Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Seasonable vs. Seasonal

The words seasonable and seasonal both relate to the seasons of the year, but their meanings arent quite the same. The adjective seasonable means usual or suitable for a particular season of the year; taking place at an appropriate time. The adjective seasonal means relating to, dependent on, or characteristic of a particular season of the year. See Usage Notes, below. Examples After enduring two years of severe drought, we are finally enjoying some seasonable weather this summer.The old English song â€Å"John Barleycorn Must Die† describes the seasonal ritual of rendering grain into ale. Usage Notes Heat and humidity are seasonable here in summer means theyre normal for this season of the year. Sentimentality is seasonal at Christmas means its typical or characteristic of Christmas seasons. Seasonable can also mean opportune or in time, as in Their arrival was seasonable, just when we hoped for it. If people arrive seasonably, they are on time or even a bit early; if they arrive seasonally, they visit annually at about the same season of the year. Never use seasonable for seasonal (the other possible confusion almost never occurs.) Unseasonable, unseasonal, unseasonably, and unseasonally are precise antonyms of seasonable, seasonal, seasonably, and seasonally respectively.(Kenneth G. Wilson, The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Columbia University Press, 1993)Seasonal is used much more frequently than seasonable. A seasonal job is one that is available only at a particular time of the year: seasonal employment such as selling ice-creams in the summer. A seasonal chan ge is one that takes place at a particular time of the year: Allowing for seasonal factors, unemployment dropped slightly last month.(Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of English Spelling. Wordsworth, 1999)If youre talkin winter, spring, summer or fall, youre talkin seasonal; only if youre talkin about whats right and proper for those times are you correct to use seasonable.(William Safire, The Right Word in the Right Place at the Right Time. Simon Schuster, 2004) Practice (a) The lack of _____ clothing was one of the greatest hardships experienced by the children of the frontier.(b) In the early nineteenth century, there was a significant increase in the scale of _____ migration from Ireland to Britain during the harvest season. Answers (a) The lack of  seasonable  clothing was one of the greatest hardships experienced by the children of the frontier.(b) In the early nineteenth century, there was a significant increase in the scale of  seasonal  migration from Ireland to Britain during the harvest season.

Monday, December 23, 2019

The Hunting Ground An Exploration Of The Issues,...

Within the non-fictitious text of the documentary film The Hunting Ground, viewers witness an exploration of the issues, discourses, and institutional responses –or lack thereof- surrounding on-campus rape in American college and universities. Indeed, a large portion of the filmic text dedicates itself to exploring the overrepresentation of university athletes in perpetuating crimes of rape, sexual violence, and sexual assault against female students. Furthermore, the film seeks to delineate the ways via which university athletes are accorded an equal disproportionate level of leigh way when it comes to institutional responses, and public discourse surrounding crimes of rape and sexual violence. These discourses and institutional non-responses will serve as the starting point for this essay, Indeed, whilst most cases of rape -regardless of the perpetrator’s profession- still largely end in victim-blaming, cases of rape and sexual violence where the perpetrator is a prof essional and/or a university athlete produce a very nuanced and complex set of discourses. This paper will explore how these discourses, in and of themselves, are generated in a manner that circumscribe experiences of embodied masculinized athletic subjectivity vis-à  -vis the rejection, perpetration, and penetration of that which is feminine or feminized. It is important to note here, that a masculine defined by the rejection of the feminine- that is the masculine as an experience of subjectivity requiringShow MoreRelatedOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesresult oriented but also to be wise in their decision making. 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Saturday, December 14, 2019

Forrest Gump Chapter Twenty-One Free Essays

string(138) " most of a hour to git mysef back in a even position, an the ole man be kinda gruntin an shakin his head evertime I improve my situation\." Chapter Twenty-One Well, after that I was one sorry bastid. Dan an me stayed at the apartment that nite, but the nex mornin started packin up our shit an all, cause there wadn’t no reason to be in Indianapolis no longer. Dan, he come to me an say, â€Å"Here, Forrest, take this money,† an helt out the two thousand dollars Mike had give us for rasslin The Professor. We will write a custom essay sample on Forrest Gump Chapter Twenty-One or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"I don’t want it,† I says. â€Å"Well you better take it,† says Dan, â€Å"cause it’s all we got.† â€Å"You keep it,† I says. â€Å"At least take haf of it,† he say. â€Å"Look, you gotta have some travelin money. Get you to wherever your goin.† â€Å"Ain’t you goin with me?† I axed. â€Å"I’m afraid not, Forrest,† he says. â€Å"I think I done enough damage already. I didn’t sleep none last night. I’m thinkin about how I got you to agree to bet all our money, an how I got you to keep on rasslin when it oughta have been apparent Jenny was about to freak out on us. An it wadn’t your fault you got whupped by The Professor. You did what you could. I am the one to blame. I jus ain’t no good.† â€Å"Awe, Dan, it wadn’t your fault neither,† I says. â€Å"If I hadn’t of got the big head bout bein The Dunce, an begun to believe all that shit they was sayin bout me, I wouldn’t of got in this fix in the first place.† â€Å"Whatever it is,† Dan say, â€Å"I jus don’t feel right taggin along anymore. You got other fish to fry now. Go an fry em. Forget about me. I ain’t no good.† Well, me an Dan talked for a long time, but there wadn’t no convincin him, an after a wile, he got his shit an I hepped him down the steps, an the last I seen of him, he was pushin hissef down the street on his little cart, with all his clothes an shit piled in his lap. I went down to the bus station an bought a ticket to Mobile. It was sposed to be a two day an two nite trip, down thru Louisville, to Nashville, to Birmingham an then Mobile, an I was one miserable idiot, settin there wile the bus rolled along. We passed thru Louisville durin the nite, an the nex day we stopped in Nashville an had to change busses. It was about a three hour wait, so I decided to walk aroun town for a wile. I got me a sambwich at a lunch counter an a glass of iced tea an was walkin down the street when I seen a big sign in front of a hotel say, â€Å"Welcome Grandmaster’s Invitational Chess Tournament.† It sort of got my curiosity up, on account of I had played all that chess back in the jungle with Big Sam, an so I went on into the hotel. They was playin the chess game in the ballroom an had a big mob of people watchin, but a sign say, â€Å"Five dollars admission,† and I didn’t want to spend none of my money, but I looked in thru the door for a wile, an then jus went an set down in the lobby by mysef. They was a chair across from me with a little ole man settin in it. He was all shriveled up an grumpy-lookin an had on a black suit with spats an a bow tie an he had a chessboard set out on a table in front of him. As I set there, ever once in a wile he would move one of the chessmen, an it begun to dawn on me that he was playin by hissef. I figgered I had bout another hour or so fore the bus lef, so I axed him if he wanted somebody to play with. He jus looked at me an then looked back down at his chessboard an didn’t say nothin. A little bit later, the ole feller’d been studyin the chessboard for most of a half hour an then he moved his white bishop over to black square seven an was jus bout to take his han off it when I says, † ‘scuse me.† The feller jumped like he’d set on a tack, an be glarin across the table at me. â€Å"You make that move,† I says, â€Å"an you be leavin yoursef wide open to lose your knight an then your queen an put your ass in a fix.† He look down at his chessboard, never takin his han off the bishop, an then he move it back an say to me, â€Å"Possibly you are right.† Well, he go on back to studyin the chessboard an I figger it’s time to get back to the bus station, but jus as I start to leave, the ole man say, â€Å"Pardon me, but that was a very shrewd observation you made.† I nod my head, an then he say, â€Å"Look, you’ve obviously played the game, why don’t you sit down an finish this one with me? Just take over the white in their positions now.† â€Å"I cain’t,† I says, cause I got to catch the bus an all. So he jus nods an gives me a little salute with his han an I went on back to the bus station. Time I get there, the damn bus done lef anyway, an here I am an ain’t no other bus till tomorrow. I jus cain’t do nothin right. Well, I got a day to kill, so I walked on back to the hotel an there is the little ole man still playin against hissef, an he seems to be winnin. I went on up to him an he look up an motion for me to set down. The situation I have come into is pretty miserable – haf my pawns gone an I ain’t got but one bishop an no rooks an my queen is about to be captured nex. It took me most of a hour to git mysef back in a even position, an the ole man be kinda gruntin an shakin his head evertime I improve my situation. You read "Forrest Gump Chapter Twenty-One" in category "Essay examples" Finally, I dangle a gambit in front of him. He took it, an three moves later I got him in check. â€Å"I will be damned,† he say. â€Å"Just who are you, anyway?† I tole him my name, an he say, â€Å"No, I mean, where have you played? I don’t even recognize you.† When I tole him I learnt to play in New Guinea, an he say, â€Å"Good heavens! An you mean to say you haven’t even been in regional competition?† I shook my head an he says, â€Å"Well whether you know it or not, I am a former international grand master, and you have just stepped into a game you couldn’t possibily have won, and totally annihilated me!† I axed how come he wadn’t playin in the room with the other people, an he says, â€Å"Oh, I played earlier. I’m nearly eighty years old now, an there is a sort of senior tournament. The real glory is to the younger fellows now – their minds are jus sharper.† I nodded my head an thanked him for the game an got up to go, but he says, â€Å"Listen, have you had your supper yet?† I tole him I had a sambwich a few hours ago, an he say, â€Å"Well how about letting me buy you dinner? After all, you gave me a superb game.† I said that woud be okay, an we went into the hotel dinin room. He was a nice man. Mister Tribble was his name. â€Å"Look,† Mister Tribble say wile we is havin dinner, â€Å"I’d have to play you a few more games to be sure, but unless your playing this evening was a total fluke, you are perhaps one of the brightest unrecognized talents in the game. I would like to sponsor you in a tournament or two, and see what happens.† I tole him about headin home an wantin to get into the srimp bidness and all, but he say, â€Å"Well, this could be the opportunity of a lifetime for you, Forrest. You could make a lot of money in this game, you know.† He said for me to think it over tonight, an let him know somethin in the mornin. So me an Mister Tribble shook hans, an I went on out in the street. I done wandered aroun for a wile, but they ain’t a lot to see in Nashville, an finally I wound up settin on a bench in a park. I was tryin to think, which don’t exactly come easy to me, an figger out what to do now. My mind was mostly on Jenny an where she is. She say not to try to find her or nothin, but they is a feelin down deep in me someplace that she ain’t forgot me. I done made a fool of mysef in Indianapolis, an I know it. I think it was that I wadn’t tryin to do the right thing. An now, I ain’t sure what the right thing is. I mean, here I am, ain’t got no money to speak of, an I got to have some to start up the srimp bidness, an Mister Tribble say I can win a good bit on the chess circuit. But it seem like ever time I do somethin besides tryin to get home an get the srimp bidness started, I get my big ass in hot water – so here I am again, wonderin what to do. I ain’t been wonderin long when up come a policeman an axe me what I’m doin. I says I’m jus settin here thinkin, an he say ain’t nobody allowed to set an think in the park at night an for me to move along. I go on down the street, an the policeman be followin me. I didn’t know where to go, so after a wile I saw an alley an walked on back in it an foun a place to set down an rest my feet. I ain’t been settin there more’n a minute when the same ole policeman come by an see me there. â€Å"All right,† he say, â€Å"come on outta there.† When I get out to the street, he say, â€Å"What you doin in there?† I says, â€Å"Nothin,† an he say, â€Å"That’s exactly what I thought – you is under arrest for loiterin.† Well, he take me to the jail an lock me up an then in the mornin they say I can make one phone call if I want. Course I didn’t know nobody to phone but Mister Tribble, so that’s what I did. Bout haf a hour later, he shows up at the police station an springs me out of jail. Then he buys me a big ole breakfast at the hotel an says, â€Å"Listen, why don’t you let me enter you in the interzonal championships next week in Los Angeles? First prize is ten thousan dollars. I will pay for all your expenses an we will split any money you win. Seems to me you need a stake of some sort, and, to tell you the truth, I would enjoy it immensely mysef. I will be your coach and adviser. How bout it?† I still had some doubts, but I figgered it wouldn’t hurt to try. So I said I woud do it for a wile. Till I got enough money to start the srimp thing. An me an Mister Tribble shook hans an become partners. Los Angeles was quite a sight. We got there a week early an Mister Tribble would spend most of the day coachin me an honin down my game, but after a wile of this, he jus shook his head an say there ain’t no sense in tryin to coach me, cause I got â€Å"every move in the book† already. So what we did was, we went out on the town. Mister Tribble took me to Disneyland an let me go on some rides an then he arranged to get us a tour of a movie lot. They is got all sorts of movies goin on, an people is runnin aroun shoutin â€Å"take one,† an â€Å"cut,† an â€Å"action,† an shit like that. One of the movies they was doin was a Western an we seen a feller get hissef thowed thru a plate glass winder about ten times – till he got it right. Anyway, we was jus standin there watchin this, when some guy walk up an says, â€Å"I beg your pardon, are you an actor?† I says, â€Å"Huh?† An Mister Tribble, he says, â€Å"No, we are chess players.† An the feller say, â€Å"Well that’s kind of a shame, because the big guy here, he looks ideal for a role in a movie I’m doing.† And then he turn to me an feel of my arm an say, â€Å"My, my, you are a big strong feller – are you sure you don’t act?† â€Å"I did once,† I says. â€Å"Really!† the feller says. â€Å"What in?† â€Å"King Lear.† â€Å"Marvelous, baby,† he says, â€Å"that’s just marvelous – do you have your SAG card?† â€Å"My what?† â€Å"Screen Actors Guild – oh, no matter,† he say. â€Å"Listen, baby, we can get that, no trouble. What I want to know is, where have they been hiding you? I mean, just look at you! A perfect big strong silent type – another John Wayne.† â€Å"He is no John Wayne,† Mister Tribble say sourly, â€Å"he is a world-class chess player.† â€Å"Well all the better,† the feller say, â€Å"a smart big, strong, silent type. Very unusual.† â€Å"Ain’t as smart as I look,† I says, tryin to be honest, but the feller say none of that matters anyhow, cause actors ain’t sposed to be smart or honest or nothin like that – just be able to get up there an say they lines. â€Å"My name’s Felder,† he says, â€Å"an I make movies. I want you to take a screen test.† â€Å"He has to play in a chess tournament tomorrow,† Mister Tribble say. â€Å"He has no time for acting or screen tests.† â€Å"Well, you could squeeze it in, couldn’t you? After all, it might be the break you’ve been looking for. Why don’t you come along, too, Tribble, we’ll give you a screen test as well.† â€Å"We’ll try,† Mister Tribble say. â€Å"Now come along, Forrest, we have a little more work to do.† â€Å"See you later, baby,† say Mister Felder, â€Å"don’t forget now.† An off we go. How to cite Forrest Gump Chapter Twenty-One, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Knowledge Questions for Unit Hsc free essay sample

