Saturday, August 31, 2019

Music of the 20th Century Essay

In this history of music and arts, every period has its own characteristic style which is associated with the society from which it originated. The period of the 19th and 20th century perceived the two world wars, and had been a period of many changes: advancement in technology, a period of many inventions such as the telephone, television, electronic light, computers, cassette tapes, synthesizers, CD players, and many others. Because of this inventions, experimentations were made in the field of music and arts. Claude Debussy (1862-1918) He studied with Guiraud and others at the Paris Conservatoire and as prizewinner went to Rome, though more important Impressions came from his visits to Bayreuth and from hearing Javaneese music in Paris. Debussy and Impressionism The Impressionist style of painting developed in the late 19th century in France. Although the Impressionist movement did not exclusively consist of French artists, it did start in France and the French painters are among the most well-known. Several earlier artistic movements, such as Classicism and Realism, influenced the Impressionist painters. In 1855, a World Fair was held in Paris, and art was given significant attention. This contributed to Paris’ reputation as the center of the art world and the place to be for aspiring painters, such as the group that would come to be known as the Impressionists. Impressionism is a style borrowed from painting which creates an illusion of light and atmosphere by using colors side by side instead of blending them. The artist avoids realism in favor of conveying impressions. Nocturnes Achille-Claude Debussy, 1862-1918, Nocturnes. Completed December 15, 1899 (at 3 a.m., according to an inscription on the manuscript), first performance October 27, 1901, in Paris. Scored for 3 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, 3 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, cymbals, snare drums, tympani, 2 harps, female chorus, and strings. 1. Nuages- (Clouds) Debussy pictures the sky with slow and melancholy passages of clouds. The warmth of Nuages recalls a summer love affair. 2. Fetes- (Festivals) is a restrained yet joyous celebration, the sort that generates lifelong memories without ever disturbing the neighbors. 3. Sirenes- (Sirens) builds on a simple two-note motives to seduce the listeners into Debussy’s river, just as dangerously as the mythological beauties who have lured innumerable sailors to their doom over the centuries. The Music of Bela Bartok Bela Bartok (1881-1945), a Hungarian, is considered a famous progressive modern musical composer, a great pianist, teacher and researcher. He was one of the leaders of Hungarian nationalism and made use of the Hungarian folk tunes in his music. Just like Stravinsky, he was one of the composers who belonged to the movement of Neo-Classicism: a return to the simplicity of Classicism and combining of modern sound with classic form. His style is characterized by rhythms which are percussive and intricate because of the influence of the Hungarian dance patterns. He used polyrhythm, which means using two or more different rhythms played at the same time. In some of his compositions like â€Å"Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm, no.1†, you will notice the irregular grouping of beats. Polytonality, which is the simultaneous combination of two or more tonalities in a composition, can also be found in Bartok’s compositions. Antonio Molina and Impressionism Dr. Antonio Molina (1894-1980) was one of the 20th century composers who wrote art music. He was considered the â€Å"Claude Debussy of the Philippines† because he was the first to introduce several important devices, technically characteristics of impressionism in music. One of Molina’s popularly known, compositions is â€Å"Hatinggabi†. Another composition of Molina is â€Å"Dancing Fool†. In this composition, he made use of the whole tone scale and used it as a descriptive device. Schoenberg and Expressionism Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) Austrian composer, Schoenberg’s development of the twelve-tone method of composition was a turning point in the 20th century music. He was a self taught musician. Another philosophy of art which affected the music of the 20th century is expressionism. It is a style which seeks to express emotion with exaggerations rather than represent the physical world. The followers of the movement believe that this world is full of tension, and people are irrational, rebellious and scared to be alone. Expressionism Many of the 20th music reflects an artistic movement called expressionism, which stress intense and subjective emotion. Painters, writers, and composers explored inner feelings rather than depicting outward appearances. The expressionists rejected conventional prettiness. Arnold Schoenberg was known for the radical sound of his music. In this song cycle, â€Å"Pierrot Lunaire†, he made use of different style of singing which is called Sprechstimme. Pierrot Lunaire calls for unusual style of vocal performance halfway between speaking and singing. Sprechstimme Literally it means speech voice. It is a manner of performing a song which sounds half-sung and half-spoken. Multimeter is identified, by the time signature, a fractional symbol in which the numerator specifies the number of beats per bar, and the denominator specifies the relative note value assigned to one beat. Syncopation (Accent) the suppression of an expected rhythmic accent by the continuation of an accented tone that begins just before it. The Music of Stravinsky Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) A Russian composer, later of French (1934) and American nationality. Stravinsky was regarded as the world’s greatest composer. His once revolutionary works were modern classics. Like Debussy and Schoenberg, Stravinsky a composer from Russia, was also one of the 20th century composers who established new trends in music, instead of just using the new trends in his music, he combined the traditional and modern trends. Electronic Music Music that requires knowledge or use of electronic devices to produce or manipulate sounds during its composition and performances. With the advancement in technology, many composers are experimenting new sound sources such as electronic, environmental and other non-tonal sound. Traditional instruments are used but in different way. Even computers, cassette tape recorders, and synthesizers are used. Concrete Music Music created by reworking natural sounds recorded on discs or tapes. Filipino Contemporary Composer Nicanor Abelardo (1893-1934)- Our foremost Kundiman composer also showed the elements of modernism in his music. This is heard in his â€Å"Cinderella Overture† and â€Å"Sinfonietta for Strings† Dr. Lucrecia Kasilag (1918-)- Neo-classicist. The music of Kasilag is unique in which she was able to combine the music of the east and west. This is shown in her Tocatta (1958) were she made used of the piano, clarinet, oboe kulintang and turiray. The Kuiliontang is very prominent in her â€Å"Concert Divertisement†. Dr. Jose Maceda (1917-)- is the pioneer and exponent of avant-garde music in our country. When he was in France, he joined the Music Concrete movement. An example of his work is â€Å"Ugnayan†(1974). Most of Maceda’s composition make use of a large number of people and the environment. Dr.Ramon Santos (1941-)- Another way of combining western and non-western materials and structures is shown by Dr. Ramon Santos. He made use of Asian material in his new way of composing. We will hear in his composition new concept and system of composing which he learned from his studies abroad. At present there is a group of young composers who are active in promoting this so called New Music. Some of them are Ryan Cayabyab, Chino Toledo, Laverne Dela Pena, Arlene Chongson,and Jonas Baes.

