dreams, their ordinary life and their misfortune. The story teller- John SteinbeckTo begin with, I will select some important elements in Of Mice and Men to support my argument which states John Steinbeck is not a demonstrator but a story-teller. The rubric of this fiction is the first thing I would like to point out. The original title of this literary work is called Something That Happened which can be regarded as non-judgmental. (Shillinglaw, 1994). Later on, he changed his title after reading a poem. However, the new title still stands in an objective way. Steinbecks stylistic techniq... ...Meyer, Michael J.. (2009). Essential Criticism of John Steinbecks of Mice and Men, The. nominal head Press. Retrieved 3 December 2013, from Millichap, J. (1978). Realistic style in steinbecks and mileston es of mice and men. Literature/Film Quarterly, 6(3), 241-252. Retrieved from http//search.proquest.com/docview/226984779?accountid=11440Sale, R. (1980, Mar 20). Stubborn steinbeck. The New York Review of Books (Pre-1986), 27, 10. Retrieved from http//search.proquest.com/docview/201312410?accountid=11440John Steinbeck Naturalisms PriestWoodburn O. RossCollege English , Vol. 10, none 8 (May, 1949), pp. 432-438Published by National Council of Teachers of EnglishArticle Stable URL http//0-www.jstor.org.hkbulib.hkbu.edu.hk/stable/372552Twentieth-century American Literary Naturalism An InterpretationDonald Pizer

The Giver :: Giver Essays

The Giver   onas lives in a perfective tense world where war, disease, and suffering have all been eradicated. Everything is in hunting lodge everything is under control. The people have no worries or cares. The Community strives for sameness, in which everyone and everything are the same and equal. To help the Community function as a glutinous unit, each member is assigned a position in society. When Jonas turns twelve, the Community selects him to be the new Receiver of Memories. Only the Giver knows the truth and memories of the past, and now he must pass these memories on to Jonas.   The Giver is a wonderful book. Lois Lowry skillfully crafted an intriguing and profoundly thoughtful story. She subtly creates an uneasy feeling that something is wrong with this perfect world. The Communitys advisors intend to establish security within utopian society, but they really establish a stifling dystopia. To protect people from the risks of making poor or wrong dec isions in life, the advisors plan and dictate the lives of the people. In effect, the citizens have no liberty of choice they do not choose their job or blush their spouse. Moreover, the advisors inhibit the peoples ability to feel because they want to spare them from the hardships and pain of life. For instance, individuals must take a pill everyday, which suppresses passionate feelings. The citizens do not know or experience true emotions like love. One of the goals of the Community is to achieve sameness so that no one feels embarrassed or gets excluded for being different. However, this limits individuality and freedom of expression because everyone conforms to a certain desired image. Finally, to relieve the population of the horrors and devastation of the world and the past, the advisors isolate the Community from the rest of the world (also known as Elsewhere) and crock up the burden of holding the memories of the past to a single member of society the Receive r. Therefore, the Community lives only in the present, and the people have a narrow spot of life because they only know their community and way of life. They are naive they do not gain knowledge or wisdom from the memories. While receiving the memories, Jonas learns a different and better way to live and realizes what he and the Community have been missing.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Napoleon Essay -- essays research papers

During rough times in France in the late 1700&8217s, an anarchy was beingness formed. A revolution turned into civil war and the people were unhappy and needed a leader. At this time, General Napoleon Bonaparte took an opportunity. Napoleon&8217s fame for winning battles in the Middle East and Egypt and crushing royalist uprisings back at home allowed him to take over the Directory with ease. Recognized for his great military skills and corking leadership, Napoleon easily won over the hearts of the people.Napoleon&8217s first move was to obtain leadership. With the help of Pope Pius VII Napoleon was named first base Consul of France. Though France was now declared an empire, it was technically a Republic because of the set Constitution. Through this Constitution, Napoleon set up a system of government that helped precipitate the disputes of France.Napoleon&8217s career was arranged into a series of both accomplishments and defeats. He demonstrated his accomplishments during batt le as well as in government. By setting up the Napoleonic code, Napoleon unified the old Feudal Law and Royal Laws. Many of the laws set up, were based on his knowledge of the Enlightenment. He simplified the laws of old as well as new, and allowed freedom of speech and press. His main idea with these laws was to give all men equal rights. Women were also include into several laws. Another accomplishment was shown through religion. Though he supported Cat...

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay example -- English Lit

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr HydeJekyll and Hyde was written by Robert Louis Stevenson during theVictorian duration. This is significant because during this period, confederacyis very different from todays fiat. When looking at this novellait is also important to consider the ideas of good and evil in thecharacters of Jekyll and Hyde.During the Victorian era men were more powerful and the women had alower ranking. The belief of society were such that people werecovered completely and were forced to appear non-sexual. This leadsto the two layers of society - a surface layer which was very polite,well-mannered and refined, and a repressed layer where people (moresignificantly men) expressed their unacceptable side though tourprostitutes and involved in ...

Monday, May 27, 2019

Philips Versus Matsushita: the Competitive Battle Continues Essay

1. How did Philips become the leading consumer electronics company in the population in the post-war era? What typical competence did they build? What distinctive incompetencies? Philips became the leading consumer electronics in the world in the post-war period by a strong investment in research and development of their independent theme organizations, and good communication between the organizations. Philips has continue this tradition with fourteen divisions of product development, production and distri scarcelyion in the world, which is another factor n the success of Philips, national organizations.Distinctive competence Philips They had built national organizations that recognize a great advantage of the situation and serve to differences in local countries had, and finally product development was based on local grocery store conditions. They also had to transfer their assets abroad in trusts in the United Kingdom and the United States and they moved most of its research s taff in England, and senior executives in the United States. There were distinctive in that Philips skills are no longer able to make decisions ad one companys technology is o put new products on the market, exclusively each had The national organization tried to take care of their own problems and but they give lost the top executive to manage the company as a whole administration. They tried to establish areas of products, but they also failed.2. How did Matsushita succeed in displacing Philips as No. 1? What were its distinctive competencies and incompetencies? Matsushita was able to move Philips as Number 1 in consumer electronics with a unified global strategy, allowing increasing volumes Matsushita to lower the cost of pushing the lowest price, and hey have finally surpassed the strength Philips its related manufacturing. Matsushita basic skills were they. Control of the companys subsidiaries and a single global strategy, they were allowed to reduce their production and enh ance the coastline there were distinctive skills that they do not develop the innovation and they were not able to develop innovative foreign companies.3. What recommendations would you make to Gerald Kleisterle? To Eumio Ohtsubo? Both Philips and Matsushita changed its business almost things better and some things for the worse.Philips has its international corporate culture, but it seems that Philips is finally turning around again and again in his fundamental beliefs in research and manufacturing. It will be difficult, but with all the cost savings they had to do while trying to get there, and they need to have confidence in it. They used to make their production continues to amend in the development of research, but they need to promote innovation, to develop the company where he was. Matsushita will never recover it vocation is terrible and they were slow to respond to the recession in Japan.They lost their advantage in the manufacture of other low-cost competitors and they d o not recover this advantage, because many companies have lost confidence in Matsushita and how they do business. We think Philips and Matsushita are the same things need to improve their business. Both companies to consolidate their production by improving innovation, outsourcing products in low-wage countries, back with a strong research and development, and improve communication within the organization. If they do, there should be an increase in revenue over time. You lose money in advance, but it will be worth it in the end.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Ethics in Grant Essay

Ethics is described as moral principles and obligations that determine the wrongness and correctness of actions. It is associated with values and righteousness of every(prenominal) whiz-on-one conduct. As a human existence we argon responsible for our actions and we have moral obligations for the welfare of others. Ethics cover our everyday life from what we think, decisions we make our philosophical system and behavior to our everyday actions. In different professional field, standard and code of ethics are practiced to ensure proper conduct and behavior of those gnarled in the field.Ethics in grant has always been controversial. Issues associated with ethical behavior often arise from grant protrusions. The involvement of large amount of money causes the issues and scruple to rise. An example of an issue that may arise from a grant project is commissioning. Commission refers to the fee paid to an employee after venturing to a successful business or closing a deal. However, professional organizations and funders consider commissioning unethical in nature.This is because compensation with regards to commissioning based on charitable contributions and donations are ugly site to see. Unlike salesmen, who get a cut from the proceeds they make, professionals who are involved in grant projects are considered skilled and talented people who lend and utilized their expertise in order to find huge support and following for the work and project that an organization is aiming to achieve. These are usually projects that requires huge amount of funding.If commissions are paid in favor of the grant workers in order to generate money, it would seems people are working because of the money involved and not because of the dedication one has to obtain support for the completion of the project In fact, the Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practices of the Association of Fundraising Professional, clearly give awaylines that compensation based o n a fortune of fundraising should not be accepted. Sincerity and honesty is another issue that that is usually associated with Grant projects.Honesty comes into play when errors are committed while the project is being done. This happens when proposals made is not enough for the project to be successful and major changes are needed. Employees often resort to covering things up in an effort to restrain the miscalculations and mistakes done during proposal. Cover up is done because the fear of losing the funder since the original plans agreed upon fail to materialize. Employees then tend to lie and pretend everything runs smoothly. To prevent ethical issues arise from Grant Projects, it is important to be honest and to tell everything that that is going on to the funder.By being honest, one can earn the funders self-reliance and trust is important in every project to be successful. Furthermore, Grant makers and funders appreciate sincerity and honesty and they are open to changes from original plans that have been set, since changes that are made will yield promising results for the project. If an error with the project has been discovered, it is necessary to report at once. Also, it would be ethical to issue an apology if things are not carried out properly as promised.With the huge sum of money involved in Grant Projects, it will be helpful for anyone to be honest in every little way to prevent ethical issues from occurring. Sincerity for the projects completion and the responsibility one owes from the funder and from those who support the organization in building the project should make one realize the misconduct of falling into the temptation the large sum of money brings. One should understand that an arrangement in which one obtain a kickback is unethical. To preserve ones name and his reputation as a person and professional one must keep away from doing them.

