How does Hughes convey his response to pike in the poem? Essay

Hughes’ responses to the pike include admiration, curiosity, respect, fear and horror. He shows this through use of description, similes and metaphors. During the poem his fear of the pike increases from section to section. He describes the pike as â€Å"perfect†, â€Å"stunned by their own grandeur†, showing his respect for them. In this, the first, stanza he shows his admiration and fear of the pike with the phrase â€Å"They dance on the surface among the flies†. This metaphorical phrase shows admiration through â€Å"dance on the surface†, which shows beauty and grace of movement but it shows fear through â€Å"among the flies† as this can be taken to mean that the pike are ‘the lords of the flies’ which means devil; the word ‘tigering’ evokes a sense of beauty and fear at the same time, much like the tiger. In the first stanza he also shows his fear of them by saying that they are â€Å"killers from the egg: the malevolent aged grin†, this phrase coupled with the next line shows the pike as devilish killers, who have no choice in the fact that they kill, yet take pride in knowing that they have killed; pike are horrifying, destruct ive and fearful monsters. Their â€Å"malevolent aged grin† coupled with â€Å"hooked clamp and fangs/Not to be changed at this date† conjure the image of a terrifying, emotionless killing machine with a permanent glum expression, that will not let go of its prey once it has sunk its teeth in. The â€Å"aged grin† gives the pike an appearance of inborn wisdom. â€Å"In ponds, under the heat-struck lily pads—†, the pike’s evil behaviour is demonstrated by its choice to hide in shadows under lily-pads. This associates the pike with darkness, a common factor amongst predatory creatures. â€Å"Of submarine delicacy and horror./A hundred feet long in their world.† â€Å"Gloom of their stillness:† â€Å"The gills kneading quietly, and the pectorals† These show the pike as being very silent; able to sneak up and ambush their prey. These egotistical predators are much like the dangerous and beauteous submarine gliding silently through the water. In the second section of the poem, stanza 5 – 6 and a half, a truly vivid illustration of the pike’s behaviour is demonstrated where we see that there were three pike in a tank who, although were being fed enough food(fry), started to eat each other. This is emphasised by â€Å"With a sag belly and the grin it was born with† which shows that the pike seems to enjoy and is proud of the fact that it has killed and eaten its brethren. Hughes uses this to show how horrifically uncaring and evil pike are, even towards their own kind; this is the first glimpse we have of the violent nature of the pike; yet this may not be a true glimpse of their nature but rather an evasive and illusory glimpse, caused by the pike being trapped in a tank . In the third section, stanza 6 and a half – 7, the pike’s full-scale craving for violence is brought closer still to the reader. There is no longer a glass wall to protect us from the pike as in the previous section. Two large pike are caught and tied up to dry out in the sun. One of the pike is â€Å"jammed past its gills down the other’s gullet†. In order to prevent us from mistakenly assuming that the violence exhibited by the pike â€Å"kept behind glass† was a result of their captivity, Hughes establishes the presence of the same savagery manifested in the wild. This also shows desire for supremacy which could be interpreted as causing one pike to kill another in the only way it knows how, this is similar to human nature and shows that a pike is willing to step on anyone and anything that gets in the way of it becoming top of the food chain. In the fourth section, stanza 8 – 11, we see how dangerous the pike have become, as the persona, who used to keep pet pike, is now frightened of them. We know this from â€Å"That past nightfall I dared not cast†, which shows his fear of what the pike might do to him if he couldn’t see them. This is emphasised by a human belief that with darkness evil becomes more powerful; in this case the evils of the pike. This last section also gives the pike a mythic quality â€Å"Pike too immense to stir, so immense and old†. It also produces an air of fear and suspense, which is shown through â€Å"Darkness beneath night’s darkness had freed, /That rose slowly towards me watching†. The suspenseful and fearful feelings, at the end, make the reader feel that, one of these monster pike could come up at any time and kill him.

Prophet Mohammad Essay

If I could travel back in time to meet a famous person from history, I would want to meet with Prophet Mohammad. He is well known across the world as the person who brought the Islamic religion to the Arab countries. His teachings can be found in the Holy Quran (Madelung, 87). It is said in Islam that Mohammed is the last of all the prophets God will send to all the people on the earth. Mohammed is very famous because he brought a religion to the world by the orders of God and in only a short time, it became well known everywhere. Even today, there are over 1 billion people in the world who are Muslims. Only a great person like Mohammed could have created a religion in his lifetime that would have captured the attention of all people. Islam started when God sent down angel Gabriel to Mohammed at the mountain Hara. He was first told, â€Å"Okra† which means â€Å"read†. The amazing part about this is Mohammed could never read nor write before meeting the angel. From this time at 40 years old until he was 63 years of age, he received many rules and wisdom from God. His instructions were to advise the people of God’s rules and how they should live, for they were living in â€Å"haram† or sin (Watt, 48). Mohammed was born and raised in Mecca. Read more:  How to write an essay about someone you admire His father died before he was born and he lost his mother too at the age of six and thereafter lived with his paternal grandfather Abd al-Muttalib as an orphan (Andrea, 78). Growing up as an orphan in Mecca was never easy even though he was well fed by his guardians. At a tender age of twelve, Mohammed had started engaging in trading journeys with his uncle. He therefore started to develop interest in commercial trade probably because that was the only option he had because he grew up as an orphan. Mohammed took up the career as a merchant in his later youth and was highly regarded as trustworthy and later nicknamed â€Å"al-Amin†. Mohammed’s youthful days are really admirable and inspiring at the same time (Madelung, 59). He not only had an upright character but was also a very hard working young man who tried and beat the odds despite his humble background. It was for his reputation that a forty year old widow called Khadijah who asked for his hand in marriage which he accepted and lived happily thereafter (Turner, 89). After the death of Khadijah, Mohammed married other women numbering about thirteen and he was survived by nine of them. One of them was called Aisha, who according to the Sunni Muslims was Mohammed’s favorite companion. She is known for her instrumental work in bringing together the many scattered Mohammed’s sayings that later formed the Sunni’s hadith literature. As a husband, Mohammed had a great reputation at a time when women were lowly regarded in the society. It is said that he participated in house chores like washing, cooking and even sewing clothes. Although women were never treated fairly during the prophet’s time, Mohammed was extremely exceptional with his women. He not only listened to his wives’ advice but also engaged them in dialogue and arguments. This is worth emulating in today’s Muslim societies where women continue to suffer in the hands of their men (Andrea, 75). Mohammed’s future prophetic life was said to have been prophesized by another Christian monk he met his way to his many caravans from Mecca to Syria (Watt, 56). At the onset of his prophetic life, Mohammed was fond of visiting a cave in Mount Hira every year where he would meditate for weeks. According to Islamic teachings, it was during one of the ritual meditations at Mount Hira when angel Gabriel descended and instructed him to say the following words: â€Å"Proclaim! or read! ) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created- Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful, – He Who taught (the use of) the pen, – Taught man that which he knew not† (Qur’an 96: 1-5). Mohammed was very much disturbed by these revelations and knew the task required of him. He went home and shared with his wife Khadija and Khadijah’s Christian cousin who consoled and reassured him that nothing bad would happen (Ramadan, 45). He was afraid of the news and did not know how he could get others to listen to what he was to say. His wife was the first to tell him she believed him and that Mohammed must do what was told. The amazing thing about Mohammed is his faith and willingness to do what God commanded. He never gave up in his prayers even after a pause of almost three years after the initial revelation. He prayed continuously until God finally commanded him to start preaching the word to his people. He was living in Mekkah of Saudi Arabia when he began his teachings to the people. According to Islamic teachings, Mohammed’s wife was the first person who believed that he was a prophet. His younger cousin called Ali Abi Talib and best friend Abu Bakr as well as his adopted son Zaid were to follow in believing in his prophesies (Turner, 102). Many of people from Mecca did not like or accept this way of life and tried to kill Mohammed. He would be mocked or chased away by the Meccans who could not believe or understand his new way of life. The opposition to Prophet Mohammed in Mecca began when he started preaching against worshiping of the idols that was a common feature in Mecca city. He also became a threat to the wealthy religious leaders who depended on the Kaaba, a major defining traditional feature of the Meccan religion which Mohammed’s teachings would render obsolete. Due to these, most of his new converts were killed by the wealthy merchants and other opposing groups who never wanted their traditional religions interfered with. But Mohammed had to endure insults and ridicules only and could not be harmed or killed because he came from the Banu Hashim clan (Madelung, 56). He left and traveled to different places including Yemen before he went back to Saudi Arabia to live in the city called Medina. The people of Medina were accepting of him and listened to his advice. There were some people there who professed to Jewish or other religions, but they did not fight with Mohammed. He had a good reputation in Medina where he helped to solve a long standing inter-ethnic conflict. A delegation comprising of representatives from all the clans involved in the fight between Jewish and Arabs in the Yathrib was sent to get Mohammed to arbitrate in the conflict. This did not only help him to escape the hostile city of Mecca but also enable him spread his teaching to various communities and clans in the greater Middle East (Ramadan, 83). Mohammed’s teachings really formed the foundation of the Islamic religion. One of the Muslim’s sources of spiritual inspiration is the Sunnah. The sunnah according the Islamic religion are deeds and sayings of the prophet Mohammed as preserved in the hadith and includes a variety of activities as well as beliefs such religious rituals, burial rituals, personal hygiene and the love between man and God. It is supposed to guide every Muslim and so far has been a great influence to the Muslim culture allover the world. For example, Mohammed taught Muslims a greeting to offer one another – â€Å"may peace be upon you† is wide used by Muslims from all corners of the world (Rahman, 69). The Sunnah has played an important role in the establishment and development of the religion’s sciences. Much of the prophet’s deeds and sayings have particularly contributed to the establishment of the Islamic law in the early years of the Islamic religion (Madelung, 78). The Sufis who sought to understand the inner meaning of the holy book, Qur’an and the true nature of the prophet, considered Mohammed not only as a mere prophet but as a perfect saint. Their spiritual descent is traced back to Prophet Mohammed (Rahman, 45). Mohammed was not liked by many of the outside tribes living throughout the Middle East and they wanted to hurt him, they taught their children to throw stones at him during his travels (Andrea, 65). A great quality of Mohammed that I look to is his patience. He taught to others that a very important behavior in life is to have patience with all issues. People would come to Mohammed with many complaints or questions to try and trick him (Madelung, 56). Others would do many things to him so he would go away. In all of these events, he would wait quietly and think before he answered or acted. I admire his ability to restrain himself and not fight small issues. In this world today, I think that everyone could benefit from this lesson of patience. Too many people die and are left hurting from wars between people who have little patience. During the spread of Islam, Mohammed gave people a choice to convert to Islam or if they did not want to, they would need to pay money that is like a tax. The Muslims and other people who would pay could live in harmony, but the tribes who refused to pay and resisted the teaching of Islam would end up in a war. These people had killed family members of Mohammed and wanted to fight him. So Mohammed and a small army would go out to fight, for example the Battle of Badr City (Andrea, 67). The small Muslim army won the battles because God had given them the strength to fight an enemy who hated God and worshipped idols. When the battles were over, Mohammed never took prisoners and killed them on purpose. He showed mercy and compassion. Like the Prophet Jesus had taught the way to live is with mercy, compassion and love. It is the only way to live a correct life. If you look to any of the prophets, they are famous and different from all of the other people because they took chances and were disliked. They had to remain strong in their faith of God and be patient. It was no different for Mohammed. There are many times in my life that I become angry because people are mean or I lose patience with them but I try to look to the example Mohammed made for the Muslims to follow. I sit and read the Quran and hope to find a peace. Conclusion When the word was revealed to Mohammed, the world was in a bad situation. People were worshipping idols and hurting the less fortunate and women. It was like these people were acting like animals. Mohammed was very scared of how he would be accepted by the people and if they would reject the word of God. I admire the strength of Mohammed when he was faced with danger. I sometimes wish to have that strength, so I must remain strong in my faith to God and look to Him for guidance. This was an important teaching of the prophet Mohammed. When I came to America, I was afraid because I was new and did not know many people. Also, the news shows things that can make people afraid of Muslims and I know some people will not like me because of it. I try hard to live by the example Mohammed set for the Muslim people so I may have a good life. It has been good for me in America. By having patience, I have learned many things about this country and also made good friends. I hope that people can look past the bad news media makes for people and discover the good things about Mohammed because there are many lessons a person can learn from his life.