Angels Demons Chapter 130-133

130 The camerlegno began to feel the fog of wonder and adrenaline dissipating. As the Swiss Guard helped him down the Royal Staircase toward the Sistine Chapel, the camerlegno heard singing in St. Peter's Square and he knew that mountains had been moved. Grazie Dio. He had prayed for strength, and God had given it to him. At moments when he had doubted, God had spoken. Yours is a Holy mission, God had said. I will give you strength. Even with God's strength, the camerlegno had felt fear, questioning the righteousness of his path. If not you, God had challenged, then Who? If not now, then When? If not this way, then How? Jesus, God reminded him, had saved them all†¦ saved them from their own apathy. With two deeds, Jesus had opened their eyes. Horror and Hope. The crucifixion and the resurrection. He had changed the world. But that was millennia ago. Time had eroded the miracle. People had forgotten. They had turned to false idols – techno-deities and miracles of the mind. What about miracles of the heart! The camerlegno had often prayed to God to show him how to make the people believe again. But God had been silent. It was not until the camerlegno's moment of deepest darkness that God had come to him. Oh, the horror of that night! The camerlegno could still remember lying on the floor in tattered nightclothes, clawing at his own flesh, trying to purge his soul of the pain brought on by a vile truth he had just learned. It cannot be! he had screamed. And yet he knew it was. The deception tore at him like the fires of hell. The bishop who had taken him in, the man who had been like a father to him, the clergyman whom the camerlegno had stood beside while he rose to the papacy†¦ was a fraud. A common sinner. Lying to the world about a deed so traitorous at its core that the camerlegno doubted even God could forgive it. â€Å"Your vow!† the camerlegno had screamed at the Pope. â€Å"You broke your vow to God! You, of all men!† The Pope had tried to explain himself, but the camerlegno could not listen. He had run out, staggering blindly through the hallways, vomiting, tearing at his own skin, until he found himself bloody and alone, lying on the cold earthen floor before St. Peter's tomb. Mother Mary, what do I do? It was in that moment of pain and betrayal, as the camerlegno lay devastated in the Necropolis, praying for God to take him from this faithless world, that God had come. The voice in his head resounded like peals of thunder. â€Å"Did you vow to serve your God?† â€Å"Yes!† the camerlegno cried out. â€Å"Would you die for your God?† â€Å"Yes! Take me now!† â€Å"Would you die for your church?† â€Å"Yes! Please deliver me!† â€Å"But would you die for†¦ mankind?† It was in the silence that followed that the camerlegno felt himself falling into the abyss. He tumbled farther, faster, out of control. And yet he knew the answer. He had always known. â€Å"Yes!† he shouted into the madness. â€Å"I would die for man! Like your son, I would die for them!† Hours later, the camerlegno still lay shivering on his floor. He saw his mother's face. God has plans for you, she was saying. The camerlegno plunged deeper into madness. It was then God had spoken again. This time with silence. But the camerlegno understood. Restore their faith. If not me†¦ then who? If not now†¦ then when? As the guards unbolted the door of the Sistine Chapel, Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca felt the power moving in his veins†¦ exactly as it had when he was a boy. God had chosen him. Long ago. His will be done. The camerlegno felt reborn. The Swiss Guard had bandaged his chest, bathed him, and dressed him in a fresh white linen robe. They had also given him an injection of morphine for the burn. The camerlegno wished they had not given him painkillers. Jesus endured his pain for three days on the cross! He could already feel the drug uprooting his senses†¦ a dizzying undertow. As he walked into the chapel, he was not at all surprised to see the cardinals staring at him in wonder. They are in awe of God, he reminded himself. Not of me, but how God works THROUGH me. As he moved up the center aisle, he saw bewilderment in every face. And yet, with each new face he passed, he sensed something else in their eyes. What was it? The camerlegno had tried to imagine how they would receive him tonight. Joyfully? Reverently? He tried to read their eyes and saw neither emotion. It was then the camerlegno looked at the altar and saw Robert Langdon. 131 Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca stood in the aisle of the Sistine Chapel. The cardinals were all standing near the front of the church, turned, staring at him. Robert Langdon was on the altar beside a television that was on endless loop, playing a scene the camerlegno recognized but could not imagine how it had come to be. Vittoria Vetra stood beside him, her face drawn. The camerlegno closed his eyes for a moment, hoping the morphine was making him hallucinate and that when he opened them the scene might be different. But it was not. They knew. Oddly, he felt no fear. Show me the way, Father. Give me the words that I can make them see Your vision. But the camerlegno heard no reply. Father, We have come too far together to fail now. Silence. They do not understand what We have done. The camerlegno did not know whose voice he heard in his own mind, but the message was stark. And the truth shall set you free†¦ And so it was that Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca held his head high as he walked toward the front of the Sistine Chapel. As he moved toward the cardinals, not even the diffused light of the candles could soften the eyes boring into him. Explain yourself, the faces said. Make sense of this madness. Tell us our fears are wrong! Truth, the camerlegno told himself. Only truth. There were too many secrets in these walls†¦ one so dark it had driven him to madness. But from the madness had come the light. â€Å"If you could give your own soul to save millions,† the camerlegno said, as he moved down the aisle, â€Å"would you?† The faces in the chapel simply stared. No one moved. No one spoke. Beyond the walls, the joyous strains of song could be heard in the square. The camerlegno walked toward them. â€Å"Which is the greater sin? Killing one's enemy? Or standing idle while your true love is strangled?† They are singing in St. Peter's Square! The camerlegno stopped for a moment and gazed up at the ceiling of the Sistine. Michelangelo's God was staring down from the darkened vault†¦ and He seemed pleased. â€Å"I could no longer stand by,† the camerlegno said. Still, as he drew nearer, he saw no flicker of understanding in anyone's eyes. Didn't they see the radiant simplicity of his deeds? Didn't they see the utter necessity! It had been so pure. The Illuminati. Science and Satan as one. Resurrect the ancient fear. Then crush it. Horror and Hope. Make them believe again. Tonight, the power of the Illuminati had been unleashed anew†¦ and with glorious consequence. The apathy had evaporated. The fear had shot out across the world like a bolt of lightning, uniting the people. And then God's majesty had vanquished the darkness. I could not stand idly by! The inspiration had been God's own – appearing like a beacon in the camerlegno's night of agony. Oh, this faithless world! Someone must deliver them. You. If not you, who? You have been saved for a reason. Show them the old demons. Remind them of their fear. Apathy is death. Without darkness, there is no light. Without evil, there is no good. Make them choose. Dark or light. Where is the fear? Where are the heroes? If not now, when? The camerlegno walked up the center aisle directly toward the crowd of standing cardinals. He felt like Moses as the sea of red sashes and caps parted before him, allowing him to pass. On the altar, Robert Langdon switched off the television, took Vittoria's hand, and relinquished the altar. The fact that Robert Langdon had survived, the camerlegno knew, could only have been God's will. God had saved Robert Langdon. The camerlegno wondered why. The voice that broke the silence was the voice of the only woman in the Sistine Chapel. â€Å"You killed my father?