Saturday, May 25, 2019

General Electric Essay

The history of normal electric automobile unwrapy is a significant part of the history of applied science in the United States. General Electric (GE) has evolved from Thomas Edisons home laboratory into iodine of the largest companies in the world, following the evolution of galvanisingal technology from the simplest archaeozoic applications into the spirited-tech wizardry of the wee(a) 21st century.The bon ton has likewise evolved into a conglomerate, with an increasing shift from technology to serve, and with 11 main operating units GE mature Materials, a specialist in high-per stoolance engineered thermoplastics, silicon-based products, and fused quartz and ceramics used in a wide variety of industries GE Consumer & Industrial, which is one of the worlds leading appliance manufacturers, stands as a preeminent global maker of shorting products for consumer, commercial, and industrial customers, and alike provides compound industrial equipment, systems, and services GE Energy, one of the largest technology suppliers to the energy industry GE Equipment Services, which offers leases, loans, and former(a) services to medium and large jobes around the world to service them manage their blood line equipment GE Healthcare, a world leader in medical diagnostic and interventional imaging technology and services GE Infrastructure, which is compound in high-technology protective and productivity solutions in more than(prenominal) areas as water purification, facility safety, demonstrate automation, and automatic environmental fudges GE Transportation, the largest producer of sm any(a) and large jet engines for commercial and military aircraft in the world, as well as the number one maker of diesel freight locomotives in North America NBC Universal (80 part take ined by GE), a global media and entertainment giant with a wide range of assets, including the NBC and Telemundo television wage run aways, s ever soal cable channels, and the Universa l Pictures train studio GE Commercial Finance, which provides businesses, peculiarly in the mid-market segment, with an array of financial services and products, including loans, operating leases, and finance programs GE Consumer Finance, a leading financial services provider, serving consumers, retailers, and auto repugner in just about tiercesome dozen countries and GE Insurance, which is involved in much(prenominal) areas as life insurance, asset management, mortgage insurance, and reinsurance. The staggering size of GeneralElectric, which ranked ordinal in the Fortune 500 in 2003, becomes heretofore more than evident through the revelation that each of the smart sets 11 operating units, if listed give outly, would measure up as a Fortune 500 fellowship. GE operates in more than 100 countries worldwide and generates approximately 45 percent of its revenues outside the United States. everywhere the course of its 110-plus years of innovation, General Electric has a massed more than 67,500 patents, and the firms scientists have been awarded cardinal Nobel Prizes and numerous some other honors. Thomas Edison established himself in the 1870s as an inventor subsequent devising, at the age of 23, an improved stock ticker. He subsequently began investigate on an voltaic unmortgaged as a successor for petrol light, the standard method of illumi furthestming at the time. In 1876 Edison moved into a laboratory in Menlo Park, bracing Jersey. Two years upstartr, in 1878, Edison established, with the help of his friend Grosvenor Lowry, the Edison Electric Light Company with a capitalization of $300,000. Edison received half of the new(a) clubs shares on the agreement that he work on developing an incandescent lighting system. The major problem Edison and his team of specialists faced was finding an easy-to-produce filament that would resist the passage of electrical current in the bulb for a long time. He triumphed only a year after begin ning interrogation when he disc overed that common sewing thread, at one time carbonized, worked in the laboratory. For practical applications, however, he switched to carbonized bamboo. Developing an electrical lighting system for a whole community involved more than merely developing an electric bulb the devices that generated, transmitted, and controlled electric exponent similarly had to be invented. Accordingly, Edison organized look into into all of these areas and in 1879, the same year that he produced an electric bulb, he also constructed the setoff dynamo, or direct-current (DC) generator. The original application of electric lighting was on the steamship Columbia in 1880. In that same year, Edison constructed a three-mile-long trial electric railroad at his Menlo Park laboratory. The first individual system of electric lighting came in 1881, in a printing plant. But the first all-out public application of the Edison lighting system was actually made in London, at th e Holborn Viaduct. The first system in the United States came soon after when osseous tissue Street Station was opened in New York City. Components of the system were manufactured by different companies, some of which were organized by Edison lamps came from theparent company, dynamos from the Edison Machine Works, and switches from Bergmann & Company of New York. In 1886 the Edison Machine Works was moved from New Jersey to Schenectady, New York.While these developments unfolded at Edisons company, the Thomson-Houston Company was formed from the American Electric Company, founded by Elihu Thomson and Edwin Houston, who held several patents for their development of arc lighting. Some of their electrical systems differed from Edisons through the use of alternating-current (AC) equipment, which can transmit over longer distances than DC systems. By the early 1890s the spread of electrification was threatened by the conflict between the ii technologies and by patent deadlocks, which prevented further developments because of patent-infringement problems. By 1889, Edison had consolidated all of his companies under the evoke of Edison General Electric Company. Three years newr, in 1892, this company was merged with the Thomson-Houston Electric Company to form the General Electric Company. Although this merger was the turning storey in the electrification of the United States, it resulted in Edisons resignation from GE. He had been appointed to the board of directors but he attended only one board meeting, and sell all of his shares in 1894, though he remained a consultant to General Electric and continued to collect royalties on his patents. The chairwoman of the new company was Charles A. Coffin, a former shoe manufacturer who had been the leading figure at Thomson-Houston. Coffin remained president of General Electric until 1913, and was chairman thereafter until 1922. Meanwhile, also in 1892, GEs stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1884 Fr ank Julian Sprague, an engineer who had worked on electric systems with Edison, resigned and formed the Sprague Electric railway line and Motor Company, which built the first large-scale electric streetcar system in the United States, in Richmond, Virginia. In 1889 Spragues company was purchased by Edisons. In the meantime, the two other major electric-railway companies in the United States had merged with Thomson-Houston, so that by the time General Electric was formed, it was the major supplier of electrified railway systems in the United States. One year after the formation of General Electric, the company won a bid for the construction of large AC motors in a textile mill in South Carolina. The motors were the largest manufactured by General Electric at the time and were so successful that regularises soon beganto flow in from other industries such as cement, paper, and steel. In that same year, General Electric began its first prat into the field of fountain transmission wi th the opening of the Redlands-Mill Creek power line in California, and in 1894 the company constructed a massive power-transmission line at Niagara Falls. Meanwhile the companys electric-railroad ventures produced an elevated electric train contact the fairgrounds of the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1893. Electrification of existing rail lines began two years later.By the turn of the century General Electric was manufacturing everything involved in the electrification of the United States generators to produce electricity, transmission equipment to carry power, industrial electric motors, electric light bulbs, and electric locomotives. It is important to any understanding of the evolution of GE to realize that though it was diverse from the beginning, all of its enterprises centered on the electrification program. It is also worth noning that it operated in the virtual absence of competition. General Electric and the Westinghouse Electric Company had been competitors, but the companies entered into a patent pool in 1896. In 1900 GE established the first industrial laboratory in the United States. Up to that point, research had been carried out in universities or in private laboratories similar to Edisons Menlo Park laboratory. Initially, the lab was set up in a barn back the house of one of the researchers, but the lab was moved in 1900 to Schenectady, New York, after it was destroyed in a fire. The interrogative sentence of the research division was a professor from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The importance of research at General Electric cannot be underestimated, for GE has been awarded more patents over the years than any other company in the United States. During the early ten-spots of the 20th century General Electric made further come on in its established fields and also made its first major diversification. In 1903 General Electric bought the Stanley Electric Manufacturing Company of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a manufacturer of transfo rmers. Its founder, William Stanley, was the developer of the transformer. By this time GEs first light bulbs were in obvious need of improvement. Edisons bamboo filament was replaced in 1904 by metalized carbon developed by the companys research lab. That filament, in turn, was replaced several years later by a tungsten-filament light bulb when William Coolidge, a GE researcher, discovered a process to render thedurable metal more pliable. This light bulb was so rugged and well suited for use in automobiles, railroad cars, and street cars that it was still employed in the early 2000s. In 1913, two other innovations came out of the GE labs Irving Langmuir discovered that waste-filled bulbs were more efficient and reduced bulb blackening. To this day virtually all bulbs over 40 watts are swash-filled.The first high-vacuum, hot-cathode X-ray tube, known as the Coolidge tube, was also developed in 1913. Coolidges research into tungsten had played an important role in the development of the X-ray tube. The device, which combined a vacuum with a heated tungsten filament and tungsten target, has been the foundation of virtually all X-ray tubes produced ever since, and its development laid the foundation for medical technology trading operations at General Electric. Perhaps GEs most important development in the early part of this century was its participation in the development of the high-speed steam turbine in conjunction with English, Swedish, and other inventors. Until this invention, all electricity (except hydroelectric) had been produced by generators that sullen at no more than 100 rpm, which limited the amount of electricity a single unit could produce. An independent inventor had come up with a design for a very-high-speed steam turbine before the turn of the century, but it took five years of research before GE could construct a working model. By 1901, however, a 500-kilowatt, 1,200-rpm turbine generator was operating. Orders for the turbines followed almost immediately, and by 1903 a 5,000-kilowatt turbine was in use at Chicagos Commonwealth Edison power company. Such rapid get along led to rapid obsolescence as well, and the Chicago units were replaced in spite of appearance six years. As a result, GE shops in Schenectady were soon overflowing with business. By 1910 the volume of the companys trade in turbine generators had tripled and GE had sold almost one million kilowatts of power capacity. At the same time, General Electric scientists were also researching the gas turbine. Their investigations eventually resulted in the first flight of an airplane equipped with a turbine-powered supercharger. In the early days of electric power, electricity was produced only during evening hours, because electric lighting was not needed during the day and there were no other products to use electricity. GE, as the producer of both(prenominal) electricity-generating equipment and electricity-consuming devices, naturally sought to expand both ends of its markets. The first majorexpansion of the General Electric product line was made in the first decade of the 20th century. Before the turn of the century, light bulbs and electric fans were GEs only consumer product.One of the first household appliances GE began to market was a toaster in 1905. The following year the company attempted to market an electric range. The unwieldy device consisted of a wooden table top equipped with electric griddles, pans, toasters, waffle irons, pots, and a coffeemaker, each with its own retractable cord to go into any one of 30 plugs. The range was followed by a commercial electric refrigerator in 1911 and by an data-based household refrigerator six years later. At the same time two other companies in the United States were producing electric devices for the home. The Pacific Electric heat Company produced the first electric appliance to be readily accepted by the public the Hotpoint iron. The Hughes Electric Heating Company produced and marketed an electric range. In 1918 all three companies were prospering, but to avoid competition with one another, they agree upon a merger. The new company combined GEs heating-device section with Hughes and Pacific to form the Edison Electric Appliance Company, whose products bore either the GE or the Hotpoint label. GEs first diversification outside electricity came with its establishment of a research staff to investigate plastics. This occurred primarily at the prompting of Charles P. Steinmetz, a brilliant mathematician who had been with the company since the 1890s. All of the initial work by this group was devoted to coatings, varnishes, insulation, and other products colligate to electrical wiring, so that even this diversification was tied in to electrification. A more radical branching of GEs activities occurred in 1912, when Ernst Alexanderson, a GE employee, was approached by a radio pioneer looking for a way to expand the range of wireless sets into higher frequen cies. Alexanderson worked for almost a decade on the project before he succeeded in creating electromagnetic waves that could span continents, instead of the short distances to which radios had been limited. In 1922, General Electric introduced its own radio