Effect of Concentration and Temperature on the Rate of Reaction Essay

Effect of Concentration and Temperature on the Rate of Reaction - Essay Example An understanding of what have an effect on the speed of a reaction and how it can be changed is consequently very significant to a chemist. A higher concentration of reactants leads to more effective collisions per unit time, which leads to an increasing reaction rate (except for zero order reactions). Similarly, a higher concentration of products tends to be associated with a lower reaction rate. Use the partial pressure of reactants in a gaseous state as a measure of their concentration. Usually, an increase in temperature is accompanied by an increase in the reaction rate. Temperature is a measure of the kinetic energy of a system, so higher temperature implies higher average kinetic energy of molecules and more collisions per unit time. A general rule of thumb for most (not all) chemical reactions is that the rate at which the reaction proceeds will approximately double for each 10C increase in temperature. Once the temperature reaches a certain point, some of the chemical species may be altered (e.g., denaturing of proteins) and the chemical reaction will slow or stop. Each member of Alkanoic acids has one carboxyl group. Alkanoic acids are therefore aliphatic monocarboxylic acids. Consequently, we an represent the series with the formula RCOOH. The hydrogen atom in the carboxyl group can form a hydrogen ion in aqueous solution. Hence, members of the series are monobasic acids. Methanoic acid has a corrosive action on the skin. It occurs in the stings of ants, bees and stinging nettles (Blackburn, 1999). Properties of Methanoic acid They are weak monobasic acids. They turn litmus red, liberate hydrogen from liberate hydrogen from metals above hydrogen in the activity series and they react with bases and carbonates. Methanoic acid is the strongest acid in the series. The salts produced from the reaction is known as Methanoates (Blackburn, 1999) They react with alcohol to form esters and water. The reaction is reversible and a good yield of ester is only possible if a catalyst, such as concentrated sulphuric acid is present. Normally we use a large excess of alcohol (Blackburn, 1999). Esters are sweet smelling liquid or solids. They are used to make perfumes or artificial flavorings. Esters are not very reactive. The most important reaction of an ester is its conversion back to the acid and alcohol from which it is derived. This is known as hydrolysis. It is performed by boiling with a mineral acid or better with an alcoholic alkaline solution (Blackburn, 1999). Bromine Symbol: Br Atomic Number: 35 Period: 4 Common valence: 1, 3, 5, and 7 Atomic Weight: 79.904 Natural State: Liquid Common Isotopes: Bromine has 2 stable isotopes, bromine-79 and bromine-81, which occur in about equal proportions in nature. There are several known radio isotopes. PROPERTIES: Bromine is

St. Augustines Confessions Essay Example for Free

St. Augustines Confessions Essay There was nothing in Augustines Confessions that will help reveal his background especially concerning his socio-economic status. One has to consult other sources for that. But knowing fully well that education in ancient times is prized by the rich and the elite it is easy to deduce from the well written Latin masterpiece that indeed Augustine belong to the creme de la creme of society. This is a significant insight because not only is Augustine part of the highly educated and well-to-do crowd he also is a man who longs for God. A close study of the Confessions will lead one to understand how Augustine views Christianity. Based on the document, Augustine believed that Christianity is about striving to be intimate with God and at the same time a daily struggle to make the flesh obedient to the call of a godly life in Christ Jesus. Intimacy with God One of the most radical concepts about Christianity is the notion that mere mortals can be intimate with God. In order to appreciate this idea one has to first understand that Christianity like Judaism believes in one Almighty God who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. They are not simply worshipping someone that is ruler of a particular locale, like a god that is in-charge of a really old Oak tree or some ancient hill. This God is the one and only. Aside from that the God of St. Augustine is a great Deity whose power is evident in the Old Testament portion of the Bible. The God of Augustine is the Creator of Heaven and Earth. And yet Augustine wanted to be close to Him. This is evident in Book I: The Early Years. In the first few paragraphs Augustines deep longings was evident by expressing near panic not knowing what to do first. Is it to call Him or to praise Him? Having the ultimate goal in mind Augustine said that, â€Å"You stir man to take pleasure in praising you, because you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you† (Book I: Early Years). This desire for intimacy is actually radical. One only has to take a casual review of ancient religions, Greek and Roman mythology to realize that for thousands of years before Augustines Confessions God or the gods were considered to be mean and cruel. The ultimate goal of the worshiper is not to be intimate with the gods but to appease them. God according to other religion is indeed mighty but He is unapproachable. As one continues to read, one will find that Augustine was simply warming up. He is not merely content with the getting to know you stage and his desire to know God goes deeper not willing to accept a superficial relationship. Augustine did not write the Confessions because he simply wanted to earn the favor of God. He went one step further and in the first few sentence of Book II, Augustine declared that he desires to love God (see Book II: Adolescence). The Flesh The words coming from his pen were profound and those who may mistake Augustine’s longing for intimacy with the Almighty as wishful thinking. Augustine as agreed in beginning of this study was a man born to privilege and highly educated. If what he is saying is truth then it will be either as a mockery to God or as an honest desire to really know and be known by Him. One has to continue digging deeper into the Confessions in order to understand that Augustine was not deluded into thinking that this quest will be an easy one. It is at the point of realization that knowing God will not be an easy task Augustine begins to pour out his frustration that he is a sinner and has no illusion that he will be able to walk like the great and godly men of old like Moses and Elijah. In Book VIII: The Birthpangs of Conversion, Augustine mentioned his past, the desire for women and being enamored with the world and its intoxicating temptations. In Book VIII Augustine began to provide the resolution to a very complicated proposition that was made in the beginning of this study. It is possible to be intimate with God but its not going to be easy. The first step in order for a man to know God and be known by him, before a loving relationship between child and God can commence there is a need to first forsake worldly desires. In short a conversation from darkness to light must first occur and Augustine promises that there is nothing like it and that every sacrifice is worth every good thing that one can receive from Christ Jesus. Conclusion Aside from the fact that Augustine a highly educated, intelligent and very talented man to give up all the pleasures of this world to embrace the cross of Christ, there are other facets to the Confessions that are very radical. As mentioned earlier the concept that God is approachable and that one can build a relationship with him is an idea that is so advanced it is impossible to find any precedent other than the New Testament of the Christian Bible. But Augustine emphasized that he is not merely content to know God he is in the quest to learn how to love God. This is raising the bar so high it is almost impossible to reach it. It is a good thing to know that Augustine took time to explain that his goal of being intimate with God will not be a walk in the park. In fact, according to his own â€Å"confessions† there are many obstacles that must be overcome in order to achieve that goal. And it begins with conversion from darkness to light. At the end St. Augustine set an example and encourages many to strive for the impossible because it is only through God that one can find meaning, satisfaction and rest in this life. References Saint Augustine. (1998). Confessions. H. Chadwick (Trans. ). New York: Oxford University Press.

Evolution versus Creationism Essay -- Evolution Bible

Evolution versus Creationism Evolution is a theory that’s based on science and more detailed evidence while Creationism is a faith-based theory. In no way is faith, a factor that influences the ideas and theories supported by scientists. As such, you really cannot compare one to the other; you have to just choose which one you believe is true although it is possible to believe in both at the same time. Since the beginning of human life, there has been a single question that has puzzled even the greatest of philosophers and scientists. Humans are, by nature, interested in their past. As a result every civilization through out time has sought to find the origin of life, and answered it to meet their needs. Early civilizations taught that there was a group of gods located on a far off mountain at the edge of the earth. These gods were responsible for everything. Civilizations grew more complex and learned more about the world around them. Soon events that were once looked at as magical or supernatural were explained and proven through logic, mathematical reasoning, and the evidence available. In the early to mid nineteenth century a scientist named Charles Darwin proposed a theory that broke the away from the common threads of reasoning that looked to deity or a higher force intervening with humans. â€Å"Darwin’s proposition was labeled Natural Selection, or more commonly referred to as The Survival of the Fittest. Charles Darwin proposed that living beings evolve, or chang...