† she said, stepping forward. When the camerlegno turned to Vittoria Vetra, the look on her face was one he could not quite understand – pain yes, but anger? Certainly she must understand. Her father's genius was deadly. He had to be stopped. For the good of Mankind. â€Å"He was doing God's work,† Vittoria said. â€Å"God's work is not done in a lab. It is done in the heart.† â€Å"My father's heart was pure! And his research proved – â€Å" â€Å"His research proved yet again that man's mind is progressing faster than his soul!† The camerlegno's voice was sharper than he had expected. He lowered his voice. â€Å"If a man as spiritual as your father could create a weapon like the one we saw tonight, imagine what an ordinary man will do with his technology.† â€Å"A man like you?† The camerlegno took a deep breath. Did she not see? Man's morality was not advancing as fast as man's science. Mankind was not spiritually evolved enough for the powers he possessed. We have never created a weapon we have not used! And yet he knew that antimatter was nothing – another weapon in man's already burgeoning arsenal. Man could already destroy. Man learned to kill long ago. And his mother's blood rained down. Leonardo Vetra's genius was dangerous for another reason. â€Å"For centuries,† the camerlegno said, â€Å"the church has stood by while science picked away at religion bit by bit. Debunking miracles. Training the mind to overcome the heart. Condemning religion as the opiate of the masses. They denounce God as a hallucination – a delusional crutch for those too weak to accept that life is meaningless. I could not stand by while science presumed to harness the power of God himself! Proof, you say? Yes, proof of science's ignorance! What is wrong with the admission that something exists beyond our understanding? The day science substantiates God in a lab is the day people stop needing faith!† â€Å"You mean the day they stop needing the church,† Vittoria challenged, moving toward him. â€Å"Doubt is your last shred of control. It is doubt that brings souls to you. Our need to know that life has meaning. Man's insecurity and need for an enlightened soul assuring him everything is part of a master plan. But the church is not the only enlightened soul on the planet! We all seek God in different ways. What are you afraid of? That God will show himself somewhere other than inside these walls? That people will find him in their own lives and leave your antiquated rituals behind? Religions evolve! The mind finds answers, the heart grapples with new truths. My father was on your quest! A parallel path! Why couldn't you see that? God is not some omnipotent authority looking down from above, threatening to throw us into a pit of fire if we disobey. God is the energy that flows through the synapses of our nervous system and the chambers of our hearts! God is in all things!â €  â€Å"Except science,† the camerlegno fired back, his eyes showing only pity. â€Å"Science, by definition, is soulless. Divorced from the heart. Intellectual miracles like antimatter arrive in this world with no ethical instructions attached. This in itself is perilous! But when science heralds its Godless pursuits as the enlightened path? Promising answers to questions whose beauty is that they have no answers?† He shook his head. â€Å"No.† There was a moment of silence. The camerlegno felt suddenly tired as he returned Vittoria's unbending stare. This was not how it was supposed to be. Is this God's final test? It was Mortati who broke the spell. â€Å"The preferiti,† he said in a horrified whisper. â€Å"Baggia and the others. Please tell me you did not†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The camerlegno turned to him, surprised by the pain in his voice. Certainly Mortati could understand. Headlines carried science's miracles every day. How long had it been for religion? Centuries? Religion needed a miracle! Something to awaken a sleeping world. Bring them back to the path of righteousness. Restore faith. The preferiti were not leaders anyway, they were transformers – liberals prepared to embrace the new world and abandon the old ways! This was the only way. A new leader. Young. Powerful. Vibrant. Miraculous. The preferiti served the church far more effectively in death than they ever could alive. Horror and Hope. Offer four souls to save millions. The world would remember them forever as martyrs. The church would raise glorious tribute to their names. How many thousands have died for the glory of God? They are only four. â€Å"The preferiti,† Mortati repeated. â€Å"I shared their pain,† the camerlegno defended, motioning to his chest. â€Å"And I too would die for God, but my work is only just begun. They are singing in St. Peter's Square!† The camerlegno saw the horror in Mortati's eyes and again felt confused. Was it the morphine? Mortati was looking at him as if the camerlegno himself had killed these men with his bare hands. I would do even that for God, the camerlegno thought, and yet he had not. The deeds had been carried out by the Hassassin – a heathen soul tricked into thinking he was doing the work of the Illuminati. I am Janus, the camerlegno had told him. I will prove my power. And he had. The Hassassin's hatred had made him God's pawn. â€Å"Listen to the singing,† the camerlegno said, smiling, his own heart rejoicing. â€Å"Nothing unites hearts like the presence of evil. Burn a church and the community rises up, holding hands, singing hymns of defiance as they rebuild. Look how they flock tonight. Fear has brought them home. Forge modern demons for modern man. Apathy is dead. Show them the face of evil – Satanists lurking among us – running our governments, our banks, our schools, threatening to obliterate the very House of God with their misguided science. Depravity runs deep. Man must be vigilant. Seek the goodness. Become the goodness!† In the silence, the camerlegno hoped they now understood. The Illuminati had not resurfaced. The Illuminati were long deceased. Only their myth was alive. The camerlegno had resurrected the Illuminati as a reminder. Those who knew the Illuminati history relived their evil. Those who did not, had learned of it and were amazed how blind they had been. The ancient demons had been resurrected to awaken an indifferent world. â€Å"But†¦ the brands?† Mortati's voice was stiff with outrage. The camerlegno did not answer. Mortati had no way of knowing, but the brands had been confiscated by the Vatican over a century ago. They had been locked away, forgotten and dust covered, in the Papal Vault – the Pope's private reliquary, deep within his Borgia apartments. The Papal Vault contained those items the church deemed too dangerous for anyone's eyes except the Pope's. Why did they hide that which inspired fear? Fear brought people to God! The vault's key was passed down from Pope to Pope. Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca had purloined the key and ventured inside; the myth of what the vault contained was bewitching – the original manuscript for the fourteen unpublished books of the Bible known as the Apocrypha, the third prophecy of Fatima, the first two having come true and the third so terrifying the church would never reveal it. In addition to these, the camerlegno had found the Illuminati Collection – all the secrets the church had uncovered after banishing the group from Rome†¦ their contemptible Path of Illumination†¦ the cunning deceit of the Vatican's head artist, Bernini†¦ Europe's top scientists mocking religion as they secretly assembled in the Vatican's own Castle St. Angelo. The collection included a pentagon box containing iron brands, one of them the mythical Illuminati Diamond. This was a part of Vatican history the ancients thought best forgotten. The camerlegno, however, had dis agreed. â€Å"But the antimatter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Vittoria demanded. â€Å"You risked destroying the Vatican!