A study on Key Leadership Qualities of a Project Manager

Origin of the Report This report idea was initiated by the honorable course instructor of ‘Project Management' as a part of course completion of MBA program at the Institute of Business Administration, Gangrening University. Specific guidelines were provided by the instructor to conduct the study for academic purpose. 1. Objectives of the Report The primary objective of the study was to fulfill the requirement of the course module as per the guideline by the instructor that leads to attaining the following specific objectives. Identify and evaluate the project performance in terms of time, cost and performance. Identify different key aspects of the project manager's characteristics that influence the project success. 1. 3 Methodology This report has been developed in context of exploratory research.To prepare this report, both qualitative and quantitative methods have been used. Personal interview with the project manager with the help of a semi structured questionnaire was key instrument. Therefore the sample size was comprised of one single individual, the project manager. Personal observation has been one of the key methods that applied o analyze the data accumulated. 1. 4 Source of Data Both primary and secondary data have been used for analysis in this report. The data sources are described as follows. 1. 4. Primary Data Semi structured questionnaire interview with the project manager was conducted where different aspects of the project were mentioned and asked about to evaluate the specific aspects of project accomplishment in terms of meeting the quality standards required. Moreover a structured questionnaires based on five point scale was used to evaluate the project manager's leadership role in accomplishing the project successfully. 1. . 2 Secondary Data The secondary data was collected from the website of related entities.Some previous publications and Journals in the related field have been used as a guideline to develop the context. 1. 5 Scop e of the Report This report was an outcome of extensive group work that will provide guidelines for future related works. As the work was unique in nature and the aspect is specific, it is expected to provide a guideline for the evaluation of performance of a project and the project manager in future. 1. 6 Limitations Different limitations were tackled during the report preparation and the collection of ATA.Some of them include, Limited time to prepare the whole report Facing difficulties to manage the appointment with the project manager As the project was accomplished earlier team members were spitted and not available together Getting the financial was another challenge as per the restrictions by the policy of the parent organization Chapter 2: The Project Details 2. 1 The Project Detail 2. 1. 1 Construction of the MACH Building Dacha Shania Mission as part of the total project took the initiative in 2001 to open a Cancer detection & Treatment Center at Murmur, Dacha.In course of its progress it is owe a 42 bed Cancer Hospital with required operation facilities, Chemotherapy, X-Ray and Imaging facilities. A team of experienced and dedicated cancer specialists and general physicians are working there to provide health service at a reasonably low cost. Here free services are offered to poor and ultra – poor patients. In the year 2008 the hospital continues to provide health care services, specially to cancer patients, with some additional facilities. Ultimately the dream materialized into reality and a plan was made to construct a 500 bed Cancer Hospital at a staggering cost of 2. 56 billion take (SIS$ 36. 7 million). The thirteen story hospital designed by a US based architectural firm â€Å"Design Alliance f Baltimore†, got started its construction with foundation laid by the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Begum Chalked Aziza, on 10th July 2004 on a 3 acre land at the bank of the river Tutor in Attar Model Town in the Capital. The location is about 5 Km from Aziza International Airport and the construction in full gear started on 16th July 2005. This 450,000 square feet 13 storied hospital is expected to open in late 2009 with about 200 inpatient beds, Outpatient department with about 40 Examination/consultation Rooms, Medical Imaging,Pathology, Surgical Suite, Radiotherapy Department, non-international Cardiac and Neuron Diagnostics, Day Care and the requisite support services. By 2010 all 500 beds are expected to be operational. At that time, based on beneficial utilization, Shania Mission Cancer & General Hospital is projected to provide over 160,000 days of inpatients care and cater to over 180,000 outpatients annually saving approximately SIS$ 13 million annually. 30% services of the hospital will be available free for the poor patients. DAM is raising funds from general public as well as from the corporate sector.There are special provisions for potential donors to sponsor sundry components of the hospital. One can donate to have in his/her own name or dear one's name to name a bed/beds, a ward/wards, a cabin/cabins, operation theatres. There are specified rates for each type of dedicated areas of inscription which will be inscribed distinctly as per wish of the donor. Keeping in line with Dacha Shania Mission's dedication to Divine and Humanitarian services Shania Mission Cancer and General Hospital will be a big leap forward to provide service to humanity by redressing the suffering of the ailing patients, especially cancer patients.International Hospital Group (GIG), a I-J based consulting firm with vast experience in medical equipment consultancy has been entrusted with the Job to furnish the equipment schedule IEEE equipments and furniture plan floor and room wise of AMIGA to cater to the need and suitability of the patients and users. Considering the huge cost of modern quality treatment for cancer and our commitment to provide with poor and needy patients 30% treatment facilities f ree of cost, deep thought has been given to make Shania Mission Cancer and General Hospital a viable and cost- effective project with the motto of ‘No-profit-No-Loss'.Due consideration has also been given to the point that some cancer patients will come with other diseases which will need to be treated at the same hospital for practical reason. Also considering the reality to keep specialist doctors including ambitious and career conscious young doctors there is possibly no other alternative other than opting for building a Medical College in future. In consideration of this vital factors, provision for general treatment facilities have been kept at AMIGA. Moreover, there is a plan to establish a Nursing Institute in future. Building on the ideas of the founder SuffixSaint Hazard Khan Buddha Channels (Ramshackle Awhile), Dacha Shania Mission embarked on establishing a modern cancer hospital where world-class treatment will be available. Shania Mission Cancer and General Hospit al is one of major projects to fight cancer in Bangladesh. So far, super-structures of thirteen storey plus two basements of this fifteen-storey hospital building have been completed. The construction of Radiotherapy Vault and other essential works are now going on for inaugurating the first phase of the hospital with 160 beds by the end of 2013.However, the POD, Radiation Therapy Unit, Day Care Centre and Diagnostic Facilities have been scheduled to start functioning at the end of 2012. Location Plot#3, Sector # 10, Embankment Driveway Attar Model Town, Dacha-1230, Bangladesh. Land Area 3 Acres Project Cost US$. 47. 29. O Gob. Approval Obtained Architect Design Alliance, 1921 York Road, Baltimore, MD 21093 USA Email:[email  protected] Com Cons. Period 2005- 201 5 Started July, 2005 Expected Completion Phase I with 175 beds by end 2013 and complete with 500 beds in 2015.The POD, Radiation Therapy Unit, Day Care Centre and Diagnostic Facilities have been scheduled to start function ing at the end of 2012. A modern cancer care hospital building is under construction at present. The building has been designed by Architect Mr. Tare Lam, a professional hospital architect registered in the USA . 2. 2 Overview of the Construction Company The project was accomplished by Associated Builders Corporation (BBC) Limited, a private limited company established in 1972, which designs and constructs industrial projects, bridges, Jetties, harbor, roads and buildings of all types.The company has gained considerable reputation in tackling Civil Engineering Projects which require peccadillo experience and up-to-date technical knowledge in the respective field since its incorporation. 2. 2 The Project Budget and Actual Cost Chapter 3: Evaluation of the Overall Project Performance 3. 1 Analysis of Background and Scheduling Ultimately the dream materialized into reality and a plan was made to construct a 500 bed Cancer Hospital at a staggering cost of 2. 56 billion take (SIS$ 36. 97 million). The thirteen story hospital designed by a US based architectural firm â€Å"Design Alliance f Baltimore†.The location is about 5 Km from Aziza International Airport and he construction in full gear started on 16th July 2005. This 450,000 square feet 13 storied hospital To construct such a large project Shania Mission needed an expert constructor who has experience in such large public project. In 2009 Shania Mission asked for open tender for the project where most of the country's largest Civil Constructors Joined. By evaluating the proposal the project goes to Associated Builders Corporation Ltd (BBC) for the Civil Contract. The Contract was awarded in two phase. First, one was the construction of basement and first 4 stories.And the est. of the 13 stories of the building were constructed in the second phase. The electrical and wiring was also included in the project. 3. 2 Evaluation the Project in terms of Cost This section should provide a comparison of the actu al costs of the external consultancy with the agreed contract value. Where there is a variation (upwards or downwards) between agreed contract value and actual costs DIP must be informed. In cases where the actual cost exceeds the cost approved by DIP an explanation must also be provided. Initial Approval Cost BIT. 650000000 Contract Award Cost BIT. 800000000 Actual Cost BIT. 00000000 Percentage Variation between Contract Award Cost & Actual Cost 38% Explanation of variation in costs The reason behind the over running the initial planned cost was due to change of the price of material most notably Steel, Rod, Cement and other raw material for the construction project. The reason behind increased steel price was due to global over demand of steel because of Beijing Olympic. The cost over running created a hamper in project progress. The cost proposal had to be overwritten and renegotiated. This also created budget deficit for Shania Mission as well profit minimization of BBCCorporati on Limited. 3. 3 Evaluation the Project in terms of Performance 3. 3. 1 Assessment of Deliverables This section should provide detail on what was delivered by the consultants. The extent to which projected deliverables, as outlined in the Terms of Reference, were met by the consultants, and the quality should be assessed. On behalf of Shania Mission a project in-charge was appointed whose Job was to monitor and supervise the construction project as a overall basis. His Job actually was limited to Consultancy and supervision On behalf of BBC a project Engineer is appointed.He has the executive duties of overall project. Apart from technical aspects, he had to oversee costing human resource management inside the project. The assessment of project used to take place week wise. Upon the approval of Shania Mission engineer Bill is paid monthly basis. 3. 3. 2 Assessment of Benefits The original date of completing the project was revised several times mainly because of the funding issues o n behalf of Shania Mission. Reasons of delays usually occurred due to payment issues. Apart from that some tactical delays at engineering works were not uncommon.Both cases the responsible party has to adjust the agitation The purpose originally intended the consultancy assignment were to do the Job efficiently and effectively. Because of the BBC Construction Limiter's effective role the contract was extended for second phase. Chapter 4: Analysis of the Project Manager's Leadership Role 4. 1 The Role of Project Manager in Contemporary Organizations In brief we need to understood project monitoring role of the PM. Actually, the role & responsibilities of a Project Manager is little complex and needs to be explained elaborately in clear terms for each project.Let us list down few important roles & responsibilities of a Project Manager. * The Project Manager is the person responsible for managing the project. *The Project Manager is the person responsible for accomplishing the project objectives within the constraints of the project. He is responsible for the outcome (success or failure) of the project. *The Project Manager is involved with the planning, controlling and monitoring, and also managing and directing the assigned project resources to best meet project objectives. The Project Manager controls and monitors â€Å"triple scope, time and cost(quality also)-?in managing competing project requirements. The Project Manager examines the organizational culture and determines whether project management is recognized as a valid role with accountability and authority for managing the project. *The Project Manager collects metrics data(such as baseline, actual values for costs, schedule, work in progress, and work completed) & reports on project progress and other project specific information to stakeholders. *The Project Manager is responsible for identifying, monitoring, and responding to risk. The Project Manager is responsible to the project stakeholders for delivering a project's objectives within scope, schedule, cost, and quality. *The reporting structure of a Project Manager depends on organizational structure. He may reports to a Functional Manager or to a Program Manager. In a bit exaggerating terms, Project Manager is the ‘God' of his project and he is the one who decides the success of the project. 4. 2 Criteria of a Successful Project Manager 4. 2. 