station, WGY, in Schenectady. In 1919, at the request of the government, GE formed, in partnership with AT&T and Westinghouse, the radio set Corporation of America (RCA) to develop radio technology. GE withdrew from the venture in 1930, when just considerations came to the fore. General Electric also operated two experimental shortwave stations that had a global range.Other developments at General Electric contributed to the progress of the radio. Irving Langmuir had developed the electron tube. This tube, necessary for amplifying the signals in Alexandersons radio unit, was capable of operating at very high power. Other important developments by scientists at General Electric include the worlds first practical loudspeaker and a method for recording complex sound on film that is still in use today. Developments continued apace at GE in the electric motor field. In 1913 the U.S. navy commissioned General Electric to build the first ship to be powered by turbine motors rather than steam. In 1915 the first turbine-propelled battleship sailed forth, and within a few years, all of the Navys large ships were equipped with electric power.General Electric also owned several utility companies that generated electrical power, but in 1924 GE left over(p) the utilities business when the federal government brought antitrust action against the company. During the Great Depression the company introduced a variety of consumer items such as mixers, vacuum cleaners, air conditioners, and wash machines. GE also introduced the first affordable electric refrigerator in the late 1920s. It was designed by a Danish toolmaker, Christian Steenstrup, who later administrate mechanical research at the GE plant in Schenectady. In addition, GE introduced its first electric dishwasher in 1932, the same year that consumer financing of personal appliances was introduced. Also in 1932 the first Nobel Prize ever awarded to a scientist not affiliated with a university went to Irving Langmuir for his work at GE on step forward chemistry, research that had grown out of his earlier work on electron tubes. The years that followed witnessed a steady stream of innovation in electronics from the GE labs. These include the photoelectric-relay principle, rectifier tubes that eliminated batteries from home receivers, the cathode-ray tube, and glass-to-metal seals for vacuum tubes. Many of these developments in electronics were crucial to the harvest-festival of radio broadcasting. The broadcasting division of General Electric achieved a breakthrough in the late 1930s. The company had been developing a mode of transmission known as frequency modulation (FM) as an alternative to the prevailing amplitude modulation (AM). In 1 939 a demonstration conducted for the Federal Communications Commission proved that FM had less static and noise. GE began broadcasting in FM the following year. Of course, the light bulb was not forgotten in this broadening ofresearch activity at General Electric. The worlds first mercury-vapor lamp was introduced in 1934, followed four years later by the fluorescent lamp. The latter produced light using half the power of incandescent bulbs, with about twice the lifespan. Less than a year after the introduction of the fluorescent light, General Electric introduced the sealed-beam automotive headlight. Even though production of convenience items for the consumer halted during World War II, the war proved juicy for General Electric, whose revenues quadrupled during the war.The president of General Electric at the time, Charles Wilson, joined the War Production Board in 1942. GE produced more than 50 different types of radar for the arm forces and over 1,500 marine power plants for t he Navy and merchant marine. The company, using technology developed by the Englishman Frank Whittle, also conducted research on jet engines for aircraft. The chime XP-59, the first U.S. jet aircraft, flew in 1942 powered by General Electric engines. By the end of the war this technology helped General Electric develop the nations first turboprop engine. When production of consumer goods resumed immediately after the war, GE promptly found itself in another antitrust battle. The government discovered that GE controlled 85 percent of the light bulb industry55 percent through its own output and the other 30 percent through licensees. In 1949 the court forced GE to release its patents to other companies. In this period the first true product diversifications came out of GEs research labs. In the 1940s a GE scientist discovered a way to produce large quantities of silicone, a material GE had been investigating for a long time. In 1947 GE opened a plant to produce silicones, which allow ed the introduction of many products using silicone as a sealant or lubricant. Meanwhile, as research innovation blossomed and postwar business boomed, the company began an employee relations policy known as Boulwarism, from Lemuel Boulware, the manager who established the policy. The policy, which eliminated much of the bargaining involved in labor-management relations, included the extension by GE to union leaders of a nonnegotiable contract offer. During the late 1940s General Electric embarked on a study of thermonuclear power and constructed a laboratory specifically for the task. Company scientists involved in an earlier attempt to separate U-235 from natural uranium were developing nuclear power plants for naval propulsion by 1946. In 1955 the Navy launched the submarineSeawolf, the worlds first nuclear-powered vessel, with a reactor developed by General Electric.In 1957 the company received a license from the Atomic Energy Commission to operate a nuclear-power reactor, the first license granted in the United States for a in private owned generating station. That same year GEs consumer appliance operations got a big boost when an enormous manufacturing site, Appliance Park, in Louisville, Kentucky, was immaculate. The flow of new GE productshair dryers, skillets, electronic ovens, self-cleaning ovens, electric knivescontinued. Other innovations to come from GE labs during the fifties included an automatic pilot for jet aircraft, Lexan polycarbonate resin, the first all-transistor radio, jet turbine engines, gas turbines for electrical power generation, and a technique for fabricating diamonds. Antitrust problems continued to vex the company throughout the postwar years. In 1961 the Justice Department indicted 29 companies, of which GE was the biggest, for price fixing on electrical equipment. All the defendants pleaded guilty. GEs fine was almost half a million dollars, damages it stipendiary to utilities who had purchased price-fixed equipment came to at least $50 million, and three GE managers received jail sentences and several others were forced to leave the company. During the 1960s and 1970s GE grew in all fields.In 1961 it opened a research center for aerospace projects, and by the end of the decade had more than 6,000 employees involved in 37 projects related to the moon landing. In the 1950s General Electric entered the figurer business. This venture, however, proved to be such a drain on the companys profits that GE sold its computer business to Honeywell in 1971. By the late 1960s, GEs management began to feel that the company had become too large for its existing structures to accommodate. Accordingly, the company instituted a massive organizational restructuring. Under this restructuring program, the number of distinct operating units within the company was cut from more than 200 to 43. Each new section operated in a particular market and was headed by a manager who reported to management just beneath the corporat e policy board. The sections were classified into one of three categoriesgrowth, stability, or no-growthto facilitate divestment of unprofitable units. When this reorganization was complete, General Electric made what was at the time the largest corporate purchase ever. In December 1976 GE paid $2.2 one thousand million for Utah International, a major coal, copper, uranium, and ironminer and a producer of natural gas and oil. The company did 80 percent of its business in foreign countries. inside a year Utah International was contributing 18 percent of GEs total profit. In the meantime, GE scientist Ivar Giaever was a corecipient of the 1973 Nobel Prize in Physics for his discoveries in the area of superconductive tunneling. Giaever became the second GE employee to be honored with a Nobel Prize. The divestiture of its computer business had left GE without any capacity for manufacturing integrated circuits and the high-technology products in which they are used. In 1975 a study of the companys status concluded that GE, one of the first U.S. electrical companies, had fallen far undersurface in electronics. As a result, GE spent some $385 million to take on Intersil, a semiconductor manufacturer Calma, a producer of computer graphics equipment and four software producers. The company also spent more than $100 million to expand its microelectronics facilities. Other fields in which GE excelled were in difficulty by the mid-1970s, most notably nuclear power. As plant construction costs skyrocketed and environmental concerns grew, the companys nuclear power division began to fall behind money. GEs management, however, was convinced that the problem was temporary and that sales would pick up in the future. When by 1980 General Electric had received no new orders for plants in five years, nuclear power began to look more and more like a prime candidate for divestment. GE eventually pulled out of all aspects of the nuclear power business except for providing serv ice and fuel to existing plants and conducting research on nuclear energy.Though General Electrics growth was tremendous during the 1970s and earnings tripled between 1971 and 1981, the companys stock performance was mediocre. GE had become so large and was involved in so many activities that some regarded its fortunes as capable only of following the fortunes of the country as a whole. GEs economical problems were mirrored by its managerial reshuffling. When John F. (Jack) Welch, Jr., became chairman and CEO in 1981, General Electric entered a period of radical change. Over the next several years, GE bought 338 businesses and product lines for $11.1 gazillion and sold 232 for $5.9 one thousand million. But Welchs first order of business was to return much of the control of the company to the periphery. Although he decentralized management, he retained predecessor Reginald Joness system of classifying divisions according to their performance. His goal was to make GE number oneor two in every field of operation. One branch of GEs operations that came into its own during this period was the General Electric Credit Corporation, founded in 1943. Between 1979 and 1984, its assets doubled, to $16 zillion, primarily because of expansion into such markets as the leasing and selling of life-threatening industrial goods, inventories, real estate, and insurance. In addition, the leasing operations provided the parent company with tax shelters from accelerated depreciation on equipment developed by GE and then undertake by the credit corporation. Factory automation became a major activity at GE during the early 1980s. GEs acquisitions of Calma and Intersil were essential to this program. In addition, GE entered into an agreement with Japans Hitachi, Ltd. to manufacture and market Hitachis industrial robots in the United States. GE itself spent $300 million to robotize its locomotive plant in Erie, Pennsylvania. Two years later GEs aircraft engine business also part icipated in an air force plant-modernization program and GE later manufactured the engines for the controversial B-1B bomber. In 1986 General Electric made several extremely important purchases. The largestin fact, the largest for the company to that datewas the $6.4 one thousand million purchase of the Radio Corporation of American (RCA), the company GE had helped to found in 1919. RCAs National Broadcasting Company (NBC), the leading U.S. television network, brought GE into the broadcasting business in full force. Although both RCA and GE were heavily involved in consumer electronics, the match was regarded by industry analysts as beneficial, because GE had been shifting from manufacturing into service and high technology. After the merger, almost 80 percent of GEs earnings came from services and high technology, compared to 50 percent six years earlier.GE divested itself of RCAs famous David Sarnoff Research Center, because GEs labs made it unnecessary. In 1987 GE also sold its own and RCAs television manufacturing businesses to the French company Thomson in exchange for Thomsons medical diagnostics business. GE justified the merger by citing the need for size to compete effectively with large Japanese conglomerates. Critics, however, claimed that GE was running from foreign competition by increasing its defense contracts (to almost 20 percent of its total business) and its service business, both of which were insulated from foreign competition. In 1986 GE also purchased the Employers Reinsurance Corporation, a financial services company, from Texaco, for $1.1 billion,and an 80 percent interest in Kidder Peabody and Company, an investment banking firm, for $600 million, greatly broadening its financial services division. Although Employers Reinsurance contributed steady to GEs bottom line following its purchase, Kidder Peabody lost $48 million in 1987, in part because of the settlement of insider trading charges. Kidder Peabody did come back in 1988 to co ntribute $46 million in earnings, but the acquisition still troubled some analysts. GE owned 100 percent of Kidder Peabody by 1990. General Electrics operations were divided into three business groups in the early 1990s technology, service, and manufacturing. Its manufacturing operations, traditionally the core of the company, accounted for roughly one-third of the companys earnings. Still, GE continued to pour more than $1 billion annually into research and development of manufactured goods. Much of that investment was directed at energy conservationmore efficient light bulbs, jet engines, and electrical power transmission methods, for example. In 1992 GE signaled its intent to step up overseas activity with the purchase of 50 percent of the European appliance business of Britains General Electric Company (GEC). The two companies also made agreements related to their medical, power systems, and electrical distribution businesses. Welch said that his aim was to make GE the nations largest company. To that end, General Electric continued to restructure its existing operations in an effort to become more competitive in all of its businesses. Most importantly, the company launched an aggressive campaign to become dominant in the festering financial services sector. GEs aggressive initiatives related to financial services reflected the fact that the service sector represented more than three-quarters of the U.S. economy acquittance into the mid-1990s. Furthermore, several service industries, including financial, were growing rapidly. GEs revenues