As a candidate, make sure you describe and explain your actions. | | | | | | | |Knowledge Questions for Unit HSC 44 | | | | | | | |5 | | | |Who draws up the Code of Practice for Social Care? | | |The General Social Care Council. | | | | | | | |6e | | | |Outline features of systems used in Lincolnshire in respect of confidential reporting of issues of concern. | | | |The council has its own policy which helps to inform on bad practice, difficulties between staff members and complaints ect. This is| | | |the ‘whistle blowing’ policy and it was designed in order to protect those wishing to make a complaint and to avoid such things as | | | |victimization. Although anonymous, complaints are still dealt with the same seriousness as named complaints although it is preferred| | | |that applicants with complaints should not be anonymous. | | | | | | | | | | |7 | | | |When the Children’s act 2004 was published it contained some major changes for the way in which services were to be delivered. Take | | | |one and explain in your own words the advantages this brings for the wellbeing of children and their families. We will write a custom essay sample on Knowledge Questions for Unit Hsc or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page | | | |The Childrens Act 2004 brought about many changes and most significant was the Every Child Matters campaign that runs along side the| | | |2004 act. For the Act itself the main change that helps in the work that I do is the implementation of the CAF. This works in line | | | |with the need for inter-agency working. I think this is one on the most crucial changes of the Act, and as the Victoria Climbie | | | |inquiry showed many agencies were involved with the case and through lack of communication, information sharing and joint working | | | |Victoria Climbie died at the hands of her aunt. One of the many advantages is local authorities drive for inter-agency working. | | |Through this many agencies are trying to change their way of working and with the help of the CAF more agencies are invited to the | | | |first meeting when a child has been shown to have additional needs. On the whole the process is proving to be more focussed on the | | | |child and family and this reduces any stigma for the families as in the past most cases where always referred to social workers. | | |Families and children are now seen more often and social workers can now focus on the more complex and child protection cases. | | | |Through inter-agency wo rking families and children are given the help that meets their needs and reduces the need for long term | | | |involvement. | | | | | | | | | | |8a | | | |Outline the features of the Dfes initiative â€Å"Building a Culture of Participation† | | | |This initiative is led by the government in their commitment to allow children to have a say in how policies affect them and to | | | |contribute to how a service is delivered. By listening to children and young people it ensures that policies and services are | | | |designed around their needs. This leads to better outcomes for children, young people and families. It also allows for policies to | | | |be effectively evaluated and evolve as necessary. | | | | | | | | | | | |9a | | | |Outline the Common Assessment Framework. Explain why this Government initiative has been introduced and its purpose. | | | |The CAF was implemented in 2006 in order to have a universal assessment form that could be used by all agencies and professionals. | | | |This was in line with some of Lord Laming’s recommendations after the Victoria Climbie enquiry. As a universal document it reduces | | | |the need for repetitive assessments and focuses more on the child and family and multi agency working. The CAF process can start at | | | |any time once it has been identified that a child has an additional need. Once agreed all information is shared between the agencies| | | |involved again reducing the chance of a child ‘falling through the system’. As the CAF is aimed at early intervention some one such | | | |as a school teacher can be the lead professional allowing more serious cases to be dealt with by social workers. As children can | | | |often have what was once deemed as minor issues and not warrant the classification as a child in need, through the CAF they are | | | |classed as having additional needs which allows professionals to work with the child and family. Once a child that has been | | | |highlighted as a CAF they can move in and out of the system as identified issues arise. | | | | | | | | | | |9bc | | | |Summarise the targets of the combined health and education initiative â€Å"Healthy schools†. | | | |The national healthy schools programme promotes a whole school approach to health. The programme is a joint initiative between the | | | |department of health and the department for children, schools and families. It aims to deliver benefits for children on improvement | | | |in health, raise pupil achievement, more social inclusion and a closer working between health promotion providers and education | | | |establishments. | | | |The public health white paper choosing health (2004) set a challenging target for 75% of schools to achieve healthy school status by| | | |2009 and for all schools to work towards this target. Through a planned curriculum schools can promote learning and healthy | | | |lifestyle choices. The four core themes within the programme are: | | | |Healthy eating | | | |Physical activity | | | |PSHE | | | |Emotional health and well-being. | | | | | | | | | | | | | |12 | | | |How does the Joint Annual Review shape the way in which Children’s Services are delivered locally. You may wish to discuss | | | |Lincolnshire’s last JAR and comment on how the recent Service restructuring has been a result of this. | | | |The Children’s Act requires joint area reviews to be conducted in each children’s services authority area. The multi-disciplinary | | | |team of inspectors review all services provided to children and young people aged 0 – 19. There are around 42 key judgements which | | | |relate directly to the five outcomes highlighted in the every child matters framework. Through the Lincolnshire JAR report published| | | |in March 2007 it was proved that there was a need for better facilities for all children aged 0 – 19. There are now plans to develop| | | |a further 23 children’s centres by 2008. Through this service restructuring the aim is to shift the balance of services from | | | |interventionist to a preventative approach. The strengthening families will work with partner agencies to deliver the five outcomes | | | |for the every child matters. This is where children’s services as a targeted service interface as part of a universal service. | | | | | | | | | | |16e | | | |Identify the risks to effective working caused by stresses on the work force and recommend what action can be taken. | | | |When work becomes too stressful for an individual it can cause a knock on effect throughout the staff team and the cases in which | | | |the individual is working on. The individual can start to have more days off sick which could cause other staff members to add to | | | |their workload in taking on those individuals cases. Stress can also cause the individual to lose direction and focus in the cases | | | |they work on and this can result in a reduced quality of service for those particular families. | | | |Stress in the work place can be identified early and then reduced by regular supervision. Supervision gives the individual a chance | | | |to discuss their cases and anything that might be causing them to feel stressed. Supervisors are then able to help supervisee’s in | | | |managing there stress before it gets to the point where it affects all that they do. Staff meetings are another opportunity to get | | | |together on a regular basis with other team members as it’s a chance for everyone to discuss their working role as well as any | | | |difficult cases they may have. This gives a chance for positive reinforcement by the manager on the work that is being done and also| | | |a chance to ‘brainstorm’ ideas that might help with the work. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |17 | | | |Explain in a short paragraph how the Social Model of disability affects children and their families which you work. | | |The social model of disability says that people are disabled not by their impairment, but by society that does not take account of | | | |their needs and prevents them from having full access to society due to physical, communication and social barriers. A large | | | |majority of the families that I work with fall into the category of being disabled by society. Those families that are most | | | |disadvantaged are those living in poverty. Families face multiple stresses which can affect a child’s needs. If a parent struggles | | | |to provide an adequate environment for a child this will impact on the child’s developments and the parent’s capacity to care for | | | |the child. | | |CHILD A | | | |CHILD B | | | | | | | |No dependence on social security benefits | | | |Household receives multiple enefits | | | | | | | |Two parent family | | | |Single adult household | | | | | | | |Three or fewer children | | | |Four or more children | | | | | | | |White | | | |Mixed ethnic origin | | | | | | | |Owner occupied home | | | |Council or privately rented home | | | | | | | |More room than people | | | |One or more persons per room | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |18a/b | | | |See 8a above. | | | | | | | |18d | | | |Using Lincolnshire County Councils Competency framework, explain how you would assist a member of your team to develop skills in | | | |risk management with regards to child protection. You need to be specific to an individual competency. | | |Using competency number 8 –Analysis and Judgement. I would be able to assist the member of staff in the above question. As part | | | |of the competency it requires the individual to look closely at the work they do and how it could be improved. Part of this is | | | |through having a broad range of information about an issue. In this particular instance it would be child protection. This could be | | | |done in-house through regular supervision. This can be through asking the individual to research up to date information and then | | | |having a question answer session on the information they have found. This shows that the indivual has done what is requested and | | | |demonstrates that they have an understanding of the subject that they would then be able to take into their work practice. Another | | | |useful development skill would be to assign the individual to a child protection case that was held by a social worker. The indivual| | | |would gain insight into the process of how child protection is identified and then managed. This hands on approach would give valued| | | |knowledge and development without risk to the family involved. | | | |Finally a child protection training course would be beneficial to the individual to again further develop there knowledge of the | | | |subject. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |19 | | | |What impact does placement disruption potentially have on the wellbeing of Children In Public Care. You should relate your answer | | | |the recent Government paper ‘Care Matters’ | | | |Most children who end up in care experience multiple moves. It is standard that three or more moves constitutes as placement | | | |stability. Child development theories say that repeated movements jeopardize the opportunity for children to develop secure | | | |attachments with carers and trusting relationships with adults. Children with behaviour problems, prior instability and the age of | | | |the child at placement have all been found to be important factors in placement instability. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |24 | | | |List 3 types of evidence that would be valid in court. Explain your rational behind each one. | | | |1) Video Evidence- For children 14years and under. Also for children classed as a vulnerable witness. Video evidence reduces the | | | |need for a child to be in court and to be face to face with the perpetrator. | | | |2) Court reports – These are factual based evidence which follow a mandatory guideline for completing. | | | |3) Records – Records are an essential source of evidence for investigations and inquiry’s, and may also be used in court | | | |proceedings. Therefore it is essential that any records on a child are clear and accurate and ensure that there is a documented | | | |account of an agency’s or professional’s involvement with a child and/or a family. | | | | | | | | | | |25 | | | |Provide three examples of recording information that might be deemed discriminatory and explain why, in at least one of these | | | |examples, the discrimination might pass without comment. | | |1) The child is ‘missing’ from the record – This doesn’t mean that the child hasn’t been mentioned at all, but that their wishes and| | | |feelings, their views and understanding of their situation, are not recorded. The absence of a child from the record suggests to the| | | |reader that no work has been done with the child, or that the child has not been involved in any work. | | | |2) Facts and opinions are not differentiated – Failing to differentiate between fact and opinions can result in the significance of | | | |some information being overlooked, or opinions becoming accepted as facts and which could influence the management of the case. If | | | |opinions and judgements are not substantiated in the record it can be difficult to explain how these were made to family members who| | | |access the records especially if the case holder who wrote them is no longer working within the agency. | | | |3) The record is not written for sharing. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |This account must (except in the case of responses to questions) be authenticated by at least one of the following | |Work products seen | | |List | | |Witnessed by— |Name |Sign |Expert | |Include on witness list | | |Y/N | |I confirm the authenticity of the |Signature of Candidate | |work above |DATE 31. 03. 08 | |I confirm the judgements claimed |Signature of Assessor |TICK IF OBSERVED | |above |DATE | | EV 5