1 Leadership Leadership is identified separately from management, as leadership is more of a personality trait whereas management is a learned skill.I recognize this is not a common view as many people and companies espouse courses in teaching adhering. Here, I am identifying people who can motivate others as projects are long endeavors, which invariably have points where the success of the project falls to the project manager who can keep the team motivated and get them past the sticky problems observed on nearly every project. MS also have to instill confidence in both their teams and the manager(s) to whom they report. As stated before, projects are long and difficult endeavors, which have plenty of challenges.When these challenges arise, MS who are able to maintain the confidence of all interested parties have more success. When the confidence in the PM is shaken, executives tend to provide additional assistance to the teams that is a sure sign of lost confidence and adds additional effort to the project. The group of engineers will operate independently producing a fragmented solution. People in general bring a set of implicit assumptions. These assumptions are not typically in the forefront of their minds but exist due to their life experiences both personally and professionally.These assumptions then drive the set of solutions they are able to envision. When a PM is able to identify these implicit assumptions, validate their relevancy to the unique project, then challenge them if need be, better solutions to problems are identified. These better so lutions may be quicker and less risky to implement, require fewer resources or less highly skilled resources, or have a better impact on the business. Leading refers to carrying out the project plan in order to achieve the project objectives. Leading the project is one of the more challenging aspects for new project managers because it involves a lot of â€Å"soft skills. Skills such as communicating clearly, team motivation, and conflict resolution. Some key duties for eating projects include, Setting team direction Coordinating activities across different organizational functions Motivating team members Assigning work personality trait whereas management is a learned skill. I recognize this is not a the business. 4. 2. 2 Management Skills On all projects, there is a finite amount of administration that occurs and this to me is the management of the project. The management component of project or program management requires multiple skills as well as traits.The traits include the ability to organize. Projects inherently have lots of moving parts from end users and pompons with thoughts, to technicians who have commercial applications to configure or code to write, to test teams and configuration managers who have plans and backbend support systems to bring on line. All of these disparate groups must be brought together and coordinated so the project can move forward and eventually complete. The ability to organize the multiple teams is a personality trait inherent is successful program and project managers.We also have to organize at a deeper level when dealing with the technology. The task of building a Work Breakdown Structure WEBS) is a feat in organization when done well. Not only do business and technical executives have to understand both the strategy and tasking but also the technicians who will perform the work. Laying out a structure that is understood by both disparate sets of people is difficult at best. Now include the capability to track progres s in a meaningful way for both groups and the need for deep organizing trait is paramount.Closely related is the ability to plan, to foresee how a project will come together. Planning also includes what deliverables are needed, how and when to evolve test plans, how many test plans are needed, what metrics are needed, and which resources execute which tasks in conjunction with each other. All of these are unique to each situation as the Statement of Work (SOW) or Project Charter is unique as well as the scope undertaken and the resources assigned to the project. The ability to manage both your own time and the time of those working for you is critical.Projects have so many distractions making it very easy to head down a rabbit hole that derails the project. These typically happen during the development phases but can also occur at any phase. Contrary to popular belief, the highest risk time off project is the beginning and not the end. Many times I use an analogy of catching a wave for a surfer. This is analogous to setting the scope and planning phases off project. Once you catch the wave, the time to the beach is out of your hands as the wave is going at its own speed.You can make some moves that will have some impact on the timing but the base timing is already defined. Successful project managers take their time in planning and resist the temptation to get starting developing because time is short. Each project has numerous options on how to approach the work. It is this approach which is analogous to catching the right wave, that has the most dramatic impact on project timing and success. Setting the priorities for individuals and managing to those priorities becomes a main activity during the majority of the project. This requires the PM to handle multiple tasks at the same time.The moment the first task is delegated, the PM is multi-tasking. If an individual tries to handle all tasks themselves, a project of any size is at risk. On a typical commercial software implementation, I will have the following threads open: ) software configuration, 2) interface development, 3) conversion or data migration development, 4) custom software development, 5) communication with sponsors, 6) communications with consulting company management and sales, 7) project tracking and monitoring, and 8) potentially open core product issues or enhancement.The ability to manage your time, multi-task, and manage the team's time is a critical skill. All projects include the use of teams. These teams include resources for which the PM has direct responsibility and other resources for which the PM does not have responsibility. All of these teams must come together and work toward the common goal of completing the project. The team will consist of not only these individuals but also the managers of the matrixes resources as they potentially have competing goals. The ability to create and motivate teams becomes a determining factor in the success of Ms. . 2. 3 Co mmunication Skills The ability to communicate in both written and verbal form both up and down the management chain is a widely known required skill. In the previous paragraphs and going forward the implication of communication skills Jumps off the page. Let me delve into a couple of areas that are not as widely held. The first is with whom MS communicate. I have mentioned the need to discuss topics with business and technical leaders as well as the technicians but what is also needed is the ability to define or clarify technical or business problems to the opposite group.Many times on a project I will come across a particularly difficult technical issue that either impacts the dates or is a risk to those dates. Naturally, both the technical and business leaders want to understand the problem. Given it is a technical issue in his case, discussing technical issues with technical people is easier than helping a business leader understand why the web application crashes because of Java Virtual Machine OVUM) Heap is exhausted and why this is a problem given the SCOFF Just spend dollars increasing the memory on the application server.These are important topics for them to understand as well as the opposite. Helping the technicians understand why a good technical solution has dire consequences for the business side of the house. MS are also knowledge conduits. They should ensure that information from one team gets to all the other teams that need it. As project schedules get tight and the tension begins to increase, many people naturally focus on their tasks at hand to become more efficient and get their work done. A great thing for that individual task but what happens when the other teams need information from this one group and cannot get it.The other tasks naturally fall behind so the project falls behind. The PM that stays in touch with what all groups are going and moves the information between groups can more effectively keep all tasks moving and avoids disco nnects when the â€Å"right† hand is not talking to the â€Å"left† hand. 4. 2. Foresight and Vision Some people have the innate ability to see the future. I am not talking about crystal balls or palm readers but a sense for the direction the project is headed and the ability to see risks and envision how all the elements of a project will come together in the end.I alluded to this concept in the planning section and it applies here as well. In conjunction with planning is the skill of defining goals for individuals that are in sync with the plan. In my post, â€Å"Staying on Schedule†, I spoke about intermediate milestones and mint-crisis as a mechanism for maintaining a schedule. The ability to foresee, define, and articulate these goals goes a long way toward staying on schedule and being successful. Risk management is a key aspect of successful projects and is in many instances not well received as an integral part off project.In many organizations and as an attempt to manage time, organizations only deal with issues and not risks. Many times, I have highlighted risks to be told we will deal with it when it becomes a problem. The personality trait to envision a risk and the capability to address the risk are key elements to success. 4. 2. 5 Pragmatic As MS we are constantly in the situation of making choices. Usually all day is spent making trade off choices between competing forces. There are times when we have to make a choice a deliverable is good enough, not perfect but good enough as it meets the business objectives.The prime example comes when dealing with the speed at which application pages are rendered. I routinely hear from end users and sponsors that I want the page to be as fast as possible. From a conceptual standpoint, this makes sense as speed of page rendering translates into efficiency of workers and eventually money. Fast as possible does not mean get 6 Cray super computers for my solution or that I want sub second re sponse time on a page that is making two web service calls and returning a three table Join query.Clearly, neither is going to happen. What was meant was to increase the speed until it reaches a good balance between cost, time and speed. This is not a straightforward decision. The technician would ask for the performance requirements so they know the solution to build; the businessperson wants a reasonable cost so the PM is in the position to determine what is good enough. The balance point falls to the PM and ragtime is key. Conflict is also a common occurrence on projects.It can be between two technicians, the test team, developers, the business people, etc. The ability to work through issues and even decide on what issues to engage is something critical to success. People can be passionate about what they believe in so getting past these points of contention whether it be negotiating a resolution, facilitating the discussion or deciding which battles to fight becomes important to success. 4. 2. 6 Can do attitude In our world, there are people whose glass is half full and those whose glass is half empty.The perspective on adversity, challenges, and dealing with people GAO long way toward success in a work environment that typically includes strict deadlines, changing requirements, heavy budget pressure and big business impacts when the project does not go well. A can do and positive attitude is a personality trait that serves MS well dealing with adversity, the high-pressure situations, team building, and leadership. Finding this personality trait in a person serves them well in the profession of Program and Project Management.In addition to the above list of skills ND traits, I would add a personality trait of cool and thoughtful under pressure. Projects are intense, long, and difficult activities that have periods of time when the PM is under significant pressure due to impending deadlines, difficult issues, etc. People are also very passionate and so the PM is typically under a lot of pressure and must be able to think on their feet and remain thoughtful during the intense times. It is these times when PM can easily lose the confidence of management or their teams, lose control of scope, or any number of other occurrences that negatively impact the project. . 2. 7 Disqualifications There are three inputs above that would not agree with: 1. Being completely obsessed with the Client. Client focus to a degree is a very good thing. In situations where the project manager is also managing a team and a contract then a proper balance between these many times competing agendas enables the project manager to not only meet the client goals but also individual and company goals. In these situations, the project manager has multiple people and organizations to which they report and must meet he goals of each individual and organization simultaneously to be successful. . Being an extrovert Due to the need for extensive interaction with people, e xtroverts typically have these skills inherently. Individuals who straddle the introvert/extrovert category can also be successful as they can communicate and operate in the people centric situations. Strict introverts who prefer to work alone and on individual tasks will struggle in the PM role. 3. Displaying personal courage (lead from the front) In my previous post, we discuss the relative timing of leading from the front and jack.Different situations dictate assuming each style so both are needed and not just leading from the front. The personality traits and skills needed for project managers to be successful are varied. When interviewing PM candidates and identifying internal candidates for a PM role, these people centric traits and skills seems far more influential factors in the success of PM. What may be interesting to many people is the lack of technical expertise as a main contributor to success. Certainly, technical and business expertise is needed for a project to be su ccessful