from its giant NBC and GE cap divisions, for example, rose more than 12 percent annually from about $14.3 billion in 1988 to more than $25 billion in 1994. Encouraged by those gains, GEs merger and acquisition activity intensified. For example, in 1994 the company offered a $2.2 billion bid for Kemper Corp., a diversified insurance and financial services company (it retracted the bid in 1995). GEs sales from services as a percentage of total revenues increased from 30 percent in 1988 to nearly 45 percent in 1994, and neared 60 percent by 1996.The troubled Kidder Peabody unitremained a drag on GEs services operations, leading to the companys late 1994 decision to liquidate the unit. As part of the liquidation, GE sold some Kidder Peabody assets and operations to Paine Webber Group Inc. for $657 million. In contrast to its service businesses, GEs total manufacturing receipts remained stagnant at about $35 billion. Nevertheless, restructuring was wageing off in the form of fat profit margins in many of its major product divisions. Importantly, GE made significant strides with its Aircraft locomotive engine Group. Sales fell from $8 billion in 1991 to less than $6 billion in 1995, but profit margins rose past 18 percent after dipping to just 12 percent in 1993. Reflective of restructuring efforts in other GE divisions, the company accomplished the profit growth by slash the engineering workforce f rom 10,000 to 4,000 and reducing its overall Aircraft Engine Group payroll by about 50 percent, among other cost-cutting moves. Despite a global economic downturn in the early 1990s, GE managed to keep aggregate sales from its technology, service, and manufacturing operations stable at about $60 billion annually. More importantly, net income surged steadily from $3.9 billion in 1989 to $5.9 billion in 1994, excluding losses in the latter year from Kidder Peabody operations. In 1994, in fact, General Electric was the most profitable of the largest 900 U.S. corporations, and was trailed by General Motors, Ford, and Exxon. Revenues reached $70 billion by 1995, the same year that the companys market value exceeded $100 billion for the first time. The late 1990s saw General Electric reach a number of milestones. In 1996 the company celebrated its 100th year as part of the Dow Jones business leader GE was the only company remaining from the original list. That year, NBC joined with Micro soft Corporation in launching MSNBC, a 24-hour cable television news channel and network news service.Overall revenues exceeded the $100 billion mark for the first time in 1998, while the continuing stellar growth at GE peachy led that unit to generate nearly half of GEs revenues by the end of the decade. Acquisitions in the late 1990s centered on two of the companys growth initiatives services and globalization. In 1996 the GE Appliances division acquired a 73 percent interest in DAKO S.A., the leading manufacturer of gas ranges in Brazil. GE Capital Services expanded in Japan through the 1996 purchase of an 80 percent stake in Marubeni Car dodge Co., an auto leasing firm the 1998 acquisitions of Koei Credit and the consumer finance business of LakeCorporation and the 1998 formation of GE Edison vitality following the purchase of the sales operations of Toho Mutual Life Insurance, which made GE Capital the first foreign company involved in the Japanese life insurance market. In early 1999 GE Capital made its largest deal in Japan to date with the purchase of the leasing business of Japan Leasing Corporation, a business with $7 billion in leasing assets. Then in late 1999 GE Capital agreed to purchase the remaining assets of Toho Mutual for 240 billion ($2.33 billion) Toho had collapsed during 1999 after suffering huge losses from the thousands of old, unprofitable policies in its portfolio, and a large portion of its liabilities were to be covered by Japans life insurance association. Expansion also continued in Europe for GE Capital, highlighted by the 1997 acquisition of Woodchester, one of the largest financial services companies in Ireland. Overall, GE spent some $30 billion during the 1990s in completing more than 130 European acquisitions. Under Welchs leadership, General Electric in the late 1990s also adopted six sigma, a quality control and improvement initiative pioneered by Motorola, Inc. and AlliedSignal Inc. The program aimed to cut costs by reducing errors or defects. GE claimed that by 1998 six sigma was yielding $1 billion in annual savings. The company also continued to restructure as necessary, including taking a $2.3 billion charge in late 1997 to close redundant facilities and shift production to cheaper labor markets. During 1999 General Electric adopted a fourth growth initiative, e-business (globalization, services, and six sigma being the other three). Like many long companies, GE reacted cautiously when the Internet began its late 1990s explosion. But once he was convinced of the new mediums potential, Welch quickly adopted e-commerce as a key to the companys future growth. Among the early ventures was a plan to begin selling appliances through Home Depot, Inc.s web site, a move aimed at revitalizing lagging appliance sales. In late 1999 Welch announced that he planned to retire in April 2001, but he did not name a successor. At the time, General Electric was one of the worlds fastest growing and most profi table companies, and boasted a market capitalization of $505 billion, second only to Microsoft Corporation. Revenues for 1999 increased 11 percent to $111.63 billion while net income rose 15 percent to $10.72 billion.These figures also represented huge gains since Welch took over in 1981, when the company posted profits of $1.6 billion on sales of$27.2 billion. Welch was not done yet, however. In October 2000 he swooped in to break up a planned $40 billion merger of United Technologies Corporation and Honeywell International Inc. The Honeywell board accepted GEs $45 billion bid, which was set to be the largest acquisition in the companys history. Honeywell was coveted for its aerospace unit, a $9.9 billion business involved in flight-control systems, onboard environmental controls, and repair services. The addition of this unit was pass judgment to significantly boost the GE Aircraft Engines unit, creating a global aerospace giant. Welch agreed to stay on at General Electric throug h the end of 2001 in order to see the acquisition through to fruition. He did, however, name a successor soon after this deal was announced. In November 2000 Jeffrey R. Immelt won the succession battle and was named president and chairman-elect. Immelt, who joined GE in 1982, had most recently served as president and CEO of GE Medical Systems, a unit with revenues of $12 billion. Immelts two chief rivals in the race to become only the ninth CEO in GEs long history, W. James McNerney Jr., head of GE Aircraft Engines, and Robert L. Nardelli, head of GE Power Systems, soon left the company to become CEOs of 3M Company and Home Depot, respectively. Rather than serving as a capstone for a much admired reign of leadership, the Honeywell deal instead provided a sour ending for the Welch era. In the summer of 2001 the European Commission blocked the deal on antitrust grounds as 11th-hour negotiations between the European regulators and GE executives broke down. Welch finally retired soon th ereafter, with Immelt taking over as chairman and CEO in phratry 2001. Meanwhile, one last major deal was initiated prior to the leadership handover. In July 2001 General Electrics GE Capital unit agreed to pay $5.3 billion for Heller Financial Inc., a global commercial finance company based in Chicago that had total assets of about $19.5 billion.This deal, the second largest in GE history, behind only the 1986 deal for RCA, was consummated in October 2001. Also during 2001, GE illume had the largest product launch in its history when it introduced the GE promulgate line of light bulbs, which were touted as providing a cleaner, crisper light because the bulbs filtered out the duller yellow rays commonly produced by standard incandescent light bulbs. GE began feeling the cause of the economic downturn that year as revenues fell nearly 3 percent, to $125.68 billion profits nevertheless increased 7.5percent, reaching $13.68 billion, though that was a far cry from the yearly 13 to 1 5 percent increases that Wall Street came to expect from GE during the Welch era. Immelt began to place his imprint in earnest on GE in 2002 through major restructurings and several significant acquisitions. Midyear he launched a reorganization of GE Capital. The financial services unit was divided into four separate units to streamline management, increase oversight, and improve transparency.The new units were GE Commercial Finance, GE Consumer Finance, GE Equipment Management (involved in equipment leasing and loans), and GE Insurance. Also during 2002, the GE Appliances and GE Lighting units were combined into a new GE Consumer Products unit. On the acquisitions front, NBC widened its media holdings through the April 2002 acquisition of Hialeah, Florida-based Telemundo Communications Group Inc. for $2.7 billion and the $1.25 billion purchase of the Bravo cable network, completed in December of that year. Telemundo owned the second largest Spanish-language television network, as w ell as nine U.S. TV stations and the leading TV station in Puerto Rico. NBC hoped to tap into the growing Hispanic market via the deal. Bravo was known for its intelligent, arts-oriented programming such as Inside the Actors Studio, and it provided NBC with its first entertainment-oriented cable property. Also during 2002, GE differentiation Materials acquired BetzDearborn, a leading maker of water treatment chemicals, from Hercules Inc. for $1.8 billion. In addition, GE Industrial Systems spent about $777 million for Interlogix, Inc, an Austin, Texas-based manufacturer of electronic security products and systems for commercial, industrial, and residential use. All told, General Electric spent approximately $9 billion on industrial acquisitions alone during 2002. Concerns about whether the company could continue its stellar earnings performance and about its accounting practices sent GEs stock sharply lower in 2002. The stock ended the year trading at $24.35 per share, less than ha lf of the high price for 2001. Once again, profits rose modestly, to $14.12 billion, or about 3 percent. Taking advantage of the economic downturn to acquire desirable assets from distressed sellers, GEs deal-making appetite grew only larger in 2003. That year was the companys biggest acquisition year yet, with deals worth a collective $30 billion either completed or announced. In August the company agreed to buy Transamerica Finance Corporations commercial lending business from AegonN.V. of The Netherlands for $5.4 billion.The deal, which added about $8.5 billion in assets to the GE Commercial Finance unit, closed in January 2004. Also during the summer of 2003 GE sold three of its slower growing insurance businesses Financial Guaranty Insurance Co., Tokyo-based GE Edison Life Insurance Co., and GEs U.S.-based auto and homeowners insurance unit. About $4.5 billion was raised through these divestments. As part of its effort to shift emphasis to higher growth fields, General Electric completed two significant acquisitions in healthcare. In October 2003, Instrumentarium Corp. was acquired for $2.3 billion. Based in Finland, Instrumentarium was a major medical-equipment maker with a product line that featured devices for anesthesia, critical care, and patient monitoring.That same month, GE agreed to buy Amersham plc, a British firm specializing in diagnostics agents used during scans of the body for disease, gene-sequencing tools, and protein separation for high-tech drug development. Consummated in April 2004 and valued at about $9.5 billion, the purchase of Amersham stood, very briefly, as the largest acquisition in General Electric history. Following the Amersham acquisition, GE Medical Systems, now a $14 billion business, was renamed GE Healthcare. Based in the United Kingdomthe first GE unit to be headquartered outside the United StatesGE Healthcare was headed by Amershams former chief executive, William Castell Castell was also named a GE vice-chairman, the first outsider to be so named. Meanwhile, also in October 2003, General Electric announced an even larger deal, a $14 billion acquisition of Vivendi Universal Entertainment (VUE), the U.S. unit of the French group Vivendi Universal S.A. Among VUEs assets were the Universal Pictures movie studio, the curiosity film unit Focus Features, the Universal Television production outfit, cable channels USA Network and Sci-Fi Channel, and theme parks in California, Florida, Japan, and Spain. Upon completion of the deal in May 2004, NBC was merged with VUE to form NBC Universal, which was 80 percent owned by GE and 20 percent by Vivendi. This expansion into entertainment contented mimicked earlier combinations involving the ABC and CBS television networks. Continuing his transformative leadership, Immelt reorganized GEs 13 business units into 11 rivet on specific markets and customers. The reorganization, effective at the beginning of 2004, brought similar businesses together in an effort t o increase sales and cut costs. The most significant of the changes included combining the firms aircraftengines business and its rail-related operations in a new GE Transportation unit merging most of GE Industrial Systems with GE Consumer Products to form GE Consumer & Industrial, which focused on lighting products, appliances, and integrated industrial equipment, systems, and services and forming GE Infrastructure from certain operations of GE Industrial Systems and GE Specialty Materials. Also in January 2004, GE continued disposing of its insurance operations.That month, General Electric launched an initial public offering (IPO) of about one-third of the stock of the newly formed Genworth Financial, Inc., which consisted of the bulk of GEs life and mortgage insurance businesses. The IPO was planned for completion by mid-2004, after which GE planned to make Genworth fully independent within three years. What was left of GE Insurance was mainly its reinsurance business, which was long rumored to be another candidate for divestment. Overall, through the myriad moves engineered during just a few years in charge, Immelt was seeking to cut General Electrics reliance on financial services and mature industrial businesses in favor of such higher growth areas as healthcare and entertainment. He was also building operations in fast-growing economies such as Chinas. By 2005, GE was aiming to outsource $5 billion of parts and services from China and simultaneously grow sales in China to a like figure. Further divestments were also expected, and there had long been speculation that the slow-growing lighting and appliances businesses were prime candidates. Through initiatives such as these, Immelt hoped to return General Electric to double-digit earnings growth by 2005. check more http//www.answers.com/topic/general-electric-companyixzz1c6xpDIo9