Friday, November 29, 2019

10 Exemplification Essay Topics on Myths and Religion

10 Exemplification Essay Topics on Myths and Religion Before there were legal laws and government policies to provide a structure for humans to live by, religion played the role of providing direction for the lifestyle each individual should attain to that was pleasing to god. With time, the world’s religions have evolved from providing directions to daily living to catering to faith and what happens in the afterlife. This makes religion an expansive and interesting topic to discuss as well as write about in educational environments. Today’s article focuses on myths and religion which means it discusses the myths associated with religious worship and how some have been accepted in mainstream religions. So before discussing these myths, here is a brief explanation of what religion and myths represent. Religion can be defined as a set of beliefs diverted to a cause, nature and the purpose of the universe as well as man’s place in it. While myths are unproven stories generally passed down from generations to generations that become facts with the passage of time. Practicing religion involves conducting certain rituals and the use of devotionals- holy books, religious tools- to provide directions on how to worship the creator of the universe and this is where myths come in for they are included in most devotionals as religious stories or instructions. So here are 10 facts on the myths and religions for an exemplification essay: The Inspiration behind mythical stories in the minds of men in ancient Greece is attributed to divine sources such as Zeus and the muses. In like manner, modern religion also attributes the inspiration behind the stories and facts found in religious books to divine inspiration from a divine being or an element of the divine being. Therefore, in both cases, myths are sometimes believed to be actual historical incidents that occurred in a forgotten era. The creation story and its mythical origins the three major Abrahamic religions share the same belief on how the world was created in three days out of nothing but before this belief became widely accepted, ancient Egyptian myths and text also described a creation process in which the world was built from an infinite, lifeless sea of nothingness. Other religions such as the Kamba in Kenya, and the Maori religion also contain aspects of this creation myth. Oral transmission creates avenues for distortions the stories we recognize as myths today were transferred through the ages by oral communication which has led to distortions as the custodians of these stories either embellish or detract facts from them. Like Homer’s tale of the Iliad which were a set of stories passed around for 500 years before he penned them down the first 5 books of the bible which forms the basics of the Christian, Muslim and Jewish faith were also passed down orally. Myths tend to be modernized by politics modernization is a procedure that also affects mythology as story tellers tend to retell stories to fit into the popular political movement or beliefs of his or her time. In ancient Greece, the Tragedians adjusted mythical plots to illuminate the political and social problems of that era. So also do religious books which sometimes reflect the politics and social on-goings that occurred during the periods they were written. The concept of heaven and hell are a product of mythical stories passed down from generations to generations and are not solely endemic to the major religions of today. In ancient Egypt, the belief in an afterlife was one held in the Trayastrimsa culture while in ancient Greece, the belief in Tartarus as a place of punishment predated the belief in hell. Ancient commandments and human society myths have also played their path in setting commandments on which ancient societies lived by in years past. The first recorded text of commandments included the treaty of the Hittites and the code of Hammurabi. These commandments preceded the 10 commandments and the Torah. A close look at the Hammurabi laws show close similarities to the laws in today’s modern religions. The belief in a trinity possesses mythological roots the belief in a trinity consisting of three coequal gods has been a part of the ancient religions practiced in Babylon, Rome and Asia before the advent of Christianity. In Babylon, Baal, Ashtoreth and Tammuz were one of the earliest known examples of the trinity theology in religion, while later on in Rome, Jupiter, Juno and Minerva formed a trinity which is quite similar to that found in the Christian religion. The dying and rising gods the stories of a god who died and resurrected to provide succour to its worshipers has been a recurring meet since the beginning of time when humans had a belief system. The earliest version of a resurrecting god can be found in ancient Egyptian religion were Osiris undergoes a form of rebirth after death. Subsequently, ancient Greek religion added Dionysus to the list of resurrecting gods. The flood or deluge myths the belief in a global flood that affected humankind is an important tenet. The three major Abrahamic religions have mythological stories that preceded Judaism. The Sumerian creation myth is credited as having the first religious reference to a global flood that washes humanity. The Sumerian myth also includes stories of a mythical creature, Zi-ud-Sura, who builds an ark to save both himself and other animals. The evil nature of serpents since the beginning of religion, the serpent has been ascribed a mythological role as the bringer of bad news and destruction to mythical beings. In one of the oldest stories ever written- The Epic of Gilgamesh- Gilgamesh loses the power of immortality which was stolen off him by a snake. Also, in ancient Greece mythology, the serpent plays a stellar role in trying to thwart the destinies of mythical figures. Likewise, Christianity, Islam and Judaism feature the serpent as the deceiver of the first humans on earth. So here we come to the end of our 10 fascinating facts on myths and religion that you can apply when writing an essay on religion. Do not hesitate to also read the follow up pieces to these facts. 20 topics on myths and religion and a complete guide to an exemplification essay will give you directions on choosing a topic and writing an exemplification on essay on myths and religion. References: Scott, L. (2009). Myths and Religion. angelfire.com/indie/green_economics/MythsandReligion.pdf Levitt, M. Elissa, G. (2000). How Raven Found the Daylight and other American Indian Stories. Encyclopedia.com. (2006). Myths. encyclopedia.com/topic/Myths.aspx Wikipedia. (2014). Creation Myths. https://www.google.com.ng/search?sourceid=chrome-psyapi2ion=1espv=2ie=UTF-8q=creation%20mythsoq=creation%20mythsrlz=1C1AVNE_enNG649NG650aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.27072j0j7 John, M. (2008). Why Does Nearly Every Culture Have a Tradition of a Global Flood? icr.org/article/why-does-nearly-every-culture-have-tradition-globa/ Ed, T. (2002). Pagan Roots of the Trinity Doctrine. biblicalunitarian.com/articles/pagan-roots-of-the-trinity-doctrine-ed-torrence-2002 Norse-mythology.com. (2008). Death and the Afterlife. http://norse-mythology.org/concepts/death-and-the-afterlife/ Ellis, R. (1968). The Road to Hel: A Study of the Conception of the Dead in Old Norse Literature, 84.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Neighborhood Article Summary Essay Example