Analyse a text connected with your degree subject (which is Film and Essay

Analyse a text connected with your degree subject (which is Film and TV Studies) by applying the ideas of Marx and Althusser - Essay Example what Marx has said about History in his book The holy family, or Critique of critical criticism (1844), Generic thinks it should be understood that â€Å"cinema doesnt make itself, cinema isnt made for itself, cinema is made by and for us. Films relation to the mass becomes a question of how to understand its situation as a medium capable of reaching many millions of people, potentially disparate in place and time.† (Generic. 2006). In today’s world, cinema is still one of the most influential medium to reach a large mass of people across the world. All the social, political, cultural and ideological issues which have, or could have created raves in the history of human beings are dealt from a common or unusual perspective in cinema. A section of people use this medium to express their ideas and beliefs on a particular topic which sometimes collide with the established school of thoughts, and sometimes greatly accepted. The underlying discussion on the above-mentioned b ook focuses specifically on the aspect of feminism in line with the perceptions of Karl Marx and Louis Althusser. Marx’s ideology of history being the struggle between classes is also applicable in the history of feminism. Women as a dominated class have struggled for identity and existence against the male class. They have fought for their freedom from patriarchal control, for their rights and privileges as independent human beings. Women have evolved through slavery to primitive communism- a term supposed to have introduced by Marx to indicate rights of an individual to basic resources and freedom from authoritarian rule and hierarchical social structure. The Marxist theory of feminism focuses on shattering of capitalism in order to emancipate women. The capitalist society, which largely values personal assets to demarcate the social position of an individual, is at the base of women’s oppression, according to Marxist feminism. Marx and Engel analyses that if the capitalist society, which

The Importance of Feminism within Criminology Essay

The Importance of Feminism within Criminology - Essay Example Similarly, feminist criminologists denounce unitary categorization of women oblivious of the influence of race, class, and sexual inequality (Britton 2000, p.63). Advocacy has been instrumental in the betterment of lives of women inmates such as expansion of medical services, job training, and educational prospects. The underrepresentation of women as criminal offenders is apparent. In most cases, the sex ratios of criminal offenders as released by social control authorities are biased. Consequently, women are underrepresented as victims of crime. Most of research undertaken on this topic disproportionately indicates that men are mostly victimized than women in all categories of violent crimes, not including rape and sexual assault. This is where feminist criminology has made much of its mark. Its literature on this arena has mainly highlighted offences of which women are most likely to be victims. Feminism has borne fruits as mainstream criminology literature now features feminist e mpirical work and theories, with some sections discussing rape and intimate violence. Britton (2000, p.70) argues that the field of criminology is masculinised where scholars mainly concentrate on activities of men owing to statistics that show men’s predisposition to criminal activities compared to women. Theoretical and Methodological Perspectives in Feminist Criminology Over the last thirty years, feminist criminologists have challenged theories, concepts, methodologies, and assumptions advanced by criminologists in the study of crime and justice system. Research on this topic indicates immense disparities in crime ratios between sex and race. However, a concise theory explaining this phenomenon is yet in place. Some of the pioneering work is Carol Gilligan’s theory of moral development that considers women’s ethic of care to reduce their probability of offending. Other theoretical arguments advanced include emancipation theory, which holds that, womenâ€℠¢s lower rates of involvement in criminal activities stems from their confinement to domestic roles. The theory explains that this is occasioned by discrimination that caps their aspirations and opportunities. With social and political emancipation, women’s increased involvement in criminal activities will be inevitable (Makarios 2007, p. 107). Empirically, these theories have received minimal support because even though the rate of women’s involvement in violent crimes has increased; they remain relatively low compared to those of men. The increase can be attributed to increased economic marginalization of women as well as a change in how social control authorities view women (Makarios 2007, p.108). Many quantitative studies have been undertaken in this area most of which adopt equity approach. This is popular among liberal feminists where gender is conceptualized as an independent variable. Liberal feminists hold that women are denied access to equal political, finan cial, and career access purely on the basis of sex. The theorists claim that sociological factors, rather than physiological, best explain women’s criminality. Radical feminists have taken issue with these approaches by arguing that the victimization of women has been normalized and should not be equated to that of men. Radical feminists criticize the claims made by liberal feminists as naive. Radical feminists relate social relations, inequality, and crime to male power and privilege (Proctor 2006, p.28). In addition, they argue

HS 5600 ASSIGNMENT 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

HS 5600 1 - Assignment Example In addition, the system is non-linear. This provides a contradiction in the proportionality of the output in the context of the input. Other differentiating characteristics include the system being deterministic. This denotes the notion that chaotic behavior is random. Complexities are the factors that make a situation or event inexplicable. In this context, the author describes complexity as the inability to equate the real cause of any chaotic behavior in any situation. In addition, the chaos theory contains complex systems that contain numerous independent elements that continually interact with spontaneous organization and reorganization over time into elaborate structures. Meteorological predictions provide a foundation for determining the consequences as a result of various actions that affect the environment. In this context, predictions in the chaos theory attempt in giving a detailed report into the expected repercussions as a result of chaotic behavior. Also, they help in reducing fatalities and the prevention of chaotic behavior. During the Cold war, deterrence was quite successful despite the fact that there were one or two hitches focused towards preventing the war. Historically, however, deterrence seemed to work much less due to the fact that the cold war, with its bipolar simplicity and strong command on both sides. The threat of mutual, nuclear annihilation represents an extreme case of deterrence . Certainly, deterrence has broken down more often since the end of the Cold War than during it.Based on the case theory we can assume that the international system to be a state of self organizing critically, then we can consider that the Cold war, which was brought about by a breakdown in deterrence, is an instance in which at least parts of the of the system spill into chaos. 5. The article provides an example of a similar formula of deterrence involving nations. Using the formula

Cause and Effect Essay (Affirmative Action) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cause and Effect (Affirmative Action) - Essay Example Affirmative action can be considered one of the most effective means of reversing the injustices that were caused by the centuries-old discrimination against people from minority groups as well as women. It can also be said that it is a means through which the white dominated fields in the United States can be leveled to include minority groups. Despite the institution of affirmative action in our nation, however, the legacy of racism and racism still lives on and this is despite those gains, which were made by the Civil Rights Movement. The opportunities available for those who were previously excluded remain very few and this is one of the reasons that affirmative action is still very much needed today. It has been seen that black people are nearly twice as likely to get employment as white people are and this is despite the fact of the presence of Affirmative action. Not only is the unemployment rate higher among minority groups when compared to whites, these groups have been show n to earn much less than what their white counterparts earn. There tends to be very little likelihood of either black or Latino men to be given employment as managers or, as professionals, therefore, these are more likely to get jobs, which only involve labor. This also applies to women who have to work much harder and for lesser pay than their male counterparts do in order to get positions of authority (Phelan 376). To correct this, more needs to be done to ensure that such inequalities do not persist in American society so that the gap that has existed between the different groups for centuries get to be filled and the dream of equality becomes a reality. The main purpose of affirmative action is the promotion of fairness and equality in American society. In the United States, what is popularly known as the American dream is always framed as a race in which the swiftest people always win (Lawson 281). This is a very wrong impression of the American Dream because not everybody in t he United States started at the same level considering that minorities tended to be excluded from some of the most important aspects of American life. Therefore, Affirmative action exists in order to ensure that everybody in American society starts from the same level so that all can achieve their dreams fairly. Therefore, it does not give an advantage to the minorities in discrimination of white people and instead, it is meant to correct those practices, which had conspired to keep minorities behind while others continued with their advancement in society. Affirmative action is in reality a policy of inclusion whose purpose is to ensure that all people have an equal chance to compete in making their dreams and aspirations come true. Previously, minority groups were completely excluded from the majority of economic activities in the United States except for those who were considered labor intensive. Moreover, these groups were rarely ever accepted in the mainstream American life unt il after the institution of Affirmative action. From its very beginning, there has been opposition towards it with those against it stating that it is giving an unfair advantage to minority groups over other people. They further state that affirmative action goes against the spirit of the American Constitution due to the fact

Successful Music Publication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Successful Music Publication - Essay Example The keys to be successful in this venture is by analyzing different aspects of how the publication will possibly survive in competition such as this one. The competition among music publications is undoubtedly very tight, and even more imposing is the fact that so many publications have already held their ground and established their names as household names, benchmarks in the industry, namely the KERRANG, SNIFFING and NME, all of which have made names for themselves in the 1980's. It is sheer impossibility to surpass the name established by those popular magazine, it is even more difficult to get even closer, but what should be kept in mind is that is not the goal that should be hurriedly achieved. What should be the first in considerations is how to turn the heads of music blokes, along with their curiosities. Until now, KERRANG, NME and SNIFFING are still enjoying relative popularity like their other counterparts. As the researcher had earlier done, having visited the websites of the aforementioned music publications, the three of them possess almost all of the same qualities that contribute to their existence after decades. Their w Their websites are all very eye-catching, all of them are attention-grabbers because of the loud colors and enticing headlines they possess. NME, KERRANG and SNIFFING all give a chance of publicity to new artists, and yet they never neglect the great artists of yesterday along with their immortal hits. An example is the front webpage of NME dated May 12, 2007, posted is the black and white picture of the Beatles, and yet they have links to news concerning artists of this generation. That is a vivid example of how they prioritize their readership. Another aspect they share is they all have the opinion section, for the readers and website browsers to post their opinions regarding anything, about music, the magazine or the website itself, or even their suggestions. The posting of these suggestions on their sites and their print magazines is a surefire way to establish a personal relationship with the readers, making them feel that they are of utmost priority. In the aspect of the news, without the evidence of reading every issue of these magazines and their websites, the researcher noticed that their news is very well-written, especially the headlines. But they are in no way offensive to the readers and they are not even showing a hint of bias towards their posting of news. This is the proof that all music publications should by all means be honest about news, they should give sheer priority to the delivery of accurate statistics, and in-depth and yet impartial analysis of music news around the world. These three music publications have their own style and originality, shown by their mere taglines. NME has the tagline "First for Music News," while for KERRANG, it is "the world's biggest-selling weekly rock magazine." The taglines are proofs of their originality. They are still enjoying success because of the things that they have done and still doing up until today. Task 2 - Chosen Music Genre I choose pop music. Why Because virtually all music lovers are indulged in this genre, all ages,