Friday, May 24, 2019

Angels Demons Chapter 74-79

74Langdon saw what he was looking for a good ten yards before they reached it. Through the scattered tourists, the white marble oval of Berninis watt P iodinnte stood out against the gray granite cubes that made up the rest of the piazza. Vittoria apparently saw it too. Her hand tensed.Relax, Langdon whispered. Do your piranha thing.Vittoria loosened her grip.As they drew nearer, everything seemed forbiddingly normal. Tourists wandered, nuns chatted along the perimeter of the piazza, a young lady fed pigeons at the base of the obelisk.Langdon refrained from checking his watch. He knew it was al some while.The elliptical st maven arrived beneath their feet, and Langdon and Vittoria slowed to a stop non overeagerly just two tourists pausing dutifully at a point of mild interest.West Ponente, Vittoria said, reading the inscription on the stone.Langdon gazed down at the marble alleviation and felt suddenly naive. not in his art books, not in his numerous trips to Rome, not ever had West Ponentes significance jumped out at him.Not until out unspoilt.The relief was elliptical, about three feet long, and carved with a rudimentary face a depiction of the West Wind as an angel- resembling countenance. Gusting from the angels mouth, Bernini had drawn a justly breath of air blowing outward away from the Vatican the breath of God. This was Berninis t ridiculeute to the second element Air an e at that placeal zephyr blown from angels lips. As Langdon stared, he k right off the significance of the relief went deeper withal. Bernini had carved the air in five distinct gusts five What was more, flanking the medallion were two shining stars. Langdon thought of Galileo. Two stars, five gusts, ellipses, proportion He felt hollow. His head hurt.Vittoria began walking again almost immediately, leading Langdon away from the relief. I think someones following us, she said.Langdon looked up. Where?Vittoria locomote a good 30 yards before speak. She pointed up at the Vatican as if showing Langdon something on the dome. The same person has been behind us all the way across the square. Casually, Vittoria glanced over her shoulder. til now on us. Keep moving.You think its the Hassassin?Vittoria shook her head. Not unless the Illuminati hires women with BBC cameras.When the bells of St. Peters began their deafening clamor, both Langdon and Vittoria jumped. It was time. They had circled away from West Ponente in an attempt to lose the reporter solely were now moving top toward the relief.Despite the clanging bells, the area seemed perfectly calm. Tourists wandered. A homeless drunk dozed awkwardly at the base of the obelisk. A little(a) girl fed pigeons. Langdon wondered if the reporter had scared the killer off. Doubtful, he decided, recalling the killers promise. I result make your cardinals media luminaries.As the echo of the ninth bell faded away, a pacifist(prenominal) silence descended across the square.Then the little girl began to scream .75Langdon was the first to reach the screaming girl.The terrified youngster stood frozen, pointing at the base of the obelisk where a shabby, decrepit drunk sat slumped on the stairs. The part was a miserable sight apparently one of Romes homeless. His gray hair hung in greasy strands in front of his face, and his entire body was wrapped in some sort of dirty cloth. The girl kept screaming as she scampered off into the crowd.Langdon felt an deal of dread as he dashed toward the invalid. There was a dark, widening stain spreading across the adult males rags. Fresh, flowing blood.Then, it was as if everything happened at once.The old man seemed to crumple in the middle, tottering forward. Langdon lunged, but he was too late. The man pitched forward, toppled off the stairs, and hit the pavement facedown. Motionless.Langdon dropped to his knees. Vittoria arrived beside him. A crowd was gathering.Vittoria put her fingers on the mans throat from behind. Theres a pulse, she declared. R oll him.Langdon was already in motion. Grasping the mans shoulders, he rolled the body. As he did, the loose rags seemed to slough away like nonviable flesh. The man flopped limp onto his back. Dead center of his naked chest was a wide area of charred flesh.Vittoria gasped and pulled back.Langdon felt paralyzed, pinned somewhere between nausea and awe. The symbol had a terrifying simplicity to it.Angels & DemonsAir, Vittoria choked. Its him.Swiss Guards appeared from out of nowhere, shouting orders, racing after an unseen assassin.Nearby, a tourist explained that only minutes ago, a dark-skinned man had been kind enough to help this poor, wheezing, homeless man across the square even sitting a second gear on the stairs with the invalid before disappearing back into the crowd.Vittoria ripped the rest of the rags off the mans abdomen. He had two deep puncture wounds, one on either side of the instigant, just below his rib cage. She cocked the mans head back and began to administer mouth to mouth. Langdon was not prepared for what happened undermentioned. As Vittoria blew, the wounds on either side of the mans midsection hissed and sprayed blood into the air like blowholes on a whale. The salty liquid hit Langdon in the face.Vittoria stopped short, looking horrified. His lungs she stammered. Theyre punctured.Langdon wiped his eye as he looked down at the two perforations. The holes gurgled. The cardinals lungs were destroyed. He was gone.Vittoria cover the body as the Swiss Guards moved in.Langdon stood, disoriented. As he did, he saw her. The woman who had been following them earlier was crouched nearby. Her BBC video camera was shouldered, aimed, and running. She and Langdon locked eyes, and he knew shed gotten it all. Then, like a cat, she bolted.76Chinita Macri was on the run. She had the story of her life.Her video camera felt like an anchor as she lumbered across St. Peters Square, pushing through the gathering crowd. Everyone seemed to be moving in the opposite mode than her toward the commotion. Macri was trying to get as far away as possible. The man in the tweed jacket had seen her, and now she sensed others were after her, men she could not see, closing in from all sides.Macri was still aghast from the images she had just recorded. She wondered if the dead man was really who she feared he was. Glicks hidden phone contact suddenly seemed a little less crazy.As she hurried in the direction of the BBC van, a young man with a decidedly militaristic air emerged from the crowd before her. Their eyes met, and they both stopped. Like lightning, he raised a walkie-talkie and spoke into it. Then he moved toward her. Macri wheeled and doubled back into the crowd, her shopping mall pounding.As she stumbled through the mass of arms and legs, she removed the spent video cassette from her camera. Cellulose gold, she thought, tucking the tape under her belt summit to her backside and letting her coat tails cover it. For once she was gla d she carried some extra weight. Glick, where the conflagration are youAnother pass appeared to her left, closing in. Macri knew she had little time. She banked into the crowd again. Yanking a blank cartridge from her case, she slapped it into the camera. Then she prayed.She was thirty yards from the BBC van when the two men materialized directly in front of her, arms folded. She was going nowhere.Film, one snapped. Now.Macri recoiled, wrapping her arms protectively close to her camera. No chance.One of the men pulled aside his jacket, revealing a sidearm.So shoot me, Macri said, amazed by the self-reliance of her office.Film, the first one repeated.Where the devil is Glick? Macri stamped her foot and yelled as loudly as possible, I am a professional videographer with the BBC By Article 12 of the Free Press Act, this film is property of the British Broadcast CorporationThe men did not flinch. The one with the gun took a step toward her. I am a lieutenant with the Swiss Guard, a nd by the Holy Doctrine governing the property on which you are now standing, you are subject to appear and seizure.A crowd had started to gather now around them.Macri yelled, I will not under any circumstances give you the film in this camera without speaking to my editor in London. I suggest you The shields ended it. One yanked the camera out of her pass. The other forcibly grabbed her by the arm and twisted her in the direction of the Vatican. Grazie, he said, leading her through a jostling crowd.Macri prayed they would not search her and find the tape. If she could somehow protect the film long enough to Suddenly, the unthinkable happened. individual in the crowd was groping under her coat. Macri felt the video yanked away from her. She wheeled, but swallowed her words. Behind her, a breathless Gunther Glick gave her a wink and dissolved back into the crowd.77Robert Langdon staggered into the private bathroom adjoining the Office of the Pope. He dabbed the blood from his fa ce and lips. The blood was not his own. It was that of Cardinal Lamasse, who had just died horribly in the displace square outside the Vatican. Virgin sacrifices on the altars of science. So far, the Hassassin had made good on his threat.Langdon felt powerless as he gazed into the mirror. His eyes were drawn, and stubble had begun to change his cheeks. The room around him was immaculate and lavish black marble with gold fixtures, cotton towels, and scented hand soaps.Langdon tried to rid his mind of the bloody brand he had just seen. Air. The image stuck. He had witnessed three ambigrams since waking up this morning and he knew there were two more coming.Outside the door, it sounded as if Olivetti, the camerlegno, and maitre d Rocher were debating what to do next. Apparently, the antimatter search had turned up nothing so far. Either the safetys had befuddled the canister, or the intruder had gotten deeper inside the Vatican than Commander Olivetti had been willing to entertai n.Langdon dried his hands and face. Then he turned and looked for a urinal. No urinal. Just a bowl. He lifted the lid.As he stood there, tension ebbing from his body, a airheaded wave of exhaustion shuddered through his core. The emotions knotting his chest were so many, so incongruous. He was fatigued, running on no food or sleep, walking the Path of Illumination, traumatized by two brutal murders. Langdon felt a deepening horror over the possible outcome of this drama.Think, he told himself. His mind was blank.As he flushed, an unexpected realization hit him. This is the Popes toilet, he thought. I just took a leak in the Popes toilet. He had to chuckle. The Holy Throne.78In London, a BBC technician ejected a video cassette from a satellite receiver unit and dashed across the control room floor. She burst into the office of the editor-in-chief, slammed the video into his VCR, and pressed play.As the tape rolled, she told him about the converse she had just had with Gunther Glic k in Vatican City. In addition, BBC photo archives had just given her a