Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Managing Financial Resource and Performance Assignment

Managing Financial Resource and Performance - Assignment Example Different stakeholders have competing and sometimes even conflicting interests with the company. It is the job of the company to ensure that a proper balance is strike between the two types of interests (Reeve, Warren and Duchac, 2012). Government: The government is concerned with the compliance o food grade standards and production quality maintenance of Coca Cola Company. Coca cola has to make sure that the food produced is of highest quality and complies with the adherence standards of the regulatory norms. Creditors: for the benefit of its creditors which include company distributors and vendors, the company organizes creditor meetings and also conducts regular surveys through distribution satisfaction survey. Training programs educate on the manner of sales and distribution is conducted at regular intervals by the company at its various head offices (CCI, 2010). Suppliers: for the benefit of suppliers and for engagement in sustainable relationships with the suppliers and contractors of the company, Coca Cola Company conducts Improvement Audits on a regular basis. It also organizes regular training programs among its suppliers for proper and standardised sourcing of ingredients for its produce. Plant visits educate suppliers about their quality standards and compliance level expected off them. Media: For the media, the company has regular publications of annual reports, press releases and CRS reports. The analysts can also come to investor conferences and analyst meetings when they are held. On any occasion the media can contact the company of the CCI Corporate Website and put their queries through the Online Feedback forms. Regulatory Bodies: the regulatory bodies are concerned with the environment friendliness of the production and waste disposal processes undertaken by the company. The production line and waste management teams of the operations department at Coca Cola have to assure that all

Monday, October 28, 2019

The De Lacey family Essay Example for Free

The De Lacey family Essay with smiles and caresses. The creature was abandoned at birth, despised, lonely and beaten off by all who met him for his physical differences his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath his appearance turns out to be the cause of all his problems. People are frightened of him, which keeps the monster from making contact with them. This incapability of personal contact and the intense isolation is what indirectly drives the monster to his crimes. The monsters deformities are hideous, however this was the grotesque work of Victor he saw what he was creating though you could argue that he was in no rational state of mind, my loud, unrestrained, heartless laughter frightened him. However, just because this Tragic Heros mind is not in order ,it does not give him the right to abandon his wretched creation without even considering the consequences , the unfortunate creature also tries in vain to bond with his selfish creator his jaws opened and he muttered some inarticulate sounds, but is still abandoned. Victor has the characteristics of Aristotles five point tragic hero, he is an over reacher which obviously makes him floorless he has supreme pride which is a reflection of arrogance and conceit. It seems to demonstrate superiority to fellow human beings and equality with Gods. Victor plays God knowing what he is doing was wrong he does not even address the moral issues properly. Victor also has a capacity for suffering he suffers because he believes in what he is doing and feels guilt and guiltless at the same time, he says himself I shunned my fellow creatures as if I had been guilty of a crime. Our feelings change frequently for both monster and Victor as the story develops we begin to feel anger towards Victor for abandoning his responsibility, then for the monster for killing a helpless child although we later find out that William encouraged the monster and brought it on himself, my pa is a syndic-he is M. Frankenstein-he will punish you this enrages the monster and he acts out of further rejection and his burning rage against Victor. Thinking that a young child would understand him I could seize him and educate him as my friend and companion he did not take pleasure in killing William the child still struggled and loaded me with epithets which carried despair to my heart. It is clear why the monster does this terrible deed, he has no hope left and is a tortured soul, revenge is the only way to make things right . Victor has to pay for what he has done, he needs to feel the pain and despair that fuels the monster, thus begins a vicious circle of revenge and redemption. Shelley toys with our emotions throughout the novel, it is hard to decide exactly where to direct our anger and despair to. Insted we find ourselves taking turns to sympathise with both characters. However, we come to understand the Monsters side of things when we hear him relate his tale to Victor; he explains what life has been like for him, and what events have taken place. Hearing the Monsters side of things changes our whole perception of him. We come to understand that he was not bad from the start; it was the events in his life that moulded and shaped him into the corrupt and lonely creature that he has become. The Monsters first experience is rejection and he is given a very negative start in life being left alone to feel complete desolation, I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I could distinguish nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, I sat down and wept. He has done nothing wrong and does not deserve to be feeling these sorts of emotions, although it shows the reader that he is capable of thinking and feeling. The Monster starts to pick up aspects of life for himself as he has no maternal figures and learns simple concepts I felt light and hunger. He is a very unique and sensitive creature and learns to enjoy the world before he even experiences negative emotions I first discovered that a pleasant sound, which often saluted my ears, proceeded from the throats of the little winged animals. It is clear that the monster enjoys nature just as Victor does. The monster then loses hope and comes to believe that nobody wants to perceive him I escaped to the open country and fearfully took refuge in a low hovel. The creature has tried in vain to communicate with people on several occasions, but is always rejected. We come to understand why the monster is the way he is as he begins to learn by observing the De Lacey family. Through reading novel such as Miltons Paradise Lost he starts wondering about his existence and his isolation because of his apparent uniqueness I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence. When the monster starts wondering about his origin we are compelled to feel empathy for him. It is obvious that he longs for some kindness, protection and company. These desires become even more evident when he reads the diary that Victor kept during hid creation, the monster learns that Victor was not at all happy with his creation how can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe. This makes the monster feel even more lonely and abhorred, as he realises that his own creator could not even stand to look at him or even give him a real chance before he cowardly ran away to hastily forget about what he had done. As reader we now begin to feel anger towards Victor, it is his fault that the monster feels like this, and it is not fair.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Essay --

Hadirin yang dihormati sekalian, Adakah anda masih ingat kepada pesan ibu dan bapa yang selalu mengingatkan bahawa rajinlah belajar agar jalan kehidupan tersedia luas terbentang untukmu? Ingatkah kita kepada kata-kata Plato dan Confucius berbunyi â€Å"tuntutlah ilmu hingga ke negeri China†. Mengapa hadirin, sejak dari zaman dahulu hingga ke hari ini dan di setiap pelosok dunia sama ada di Eropah, Afrika mahupun Asia, pandangan terhadap pendidikan ialah sama iaitu pendidikan merupakan asas perkembangan umat manusia. Tetapi mengapa pendidikan menjadi begitu penting kepada kita? Hadirin yang saya muliakan sekalian, pendidikan dapat melatih minda manusia untuk berfikir dengan lebih luas dan rasional. Melalui pendidikan, pengetahuan maklumat dapat diluaskan dan digunakan untuk kebaikan bersama. Sebagaimana yang diungkapkan Daoed Joesoef (1986) tentang pentingnya suatu pendidikan yang mana beliau menyatakan bahawa "Pendidikan merupakan segala bidang penghidupan, dalam memilih dan membina hidup yang baik, yang sesuai dengan martabat manusia" dan sudah tentulah daripada pernyataan tersebut kita dapat menyimpulkan bahawa mempunyai pendidikan pada masa sekarang merupakan hal yang sangat penting kerana jika kita tidak mempunyai pendidikan kita tidak akan kemana-mana. Tanpa pendidikan dan tanpa kemahiran membaca, capaian pelbagai akses terhadap pelbagai bentuk pengetahuan seperti buku, internet atau media lainnya sama sekali tidak memungkinkan kita untuk melangkah maju ke hadapan. Pendidikan merupakan tunj ang utama kepada pembentukan modal insan yang akan membantu kepada pembangunan negara. Pendidikan mempunyai impak yang besar ke atas pelbagai peluang kehidupan manusia agar masa depan seseorang tersebut terjamin dan kualiti kehidupannya terpelih... .... Kesimpulannya, corak pendidikan yang diaplikasikan di Malaysia adalah lebih menyeluruh kerana ia merangkumi aspek fizikal dan rohani. Pendidikan di Malaysia bukan sahaja ingin membentuk pelajarnya yang aktif dan cemerlang dalam kurikulum dan kokurikulum malah ia juga memberi fokus kepada kelengkapan rohani dan moral agar pelajar yang dilahirkan sempurna dari segala segi. Maka dengan itu hadirin, saya sekali lagi menegaskan, pendidikan ini bukan sahaja penting untuk mengembangkan minda dan bakat manusia, malah ia juga penting untuk memacu legasi pembangunan negara. Ini adalah kerana pendidikan merupakan nadi kepada pencetus kegemilangan dan martabat sesebuah negara tersebut. Oleh itu, penting sekali untuk kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia dalam melancarkan aspirasi negara iaitu mencapai kecemerlangan dalam pendidikan untuk menaikkan nama negara di persada antarabangsa.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Revitalization of the Daugava Riverside by the City of Riga