Management Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management Psychology - Essay Example Convents. Institutions to take care of diseased and mentally retarded persons. Culture refers to a system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the nation or organization from the rest. The main function of culture is to create a distinction between nations and organizations. Culture conveys a sense of identity for organization members. Culture facilitates the generation of commitment to something larger than one's individual self interest. Culture also enhances the stability of the social system. Culture id the social glue that helps the organization held together by appropriate standards for what employees should say and do. In the articles, Goffman addresses the details of a total institution with reference to mentally retarded persons, prisons etc. There are a lot of problems in the system of total institution. Some of the major cultural mistakes include: When one wants to change an aspect of the culture of an organization one has to keep in consideration that this is a long term project. Corporate culture is something that is very hard to change and employees need time to get used to the new way of organizing. For companies with a very strong and specific culture it will be even harder to change. The following stages can be used to bring the change: Changes in culture can lead to tensions between organizational and individual interests, which can result in ethical and legal problems for practitioners. This is particularly relevant for changes in employee integrity, control, equitable treatment and job security. These are the various

America in 1920s Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

America in 1920s - Essay Example In the track of World War One, American men tussled to hoard their realm and woman wrestled to triumph the spot on to take part in an election. Near the conclusion of the First World War America was viewed as the mainly influential and affluent state in the world. During the 1920s the United States' cutback was roaring with hit and rising wealth, in which a huge pact of Americans, although surely not everyone, collectively. This epoch was too identified as the 'roaring twenties. By a copious contribute of raw resources (e.g. oil and coal) and the strategy of separation and repression in place; America rapidly becomes yet extra dominant and richer. America had large area variety, with every district contributing a bit diverse to the financial system. Into Metropolis at hand were fine waged career so folks who existed in city profited since the improved salaried work. Beside amid the goal of a state in the 1920's, at hand was as well frustration. America experienced the immense stash market collides that left a lot of Americans impoverished. This dissatisfaction in America was too what directed to the country's misery (Kallen (2002), p. 28). The melancholy instigates in 1929 and final for almost a decade. Millions of individuals lost their occupations beside with lots of industry going broke. The inequity of funds is what shaped such a wobbly economy. The stock market's undertaking a lot poorer than populace attention in this age. This condition leads to the largest stock market hurtle in our account. Cost attained a point that citizens by no means imagined. At one face whilst the market was deafening in September 1929 forty percent of stock market values were clean air. This supposed that financiers thinking that the stock market would set off up since it have been going up. Ku Klux Klan's existence paved the way for extensive fame during the 1920's. The KKK pleased the mainstream of white conventional America of any accountability for the inadequacy of the social order. It as well presented them a sagacity of refuge by shaping a hefty treaty in opposition to minorities (Smith (2002), p. 106). The 1920's where a point in time of conservatism, it was a period of immense communal modification. As of the world of fashion to the world to politics, forces collide to manufacture the mainly volatile decade of the century. The eighteenth Amendment was approved in 1920, which finished alcohol unlawful. It was named the Prohibition Amendment. This was recognized as the "Noble Experiment". All in history contributes to what a country is today and that is what we call contribution to culture, a way of life. The way we are today can be explained of what we experienced from the past. As a consequence, a lot of non-traditional tendency embark on to emerge in the lives of the youthful liberals in the 1920's. Women set in train to sense extra sexually unconventional and comprehend that they also had desires apart from only breathing to house their male equivalent. Many women also obtain up smoking, a commotion beforehand hand over wholly to men. In addition, progressively, women chase careers outside of their homes. The tempo of separation mounted. The young age band had closed living their lives according to customary culture, principles and had slot in their individual sets of needs, ambitions, and principles by which to exist as an alternative. The 1920's has really contributed greatly in the present

Sex Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sex Education - Assignment Example As the essay declares  the information that is supposed to be presented within the scopes of sex educational process must contain the following items: sexual development and reproduction, means of contraception and other information about birth control, relationship dynamics and norms, and different kinds of sexuality.  It is difficult to say which aspect of sex education is the most needed for nowadays society, as all of them concern the most problematic personal issues that appear among people of all countries.This paper stresses that  it is important to say that sex education plays crucial role for the society in general, because it has the goal to reduce the rates of early pregnancies which may lead to increase in the quantity of abandoned children, and also it prevents expansion of such dangerous sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS and HIV.  Being aware of the possible outcomes of unprotected sex makes young people more attentive concerning their sexual relations; mo reover, apart from becoming conscious of the means of contraception, they may even refuse having early sex and be more careful in relationships in general.  The point is that, according to some psychological researches, the roots of understanding of the concept of sexuality and formation of sexual identity happens in childhood, when a person observes one’s environment and comes up to certain understanding of sex.

Pablo Casals Essay Example for Free

Pablo Casals Essay Pablo Casals, one of the most recognizable cellists in history, was born December 29, 1876. His career was unsurpassed by any other cellist during the first half of the twentieth century. He is known for the multiple recordings throughout his career which included solo, chamber, and orchestral music, as well as recordings while conducting. For most cellists his most notable accomplishment was his recordings of the incomparable Bach Cello Suites which were recorded from 1936 to 1939. His early years in his native Catalonia, Spain were spent being educated in music by his father who was a parish organist and choirmaster. As would be clearly seen in his later years, his understanding of music was amazing. Today his master classes on the cello are available for cellists to observe on YouTube. His ability to demonstrate proper tempo and rhythm as well as the use of dynamics is still a benefit even in the age of famous cellist, YoYo Ma His father’s techniques included he and his brother listening to, and name notes on the piano by ear. Although his father’s methods may have seemed extreme, they served only to further young Pablo’s musical ability. By the age of four he was playing the flute, piano and violin and by age six was proficient enough to perform a public solo on the violin. It is amazing to know that his first exposure to any cello like instrument was that of a street performer that had been fashioned from a broom handle! His first personal experience with the cello was much like my own. At fourteen I asked for a cello and was allowed by my father to borrow a very broken down cello. Casals was given an instrument made from a gourd by his father as his first cello. When he was eleven he heard some travelling performers and saw a real cello for the first time. After that, the cello was his instrument of choice. Although I play other instruments, as Casals did, it was hard to deny that I wanted to be known as â€Å"a cellist†! The Cello Suites composed by J. S. Bach were discovered by Casals in 1890 in a second hand music store. He was thirteen at the time and spent the next thirteen years practicing and perfecting them and then finally performing them in public. He graduated with honors from Escola Municipal de Musica in Barcelona, having made impressive progress, at age nineteen. His professional career began when he moved to Paris in 1895 and played second cello in a theater orchestra. In 1895 he returned home to Catalonia and was appointed to the faculty of his own Escola Municipal de Musica. He was also made principal cellist in the orchestra of Barcelonas opera house, the Liceu and in 1897 he performed as soloist with the Madrid Symphony Orchestra, and was awarded the Order of Carlos III from the Queen of Spain. His later career found him conducting master classes, as mentioned earlier, throughout the world. Some of the master classes were actually televised in the 1960’s and are still available for budding cellists. It was at this point in his career that he created unique versions of the six Brandenburg Concerti. To add this to his already amazing recordings of the Bach Suites truly showed the depth of his musical abilities! In addition to performing remarkable renditions of famous pieces he was a wonderful composer in his own right. One of his most notable works was La Sardena, composed for a cello ensemble. The completion of his composing career was a piece titled â€Å"Hymne of the United Nations† which he performed in 1971, at a special event, for the United Nations shortly before his 95th birthday. Looking back with appreciation to a man who died many years before I was born, I am humbled by his talent and personality. He had the opportunity to perform before queens, presidents and dignitaries. His performances took him around the globe and his influence is felt to this day. His unique recordings and master classes continue to inspire and delight cellists and cello music lovers alike. In 1963 the world lost PabIo Casals at the age of 96 while residing in Puero Rico where he was buried. I am happy to say that I have been fortunate enough to observe a number of his master classes and hear recordings done almost a century ago that have stood the test of time.