Sample Market Analysis

Sample Market Analysis Market Analysis Customers Family Farmers Choice has developed a database of present customer who buy on a regular basis and customers who have bought only occasionally as the opportunity presents itself, such as at farmers markets. Customer demographics show the current customers are in an income range of $45,000 or more, two income families, professional occupations, concerned about the environment and located primarily in urban areas. Research also shows these customers are Internet users and willing to order product from our business via the Internet.Research conducted by Farmers Choice has verified that there is a market segment large enough to justify the investment in the processing facility. Further, the premium these consumers are willing to pay will allow the shipment of products to nearly all geographic locations in the country. Focus groups, market surveys and product demonstrations at several locations were used to develop demographic profiles of ea ch promising location so that zip codes could be used to easily identify future markets when expansion is deemed appropriate. (Note: Results of the surveys can be provided if additional information is desired. A significant number of consumers are concerned about where their meat products are coming from and how these products are processed. The company will market directly to that group. Since they are highly informed consumers, however, a major task will be to establish credibility. In the farmers markets targeted for sales there are an estimated 100,000 potential customers (based on census estimates). At present, Farmers Choice has reached only a fraction of that customer base. Based on data in the U. S. Census Bureau databases, estimated customer potential is as follows: Big Town Farmers Market |55,000 | |Lotus |10,000 | |Keeper |10,000 | |Sagmore |15,000 | |Cool Springs |5,000 | Market Size and Trends 99718. 2 billion pounds of pork produced 199819. 0 billion pounds of pork produced 199919. 4 billion pounds of pork produced Source: Steve Meier, National Pork Producers Council. 1999 figures based on USDA estimate. Average prices received by the producer have decreased in recent years: 1997$52. 90 per hundred weight 1998$34. 40 per hundred weight U. S. per capita consumption of pork is declining: 198057. 3 pounds per person 199649. 1 pounds per person In spite of declining per capita consumption of pork, consumers still spend more money on pork per year than on poultry and fish.Average annual expenditures for pork in 1998 were $146 per person per year, second only to beef at $218. The expenditures for all meat (beef, pork, poultry and fish) decreased slightly from the 1997 annual expenditures. (Source: Consumer Expenditures Survey, 1984-98, U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics) According to USDA data, higher expenditures for pork versus poultry may have been due to retail prices. For example, in June 1998, the average retail price for po rk was $2. 29 per pound, compared to chicken at $1. 55 per pound.Consumer Perceptions of Pork According to a survey conducted by the National Pork Producers Council, more than three out of four family cooks believe pork is a healthful choice. The same study indicated families prefer pork because it tastes good. Survey respondents also cited pork’s versatility, nutrition and value as key reasons for its popularity. Ranking of the favorite cuts: 1. Chops 2. Tenderloins 3. Roasts 4. Ribs Pork producers work hard to deliver the product that the consumer wants. Consumers wanted leaner pork and they got it!Compared to 1983, pork of 2000 has about 31 percent less fat content. General Trends in Meat Consumption There are a number of new and emerging trends in meat marketing which are relevant to the interest of this feasibility study. In general there are three consumer preferences today which are driving major changes in the meat industry. †¢ Consumers are demanding meats that require little preparation time. Population and labor trends are driving this preference. An unprecedented number of women are in the workforce today.There is an increasing number of single adult households in the U. S. ; of those, the number of single parent, female-headed households is increasing, resulting in more than ever limited time for meal preparation within U. S. households. A Yankelovich poll (reported by the American Meat Institute) claims that half of all Americans spend less than 45 minutes cooking an evening meal compared to the two-hour meal preparation typical in American households 30 years ago. People have a limited amount of time and don’t want to spend it cooking.Add to this the fact that at 4 p. m. , 60 percent of Americans do not know what they will eat for dinner. The implications are that the meat marketing industry has a whole new challenge for capturing palates and dollars. †¢ Consumers have little knowledge of and skills for cooking. Studies r eport that many consumers feel that their knowledge of cooking and skills for meal preparation are more limited than those of their parents and grandparents. Furthermore, the American Meat Institute reports that many American consumers find meat preparation to be challenging.Implications for meat marketing are that meats are becoming increasingly available as meal-ready or with minimal preparation. †¢ Consumers are concerned about health and nutrition when buying meat. The Food Marketing Institute claims that nearly 80 percent of Americans want to eat food they perceive to be extremely healthy and that 42 percent are willing to pay more for low-fat versions of commonly consumed products. In the lunch meat and hot dog markets, a record 50 percent of the products offered are items with reduced or low fat. Consumers are demanding changes from the meat industry and the industry is responding. Numerous options and innovations can be observed at all levels in production, processing a nd packaging. The retail point of sale is taking on a new look. Emerging Trends in Meat Marketing Case-Ready Meat: These are value added fresh meat products that the supermarket purchases in precut packages. Due to new packaging technologies, precut, tray-ready packages tend to offer a longer shelf life than conventional products.Often hermetically sealed, they offer customers trimmed, individually wrapped, consistent portions. Case-ready meats eliminate extra steps in handling for retailers and consumers alike. Consumer-Ready Products: These products go a step beyond the case-ready meat products by including preparation tips, cooking instructions, spices, or seasoning packets. Portions are indicated on the package. Consumer-ready products include items such as marinated meats, stuffed chops, kabobs and seasoned steaks and roast which are ready to take home and pop into the oven, microwave or place on the grill.Home Meal Replacement: These are fully prepared products which free the consumer from all responsibility of meal preparation. They often come packed and portioned as entrees with options to purchase complementary side dishes or extras. Also known as TOTE (Take Out To Eat), these dinners in a bag are the way in which supermarkets and grocery stores are competing with restaurants to gain business from Americans who choose not to prepare their own meals. The market analysis shows a broad range of prospective clients.The green labeled, eco-labeled, naturally labeled, food industry is in a boom period. While there are a growing number of items from a growing number of vendors becoming available, Family Farmers Choice is approaching the market as a multi-choice provider of products with a face. The owner/members of Family Farmers Choice have spent 10 years carefully laying the groundwork and learning the methods for success. The value-added cooperative is now poised to make the most of established connections with consumers and other marketers of natural item s handcrafted on family farms.Family Farmers Choice is set to offer food, fiber and manufactured products that nourish, provide comfort or address a desired taste or want. The members of Family Farmers Choice have proven an ability to adjust their product lines while also displaying a tenacious desire to provide whatever level of sweat equity is required to preserve their independent ways of life as family farmers. The owners/members have also provided 50 percent of the equity requirements per early feasibility estimates. The food-with-a-face concept of marketing is still relatively new and enjoys some sense of novelty in the marketplace.The genuine authenticity that can be verified by Family Farmers Choice is not yet common in the commercial consumer marketplace, which gives the Family Farmers group a leg up on the competition. The industry of specialized foods and handmade, one-of-a-kind products is on a steady upward growth curve; and Family Farmers Choice is poised to capitalize on the consumer’s desire for these items. While a bouncing economy can affect many areas, specialty food items and unique crafted goods are generally less affected than the main, with unique items typically finding favor in the marketplace.The following article, reprinted, provides a degree of verification. Farmers Rated Best in Ensuring Food Safety Survey Identifies Consumer and Editor Opinions about Food Issues DES MOINES, Iowa— Tuesday, September 29, 1998— Food safety has surpassed issues such as crime prevention, health and nutrition, environmental protection, water quality and recycling as the most important public issue facing consumers. However, consumers give farmers high marks for their efforts to assure a safe food supply, a survey by the International Food Safety Council, a restaurant and foodservice industry coalition, shows.Fifty-nine percent of consumers surveyed said farmers are doing an excellent job to ensure a safe food supply. Supermarkets ca me in a close second at 57 percent, followed by food processors (44 percent), restaurants (42 percent), consumers (38 percent), government agencies (34 percent), and meat/poultry packers (29 percent). â€Å"The survey clearly shows that consumers hold farmers in high regard for their efforts to produce safe and wholesome products,† said Bill Brewer, public relations counsel for the Food Practice Group. â€Å"This offers an opportunity for the agricultural community†¦Ã¢â‚¬  998 Food Issues Survey News Release Presented in association with the International Food Safety Council, a restaurant and foodservice industry coalition. [pic] The following tables show the pricing strategy that Farmers Choice will use for their products: [pic] Potential Markets [pic] Product Distribution and Sales Meat products are sold in a variety of ways somewhat dependent on fresh or frozen and size of package. At present, ethnic markets and specialty markets are underserved. A survey of the pho ne company’s yellow pages showed only two markets selling to ethnic groups in our proposed trade area.Regardless of whether the market is a niche or traditional market, the meat sales are still handled in the same manner. Types of sales include: †¢ Over the counter in locker plants or meat shops †¢ By mail order †¢ Via Internet †¢ Door-to-door sales and delivery †¢ Grocery stores †¢ Institutional food vendors †¢ Specialty marketing †¢ Prepared food sales Farmers Choice will not have any unique food sales methods. Rather, the company will sell via specialty markets, such as farmers markets, as frozen foods, shipping product sold via Internet or phone orders and over the counter at the processing facility.For a small company, Farmers Choice will cover as many marketing avenues as time and resources permit. Estimated Market Share and Sales The potential sales volume for the projected sales area is $10 million. This is Web sites and Iowa St ate University Extension estimates, which combine population numbers and consumption numbers. With a projected sales volume of $500,000, Farmers Choice will not have a large market share. Competition Competition is formidable. The competitors have more buying power, more clout in the marketplace and more financial resources to cut deals with suppliers.Farmers Choice has no illusions of coming into the market place and easily capturing sales. It will need to work hard to gain and keep sales. Customers have well established buying habits for meat products coupled with established preferences for products, packing and freshness. Competition is in the form of three main categories: 1. Large chain grocery stores for retail customers. 2. Small independent locker plants with retail counters. 3. Meat brokers and institutional food sales groups selling to restaurants. The main competition will be pork products marketed in the traditional manner, i. e. as a commodity. Typically, the consumer does not know where the product comes from and where and how it was processed. Family Farmers plans to differentiate its products from commodity meats in the following manner: †¢ Preserve the identity of products from the hog raiser to the consumer, whether the product is sold in meat markets, grocery stores, restaurants or delicatessens. †¢ Hogs will be raised in open pastures on a rotation basis, as opposed to highly dense confinement buildings, thus minimizing the investment required and eliminating waste disposal and related environmental problems.Studies have shown that hogs raised in this manner have fewer health problems, thus reducing the need for medicines of various types, further reducing production costs. †¢ Establish that the brand â€Å"Family Farmers Choice† offers products that are safe and are of consistent high quality, thereby deserving of a premium price. Who are our competitors? We do not know the annual meat sales volume of our competitors or their market shares. Such figures, if published, were not available for this study.Farmers Choice prices will be competitive and, in some cases, higher than competing pork products found through other distribution channels. The higher cost, about 5 cents per pound higher on average, will result from the key differences of Farmers Choice product versus competitors’. Again, the sales history indicates consumers are willing to pay a very slight premium to get product that meets their criteria. Some key differences of our product include: †¢ It is a natural product, free of hormones. †¢ It is provided by farmers known to the consumer, as in â€Å"food with a face. †¢ Quality is assured as all hogs are raised to an audited quality system. †¢ No quality problems will come from processing due to our small facility and worker responsibility for quality. †¢ Doorstep delivery is available where possible. †¢ Customers can visit the factory where the fo od is made. Competitive Advantage and Analysis The following table outlines how Farmers Choice compares to the competition in terms of product and other factors, including strengths and weaknesses. The analysis is of Farmers Choice against the competition by major groups.While there may be key differences against individual stores or businesses, these do not exist in large enough quantity to affect sales or strategy of Farmers Choice. [pic] Following is an analysis of Farmers Choice strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats: SWOT Analysis (Strengths and Weaknesses Opportunities Threats) [pic] What Does the Coop Have to Sell? Carcass Breakdown(Pork) Typical Market Pig Live weight (pounds)250 Carcass weight (pounds)184 Backfat 10th rib (inches)0. 9 Loin-eye area (square inches)5. 2 Fat-free lean index (percentage)48. 0 Pounds of lean meat88. 6 [pic] [pic]