Urban contextHistory and urban construction alterationsRiga is the capital of Latvia which is a Northern state of Europe. The metropolis is good known by the Historic country inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List on 4 December 1997, is considered of one of the largest and dynamic metropolis in Northern Europe whit the entire country is 304,2 square kilometres and the population around 713,000 in dwellers. The Riga metropolis has a really long and copiousness history which has a great influence to the urban context of the metropolis. Particularly in the 19Thursdayand 20Thursdaycentury, when World War I and World War II occurred, the state is under controlled of Russian Empire ( 1721 – 1917 ) , Germany ( 1917 – 1918, 1941 – 1944 ) and Soviet Union ( 1940 – 1941, 1944 – 1991 ) which changes the civilization every bit good as the manner of life of people, the urban construction and architectural of the whole metropolis is varied and complex. During the clip of the Russian Empire and Germany, Riga is a seaport metropolis which is the most vivacious and dynamic with over 800,000 industrial workers from Baltic state, Riga become the 3rd largest metropolis in term of the figure of workers after Moscow and Saint Peterburg. The value of the Daugava river and its waterfront was enhanced but it is dominated for ports and mills. As a consequence, the population of Riga metropolis increased rapidly which went along with the demand of lodging and infinites. More houses were built but harmonizing to Russian military ordinance, the people merely have the permission to construct wooden house in suburbs. In 1812, the wooden houses were destroyed by war and they were rebuilt but still follow the old wooden signifier. In mid-nineteenth century, the wooden houses have raised in figure and became surrounded the metropolis centre. These houses nowadays is a heritage and affects strongly to the preservation policy and urban theory. In 1860, a new maestro program with avenue, blocks of flat, alternate edifice and park were established. A new rail route was opened which stimulated the development of suburbs and mills, Riga port at that clip has the highest gross in Russian Empire, the river bank was developed rapidly. It led to a consequence that the economic system and the metropolis life existed with a strong connexion which is the chief quality of the development undertaking in the hereafter. In the period of So Viet Union, a new urban program was approved with the building of the big graduated table lodging undertaking every bit known as â€Å"mikrorayon† and the railway belt environing the metropolis centre. Besides that, the construction with the critical tallness such as Television tower ( 368m ) , Latvian academy of scientific discipline ( 108m ) were built, along with it Numberss of architecture tendencies were appeared in the urban context of Riga and one of those is the Art Nouveau which have specific architecture and the restriction of constructing tallness of 5 narratives. The alterations in urban construction in the Soviet Union times have the sinewy impacts to the policy of preservation in the current clip every bit so as the high restriction of edifice in the metropolis. Riga metropolis from holding independency boulder clay now ( 1991 – now ) has the important development. After 1995, metropolis started to reconstruct the valuable edifice and lodging which is considered as a roar in building at that clip, the service and new map edifices was established in the suburbs, efforts have been made to recover cultural symbol, historic value and houses which are lost after the 2nd World War. In the Riga particular program of 2006 – 2025, the new Riga centre has been created with the visions: planned as an country which is contrast the Old Riga in the right bank of Daugava river in a modern architecture and construction, full of map and services in which concern maps play as an of import function. Reduction in conveyance force per unit area in the Old Riga centre where the old circulation system to guarantee the saving intent of the old site. An international competition was hold by City of Riga to plan the new Riga along the left bank of the D augava River at that clip.Site contextThe riverbank of Daugava screens really larges districts in the entire cityscape country and travel along with the development of Riga through historical timeline when the metropolis economic system and day-to-day life have a stable nexus with the river Bankss. From the clip when Riga was found until now, the river has an every indispensable portion non merely because it is a metropolis natural component but besides the finding in planning and spacial individuality of the metropolis. For illustration, during the clip of Russian Empire and Soviet Union, because of the great function in H2O transit and industry, the metropolis construction has changed for the intent of functioning lodging for employees and edifice railway countries. From the really shortly period of 13Thursdaycentury, the substructure of Riga metropolis was changed, for functioning and linking seafaring with river transit by flatboats on Daugava, the merchandisers in Riga have cre ated a vivacious trading metropolis centre, the circulation system, constructing quality and unfastened infinite was improved for lading concern and burden. Until the 19Thursdaycentury, as a consequence of the rapid industrialisation, the development of railroads web and the embankment of port installations, the component of the ricer such as: islands, waterfront, etc. was transformed with the edifice of industrial objects and warehouses. It is assumed to be a comfortable clip of Riga Port every bit known as the major port of the Russian Empire. At the beginning of 20Thursdaycentury, a portion of Riga port was still situated right opposite the Old metropolis centre. The map of the market and the seaport was terminal in 1930 when the Central Market was established and broad public infinite were created in the metropolis centre. In World War II, the river Bankss of Daugava were destroyed, until 1949, they were reconstruct for basic and local transit demands. The port developed stronge r in lower Daugava, near the Bay of Riga. At the same clip, the developing industrialised countries along the riverbank appeared architecturally distractively and forestall the handiness of citizens. Presents, Riga metropolis has a develop program to work and reconstruct the value of the left bank and the right bank of Daugava river. The bing issue is traversing the river by Bridgess causes traffic jams in haste hours because of the high rise of autos and personal transit means. The infinites of Daugava river is defined by its derelict Bankss and aquatorium which is non considered to be a portion of incorporate urban environment in physically and psychologically. But due to the impacts in spacial composing and urban development in the yesteryear, the Daugava river can be understood as ‘the river of possibilities’( Dace Kalvane, 2010 ) . Its infinites can do a general position of metropolis position and lift. However, the handiness is prevent by bing substructures such as: span entree inclines and arterial roads which take downing the chances of river Bankss redevelopment and interaction for public community with waterfronts. The busy traffic flows separate the walkin g waies and diversion zones from the river Bankss. There is a deficiency of bike roads system in Daugava river countries. Those things led to a consequence that the river is about abandoned, it became more clearly when the old developments which were created in the yesteryear have lost their function in metropolis economic system and current developments have no connexion to the river. The development schemes for Riga metropolis from 2006 to 2025 expect to animate the nexus with Daugava for doing an active waterfront. Therefore, a varied enlargement of the riverbanks from different countries such as: container port and ware house country will be developed. The building of commercial, touristry sites, prosaic walk ways and bike roads which start from the suburbs to metropolis centre would be an interesting vision of substructures.Undertaking analysingUndertaking debutThe building, revival of Daugava riverbank and new modern urban one-fourth every bit good as its jobs in development has become a challenge and chief inquiry in several competitions and workshops hold by the City of Riga. One of those is the completion named â€Å"The prospective building on Mukusalas Street, Buru Street un Kilevina Ditch† occurred in 2006 to 2007. As the victor of this competition, the undertaking called â€Å"City of squares metropolis of towers† introduced a big country of new urban tissue on the left bank of Daugava river which is opposite with Old Riga centre and has the chief quality is the H2O elements and its of import function in the history. The undertaking belongs to the extension of protected UNESCO zone. The proposed maestro program includes the development of a system of squares, public infinites, mix-used edifice and flexibleness. Those squares and towers contribute in specifying their active surrounding and construction country. Furthermore, supplying feasible rules to guarantee an articulated brotherhood become more cardinal than the elements create it. The chief points of this undertaking is the systems of squares and tower which create the frame position of develop country of Riga metropolis. The new develop country is the theoretical account of long-run vison of the metropolis, make a new full map which portion the force per unit area of transit and dweller with the Old Riga centre, assisting in saving the civilization and heritage which is the most point attended in undertaking over the universe in by and large and in Europe peculiarly. In the article â€Å"Measuring urban heritage preservation: theory and structure† by Silvio Mendes Zancheti and Lucia Tone Ferreira Hidaka. They mentioned: â€Å"The sustainable preservation of urban heritage sites depends on the care of their present and past significances† . To make the end of sustainable

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Angels Demons Chapter 121-125