† â€Å"There is no risk when God is at your side,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"This cause was His.† â€Å"You're insane!† she seethed. â€Å"Millions were saved.† â€Å"People were killed!† â€Å"Souls were saved.† â€Å"Tell that to my father and Max Kohler!† â€Å"CERN's arrogance needed to be revealed. A droplet of liquid that can vaporize a half mile? And you call me mad?† The camerlegno felt a rage rising in him. Did they think his was a simple charge? â€Å"Those who believe undergo great tests for God! God asked Abraham to sacrifice his child! God commanded Jesus to endure crucifixion! And so we hang the symbol of the crucifix before our eyes – bloody, painful, agonizing – to remind us of evil's power! To keep our hearts vigilant! The scars on Jesus' body are a living reminder of the powers of darkness! My scars are a living reminder! Evil lives, but the power of God will overcome!† His shouts echoed off the back wall of the Sistine Chapel and then a profound silence fell. Time seemed to stop. Michelangelo's Last Judgment rose ominously behind him†¦ Jesus casting sinners into hell. Tears brimmed in Mortati's eyes. â€Å"What have you done, Carlo?† Mortati asked in a whisper. He closed his eyes, and a tear rolled. â€Å"His Holiness?† A collective sigh of pain went up, as if everyone in the room had forgotten until that very moment. The Pope. Poisoned. â€Å"A vile liar,† the camerlegno said. Mortati looked shattered. â€Å"What do you mean? He was honest! He†¦ loved you.† â€Å"And I him.† Oh, how I loved him! But the deceit! The broken vows to God! The camerlegno knew they did not understand right now, but they would. When he told them, they would see! His Holiness was the most nefarious deceiver the church had ever seen. The camerlegno still remembered that terrible night. He had returned from his trip to CERN with news of Vetra's Genesis and of antimatter's horrific power. The camerlegno was certain the Pope would see the perils, but the Holy Father saw only hope in Vetra's breakthrough. He even suggested the Vatican fund Vetra's work as a gesture of goodwill toward spiritually based scientific research. Madness! The church investing in research that threatened to make the church obsolete? Work that spawned weapons of mass destruction? The bomb that had killed his mother†¦ â€Å"But†¦ you can't!† the camerlegno had exclaimed. â€Å"I owe a deep debt to science,† the Pope had replied. â€Å"Something I have hidden my entire life. Science gave me a gift when I was a young man. A gift I have never forgotten.† â€Å"I don't understand. What does science have to offer a man of God?† â€Å"It is complicated,† the Pope had said. â€Å"I will need time to make you understand. But first, there is a simple fact about me that you must know. I have kept it hidden all these years. I believe it is time I told you.† Then the Pope had told him the astonishing truth. 132 The camerlegno lay curled in a ball on the dirt floor in front of St. Peter's tomb. The Necropolis was cold, but it helped clot the blood flowing from the wounds he had torn at his own flesh. His Holiness would not find him here. Nobody would find him here†¦ â€Å"It is complicated,† the Pope's voice echoed in his mind. â€Å"I will need time to make you understand†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But the camerlegno knew no amount of time could make him understand. Liar! I believed in you! GOD believed in you! With a single sentence, the Pope had brought the camerlegno's world crashing down around him. Everything the camerlegno had ever believed about his mentor was shattered before his eyes. The truth drilled into the camerlegno's heart with such force that he staggered backward out of the Pope's office and vomited in the hallway. â€Å"Wait!† the Pope had cried, chasing after him. â€Å"Please let me explain!† But the camerlegno ran off. How could His Holiness expect him to endure any more? Oh, the wretched depravity of it! What if someone else found out? Imagine the desecration to the church! Did the Pope's holy vows mean nothing? The madness came quickly, screaming in his ears, until he awoke before St. Peter's tomb. It was then that God came to him with an awesome fierceness. Yours is a Vengeful God! Together, they made their plans. Together they would protect the church. Together they would restore faith to this faithless world. Evil was everywhere. And yet the world had become immune! Together they would unveil the darkness for the world to see†¦ and God would overcome! Horror and Hope. Then the world would believe! God's first test had been less horrible than the camerlegno imagined. Sneaking into the Papal bed chambers†¦ filling his syringe†¦ covering the deceiver's mouth as his body spasmed into death. In the moonlight, the camerlegno could see in the Pope's wild eyes there was something he wanted to say. But it was too late. The Pope had said enough. 133 â€Å"The Pope fathered a child.† Inside the Sistine Chapel, the camerlegno stood unwavering as he spoke. Five solitary words of astonishing disclosure. The entire assembly seemed to recoil in unison. The cardinals' accusing miens evaporated into aghast stares, as if every soul in the room were praying the camerlegno was wrong. The Pope fathered a child. Langdon felt the shock wave hit him too. Vittoria's hand, tight in his, jolted, while Langdon's mind, already numb with unanswered questions, wrestled to find a center of gravity. The camerlegno's utterance seemed like it would hang forever in the air above them. Even in the camerlegno's frenzied eyes, Langdon could see pure conviction. Langdon wanted to disengage, tell himself he was lost in some grotesque nightmare, soon to wake up in a world that made sense. â€Å"This must be a lie!† one of the cardinals yelled. â€Å"I will not believe it!† another protested. â€Å"His Holiness was as devout a man as ever lived!† It was Mortati who spoke next, his voice thin with devastation. â€Å"My friends. What the camerlegno says is true.† Every cardinal in the chapel spun as though Mortati had just shouted an obscenity. â€Å"The Pope indeed fathered a child.† The cardinals blanched with dread. The camerlegno looked stunned. â€Å"You knew? But†¦ how could you possibly know this?† Mortati sighed. â€Å"When His Holiness was elected†¦ I was the Devil's Advocate.† There was a communal gasp. Langdon understood. This meant the information was probably true. The infamous â€Å"Devil's Advocate† was the authority when it came to scandalous information inside the Vatican. Skeletons in a Pope's closet were dangerous, and prior to elections, secret inquiries into a candidate's background were carried out by a lone cardinal who served as the â€Å"Devil's Advocate† – that individual responsible for unearthing reasons why the eligible cardinals should not become Pope. The Devil's Advocate was appointed in advance by the reigning Pope in preparation for his own death. The Devil's Advocate was never supposed to reveal his identity. Ever. â€Å"I was the Devil's Advocate,† Mortati repeated. â€Å"That is how I found out.† Mouths dropped. Apparently tonight was a night when all the rules were going out the window. The camerlegno felt his heart filling with rage. â€Å"And you†¦ told no one?† â€Å"I confronted His Holiness,† Mortati said. â€Å"And he confessed. He explained the entire story and asked only that I let my heart guide my decision as to whether or not to reveal his secret.† â€Å"And your heart told you to bury the information?