Drug Action On Gut Motility Biology Essay

Drug Action On Gut Motility Biology Essay Describe and explain the effect of field stimulation on ileum contraction? The experiment aims to determine the functional role of different drugs like morphine, atropine or naloxone on contraction of guinea pig ileum using transmural stimulation or acetylcholine applied exogenously. The transmural stimulation is given with an initial pulse width of 0.5ms, frequency 0.1Hz and gradually increasing the voltage until we get a measurable contraction. The transmural stimulation, given to the guinea pig ileum acts on enteric nervous system lining the gastrointestinal system controlling GIT , produces an action potential at the membrane causing depolarisation and permeable to calcium (ca+2) ion and leads to increase in ca+2 ion concentration through voltage gated ca +2 channel. This causes release of acetylcholine (ACh) at synaptic cleft, which are directed to bind with muscuranic (M3) receptors. These act by G- protein couple receptors mechanism. Gs Protein activates phospholipase C (PLC), catalysis the hydrolysis of phosphoinositides, (the phospholipids found within the cell membrane) generates two second messengers inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG). These second messengers, influence the protein phosphorylation and effectively regulates the intracellular ca+2 concentration. The IP3 formed binds with the IP 3 receptor and control the release of ca+2 from intracellular store. The DAG mainly activates membr ance-bound protein kinase, protein kinase C (PKC) , have vast cellular distribution and phosphorylate different proteins and become reason for raised intracellular ca+2 concentration causing contraction. These two second messengers initiate the contraction of ileum by field stimulation. 2 . a . Molar concentration morphine Vs contractile response of field stimulated tissue (in mm) Table showing the contractile response (mm) of morphine on field stimulated guinea pig ileum at different molar concentrations Concentration of Morphine (M) Contractile response (mm) 1 -10-10 92 3 -10-10 91 1 -10-9 90 3 -10-9 88 1 -10-8 82 3 -10-8 64 1 -10-7 36 3 -10-7 30 1 -10-6 27 3 -10-6 26 1 -10-5 24 Fig .a. showing the effect of different concentrations of morphine on guinea pig ileum measuring contractile response in mm b. The logarithm of the molar concentration morphine Vs contractile response of field stimulated tissue (in mm) Table showing the different contractile response at varying logarithm of molar concentration of morphine on guinea pig ileum Log Concentration of Morphine (M) Contractile response (mm) -10 92 -9.522878745 91 -9 90 -8.522878745 88 -8 82 -7.522878745 64 -7 36 -6.522878745 30 -6 27 -5.522878745 26 -5 24 Fig. b. Graph showing the effect of log concentration of morphine on guinea pig ileum measuring contractile response (in mm) c. Molar concentration morphine Vs % relaxation of stimulated tissue. Table showing, the % relaxation of stimulated tissue at different molar concentration of morphine. Concentration of Morphine (M) Percentage relaxation of stimulated tissue (%) 1 -10-10 0 3 -10-10 1.086 1 -10-9 2.222 3 -10-9 4.347 1 -10-8 11.111 3 -10-8 30.434 1 -10-7 60.869 3 -10-7 67.391 1 -10-6 70.652 3 -10-6 71.739 1 -10-5 73.913 Fig. c . Graph showing the % relaxation of stimulated tissue of guinea pig ileum at different molar concentration of morphine. d. Molar concentration of acetylcholine Vs contractile response in unstimulated tissue (in mm) Table showing the contractile response of unstimulated tissue (in mm) at different molar concentration of acetylcholine (M) Molar concentration of Ach (M) Contractile Response (mm) 1 -10-8 17 3 -10-8 37 1 -10-7 49 3 -10-7 58 1 -10-6 59 3 -10-6 59 Fig. d. Graph showing the contractile response (in mm) on unstimulated tissue of guinea pig ileum at different concentration of acetylcholine e. The logarithm of the molar concentration acetylcholine Vs contractile response in unstimulated tissue (in mm) Table showing, contractile response (in mm) of unstimulated tissue at different concentrations of acetylcholine. Log Concentration of acetylcholine (M) Contractile Response (mm) -8 17 -7.522878745 37 -7 49 -6.522878745 58 -6 59 -5.522878745 59 Fig. e. Graph showing contractile response (in mm) of unstimulate tissue of guinea pig ileum at different log concentration of morphine. 3. Explain the effects of morphine on field stimulated-induced contractions and how/why this is affected by atropine and naloxone? Morphine is an opioid analgesic drug acts on opioid receptors. There are three major subgroups under opiod receptors:  µ (mu), ÃŽ ´ (delta) and ÃŽ º (kappa) receptors. Morphine mostly acts on  µ receptors. From the graph, during field stimulation-contraction, on addition of morphine of 0.1nM concentration it does not show any much effect initially, but on increasing concentration of morphine it shows gradual decrease in contractile response and sudden downfall of response by half from 100nM to 300nM and then stabilise with little varying response (in mm) in further concentration. This is due to, when morphine is added to the bath of field stimulated-induced contraction the activation of opioid receptors ( µ), via Gi- protein, which inhibits adenyly cyclase, thus decrease in cAMP formation, leading to closing of ca+2 channels and decrease in muscle contraction by inhibting release of ACh at synaptic region. Naloxone acts as competitive antagonist at  µ, ÃŽ ´, ÃŽ º receptors. It is also used as counter the overdose of opioid molecules. When naloxone is added to the field stimulated guinea pig ileum, which is having morphine of certain dose causing dose-dependent decrease in response. The naloxone, acts as competitive antagonist of morphine which replaces the morphine occupied at opioid receptors and reduces the available receptors for morphine to bind and leads to reversing the morphine effect towards field-stimulated contraction. So, the response increases gradually with increase in concentration of naloxone from 200nM to 1000nM and then 3000nM. This shows effective competitive antagonism of naloxone towards morphine activity. In case of atropine, the graph shows, on addition of atropine there is a slightly decrease in response initially and then gradually fall in response due to action of atropine as antagonist at Ach receptor, which occupies the M3 receptor and inhibits the contraction via G-protein receptor mechanism. 4. Explain the observed effects of morphine, naloxone and atropine an Ach-induced contractions and relate this to the effects on field stimulation. From the graph, we know that the morphine and naloxone do not show much significant effect on ACh-induced contraction on guinea pig ileum than field stimulated contratcion. But the atropine show a significant effect on ACh- induced contraction. During field stimulation, the morphine acts via Gi protien (adenyly cylase inhibition) and inhibits cAMP formation and decrease ca+2 concentration and effect the ACh release at synaptic cleft (endogenous). But in the ACh-induced contraction, ACh is available exogenous to occupy the M3 receptors and intiate contraction, showing morphine does not much effect its action as in graph it slightly inhibits just 0.4mm. Naloxone, act as opioid receptor antagonist, may not act on Muscarinic receptors, show no much effect on ACh-induced contraction as ACh in exogenous can direct act on M3 receptors as in graph and which is different in case of field stimulated contratile response, inhibits the morphine action and increases ACh at synaptic region producing significant contraction. Atropine, is a muscarinic (M3) receptor antagonist, the graph shows a significant effect on ACh-induced contractions by atropine. Atropine as competitive antagonist, added to bath occupies the M3 receptors much faster than ACh and inhibits its action, which inturn inhibits ileum contraction.

Relational Model Defined By Codds Twelve Rules Computer Science Essay

Relational Model Defined By Codds Twelve Rules Computer Science Essay This report tries to explain what Codds Twelve Rules means. And by comparing MySQL with relational model as defined by Codds Twelve Rules, this report also gives an abstract view on how MySQL comply with Codds Twelve Rules. This report is based on MySQL 5 InnoDB engine. Edgar F.Codd is famous for his contribution to relational model of database in 1970s. However, in 1980s the term relational was used by many database vendors to describe their database products which may not comply with the model that Edgar F.Codd has proposed. In order to clarify his model of relational database, and provide people a simple standard that can indicate to what extent a database software conforms to his model, the Codds Twelve Rules were propose. There are 13 rules in Codds Twelve Rules. Our textbook omits the first one,rule 0, so this report will start from the second one in Codds rules, rule 1. Rule 1: The Information Rule This rule requires all data in relational database management system(RDBMS) should be stored as values in tables at logical level. Some DBMS use Key-Value to store data, Redis for example, which contradict the Information Rule, so these DBMS will not be regarded as relational DBMS. MySQL dose store all data in the form of tables with values in columns of rows. Users can only access to values that are stored in tables. Even the data descript the database itself is store in tables, i.e. table tables in Information schema stores the description of all the tables that have been created. So, MySQL meets the requirement of rule 1. Rule 2: The Guaranteed Access Rule Users must be able to access to values by providing table name, the value of primary key and the name of the columns. In another word, the DBMS should support primary key in tables and enforce each tables contains primary key in order to prevent data duplication. MySQL does support to define primary key in tables. Yet, users can also create tables that dont have it. For example, create one table has columns a and b without primary key. In that circumstance, there may be several rows that has the same value in column a , preventing users to access to the value of column b in the row he want. So, MySQL does not fulfill the requirement of Rule2 and it gives user more flexibility by accepting tables without primary key. Rule 3: Systematic Treatment of NULL Values: The database must support NULL as a value other than 0 or empty string, as a representation of data missing or inapplicable. And the database can provide systematic way to manipulate NULL value. MySQL fulfill this requirement by supporting NULL value and treat it in a systematic way. In MySQL, NULL is supported and is regarded as missing data following ANSI/ODBC SQL standard. MySQL implements ternary logic. Users can not compare values with NULL, even NULL with NULL by using =, because NULL is missing data. The results of those compares are unknown. MySQL provides IS NULL and IS NOT NULL statement in order to treat the compares with value NULL. Rule 4: Active online catalog based on the relational model Data dictionary of one DBMS should be stored as ordinary data in the form of tables. Authorized users must be able to using the query language (SQL for example) that they used to query ordinary data to access to database catalog or structure. MySQL stores database catalog data using tables the same way it store ordinary data. These tables are in system database such as Information_schema. For example, table tables in Information_schema contains information about all tables in MySQL, like TABLE_NAME, TABLE_TYPE. Authorized users can use SQL to query this table in order to access to data catalog of current tables. So, MySQL well implements this Rule. Rule 5: Comprehensive data language The DBMS must support at least one language that can be used directly by users or within application queries. This language must also supports all aspects of database use including data (view) definition, data manipulations, integrity constraints, securities and transaction managements. SQL is a language that is comprehensive enough to support all these requirements. So, any DBMS that implements ANSI/ODBC SQL will comply with this rule. MySQL follows the ANSI/ODBC SQL standard, yet there are several differences between them in several cases. The difference can be seen in documents of MySQL. All these differences are just about statement syntax, i.e MySQL doesnt support select à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ into table, users should using Insert into à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ select to do the same works. But after all, all database use in MySQL can be implemented by using SQL regardless of whether the syntax is different from standard SQL. So, MySQL fulfills Rule 5. Rule 6: View Updating This rule means that the alteration that user makes in a view will result in the alteration of tables from which the view is created, if this view is theoretically updatable. In MySQL, many theoretically updatable views can be updated, yet, there are many limits. For example, due to the documentation of MySQL, delete and update cannot be used to update a view that has more than one underlying table. So, MySQL does not fulfill this rule. Rule 7: The RDBMS may handle individual records but it must primarily handle sets of records This rule means users can use one single command to query, insert, delete and update sets of values in multiple rows or multiple tables. MySQL can handle operation of multiple rows in one table. Because it uses SQL, that has commands that can handle operation of sets of records, as its data language. For example, MySQL can insert multiple records with this statement, INSERT INTO table_name (a,b,c) VALUES (3,4,5), (6,7,8)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. But MySQL cannot handle operation of sets of records that are from different tables in one command. But users can also handle this issue by using transaction that containing a series of SQL commands. So, MySQL implements this rule by allowing user to operate command on multiple rows in one table, while does not support operation of multiple tables in single command. Rule 8: Physical Data Independence This rule means that alterations that have been made to database in physical level, for example, export one database, and open it in another computer will not result in the changes in logical level. And users can still access to the data without altering their commands. MySQL can export one database by creating back up file. This file can be restore by MySQL in another computer. The physical underlying of this database has changed while the table structure will not be changed and users can access to this restored one without any adjustment on their queries. So, MySQL does provide some extent of physical data independence in InnoDB engine. However, if users want to change the store engine of a table from transactional one to non-transactional, the logical level will also change. In sum, MySQL provide physical data independence in InnoDB engine, but changing the store engine may result in change in database logic. Rule 9: Logical Data Independence This rule means that the changes of logical level in the database will not lead to changes of queries that based on former structure. For example, users can split one table into two, while use the same query as before. In MySQL, adding columns to a table will not require changes in application or queries that are base on the structure of this table. However, other changes of logical level, such as combine two tables into one, may call for an alteration of the application based on the structure. So, MySQL does not comply with this Logical Data Independence rule. Rule 10: Integrity Independence This means that integrity definition of data in one DBMS should be regarded as one part of data dictionary, and be stored in the same form as ordinary data. This also requires that this integrity definition can be access by users using language, SQL for example, to query, define or alter the integrity independence. MySQL fulfills this rule. It stores data dictionary in tables in information schema. For example, the column COLUMN_KEY in the table COLUMNS defines whether this column is primary key or has other constraints. And KEY_COLUMN_USAGE table defines which key columns have constrains. Users can access to integrity definition data by query these tables using ordinary SQL statement. Rule 11:Distribution Independence Today, many DBMS introduce the function to using distribute data in different locations. However, due to this rule, where this data be distributed and how DBMS manage them should not be visible to users. Users can use the data in the same way as they use data that been stored in one place. The InnoDB engine does not provide the ability to store data in different locations. MySQL has a distributed engine called MySQL Cluster. In InnoDB engine, MySQL introduce XA Transaction which is based on X/Open XA specification since 5.0.3. This specification provides users the ability to employ multiple resources in one transaction. However, users must know the underlying works, and if the structure of the distributed DBMS changes, the XA Transaction statement may also need to be adjusted. So, MySQL does not comply with the rule 11. Rule 12: The Nonsubversion Rule Sometime the DBMS provide API or other low-level interface for users to handle complicated transactions. However, those interfaces must not break all the rule above and bypassing integrity constraints and security. MySQL provides APIs for different applications or programming languages as low-level interface. There are back doors in them, custom command SHOW for example. However, these backdoors are only maintained for the compatibility with the former edition. Summary In Sum, due to the comparison between MySQl and Codds rules, MySQL implement most of these rules, though there are still some limitations. It can be regarded as a DBMS that is relational.