121 The camerlegno erupted through the doors of St. Peter's Basilica at exactly 11:56 P.M. He staggered into the dazzling glare of the world spotlight, carrying the antimatter before him like some sort of numinous offering. Through burning eyes he could see his own form, half-naked and wounded, towering like a giant on the media screens around the square. The roar that went up from the crowd in St. Peter's Square was like none the camerlegno had ever heard – crying, screaming, chanting, praying†¦ a mix of veneration and terror. Deliver us from evil, he whispered. He felt totally depleted from his race out of the Necropolis. It had almost ended in disaster. Robert Langdon and Vittoria Vetra had wanted to intercept him, to throw the canister back into its subterranean hiding place, to run outside for cover. Blind fools! The camerlegno realized now, with fearful clarity, that on any other night, he would never have won the race. Tonight, however, God again had been with him. Robert Langdon, on the verge of overtaking the camerlegno, had been grabbed by Chartrand, ever trusting and dutiful to the camerlegno's demands for faith. The reporters, of course, were spellbound and lugging too much equipment to interfere. The Lord works in mysterious ways. The camerlegno could hear the others behind him now†¦ see them on the screens, closing in. Mustering the last of his physical strength, he raised the antimatter high over his head. Then, throwing back his bare shoulders in an act of defiance to the Illuminati brand on his chest, he dashed down the stairs. There was one final act. Godspeed, he thought. Godspeed. Four minutes†¦ Langdon could barely see as he burst out of the basilica. Again the sea of media lights bore into his retinas. All he could make out was the murky outline of the camerlegno, directly ahead of him, running down the stairs. For an instant, refulgent in his halo of media lights, the camerlegno looked celestial, like some kind of modern deity. His cassock was at his waist like a shroud. His body was scarred and wounded by the hands of his enemies, and still he endured. The camerlegno ran on, standing tall, calling out to the world to have faith, running toward the masses carrying this weapon of destruction. Langdon ran down the stairs after him. What is he doing? He will kill them all! â€Å"Satan's work,† the camerlegno screamed, â€Å"has no place in the House of God!† He ran on toward a now terrified crowd. â€Å"Father!† Langdon screamed, behind him. â€Å"There's nowhere to go!† â€Å"Look to the heavens! We forget to look to the heavens!† In that moment, as Langdon saw where the camerlegno was headed, the glorious truth came flooding all around him. Although Langdon could not see it on account of the lights, he knew their salvation was directly overhead. A star-filled Italian sky. The escape route. The helicopter the camerlegno had summoned to take him to the hospital sat dead ahead, pilot already in the cockpit, blades already humming in neutral. As the camerlegno ran toward it, Langdon felt a sudden overwhelming exhilaration. The thoughts that tore through Langdon's mind came as a torrent†¦ First he pictured the wide-open expanse of the Mediterranean Sea. How far was it? Five miles? Ten? He knew the beach at Fiumocino was only about seven minutes by train. But by helicopter, 200 miles an hour, no stops†¦ If they could fly the canister far enough out to sea, and drop it†¦ There were other options too, he realized, feeling almost weightless as he ran. La Cava Romana! The marble quarries north of the city were less than three miles away. How large were they? Two square miles? Certainly they were deserted at this hour! Dropping the canister there†¦ â€Å"Everyone back!† the camerlegno yelled. His chest ached as he ran. â€Å"Get away! Now!† The Swiss Guard standing around the chopper stood slack-jawed as the camerlegno approached them. â€Å"Back!† the priest screamed. The guards moved back. With the entire world watching in wonder, the camerlegno ran around the chopper to the pilot's door and yanked it open. â€Å"Out, son! Now!† The guard jumped out. The camerlegno looked at the high cockpit seat and knew that in his exhausted state, he would need both hands to pull himself up. He turned to the pilot, trembling beside him, and thrust the canister into his hands. â€Å"Hold this. Hand it back when I'm in.† As the camerlegno pulled himself up, he could hear Robert Langdon yelling excitedly, running toward the craft. Now you understand, the camerlegno thought. Now you have faith! The camerlegno pulled himself up into the cockpit, adjusted a few familiar levers, and then turned back to his window for the canister. But the guard to whom he had given the canister stood empty-handed. â€Å"He took it!† the guard yelled. The camerlegno felt his heart seize. â€Å"Who!† The guard pointed. â€Å"Him!† Robert Langdon was surprised by how heavy the canister was. He ran to the other side of the chopper and jumped in the rear compartment where he and Vittoria had sat only hours ago. He left the door open and buckled himself in. Then he yelled to the camerlegno in the front seat. â€Å"Fly, Father!† The camerlegno craned back at Langdon, his face bloodless with dread. â€Å"What are you doing!† â€Å"You fly! I'll throw!† Langdon barked. â€Å"There's no time! Just fly the blessed chopper!† The camerlegno seemed momentarily paralyzed, the media lights glaring through the cockpit darkening the creases in his face. â€Å"I can do this alone,† he whispered. â€Å"I am supposed to do this alone.† Langdon wasn't listening. Fly! he heard himself screaming. Now! I'm here to help you! Langdon looked down at the canister and felt his breath catch in his throat when he saw the numbers. â€Å"Three minutes, Father! Three!† The number seemed to stun the camerlegno back to sobriety. Without hesitation, he turned back to the controls. With a grinding roar, the helicopter lifted off. Through a swirl of dust, Langdon could see Vittoria running toward the chopper. Their eyes met, and then she dropped away like a sinking stone. 122 Inside the chopper, the whine of the engines and the gale from the open door assaulted Langdon's senses with a deafening chaos. He steadied himself against the magnified drag of gravity as the camerlegno accelerated the craft straight up. The glow of St. Peter's Square shrank beneath them until it was an amorphous glowing ellipse radiating in a sea of city lights. The antimatter canister felt like deadweight in Langdon's hands. He held tighter, his palms slick now with sweat and blood. Inside the trap, the globule of antimatter hovered calmly, pulsing red in the glow of the LED countdown clock. â€Å"Two minutes!† Langdon yelled, wondering where the camerlegno intended to drop the canister. The city lights beneath them spread out in all directions. In the distance to the west, Langdon could see the twinkling delineation of the Mediterranean coast – a jagged border of luminescence beyond which spread an endless dark expanse of nothingness. The sea looked farther now than Langdon had imagined. Moreover, the concentration of lights at the coast was a stark reminder that even far out at sea an explosion might have devastating effects. Langdon had not even considered the effects of a ten-kiloton tidal wave hitting the coast. When Langdon turned and looked straight ahead through the cockpit window, he was more hopeful. Directly in front of them, the rolling shadows of the Roman foothills loomed in the night. The hills were spotted with lights – the villas of the very wealthy – but a mile or so north, the hills grew dark. There were no lights at all – just a huge pocket of blackness. Nothing. The quarries! Langdon thought. La Cava Romana! Staring intently at the barren pocket of land, Langdon sensed that it was plenty large enough. It seemed close, too. Much closer than the ocean. Excitement surged through him. This was obviously where the camerlegno planned to take the antimatter! The chopper was pointing directly toward it! The quarries! Oddly, however, as the engines strained louder and the chopper hurtled through the air, Langdon could see that the quarries were not getting any closer. Bewildered, he shot a glance out the side door to get his bearings. What he saw doused his excitement in a wave of panic. Directly beneath them, thousands of feet straight down, glowed the media lights in St. Peter's Square. We're still over the Vatican! â€Å"Camerlegno!† Langdon choked. â€Å"Go forward! We're high enough! You've got to start moving forward! We can't drop the canister back over Vatican City!† The camerlegno did not reply. He appeared to be concentrating on flying the craft. â€Å"We've got less than two minutes!† Langdon shouted, holding up the canister. â€Å"I can see them! La Cava Romana! A couple of miles north! We don't have – â€Å" â€Å"No,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"It's far too dangerous. I'm sorry.† As the chopper continued to claw heavenward, the camerlegno turned and gave Langdon a mournful smile. â€Å"I wish you had not come, my friend. You have made the ultimate sacrifice.† Langdon looked in the camerlegno's exhausted eyes and suddenly understood. His blood turned to ice. â€Å"But†¦ there must be somewhere we can go!† â€Å"Up,† the camerlegno replied, his voice resigned. â€Å"It's the only guarantee.† Langdon could barely think. He had entirely misinterpreted the camerlegno's plan. Look to the heavens! Heaven, Langdon now realized, was literally where he was headed. The camerlegno had never intended to drop the antimatter. He was simply getting it as far away from Vatican City as humanly possible. This was a one-way trip. 123 In St. Peter's Square, Vittoria Vetra stared upward. The helicopter was a speck now, the media lights no longer reaching it. Even the pounding of the rotors had faded to a distant hum. It seemed, in that instant, that the entire world was focused upward, silenced in anticipation, necks craned to the heavens†¦ all peoples, all faiths†¦ all hearts beating as one. Vittoria's emotions were a cyclone of twisting agonies. As the helicopter disappeared from sight, she pictured Robert's face, rising above her. What had he been thinking? Didn't he understand? Around the square, television cameras probed the darkness, waiting. A sea of faces stared heavenward, united in a silent countdown. The media screens all flickered the same tranquil scene†¦ a Roman sky illuminated with brilliant stars. Vittoria felt the tears begin to well. Behind her on the marble escarpment, 161 cardinals stared up in silent awe. Some folded their hands in prayer. Most stood motionless, transfixed. Some wept. The seconds ticked past. In homes, bars, businesses, airports, hospitals around the world, souls were joined in universal witness. Men and women locked hands. Others held their children. Time seemed to hover in limbo, souls suspended in unison. Then, cruelly, the bells of St. Peter's began to toll. Vittoria let the tears come. Then†¦ with the whole world watching†¦ time ran out. The dead silence of the event was the most terrifying of all. High above Vatican City, a pinpoint of light appeared in the sky. For a fleeting instant, a new heavenly body had been born†¦ a speck of light as pure and white as anyone had ever seen. Then it happened. A flash. The point billowed, as if feeding on itself, unraveling across the sky in a dilating radius of blinding white. It shot out in all directions, accelerating with incomprehensible speed, gobbling up the dark. As the sphere of light grew, it intensified, like a burgeoning fiend preparing to consume the entire sky. It raced downward, toward them, picking up speed. Blinded, the multitudes of starkly lit human faces gasped as one, shielding their eyes, crying out in strangled fear. As the light roared out in all directions, the unimaginable occurred. As if bound by God's own will, the surging radius seemed to hit a wall. It was as if the explosion were contained somehow in a giant glass sphere. The light rebounded inward, sharpening, rippling across itself. The wave appeared to have reached a predetermined diameter and hovered there. For that instant, a perfect and silent sphere of light glowed over Rome. Night had become day. Then it hit. The concussion was deep and hollow – a thunderous shock wave from above. It descended on them like the wrath of hell, shaking the granite foundation of Vatican City, knocking the breath out of people's lungs, sending others stumbling backward. The reverberation circled the colonnade, followed by a sudden torrent of warm air. The wind tore through the square, letting out a sepulchral moan as it whistled through the columns and buffeted the walls. Dust swirled overhead as people huddled†¦ witnesses to Armageddon. Then, as fast as it appeared, the sphere imploded, sucking back in on itself, crushing inward to the tiny point of light from which it had come. 124 Never before had so many been so silent. The faces in St. Peter's Square, one by one, averted their eyes from the darkening sky and turned downward, each person in his or her own private moment of wonder. The media lights followed suit, dropping their beams back to earth as if out of reverence for the blackness now settling upon them. It seemed for a moment the entire world was bowing its head in unison. Cardinal Mortati knelt to pray, and the other cardinals joined him. The Swiss Guard lowered their long swords and stood numb. No one spoke. No one moved. Everywhere, hearts