† â€Å"He was the runaway favorite for the papacy. People loved him. The scandal would have hurt the church deeply.† â€Å"But he fathered a child! He broke his sacred vow of celibacy!† The camerlegno was screaming now. He could hear his mother's voice. A promise to God is the most important promise of all. Never break a promise to God. â€Å"The Pope broke his vow!† Mortati looked delirious with angst. â€Å"Carlo, his love†¦ was chaste. He had broken no vow. He didn't explain it to you?† â€Å"Explain what?† The camerlegno remembered running out of the Pope's office while the Pope was calling to him. Let me explain! Slowly, sadly, Mortati let the tale unfold. Many years ago, the Pope, when he was still just a priest, had fallen in love with a young nun. Both of them had taken vows of celibacy and never even considered breaking their covenant with God. Still, as they fell deeper in love, although they could resist the temptations of the flesh, they both found themselves longing for something they never expected – to participate in God's ultimate miracle of creation – a child. Their child. The yearning, especially in her, became overwhelming. Still, God came first. A year later, when the frustration had reached almost unbearable proportions, she came to him in a whirl of excitement. She had just read an article about a new miracle of science – a process by which two people, without ever having sexual relations, could have a child. She sensed this was a sign from God. The priest could see the happiness in her eyes and agreed. A year later she had a child through the miracle of artificial insemination†¦ â€Å"This cannot†¦ be true,† the camerlegno said, panicked, hoping it was the morphine washing over his senses. Certainly he was hearing things. Mortati now had tears in his eyes. â€Å"Carlo, this is why His Holiness has always had an affection for the sciences. He felt he owed a debt to science. Science let him experience the joys of fatherhood without breaking his vow of celibacy. His Holiness told me he had no regrets except one – that his advancing stature in the church prohibited him from being with the woman he loved and seeing his infant grow up.† Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca felt the madness setting in again. He wanted to claw at his flesh. How could I have known? â€Å"The Pope committed no sin, Carlo. He was chaste.† â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The camerlegno searched his anguished mind for any kind of rationale. â€Å"Think of the jeopardy†¦ of his deeds.† His voice felt weak. â€Å"What if this whore of his came forward? Or, heaven forbid, his child? Imagine the shame the church would endure.† Mortati's voice was tremulous. â€Å"The child has already come forward.† Everything stopped. â€Å"Carlo†¦?† Mortati crumbled. â€Å"His Holiness's child†¦ is you.† At that moment, the camerlegno could feel the fire of faith dim in his heart. He stood trembling on the altar, framed by Michelangelo's towering Last Judgment. He knew he had just glimpsed hell itself. He opened his mouth to speak, but his lips wavered, soundless. â€Å"Don't you see?† Mortati choked. â€Å"That is why His Holiness came to you in the hospital in Palermo when you were a boy. That is why he took you in and raised you. The nun he loved was Maria†¦ your mother. She left the nunnery to raise you, but she never abandoned her strict devotion to God. When the Pope heard she had died in an explosion and that you, his son, had miraculously survived†¦ he swore to God he would never leave you alone again. Carlo, your parents were both virgins. They kept their vows to God. And still they found a way to bring you into the world. You were their miraculous child.† The camerlegno covered his ears, trying to block out the words. He stood paralyzed on the altar. Then, with his world yanked from beneath him, he fell violently to his knees and let out a wail of anguish. Seconds. Minutes. Hours. Time seemed to have lost all meaning inside the four walls of the chapel. Vittoria felt herself slowly breaking free of the paralysis that seemed to have gripped them all. She let go of Langdon's hand and began moving through the crowd of cardinals. The chapel door seemed miles away, and she felt like she was moving underwater†¦ slow motion. As she maneuvered through the robes, her motion seemed to pull others from their trance. Some of the cardinals began to pray. Others wept. Some turned to watch her go, their blank expressions turning slowly to a foreboding cognition as she moved toward the door. She had almost reached the back of the crowd when a hand caught her arm. The touch was frail but resolute. She turned, face to face with a wizened cardinal. His visage was clouded by fear. â€Å"No,† the man whispered. â€Å"You cannot.† Vittoria stared, incredulous. Another cardinal was at her side now. â€Å"We must think before we act.† And another. â€Å"The pain this could cause†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Vittoria was surrounded. She looked at them all, stunned. â€Å"But these deeds here today, tonight†¦ certainly the world should know the truth.† â€Å"My heart agrees,† the wizened cardinal said, still holding her arm, â€Å"and yet it is a path from which there is no return. We must consider the shattered hopes. The cynicism. How could the people ever trust again?† Suddenly, more cardinals seemed to be blocking her way. There was a wall of black robes before her. â€Å"Listen to the people in the square,† one said. â€Å"What will this do to their hearts? We must exercise prudence.† â€Å"We need time to think and pray,† another said. â€Å"We must act with foresight. The repercussions of this†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He killed my father!† Vittoria said. â€Å"He killed his own father!† â€Å"I'm certain he will pay for his sins,† the cardinal holding her arm said sadly. Vittoria was certain too, and she intended to ensure he paid. She tried to push toward the door again, but the cardinals huddled closer, their faces frightened. â€Å"What are you going to do?† she exclaimed. â€Å"Kill me?† The old men blanched, and Vittoria immediately regretted her words. She could see these men were gentle souls. They had seen enough violence tonight. They meant no threat. They were simply trapped. Scared. Trying to get their bearings. â€Å"I want†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the wizened cardinal said, â€Å"†¦ to do what is right.† â€Å"Then you will let her out,† a deep voice declared behind her. The words were calm but absolute. Robert Langdon arrived at her side, and she felt his hand take hers. â€Å"Ms. Vetra and I are leaving this chapel. Right now.† Faltering, hesitant, the cardinals began to step aside. â€Å"Wait!† It was Mortati. He moved toward them now, down the center aisle, leaving the camerlegno alone and defeated on the altar. Mortati looked older all of a sudden, wearied beyond his years. His motion was burdened with shame. He arrived, putting a hand on Langdon's shoulder and one on Vittoria's as well. Vittoria felt sincerity in his touch. The man's eyes were more tearful now. â€Å"Of course you are free to go,† Mortati said. â€Å"Of course.† The man paused, his grief almost tangible. â€Å"I ask only this†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stared down at his feet a long moment then back up at Vittoria and Langdon. â€Å"Let me do it. I will go into the square right now and find a way. I will tell them. I don't know how†¦ but I will find a way. The church's confession should come from within. Our failures should be our own to expose.† Mortati turned sadly back toward the altar. â€Å"Carlo, you have brought this church to a disastrous juncture.† He paused, looking around. The altar was bare. There was a rustle of cloth down the side aisle, and the door clicked shut. The camerlegno was gone.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Wimm Bill Dann Swot