History of E-Commerce

The History Of Ecommerce, The Early Years In the 1960s, very early on in the history of Ecommerce, its purpose was to exchanging electronic data long distance. In these early days of Ecommerce, users consisted of only very large companies, such as banks and military departments, who used it for command control communication purposes. This was called EDI, and was used for electronic data interchange. In the late 1970s a new protocol was developed known as ASC X12 which was used for the exchange of business documents and information electronically.Another system was being developed at the same time by the Military known as ARPAnet, and was the first to use the â€Å"dial up† method of sending information via telephone networks. It was considered the grandfather of the modern Internet. I guess we can thank the cold war for something! In 1982 Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol known as TCP & IP was developed. This was the first system to send information in small packets along different routes using packet switching technology, like todays Internet! As opposed to sending the information streaming down one route.These were amongst the largest developments in the history of Ecommerce that set the stage for a revolution in the exchange of electronic data, but it was not for another quarter of a century that Ecommerce became accessible to everyday people like you and me. he History Of Ecommerce, Beginnings Of An Electronic Revolution The Internet took a giant leap into the modern age in 1991 when a computer scientist working under contract for  CERN  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tim Berners-Lee† made a huge advancement by communicating via the Internet using  HTTP. The birth of the  World Wide Web  was upon us!He is now considered the father of the World Wide Web. This opened up the door for everyday people like you and me to use this wonderful new technology, however it was not until 1994 that the first truly user friendly browser was developed with built in security protocol to protect peoples personal information online. This made way for secure transactions to be conducted on the internet. A year later 3rd party credit card payment services became available to the still small online community. The stage was set, and the  future of Ecommerce  was about to take off.The History Of Ecommerce, The Revolution Takes Off! In 1995, with the introduction of  online payment methods, two companies that we all know of today took their first steps into the world of Ecommerce. Today Amazon and Ebay are both amongst the most successful companies on the Internet! One month after selling his first book online, founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos was selling to every state in the U. S and over 40 other countries. Ecommerce allowed the easy processing of orders and shipping also enabling him to buy directly from the publishers.Ebay saw growth that was just as staggering. By allowing anyone to buy and sell online, in just a few short years the co mpany became a household name with a turnover of hundreds of millions a year. From its humble beginning in 1995 modern Ecommerce has become the fastest growing area of business, showing continued growth year after year. Technology has advanced further making it so much more accessible to people from all walks of life, and entire industries have been built around Ecommerce which are today, the who's who of the business world.Today virtually anything can be purchased online, from your pizza to your car. And people love to shop online, figures show that in the U. S over 60% of adults have purchased goods online this is a figure that is set to explode over the coming years as the youth of today mature fast, being the first to have been raised with this exciting environment interwoven into all aspects of life. If there is one thing we can learn from the history of Ecommerce it is that anyone given a little motivation and drive can become successful.It has never been easier to get a footh old into the exciting online world of Ecommerce, all anyone needs is an internet conection a computer and an idea. The  advantages of Ecommerce  are endless. Ecommerce has become the great leveler, giving anyone the ability to  build an Ecommerce website, and sell to a world wide market with outstanding results. The history of Ecommerce has shown us just how fast people can embrace a new technology, It has evolved in leaps and bounds to become what it is today and the future is looking bright. History of E-Commerce The History Of Ecommerce, The Early Years In the 1960s, very early on in the history of Ecommerce, its purpose was to exchanging electronic data long distance. In these early days of Ecommerce, users consisted of only very large companies, such as banks and military departments, who used it for command control communication purposes. This was called EDI, and was used for electronic data interchange. In the late 1970s a new protocol was developed known as ASC X12 which was used for the exchange of business documents and information electronically.Another system was being developed at the same time by the Military known as ARPAnet, and was the first to use the â€Å"dial up† method of sending information via telephone networks. It was considered the grandfather of the modern Internet. I guess we can thank the cold war for something! In 1982 Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol known as TCP & IP was developed. This was the first system to send information in small packets along different routes using packet switching technology, like todays Internet! As opposed to sending the information streaming down one route.These were amongst the largest developments in the history of Ecommerce that set the stage for a revolution in the exchange of electronic data, but it was not for another quarter of a century that Ecommerce became accessible to everyday people like you and me. he History Of Ecommerce, Beginnings Of An Electronic Revolution The Internet took a giant leap into the modern age in 1991 when a computer scientist working under contract for  CERN  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tim Berners-Lee† made a huge advancement by communicating via the Internet using  HTTP. The birth of the  World Wide Web  was upon us!He is now considered the father of the World Wide Web. This opened up the door for everyday people like you and me to use this wonderful new technology, however it was not until 1994 that the first truly user friendly browser was developed with built in security protocol to protect peoples personal information online. This made way for secure transactions to be conducted on the internet. A year later 3rd party credit card payment services became available to the still small online community. The stage was set, and the  future of Ecommerce  was about to take off.The History Of Ecommerce, The Revolution Takes Off! In 1995, with the introduction of  online payment methods, two companies that we all know of today took their first steps into the world of Ecommerce. Today Amazon and Ebay are both amongst the most successful companies on the Internet! One month after selling his first book online, founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos was selling to every state in the U. S and over 40 other countries. Ecommerce allowed the easy processing of orders and shipping also enabling him to buy directly from the publishers.Ebay saw growth that was just as staggering. By allowing anyone to buy and sell online, in just a few short years the co mpany became a household name with a turnover of hundreds of millions a year. From its humble beginning in 1995 modern Ecommerce has become the fastest growing area of business, showing continued growth year after year. Technology has advanced further making it so much more accessible to people from all walks of life, and entire industries have been built around Ecommerce which are today, the who's who of the business world.Today virtually anything can be purchased online, from your pizza to your car. And people love to shop online, figures show that in the U. S over 60% of adults have purchased goods online this is a figure that is set to explode over the coming years as the youth of today mature fast, being the first to have been raised with this exciting environment interwoven into all aspects of life. If there is one thing we can learn from the history of Ecommerce it is that anyone given a little motivation and drive can become successful.It has never been easier to get a footh old into the exciting online world of Ecommerce, all anyone needs is an internet conection a computer and an idea. The  advantages of Ecommerce  are endless. Ecommerce has become the great leveler, giving anyone the ability to  build an Ecommerce website, and sell to a world wide market with outstanding results. The history of Ecommerce has shown us just how fast people can embrace a new technology, It has evolved in leaps and bounds to become what it is today and the future is looking bright.

My Paper essays

My Paper essays In the novel The Partner, John Grisham uses several literary techniques to present the thrilling story of Patrick Lanigans struggles with himself and his life. The story is told in third person point of view so that the reader can receive the full effect of the story. Everyones insight into the trial and Patricks disappearance is shared by the omniscient narrator. The setting is also ever-changing which gives the reader insight into what is happening to each person during the trial. The book jumps scenes to share the outlooks of all the characters. Grishams strong grasp on what the reader needs to know to stay involved in the story shines through this novel. The beginning of the novel the narrator is explaining Patricks life in Brazil. There is really no description of how or why he is there. Then his capture is explained and the reader is opened up to the rest of the characters and their relations to Patrick. They put Patrick at the end of a wing on the base hospital. His was the only room with doors which could be locked from the outside and widows that wouldnt open. The blinds were closed. Two military guards sat outside the hallway, for whatever reason (Grisham 60). This description is taken from right after Patrick was captured and brought back to the states. The narrator here begins to slowly reveal the reasons behind why Patrick did what he had done. He sat low, his shoulders sagging, chin down, no pride here. He did not look around because he could feel the stares from every direction. Sandy put his arm around his shoulder and whispered something meaningless (Grisham 176). With these elements Grisham proves yet again that he has the superior ability to pull literary elements together to keep the reader interested. He uses the third person omniscient narrator and the constant change of scenes to allow the reader to be aware of what is happen...

Seasonal and Unseasonable

Seasonal and Unseasonable Seasonal and Unseasonable Seasonal and Unseasonable By Maeve Maddox With all the storms, flooding, and unusually low temperatures in the news, Ive been noticing a proliferation of the word unseasonal. Unseasonal rain may continue Southerners lamenting the loss of summer need to brace for more unsettled and unseasonal weather in the coming days Unseasonal weather and flower production will there be a shortage? Unseasonal spring storms are hitting the South In each of these examples, the weather being described is seen as not being usual for the time of year. The appropriate word in this context is the negative of seasonable, which is unseasonable. seasonable: Occurring at the right season, opportune. Of weather, etc.: Suitable to the time of year. The word seasonal differs in meaning from seasonable. seasonal: Pertaining to or characteristic of the seasons of the year, or some one of them. Things that change with the season are seasonal. One speaks of seasonal occupations, seasonal employment, and seasonal products. Strictly speaking, seasonal does not have a negative form. This unusually cold, wet weather were experiencing in the South this May is unseasonable. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund PhrasesOne Fell Swoop

3 More Rules for Producing Consistent Content

3 More Rules for Producing Consistent Content 3 More Rules for Producing Consistent Content 3 More Rules for Producing Consistent Content By Mark Nichol Here are a handful of tips that will help you produce clean, clear writing regardless of topic, intent, and audience. 1. Insert or Omit Hyphens as Needed Adjectival phrases that precede a noun, such as â€Å"free range† before chicken, generally take hyphens, though if the phrase is a standing phrase documented in dictionaries (as is â€Å"high school†), leave the hyphen out when using the phrase to modify a noun (â€Å"high school student†). Adverbial phrases such as â€Å"newly discovered† never take hyphens, but those with flat adverbs (those lacking the -ly ending), such as â€Å"well earned,† always do before (but not after) a noun. Most prefixes are attached directly to the root word (antiwar, cosponsor, deactivate, neoconservative, preapproved, reorganize, and so on), though there are exceptions (for example, when the root word is a proper name or when the first letter of the prefix is an i and the first letter of the root word is, too). When in doubt, look it up. When not in doubt, look it up anyway. A few compounds remain hyphenated. (Light-year and mind-set are two of the most common.) Learn these exceptions to the rule that compound nouns are either open or closed. 2. Minimize Jargon On a related note, when using specialized language, make sure that all content producers in your organization are in line with the definition and application of the terminology (and, again, publicize within the organization and document it) and that external consumers of your content understand it, too. But take care not to burden the reader with a heavy concentration of jargon; carefully manage a balance of authoritative language with clarity. Also, avoid using acronyms and initialisms unless readers are familiar with them or they are introduced in every document, on every web page, or in every email message- spelled out on first reference, followed by the parenthesized abbreviation. If feasible, provide a glossary of terms and abbreviations. 3. Avoid Adjective Stacks On a related note, avoid strings of adjectives that modify nouns; for example, reword â€Å"information technology risk management mitigation efforts† to â€Å"efforts to mitigate risks in managing information technology.† Find related tips in this post. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Fly, Flew, (has) FlownFlied?Acronym vs. InitialismWriting a Thank You Note