shuddered with spontaneous emotion. Bereavement. Fear. Wonder. Belief. And a dread-filled respect for the new and awesome power they had just witnessed. Vittoria Vetra stood trembling at the foot of the basilica's sweeping stairs. She closed her eyes. Through the tempest of emotions now coursing through her blood, a single word tolled like a distant bell. Pristine. Cruel. She forced it away. And yet the word echoed. Again she drove it back. The pain was too great. She tried to lose herself in the images that blazed in other's minds†¦ antimatter's mind-boggling power†¦ the Vatican's deliverance†¦ the camerlegno†¦ feats of bravery†¦ miracles†¦ selflessness. And still the word echoed†¦ tolling through the chaos with a stinging loneliness. Robert. He had come for her at Castle St. Angelo. He had saved her. And now he had been destroyed by her creation. As Cardinal Mortati prayed, he wondered if he too would hear God's voice as the camerlegno had. Does one need to believe in miracles to experience them? Mortati was a modern man in an ancient faith. Miracles had never played a part in his belief. Certainly his faith spoke of miracles†¦ bleeding palms, ascensions from the dead, imprints on shrouds†¦ and yet, Mortati's rational mind had always justified these accounts as part of the myth. They were simply the result of man's greatest weakness – his need for proof. Miracles were nothing but stories we all clung to because we wished they were true. And yet†¦ Am I so modern that I cannot accept what my eyes have just witnessed? It was a miracle, was it not? Yes! God, with a few whispered words in the camerlegno's ear, had intervened and saved this church. Why was this so hard to believe? What would it say about God if God had done nothing? That the Almighty did not care? That He was powerless to stop it? A miracle was the only possible response! As Mortati knelt in wonder, he prayed for the camerlegno's soul. He gave thanks to the young chamberlain who, even in his youthful years, had opened this old man's eyes to the miracles of unquestioning faith. Incredibly, though, Mortati never suspected the extent to which his faith was about to be tested†¦ The silence of St. Peter's Square broke with a ripple at first. The ripple grew to a murmur. And then, suddenly, to a roar. Without warning, the multitudes were crying out as one. â€Å"Look! Look!† Mortati opened his eyes and turned to the crowd. Everyone was pointing behind him, toward the front of St. Peter's Basilica. Their faces were white. Some fell to their knees. Some fainted. Some burst into uncontrollable sobs. â€Å"Look! Look!† Mortati turned, bewildered, following their outstretched hands. They were pointing to the uppermost level of the basilica, the rooftop terrace, where huge statues of Christ and his apostles watched over the crowd. There, on the right of Jesus, arms outstretched to the world†¦ stood Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca. 125 Robert Langdon was no longer falling. There was no more terror. No pain. Not even the sound of the racing wind. There was only the soft sound of lapping water, as though he were comfortably asleep on a beach. In a paradox of self-awareness, Langdon sensed this was death. He felt glad for it. He allowed the drifting numbness to possess him entirely. He let it carry him wherever it was he would go. His pain and fear had been anesthetized, and he did not wish it back at any price. His final memory had been one that could only have been conjured in hell. Take me. Please†¦ But the lapping that lulled in him a far-off sense of peace was also pulling him back. It was trying to awaken him from a dream. No! Let me be! He did not want to awaken. He sensed demons gathering on the perimeter of his bliss, pounding to shatter his rapture. Fuzzy images swirled. Voices yelled. Wind churned. No, please! The more he fought, the more the fury filtered through. Then, harshly, he was living it all again†¦ The helicopter was in a dizzying dead climb. He was trapped inside. Beyond the open door, the lights of Rome looked farther away with every passing second. His survival instinct told him to jettison the canister right now. Langdon knew it would take less than twenty seconds for the canister to fall half a mile. But it would be falling toward a city of people. Higher! Higher! Langdon wondered how high they were now. Small prop planes, he knew, flew at altitudes of about four miles. This helicopter had to be at a good fraction of that by now. Two miles up? Three? There was still a chance. If they timed the drop perfectly, the canister would fall only partway toward earth, exploding a safe distance over the ground and away from the chopper. Langdon looked out at the city sprawling below them. â€Å"And if you calculate incorrectly?† the camerlegno said. Langdon turned, startled. The camerlegno was not even looking at him, apparently having read Langdon's thoughts from the ghostly reflection in the windshield. Oddly, the camerlegno was no longer engrossed in his controls. His hands were not even on the throttle. The chopper, it seemed, was now in some sort of autopilot mode, locked in a climb. The camerlegno reached above his head, to the ceiling of the cockpit, fishing behind a cable-housing, where he removed a key, taped there out of view. Langdon watched in bewilderment as the camerlegno quickly unlocked the metal cargo box bolted between the seats. He removed some sort of large, black, nylon pack. He lay it on the seat next to him. Langdon's thoughts churned. The camerlegno's movements seemed composed, as if he had a solution. â€Å"Give me the canister,† the camerlegno said, his tone serene. Langdon did not know what to think anymore. He thrust the canister to the camerlegno. â€Å"Ninety seconds!† What the camerlegno did with the antimatter took Langdon totally by surprise. Holding the canister carefully in his hands, the camerlegno placed it inside the cargo box. Then he closed the heavy lid and used the key to lock it tight. â€Å"What are you doing!† Langdon demanded. â€Å"Leading us from temptation.† The camerlegno threw the key out the open window. As the key tumbled into the night, Langdon felt his soul falling with it. The camerlegno then took the nylon pack and slipped his arms through the straps. He fastened a waist clamp around his stomach and cinched it all down like a backpack. He turned to a dumbstruck Robert Langdon. â€Å"I'm sorry,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"It wasn't supposed to happen this way.† Then he opened his door and hurled himself into the night. The image burned in Langdon's unconscious mind, and with it came the pain. Real pain. Physical pain. Aching. Searing. He begged to be taken, to let it end, but as the water lapped louder in his ears, new images began to flash. His hell had only just begun. He saw bits and pieces. Scattered frames of sheer panic. He lay halfway between death and nightmare, begging for deliverance, but the pictures grew brighter in his mind. The antimatter canister was locked out of reach. It counted relentlessly downward as the chopper shot upward. Fifty seconds. Higher. Higher. Langdon spun wildly in the cabin, trying to make sense of what he had just seen. Forty-five seconds. He dug under seats searching for another parachute. Forty seconds. There was none! There had to be an option! Thirty-five seconds. He raced to the open doorway of the chopper and stood in the raging wind, gazing down at the lights of Rome below. Thirty-two seconds. And then he made the choice. The unbelievable choice†¦ With no parachute, Robert Langdon had jumped out the door. As the night swallowed his tumbling body, the helicopter seemed to rocket off above him, the sound of its rotors evaporating in the deafening rush of his own free fall. As he plummeted toward earth, Robert Langdon felt something he had not experienced since his years on the high dive – the inexorable pull of gravity during a dead drop. The faster he fell, the harder the earth seemed to pull, sucking him down. This time, however, the drop was not fifty feet into a pool. The drop was thousands of feet into a city – an endless expanse of pavement and concrete. Somewhere in the torrent of wind and desperation, Kohler's voice echoed from the grave†¦ words he had spoken earlier this morning standing at CERN's free-fall tube. One square yard of drag will slow a falling body almost twenty percent. Twenty percent, Langdon now realized, was not even close to what one would need to survive a fall like this. Nonetheless, more out of paralysis than hope, he clenched in his hands the sole object he had grabbed from the chopper on his way out the door. It was an odd memento, but it was one that for a fleeting instant had given him hope. The windshield tarp had been lying in the back of the helicopter. It was a concave rectangle – about four yards by two – like a huge fitted sheet†¦ the crudest approximation of a parachute imaginable. It had no harness, only bungie loops at either end for fastening it to the curvature of the windshield. Langdon had grabbed it, slid his hands through the loops, held on, and leapt out into the void. His last great act of youthful defiance. No illusions of life beyond this moment. Langdon fell like a rock. Feet first. Arms raised. His hands gripping the loops. The tarp billowed like a mushroom overhead. The wind tore past him violently. As he plummeted toward earth, there was a deep explosion somewhere above him. It seemed farther off than he had expected. Almost instantly, the shock wave hit. He felt the breath crushed from his lungs. There was a sudden warmth in the air all around him. He fought to hold on. A wall of heat raced down from above. The top of the tarp began to smolder†¦ but held. Langdon rocketed downward, on the edge of a billowing shroud of light, feeling like a surfer trying to outrun a thousand-foot tidal wave. Then suddenly, the heat receded. He was falling again through the dark coolness. For an instant, Langdon felt hope. A moment later, though, that hope faded like the withdrawing heat above. Despite his straining arms assuring him that the tarp was slowing his fall, the wind still tore past his body with deafening velocity. Langdon had no doubt he was still moving too fast to survive the fall. He would be crushed when he hit the ground. Mathematical figures tumbled through his brain, but he was too numb to make sense of them†¦ one square yard of drag†¦ 20 percent reduction of speed. All Langdon could figure was that the tarp over his head was big enough to slow him more than 20 percent. Unfortunately, though, he could tell from the wind whipping past him that whatever good the tarp was doing was not enough. He was still falling fast†¦ there would be no surviving the impact on the waiting sea of concrete. Beneath him, the lights of Rome spread out in all directions. The city looked like an enormous starlit sky that Langdon was falling into. The perfect expanse of stars was marred only by a dark strip that split the city in two – a wide, unlit ribbon that wound through the dots of light like a fat snake. Langdon stared down at the meandering swatch of black. Suddenly, like the surging crest of an unexpected wave, hope filled him again. With almost maniacal vigor, Langdon yanked down hard with his right hand on the canopy. The tarp suddenly flapped louder, billowing, cutting right to find the path of least resistance. Langdon felt himself drifting sideways. He pulled again, harder, ignoring the pain in his palm. The tarp flared, and Langdon sensed his body sliding laterally. Not much. But some! He looked beneath him again, to the sinuous serpent of black. It was off to the right, but he was still pretty high. Had he waited too long? He pulled with all his might and accepted somehow that it was now in the hands of God. He focused hard on the widest part of the serpent and†¦ for the first time in his life, prayed for a miracle. The rest was a blur. The darkness rushing up beneath him†¦ the diving instincts coming back†¦ the reflexive locking of his spine and pointing of the toes†¦ the inflating of his lungs to protect his vital organs†¦ the flexing of his legs into a battering ram†¦ and finally†¦ the thankfulness that the winding Tiber River was raging†¦ making its waters frothy and air-filled†¦ and three times softer than standing water. Then there was impact†¦ and blackness. It had been the thundering sound of the flapping canopy that drew the group's eyes away from the fireball in the sky. The sky above Rome had been filled with sights tonight†¦ a skyrocketing helicopter, an enormous explosion, and now this strange object that had plummeted into the churning waters of the Tiber River, directly off the shore of the river's tiny island, Isola Tiberina. Ever since the island had been used to quarantine the sick during the Roman plague of A.D. 1656, it had been thought to have mystic healing properties. For this reason, the island had later become the site for Rome's Hospital Tiberina. The body was battered when they pulled it onto shore. The man still had a faint pulse, which was amazing, they thought. They wondered if it was Isola Tiberina's mythical reputation for healing that had somehow kept his heart pumping. Minutes later, when the man began coughing and slowly regained consciousness, the group decided the island must indeed be magical.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Unique Gifts Writers are Guaranteed to Love