Neighborhood Article Summary Essay Example Neighborhood Article Summary Essay Neighborhood Article Summary Essay Neighborhood Article Summary Name: Institution: Instructor: Course: Date: Neighborhood Article Summary ED Sees Critical Capacities Unsafe conditions were cited in the Neighborhood Hospital. Cases of over staffing were reported . The overstaffing has led to hazardous conditions that interfere with the safety of the staffers. The health facility is flooded with patients suffering from ailments that can easily be treated at home. However, because of a dearth in alternative health care compels them to seek medical attention in the center. According to Dr. Gordon, it is evident that the region lacks adequate health facilities to carter for the destitute and low-income members of the society (Johnson, 2012). Dr. Gordon suggested that there was an urgent need to create awareness among the members of the society concerning symptoms and treatment of common ailments and injuries. He argued that majority of the patients who visit the health institutions have conditions that could receive treatment at home. An increase in the capacity of hospitals has compelled the patients to visit the health institution for minor injuries and ailments. The patients were forced to waist for more than six hours to receive medical attention (Johnson, 2012). Public Health Issues In the article, Dr. Gordon addresses a number of public health concerns. These concerns are accessibility to effective health care, mass awareness on common health ailments, overstaffing in health institutions and hazardous working conditions for health workers. These issues were represented in the various situations that surrounded the Neighborhood Hospital. These issues are of public concern because they affect the well-being of the members of the society. One concern that Dr. Gordon raises is that there is a dearth of adequate medical facilities to carter for the population of the region. The doctor elaborates further that this lack of adequate medical facilities is detrimental to the treatment of the less privileged members of the society. The government was charged with mandate of providing health care to its population. The human labor is the most important resource of a nation, and it is the government’s obligation to subsidies costs of health care. The less privileged members of the society should receive attention because their social and economic status creates inequity in their resource accessibility. The masses should receive education on the general illnesses and injuries that occur frequently. This awareness will help members of the community not only to avoid the common illness and but to also treat and manage them in case of their occurrence. The Neighborhood Hospital is experiencing an influx of patients because of their inability to treat and manage common ailments. Educating the masses will help to cut down on the costs of treating common illnesses. Creation of awareness will also allow the staff at the medical centers to focus on the urgent cases that require immediate medical attention. Dr. Gordon reported that the staff at Neighborhood Hospital was more than the required number and apart from this, the staff received exposure to hazardous working conditions. It is the responsibility of a company’s management to ensure that its employees work in favorable conditions. The health of the employees should be a priority of the employers. Exposure of the employees to conditions that put their health at risk will subsequently affect their input in the workplace. This will be detrimental to the health care that the patients receive at the health centers. Over staffing at the health facility worsens the working conditions. The result is overcrowding and sharing of limited resources. This will impede the performance of the health care givers. Smoking Breaks a Thing Of The Past The breaks that many companies and social institutions are giving employees are slowly fading away. This is because of the controversies that arose concerning the need for smokers to receive breaks. Smoking is not a disability that requires special attention and therefore that rationality behind the breaks was lost. The breaks taken by the employees can be legally regulated by the employer. This implies that the idea of employees ding away with the smoking breaks is quite feasible. The strings attached to the breaks given to the employee are dictated by the employer (Johnson, 2012). Public Health Issue The public health issue that has been addressed is that of smoking cessation. The effects of tobacco on the public are the driving force behind these efforts. Antismoking programs were extended to the office set up. The management of companies is being encouraged to adopt systems that discourage smoking during the work routine. The government has also been receiving pressure to allocate funds of tobacco cessation. This was because of the rise in tobacco related illness that was burdening the country’s economy. These efforts will aid in the protection of passive smokers and the active smokers themselves. Second hand smoking is known to be the cause of many premature deaths and illnesses. Reference List Johnson, G. (2012). The Neighborhood News. Pearson Health Science. Retrieved from: http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/chet/chet_neighborhood/demo/week7_news.html

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Ten-Year History on Merck (MRK) and Eli Lily (LLY) Essay

Ten-Year History on Merck (MRK) and Eli Lily (LLY) - Essay Example Eli Lily and Company emerged in 1876 and currently has over $20 billion in annual revenue. This report constitutes a broad ranging analysis on these companies over the last ten years and provides a recommendation of which company would be a more desirable acquisition. Qualitative, Cultural, Social There are a number of notable incidents that have occurred in the last ten years of these companies’ histories. While the 2008 economic recession is a prominent consideration that had a detrimental impact on both organizations, there are other problems that have been encountered. For Merck perhaps the most prominent such issue is the 2007 price fixing settlement the company reached, as the company had to pay over $20 million dollar out-of-court settlement with the Department of Health over oligopolistic price fixing in terms of its pharmaceutical drugs (Bowers 2005). Eli Lilly found similar legal troubles as they had to pay a reported $1.42 billion in fines levied by the United State s Justice Department for improper marketing techniques in relation to the company’s anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa. ... From this period the equity valuation went on a steady decline until its November 16th, 2004 trading price of $26.41. While the stock is dividend driven, it’s clear that during this three years period there was a substantial market correction. From the November 16th, 2004 trading price made a steady climb and three years later on November 16th, 2007 the equity had largely regained its equity valuation and was trading at $58.38 ("Financial statement," 2011). The subsequent economic recession and the company price crashed to a ten year low of $25.43 by December 28th, 2009. Since then the stock has slowly climbed and is not trading at $35.67 ("Financial statement," 2011). The clear implication is that the company has demonstrated a past top over $60.00 and that there is strong historical precedent for the current $35 trading price to continue to grow. The Merck equity financials can be compared to those of Eli Lily in an attempt to determine both companies’ financial stren gths in relation to each other as market as macro-concerns within the health care sector. In this context of understanding it’s demonstrated that both companies share slightly similar trends in terms of equity valuation. In November 16th, 2001 Eli Lilly was trading at $79.02. The company witnessed a steady decline in this market price that was topped off by the 2008 recession. By November 16th 2009 the company was trading at $35.36, greatly similar to its current market price of $37.65 ("Financial statement," 2011). While both companies are dividend driven and currently share a similar market valuation, one of the prominent concerns is that while Merck experienced significant ups and downs in valuation, Eli Lilly has demonstrated a steady

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Inquiry into Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Inquiry into Media - Essay Example It is also imperative to take some time to go and watch the affiliated film and make use of a graphic organizer to make comparative studies between the book and the film. After all these activities, the learner makes a discussion, sighting important scenes within the movie that paid attribute to improving the book and also giving examples of scenarios that were a bad idea. In the end, the involved parties select various scenes where their personal opinion is that it was not appropriately represented in the film, and this makes it easy for the leaner to present it as a theatre performance. The use of films in class has a lot of educative value, especially when one considers the examples of critical thinking in relation to the stories that are in the movies. When we add films to the curriculum, this provides an extension and expansion to learning experiences and openings for making intellectual connections for all interested parties. Therefore, this paper takes a looks into the prelimi nary part of the film Titanic produced in 1997 by James Cameron based on a book written in 1953. The primary focus of this essay is the Titanic and here it is the role of the student to explore ways that one may change some of the scenes to other forms of media such as articles, books, short stories or other films (Hockfield 13). The Titanic is a very good film that had the intention to capitulate and become one of the best photographic winning films of all times. The film cost an estimated $200 million plus that resulted in the blinding the critics and audiences, where they were overcome with delight that it was possible to direct and produce a smart action-packed movie. As a result, the movie turned out interestingly and surprisingly great, and Titanic t-shirt wear, posters, calendars, soundtracks, documentaries, and interviews became the order of the day. As one decides to go and watch the film, it is important to distance oneself from these opinions and come to a conclusion afte r a close encounter with the characters and the ideas that the director was critically attempting to reveal. Many people refer to it as the best film they have ever seen. The ship sails through the Atlantic Ocean, and the tragic end started when the machine hit the tip of an iceberg and started sinking. The most remarkable characters that stand out are a poor chap named Jack and a very rich lady named Rose. The wealthy Rose came to America to get hitched after the death of her father, who left her penniless. The two young people met and defy all odds of the social classes and ultimately fall in love. There is a catch; they have to do it in the shadows because, apparently, the rich and the poor have a stigma that occurs in their existence. It is an emotional depiction of love and romance that takes place on a doomed ship that is 46,000 tons of pure steel that seemed undoubtedly unsinkable. One of the characters survived, and one is always wishing that there are two survivors who leav e the audience in awe at the love and romance that sparks between them. It is not a new thing to find an individual crying in these types of films. Jack and Rose are the most breathe-taking leading characters that have a love that is in disguise as they are of different social classes and who are even on different classes onboard the ship.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Development - Essay Example Therefore, private sector has become important in sparking development. However, the task is so overwhelming that it cannot be taken up by a single sector. Therefore, NGOs and charity groups have become very significant in ensuring that development is achieved. Different countries are willing to initiate development in various parts of the world. However, the private sector cannot be entrusted with monitoring how the funds are being utilized. As a result, non-governmental organizations have been given this mandate because they have specialized in ensuring that the development funds reach the right people. However, private sector cannot be left behind in development matters (De & Yehoue 2013). It has been instrumental in identifying areas that need more attention in order to achieve any form of development. In addition, it has been in the forefront in ensuring grants given to the government to start development projects are utilized effectively for the benefits of all people. Private sector partnership with charity groups and NGOs would enhance efficiency. All these parties have a single agenda of initiating development in the society. Therefore, once they bring their ideas and resources together, they would be able to achieve prosperity (Hodge, Greve, & Boardman 2010). This is through closing the gaps that existed which were being used by the elite group and politicians to embezzle funds that were meant for development. Content knowledge in topics such as climate change, financial access and last mile delivery provides non-governmental organizations with an advantage in assessing the needs of the community, policy implications, and customized solutions for specialized contexts (Desai & Potter 2002). Moreover, decades of experience by the non-governmental organizations which have been working with communities is significant in integrating cultural awareness, trusted relationship, and