Anything having to do with economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Anything having to do with economics - Essay Example 4): Human resources: labor. The labor force is limited both in number and in skills. Manufactured resources or capital. Capital consists of all those inputs that have themselves been produced in the first place. The world has a limited stock of capital: a limited supply of factories, machines, transportation and other equipment. The productivity of capital is limited by the state of technology. Hence, scarcity arises due to comparative unlimited human wants in the limited set of available resources to satisfy these wants. In other words, in free market economy scarcity occurs either because of increase in demand or decrease in supply. Also known as pure capitalist system; where individuals are free to make their demand decisions. The decisions of consumers and firms pertaining to the demand and supply of goods are transmitted to each one of them via the effect of these decisions on prices. This in turn, sets the equilibrium price level in the economy. Hence, prices are set via free interaction of demand and supply of goods and services, in a market where consumers are free to make their own choices according to their own income levels, firms are free to supply what they decide according to their own investment. government interference to run the economic system exists with the help of businesses. United States, however, is a good example of free market system where government intervention is minimal and mostly prices are determined through market forces of demand and supply. â€Å"an economy where supply and price are regulated by the government rather than market forces. Government planners decide which goods and services are produced and how they are distributed. The former Soviet Union was an example of a command economy†. Command economies are usually recognizable in places where the presence of socialist or communist systems of

Marketing Manager Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing Manager - Assignment Example Typically, marketing managers oversee all marketing, advertising and promotional staff and activities. They formulate appropriate marketing strategies to meet objectives, evaluate market research, and implement marketing plans (Halvorsen 2006). The job of a marketing manager requires both professional qualifications and individual skills. Professional qualifications usually include academic qualification, strong understanding of management and marketing, industry and product/service experience, and a network of contacts (Microsoft 2008, HSN 2008). Individual skills usually required include excellent communication skills, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, project and people management skills (HSN 2008, Catholic Answers 2008, Infinity Ward 2008). A review of most want advertisements for marketing management shows three main skill requirements: excellent communication skills, interpersonal skills and leadership skills in terms of people and project management. Excellent Communication Skills The job of a marketing manager requires excellent communication skills because the function involves interaction with customers, subordinates, professional peers, higher-level managers, suppliers, other business partners, and other individuals involved in the marketing process. Since communication is a two-way process, effective communication involves conveying messages to others clearly and unambiguously, as well as receiving and understanding information sent by others. In a survey conducted by the University of Pittsburgh, communication skills were cited as the single most important decision factor in the hiring of managers. Excellent communication skills denote high levels of proficiency in both verbal and written communication. For the marketing manager, these skills are applied in various interaction with the different audiences in the marketing process, in listening; delivering presentations; facilitating meetings and discussions; giving and receiving feedback; making value p ropositions; dealing with criticisms, customer complaints or other objections; communication during crisis situations; and cross-cultural communications (Mind Tools 2008). Interpersonal Skills Another highly-required skill for a marketing manager is interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills include the habits, attitudes, manners, appearance, and behaviors that one uses around other people which affect how one gets along with other people (Hill 1999). According to the American Management Association (2008), success depends upon the

Close reading of Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut Essay

Close reading of Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut - Essay Example Vonnegut points out that machine dramatically changed society to an extent where everyone had a real life. Influence of machines evidences in better healthcare, luxury, and reliable security. In addition, machines create stratification depending on accessibility and perceived control. In this regards, managers and some few engineers with access to control of machines lived a better life (Vonnegut 85). From a general perspective, the features made society look better. However, a deeper focus provides an unlikely picture of the community. Machines make individuals to loose real dignity in most jobs. Hence, the only people with jobs that matters are the managers and the engineers. To him, such a society becomes a dystopian society. In his work, Vonnegut uses themes like religion, war and the social inequality. He also uses elements of the science of fiction and black humour. Other notable features include satire and protagonist. Paul Proteus is protagonist in the novel. He shows displeasure with his privileged position and imagines the experience of the worse off people in life. The dissatisfaction is what leads to a rebellion by the elite class. Player Piano revolves around power. Specifically, the close reading relates the concept to the notion of power distribution in the society. Any particular community has a set of rules that act as a social contract. Such regulations serve to control actions of the subjects. With rules, everyone has a role, power and a given level of freedom in the society. For example, a modern democratic society has the police who are entitled to coordinate law enforcement. The coordination stipulates clear roles to every member of the community. Policy makers formulate laws while everyone has a democratic right to vote. In relation to the player piano, the author also presents elements of power distribution. Specifically, the importance interplay of power distribution and dystopian fiction. Therefore, Vonnegut identifies the

School District and Community Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

School District and Community Analysis - Essay Example This was an involving exercise as the teacher required students to form groups through which to complete the assignment. In the groups everyone was handed a role such as measuring oats, mixing margarine and cleaning apples. This ensured everyone participated, all the while the teacher was watching keenly to make sure people performed their roles as needed and that they cooperated throughout. On the second day the lesson was more theoretical as compared to the first day lesson. The teacher taught on food and food safety. Unlike the first lesson students were required to continually put down notes and concentrate throughout the lesson. There were no permitted consultations or discussions among the students as all questions were addressed to the teacher. Classroom rules Day 1-2-Class rules The students should always first look at the projector before the teacher directs them to. This is because the teacher may take a while as he has to finish a few minutes to complete a number of class duties. The other rule requires students to complete their personal duties before attending class this ensures they concentrate in class and are not distracted by any of their extra duties (Roubidoux, 2008). Day 1-2-Teacher’s procedure The teacher has several approaches of distributing class materials some of the most common is sending them to respective emails. The teacher has emails for all students in the class; every material he needs to distribute especially syllabus content is forwarded to these materials. The teacher also prints class materials and distributes it to all students in the class during respective lessons (Walberg, 2010). The very same methods of distributing materials are utilized in collecting materials. The students are supposed to complete respective assignments and forward to the class instructor through his email. Ensuring concentration Day 1-2 The teacher has several ways through which he ensures that the students concentrate during class hours. One way of doing this is by simplifying the instructions, the teacher has realized overtime that too complex instructions tend to bore students, and they lose concentration, as a result. The teacher has also incorporated several activities within the class lessons continual oral lessons tend to bore students and having the activities in between these lessons ensures the students concentrate. Encouraging communication –Day 1-2 The teacher also requires students to interact and discuss issues among them, this way he encourages them not only to share knowledge but to talk more. The teacher has developed an interactive session at the end of every lesson, during this session he asks students to put forward questions they may have regarding their past areas of study. Monitoring student behavior-Day 1-2 The class groups are formed based on the students’ average performance. This method looks at the students’ performance in the past three tests. The reason for this is simpl y because each group should be constituted of several high performers, average performers and a number of those who perform poorly. This constitution ensures that average performers as well as those who perform poorly gain from the high performers this way the class general performers goes up. The teacher requires honesty in completing individual work; this may either be tests, assignments or quizzes (Roubidoux, 2008).

Film Michael Collins Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film Michael Collins - Movie Review Example Collins, one of those who participated as a foot soldier in the rebellion, was captured after the crushing of the Easter Rebellion. However, he was released and began carrying out and played an important role in revitalizing the armed resistance. He pioneered urban guerrilla warfare. He established a grassroots army of volunteers made up of young idealists and poor workers to fight for freedom. Others acted as an intelligence network that looked for information to expose British informers and spies, Irishmen who by working for the British were seen as traitors to the cause of national independence. This basic formula of forming an informal army, acting in small effective and closely-knit teams, consisting of poor and marginalized idealists, most of them young, who then used violence, force, and fear to intimidate an overwhelmingly powerful and organized ruling government, has been copied by later rebel leaders and Marxist revolutionary thinkers, notably Che Guevara and Carlos Marighella. Collins realized that attacking an organized force on the latter's own terms characterized by larger numbers and superior firepower would be futile. Having small forces attacking specific targets with impunity and relying on precise information would, and proved to be, more effective. What resulted were years of brutal violence. However, instead of pressuring the British to capitulate, there would be an escalating spiral of death and conflict, leading to the formation and growth in size and power of what would later become the Irish Republican Army (IRA). This background of violence, brutality, and revenge is the basis of the troubles that continue to wreck Northern Ireland and has served as the inspiration for terrorist groups that endanger the world to this day. The film showed that while Collins deep in his heart was not in favor of brutal violence to achieve the noble end of freedom for which he fought, he found it the best way to catch attention and increase the popular support for their cause. In retaliation to the Irish's guerrilla tactics, every act was met with greater impunity by the British Army, which in turn had a legitimate reason of its own for suppressing an armed rebellion of what it believed to be a part of the United Kingdom. Realizing that violence was not a long-term solution but was becoming part of a problem that was becoming bigger, Collins showed his willingness to compromise after the British agreed to allow the Irish to establish a political party that legitimately participated in the British parliament. This strategy of legitimizing rebellious groups by making them participate in the democratic mainstream has likewise been used by nations to diffuse violence and allow due process to take its course. But it was short-lived, as the newly-elected Sinn Fein party representatives changed their minds and declared independence for Ireland, organizing the IRA to counteract British efforts to suppress the rebellion. This turned out to be the cause of his downfall, because as his power within the independence movement grew, his comrades