Comparing The Corner Residents and Dostoevsky’s Underground Man Essay

Comparing The Corner Residents and Dostoevsky’s Underground Man      Ã‚  Ã‚   I am a sick man.... I am an angry man. I am an unattractive man. [...] I don't understand the least thing about my illness, and I don't know for certain what part of me is affected. I am not having any treatment for it, and never have had, although I have a great respect for medicine and for doctors. [...] No, I refuse treatment out of spite. (Dostoevsky 1864: 17)    Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote these words around 1864 to describe the mental state of a hyperconscious retired bureaucrat whose excessive analysis and inability to act separate him from the mainstream of the society in which he lived. Dostoevsky's underground man, as he termed his character, is characterized by alienation, spite, and isolation. Dostoevsky presents the life of his character as a testimonial to the possibility of living counter to an individual's own best interests.    Frequently, the public debate over the those problems which occur in poverty-ridden urban environments is presented as if the inhabitants were copies of Dostoevsky's underground man who differed mainly in that they frequently had less education and more pigment in their skin. That is to say, although there are valid comparisons that can be drawn between the Underground Man and the inhabitants of west Baltimore who are so vividly depicted in The Corner, there are also important differences that make any claim of strict equality between a Russian intellectual from the nineteenth century and a 20th-century tout or slinger an absurd caricature. Moreover, the intent of portraying inner-city residents as Underground Men and Women is, frequently, to blame these people for all of their own problems, something t... ...and we may be in for another string of disappointing years in the War on Poverty and the War on Drugs.    Works Cited and Consulted: Dostoevsky, Fyodor. (1864) Notes from Underground. Trans. Jessie Coulson. Middlesex, England: Penguin Books. Hacker, Andrew. (1998) Two Nations: Black and White, Separate, Hostile, Unequal. In Reading Between the Lines: Toward an Understanding of Current Social Problems. Ed Amanda Konradi and Martha Schmidt. London: Mayfield Publishing Company. Simon, David & Burns, Edward. (1993) The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood. New York: Broadway Books. Wilson, William Julius. (1998) "Ghetto-Related Behavior and the Structure of Opportunity" in Reading Between the Lines: Toward an Understanding of Current Social Problems. Ed Amanda Konradi and Martha Schmidt. London: Mayfield Publishing Company.

The Common Problem of Absenteeism in the Field of Education Essay

The Common Problem of Absenteeism in the Field of Education Absenteeism is a common problem encountered by teachers and others who work in the field of education. There are many reasons why some children fall into a pattern of repeated absence from school. In a number of cases, willful absence can be traced to an alienation from schooling due to poor achievement, family circumstances or behavioral causes. In some cases, parents or children simply defy the requirement to participate. This area is one in which the need for partnership between school and family is greatest. While many schools provide successful alternative programs or absenteeism intervention strategies, there will be cases where, despite the best efforts of schools and parents, the children stay away. It is clear that any unauthorized absence is of concern because of the valuable educational time which is lost and because the absence of some children is associated with inappropriate behavior in the community. Different types of absenteeism will be discussed during this essay bu t the main focus will be directed at truancy in which the causes and remedies will be evaluated. The different types of absenteeism is truancy, exclusion, school closure, school phobia or other absences due to illness or bad behavior (teachers sending pupils out of class due to poor behavior). Although children who are sent outside the class are not entirely absent from the school, this can be identified as absence as they are not participating in class. It seems that none of the various Education Acts defines truancy and nor is this lack supplied the case laws. Nor indeed have the various researchers agreed a definition. Must every child who is absent from school for whatever be cla... ...that all of them are valid. Remedies that involve the parents seem to be extremely effective as the parent?s awareness can surely play a big part in combating the problem as usually a lot of parents are unaware of their children?s school life. It is also obvious that if the school improves the atmosphere and teaching methods than the pupils are more likely to want to go to school. A good teacher ? pupil relationship is also important and can ensure better school attendance Truancy is the first sign of trouble and the first indicator that a young person is giving up and losing his or her way. When pupils start skipping school than they are telling their parent?s, school officials and the community at large that they are in trouble and need help if they are to move forward in life. Bibliography: Tyerman, Maurice J. Truancy. U of Chicago Press, 1984.

Macbeth Monologue Spoken by Banquo Essay

Banquo lies on the side of the river after being ambushed by Macbeths pass men. He reflects on Macbeths and his own behavior since the prophecies made by the witches, as well as reflecting on Fleance and the person he is to become. The nullify of Act III, Scene 3. After Banquos murder. (Lying) Here I lie, cold, wet, solely and betrayed on my death bed. Is this what I deserve? Have I been dealt a hand fair to the way I birth lived my life? No, I know that I lived my life justly. I acted on my beliefs and I was always loyal and honest to those I held dear. (Getting Up) I fought against the dreams of those predictions and proved myself worthy of what was told. I defended my character and spoke up for what I stood for. I would not weaken in the await of temptation. (Standing) Since the day on the heath where those foul hags told Macbeth and I our fates, Macbeth has not been himself. As if overcome by some evil spirit, he has changed his ways, actively seeking his future through deceit, wicked speculations and regicide, what I now no longer suspect him of, but think he committed. Firstly, Thane of Glamis, a title he already held. Following(a) was Thane of Cawdor, this he was named shortly after the predictions, he did nothing to by design receive the title but be his own character, a strong, passionate and loyal countrymen. The real Macbeth we all knew and respected. But the three prediction was the one that changed Macbeth, a title that toyed with his ambition. Being told he would become King I believe was the beginning of the end for him. Over time his aspirations led him to take a route the†¦