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Traditional Views Of Corporate Social Responsibility

Traditional Views Of Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility is when companies control the business processes to create an overall positive effect on society. Corporate Social Responsibility is the progressing obligation by business to conduct oneself ethically and donate to economic growth while improving the standards of the societys workforce and as well as of the local community and society. (www.mallenbaker.net) The need of corporate social responsibility is that it helps in building the brand image of the company which will in turn invite plenty of investors there by increases sales and profit of the company or firm. It is also a duty of every firm to give something in return to the society. CSR acts like a bridge between the firm and society and through this both sides are benefited. Corporate social responsibility can be further explained with Carrolls four part model of corporate social responsibility which includes Philanthropic responsibilities, Ethical responsibilities, Legal responsibilities and Economic responsibilities. Carrolls four-part model of corporate social responsibility Source: Carroll 1991 Philanthropic responsibilities are tasks that are the needs of the society. Philanthropy encompasses those corporate behaviour that are related to societys want that businesses be fine corporate citizens. This incorporates keenly involving in actions or programs to encourage human wellbeing or benevolence. Examples of philanthropy include business aid of monetary resources or exclusive period, such as contributions to the arts, education, or the community. A loaned-executive program that offers headship for a communitys United Way campaign is one illustration of philanthropy. (www.findarticles.com) Ethical responsibilities are responsibilities that are awaited by the society. Ethics deals with good behaviour of persons and good living. It distinguishes between right and wrong and encourages the notion of good life that is fulfilling and according to moral conduct. Ethical Responsibility is such a kind of responsibility that is a boundary to the concepts of Ethics. These responsibilities are not only to encourage a good living standard for oneself but also for the whole society. Ethical Responsibility is imposed by the moral and social values of a society and not by regulation. (www.blurit.com) Legal responsibilities are those responsibilities which are a necessitate of the society. Society has not only authorized business to function according to the turnover motive, at the same time business is likely to obey with the laws and regulations promulgated by federal, state, and local governments as the ground rules under which business must function. As a incomplete fulfilment of the social contract between business and society, firms are likely to follow their fiscal missions within the structure of the law. Legal responsibilities replicate a vision of codified ethics in the sense that they embody basic ideas of reasonable operations as established by lawmakers. They are depicted as the next level on the pyramid to describe their historical improvement, but they are suitably seen as co existing wit economic tasks as basic precepts of the liberated venture scheme. (www.findarticles.com) Economic responsibilities are those responsibilities which are demanded by the society. Business firms were formed as economic entities intended to offer goods and services to societal members. The profit motive was recognized as the key incentive for private enterprise. The business organization was the basic economic unit in our society. As such, its prime role was to manufacture goods and services that clients required and desired and to build a satisfactory profit in the progression. At some point the idea of the profit motive got transformed into a notion of maximum profits, and this has been an enduring value ever since. All other business tasks are predicated upon the economic liability of the firm, because without it the others become doubtful considerations. (www.findarticles.com) Stakeholder theory of the firm traditional management mode includes shareholders, customers, firm, suppliers, and employees. The stakeholders may be divided into categories of internal and external stakeholders. The internal stakeholders include employees, owners, and manager. And the external stakeholders include shareholders, society, suppliers, government, customers and creditors. The above question is mainly based on the external stakeholders which emphasis on shareholders and society. Case study of Shell refining company in relation to CSR both traditional and new view Shell Refining Company Shell Company offers to the principle of sustainable development that sees to the requirements of the current situation without compromising the ability of future situation to encounter their own desires. Being part of Shell, this Company offers to the same principle of sustainable development. Shells practices are associated with the systematic approach adopted by Royal Dutch Shell plc in their own pains to employ strength, security and environmental management practices. Their behaviour are governed by the desire to make business decisions that give weight age to their sense of economic, social and environmental responsibilities and by which our stakeholders and society can hold us answerable. Shell refining company are dedicated to serving its stakeholders in order to advance their quality of existence whereas concurrently contributing to Malaysias progression and its Vision 2020 goals and aims. (www.shell.com) The role of shareholders and society in a traditional point of view was mainly associated with mere business ethics. It is the first hit on an offshore provision, formerly thought secure in spite of a wave of inshore attacks. The emergency shutdown might have damaged equipment, which would have to be repaired. The raid took place on the Bonga oil platform about 120km (75 miles) off the coast of the Niger Delta. Shell has also been blamed for an oil spill in the Ogoni region of the Delta. Oil is gushing from disused pipes deserted by the company when it left the region nearly 15 years ago, following local protests. Attacks on the inshore Niger Delta have helped drive up world oil prices and previously cut Nigerias output by about 20%. (www.bbc.co.uk). Shareholders made sure that every action of theirs will be ethical which would be fair, moral, principled and decent decisions towards the company. Shell companys shareholders in the traditional point of view were ethical as in they told their directors not to let the oil wastages in the river at Nigeria as there were wastes being dumped in the river which in turn were affecting the people of Nigeria. The society in turn defended itself. The Shareholders offer its customers with solutions and a diversity of energy products, materials and services, which get together their requirements. Cost-effectively and does not cause damage to the environment. They work to convince them that their performance and society holds up for us, do not direct to untenable social differences but create prosperity, which paybacks society as a whole. They also work to persuade them that there is a clear path for the future expansion of their industry, which will gain the next generation. Shareholders fabricate and sustain a culture of knowledge and modernism in which employees can fulfil their potential and meet the most demanding of goals meanwhile enjoying what is being done. It is a culture where the leaders are being motivated to instigate others through personal example, and where the values of honesty, integrity, respect for people, trust, openness, teamwork and professionalism, can flourish. The companies forces meets the challenges of the new millennium with a view to serving people build a enhanced globe. Therefore, they will persist to invest in projects that exploit superlative equipment, research and expansion within the highest Health, Safety, Security and Environmental (HSSE) standards. (www.shell.com). Traditional view of Shell Company Finance Enduring productivity is necessary to achieve business objectives and to sustained development. It is a measure, both of effectiveness and of the worth that customers position on Shell products and services. It provides the essential business funds for the progressing investment that is necessary to extend and create future energy supplies to convene customer wants. Only through profits and a well-built financial base, it would be possible to fulfil tasks. Rivalry Free enterprise is being supported by Shell companies. They look for fair competence and ethics and within the framework of applicable competition laws and they will not avoid others from competing freely with them. Trade veracity Shell companies persist on sincerity, integrity and justice in all aspects of their business and with whomever they deal with. Any kind of direct or indirect form of bribes where there is an offer, payment and acceptance of them is not acceptable. Payments with regards to facilitation are also bribes and are not granted. Every business dealings on behalf of a Shell company must be reflected precisely and moderately in the accounts of the company in accordance with established procedures and are subject to audit and disclosure. Political actions Shell companies operate in a communally accountable manner within the laws of the countries in which we operate in pursuit of our legitimate commercial objectives. No payments are made to political parties, organizations or their representatives by Shell company. They do not participate in party politics. However, when associated with governments, Shell companies have the right and the conscientiousness to make our position known on any matters which affect us, our employees, our customers, our shareholders or local communities in a manner which is in accord with our standards and the business values. Safety, Health, Security and the Environment Shell companies have an orderly approach to health, safety, security and environmental management so that incessant performance development can be achieved. Shell companies also handle these issues as significant business actions, set principles and goals for development, and compute, assess and report performance outwardly. There is a constant check to reduce the environmental collision of our operations, goods and services. Local Communities Shell companies aspire to be excellent neighbours by constantly recovering the traditions in which they donate directly or indirectly to the universal happiness of the communities within which they work. Management of social effects of business activities in a cautious manner and work with others to improve the reimbursements to local communities, and to mitigate any negative effects from their activities. Shell companies also take a productive concern in societal matters, directly or indirectly related to their business. Communication and commitment Shell companies distinguish that usually conversation and commitment with stakeholders is essential. They are dedicated to reporting of performance by providing full relevant data to lawfully involved parties, subject to any overruling considerations of business privacy. In interactions with employees, business partners and local communities, they look for to listening and responding with sincerity and dedication. Observance Shell Company complies with all applicable laws and regulations of the countries in which they operate with. (www.shell.com) New view of Shell Company No damage to people Shell Company are truly dedicated to pursuing the aim of no damage to people or property as an outcome of their actions. They make sure that there will no one victimised from their operations. Business for Safety Shell Company persistently believes that a well-built safety society is necessary for business. So, they continue to motivate a customs of ownership and individual accountability for safety and health at the workplace all through the firm. Throughout 2006, they sustained to take on the ordered functioning of HSSE Management Systems with specific improvements reflected via key performance indicators (KPIs). Behaviour-Based Safety Behaviour Based Safety (BBS) was initiated to all refinery workers as well as the in-house contractor by an exterior adviser. The programme began in November 2004 and all workforces were trained by 2005. A group of BBS Observers were educated to conduct observations and offer reports to the focal safety manager. A web based checklist for the BBS observers was launched and the conclusion are being analysed to ensure continuous improvements in safety behaviour. Overall, there are many positive indications that the BBS programme will offer additional marked improvement in our safety performance. In 2006, the observations contained in BBS observers database are being analysed by a specialist to give earning basis in preparing HSSE programmes and drives. Environment Protection They are dedicated to shielding the environment. Company minimises the effect of its actions to the environment by setting extremely demanding development targets to increasingly diminish emissions and discharges. These efforts all fall in line with Malaysian legislations, Shell Group Strategic Objectives and other connected global conventions. Complaints from public It is the right of all citizens to find fault if and when any actions bother any citizens daily livelihood. They take all complaints acutely and each is recognized and filed to make sure timely action and response is assured. Usually, all complaints will be responded right away and stopped within 48 hours. If this is not possible, the complainant will be provided a cause for the hold-up and will be advised as to when to wait for a response. In 2006, your company recorded seven public complaints, compared to five recorded in 2005. The complaints were mainly related to odour and noise, which duty officers punctually responded to and the suitable remedial activities taken. Complaints are also discussed at the Community Dialogue sessions that take place frequently. (www.shell.com) The following are some activities conducted by Shell Company towards the new view of CSR. They are as follows SOCIAL PERFORMANCE PLAN Social Performance (SP) in Shell Group is the word used to explain how one manages the effect of business on the communities and societies in which they function. As part of the Shell Group guidelines, Company has developed and executed its SP Plan, which aims to boost social performance levels in a prearranged approach. Company and its stakeholders rise to gain from practical commitment on evidently drawn-up matters. BENEFITS COMMUNITIES Shell Company is a key associate of Port Dickson community. They are continuously looking for suitable ways to give to the social well being of the neighbourhood and to the wider public, which grant your Company its licence to function and nurture. BIODIVERSITY All Companies including Shell Company play an important when it comes with societal aspect as they have a role to play in shielding and supporting biodiversity. As an dynamic contributing member of society, Shell takes this task very sincerely. (www.shell.com) Multiplicity and completeness of Shell Company An organisation with a forward thinking motive, Shell Company appreciates that the whole is forever more than the sum of its parts. They also know the significance of accommodating differences and distinguish people for who they are while acknowledging the significance of their offerings. Merely by recognising and considerating the differences inbuilt in individuals, one can want to plug the various talents of pool of diverse people. Besides accommodating multiplicity in the workplace, one can optimise human resource ability and sharpen the dormant talents and skills of cosmopolitan labour force. Multiplicity encompasses noticeable dissimilarities in conditions of gender, age, nationality and physical ability; as well as delicate fundamental differences in terms of education, experience, religion, work styles, way of thoughts and communications. Completeness, on the other hand, refers to a place of work where diversity, both noticeable and delicate, is appreciated and where individuals are given the chance to expand skills and talents unfailing with organisational values and business objectives. Their recognition of diversity and inclusiveness means that the Company today has a diverse and multi-talented labour force comprising 300 employees of five nationalities, of which 89% are male and 11% female. Among the management team, the ratio is more unbiased with the male composition at 56% and the female composition at 44%. They are also glad to account that the Companys labour force now possess its first female plant manager. (www.shell.com) Growing together, people matter to the Company. Their sense of economic, social and environmental responsibility is reflected in devotion to meeting todays needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their requirements. Conclusion CSR communication in Switzerland is a well-established exercise amongst top companies. Its prospect lies on a concrete foundation. In fact, top companies are regarded as by a mainly Anglo-Saxon approach that is active and optimistic. Three major areas of development have been recognized. Firstly, companies can increase from a more decisive assortment of the social issues to be communicated. Secondly, a key periphery of upgrading can take place by managing key publics, such as customers, shareholders, and the financial community mainly by investing in the precise channels to arrive at them. Finally, top companies in Switzerland may benefit from adopting international coverage values. This examination has also shown the importance of understanding the cultural determinants of CSR. In this regard, more research is certainly required, especially to better comprehend differences in behaviours concerning CSR communication that may come up in multicultural contexts, a appropriate feature i n the European context, and for cosmopolitan companies functioning in diverse enlightening environments. (Birth, Illia, Lurati and Zamparini, 2008). CSR is also concluded that expertises essential by CSR managers do differ due to the assorted disciplines concerned and also the intricacy of the roles and tasks of a CSR plan. There are no precise credentials necessary for this ground. As the ground is recent, convertible skills and facts from other associated specializations such as environmental administration, business morals, transmit of equipment, human resource management and community growth are appreciated. Thereby the skills necessary by CSR managers are known as business skills, people skills and technical skills; and the precise skills necessary are further determined by the mission and vision of the organizations where the CSR managers hand round. CSR organizations in many budding countries including Malaysia consist of local and international firms. Per se, this examination advices that relative studies should be conducted on the differences between strategies adopted by the two firms in terms of emphases and point of r eferences in CSR, the precise roles of CSR programs to community and society at large, and specific business, people as well as technical skills that the CSR managers should own. It is also advised that studies on how CSR firms struggle during the nearby economic disaster are valuable to get on. On the other hand, they have to be conscious of the reality that moving in the direction of achieving firms economic objectives ought to be devoid of jeopardizing the social objectives. ( Ismail, 2009).