Unique Gifts Writers are Guaranteed to Love Looking for a special gift for the writer in your life? Weve scoured the web to find products and subscription services that we think are the perfect fit. From witty fashion to shot glasses featuring famous writers and their thoughts on drinking- youre sure to find something that will make the perfect gift.The Writers Toolbox: Creative Games and Exercises for Inspiring the Write Side of Your BrainThe Writers ToolboxThe Writers Toolbox kit is a thoughtful one because for many writers, the hardest part of what they do is just getting started. Designed by creative writing teacher Jamie Cat Callan, it includes a 64-page book filled with exercises intended to get a creative plot rolling. The book provides first sentences, non-sequiturs, and last straws to help get stories started, as well as spinner palettes to introduce unexpected plot twists.Writer T-shirts by independent designersWriter T-shirts by independent designersNoted for its online marketplace full of handmade and unique design s, Etsy is a great resource for looking for just the right gift for the writer in your life. Its writer t-shirt collection is an easy way to browse for a statement piece that fits into any writers wardrobe. From witty to infamous and everything in between, what better way to treat a writer than with something soft and comfortable for them to write in?Digital voice recorder with built-in USBDigital voice recorder with built-in USBA digital voice recorder is a standard tool of the trade in most writing professions. Smartphones have limited capability in capturing voices in wider ranges, so most writers turn to a digital voice recorder for interviews, which are part of the process of putting together any content- from journalism and technical manuals to marketing and creative fiction. Digital voice recorders like Sonys series with built-in USB allows for quick transfer of recorded interviews to a PC or laptop, with expandable storage (Micro SD card) for up to thousands of hours of reco rding.Cocktail Courier subscriptionCocktail CourierLord Byron, Oscar Wilde, Dorothy Parker†¦alcohol and writing have gone together like peanut butter and jelly for, well, a long time. So, what better gift to give the writer in your life than a subscription to the worlds greatest cocktails from the worlds best bartenders from Cocktail Couriers? With prices starting at $50 per month, you can choose a 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month subscription. Your favorite writer will then receive a box delivered monthly, biweekly, or weekly (your choice) full of all the necessary ingredients (including garnish and step-by-step instructions) to make between 4-12 alcoholic beverages. Oh, and of course, alcohol is included.On Writing: A Memoir of the CraftOn Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen KingFew modern writers are as prolific and successful as Stephen King, which is why his half biography/half how-to-manual, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, is such a great read. In it, he talks about the basic tools of his trade, including how and why a writer should always have them on hand, so its highly informative. He also has a lot of inspirational advice for writers dealing with rejection and trying to set positive and productive work habits in their daily writing practice.Phrase Books/ Writers ThesauriPhrase Books/ Writers Thesauri by Angela AckermanWhile there are hundreds of phrase books and writers thesauri on the market, this set by Angela Ackerman really breaks it all down into digestible chunks. Ackerman is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of six bestselling books for writers. Her books are available in six languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. Ackerman is also co-founder of Writers Helping Writers as well as One Stop for Writers, an innovative online library built to help writers elevate their storytelling.Literary coffee mugsLiterary coffee mugs by the Unemployed Philosophers GuildThese 12 oz. mugs are perfect for writers looking for that extra inspiration with their first cup of coffee in the morning. From banned books to first lines of literature to Edgar Allen Poe, the selection is so good, you might want to get more than one! All mugs are microwave safe. Theyre also sold by the Unemployed Philosophers Guild, which is a small, Brooklyn-based company specializing in unique gifts for sophisticated tastes.6-piece shot glass set of famous literary lushes6-piece shot glass set of famous literary lushesAnother creation from the sophisticated minds at the Unemployed Philosophers Guild, this shot glass set celebrates six immortal literary figures who are as famous for their drinking as they are for their work. Featuring Lord Byron, Oscar Wilde, Dorothy Parker, Winston Churchill, W. B. Yeats, and Charles Baudelaire, each shot glass contains a colorful portrait of the writer along with one of their most famous quotes on drinking.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Work Placement Reflective The WritePass Journal