positive ID on the victim in St. Peters Square.When the editor-in-chief emerged from his office, he was ringing a cowbell. Everything in editorial stopped.Live in five the man boomed. On-air talent to prep Media coordinators, I want your contacts on line Weve got a story were change And weve got filmThe market coordinators grabbed their Rolodexes.Film specs one of them yelled.Thirty-second trim, the chief replied.Content?Live homicide.The coordinators looked encouraged. Usage and licensing price?A million U.S. per.Heads shot up. WhatYou perceive me I want top of the food chain. CNN, MSNBC, then the big three Offer a dial-in preview. Give them five minutes to piggyback before BBC runs it.What the hell happened? someone demanded. The prime minister get skinned alive?The chief shook his head. Better.At that exact instant, somewhere in Rome, the Hassassin enjoyed a fleeting fleck of repose in a comfortable chair. He admired the legendary chamber around him. I am sitting in the Church of Illumination, he thought. The Illuminati lair. He could not believe it was still here after all of these centuries.Dutifully, he dialed the BBC reporter to whom he had spoken earlier. It was time. The world had yet to hear the most shocking news of all.79Vittoria Vetra sipped a glass of water and nibbled absently at some tea scones just set out by one of the Swiss Guards. She knew she should eat, but she had no appetite. The Office of the Pope was bustling now, echoing with tense converses. Captain Rocher, Commander Olivetti, and half a dozen guards assessed the damage and debated the next move.Robert Langdon stood nearby staring out at St. Peters Square. He looked dejected. Vittoria walked over. Ideas?He shook his head.Scone?His mood seemed to brighten at the sight of food. Hell yes. Thanks. He ate voraciously.The conversation behind them went quiet suddenly when two Swiss Guards escorted Camerlegno Ventre sca through the door. If the chamberlain had looked drained before, Vittoria thought, now he looked empty.What happened? the camerlegno said to Olivetti. From the look on the camerlegnos face, he appeared to have already been told the worst of it.Olivettis official update sounded like a battlefield casualty report. He gave the facts with flat efficacy. Cardinal Ebner was found dead in the church of Santa mare del Popolo just after eight oclock. He had been suffocated and mark with the ambigrammatic word Earth. Cardinal Lamasse was murdered in St. Peters Square ten minutes ago. He died of perforations to the chest. He was branded with the word Air, also ambigrammatic. The killer escaped in both instances.The camerlegno crossed the room and sat heavily behind the Popes desk. He bowed his head.Cardinals Guidera and Baggia, however, are still alive.The camerlegnos head shot up, his expression pained. This is our consolation? Two cardinals have been murdered, commander. And the other t wo will obviously not be alive much hourlong unless you find them.We will find them, Olivetti assured. I am encouraged.Encouraged? Weve had nothing but failure.Untrue. Weve lost two battles, signore, but were winning the war. The Illuminati had intended to turn this evening into a media circus. So far we have thwarted their plan. Both cardinals bodies have been recovered without incident. In addition, Olivetti continued, Captain Rocher tells me he is making excellent headway on the antimatter search.Captain Rocher stepped forward in his red beret. Vittoria thought he looked more human somehow than the other guards stern but not so rigid. Rochers junction was emotional and crystalline, like a violin. I am hopeful we will have the canister for you within an hour, signore.Captain, the camerlegno said, excuse me if I seem less than hopeful, but I was under the impression that a search of Vatican City would take far more time than we have.A full search, yes. However, after assessing the situation, I am confident the antimatter canister is located in one of our white zones those Vatican sectors accessible to public tours the museums and St. Peters Basilica, for example. We have already killed power in those zones and are conducting our scan.You intend to search only a small percentage of Vatican City?Yes, signore. It is highly unlikely that an intruder gained access to the inner zones of Vatican City. The fact that the missing security camera was stolen from a public access area a stairwell in one of the museums clearly implies that the intruder had limited access. Therefore he would only have been able to relocate the camera and antimatter in another public access area. It is these areas on which we are focusing our search.But the intruder kidnapped four cardinals. That certainly implies deeper infiltration than we thought.Not necessarily. We essential remember that the cardinals spent much of today in the Vatican museums and St. Peters Basilica, enjoying those areas without the crowds. It is probable that the missing cardinals were taken in one of these areas.But how were they removed from our walls?We are still assessing that.I see. The camerlegno exhaled and stood up. He walked over to Olivetti. Commander, I would like to hear your contingency plan for evacuation.We are still formalizing that, signore. In the meantime, I am faithful Captain Rocher will find the canister.Rocher clicked his boots as if in appreciation of the vote of confidence. My men have already scanned two-thirds of the white zones. Confidence is high.The camerlegno did not appear to share that confidence.At that moment the guard with a scar beneath one eye came through the door carrying a clipboard and a map. He strode toward Langdon. Mr. Langdon? I have the information you request on the West Ponente.Langdon swallowed his scone. Good. Lets have a look.The others kept talking while Vittoria joined Robert and the guard as they spread out the map on the Popes desk .The soldier pointed to St. Peters Square. This is where we are. The central line of West Ponentes breath points due east, directly away from Vatican City. The guard traced a line with his finger from St. Peters Square across the Tiber River and up into the heart of old Rome. As you can see, the line passes through almost all of Rome. There are about twenty Catholic churches that fall near this line.Langdon slumped. twenty dollar bill?Maybe more.Do any of the churches fall directly on the line?Some look closer than others, the guard said, but translating the exact bearing of the West Ponente onto a map leaves margin for error.Langdon looked out at St. Peters Square a moment. Then he scowled, stroking his chin. How about fire? Any of them have Bernini artwork that has to do with fire?Silence.How about obelisks? he demanded. Are any of the churches located near obelisks?The guard began checking the map.Vittoria saw a glimmer of hope in Langdons eyes and realized what he was thinking. Hes right The first two markers had been located on or near piazzas that contained obelisks Maybe obelisks were a theme? Soaring pyramids marking the Illuminati pathway? The more Vittoria thought about it, the more perfect it seemed four towering beacons rising over Rome to mark the altars of science.Its a long shot, Langdon said, but I know that many of Romes obelisks were erected or moved during Berninis reign. He was no doubt involved in their placement.Or, Vittoria added, Bernini could have placed his markers near existing obelisks.Langdon nodded. True.Bad news, the guard said. No obelisks on the line. He traced his finger across the map. None even remotely close. Nothing.Langdon sighed.Vittorias shoulders slumped. Shed thought it was a promising idea. Apparently, this was not going to be as easy as theyd hoped. She tried to stay positive. Robert, think. You must know of a Bernini statue relating to fire. Anything at all.Believe me, Ive been thinking. Bernini was incredibly pr olific. Hundreds of works. I was hoping West Ponente would point to a whiz church. Something that would ring a bell.Fuco, she pressed. Fire. No Bernini titles jump out?Langdon shrugged. Theres his famous sketches of Fireworks, but theyre not sculpture, and theyre in Leipzig, Germany.Vittoria frowned. And youre sure the breath is what indicates the direction?You saw the relief, Vittoria. The design was all symmetrical. The only indication of bearing was the breath.Vittoria knew he was right.Not to mention, he added, because the West Ponente signifies Air, following the breath seems symbolically appropriate.Vittoria nodded. So we follow the breath. But where?Olivetti came over. What have you got? alike many churches, the soldier said. Two dozen or so. I suppose we could put four men on each church Forget it, Olivetti said. We missed this guy twice when we knew exactly where he was going to be. A mass stakeout means leaving Vatican City unprotected and canceling the search.We need a reference book, Vittoria said. An ability of Berninis work. If we can scan titles, maybe something will jump out.I dont know, Langdon said. If its a work Bernini created specifically for the Illuminati, it may be very obscure. It probably wont be listed in a book.Vittoria refused to believe it. The other two sculptures were fairly well-known. Youd heard of them both.Langdon shrugged. Yeah.If we scan titles for references to the word fire, maybe well find a statue thats listed as being in the right direction.Langdon seemed convinced it was worth a shot. He turned to Olivetti. I need a list of all Berninis work. You guys probably dont have a coffee-table Bernini book around here, do you?Coffee-table book? Olivetti seemed unfamiliar with the term.Never mind. Any list. How about the Vatican Museum? They must have Bernini references.The guard with the scar frowned. Power in the museum is out, and the records room is enormous. Without the staff there to help The Bernini work in questio n, Olivetti interrupted. Would it have been created while Bernini was employed here at the Vatican?Almost definitely, Langdon said. He was here almost his entire career. And certainly during the time period of the Galileo conflict.Olivetti nodded. Then theres another reference.Vittoria felt a flicker of optimism. Where?The commander did not reply. He took his guard aside and spoke in hushed tones. The guard seemed uncertain but nodded obediently. When Olivetti was finished talking, the guard turned to Langdon.This way please, Mr. Langdon. Its nine-fifteen. Well have to hurry.Langdon and the guard headed for the door.Vittoria started after them. Ill help.Olivetti caught her by the arm. No, Ms. Vetra. I need a word with you. His image was authoritative.Langdon and the guard left. Olivettis face was wooden as he took Vittoria aside. But whatever it was Olivetti had intended to say to her, he never got the chance. His walkie-talkie crackled loudly. Commandante?Everyone in the room turn ed.The voice on the transmitter was grim. I think you better turn on the television.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Case Note on Fletcher Essay