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Downfall and Destruction of a King in the Play, Oedipus the King :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

The Downfall of a King in the Play, Oedipus the King I found the tragedy of "Oedipus the King" to be quite interesting. It was not as hard to read as an epic. "The purpose of tragedy is to arouse the emotions of pity and fear and thus to produce in the audience a catharsis of these emotions." (p488, A Handbook of Literature) A tragedy has more drama and builds to the climax. Oedipus' fate was set into motion by the circumstances he created himself because of his own rashness and arrogance. This is called an inciting incident. "He is headstrong and foolish (in not questioning Polybus and Merope in more detail or pursuing his original question with the Delphic oracle)." (Duke) For instance, Oedipus could have asked these questions: (1) How was King Laius killed and where? (2) Who are my real parents? He would not have married his mother and had children with her. He would have become King of Corinth. Jocasta would not have hung herself. Oedipus would not have blinded himself. The city would not have been plagued because Laius killer had not been punished. In today's society Oedipus would not have gotten away with murder. That was very different in the Greek society; murder was viewed as making someone a hero and more powerful. Although, if one had too much pride that was a sin. How can someone get away with murder and not be affected by it? He killed Laius in cold blood and that is all there is to it. However, this is how the overall plot of the play evolved. "When the play opens, the city of Thebes is wasting away under a plague that leaves its fields and women barren. Oedipus, the king of Thebes, has sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to ask the house of Apollo to ask the oracle how to put an end to the plague. Creon returns, bearing good news: once the killer of the previous king, Laius, is found, Thebes will be cured of the plague (Laius was Jocasta's husband before she married Oedipus). Hearing this, Oedipus swears he will find the murderer and banish him. He asks Creon some questions: where was Laius murdered? did anyone see the crime? how many men killed him? Creon answers: Laius was killed outside the city by a group of robbers, and the only witness was a shepherd who still lives nearby.