Data Recovery Software Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Data Recovery Software - Term Paper Example Judging by job websites such as Monster.com Computer Networking professional administers, maintains, and troubleshoots personal computers, printers and associated peripherals in a managed network environment to ensure a reliable computing system for other company staff, assists users as needed, administers, maintains, and troubleshoots telephone and voice mail systems. Mitchell names following basic job titles for computer networking and networking-related positions: Network Administrator, Network (Systems) Engineer, Network (Service) Technician, Network Programmer/Analyst, and Network/Information Systems Manager. By the data from US Department of Labour computer support, specialists and systems network administrators held about 758,000 jobs in 2002. 813,000 jobs were forecasted for 2003, so demand for Computer Networking professionals is growing. Judging by job websites, such as Monster.com following technical skills are required for Computer Networking professionals: Strong working knowledge of installing, configuring, and troubleshooting personal computers in a network environment. In-depth technical knowledge of popular software: Windows NT, 2000, XP, 2003 Server, Administration tools / Ping & trace utils, Backup software, Data recovery software, Help desk software, Network inventory software,   Network monitoring/management, Remote control software, Software distribution, and metering and Storage software. Understanding needs, identifying root causes of problems, and development and implementation creative and pragmatic solutions. Ability to diagnose and resolve hardware and software problems for end-users, such as difficulties accessing and utilizing network-based resources. Monitoring virus infection notifications. Monitoring and responds to alerts and other observed troubles with network servers, infrastructure, print queues.   

Film Michael Collins Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film Michael Collins - Movie Review Example Collins, one of those who participated as a foot soldier in the rebellion, was captured after the crushing of the Easter Rebellion. However, he was released and began carrying out and played an important role in revitalizing the armed resistance. He pioneered urban guerrilla warfare. He established a grassroots army of volunteers made up of young idealists and poor workers to fight for freedom. Others acted as an intelligence network that looked for information to expose British informers and spies, Irishmen who by working for the British were seen as traitors to the cause of national independence. This basic formula of forming an informal army, acting in small effective and closely-knit teams, consisting of poor and marginalized idealists, most of them young, who then used violence, force, and fear to intimidate an overwhelmingly powerful and organized ruling government, has been copied by later rebel leaders and Marxist revolutionary thinkers, notably Che Guevara and Carlos Marighella. Collins realized that attacking an organized force on the latter's own terms characterized by larger numbers and superior firepower would be futile. Having small forces attacking specific targets with impunity and relying on precise information would, and proved to be, more effective. What resulted were years of brutal violence. However, instead of pressuring the British to capitulate, there would be an escalating spiral of death and conflict, leading to the formation and growth in size and power of what would later become the Irish Republican Army (IRA). This background of violence, brutality, and revenge is the basis of the troubles that continue to wreck Northern Ireland and has served as the inspiration for terrorist groups that endanger the world to this day. The film showed that while Collins deep in his heart was not in favor of brutal violence to achieve the noble end of freedom for which he fought, he found it the best way to catch attention and increase the popular support for their cause. In retaliation to the Irish's guerrilla tactics, every act was met with greater impunity by the British Army, which in turn had a legitimate reason of its own for suppressing an armed rebellion of what it believed to be a part of the United Kingdom. Realizing that violence was not a long-term solution but was becoming part of a problem that was becoming bigger, Collins showed his willingness to compromise after the British agreed to allow the Irish to establish a political party that legitimately participated in the British parliament. This strategy of legitimizing rebellious groups by making them participate in the democratic mainstream has likewise been used by nations to diffuse violence and allow due process to take its course. But it was short-lived, as the newly-elected Sinn Fein party representatives changed their minds and declared independence for Ireland, organizing the IRA to counteract British efforts to suppress the rebellion. This turned out to be the cause of his downfall, because as his power within the independence movement grew, his comrades

Strengths and weaknesses of Rolls Royce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Strengths and weaknesses of Rolls Royce - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Rolls Royce has been a pioneer in the motor car market for over 100 years. It continues to set the standard for motor cars in the industry. Financial ratios help to analyze the financial health of a company. Gross profit margin is an indicator of how %age of a sales dollar is left after the payment of the goods has been made. It is the actual markup on the goods sold. It is better for the company if it has a higher gross profit margin. Rolls Royce gross profit margin has been stable for the past 5 years. There hasn’t been much change in the gross profit margin of the company. This means that with respect to each unit of the product the margin has been consistent and hence the company has been effectively maintaining the process of manufacturing of goods. Operating profit margin indicates the profit margin after payment is made for goods as well as its fixed expenses and other variables. This again has been stable for Rolls Royce with no sharp changes. This means that company understands its business very well and is very effective in managing it. The company has knows how to efficiently manage the various processes of its business. Net Profit margin is the actual measure of a company’s financial success. Net profit margin indicates how profitable the company is. Therefore, higher the net profit margin more profitable the company is. Rolls Royce’s performance with respect to net profit margin has been very inconsistent over the past 5 years.

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant Essay Example for Free

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant Essay In The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant, the main character, Mathilde, fails to realise that happiness comes from within. Mathilde borrows a necklace from her friend in order to go to a fancy ball with her husband. She manages to lose her necklace, with disastrous consequences. Mathilde needed to appreciate what she had and learn that people are charmed by personality. In order to be happy, people have to learn to appreciate what they have. Madame Loisel had a good life. She had a loving husband and a servant to help her run the house. However she was not happy. She yearned for a privileged life. It was only when she lost everything and came to know the life of abject poverty, did she realise, how little is needed to ruin or save. People arent necessarily impressed by appearance or possessions, but rather personality. When her husband gave her the invite to the ball, Mathilde upset. She had no clothes or jewels to wear to such an affair. She thought that the guests at the ball would not be charmed by her ordinary clothes. However, when she reached the ball all of the guests were enchanted by her happiness! She was the prettiest woman at present, graceful, smiling and quite above herself with happiness. Remembering and celebrating happy memories is all you need to be happy. When Mathilde came home from the ball, she was upset, disappointed and sad. It was over. She would never see such riches again. What Mathilde forgot to do though, was to celebrate those happy memories she held from that spectacular night, but sadly it ended to soon for Mathilde, and sadly they walked up to their own apartment. It was the end, for her. Later in her life when she was reduced to a life of poverty, Mathilde realised and cherished the importance of happy memories, shethought of that evening long ago Mathilde had a loving husband, a comfortable home and a wonderful servant to help her. Yet all she was interested in was possessions. This had the effect of not appreciating what she had, forgetting to celebrate good times and not focussing on what is important, your inner self.

Essay --

Tea tree oil was introduced to me in 2009 when I experimented in a series of piercings. A friend at the time informed me of the medicinal uses and how it was effective on scar tissue. However the plant in which the oil is extracted from is far more entertaining. Tea Tree (Malaleuca alternifolia) is a plant belonging to the Myrtaceae family, known for their cleansing properties. There are over two hundred recognized species of Myrtaceae which majority is native to Australia. However a few species from the Myrtaceae family occur in Malesia, New Caledonia and as of the mid-1880’s M. quinquenervia was introduced, as an invasive species to Florida to assist in drying out swampy lands. The indigenous people of northeastern New South Wales historically had known about the healing mechanics of their native tea trees for thousands of years. They used them as disinfectants to treat minor cuts and wounds. Eventually they progressed in the knowledge of the plants uses and found that by inhaling evaporative oil from the leaves that it alleviated congestion and respiratory tract infections. Figure A. Order: Myrtlales, Family: Myrtaceae. Characteristic of the myrtle family is its use of distilled essential oils, such as Tea tree oil (Melaleuca oil) Compound Background The leaves of M. alternifolia are the primary part of the plant that is used. Rarely twigs from the tree is also used, it hasn’t been proven to be anymore or less effective to use the twigs. To create the oil, the leaves are extracted and harvested for a few days leaving the leaves to wilt. Essentially the leaves are limp through heat and deprived of water. The leaves are then inserted into a boiler with even temperature, distilling the leaves. Eventually both the steam and t... ...uman rights laws protect them. However there is no uniformed legislation that directly protects indigenous medical knowledge. When regarding the plant of interest Malaleuca alternifolia, it is in deed protected because of its indigenous heritage to Australia. Tea tree oil coming from M. alternifolia proves to be the main source for commercial tea tree that is manufactured and shipped around the world. However tea tree oil can be extracted from other plants within the Malaleuca genus. Which unfortunately has left M. viridiflora an endangered species providing more protection to the specific plant. Regarding the current situation presented in Australia, the conditions seem optimal for protection of their indigenous knowledge and organic compounds. They have many laws to protect themselves from outside thieves and are very developed concerning them as a world status.

Emerson’s Models of Nature Essay example -- Writing Literature Papers

Emerson’s Models of Nature The main concept which permeates the writing of Ralph Waldo Emerson is that â€Å"the fundamental context of our lives is nature† (Richardson, Jr., Emerson and Nature 97). Emerson presents his theory of nature and its relation to man in three essays spanning almost a decade: Nature (1836), â€Å"The Method of Nature† (1841) and â€Å"Nature† (1844). There are many common threads connecting these works. One of the most notable is Emerson’s belief in the interconnection between all things – between all natural phenomena as well as between nature and the soul. Also, there exists behind and beyond Nature a Spirit from which all things originate. It is the invisible which gives rise to the visible and embodies truth and beauty. Bringing these two ideas together, Emerson shows how it is possible for man to access this unseen world through nature by using the faculties Nature has bestowed upon him. However, during the years spanning the production of these works, Emerson’s conception of nature changes. The result is three distinctive theories of nature which shift in tone from Nature’s idealism, to the disillusionment of â€Å"The Method of Nature†, to the pragmatism of â€Å"Nature†. With each piece, Emerson is asking different questions which illustrate the fundamental ways in which his characterizations of nature have been altered. In Nature, his most thorough and concise treatise on the subject, he asks, â€Å"To what end is nature?† (1) In the very asking of the question, Emerson is stating his belief that Nature is ultimately knowable and its ends are many – it supplies humanity with what he calls commodity (â€Å"all those advantages which our senses owe to nature† (3)), beauty, language, discipline, spirit and prosp... ...do Emerson, Vol. I: Nature, Addresses, and Lectures. Alfred R. Ferguson and Robert E. Spiller, eds. Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1971. 117-137. Richardson, Jr., Robert D. â€Å"Emerson and Nature†. The Cambridge Companion to Ralph Waldo Emerson. Joel Porte and Saundra Morris, eds. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. 97-105. Richardson, Jr., Robert D. Emerson: The Mind on Fire. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1995. Tanner, Tony. â€Å"Emerson: The Unconquered Eye and the Enchanted Circle†. Critical Essays on Ralph Waldo Emerson. Robert E. Burkholder and Joel Myerson, eds. Boston: G.K. Hall & Co, 1983. 310-326. Yoder, R. A. â€Å"Emerson’s Dialectic†. Critical Essays on Ralph Waldo Emerson. Robert E. Burkholder and Joel Myerson, eds. Boston: G.K. Hall & Co, 1983. 354-367.