The facts of this case were that the taxpayer (and three others in partnership) entered a complex scheme, which involved the partnership, and rente and loan arrangements. The scheme was financed through a series of round robin cheques and promised substantial significances in the first five years of the 15-year plan. A number of documents were change but no cash payments were made. This was calculated to return neutral cash flows with high tax deductions initially and high nonexempt income, especially in the blend in five years. A feature of the scheme was that there was an opportunity to terminate it in the last five years. In the relevant year the partnership derived assessable income of $170,000 and claimed deductions of $360,000.The issue before the court was whether the taxpayers were entitled to a deduction for interest. A lot of matters were argued before the case reached the High Court but before the copious Court the Commissioners contention was that the interest deduc tion should apportioned and disallowed under s 51(1) to the extent that it exceeded the partnership income.Their Honours indicated that if a taxpayers costs in deriving income were less than the actual income, the deductions would be allowable. However, if the costs exceed the income derived, the taxpayers purpose for making the expenditure may be relevant in characterizing and parcelling the expenditure for the purpose of the general deduction provision. This may include the taxpayers purpose for incurring the expenditure. Manson CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson, Toohey, Gaudron and McHugh JJ said (at ATR 622-3) The position may, however, well be different in the case where no relevant assessable income can be identified or where the relevant assessable income is less than the amount of the surpassthe disproportion between outgoing and income, the whole outgoing is properly to be characterized as genuinely and not colourably incurred in gaining or producing assessable income, the entir e outgoing leave alone fall at bottom the first limb of s 51(1) unless it is somehow excluded by the exception of.Their Honours concluded that the issue of whether the taxpayers interest deduction would be allowable depended on the close of whether the 15-year annuity plan would in fact runs its full course. The matter wasremitted to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to determine, as a matter of fact, whether the scheme would run its full 15 years or whether it would be terminated before the last five years. In the former situation, the assessable income would exceed deductions and the interest would be an allowable deduction under s 51(1). In the latter situation, an explanation must be sought for the excess of deductions of some $2.7m over assessable income and to the extent that the explanation gear up in substantial tax advantages, the outlays were not incurred in gaining assessable income. On the issue of whose purpose must be considered, the court made the following comm ents In the circumstances of the present case, its determination involves consideration not only of the purposes of the taxpayers but also of the purposes of those who advised them and acted on their behalf and whose acts (and intentions) as agents must, as the Second Tribunal expressly pointed out, be imputed to the principals.Reduced to its essential elements, if income exceeds outgoings, the taxpayers motives are largely irrelevant. If there is no assessable income or outgoings exceed income, a practical and common moxie weighing up of all factors is warranted, including the taxpayers motive. As was anticipated in Phillips case, a disparity between outlay and income may trigger a more rigorous examination of a contract or arrangement. As was suggested in Ures case, the absence of a commercial quid pro quo impart raise questions about the purpose of the expenditure. Where there is a dual purpose, or a purpose other than income production, expenditure is to be apportioned and the re will be circumstances where purpose may mean subjective purpose or motive.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Falsifiable Scientific Theories Essay