Wimm Bill Dann – SWOT Analysis Missing information from Resources & Capabilities research! STRENGTHS †¢Occupy leading position in the market ? 1? , ? 3? , ? 14? †¢Established Brand in Russia ? 1? , ? 3? †¢High quality products ? 1? , ? 13? †¢Diverse product basket ? 13? †¢Understanding of Russian Market ? 1? †¢Survivors, prospered during the financial crisis due to being the local producer, when imports struggled due to the weakness of the Rouble ? 9? †¢Entrepreneurial management: rented a production line in an existing factory to get started. ?9? Ambitious, experienced new people from outside the company hired for leading positions ? 13? WEAKNESSES †¢Lack of recognition abroad ? 9? †¢Lack of networks and contacts in foreign markets ? 11? †¢Lack of internal innovation ? reliance on M&A for new products ? 1? , ? 9? , ? 14? †¢Reliance on (primitive) dairy farmers ? 9? †¢Russian climate limits fruit supply to certain sea sons †¢Internally fragmented ? 9? †¢Weak financial reporting ? 1? †¢Finding & hiring qualified personnel in growing market ? 1? OPPORTUNITIES †¢Diversification into higher value segments, e. g. premium-range yoghurt, ogurt drinks, dairy deserts, soft drinks (e. g. sparking, flavoured water) ? 3? , ? 7? †¢Diversification into growing market for Baby & children’s food ? 7? †¢Diversification into non-directly related fields, e. g. ice-cream, chocolate, tea ? 3? †¢Acquisition of other dairies to get geographical coverage ? 1? †¢M&A in water to gain consolidated market ? 9? †¢Improve the supply chain (logistics, JIT delivery, order intake, IT) ? 11? †¢Operational efficiency improvements (at dairies) ? 9? †¢Changing market, increasing distribution through supermarkets (strategic customers) ? 2? , ? 15? †¢Low wages ? 2? †¢Abundant natural resources. E. g. gas †¢Joint venture, e. g. with Danone or Pepsi Co. to gain capital and distribution ? 10? †¢Growing Russian Market for dairy, baby food, water, drinks, confectionery ? 1? , ? 3? †¢Growing upper/middle class, greater supply of money available ? 1? , ? 3? †¢Increasing health consciousness ? 1? , ? 3? †¢Increased demand for premium products ? 3? THREATS †¢Unreliable, insufficient local supplies of milk ? 1? †¢World-wide reduction in milk-supply ? 6? †¢Regulation of milk supply in Russia ? 1? †¢Margins for dairy under pressure due to increase in raw milk prices ? ? †¢Price-sensitive consumers may start to prefer low-cost/low margin juice & nectar ? 1? †¢Increasing local competition in all sectors (Lebedyansky) ? 3? , ? 16? †¢Competition from foreign Multinationals, e. g. Nestle, Danone producing locally (increased demand for milk, lower costs of locally produced products ? decreased profitability for WBD) ? 1? †¢Increased price of fuel could impact transportation costs & profitability ? 1? †¢Increased cost of petroleum-based products may impact cost of packaging ? 4? †¢Political uncertainty ? 1? , ? 3? †¢Changeable regulatory environment ? 1? ? 3? †¢Corruption and crime ? 1? †¢Underdeveloped Russian banking system ? 1? †¢Unstable currency & exchange rate ? 1? References ?1? WBD Memorandum, February 2007 ?2? Data from PESTEL ?3? EUI Industry Forecast, Food, beverages and tobacco, Russia, January 2007 ? 4? Danone Company Report, 2005 ?5? Expert Opinion, Ian Kellett ?6? http://www. nzherald. co. nz/category/story. cfm? c_id=96&objectid=10439897 ? 7? http://www. cee-foodindustry. com/news/ng. asp? id=60598, http://www. cee-foodindustry. com/news/ng. asp? id=69136, http://www. cee-foodindustry. com/news/ng. asp? id=66563 ? ? http://www. cee-foodindustry. com/news/ng. asp? n=63088-unimilk-childrens-food-dairy-products, http://www. cee-foodindustry. com/news/ng. asp? id=60598 ? 9? WBD Case Study, GSB University of Strathclyde, April 2007 ? 10? http://www. cee-foodindustry. com/news/ng. asp? id=71380 ? 11? Original thoughts, assumptions based on data†¦ ?12? http://www. iht. com/articles/2007/04/04/business/east. php ? 13? WBD Company Presentation, 2006 ?14? http://www. flexnews. com/console/PageViewer. aspx? page=8603&str= ? 15? Supermarkets. doc research ?16? Competitive Situation_V2. doc research