Work Placement Reflective Introduction Work Placement Reflective IntroductionBibliography:Related Introduction This is a sample of the reflective diary kept during my work placement with Viridian Housing. The experiences accounted in this sample reflect those used in support of my critical review. A reflective diary is a private record of experiences throughout work placement. It is very important to use this diary to report thoughts, feelings and opinions rather than reporting on the factual events of the day.   A reflective diary is also important for keeping a record of both the positive and non positive experiences, as well as the achievements. The purpose of reflection is a means to be able to think things over or to visualize.   Reflection involves complex mental processing that discovers new ideas or inter-relationships between ideas.[1]   Accurate reflection will help us improve our decision-making, deal with issues in everyday work and social situations, discover new ideas and help understand ourselves better. There is a recurring theme with the tenancy checks and inspection visits that is very frustrating. I spoke to another tenant who is a long term tenant of Viridian. Invariably with the visits there will be small maintenance issues that need to be sorted out, however generally they have not been reported because they are minor and often aesthetic. In this case it was the issue of a window that was stuck shut. The tenant proceeded to tell me that there was a maintenance history, but that he would call one of the housing officers to sort it out, because that is the person they usually dealt with. Professionally this has no impact what so ever, as these things are recorded and can easily be dealt with. I found it frustrating however, because despite my position with Viridian, I feel that the tenants doubt my abilities and professional expertise. In this situation I remained calm and collected, as I suspect that this is a personal insecurity which will resolve itself with further experienc e in the field. I am also sure that there was no intention to undermine my position. I was proud that I was able to keep my composure despite feeling rather frustrated at the time. I spoke to one of my colleagues about it later that day and found out that this is a common thing with all housing officers. I was happy to learn this and am not dreading doing inspection visits as I was earlier in the day. An elderly lady came for a consultation after going to a number of housing organizations to attempt to get into a care facility. By the time she arrived in our offices she was at her wits end. Although the issue of finding accommodation for her is relatively simple and routine, I discovered that she really needed to just talk to someone that understood what she wanted and what she did not want. A lot of what she was complaining about had to do with housing organizations wanting to put her into a type of frail care facility, however this isn’t what she wanted. I feel like the respect that Viridian is always reinforcing in this industry really does have a place, as this lady clearly hasn’t been shown much respect and even though we have not helped her yet, she was incredibly happy and grateful at the end of the meeting. I am finding that so much about this position has to do with an attitude of respect towards to client. I do not think that one could succeed in this posit ion without the ability to build rapport with people and be friendly. I was proud to be a member of Viridian as the assistance that we can offer people in her situation, although not particularly unique, can make a huge difference in the lives of the elderly and disabled. I performed a tenancy check and inspection visit and was let into the property by who I assumed was family of the tenant. This was after significant problems in trying to gain access to the property and eventually after harassing the tenant for over a week, I was able to secure an inspection date and time. After having a look around the property it started to look a bit suspicious as it was clear that this family member was living in the property. After some questioning it became clear that the property had been informally sublet to this family member and that the actual tenant was now living somewhere else. Obviously illegal subletting has to be reported and the family member of the tenant will most likely be evicted from the property. I had mixed feelings about this, because she seemed like a very nice person who was going to bear the consequences of the mistake of the tenant. I felt very sympathetic towards her and going forward, I felt sad in having to report this to the housing officers. The matter was taken over by the housing officer that manages the property, however in subsequent reporting I found out that the matter has been settled. I was proud of my ability to be perceptive in this situation and follow my instincts. Although emotionally it was difficult to follow the rules, professionally this was a triumph as I followed my gut and in doing so discovered an illegal tenancy. There was an incident with an elderly couple that was occupying on the properties that had about three stairs throughout. Whilst in the office, I received a phone call from the husband informing me of the unsuitability of the housing for them because of the problems that the stairs caused. He then demanded that we find another house for them or see to it that there are the requisite ramps installed in the housing immediately. To that point I had not dealt with an issue like this, however I treated the matter as urgent and reported it immediately to one of my colleagues. The next day I received a phone call from the same man who was now irate that there had been no action taken as of yet and he shouted over the phone at me, not allowing me to speak. Whilst I understood his concern, I did not appreciate the disrespect shown towards me, especially since we had given him feedback on the issue and all things considered it was not urgent. I managed to stay calm during the whole conversatio n and tried to be as compassionate and understanding as possible. I calmly explained to him that we needed to get approval to install ramps in the property and there would be some delay. I was proud of myself for staying calm during that time as I was getting more frustrated as the man continued to rant at me. Moving forward, I learnt that when dealing with homes, people are always going to be upset, but as the professional you need to stay calm and do your job without getting angry or upset. There was an issue with a tenant that had a leaking roof that had allegedly been reported to the maintenance team. I checked the records and nothing was reflected. As there was staff training that week, I was alone in the office and the weekend was approaching. Not wanting the tenant to suffer any further water damage to her property,   I went about organizing a repair team to go to the house to fix it the next afternoon, however got a call from the contractor who was at the house saying the tenant had said that someone had been around earlier to fix the problem from Viridian. This was incredibly frustrating as now the contractor would be paid for nothing and it was a waste of my time, the tenants and the contractors. I cross checked with the maintenance team the following Monday when training was over and discovered that they had organized for the roof to be fixed, however due to training they had been unable to update the records to reflect this. I was very embarrassed that I had not first checked with the relevant housing officer, although at the time I felt that I was showing initiative. I feel like I learnt a valuable lesson through making this mistake that although showing initiative is encouraged, one must have all the facts of the situation before executing a plan. I had to explain the situation to the housing officer, who understood my mistake. I do feel however that there is some responsibility on the housing officer for not having updated the record, as it was clearly within my duties to have the maintenance issue sorted out and it is important to always update the files with the correct information at all times as these systems exist for exactly this reason. Although I was not formally reprimanded, I do feel that I was only part responsible. Nonetheless, I learnt a valuable lesson about communication between the different teams in Viridian and moving forward I shall ensure that I follow all protocol accordingly. Bibliography: Nolan, Y.,Moonie, N.,Lavers, S. (2005) Health and Social Care (Adults): S/NVQ Level 3, Essex, Heinemann Nolan, Y. (2005) Health and Social Care (Adults): S/NVQ Level 2, Essex, Heinemann. [1] Nolan, Y.,Moonie, N.,Lavers, S. (2005) Health and Social Care (Adults): S/NVQ Level 3, Essex, Heinemann

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Boa Constrictor Facts

Boa Constrictor Facts Boa constrictors are reptiles and reside mainly in Central and South America. Their scientific name, Boa constrictor, is derived from the Greek words meaning type of snake (boa) and to grasp (constrictor). They are known for their gigantic size and for killing their prey by squeezing them to death with their muscular bodies. Fast Facts: Boa Constrictor Scientific Name: Boa constrictorCommon Names: Red tailed boa, boasOrder: SquamataBasic Animal Group: ReptilesDistinguishing Characteristics: Large, heavy-bodied, beige blotches on brown bodySize: 8-13 feet in lengthWeight: 20-100 poundsLife Span: 20-40 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Tropical forests, grasslandsConservation Status: Least concernFun Fact: Boas are excellent swimmers, but they avoid water as much as possible Description Boa constrictors are non-venomous snakes best known for their large size and for squeezing their prey to death. They can climb surfaces well, swim, and travel up to speeds of one mile per hour. These reptiles have a life span of roughly 30 years, but the oldest ones have lived to 40 years. They can grow up to 13 feet in length and weigh from 20 to 100 pounds. The colors of their skin, such as pinkish-tan with patterns of brown and red, help to camouflage them well in their environment. Habitat and Distribution Boa constrictors live in Central and South America in habitats such as tropical forests, savannas, and semi-deserts.  Boas hide in the burrows of rodents at ground level during the day to rest. They are also semi-arboreal and spend time in the trees to bask in the sun. Diet and Behavior The tail of a rat hangs from the mouth of a boa constrictor as it ingests the body of the rat.   Joe McDonald/Corbis Documentary / Getty Images Boas are carnivores, and their diet consists mainly of mice, small birds, lizards, and frogs when they are young. As they mature, they eat larger mammals, such as rodents, birds, marmosets, monkeys, opossums, bats, and even wild pigs.   At night, boas hunt using sensing pits on their face that allow them to detect their preys body heat. Because they move slowly, boas rely on ambushing their prey; for instance, they may attack bats as they sleep in trees or as they fly by. They kill by using their powerful muscles to squeeze their victims body. Scientists thought this squeezing suffocates their prey, but recent findings show that the powerful pressure from the snakes actually constricts blood flow in the animal. The pressure is so powerful that the prey’s heart is not able to overcome it and it dies within seconds. Once the animal is dead, these snakes swallow their prey whole. They have special tubes in the bottom of their mouth that allow them to breath as they eat their meal. Boa constrictors digest their food with their powerful stomach acids. After a large meal, they will not need to eat for several weeks. Since they are nocturnal and solitary creatures, boas hide in rodent burrows during the day to rest, but may spend several hours in trees basking in the sun. During colder weather, they can become almost completely inactive. Reproduction and Offspring Boa constrictors reach mating age at around 3-4 years. The breeding period for them is during the rainy season. Males slither across the female’s body to stimulate the cloaca with his vestigial legs. Females produce anywhere from 20 to 60 young. These reptiles are ovoviviparous, which means that they give birth to young that are fully formed. The female eats very little during the gestation period, which lasts roughly 100 days. When the eggs are ready to be born, they push out the cloaca and must break open the protective membrane they are still encapsulated in. At birth, the young are about 20 inches and can grow to 3 feet during the first several months of life. They can survive on their own and demonstrate natural instincts for hunting and hiding from predators. Conservation Status Boa constrictors are designated as least concern under CITES Appendix II, but they have not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The biggest threat to boas comes from humans who harvest them for their skin as part of the leather trade. In tropical parts of the Americas, people may bring boas into their homes to manage rodent infestations. Species There are over 40 species of boas. A few examples of species are the rubber boa (Charina bottae), the rosy boa (Charina trivirgata), and the red-tailed boa (Boa constrictor constrictor). Rubber boas live in western North America. As their name suggests, these boas have rubbery skin, and they burrow into the ground. The rosy boa’s habitat ranges from California and Arizona to Mexico. The red-tailed boa is the species of boa constrictor that is most commonly used as a pet. Boa Constrictors and Humans Workers displaying yellow boa constrictor at a festival in Bowie, Maryland.   Tom Carter/Photolibrary/Getty Images Plus In the U.S., boa constrictors are often imported as pets and sometimes bred to produce more colorful snakes. While this pet trade may not pose a threat to boas, an unfortunate risk is that some owners simply release their pets into the environment because they do not realize how quickly these animals grow. This is particularly dangerous because boas can adapt well to new environments so long as the temperatures are conducive to them thriving. As a result, they can become an invasive species and pose serious threats to the new environment, which could lead to the disappearance of other indigenous species. Sources â€Å"Boa Constrictor.† Boa Constrictor, www.woburnsafari.co.uk/discover/meet-the-animals/reptiles/boa-constrictor/.â€Å"Boa Constrictor.† Kids National Geographic, 1 Mar. 2014, kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/boa-constrictor/.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Boa Constrictor.† Smithsonians National Zoo, 28 Nov. 2018, nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/boa-constrictor.  Boa Constrictor Facts and Information. SeaWorld Parks, seaworld.org/animals/facts/reptiles/boa-constrictor/.  Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. â€Å"Boa.† Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 14 May 2019, www.britannica.com/animal/boa-snake-family.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Fashion Design Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fashion Design - Term Paper Example Fashion designers have various responsibilities in their daily operations. First, they ought to be apt of innovating and producing concepts that are appealing and prospective. Additionally, they should have either the ability to construct sketches by hand or the ability to use a computer. They also should be apt of developing various appealing patterns, which they translate to their pieces. Moreover, they should be keen in overseeing and monitoring production of their aesthetic pieces. They ought to be in a position to analyze trends on fabric, shapes and colours. Fashion designers operate at any time, and may end up working for long hours. They usually participate in fashion shows, compile collections and derive samples for prospective buyers. They may as well attend the shows as auditors; involve themselves in prediction fairs among other activities such as visiting of prospective clientele and exhibitions. Travel is apparently mandatory and overtly necessary for fashion designers (Jones 22). They have promising salaries at their disposal, such as sixty thousand pounds annually. Fashion designers ought to be competent and creative whenever they embark in their work. They have as eye for colour, patterns and textures. They have the aptitude to visualize things in three perspectives or dimensions. Additionally, they possess technical skills in areas such as garment making, grading and cutting of appealing patterns that are aesthetic and pleasing to their clientele.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Austin Wood Products Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Austin Wood Products - Case Study Example When current assets are misreported then the company’s liquidity becomes deviated from its actual level. The whole interconnectedness of the mentioned problems is going to comprise strategic decisions of the company. Additionally, it is imperative to note for organizational management that inventory management is not at all a rocket science in nature but it is rather based on what humans called commonsense. The general idea of inventory management is to maintain adequate levels of supply of raw materials and finished goods that the production cycle continues to operate while, customers do not return from the company’s outlets empty-handedly respectively. The case highlights the problems that are being caused by the complete absence of inventory management system. The workers do not record changes in inventory. The sales volume of the company is expected to go up by 20% in the next month and therefore, they need inventory management system. The company in an Austin based firm and it has started its operations in 19801 and during 1983, it moved to the current location in order to benefit from less formal business environment. The company has to take simple steps regarding maintaining a clearer picture of its inventory situation. They have to come up with average demand of each type of products that they can use to determine the level of order points of every item. The company is suggested to apply ABC method of inventory management which is known to divide products into three distinctive categories. Type A refers to such items which are significantly priced but their sales are slow and therefore, they generate less sales with respect to volume but at the same time, render financial benefit of notable level to their sellers. The A type of products represent 5% to 10% of the company’s physical inventory whereas, they stand for more than 40% of sales volume in monetary terms.