Swot Analysis Gm

Solongo Burennemekh Marc Hamilton Management Practices 24 October 2012 GM SWOT Analysis General Motors (GM) is the one of the biggest automaker company in the world. It was established in September 1908, headquartered in Michigan and Detroit. They do financial and automobile business all over the world, and they are very successful Multinational Corporation in the U. S. However, because of the great recession, they suffered some financial conditions and crisis. In November 2010, GM made the world’s largest initial public offering (IPO) and that decision bring them a bright future (â€Å"About GM†).In the past hundred years, GM tries to turn its threats into opportunities, maximize its strengths as much as possible, and struggle to overcome its weaknesses. The company history said that they have various strengths and opportunities. Large market capitalization could be one of the primary strengths of GM. According to the Yahoo Finance, GM’s market capitalization eq uals $37. 38 billion U. S dollar and they have 8. 1 million shares outstanding in the stock market (â€Å"General Motors†). They increase their size of market capitalization by doing IPO in 2010, so they raised $20. 1 billion on the U. S stock exchange market.Even though GM’s market share decreased and they were in bankruptcy in 2009, the company recovered its market share successfully and renewed its investor’s confidence (â€Å"About GM†). GM is leading Multinational Corporation in the world, which means they have precious global experience in the global markets. Therefore, the global experience could be other key strengths of GM. For example, they increased their global market share by 0. 4 percent from 2010 to 2011. In the Chinese automobile industry, GM is the market leader, and their sales and joint venture partners are increasing continuously (10-K).They run business more than 150 countries, and they have complex assembly line, distribution network , manufacture, and warehousing operations in more than 60 countries. In addition of those strengths, GM has strong brand name and portfolio. Although they cut its brand names such as, Pontiac and Saturn and sold hummer to China, they still have Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet, and Buick (â€Å"About GM†). Despite their strengths, they have some weaknesses such as, low debt rating, bankrupt, and large amount of debt. Standard & Poor’s gave its first AAA credit rating to GM in 1950s, and GM held its highest credit rating until 1980s.Nevertheless, because of the great recession, the North America’s vehicle demand declined sharply, and it affected for GM’s sales volume poorly. The company suffered deep financial crisis, and Standard & Poor’s lowered its debt ratings CCC- in 2009 (Maynard, par. 7). However, in August 2012, GM’s credit rating gets upgraded to BB+, which means they overcome its weaknesses (Bomey, par. 2). Moreover, in 2009, GM filed its b ankruptcy. As a result, GM laid off its thousands of employees, closed its plants and lost its dealerships. The U. S government gave $49. billion bail out to GM to avoid bankruptcy and restructure their operations in 2009 (Amadeo, par. 1). However, some people reported that the U. S government wasted billions of taxpayers’ money, and GM is going to file bankruptcy again, but it is not true. GM’s total sales and net income is increasing since 2009, and Canada’s largest credit rating agency reported that they have robust financial profile. Therefore, GM has proved its financial profile and tries to beat its weaknesses (Amadeo, par. 2). Additionally, they had $9. 5 billion loan from Canada, and if the U.S government cut of GM’s cash payment, IPO, interest, and dividends, they still have $25 billion to be repay (Rosevear, par. 3). This big amount of loan and interest payment could be one of the biggest weaknesses of the GM corporation. Even so, GM still has s trong opportunities in the automaker industry. For example, GM has big opportunities in emerging market. In 2011, GM’s 72. 3 percent of the vehicle sales generated outside in the U. S, and it includes 43. 4 percent from emerging market. Industry analyst forecast growth of around 12. million units in only for emerging market for the next 4 years. In this forecast, China, Russia, India, and Brazil have the highest increase of demand (â€Å"About GM†). In recent years, hybrid electric vehicles demand is expected to increase, so GM can take advantages from that market. Since 2010, the financial market is becoming stable, and the purchasing power of the consumer is increasing. This could be another opportunity for GM. Additionally, GM has the millions of loyal customers, so they can keep and attract their customers to offer more efficient and higher-quality car.Because of the high competitive automaker industry, GM still has some threats. Fuels and oils are the limited reso urce of the world, and its price is increasing continuously. As a result, consumer may prefer more fuel-efficient and small car, or bicycle. Because of this threat, GM can lose its customer. Also, the company faced high labor and raw material cost due to the economic downturn. If they do not decrease their labor and material cost, they will lose their opportunities. Even though GM tries to do its best, it has lots of strong competitors such as Toyota, Honda, Ford, and Nissan.Therefore, it is not easy to be the leader in the automaker industry. Also, the recent report said that the demand for developed market is expected to decrease in the future such as, Western Europe and Japan. Due to the fact that GM’s sales volume is going to decrease, they cannot achieve their goals (â€Å"About GM†). However, by using their strengths and opportunities, they can overcome their threats. Works Cited â€Å"About GM. † General Motors. General Motors. 2012. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. Am adeo, Kimberly. â€Å"The Auto Industry Bailout. † About. com US economy. About. om 28 Mar. 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. Bomey, Nathan. â€Å"GM Credit Ratings Get Upgraded. † Mail Tribune. Dow Jones Local Media Group, Inc. 27 Aug. 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. â€Å"Form 10-K. † SEC. gov. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. â€Å"General Motors. † Yahoo Finance. Yahoo! Inc. 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. Maynard, Micheline. â€Å"Bankruptcy Specter Raised as Rating on GM Debt is Cut Anew. † The New York Times. The New York Times Company. 13 Dec. 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. Rosevear, John. â€Å"When Will GM Pay Us Back? † The Motley Fool. The Motley Fool. 22 Mar. 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2012.

Being Written Reading

I walked into the local bookstore and it smelled of coffee. The delta blues was playing softly. I set up my workstation on a side table, preparing to take notes. There were eight marigolds, a half-eaten muffin, and a nearly empty mug of some unknown beverage in my midst. The gothic fellow manning the coffee stand ate some sort of biscuit behind the counter. He spoke to a co-worker of an art studio that he used to have. Meanwhile, a man with glasses and slightly shaggy brown hair was setting things up for the reading: the podium, the microphone, and the chairs.At first, I thought he was the author, but he wasn’t. William Conescu, the author, had short, curly black hair and no glasses. His eyelids were red. He seemed simultaneously nervous and illimitably delighted to be here. Support was present in the form of a close friend. This friend snapped a photo of William when the reading began. Before William Conescu approached the podium, a gray-haired lady placed flyers of the books tore’s current events on the eighteen chairs arranged in the open room. Then she made an introduction, speaking largely to the seven people in the cafe area.No one had yet sat in any of the chairs lined up in neat rows facing the podium. There were only four minutes left before the reading commenced. The sky darkened. Finally, two men draped their coats and scarves over the backs of chairs. I stood up to go to the restroom where there was graffiti on the walls, which, as usual, I could not decipher. When I returned there were eight people in attendance to the reading of Being Written, a novel by William Conescu. The gray-haired lady made a second introduction and turned the microphone over to the author.Being Written is William Conescu’s first novel and was released last month. William explained that up to this point he has written short fiction. Actually, for quite some time after undergraduate study, William put off writing, waiting for some stability – for th is job to start, for that move to be over. A theme in his novel, he said that many of the actors, writers, and musicians that he knew were not acting, writing, or playing. The protagonist of the novel is Daniel Fischer, and he is the sole character in the book that can hear the scratching of the author’s pencil.Unfortunately, this also grants him the painful insight that he is a minor character, and has been for some time. So when the author seems to take interest in a young woman at the bar, Daniel throws himself into the scene and her life. He is not entirely prepared for this though, and the fact that he is minor kills his self-esteem. The second person point-of-view only intensifies this neurosis. William read the bar scene dramatically, like a play. He injected the prose with energy; it came alive. He finished the scene, gave us some more summary, and began another scene much later in the novel.Daniel has evolved into a pawn used by Dehlia, the woman at the bar, in her r elationship with pianist, Graham. Daniel is excited to have been elevated to pawn status; he has never been a pawn before. Then, suddenly, William Conescu opened the floor for questions. Someone asked about the publishing process. He said he had a good experience with them; actually, they were the reason that this story developed into the full-length novel that it is, rather than becoming a novella contained in a collection. Another person asked about point-of-view.We learned that parts of the book are told in third person, parts are told in second; this allowed Daniel to be shown as an ordinary character in the story as well as close-up and neurotic. William writes with an outline, but does not strictly adhere to it; he likes to know that his writing is â€Å"going somewhere†. â€Å"Thank you’s† were exchanged, handshakes, and even phone numbers, which I found to be shocking. The author was sitting down, signing people’s books, looking up at them, rather than across the crowd from the mic. He said, â€Å"This has been really fun. † I believed it.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 102-106