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Misrepresentation of Women in Cinema Movie Review - 1

Misrepresentation of Women in Cinema - Movie Review Example The author of the paper states that the concept of women and its consequences are built also by the influence of cinema and its production of images in everyday life of subjects. Analysts say that culture is an intervention area of ideology and the picture of a woman presented culturally is a stereotypical image. It can also be said that the social construction of woman, that worked for various types media (whether by magazines and advertisements, whether for film and television) is usually based on criteria pre-established socially and imposes an idealized image of women.  Misrepresentation of women in cinema can be in many ways although the most common form of misrepresentation is the objectification of women. Objectification is the treatment of a person like a tool or an object while disregarding their dignity. A person is objectified if they are treated as if they are owned by another or like a tool for another person’s purposes. Objectification means there is no concern for their feelings thereby the particular person is denied subjectivity. The most relevant form of women objectification is sexual objectification. It is the treatment of a woman simply like an instrument for deriving sexual pleasure thereby making the particular woman a sex object. Sexual objectification is an important idea in feminist theory and psychological theories derived from feminism. Most feminists view sexual objectification as deplorable and as playing a vital role in the promotion of gender equality.  One of the feminists Laura Mulvey uses psychoanalysis and her own impressions to enlighten on what would be the female representations within the macho culture. For the system, there is already an idea of woman as an eternal victim: it is her lack that produces the phallus as a symbolic presence; her desire is to compensate the lack what it means.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Privacy in Cyber Space Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Privacy in Cyber Space - Essay Example The use of Internet as a basic mean of corporate usage has now become a critical business activity and therefore needs to be well-monitored as part of the important resources of any company (Cobb, 2002). However, the internet has also been of significant advantage to us in many ways. Where many of its services have benefited us in numerous ways, the email has had a significant character, besides other uses, in the commerce and trade sector. Email has proved to be the information and communication â€Å"Backbone† in most of the organizations (ColdSpark, 2007). It has been successfully used to facilitate the day to day business activities & processes, shared working environment, document transfer, corporate communication (both internal and external) and memorandums. According to the statistics, more than 35 percent of critical business information is found in companies is transferred via emails. Such a high figure means a high stance of dependency on the email service(s) and thus the nature of the content that is being transferred through these emails has actually forced many organizations to re-evaluate the significance of managing the email throughout its whole lifecycle. (ML Inc., 2008) Traditionally, the common practice was to retain the backup of all emails as per the IT department’s needs and cost factor. Now the environment has changed and therefore we need to manage this service as a strategic resource to take the best out of it. Email is considered now as a formal means of communication for any company, specially in a healthcare organizations where patients’ reports are treated with utmost confidentiality, which is no different from the traditional way of distributing the corporate information on the companies’ official letter head. This means that organizational or corporate emails are also bounded to abide by legal obligations of the state. Understanding the whole process of the collection,

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Downloading (Piracy) files, Music, movies etc. is immoral or wrong Essay

Downloading (Piracy) files, Music, movies etc. is immoral or wrong - Essay Example File – sharers distribute material free of cost to others (Piracy). However, their activity is classified as piracy and it is illegal. It is only the copyright owners who have the sole right to sell or distribute their copyrighted material. This right is infringed when such material is exchanged freely. As such, it is an act of piracy; because, such free exchange prevents copyright owners from regulating the sale and distribution of their copyrighted material (Piracy). Consequently, piracy is immoral. Software piracy is increasing at a more rapid pace than the growth of the software industry. Piracy is unethical and equivalent to stealing a commodity from a shop. (Legal, Ethical & Social Issues). The only difference is that shoplifters are arrested and punished immediately, whereas pirates are never arrested. The new breed of pirates on the Internet use a technology called file – sharing technology. They justify their actions, by stating that they do not distribute pirated software for making profits or for acquiring any financial advantage. Consequently, they claim that they should not be termed pirates or subjected to punishment (Legal, Ethical & Social Issues). They argue that they distribute copyrighted software free; which makes it very difficult, to prosecute and punish them under the provisions of law. File – sharers distribute music files to other members. There are several tools on the Internet such as Kazaa, Grokster, and Gnutella, which are file – sharing programs. The music is distributed in the MP3 format. With the introduction of broadband, the internet gained speed and bandwidth. This has permitted file - sharers to distribute movies and television programs (Piracy). File sharing has become a commonly practiced form of piracy on the Internet. It is illegal and subject to prosecution on charges of infringement of copyright. Pirated software is

Monday, August 26, 2019

Food Allergy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Food Allergy - Essay Example It is estimated that one child in every 14 children has at least one form of food allergy. The most common forms of food that most children are allergic to include: milk, eggs, soya, and wheat. Many children, however, outgrow this forms of allergy and by the time they go to school they go to school they are not allergic to foods that they were allergic to before. Skin-prick tests: this form of food allergy test provides results in about 20 minutes. This form of food allergy test involves placing of a liquid containing a small amount of the food allergen on the skin of one’s arm or back. The skin is then pricked, allowing the allergen to seep under the skin. The test is considered positive if a wheel (resembling a bump from a mosquito bite) develops where the allergen was placed. Blood tests: this form of testing of food allergy aims to measure the presence of IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies to specific foods. IgE is the antibody that triggers food allergy symptoms. Blood tests aims at detecting the food-specific IgE. The blood tests take several days to yield results. Oral Food Challenge. This form of food allergy test is considered highly accurate. The oral food challenge test consist of the allergist feeding the patient with the suspect food in measured doses so as to find out whether or not the patient will develop symptoms for food allergy. If the patient shows symptoms after the test, the test will be positive, and if the patient shows no symptoms the test will be considered negative. Food Elimination Diet: in this form of food testing, the doctor asks the patient to temporarily abstain from suspect foods for a period of two to four weeks. If the suspect foods were the ones causing the allergy, the patient will exhibit no symptoms, but if the eliminated, suspect foods, were not the ones responsible for the allergy the patient will still exhibit symptoms of food allergy. Treatments of Food

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Business Online Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Online - Essay Example The main trend in B2B e-commerce that dominates the business market in this computer age is the use of a webpage, more specifically known as a company's website. A true business entrepreneur would come up with a site that carries detailed information about the services that its company offers, enables visit to buy products or services online. This is due to the reality that online buying, selling, and trading is extremely fast and convenient. Consumers, even giant business establishments, are inclined to make dealings in the most fitting mode. Thus, the easiest mode to enhance profits is through a company website. This exchange of thoughts and sharing of contacts affect business giants such as Microsoft as well as a local business as small as an online Auto parts sale. It is true that when businessmen want to hire services or make a purchase, they are hardly ever concerned with the way the thing is presented.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Letters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Letters - Essay Example This draws reference to the way they have mistreated the Negro population at the time they pray. Freedom has been denied and this is what disappoints King. Ethical argument: By informing his audience that he is not unmindful of the fact that a number of them have taken steps in handling the issue amicably, he implies that he is sensitive. This wins the clergymen’s love after he has admonished their poor leadership. He finds it important to appreciate the efforts sop far involved so that they can keep on improving. King decides to speak this way after realizing that most black people were being discriminated in church matters and therefore it is imperative that this kind of attitude is discouraged among the clergymen. The church essentially should unit people. Their grievances were not being put forward. He realized that demonstrations had increased among the African American populace following the bad treatment they received from other white people in the United States of