Consultancy Report about ( coca cola ) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Consultancy Report about ( coca cola ) - Essay Example In this report, the marketing elements (i.e., marketing mix) of this Company as of the year 2009 and earlier shall be explored and specific strengths and weaknesses noted in order to arrive at a recommendation for possible changes in the marketing thrust of the firm. For the purpose of this study and to better incorporate the customer focus of contemporary market research, the expanded version of the marketing mix – the seven P’s framework – will be employed to establish the merits of the marketing strategy of Coca Cola. The seven P’s are namely Product, Place, Price, Promotion, with the inclusion of People, Process and Physical (tangible) evidence. Part 1- The macro and competitive environments The marketing strategy and performance of the company is best seen in the light of the macroeconomic setting prevailing at the present time. Figures presented are until 2009 performance inasmuch as 2010 full year data have not yet been released. Source: The 2010 UK Soft Drinks Report, The British Soft Drinks Association The data gathered for the soft drink industry in the UK presented in the table above shows the soft drinks consumption figures for the years 2003 to 2009. The data shows that there has been in general only a slight increase in the total volume of consumption, as well as the volume consumed per person. The value of product consumed, however, rose consistently, indicating that a rise in prices (value per litre) of soft drinks products from one year to the next has had little effect on the consumption patterns of individuals as well as the collective market. This is favourable for the industry, showing the price elasticity to be relatively inelastic and ensuring that a steady demand may be expected well into the future. The next graph below, from the same U.K. soft drinks report, shows the graph of the annual percentage change in the consumption of different types of soft drinks. Covered under the category of soft drinks are bott le water, carbonated (so called â€Å"sizzling†) drinks, dilutables, fruit juice and juice drinks (not shown are tea, coffee, and a few other â€Å"soft† beverage products). The downward convergence of the different soft drinks products are indicative of a general slowdown in the growth of the market in the U.K., pointing to the possibility that the industry is arriving at the maturity stage when the growth will continue, but at a lower rate. With market maturity will come shakeout of the industry, where weaker competitors are likely to retire. Source: The 2010 UK Soft Drinks Report, The British Soft Drinks Association The following two pages contain the tables for the PESTLE and SWOT analysis of the company. The strategic positioning of the company indicates a strong market presence, but with concerns that may impact on its market performance efficiency. PESTLE ANALYSIS The next two tables were the results of studies by the 2010 UK Soft Drinks Report by the BSDA. Carb onated drinks (so-called â€Å"sparkling† soft drinks) commands the largest market share at 42%. The type of soft drink with the second largest share comprises only slightly more than half of carbonated drinks. This makes Coca Cola’s leading brand particularly well positioned to dominate the soft drinks market. There is also significant demand for drink variants that have low calorie content or those that have no sugar, which dominates

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Everyday Playtime for Adults by Zamora Dulce Essay

Everyday Playtime for Adults by Zamora Dulce - Essay Example In the modern business world, people create activities for people to spend their time and resources on in their free time or after work. Dulce Zamora explores the concept of leisure and its meaning to adults. According to Zamora, there are some inherent benefits of adults including leisure time and activities in their lives. Similarly, there are some negative impacts of not including leisure time in adults’ lives. Additionally, some factors determine the choice of play or leisure activities that will satisfactorily suit people’s plans and produce the most benefits to an individual. Discussion This discussion will investigate the concept of leisure as discussed by Dulce Zamora, and outline some of the discussed benefits and limitations of including, or not including leisure time and activities in adults’ lives. Zamora recalls of childhood behavior, activities and the role they play in the refreshing human mind. For instance, he says, â€Å"Remember creating mud p ies as a child? Think of, how slimy the damp mud sensed between your fingers, and how you enjoyed designing the parties,† (Dillard 5). Alternatively, how about the moment you cycled your bicycle for hours about your environs, halting only when you felt exhausted. Although, the moments of extreme fun when one could move around without restrictions may appear far away, and imaginary with the present day’s never-ending list of activities to perform, it may be achievable to bring back most of the childhood fun and enjoyment and integrate it into today’s adult busy schedules. Before wondering out how to incorporate leisure time into the busy schedules, it may aid to realize what you are attempting to fix, (Charlotte 10). Experts suggest that, for anything to be attractive and pleasurable, freedom of choice and the view of control are crucial aspects. For instance, an individual who loves cooking of gourmet may not find enjoyment in making a meal that he feels attached into doing. Similarly, individuals who feel they should fix leisure time into their schedules may be hitting the goal. Dingwell argues that individuals tend to go to extremities and fill even their vacation time with multiple activities and tasks they believe they should take part in, for instance sports, parties and other social activities. Instead of concentrating on the crucial activities, they recommend for ways, to relax, and having sympathy for ourselves. Leisure time, according to Dingwell, is all about checking in and realizing that the questions below may aid determine whether an event is an appropriate thing to participate in now. Will the activity energize me? Will the activity put me in a place or state where I will feel better and relax? Will I just feel it as an obligation? The solution to most of these questions involves knowing oneself better, whether one is a social person, or a person who cherishes settings that are more intimate. In addition, it will entail reali zing whether one cherishes participating in softball, watching movies or opera, or working out crossword puzzles. The significant part is that one is participating in something that is intrinsically enjoyable to him, and not doing it because of other motives like guilt, reward or social class. For instance, a little kid who is shaping mud patties is doing it because she delights herself in the activity and for no other motives. Howard argues that the right level motivation is also crucial to enjoyment. For example, if an individual who loves to figure out crossword puzzles derives the hints extremely calmly, the person may get discouraged with it.

Down sizing at the dodge clinic Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Down sizing at the dodge clinic - Article Example In this sense, it promotes optimal service delivery thus improving client satisfaction and goal achievement (Matthews, 2013). Additionally, to the employees, it encourages teamwork and urge to learn more as one gets more experience. However, there is a huge disadvantage that is, putting some employees in high tension. That is, due to personal fear to the changes, an employee can be under high tension to give the best ending up in lower quality service delivery (Matthews, 2013). Two key aspects that have not been put into consideration include, employee motivation factors such as bonuses which will encourage get the best output from each thus aid determining those whom their service delivery is low. Secondly, the technology should have been at the forefront to ensure that the clinic is in touch with all technology advancements in the health industry (Matthews, 2013). In order to keep the hospital’s Continuous quality improvement moving forward, the following steps should be followed by the Administrative staff. Firstly, perform the lay off quickly to avoid morale lowering, and then ensure the law has been put into close consideration. Thirdly, the administrative staff should practice ways of compassionately laying off an employee (Matthews, 2013). Organize a one-on-one meeting with the targeted employee and then hold the meeting. Sixth, offer support to the employee in terms of both resources and reference to the employee. Lastly and yet importantly, if essential clarify the lay off to staff members. Essentially, this provides transparency thus raising the clinic’s reputation to all staff members and encouraging them to give their best in achieving the set out goal (Matthews,

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Everyday Playtime for Adults by Zamora Dulce Essay

Everyday Playtime for Adults by Zamora Dulce - Essay Example In the modern business world, people create activities for people to spend their time and resources on in their free time or after work. Dulce Zamora explores the concept of leisure and its meaning to adults. According to Zamora, there are some inherent benefits of adults including leisure time and activities in their lives. Similarly, there are some negative impacts of not including leisure time in adults’ lives. Additionally, some factors determine the choice of play or leisure activities that will satisfactorily suit people’s plans and produce the most benefits to an individual. Discussion This discussion will investigate the concept of leisure as discussed by Dulce Zamora, and outline some of the discussed benefits and limitations of including, or not including leisure time and activities in adults’ lives. Zamora recalls of childhood behavior, activities and the role they play in the refreshing human mind. For instance, he says, â€Å"Remember creating mud p ies as a child? Think of, how slimy the damp mud sensed between your fingers, and how you enjoyed designing the parties,† (Dillard 5). Alternatively, how about the moment you cycled your bicycle for hours about your environs, halting only when you felt exhausted. Although, the moments of extreme fun when one could move around without restrictions may appear far away, and imaginary with the present day’s never-ending list of activities to perform, it may be achievable to bring back most of the childhood fun and enjoyment and integrate it into today’s adult busy schedules. Before wondering out how to incorporate leisure time into the busy schedules, it may aid to realize what you are attempting to fix, (Charlotte 10). Experts suggest that, for anything to be attractive and pleasurable, freedom of choice and the view of control are crucial aspects. For instance, an individual who loves cooking of gourmet may not find enjoyment in making a meal that he feels attached into doing. Similarly, individuals who feel they should fix leisure time into their schedules may be hitting the goal. Dingwell argues that individuals tend to go to extremities and fill even their vacation time with multiple activities and tasks they believe they should take part in, for instance sports, parties and other social activities. Instead of concentrating on the crucial activities, they recommend for ways, to relax, and having sympathy for ourselves. Leisure time, according to Dingwell, is all about checking in and realizing that the questions below may aid determine whether an event is an appropriate thing to participate in now. Will the activity energize me? Will the activity put me in a place or state where I will feel better and relax? Will I just feel it as an obligation? The solution to most of these questions involves knowing oneself better, whether one is a social person, or a person who cherishes settings that are more intimate. In addition, it will entail reali zing whether one cherishes participating in softball, watching movies or opera, or working out crossword puzzles. The significant part is that one is participating in something that is intrinsically enjoyable to him, and not doing it because of other motives like guilt, reward or social class. For instance, a little kid who is shaping mud patties is doing it because she delights herself in the activity and for no other motives. Howard argues that the right level motivation is also crucial to enjoyment. For example, if an individual who loves to figure out crossword puzzles derives the hints extremely calmly, the person may get discouraged with it.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Architecturall theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Architecturall theory - Essay Example ntellectual context in thinking about architecture and the final built work is intrinsic to the understanding of how ideas reoccur, and even old theories have relevance today. Despite its past and present history, the aesthetic beauty and practical usefulness of theory remains a positive and necessary influence on the subject, and the discourse created by it an important element in the future growth and evolution of architecture itself. A good theoretical starting point is undoubtedly Lucas Koolhass and his theory of The Generic City—an idea significantly [and we might assume coldly] modern in its tendency to accept the twentieth century axiom of form follows function--‘generic’ as in having no particularly distinctive quality or application. In essence, nothing in terms of urban architecture should be written in theoretical or historical stone. Koolhass, the Dutch architect, architectural theorist and urbanist suggests that in approaching urban design we â€Å"stop looking for glue to hold cities together† [in the old thinking, town squares etc] and simply allow the place to develop as natural needs apply, where the only judgments are â€Å"taste† and â€Å"aesthetics† (Grà ¶nlund, The Generic City par 4). Removing the sociological component, The Generic City then is one that does not rely on history for its identity and disputes old notions of â€Å"endless repetitions o f the same structural module...more varied boredom, [and] redundancy...† (Grà ¶nlund, The Generic City par 2). But Koohaas does not leave the architect completely without options. He is simply providing a realistic backdrop that allows the professional to judge and create his work from a modern more clinical standpoint. In a1991 lecture at Rice University, Koolhaas, in pointing out â€Å"the constant movement that occurs between documenting and critiquing the phenomena to trying to interpret what they mean to architecture...† explains how his approach to writing and theorizing â€Å"work in tandem