CHAPTER 102 Robert Langdon had often heard it said that an animal, when cornered, was capable of miraculous feats of strength. Nonetheless, when he threw his full force into the underside of his crate, nothing budged at all. Around him, the liquid continued rising steadily. With no more than six inches of breathing room left, Langdon had lifted his head into the pocket of air that remained. He was now face-to-face with the Plexiglas window, his eyes only inches away from the underside of the stone pyramid whose baffling engraving hovered above him. I have no idea what this means. Concealed for over a century beneath a hardened mixture of wax and stone dust, the Masonic Pyramid's final inscription was now laid bare. The engraving was a perfectly square grid of symbols from every tradition imaginable–alchemical, astrological, heraldic, angelic, magical, numeric, sigilic, Greek, Latin. As a totality, this was symbolic anarchy–a bowl of alphabet soup whose letters came from dozens of different languages, cultures, and time periods. Total chaos. Symbologist Robert Langdon, in his wildest academic interpretations, could not fathom how this grid of symbols could be deciphered to mean anything at all. Order from this chaos? Impossible. The liquid was now creeping over his Adam's apple, and Langdon could feel his level of terror rising along with it. He continued banging on the tank. The pyramid stared back at him tauntingly. In frantic desperation, Langdon focused every bit of his mental energy on the chessboard of symbols. What could they possibly mean? Unfortunately, the assortment seemed so disparate that he could not even imagine where to begin. They're not even from the same eras in history! Outside the tank, her voice muffled but audible, Katherine could be heard tearfully begging for Langdon's release. Despite his failure to see a solution, the prospect of death seemed to motivate every cell in his body to find one. He felt a strange clarity of mind, unlike anything he had ever experienced. Think! He scanned the grid intensely, searching for some clue–a pattern, a hidden word, a special icon, anything at all–but he saw only a grid of unrelated symbols. Chaos. With each passing second, Langdon had begun to feel an eerie numbness overtaking his body. It was as if his very flesh were preparing to shield his mind from the pain of death. The water was now threatening to pour into his ears, and he lifted his head as far as he could, pushing it against the top of the crate. Frightening images began flashing before his eyes. A boy in New England treading water at the bottom of a dark well. A man in Rome trapped beneath a skeleton in an overturned coffin. Katherine's shouts were growing more frantic. From all Langdon could hear, she was trying to reason with a madman–insisting that Langdon could not be expected to decipher the pyramid without going to visit the Almas Temple. â€Å"That building obviously holds the missing piece to this puzzle! How can Robert decipher the pyramid without all the information?!† Langdon appreciated her efforts, and yet he felt certain that â€Å"Eight Franklin Square† was not pointing to the Almas Temple. The time line is all wrong! According to legend, the Masonic Pyramid was created in the mid-1800s, decades before the Shriners even existed. In fact, Langdon realized, it was probably before the square was even called Franklin Square. The capstone could not possibly have been pointing to an unbuilt building at a nonexistent address. Whatever â€Å"Eight Franklin Square† was pointing to . . . it had to exist in 1850. Unfortunately, Langdon was drawing a total blank. He probed his memory banks for anything that could possibly fit the time line. Eight Franklin Square? Something that was in existence in 1850? Langdon came up with nothing. The liquid was trickling into his ears now. Fighting his terror, he stared up at the grid of symbols on the glass. I don't understand the connection! In a petrified frenzy, his mind began spewing all the far-flung parallels it could generate. Eight Franklin Square . . . squares . . . this grid of symbols is a square . . . the square and the compass are Masonic symbols . . . Masonic altars are square . . . squares have ninety-degree angles. The water kept rising, but Langdon blocked it out. Eight Franklin . . . eight . . . this grid is eight-by-eight . . . Franklin has eight letters . . . â€Å"The Order† has eight letters . . . 8 is the rotated symbol for infinity . . . eight is the number of destruction in numerology . . . Langdon had no idea. Outside the tank, Katherine was still pleading, but Langdon's hearing was now intermittent as the water was sloshing around his head. † . . . impossible without knowing . . . capstone's message clearly . . . the secret hides within–â€Å" Then she was gone. Water poured into Langdon's ears, blotting out the last of Katherine's voice. A sudden womblike silence engulfed him, and Langdon realized he truly was going to die. The secret hides within– Katherine's final words echoed through the hush of his tomb. The secret hides within . . . Strangely, Langdon realized he had heard these exact words many times before. The secret hides . . . within. Even now, it seemed, the Ancient Mysteries were taunting him. â€Å"The secret hides within† was the core tenet of the mysteries, urging man kind to seek God not in the heavens above . . . but rather within himself. The secret hides within. It was the message of all the great mystical teachers. The kingdom of God is within you, said Jesus Christ. Know thyself, said Pythagoras. Know ye not that ye are gods, said Hermes Trismegistus. The list went on and on . . . All the mystical teachings of the ages had attempted to convey this one idea. The secret hides within. Even so, mankind continued looking to the heavens for the face of God. This realization, for Langdon, now became an ultimate irony. Right now, with his eyes facing the heavens like all the blind men who preceded him, Robert Langdon suddenly saw the light. It hit him like a bolt from above. The secret hides within The Order Eight Franklin Square In a flash he understood. The message on the capstone was suddenly crystal clear. Its meaning had been staring him in the face all night. The text on the capstone, like the Masonic Pyramid itself, was a symbolon–a code in pieces–a message written in parts. The capstone's meaning was camouflaged in so simple a manner that Langdon could scarcely believe he and Katherine had not spotted it. More astonishing still, Langdon now realized that the message on the capstone did indeed reveal exactly how to decipher the grid of symbols on the base of the pyramid. It was so very simple. Exactly as Peter Solomon had promised, the golden capstone was a potent talisman with the power to bring order from chaos. Langdon began pounding on the lid and shouting, â€Å"I know! I know!† Above him, the stone pyramid lifted off and hovered away. In its place, the tattooed face reappeared, its chilling visage staring down through the small window. â€Å"I solved it!† Langdon shouted. â€Å"Let me out!† When the tattooed man spoke, Langdon's submerged ears heard nothing. His eyes, however, saw the lips speak two words. â€Å"Tell me.† â€Å"I will!† Langdon screamed, the water almost to his eyes. â€Å"Let me out! I'll explain everything!† It's so simple. The man's lips moved again. â€Å"Tell me now . . . or die.† With the water rising through the final inch of air space, Langdon tipped his head back to keep his mouth above the waterline. As he did so, warm liquid poured into his eyes, blurring his vision. Arching his back, he pressed his mouth against the Plexiglas window. Then, with his last few seconds of air, Robert Langdon shared the secret of how to decipher the Masonic Pyramid. As he finished speaking, the liquid rose around his lips. Instinctively, Langdon drew a final breath and clamped his mouth shut. A moment later, the fluid covered him entirely, reaching the top of his tomb and spreading out across the Plexiglas. He did it, Mal'akh realized. Langdon figured out how to solve the pyramid. The answer was so simple. So obvious. Beneath the window, the submerged face of Robert Langdon stared up at him with desperate and beseeching eyes. Mal'akh shook his head at him and slowly mouthed the words: â€Å"Thank you, Professor. Enjoy the afterlife.† CHAPTER 103 As a serious swimmer, Robert Langdon had often wondered what it would feel like to drown. He now knew he was going to learn firsthand. Although he could hold his breath longer than most people, he could already feel his body reacting to the absence of air. Carbon dioxide was accumulating in his blood, bringing with it the instinctual urge to inhale. Do not breathe! The reflex to inhale was increasing in intensity with each passing moment. Langdon knew very soon he would reach what was called the breath-hold breakpoint–that critical moment at which a person could no longer voluntarily hold his breath. Open the lid! Langdon's instinct was to pound and struggle, but he knew better than to waste valuable oxygen. All he could do was stare up through the blur of water above him and hope. The world outside was now only a hazy patch of light above the Plexiglas window. His core muscles had begun burning, and he knew hypoxia was setting in. Suddenly a beautiful and ghostly face appeared, gazing down at him. It was Katherine, her soft features looking almost ethereal through the veil of liquid. Their eyes met through the Plexiglas window, and for an instant, Langdon thought he was saved. Katherine! Then he heard her muted cries of horror and realized she was being held there by their captor. The tattooed monster was forcing her to bear witness to what was about to happen. Katherine, I'm sorry . . . In this strange, dark place, trapped underwater, Langdon strained to comprehend that these would be his final moments of life. Soon he would cease to exist . . . everything he was . . . or had ever been . . . or would ever be . . . was ending. When his brain died, all of the memories held in his gray matter, along with all of the knowledge he had acquired, would simply evaporate in a flood of chemical reactions. In this moment, Robert Langdon realized his true insignificance in the universe. It was as lonely and humbling a feeling as he had ever experienced. Almost thankfully, he could feel the breath-hold breakpoint arriving. The moment was upon him. Langdon's lungs forced out their spent contents, collapsing in eager preparation to inhale. Still he held out an instant longer. His final second. Then, like a man no longer able to hold his hand to a burning stove, he gave himself over to fate. Reflex overruled reason. His lips parted. His lungs expanded. And the liquid came pouring in. The pain that filled his chest was greater than Langdon had ever imagined. The liquid burned as it poured into his lungs. Instantly, the pain shot upward into his skull, and he felt like his head was being crushed in a vise. There was great thundering in his ears, and through it all, Katherine Solomon was screaming. There was a blinding flash of light. And then blackness. Robert Langdon was gone. CHAPTER 104 It's over. Katherine Solomon had stopped screaming. The drowning she had just witnessed had left her catatonic, virtually paralyzed with shock and despair. Beneath the Plexiglas window, Langdon's dead eyes stared past her into empty space. His frozen expression was one of pain and regret. The last tiny air bubbles trickled out of his lifeless mouth, and then, as if consenting to give up his ghost, the Harvard professor slowly began sinking to the bottom of the tank . . . where he disappeared into the shadows. He's gone. Katherine felt numb. The tattooed man reached down, and with pitiless finality, he slid the small viewing window closed, sealing Langdon's corpse inside. Then he smiled at her. â€Å"Shall we?