Digital Fortress Chapter 66-70

Chapter 66 Becker crossed the concourse toward the rest room doors only to find the door marked CABALLEROS blocked by an orange pylon and a cleaning cart filled with detergent and mops. He eyed the other door. DAMAS. He strode over and rapped loudly. â€Å"Hola?† he called, pushing the ladies' room door open an inch. â€Å"Con permiso?† Silence. He went in. The rest room was typical, Spanish institutional-perfectly square, white tile, one incandescent bulb overhead. As usual, there was one stall and one urinal. Whether the urinals were ever used in the women's bathrooms was immaterial-adding them saved the contractors the expense of having to build the extra stall. Becker peered into the rest room in disgust. It was filthy. The sink was clogged with murky brown water. Dirty paper towels were strewn everywhere. The floor was soaked. The old electric hand blower on the wall was smeared with greenish fingerprints. Becker stepped in front of the mirror and sighed. The eyes that usually stared back with fierce clarity were not so clear tonight. How long have I been running around over here? he wondered. The math escaped him. Out of professorial habit, he shimmied his necktie's Windsor knot up on his collar. Then he turned to the urinal behind him. As he stood there, he found himself wondering if Susan was home yet. Where could she have gone? To Stone Manor without me? â€Å"Hey!† a female voice behind him said angrily. Becker jumped. â€Å"I-I'm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he stammered, hurrying to zip up. â€Å"I'm sorry†¦ I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Becker turned to face the girl who had just entered. She was a young sophisticate, right off the pages of Seventeen Magazine. She wore conservative plaid pants and a white sleeveless blouse. In her hand was a red L. L. Bean duffel. Her blond hair was perfectly blow-dried. â€Å"I'm sorry.† Becker fumbled, buckling his belt. â€Å"The men's room was†¦ anyway†¦ I'm leaving.† â€Å"Fuckin' weirdo!† Becker did a double-take. The profanity seemed inappropriate coming from her lips-like sewage flowing from a polished decanter. But as Becker studied her, he saw that she was not as polished as he'd first thought. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, and her left forearm was swollen. Underneath the reddish irritation on her arm, the flesh was blue. Jesus, Becker thought. Intravenous drugs. Who would have guessed? â€Å"Get out!† she yelled. â€Å"Just get out!† Becker momentarily forgot all about the ring, the NSA, all of it. His heart went out to the young girl. Her parents had probably sent her over here with some prep school study program and a VISA card-and she'd ended up all alone in a bathroom in the middle of the night doing drugs. â€Å"Are you okay?† he asked, backing toward the door. â€Å"I'm fine.† Her voice was haughty. â€Å"You can leave now!† Becker turned to go. He shot her forearm a last sad glance. There's nothing you can do, David. Leave it alone. â€Å"Now!† she hollered. Becker nodded. As he left he gave her a sad smile. â€Å"Be careful.† Chapter 67 â€Å"Susan?† Hale panted, his face in hers. He was sitting, one leg on either side of her, his full weight on her midsection. His tailbone ground painfully into her pubis through the thin fabric of her skirt. His nose was dripping blood all over her. She tasted vomit in the back of her throat. His hands were at her chest. She felt nothing. Is he touching me? It took a moment for Susan to realize Hale was buttoning her top button and covering her up. â€Å"Susan.† Hale gasped, breathless. â€Å"You've got to get me out of here.† Susan was in a daze. Nothing made sense. â€Å"Susan, you've got to help me! Strathmore killed Chartrukian! I saw it!† It took a moment for the words to register. Strathmore killed Chartrukian? Hale obviously had no idea Susan had seen him downstairs. â€Å"Strathmore knows I saw him!† Hale spat. â€Å"He'll kill me too!† Had Susan not been breathless with fear, she would have laughed in his face. She recognized the divide-and-conquer mentality of an ex-Marine. Invent lies-pit your enemies against each other. â€Å"It's true!† he yelled. â€Å"We've got to call for help! I think we're both in danger!† She did not believe a word he said. Hale's muscular legs were cramping, and he rolled up on his haunches to shift his weight slightly. He opened his mouth to speak, but he never got the chance. As Hale's body rose, Susan felt the circulation surge back into her legs. Before she knew what had happened, a reflex instinct jerked her left leg back hard into Hale's crotch. She felt her kneecap crush the soft sac of tissue between his legs. Hale whimpered in agony and instantly went limp. He rolled onto his side, clutching himself. Susan twisted out from under his deadweight. She staggered toward the door, knowing she'd never be strong enough to get out. Making a split-second decision, Susan positioned herself behind the long maple meeting table and dug her feet into the carpet. Mercifully the table had casters. She strode with all her might toward the arched glass wall, pushing the table before her. The casters were good, and the table rolled well. Halfway across Node 3, she was at a full sprint. Five feet from the glass wall, Susan heaved and let go. She leapt to one side and covered her eyes. After a sickening crack, the wall exploded in a shower of glass. The sounds of Crypto rushed into Node 3 for the first time since its construction. Susan looked up. Through the jagged hole, she could see the table. It was still rolling. It spun wide circles out across the Crypto floor and eventually disappeared into the darkness. Susan rammed her mangled Ferragamo's back on her feet, shot a last glance at the still-writhing Greg Hale, and dashed across the sea of broken glass out onto the Crypto floor. Chapter 68 â€Å"Now wasn't that easy?† Midge said with a sneer as Brinkerhoff handed over the key to Fontaine's office. Brinkerhoff looked beaten. â€Å"I'll erase it before I go,† Midge promised. â€Å"Unless you and your wife want it for your private collection.† â€Å"Just get the damned printout,† he snapped. â€Å"And then get out!† â€Å"Si, senor,† Midge cackled in a thick Puerto Rican accent. She winked and headed across the suite to Fontaine's double doors. Leland Fontaine's private office looked nothing like the rest of the directorial suite. There were no paintings, no overstuffed chairs, no ficus plants, no antique clocks. His space was streamlined for efficiency. His glass-topped desk and black leather chair sat directly in front of his enormous picture window. Three file cabinets stood in the corner next to a small table with a French press coffeepot. The moon had risen high over Fort Meade, and the soft light filtering through the window accentuated the starkness of the director's furnishings. What the hell am I doing? Brinkerhoff wondered. Midge strode to the printer and scooped up the queue list. She squinted in the darkness. â€Å"I can't read the data,† she complained. â€Å"Turn on the lights.† â€Å"You're reading it outside. Now come on.† But Midge was apparently having too much fun. She toyed with Brinkerhoff, walking to the window and angling the readout for a better view. â€Å"Midge†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She kept reading. Brinkerhoff shifted anxiously in the doorway. â€Å"Midge†¦ come on. These are the director's private quarters.† â€Å"It's here somewhere,† she muttered, studying the printout. â€Å"Strathmore bypassed Gauntlet, I know it.† She moved closer to the window. Brinkerhoff began to sweat. Midge kept reading. After a few moments, she gasped. â€Å"I knew it! Strathmore did it! He really did! The idiot!† She held up the paper and shook it. â€Å"He bypassed Gauntlet! Have a look!† Brinkerhoff stared dumbfounded a moment and then raced across the director's office. He crowded in next to Midge in front of the window. She pointed to the end of the readout. Brinkerhoff read in disbelief. â€Å"What the†¦?† The printout contained a list of the last thirty-six files that had entered TRANSLTR. After each file was a four-digit Gauntlet clearance code. However, the last file on the sheet had no clearance code-it simply read: manual bypass. Jesus, Brinkerhoff thought. Midge strikes again. â€Å"The idiot!† Midge sputtered, seething. â€Å"Look at this! Gauntlet rejected the file twice! Mutation strings! And he still bypassed! What the hell was he thinking?† Brinkerhoff felt weak-kneed. He wondered why Midge was always right. Neither of them noticed the reflection that had appeared in the window beside them. A massive figure was standing in Fontaine's open doorway. â€Å"Jeez,† Brinkerhoff choked. â€Å"You think we have a virus?† Midge sighed. â€Å"Nothing else it could be.† â€Å"Could be none of your damn business!† the deep voice boomed from behind them. Midge knocked her head against the window. Brinkerhoff tipped over the director's chair and wheeled toward the voice. He immediately knew the silhouette. â€Å"Director!† Brinkerhoff gasped. He strode over and extended his hand. â€Å"Welcome home, sir.† The huge man ignored it. â€Å"I-I thought,† Brinkerhoff stammered, retracting his hand, â€Å"I thought you were in South America.† Leland Fontaine glared down at his aide with eyes like bullets. â€Å"Yes†¦ and now I'm back.† Chapter 69 â€Å"Hey, mister!† Becker had been walking across the concourse toward a bank of pay phones. He stopped and turned. Coming up behind him was the girl he'd just surprised in the bathroom. She waved for him to wait. â€Å"Mister, wait!† Now what? Becker groaned. She wants to press invasion-of-privacy charges? The girl dragged her duffel toward him. When she arrived, she was now wearing a huge smile. â€Å"Sorry to yell at you back there. You just kind of startled me.† â€Å"No problem,† Becker assured, somewhat puzzled. â€Å"I was in the wrong place.† â€Å"This will sound crazy,† she said, batting her bloodshot eyes. â€Å"But you wouldn't happen to have some money you can lend me, would you?† Becker stared at her in disbelief. â€Å"Money for what?† he demanded. I'm not funding your drug habit if that's what you're asking. â€Å"I'm trying to get back home,† the blonde said. â€Å"Can you help?† â€Å"Miss your flight?† She nodded. â€Å"Lost my ticket. They wouldn't let me get on. Airlines can be such assholes. I don't have the cash to buy another.† â€Å"Where are your parents?† Becker asked. â€Å"States.† â€Å"Can you reach them?† â€Å"Nope. Already tried. I think they're weekending on somebody's yacht.† Becker scanned the girl's expensive clothing. â€Å"You don't have a credit card?† â€Å"Yeah, but my dad canceled it. He thinks I'm on drugs.† â€Å"Are you on drugs?† Becker asked, deadpan, eyeing her swollen forearm. The girl glared, indignant. â€Å"Of course not!† She gave Becker an innocent huff, and he suddenly got the feeling he was being played. â€Å"Come on,† she said. â€Å"You look like a rich guy. Can't you spot me some cash to get home? I could send it to you later.† Becker figured any cash he gave this girl would end up in the hands of some drug dealer in Triana. â€Å"First of all,† he said, â€Å"I'm not a rich guy-I'm a teacher. But I'll tell you what I'll do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I'll call your bluff, that's what I'll do. â€Å"Why don't I charge the ticket for you?† The blonde stared at him in utter shock. â€Å"You'd do that?† she stammered, eyes wide with hope. â€Å"You'd buy me a ticket home? Oh, God, thank you!† Becker was speechless. He had apparently misjudged the moment. The girl threw her arms around him. â€Å"It's been a shitty summer,† she choked, almost bursting into tears. â€Å"Oh, thank you! I've got to get out of here!† Becker returned her embrace halfheartedly. The girl let go of him, and he eyed her forearm again. She followed his gaze to the bluish rash. â€Å"Gross, huh?† Becker nodded. â€Å"I thought you said you weren't on drugs.† The girl laughed. â€Å"It's Magic Marker! I took off half my skin trying to scrub it off. The ink smeared.† Becker looked closer. In the fluorescent light, he could see, blurred beneath the reddish swelling on her arm, the faint outline of writing-words scrawled on flesh. â€Å"But†¦ but your eyes,† Becker said, feeling dumb. â€Å"They're all red.† She laughed. â€Å"I was crying. I told you, I missed my flight.† Becker looked back at the words on her arm. She frowned, embarrassed. â€Å"Oops, you can still kind of read it, can't you?† Becker leaned closer. He could read it all right. The message was crystal clear. As he read the four faint words, the last twelve hours flashed before his eyes. David Becker found himself back in the Alfonso XIII hotel room. The obese German was touching his own forearm and speaking broken English: Fock off und die. â€Å"You okay?† the girl asked, eyeing the dazed Becker. Becker did not look up from her arm. He was dizzy. The four words smeared across the girl's flesh carried a very simple message: FUCK OFF AND DIE. The blonde looked down at it, embarrassed. â€Å"This friend of mine wrote it†¦ pretty stupid, huh?† Becker couldn't speak. Fock off und die. He couldn't believe it. The German hadn't been insulting him, he'd been trying to help. Becker lifted his gaze to the girl's face. In the fluorescent light of the concourse, he could see faint traces of red and blue in the girl's blond hair. â€Å"Y-you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Becker stammered, staring at her unpierced ears. â€Å"You wouldn't happen to wear earrings, would you?† The girl eyed him strangely. She fished a tiny object from her pocket and held it out. Becker gazed at the skull pendant dangling in her hand. â€Å"A clip-on?† he stammered. â€Å"Hell, yes,† the girl replied. â€Å"I'm scared shitless of needles.† Chapter 70 David Becker stood in the deserted concourse and felt his legs go weak. He eyed the girl before him and knew his search was over. She had washed her hair and changed clothes-maybe in hopes of having better luck selling the ring-but she'd never boarded for New York. Becker fought to keep his cool. His wild journey was about to end. He scanned her fingers. They were bare. He gazed down at her duffel. It's in there, he thought. It's got to be! He smiled, barely containing his excitement. â€Å"This is going to sound crazy,† he said, â€Å"but I think you've got something I need.† â€Å"Oh?† Megan seemed suddenly uncertain. Becker reached for his wallet. â€Å"Of course I'd be happy to pay you.† He looked down and started sorting through the cash in his billfold. As Megan watched him count out his money, she drew a startled gasp, apparently misunderstanding his intentions. She shot a frightened glance toward the revolving door†¦ measuring the distance. It was fifty yards. â€Å"I can give you enough to buy your ticket home if-â€Å" â€Å"Don't say it,† Megan blurted, offering a forced smile. â€Å"I think I know exactly what you need.† She bent down and started rifling through her duffel. Becker felt a surge of hope. She's got it! he told himself. She's got the ring! He didn't know how the hell she knew what it was he wanted, but he was too tired to care. Every muscle in his body relaxed. He pictured himself handing the ring to the beaming deputy director of the NSA. Then he and Susan would lie in the big canopy bed at Stone Manor and make up for lost time. The girl finally found what she was looking for-her PepperGuard-the environmentally safe alternative to mace, made from a potent blend of cayenne and chili peppers. In one swift motion, she swung around and fired a direct stream into Becker's eyes. She grabbed her duffel and dashed for the door. When she looked back, David Becker was on the floor, holding his face, writhing in agony.