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 7-9

CHAPTER 7 The modest dwelling within the Church of Saint-Sulpice was located on the second floor of the church itself, to the left of the choir balcony. A two-room suite with a stone floor and minimal furnishings, it had been home to Sister Sandrine Bieil for over a decade. The nearby convent washer formal residence, if anyone asked, but she preferred the quiet of the church and had made herself quite comfortable upstairs with a bed, phone, and hot plate. As the church's conservatrice d'affaires, Sister Sandrine was responsible for overseeing all nonreligious aspects of church operations – general maintenance, hiring support staff and guides, securing the building after hours, and ordering supplies like communion wine and wafers. Tonight, asleep in her small bed, she awoke to the shrill of her telephone. Tiredly, she lifted the receiver. â€Å"Soeur Sandrine. Eglise Saint-Sulpice.† â€Å"Hello, Sister,† the man said in French. Sister Sandrine sat up. What time is it? Although she recognized her boss's voice, in fifteen years she had never been awoken by him. The abbe was a deeply pious man who went home to bed immediately after mass. â€Å"I apologize if I have awoken you, Sister,† the abbe said, his own voice sounding groggy and on edge. â€Å"I have a favor to ask of you. I just received a call from an influential American bishop. Perhaps you know him? Manuel Aringarosa?† â€Å"The head of Opus Dei?† Of course I know of him.Who in the Church doesn't? Aringarosa's conservative prelature had grown powerful in recent years. Their ascension to grace was jump-started in 1982 when Pope John Paul II unexpectedly elevated them to a† personal prelature of the Pope,† officially sanctioning all of their practices. Suspiciously, Opus Dei's elevation occurred the same year the wealthy sect allegedly had transferred almost one billion dollars into the Vatican's Institute for Religious Works – commonly known as the Vatican Bank – bailing it out of an embarrassing bankruptcy. In a second maneuver that raised eyebrows, the Pope placed the founder of Opus Dei on the† fast track† for sainthood, accelerating an often century-long waiting period for canonization to a mere twenty years. Sister Sandrine could not help but feel that Opus Dei's good standing in Rome was suspect, but one did not argue with the Holy See. â€Å"Bishop Aringarosa called to ask me a favor,† the abbe told her, his voice nervous. â€Å"One of his numeraries is in Paris tonight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  As Sister Sandrine listened to the odd request, she felt a deepening confusion. â€Å"I'm sorry, you say this visiting Opus Dei numerary cannot wait until morning?† â€Å"I'm afraid not. His plane leaves very early. He has always dreamed of seeing Saint-Sulpice.† â€Å"But the church is far more interesting by day. The sun's rays through the oculus, the graduated shadows on the gnomon, this is what makes Saint-Sulpice unique.† â€Å"Sister, I agree, and yet I would consider it a personal favor if you could let him in tonight. He can be there at†¦ say one o'clock? That's in twenty minutes.† Sister Sandrine frowned. â€Å"Of course. It would be my pleasure.† The abbe thanked her and hung up. Puzzled, Sister Sandrine remained a moment in the warmth of her bed, trying to shake off the cobwebs of sleep. Her sixty-year-old body did not awake as fast as it used to, although tonight's phone call had certainly roused her senses. Opus Dei had always made her uneasy. Beyond the prelature's adherence to the arcane ritual of corporal mortification, their views on women were medieval at best. She had been shocked to learn that female numeraries were forced to clean the men's residence halls for no pay while the men were at mass; women slept on hardwood floors, while the men had straw mats; and women were forced to endure additional requirements of corporal mortification†¦ all as added penance for original sin. It seemed Eve's bite from the apple of knowledge was a debt women were doomed to pay for eternity. Sadly, while most of the Catholic Church was gradually moving in the right direction with respect to women's rights, Opus Dei threatened to reverse the progress. Even so, Sister Sandrine had her orders. Swinging her legs off the bed, she stood slowly, chilled by the cold stone on the soles of her bare feet. As the chill rose through her flesh, she felt an unexpected apprehension. Women's intuition? A follower of God, Sister Sandrine had learned to find peace in the calming voices of her own soul. Tonight, however, those voices were as silent as the empty church around her. CHAPTER 8 Langdon couldn't tear his eyes from the glowing purple text scrawled across the parquet floor. Jacques Sauniere's final communication seemed as unlikely a departing message as any Langdon could imagine. The message read: 13-3-2-21-1-1-8-5 O, Draconian devil! Oh, lame saint! Although Langdon had not the slightest idea what it meant, he did understand Fache's instinct that the pentacle had something to do with devil worship. O, Draconian devil! Sauniere had left a literal reference to the devil. Equally as bizarre was the series of numbers. â€Å"Part of it looks like a numeric cipher.† â€Å"Yes,† Fache said. â€Å"Our cryptographers are already working on it. We believe these numbers maybe the key to who killed him. Maybe a telephone exchange or some kind of social identification. Do the numbers have any symbolic meaning to you?† Langdon looked again at the digits, sensing it would take him hours to extract any symbolic meaning. If Sauniere had even intended any.To Langdon, the numbers looked totally random. He was accustomed to symbolic progressions that made some semblance of sense, but everything here – the pentacle, the text, the numbers – seemed disparate at the most fundamental level. â€Å"You alleged earlier,† Fache said,† that Sauniere's actions here were all in an effort to send some sort of message†¦ goddess worship or something in that vein? How does this message fit in?† Langdon knew the question was rhetorical. This bizarre communique obviously did not fit Langdon's scenario of goddess worship at all. O, Draconian devil? Oh, lame saint? Fache said, â€Å"This text appears to be an accusation of some sort. Wouldn't you agree?† Langdon tried to imagine the curator's final minutes trapped alone in the Grand Gallery, knowing he was about to die. It seemed logical. â€Å"An accusation against his murderer makes sense, I suppose.† â€Å"My job, of course, is to put a name to that person. Let me ask you this, Mr. Langdon. To your eye, beyond the numbers, what about this message is most strange?† Most strange? A dying man had barricaded himself in the gallery, drawn a pentacle on himself, and scrawled a mysterious accusation on the floor. What about the scenario wasn't strange? â€Å"The word ‘Draconian'?† he ventured, offering the first thing that came to mind. Langdon was fairly certain that a reference to Draco – the ruthless seventh-century B. C. politician – was an unlikely dying thought. † ‘Draconian devil' seems an odd choice of vocabulary.† â€Å"Draconian?† Fache's tone came with a tinge of impatience now. â€Å"Sauniere's choice of vocabulary hardly seems the primary issue here.† Langdon wasn't sure what issue Fache had in mind, but he was starting to suspect that Draco and Fache would have gotten along well. â€Å"Sauniere was a Frenchman,† Fache said flatly. â€Å"He lived in Paris. And yet he chose to write this message†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"In English,† Langdon said, now realizing the captain's meaning. Fache nodded. â€Å"Precisement.Any idea why?† Langdon knew Sauniere spoke impeccable English, and yet the reason he had chosen English as the language in which to write his final words escaped Langdon. He shrugged. Fache motioned back to the pentacle on Sauniere's abdomen. â€Å"Nothing to do with devil worship? Are you still certain?† Langdon was certain of nothing anymore. â€Å"The symbology and text don't seem to coincide. I'm sorry I can't be of more help.† â€Å"Perhaps this will clarify.† Fache backed away from the body and raised the black light again, letting the beam spread out in a wider angle. â€Å"And now?† To Langdon's amazement, a rudimentary circle glowed around the curator's body. Sauniere had apparently lay down and swung the pen around himself in several long arcs, essentially inscribing himself inside a circle. In a flash, the meaning became clear. â€Å"The Vitruvian Man,†Langdon gasped. Sauniere had created a life-sized replica of Leonardo Da Vinci's most famous sketch. Considered the most anatomically correct drawing of its day, Da Vinci's The Vitruvian Man had become a modern-day icon of culture, appearing on posters, mouse pads, and T-shirts around the world. The celebrated sketch consisted of a perfect circle in which was inscribed a nude male†¦ his arms and legs outstretched in a naked spread eagle. Da Vinci.Langdon felt a shiver of amazement. The clarity of Sauniere's intentions could not be denied. In his final moments of life, the curator had stripped off his clothing and arranged his body in a clear image of Leonardo Da Vinci's VitruvianMan. The circle had been the missing critical element. A feminine symbol of protection, the circle around the naked man's body completed Da Vinci's intended message – male and female harmony. The question now, though, was why Sauniere would imitate a famous drawing. â€Å"Mr. Langdon,† Fache said,† certainly a man like yourself is aware that Leonardo Da Vinci had a tendency toward the darker arts.† Langdon was surprised by Fache's knowledge of Da Vinci, and it certainly went a long way toward explaining the captain's suspicions about devil worship. Da Vinci had always been an awkward subject for historians, especially in the Christian tradition. Despite the visionary's genius, he was a flamboyant homosexual and worshipper of Nature's divine order, both of which placed him in a perpetual state of sin against God. Moreover, the artist's eerie eccentricities projected an admittedly demonic aura: Da Vinci exhumed corpses to study human anatomy; he kept mysterious journals in illegible reverse handwriting; he believed he possessed the alchemic power to turn lead into gold and even cheat God by creating an elixir to postpone death; and his inventions included horrific, never-before-imagined weapons of war and torture. Misunderstanding breeds distrust, Langdon thought. Even Da Vinci's enormous output of breathtaking Christian art only furthered the artist's reputation for spiritual hypocrisy. Accepting hundreds of lucrative Vatican commissions, Da Vinci painted Christian themes not as an expression of his own beliefs but rather as a commercial venture – a means of funding a lavish lifestyle. Unfortunately, Da Vinci was a prankster who often amused himself by quietly gnawing at the hand that fed him. He incorporated in many of his Christian paintings hidden symbolism that was anything but Christian – tributes to his own beliefs and a subtle thumbing of his nose at the Church. Langdon had even given a lecture once at the National Gallery in London entitled:† The Secret Life of Leonardo: Pagan Symbolism in Christian Art.† â€Å"I understand your concerns,† Langdon now said, â€Å"but Da Vinci never really practiced any dark arts. He was an exceptionally spiritual man, albeit one in constant conflict with the Church.† As Langdon said this, an odd thought popped into his mind. He glanced down at the message on the floor again. O, Draconian devil! Oh, lame saint! â€Å"Yes?† Fache said. Langdon weighed his words carefully. â€Å"I was just thinking that Sauniere shared a lot of spiritual ideologies with Da Vinci, including a concern over the Church's elimination of the sacred feminine from modern religion. Maybe, by imitating a famous Da Vinci drawing, Sauniere was simply echoing some of their shared frustrations with the modern Church's demonization of the goddess.† Fache's eyes hardened. â€Å"You think Sauniere is calling the Church a lame saint and a Draconian devil?† Langdon had to admit it seemed far-fetched, and yet the pentacle seemed to endorse the idea on some level. â€Å"All I am saying is that Mr. Sauniere dedicated his life to studying the history of the goddess, and nothing has done more to erase that history than the Catholic Church. It seems reasonable that Sauniere might have chosen to express his disappointment in his final good-bye.† â€Å"Disappointment?† Fache demanded, sounding hostile now. â€Å"This message sounds more enragedthan disappointed, wouldn't you say?† Langdon was reaching the end of his patience. â€Å"Captain, you asked for my instincts as to what Sauniere is trying to say here, and that's what I'm giving you.† â€Å"That this is an indictment of the Church?