† Before Katherine could respond, he hoisted her grief-stricken body onto his shoulder, turned out the light, and carried her out of the room. With a few powerful strides, he transported her to the end of the hall, into a large space that seemed to be bathed in a reddish-purple light. The room smelled like incense. He carried her to a square table in the center of the room and dropped her hard on her back, knocking the wind out of her. The surface felt rough and cold. Is this stone? Katherine had hardly gotten her bearings before the man had removed the wire from her wrists and ankles. Instinctively, she attempted to fight him off, but her cramped arms and legs barely responded. He now began strapping her to the table with heavy leather bands, cinching one strap across her knees and then buckling a second across her hips, pinning her arms at her sides. Then he placed a final strap across her sternum, just above her breasts. It had all taken only moments, and Katherine was again immobilized. Her wrists and ankles throbbed now as the circulation returned to her limbs. â€Å"Open your mouth,† the man whispered, licking his own tattooed lips. Katherine clenched her teeth in revulsion. The man again reached out with his index finger and ran it slowly around her lips, making her skin crawl. She clenched her teeth tighter. The tattooed man chuckled and, using his other hand, found a pressure point on her neck and squeezed. Katherine's jaw instantly dropped open. She could feel his finger entering her mouth and running along her tongue. She gagged and tried to bite it, but the finger was already gone. Still grinning, he raised his moist fingertip before her eyes. Then he closed his eyes and, once again, rubbed her saliva into the bare circle of flesh on his head. The man sighed and slowly opened his eyes. Then, with an eerie calm, he turned and left the room. In the sudden silence, Katherine could feel her heart pounding. Directly over her, an unusual series of lights seemed to be modulating from purple red to a deep crimson, illuminating the room's low ceiling. When she saw the ceiling, all she could do was stare. Every inch was covered with drawings. The mind-boggling collage above her appeared to depict the celestial sky. Stars, planets, and constellations mingled with astrological symbols, charts, and formulas. There were arrows predicting elliptical orbits, geometric symbols indicating angles of ascension, and zodiacal creatures peering down at her. It looked like a mad scientist had gotten loose in the Sistine Chapel. Turning her head, Katherine looked away, but the wall to her left was no better. A series of candles on medieval floor stands shed a flickering glow on a wall that was completely hidden beneath pages of text, photos, and drawings. Some of the pages looked like papyrus or vellum torn from ancient books; others were obviously from newer texts; mixed in were photographs, drawings, maps, and schematics; all of them appeared to have been glued to the wall with meticulous care. A spiderweb of strings had been thumbtacked across them, interconnecting them in limitless chaotic possibilities. Katherine again looked away, turning her head in the other direction. Unfortunately, this provided the most terrifying view of all. Adjacent to the stone slab on which she was strapped, there stood a small side counter that instantly reminded her of an instrument table from a hospital operating room. On the counter was arranged a series of objects–among them a syringe, a vial of dark liquid . . . and a large knife with a bone handle and a blade hewn of iron burnished to an unusually high shine. My God . . . what is he planning to do to me? CHAPTER 105 When CIA systems security specialist Rick Parrish finally loped into Nola Kaye's office, he was carrying a single sheet of paper. â€Å"What took you so long?!† Nola demanded. I told you to come down immediately! â€Å"Sorry,† he said, pushing up his bottle-bottom glasses on his long nose. â€Å"I was trying to gather more information for you, but–â€Å" â€Å"Just show me what you've got.† Parrish handed her the printout. â€Å"It's a redaction, but you get the gist.† Nola scanned the page in amazement. â€Å"I'm still trying to figure out how a hacker got access,† Parrish said, â€Å"but it looks like a delegator spider hijacked one of our search–â€Å" â€Å"Forget that!† Nola blurted, glancing up from the page. â€Å"What the hell is the CIA doing with a classified file about pyramids, ancient portals, and engraved symbolons?† â€Å"That's what took me so long. I was trying to see what document was being targeted, so I traced the file path.† Parrish paused, clearing his throat. â€Å"This document turns out to be on a partition personally assigned to . . . the CIA director himself.† Nola wheeled, staring in disbelief. Sato's boss has a file about the Masonic Pyramid? She knew that the current director, along with many other top CIA executives, was a high-ranking Mason, but Nola could not imagine any of them keeping Masonic secrets on a CIA computer. Then again, considering what she had witnessed in the last twenty-four hours, anything was possible. Agent Simkins was lying on his stomach, ensconced in the bushes of Franklin Square. His eyes were trained on the columned entry of the Almas Temple. Nothing. No lights had come on inside, and no one had approached the door. He turned his head and checked on Bellamy. The man was pacing alone in the middle of the park, looking cold. Really cold. Simkins could see him shaking and shivering. His phone vibrated. It was Sato. â€Å"How overdue is our target?† she demanded. Simkins checked his chronograph. â€Å"Target said twenty minutes. It's been almost forty. Something's wrong.† â€Å"He's not coming,† Sato said. â€Å"It's over.† Simkins knew she was right. â€Å"Any word from Hartmann?† â€Å"No, he never checked in from Kalorama Heights. I can't reach him.† Simkins stiffened. If this was true, then something was definitely wrong. â€Å"I just called field support,† Sato said, â€Å"and they can't find him either.† Holy shit. â€Å"Do they have a GPS location on the Escalade?† â€Å"Yeah. A residential address in Kalorama Heights,† Sato said. â€Å"Gather your men. We're pulling out.† Sato clicked off her phone and gazed out at the majestic skyline of her nation's capital. An icy wind whipped through her light jacket, and she wrapped her arms around herself to stay warm. Director Inoue Sato was not a woman who often felt cold . . . or fear. At the moment, however, she was feeling both. CHAPTER 106 Mal'akh wore only his silk loincloth as he dashed up the ramp, through the steel door, and out through the painting into his living room. I need to prepare quickly. He glanced over at the dead CIA agent in the foyer. This home is no longer safe. Carrying the stone pyramid in one hand, Mal'akh strode directly to his first-floor study and sat down at his laptop computer. As he logged in, he pictured Langdon downstairs and wondered how many days or even weeks would pass before the submerged corpse was discovered in the secret basement. It made no difference. Mal'akh would be long gone by then. Langdon has served his role . . . brilliantly. Not only had Langdon reunited the pieces of the Masonic Pyramid, he had figured out how to solve the arcane grid of symbols on the base. At first glance, the symbols seemed indecipherable . . . and yet the answer was simple . . . staring them in the face. Mal'akh's laptop sprang to life, the screen displaying the same e-mail he had received earlier–a photograph of a glowing capstone, partially blocked by Warren Bellamy's finger. The secret hides within The Order. Franklin Square. Eight . . . Franklin Square, Katherine had told Mal'akh. She had also admitted that CIA agents were staking out Franklin Square, hoping to capture Mal'akh and also figure out what order was being referenced by the capstone. The Masons? The Shriners? The Rosicrucians? None of these, Mal'akh now knew. Langdon saw the truth. Ten minutes earlier, with liquid rising around his face, the Harvard professor had figured out the key to solving the pyramid. â€Å"The Order Eight Franklin Square!† he had shouted, terror in his eyes. â€Å"The secret hides within The Order Eight Franklin Square!† At first, Mal'akh failed to understand his meaning. â€Å"It's not an address!† Langdon yelled, his mouth pressed to the Plexiglas window. â€Å"The Order Eight Franklin Square! It's a magic square!† Then he said something about Albrecht Durer . . . and how the pyramid's first code was a clue to breaking this final one. Mal'akh was familiar with magic squares–kameas, as the early mystics called them. The ancient text De Occulta Philosophia described in detail the mystical power of magic squares and the methods for designing powerful sigils based on magical grids of numbers. Now Langdon was telling him that a magic square held the key to deciphering the base of the pyramid? â€Å"You need an eight-by-eight magic square!† the professor had been yelling, his lips the only part of his body above the liquid. â€Å"Magic squares are categorized in orders! A three-by-three square is an `order three'! A four-by-four square is an `order four'! You need an `order eight'!† The liquid had been about to engulf Langdon entirely, and the professor drew one last desperate breath and shouted out something about a famous Mason . . . an American forefather . . . a scientist, mystic, mathematician, inventor . . . as well as the creator of the mystical kamea that bore his name to this day. Franklin. In a flash, Mal'akh knew Langdon was right. Now, breathless with anticipation, Mal'akh sat upstairs at his laptop. He ran a quick Web search, received dozens of hits, chose one, and began reading. THE ORDER EIGHT FRANKLIN SQUARE One of history's best-known magic squares is the order-eight square published in 1769 by American scientist Benjamin Franklin, and which became famous for its inclusion of never- before-seen â€Å"bent diagonal summations.† Franklin's obsession with this mystical art form most likely stemmed from his personal associations with the prominent alchemists and mystics of his day, as well as his own belief in astrology, which were the underpinnings for the predictions made in his Poor Richard's Almanack. Mal'akh studied Franklin's famous creation–a unique arrangement of the numbers 1 through 64–in which every row, column, and diagonal added up to the same magical constant. The secret hides within The Order Eight Franklin Square. Mal'akh smiled. Trembling with excitement, he grabbed the stone pyramid and flipped it over, examining the base. These sixty-four symbols needed to be reorganized and arranged in a different order, their sequence defined by the numbers in Franklin's magic square. Although Mal'akh could not imagine how this chaotic grid of symbols would suddenly make sense in a different order, he had faith in the ancient promise. Ordo ab chao. Heart racing, he took out a sheet of paper and quickly drew an empty eight-by-eight grid. Then he began inserting the symbols, one by one, in their newly defined positions. Almost immediately, to his astonishment, the grid began making sense. Order from chaos! He completed the entire decryption and stared in disbelief at the solution before him. A stark image had taken shape. The jumbled grid had been transformed . . . reorganized . . . and although Mal'akh could not grasp the meaning of the entire message, he understood enough . . . enough to know exactly where he was now headed. The pyramid points the way. The grid pointed to one of the world's great mystical locations. Incredibly, it was the same location at which Mal'akh had always fantasized he would complete his journey. Destiny.