Monday, October 14, 2019

Qualitative research Essay Example for Free

Qualitative research Essay Abstract This paper is the first of a series of three articles relating to a case study conducted at Fairfield University to assess aspects of the rapid introduction of Information Technology at the institution. This article deals with the nature of the problem faced by Fairfield University, the characteristics of the case methodology, and lays the foundation for the selection of this research technique for the current study. The paper begins with an Introduction section to familiarize the reader with the case organization. The following section on Case Methodology explores the history, and some of the applications of the technique. The section ends with specific research protocols for researchers. Introduction Fairfield University is a private liberal arts institution of about 3,000 full time undergraduate students and about 1,000 graduate school students. The undergraduate students are distributed through the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, and the School of Nursing. The graduate students are in the Graduate School of Education, the School of Business, and the School of Nursing. There are also part time students in the School of Continuing Education and the BEI School of Engineering. As with many other private institutions of higher education, Fairfield University faces many challenges. These challenges come from the declining population of college age students and the growing cost of running the institution. The literature will support the preceding statement (Crossland, 1980), but provide little comfort to the institution. One of the areas of greatest concern to college managers is the continuing cost of information technology. With the constant need to increase staff salaries, it is like salaries, inadvisable to reduce the outlay on information technology. Interviews that were conducted by this researcher with the deans and managers indicated that some of the peer institutions of Fairfield University are in fact doing as much if not more in this area. Hence any interruption in the effort to maintain technological currency would result in a competitive disadvantage for the institution. Therein lies the administrative financial challenge. The expense on information technology must be maintained at a time of declining revenues (Nicklin, 1992). The field of information technology at a university is very broad and could encompass many technologies hitherto not considered within its purview. However, there has been a relentless and indeed accelerating pace of convergence of the technologies in telecommunications, library services, and video services. The current study is concerned only with the aspects of information technology as it relates to academic computing and will focus on instructional and research computing. The goals of this study include an examination of the (a) managerial and (b) economic aspects of the rapid acquisition of information technology. The objectives deriving from those goals are: An assessment of the categories of computer use in higher education. An evaluation of the managerial issues of computing, including the centralization/decentralization of computing, client/server computing and the aspects of the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) Establish a basis for understanding the current and future economic aspects of information technology acquisition. The research questions arising from the above objectives were as follows: Objective 1 above is addressed by the question: What patterns of acquisition emerge from the current computing environment and the perceived needs for computing? Objective 2 is addressed by the question: What characteristics of the categories of computing use contribute to the patterns of acquisition? The five categories developed by King and Kraemer (1985) and adapted for use by Levy (1988) in his study at the University of Arizona, are used in this study, to examine the computing use at Fairfield University. Objective 3 is addressed by the question: What managerial issues arise from the rapid acquisition of information technology and how important have those technologies become to the organization? Objective 4 is addressed by the question: How will the institution balance the need for technological changes with the need to continue the accomplishment of routine tasks?. Samuel Levy (1988) conducted a study of instructional and research computing at the University of Arizona. This study replicates and extends the Levy (1988) study, and was conducted at Fairfield University. The current study extends the Levy (1988) study in its examination of aspects of the Internet, the World Wide Web, and Client/Server computing. Levy (1988) established the use of the case study as appropriate for the research project, and this researcher also used the literature to confirm the use of case methodology in the study at Fairfield University. The history and development of case methodology is reviewed, in support of the current case study at Fairfield University. There have been periods of intense use followed by periods of disuse of this technique, as documented by Hamel, Dufour, and Fortin (1993) as well as others. The relevance of that history to this study is important in that it establishes the known advantages and disadvantages of the methodology. The particular technique of a single-case study is reviewed, since that is the specific implementation of a case study at Fairfield University and was also used by Levy (1988). Case Study Methodology The history of case study research is marked by periods of intense use and periods of disuse. The earliest use of this form of research can be traced to Europe, predominantly to France. The methodology in the United States was most closely associated with The University of Chicago Department of Sociology. From the early 1900s until 1935, The Chicago School was preeminent in the field and the source of a great deal of the literature. There was a wealth of material in Chicago, since it was a period of immigration to the United States and various aspects of immigration of different national groups to the city were studied and reported on (Hamel et al. , 1993). Issues of poverty, unemployment, and other conditions deriving from immigration were ideally suited to the case study methodology. Zonabend (1992) stated that case study is done by giving special attention to completeness in observation, reconstruction, and analysis of the cases under study. Case study is done in a way that incorporates the views of the actors in the case under study. The field of sociology is associated most strongly with case study research, and during the period leading up to 1935, several problems were raised by researchers in other fields. This coincided with a movement within sociology, to make it more scientific. This meant providing some quantitative measurements to the research design and analysis. Since The Chicago School was most identified with this methodology, there were serious attacks on their primacy. This resulted in the denigration of case study as a methodology. In 1935, there was a public dispute between Columbia University professors, who were championing the scientific method, and The Chicago School and its supporters. The outcome was a victory for Columbia University and the consequent decline in the use of case study as a research methodology. Hamel (Hamel et al. , 1993) was careful to reject the criticisms of case study as poorly founded, made in the midst of methodological conflict. He asserted that the drawbacks of case study were not being attacked, rather the immaturity of sociology as a discipline was being displayed. As the use of quantitative methods advanced, the decline of the case study hastened. However, in the 1960s, researchers were becoming concerned about the limitations of quantitative methods. Hence there was a renewed interest in case study. Strauss and Glaser (1967) developed the concept of grounded theory. This along with some well regarded studies accelerated the renewed use of the methodology. A frequent criticism of case study methodology is that its dependence on a single case renders it incapable of providing a generalizing conclusion. Yin (1993) presented Giddens view that considered case methodology microscopic because it lacked a sufficient number of cases. Hamel (Hamel et al. , 1993) and Yin (1984, 1989a, 1989b, 1993, 1994) forcefully argued that the relative size of the sample whether 2, 10, or 100 cases are used, does not transform a multiple case into a macroscopic study. The goal of the study should establish the parameters, and then should be applied to all research. In this way, even a single case could be considered acceptable, provided it met the established objective. The literature provides some insight into the acceptance of an experimental prototype to perceive the singularity of the object of study. This ensures the transformation from the local to the global for explanation. Hamel (Hamel et al. , 1993) characterized such singularity as a concentration of the global in the local. Yin (1989a) stated that general applicability results from the set of methodological qualities of the case, and the rigor with which the case is constructed. He detailed the procedures that would satisfy the required methodological rigor. Case study can be seen to satisfy the three tenets of the qualitative method: describing, understanding, and explaining. The literature contains numerous examples of applications of the case study methodology. The earliest and most natural examples are to be found in the fields of Law and Medicine, where cases make up the large body of the student work. However, there are some areas that have used case study techniques extensively, particularly in government and in evaluative situations. The government studies were carried out to determine whether particular programs were efficient or if the goals of a particular program were being met. The evaluative applications were carried out to assess the effectiveness of educational initiatives. In both types of investigations, merely quantitative techniques tended to obscure some of the important information that the researchers needed to uncover. The body of literature in case study research is primitive and limited (Yin, 1994), in comparison to that of experimental or quasi-experimental research. The requirements and inflexibility of the latter forms of research make case studies the only viable alternative in some instances. It is a fact that case studies do not need to have a minimum number of cases, or to randomly select cases. The researcher is called upon to work with the situation that presents itself in each case. Case studies can be single or multiple-case designs, where a multiple design must follow a replication rather than sampling logic. When no other cases are available for replication, the researcher is limited to single-case designs. Yin (1994) pointed out that generalization of results, from either single or multiple designs, is made to theory and not to populations. Multiple cases strengthen the results by replicating the pattern-matching, thus increasing confidence in the robustness of the theory. Applications of case study methodology have been carried out in High-Risk Youth Programs (Yin, 1993) by several researchers. The effects of community-based prevention programs have been widely investigated using case methodology. Where the high risk youth studies assumed a single case evaluation, these studies have typically used a collection of cases as a multiple-case study. This has been true in the various substance abuse prevention programs that are community-based (Holder, 1987; Sabol, 1990; Yin, 1993). Numerous such studies sponsored by the U. S. General Accounting Office are distributed in the literature between Evans (1976) and Gopelrud (1990). These studies have gone beyond the quantitative statistical results and explained the conditions through the perspective of the actors. Thus case study evaluations can cover both process and outcomes, because they can include both quantitative and qualitative data. There are several examples of the use of case methodology in the literature. Yin (1993) listed several examples along with the appropriate research design in each case. There were suggestions for a general approach to designing case studies, and also recommendations for exploratory, explanatory, and descriptive case studies. Each of those three approaches can be either single or multiple-case studies, where multiple-case studies are replicatory, not sampled cases. There were also specific examples in education, and management information systems. Education has embraced the case method for instructional use. Some of the applications are reviewed in this paper. In exploratory case studies, fieldwork, and data collection may be undertaken prior to definition of the research questions and hypotheses. This type of study has been considered as a prelude to some social research. However, the framework of the study must be created ahead of time. Pilot projects are very useful in determining the final protocols that will be used. Survey questions may be dropped or added based on the outcome of the pilot study. Selecting cases is a difficult process, but the literature provides guidance in this area (Yin, 1989a). Stake (1995) recommended that the selection offers the opportunity to maximize what can be learned, knowing that time is limited. Hence the cases that are selected should be easy and willing subjects. A good instrumental case does not have to defend its typicality. Explanatory cases are suitable for doing causal studies. In very complex and multivariate cases, the analysis can make use of pattern-matching techniques. Yin and Moore (1988) conducted a study to examine the reason why some research findings get into practical use. They used a funded research project as the unit of analysis, where the topic was constant but the project varied. The utilization outcomes were explained by three rival theories: a knowledge-driven theory, a problem-solving theory, and a social-interaction theory. Knowledge-driven theory means that ideas and discoveries from basic research eventually become commercial products. Problem-solving theory follows the same path, but originates not with a researcher, but with an external source identifying a problem. The social-interaction theory claims that researchers and users belong to overlapping professional networks and are in frequent communication. Descriptive cases require that the investigator begin with a descriptive theory, or face the possibility that problems will occur during the project. Pyecha (1988) used this methodology to study special education, using a pattern-matching procedure. Several states were studied and the data about each states activities were compared to another, with idealized theoretic patterns. Thus what is implied in this type of study is the formation of hypotheses of cause-effect relationships. Hence the descriptive theory must cover the depth and scope of the case under study. The selection of cases and the unit of analysis is developed in the same manner as the other types of case studies. Case studies have been increasingly used in education. While law and medical schools have been using the technique for an extended period, the technique is being applied in a variety of instructional situations. Schools of business have been most aggressive in the implementation of case based learning, or active learning (Boisjoly DeMichiell, 1994). Harvard University has been a leader in this area, and cases developed by the faculty have been published for use by other institutions. The School of Business at Fairfield University has revised the curriculum so that in place of the individual longitudinal courses in the areas of Management, Marketing, Operations, Finance, and Information Systems, students take one course. That course is designed around cases that encompass those disciplines, but are presented in an integrated manner. The students are therefore made aware of the interrelatedness of the various disciplines and begin to think in terms of wider problems and solutions. Later courses add the international dimension to the overall picture. Case studies have been used to develop critical thinking (Alvarez, et al. , 1990). There are also interactive language courses (Carney, 1995), courses designed to broaden the students horizons (Brearley, 1990), and even for technical courses (Greenwald, 1991), and philosophical ones (Garvin, 1991). This investigation is a case study of the aspects of Information Technology that are related to client/server computing, the Internet, and the World Wide Web, at Fairfield University. Thus this paper examines issues that will expand the readers knowledge of case study methodology as it relates to the design and execution of such a study. Yin (1994) recommended the use of case-study protocol as part of a carefully designed research project that would include the following sections: Overview of the project (project objectives and case study issues) Field procedures (credentials and access to sites) Questions (specific questions that the investigator must keep in mind during data collection) Guide for the report (outline, format for the narrative) (Yin, 1994, p.64) The quintessential characteristic of case studies is that they strive towards a holistic understanding of cultural systems of action (Feagin, Orum, Sjoberg, 1990). Cultural systems of action refer to sets of interrelated activities engaged in by the actors in a social situation. The case studies must always have boundaries (Stake, 1995). Case study research is not sampling research, which is a fact asserted by all the major researchers in the field, including Yin, Stake, Feagin and others. However, selecting cases must be done so as to maximize what can be learned, in the period of time available for the study. The unit of analysis is a critical factor in the case study. It is typically a system of action rather than an individual or group of individuals. Case studies tend to be selective, focusing on one or two issues that are fundamental to understanding the system being examined. Case studies are multi-perspectival analyses. This means that the researcher considers not just the voice and perspective of the actors, but also of the relevant groups of actors and the interaction between them. This one aspect is a salient point in the characteristic that case studies possess. They give a voice to the powerless and voiceless. When sociological studies present many studies of the homeless and powerless, they do so from the viewpoint of the elite (Feagin, Orum, Sjoberg, 1991). Case study is known as a triangulated research strategy. Snow and Anderson (cited in Feagin, Orum, Sjoberg, 1991) asserted that triangulation can occur with data, investigators, theories, and even methodologies. Stake (1995) stated that the protocols that are used to ensure accuracy and alternative explanations are called triangulation. The need for triangulation arises from the ethical need to confirm the validity of the processes. In case studies, this could be done by using multiple sources of data (Yin, 1984). The problem in case studies is to establish meaning rather than location. Designing Case Studies Yin (1994) identified five components of research design that are important for case studies: A studys questions Its propositions, if any Its unit(s) of analysis The logic linking the data to the propositions The criteria for interpreting the findings (Yin, 1994, p. 20). The studys questions are most likely to be how and why questions, and their definition is the first task of the researcher. The studys propositions sometimes derive from the how and why questions, and are helpful in focusing the studys goals. Not all studies need to have propositions. An exploratory study, rather than having propositions, would have a stated purpose or criteria on which the success will be judged. The unit of analysis defines what the case is. This could be groups, organizations or countries, but it is the primary unit of analysis. Linking the data to propositions and the criteria for interpreting the findings are the least developed aspects in case studies (Yin, 1994). Campbell (1975) described pattern-matching as a useful technique for linking data to the propositions. Campbell (1975) asserted that pattern-matching is a situation where several pieces of information from the same case may be related to some theoretical proposition. His study showed, through pattern-matching, that the observed drop in the level of traffic fatalities in Connecticut was not related to the lowering of the speed limit. His study also illustrated some of the difficulties in establishing the criteria for interpreting the findings. Construct validity is especially problematic in case study research. It has been a source of criticism because of potential investigator subjectivity. Yin (1994) proposed three remedies to counteract this: using multiple sources of evidence, establishing a chain of evidence, and having a draft case study report reviewed by key informants. Internal validity is a concern only in causal (explanatory) cases. This is usually a problem of inferences in case studies, and can be dealt with using pattern-matching, which has been described above. External validity deals with knowing whether the results are generalizable beyond the immediate case. Some of the criticism against case studies in this area relate to single-case studies. However, that criticism is directed at the statistical and not the analytical generalization that is the basis of case studies. Reliability is achieved in many ways in a case study. One of the most important methods is the development of the case study protocol. Case studies can be either single or multiple-case designs. Single cases are used to confirm or challenge a theory, or to represent a unique or extreme case (Yin, 1994). Single-case studies are also ideal for revelatory cases where an observer may have access to a phenomenon that was previously inaccessible. Single-case designs require careful investigation to avoid misrepresentation and to maximize the investigators access to the evidence. These studies can be holistic or embedded, the latter occurring when the same case study involves more than one unit of analysis. Multiple-case studies follow a replication logic. This is not to be confused with sampling logic where a selection is made out of a population, for inclusion in the study. This type of sample selection is improper in a case study. Each individual case study consists of a whole study, in which facts are gathered from various sources and conclusions drawn on those facts. Yin (1994) asserted that a case study investigator must be able to operate as a senior investigator during the course of data collection. There should be a period of training which begins with the examination of the definition of the problem and the development of the case study design. If there is only a single investigator, this might not be necessary. The training would cover aspects that the investigator needs to know, such as: the reason for the study, the type of evidence being sought, and what variations might be expected. This could take the form of discussion rather than formal lectures. A case study protocol contains more than the survey instrument, it should also contain procedures and general rules that should be followed in using the instrument. It is to be created prior to the data collection phase. It is essential in a multiple-case study, and desirable in a single-case study. Yin (1994) presented the protocol as a major component in asserting the reliability of the case study research. A typical protocol should have the following sections: An overview of the case study project (objectives, issues, topics being investigated) Field procedures (credentials and access to sites, sources of information) Case study questions (specific questions that the investigator must keep in mind during data collection) A guide for case study report (outline, format for the narrative) (Yin, 1994, p. 64). The overview should communicate to the reader the general topic of inquiry and the purpose of the case study. The field procedures mostly involve data collection issues and must be properly designed. The investigator does not control the data collection environment (Yin, 1994) as in other research strategies; hence the procedures become all the more important. During interviews, which by nature are open ended, the subjects schedule must dictate the activity (Stake, 1995). Gaining access to the subject organization, having sufficient resources while in the field, clearly scheduling data collection activities, and providing for unanticipated events, must all be planned for. Case study questions are posed to the investigator, and must serve to remind that person of the data to be collected and its possible sources. The guide for the case study report is often neglected, but case studies do not have the uniform outline, as do other research reports. It is essential to plan this report as the case develops, to avoid problems at the end. Stake (1995), and Yin (1994) identified at least six sources of evidence in case studies. The following is not an ordered list, but reflects the research of both Yin (1994) and Stake (1995): Documents Archival records Interviews Direct observation Participant-observation Physical artifacts Documents could be letters, memoranda, agendas, administrative documents, newspaper articles, or any document that is germane to the investigation. In the interest of triangulation of evidence, the documents serve to corroborate the evidence from other sources. Documents are also useful for making inferences about events. Documents can lead to false leads, in the hands of inexperienced researchers, which has been a criticism of case study research. Documents are communications between parties in the study, the researcher being a vicarious observer; keeping this in mind will help the investigator avoid being misled by such documents. Archival documents can be service records, organizational records, lists of names, survey data, and other such records. The investigator has to be careful in evaluating the accuracy of the records before using them. Even if the records are quantitative, they might still not be accurate. Interviews are one of the most important sources of case study information. There are several forms of interviews that are possible: Open-ended, Focused, and Structured or survey. In an open-ended interview, key respondents are asked to comment about certain events. They may propose solutions or provide insight into events. They may also corroborate evidence obtained from other sources. The researcher must avoid becoming dependent on a single informant, and seek the same data from other sources to verify its authenticity. The focused interview is used in a situation where the respondent is interviewed for a short period of time, usually answering set questions. This technique is often used to confirm data collected from another source. The structured interview is similar to a survey, and is used to gather data in cases such as neighborhood studies. The questions are detailed and developed in advance, much as they are in a survey. Direct observation occurs when a field visit is conducted during the case study. It could be as simple as casual data collection activities, or formal protocols to measure and record behaviors. This technique is useful for providing additional information about the topic being studied. The reliability is enhanced when more than one observer is involved in the task. Glesne and Peshkin (1992) recommended that researchers should be as unobtrusive as the wallpaper. Participant-observation makes the researcher into an active participant in the events being studied. This often occurs in studies of neighborhoods or groups. The technique provides some unusual opportunities for collecting data, but could face some major problems as well. The researcher could well alter the course of events as part of the group, which may not be helpful to the study. Physical artifacts can be tools, instruments, or some other physical evidence that may be collected during the study as part of a field visit. The perspective of the researcher can be broadened as a result of the discovery. It is important to keep in mind that not all sources are relevant for all case studies (Yin, 1994). The investigator should be capable of dealing with all of them, should it be necessary, but each case will present different opportunities for data collection. There are some conditions that arise when a case researcher must start data collection before the study questions have been defined and finalized (Yin, 1994). This is likely to be successful only with an experienced investigator. Another important point to review is the benefit of using rival hypotheses and theories as a means of adding quality control to the case study. This improves the perception of the fairness and serious thinking of the researcher. Analyzing Case Study Evidence This aspect of the case study methodology is the least developed and hence the most difficult. As a result, some researchers have suggested that if the study were made conducive to statistical analysis, the process would be easier and more acceptable. This quantitative approach would be appealing to some of the critics of the case study methodology. However not all case studies lend themselves to this type of analysis. Miles and Huberman (1984) suggested analytic techniques such as rearranging the arrays, placing the evidence in a matrix of categories, creating flowcharts or data displays, tabulating the frequency of different events, using means, variances and cross tabulations to examine the relationships between variables, and other such techniques to facilitate analysis. There must first be an analytic strategy, that will lead to conclusions. Yin (1994) presented two strategies for general use: One is to rely on theoretical propositions of the study, and then to analyze the evidence based on those propositions. The other technique is to develop a case description, which would be a framework for organizing the case study. Lynd conducted a widely cited Middletown study in 1929, and used a formal chapter construct to guide the development of the analysis. In other situations, the original objective of the case study may help to identify some causal links that could be analyzed. Pattern-matching is another major mode of analysis. This type of logic compares an empirical pattern with a predicted one. Internal validity is enhanced when the patterns coincide. If the case study is an explanatory one, the patterns may be related to the dependent or independent variables. If it is a descriptive study, the predicted pattern must be defined prior to data collection. Yin (1994) recommended using rival explanations as pattern-matching when there are independent variables involved. This requires the development of rival theoretical propositions, but the overall concern remains the degree to which a pattern matches the predicted one. Yin (1994) encouraged researchers to make every effort to produce an analysis of the highest quality. In order to accomplish this, he presented four principles that should attract the researchers attention: Show that the analysis relied on all the relevant evidence Include all major rival interpretations in the analysis Address the most significant aspect of the case study Use the researchers prior, expert knowledge to further the analysis Stake (1995) recommended categorical aggregation as another means of analysis and also suggested developing protocols for this phase of the case study to enhance the quality of the research. He also presented ideas on pattern-matching along the lines that Yin (1994) presented. Runkel (1990) used aggregated measures to obtain relative frequencies in a multiple-case study. Stake (1995) favored coding the data and identifying the issues more clearly at the analysis stage. Eisner and Peshkin (1990) placed a high priority on direct interpretation of events, and lower on interpretation of measurement data, which is another viable alternative to be considered.