† Fache's jaw tightened as he spoke through clenched teeth. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, I have seen a lot of death in my work, and let me tell you something. When a man is murdered by another man, I do not believe his final thoughts are to write an obscure spiritual statement that no one will understand. I believe he is thinking of one thing only.† Fache's whispery voice sliced the air. â€Å"La vengeance.I believe Sauniere wrote this note to tell us who killed him.† Langdon stared. â€Å"But that makes no sense whatsoever.† â€Å"No?† â€Å"No,† he fired back, tired and frustrated. â€Å"You told me Sauniere was attacked in his office by someone he had apparently invited in.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"So it seems reasonable to conclude that the curator knew his attacker.† Fache nodded. â€Å"Go on.† â€Å"So if Sauniere knew the person who killed him, what kind of indictment is this?† He pointed at the floor. â€Å"Numeric codes? Lame saints? Draconian devils? Pentacles on his stomach? It's all too cryptic.† Fache frowned as if the idea had never occurred to him. â€Å"You have a point.† â€Å"Considering the circumstances,† Langdon said,† I would assume that if Sauniere wanted to tell you who killed him, he would have written down somebody's name.† As Langdon spoke those words, a smug smile crossed Fache's lips for the first time all night. â€Å"Precisement,†Fache said. â€Å"Precisement.† I am witnessing the work of a master, mused Lieutenant Collet as he tweaked his audio gear and listened to Fache's voice coming through the headphones. The agent superieur knew it was moments like these that had lifted the captain to the pinnacle of French law enforcement. Fache will do what no one else dares. The delicate art of cajoler was a lost skill in modern law enforcement, one that required exceptional poise under pressure. Few men possessed the necessary sangfroid for this kind of operation, but Fache seemed born for it. His restraint and patience bordered on the robotic. Fache's sole emotion this evening seemed to be one of intense resolve, as if this arrest were somehow personal to him. Fache's briefing of his agents an hour ago had been unusually succinct and assured. I know who murdered Jacques Sauniere, Fache had said. You know what to do.No mistakes tonight. And so far, no mistakes had been made. Collet was not yet privy to the evidence that had cemented Fache's certainty of their suspect's guilt, but he knew better than to question the instincts of the Bull. Fache's intuition seemed almost supernatural at times. God whispers in his ear, one agent had insisted after a particularly impressive display of Fache's sixth sense. Collet had to admit, if there was a God, Bezu Fache would be on His A-list. The captain attended mass and confession with zealous regularity – far more than the requisite holiday attendance fulfilled by other officials in the name of good public relations. When the Pope visited Paris a few years back, Fache had used all his muscle to obtain the honor of an audience. A photo of Fache with the Pope now hung in his office. The Papal Bull, the agents secretly called it. Collet found it ironic that one of Fache's rare popular public stances in recent years had been his outspoken reaction to the Catholic pedophilia scandal. These priests should be hanged twice! Fache had declared. Once for their crimes against children.And once for shaming the good name of theCatholic Church.Collet had the odd sense it was the latter that angered Fache more. Turning now to his laptop computer, Collet attended to the other half of his responsibilities here tonight – the GPS tracking system. The image onscreen revealed a detailed floor plan of the Denon Wing, a structural schematic uploaded from the Louvre Security Office. Letting his eyes trace the maze of galleries and hallways, Collet found what he was looking for. Deep in the heart of the Grand Gallery blinked a tiny red dot. La marque. Fache was keeping his prey on a very tight leash tonight. Wisely so. Robert Langdon had proven himself one cool customer. CHAPTER 9 To ensure his conversation with Mr. Langdon would not be interrupted, Bezu Fache had turned off his cellular phone. Unfortunately, it was an expensive model equipped with a two-way radio feature, which, contrary to his orders, was now being used by one of his agents to page him. â€Å"Capitaine?† The phone crackled like a walkie-talkie. Fache felt his teeth clench in rage. He could imagine nothing important enough that Collet would interrupt this surveillance cachee – especially at this critical juncture. He gave Langdon a calm look of apology. â€Å"One moment please.† He pulled the phone from his belt and pressed the radio transmission button. â€Å"Oui?† â€Å"Capitaine, un agent du Departement de Cryptographie est arrive.† Fache's anger stalled momentarily. A cryptographer? Despite the lousy timing, this was probably good news. Fache, after finding Sauniere's cryptic text on the floor, had uploaded photographs of the entire crime scene to the Cryptography Department in hopes someone there could tell him what the hell Sauniere was trying to say. If a code breaker had now arrived, it most likely meant someone had decrypted Sauniere's message. â€Å"I'm busy at the moment,† Fache radioed back, leaving no doubt in his tone that a line had been crossed. â€Å"Ask the cryptographer to wait at the command post. I'll speak to him when I'm done.† â€Å"Her,†the voice corrected. â€Å"It's Agent Neveu.† Fache was becoming less amused with this call every passing moment. Sophie Neveu was one of DCPJ's biggest mistakes. A young Parisian dechiffreuse who had studied cryptography in England at the Royal Holloway, Sophie Neveu had been foisted on Fache two years ago as part of the ministry's attempt to incorporate more women into the police force. The ministry's ongoing foray into political correctness, Fache argued, was weakening the department. Women not only lacked the physicality necessary for police work, but their mere presence posed a dangerous distraction to the men in the field. As Fache had feared, Sophie Neveu was proving far more distracting than most. At thirty-two years old, she had a dogged determination that bordered on obstinate. Her eager espousal of Britain's new cryptologic methodology continually exasperated the veteran French cryptographers above her. And by far the most troubling to Fache was the inescapable universal truth that in an office of middle-aged men, an attractive young woman always drew eyes away from the work at hand. The man on the radio said,† Agent Neveu insisted on speaking to you immediately, Captain. I tried to stop her, but she's on her way into the gallery.† Fache recoiled in disbelief. â€Å"Unacceptable! I made it very clear – â€Å" For a moment, Robert Langdon thought Bezu Fache was suffering a stroke. The captain was mid- sentence when his jaw stopped moving and his eyes bulged. His blistering gaze seemed fixated on something over Langdon's shoulder. Before Langdon could turn to see what it was, he heard a woman's voice chime out behind him. â€Å"Excusez-moi, messieurs.† Langdon turned to see a young woman approaching. She was moving down the corridor toward them with long, fluid strides†¦ a haunting certainty to her gait. Dressed casually in a knee-length, cream-colored Irish sweater over black leggings, she was attractive and looked to be about thirty. Her thick burgundy hair fell unstyled to her shoulders, framing the warmth of her face. Unlike the waifish, cookie-cutter blondes that adorned Harvard dorm room walls, this woman was healthy with an unembellished beauty and genuineness that radiated a striking personal confidence. To Langdon's surprise, the woman walked directly up to him and extended a polite hand.† Monsieur Langdon, I am Agent Neveu from DCPJ's Cryptology Department.† Her words curved richly around her muted Anglo-Franco accent. â€Å"It is a pleasure to meet you.† Langdon took her soft palm in his and felt himself momentarily fixed in her strong gaze. Her eyes were olive-green – incisive and clear. Fache drew a seething inhalation, clearly preparing to launch into a reprimand. â€Å"Captain,† she said, turning quickly and beating him to the punch, â€Å"please excuse the interruption, but – â€Å" â€Å"Ce n'est pas le moment!† Fache sputtered. â€Å"I tried to phone you.† Sophie continued in English, as if out of courtesy to Langdon. â€Å"But your cell phone was turned off.† â€Å"I turned it off for a reason,† Fache hissed. â€Å"I am speaking to Mr. Langdon.† â€Å"I've deciphered the numeric code,† she said flatly. Langdon felt a pulse of excitement. She broke the code? Fache looked uncertain how to respond. â€Å"Before I explain,† Sophie said,† I have an urgent message for Mr. Langdon.† Fache's expression turned to one of deepening concern. â€Å"For Mr. Langdon?† She nodded, turning back to Langdon. â€Å"You need to contact the U. S. Embassy, Mr. Langdon. They have a message for you from the States.† Langdon reacted with surprise, his excitement over the code giving way to a sudden ripple of concern. A message from the States? He tried to imagine who could be trying to reach him. Only a few of his colleagues knew he was in Paris. Fache's broad jaw had tightened with the news. â€Å"The U. S. Embassy?† he demanded, sounding suspicious. â€Å"How would they know to find Mr. Langdon here?† Sophie shrugged. â€Å"Apparently they called Mr. Langdon's hotel, and the concierge told them Mr. Langdon had been collected by a DCPJ agent.† Fache looked troubled. â€Å"And the embassy contacted DCPJ Cryptography?† â€Å"No, sir,† Sophie said, her voice firm. â€Å"When I called the DCPJ switchboard in an attempt to contact you, they had a message waiting for Mr. Langdon and asked me to pass it along if I got through to you.† Fache's brow furrowed in apparent confusion. He opened his mouth to speak, but Sophie had already turned back to Langdon. â€Å"Mr. Langdon,† she declared, pulling a small slip of paper from her pocket,† this is the number for your embassy's messaging service. They asked that you phone in as soon as possible.† She handed him the paper with an intent gaze. â€Å"While I explain the code to Captain Fache, you need to make this call.† Langdon studied the slip. It had a Paris phone number and extension on it. â€Å"Thank you,† he said, feeling worried now. â€Å"Where do I find a phone?† Sophie began to pull a cell phone from her sweater pocket, but Fache waved her off. He now looked like Mount Vesuvius about to erupt. Without taking his eyes off Sophie, he produced his own cell phone and held it out. â€Å"This line is secure, Mr. Langdon. You may use it.† Langdon felt mystified by Fache's anger with the young woman. Feeling uneasy, he accepted the captain's phone. Fache immediately marched Sophie several steps away and began chastising her in hushed tones. Disliking the captain more and more, Langdon turned away from the odd confrontation and switched on the cell phone. Checking the slip of paper Sophie had given him, Langdon dialed the number. The line began to ring. One ring†¦ two rings†¦ three rings†¦ Finally the call connected. Langdon expected to hear an embassy operator, but he found himself instead listening to an answering machine. Oddly, the voice on the tape was familiar. It was that of Sophie Neveu. â€Å"Bonjour, vous etes bien chez Sophie Neveu,† the woman's voice said. â€Å"Je suis absenle pour le moment, mais†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Confused, Langdon turned back toward Sophie. â€Å"I'm sorry, Ms. Neveu? I think you may have given me – â€Å" â€Å"No, that's the right number,† Sophie interjected quickly, as if anticipating Langdon's confusion.† The embassy has an automated message system. You have to dial an access code to pick up your messages.† Langdon stared. â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"It's the three-digit code on the paper I gave you.† Langdon opened his mouth to explain the bizarre error, but Sophie flashed him a silencing glare that lasted only an instant. Her green eyes sent a crystal-clear message. Don't ask questions. Just do it. Bewildered, Langdon punched in the extension on the slip of paper: 454. Sophie's outgoing message immediately cut off, and Langdon heard an electronic voice announce in French: â€Å"You have one new message.† Apparently, 454 was Sophie's remote access code for picking up her messages while away from home. I'm picking up this woman's messages? Langdon could hear the tape rewinding now. Finally, it stopped, and the machine engaged. Langdon listened as the message began to play. Again, the voice on the line was Sophie's. â€Å"Mr. Langdon,† the message began in a fearful whisper. â€Å"Do not react to this message. Just listen calmly. You are in danger right now. Follow my directions very closely.†