This paper is about the comparison and contrast of two evenly strong theories about the view of the universe and its entities strategic formation. The geocentrism and heliocentrism theories be to be examined in terms of their falsifiability, as both had been cause of conflict of scientific purpose in the earlier times.In Karl Poppers account, any theory in the science can scarcely be proven as scientific if and only if it is falsifiable. The conflict of ideal between the two major structures of planetary movements, geocentrism and heliocentrism, we take into account the points wherein each is deemed falsifiable.The geocentric theory, as developed by Ptolemy, was the worldview which says that the Earth I the center of the universe, where other planets and objects go around it. This theory was then supported by the seemingly cyclical revolution of the stars and the sun around the Earth, and concentrating on the perception of Earth to be unmoving and stationary. To further show th at the Earth was still, some people tested the reaction of birds whenever they let go of a tree f all apart the birds did not get thrown off into the sky.In the 5th century BC, Plato was able to develop a mythical explanation of the cosmic movement of the sunniness and the stars that the cosmos is the Spindle of Necessity where Sirens turned the three fates. This mythological explanation is a ground for the falsification of the theory since it suggested trivially unscientific explanations. Euxodus who worked with Plato derived a mathematical explanation of the planetary movements, basing on Platos principle that all planetary phenomena in the universe could be explained by uniform circular motion.Aristotle also deduced that all cosmic entities rotate around the Earth, and there were 56 concentric spheres that are attached to thee heavenly bodies. The moon is supposedly the innermost sphere which gets dark upon contaminant with the Earth. This dark spot is late on deduced as the lunar eclipse.This notion of geocentrism which was then the leading theory of the structure of the universe proved it to be indeed fully scientific since it was able to create a model that made correct predictions of future observations. The parallax was described in the geocentric theory to result as either the Earth is stationary and so no effect exists, or the stars are so far away the effect was undetectable.The Ptolemaic system was scientific in the sense that it produced testable results and was modified over time in response to observations. It was also supported by the prevailing philosophies of the time. The support for this position was varied from the elemental fact that we dont feel the earth rotate to the idea that if it did, the winds would be enormous because the air would stay fixed (it actually doesnt, but they thought it would). With the addition of epicycles, it was possible to predict eclipses and the position of the planets to a fair accuracy.However, this th eory was put into criticism and question in 1543 when Copernicus challenged it with his De revolutionibus orbium coelestium, which explains that the planets, including the earth, revolve around the Sun. The Sun is deemed to be the center of the universe. The heliocentric theory made better predictions of more kinds of observations, but most of these were not available until Galileo.Nevertheless, there was also strong scientific certainty against heliocentrism. Before the invention of the telescope, there was but one(a) potential experiment that could demarcate between geocentrism and heliocentrism that of the parallax of the stars. Parallax is the apparent displacement or difference of location or orientation of an object which is seen along two different lines of sight. It is measured by the angle inclination between those two.The experiment showed results which favored the geocentric model. Lack of parallax was a fully scientific falsification of heliocentrism. The heliocentric theory could not explain the parallax of the stars until Galileo was able to observe completely the moons of Jupiter and the complete phase of Venus.Obviously, these two scientific theories are deemed falsifiable in terms of Poppers criteria. Each has its own way of falsifying the other in terms of scientific basis. The Quine-Duhem principle has been employed in thee observations we can not test a scientific hypothesis in pure isolation because a relatively plausible explanation would require one or more background assumptions in testing its empirical truthfulness.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Providing Feedback and Monitoring Student Progress Essay

instructor feedback is the essential and probably the critical element of student learning. We frequently refer to teacher feedback as the stiff instrument of instructional change. However, why do we always forget that teacher feedback is integrally linked to student motivation? In reality, teacher feedback is an effective motherfucker that drives student motivation. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation may substantially improve when teachers do not simply score and grade students, but provide students with documentary feedback and inform them about the progress they make during the learning process.At this point, it is important to look at teacher feedback through a different prism we provide distance ourselves from the traditional instructional paradigm, but will employment the learning paradigm, when after gathering information on the students learning process, the teacher reflects and gives his (her) views on what he (she) has observed back to the students (Kwong, 2001). From the viewpoint of extrinsic motivation, teacher feedback serves an effective external factor that motivates students to learn.From the viewpoint of intrinsic motivation, the inner student desire to learn is change magnitude when student needs are recognized, evaluated, and satisfied through teacher feedback. At least three different types of teacher feedback can be used to call forth student motivation in learning these include informative feedback, grades, and task involvement. The concept of task involvement id described as the concern to develop or demonstrate (primarily to oneself) high ability.It follows that when we are task-involved, we will attempt to learn if we see an opportunity to do so and, when doing so, will feel we are doing what we want to do (Salili & Maehr, 1986). Task-involvement implies active and constant interaction between the teacher and student, where students feel responsibility for the learning outcomes, and where this responsibility increases student i ntrinsic motivation. If properly utilized, grades may also deform into effective force driving student motivation.Very often, grading is referred to as the instrument that negatively impacts students desire to learn (Salili & Maehr, 1986) that is why grading should be have with informative teacher feedback. It is important that teachers do not use grades as a reward, but rather promote grades as the instrument reflecting student progress. informatory feedback may also be used separately, to inform students about their learning achievements, to inform students about additional learning opportunities and incentives, and to guarantee that students are able to use these opportunities and incentives to improve their achievements in learning.The concept of teacher feedback should be re-considered through a new non-instructional prism. The time has come to realize that objective teacher feedback combine with recognition and respect to students is a cost-effective factor driving student motivation at all stages of the learning process. Teacher feedback should be positive and objective. Teacher feedback should form the basis of continuous strategy, where students and teachers interact on equal terms, and all students have equal chances to succeed in learning.

Monday, May 20, 2019

Traveling is a way of exploring the different parts of the world

Traveling is a way of exploring the different parts of the world and enjoying it at the same time. I believe that everyone desires to travel in order to unwind and savor the fruit of their labor.One of the greatest and high hat plants to visit with during vacation is Mexican Riviera. It has extraordinary and superb spots with accommodating people that tourists result for certain not forget. Long before, I always heard about Mexican Riviera canvas and it truly attracted my attention.I am hoping then that if ever opportunity knocks on my door to travel with Mexican Riviera Cruise, I will immediately grab it without any second thought. Fortunately, the hope I have to travel with Mexican Riviera Cruise came to pass this summer. My Mexican Riviera Cruise took me to lovely sceneries, but it was Acapulco that really impressed me. For me, Acapulco is the approximately beautiful place in the world.Thesis StatementThis paper intent to discuss why I consider Acapulco the most beautiful place in the world and know about why tourists are attracted to visit this placeI. DiscussionOur for the first time stopped was in Acapulco. The initial word that was on my mind when I first stepped in Acapulco was guffaw Acapulco is the most beautiful place in the world. The place is totally amazing.I can say that this place is the best Mexican Riviera resort because it has its indescribable sceneries that no matter how many trendier resorts have came out yet Acapulco continually chief(prenominal)tains its competitive natural beauty.Acapulco also has its latest and trendier resort hotels that continuously growing. It also has water sports that will surely be enjoyed by tourists. I also visited the La Quebrada as its main attraction to tourists. Acapulco is a city and seaport in Guerrero State, Mexico. It is about 185 miles south- southwest of Mexico City.Much of Acapulco is perched on high, rocky cliffs overlooking scenic coves and beaches of Acapulco Bay, an inlet of the Paci fic Ocean. The city is an internationally famous seaside resort with luxurious hotels and glittering nightclubs. It is also a cargo ships point for coffee, sugar, cotton, and hides.Tourists are also attracted by the warm climate, beautiful beaches, water sports, and casinos which the nations main source of income. Many tourists come and go in Acapulco. For them it is like their sanctuary whenever they needed to relax and unwind.In conclusion, Acapulco is the most beautiful place because of its magnificent beaches that are so clean and blue and resorts that are incomparable. Basically, the place has gracious beaches and attractive spots that everyone would love.It also provides water sports like scuba diving and snorkeling and have bunch of boutiques, shops and restaurants where tourists can visit.

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Impact of conflict Essay

Have you ever wonder why there ar divisions and schisms close to us that eventually lead to riots and wars? How scum bag these things happen? These dilemmas happen because of conflict within the body or group of people. Sometimes conflict arises because of the superior and inferior mentality of some people. We give the sack even get word and observe nowadays how our society is drastically changing. Our beliefs, cultures, values and morals control been changed through times.People ar becoming liberal on things and somewhat approves the things that we know deep within us are wrong. They have the tendency to do things which only benefit them that can cause schisms and conflicts within their work, co-workers and even in their get family. They sometimes become insensitive and disregarded the right values and morals that were inculcated by their parents when they were still spring chicken in order to satisfy their selfish desires thus, they sacrifice the welfare of their family an d friends in order to meet their proclaim desires.If an employee has conflicts with his boss, there is a tendency that he will not follow on his boss instruction manual that might be the ground of his termination. If a conflict happens within his co-workers, he might gossip some his co-workers whereabouts. But if there is conflict within the family, members within have always tension. Conflicts can bring disunity. Disunity can bring chaos and chaos can bring divisions. In the workplace, conflicts among the employees are not new.One scenario that can create conflict within the workplace is when somebody is promoted to a greater position and when you know that you are ahead of that person. Jealousy starts to creep in your heart and you feel inferior. This might lead to bitterness. On the otherwise hand, conflicts within the family is one of the most dreadful things may happen to a person. Family can be illogical if conflict arises. Moreover, to a social psychologist, a conflict i s a seemingly incompatibility of actions, goals, of ideas.The elements of conflict are much the same at all levels, from nations in an arms race to cultural disputes within a society to individuals in marital strife. In each situation, people become enmeshed in a destructive social process that produces results no one wants. Among these destructive processes are social traps and distorted perceptions (Dawes, 2000). speech 1. Dawes, R. M. (2000). Social Dilemmas. Annual Review of Psychology, 31 169-193.