Friday, August 23, 2019

Meat Industry in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Meat Industry in the United States - Essay Example There are many processes that come in between slaughtering of animals and the final packaging of meat. These processes carry an element of high risk of contamination. The meat procured from the slaughtering of animals can carry fecal matter which can contaminate the meat with a high quantity of harmful bacteria like E. coli. The meat can also be contaminated by various animal diseases like salmonella and campylobacter. There is also the high probability of mad cow disease which can infect the meat. The most effective way to protect human beings from this disease is to carefully remove materials of the nervous system from the beef. Other than animal diseases, there is also the matter regarding the safety of workers because in meat industry dangerous machinery and sharp knives are common elements. It is also necessary to follow stringent methods of safety in the meat packaging industry which is the final link between the meat industry and the general public who consume meat. Since the early twentieth century, the activities inside meat packaging plants in the United States are done under unhygienic conditions. In 1906, the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Federal Meat Inspection Act were passed. These Acts encouraged labor organizations to improve the working conditions of the meat packers. In the last few decades, the nation has seen a sharp decline in the meat processing industry. The slaughterhouses and meat packaging facilities are still almost in the same condition as they were a century ago. In the 1930s the Congress of Industrial Organizations drove the trade unions to focus on the working conditions of employees in different industries including the meat packaging industry. In the 1960s the United Packinghouse Workers of America with its progressive ideals successfully improved the pay and working conditions of the meat packers. During 1960s and early 1980s the average pay of meat packers was higher than that of the workers in the manufacturing industry. In the 1980s the meat packing industry went through a development phase. Meat distribution channels increased and this resulted in meat packing companies to be located in rural areas near the rearing of farm animals. The Iowa Beef Processors

See work below in description Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

See work below in description - Coursework Example The semiconductor markets are so minute to influence the equilibrium of the industry. It is also revealed that the flow of supply of these semiconductors is not reliable and cannot be predicted. Therefore, it can be termed to be stochastic. Introducing stochastic modeling techniques without backorders to the suppliers, ensures that the management is able to predict the supply patterns of its suppliers (Nagle and Hogan, 2006). This allows the introduction of a Reorder Point within their semiconductor inventory, the Reorder point is a particular level of inventory when reached, demands for replacement of depleted stock. Through such a point Universal management will reduce the stock outs. To effect on this, an automated inventory control technique ascertains the firm not to be faced by stock depletion. It allows automatic stock taking and stock use to establish the Reorder point. These are essential management tactics that the universal management ought to consider. The other alternative that the management ought to consider is to identify one of its key suppliers of the semiconductors and negotiate for a merging deal. The merging in this case is a vertical one. In such a deal, two or more firms having different products, but for a particular finished commodity join together to acquire a firm and reliable supply chain. For instance, semiconductors and engines aid in the manufacture if automobile vehicles. Therefore, this is an opportunity that the universal has to consider to stabilize and solve its supply chain problem. The introduction of the stochastic modeling and an automated inventory process is helpful to the firm since they introduce the reorder point to eliminate stock outs. The automated inventory system allows accuracy and timeliness of stock materials, as well as, to their designated destinations (Nagle and Hogan, 2006). The programming models allow prediction of the stochastic supply patterns, hence, Universal will eliminate

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Study Guide Essay Example for Free

Study Guide Essay What is the amount of the firms operating cash flow if the tax rate is 35 percent? a. $46,605 b. $52,030 c. $71,700 D. $134,630 e. $105,720 BLOOMS TAXONOMY QUESTION TYPE: APPLICATION LEARNING OBJECTIVE NUMBER: 4 LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: INTERMEDIATE Ross Chapter 002 #83 SECTION: 2. 4 TOPIC: OPERATING CASH FLOW TYPE: PROBLEMS 3. Which one of the following statements is correct? A. The NYSE has the most stringent listing requirements. b. The trading floor for NASDAQ is located in Chicago. c. The majority of the publicly traded firms in the U. S. are listed on the NYSE. d. NASDAQ is an auction market. e. The NYSE is a dealer market. SECTION: 1. 2 TOPIC: CAPITAL BUDGETING TYPE: DEFINITIONS 47. Baldwin, Inc. paid $18,500 in dividends and $44,600 in interest over the past year while net working capital increased from $10,200 to $28,200. The company purchased $30,000 in net new fixed assets and had depreciation expenses of $15,700. During the year, the firm issued $45,000 in net new equity and paid off $16,000 in long-term debt. What is the amount of Baldwins cash flow from assets? a. $48,000 b. $3,700 c. $30,200 D. $34,100 e. $18,000 BLOOMS TAXONOMY QUESTION TYPE: APPLICATION LEARNING OBJECTIVE NUMBER: 4 LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: INTERMEDIATE Ross Chapter 002 #82

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Nutrition for Pregnant Women, Athletes and Children

Nutrition for Pregnant Women, Athletes and Children Introduction to Nutrition Genetically Modified Food Foods developed from organisms whose DNA is changed by applying methods of genetic engineering is known as Genetically Modified foods. Such techniques allow control over food’s generic structure and introduce new crop traits. Example There is several genetic modified food, some of them are given below: Pesticide resistant rape plants Golden rice Long-lasting tomatoes Soybeans Vaccination banana GM foods are derived from organisms whose DNA has been modified artificially, these crops are to improve yield by providing resistance to plant diseases. In future, genetically modified foods will alter the nutrient content of foods by reducing it allergic portion or improving the efficiency of food production systems. The main health concerns for new genetically engineered food revolve around being allergic or toxic through the engineered process. FDA reports that foods they have evaluated till now are not likely to cause an allergic or toxic reaction (McFadden, 2014). Nonetheless stomach sections presented reasonable erosive/necrotic lesions in seven female rats but no one in the panels but no histology was done as these were deliberated to be of no prominence. Even though in senior humans who used aspirin to prevent thrombosis, this can cause life-endangering hemorrhage (Kok, 2014). Benefits of GM food Some opportunities to use GM foods for good are: Better resistance against weeds, pest and other diseases; such as corn Corn is widely grown and an essential grain in the United States. Corn cannot be reproduced without human aid. The below table shows that what % of food is modified in UAE: Conclusion In order to decide regarding the use and regulation of these genetically modified plants, one must be well informed and aware of this new technology. Gestational and Maternal Nutrition Key dietary guidelines for a pregnant woman Eating a healthy diet during pregnancy is vital for both mother and baby. Nutritious diet can help you promote your babys growth and development. Grains Many whole-grain and enriched products contain carbohydrate, fiber and iron. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans Protein is important for baby’s growth during second and third trimesters. Protein, B vitamins are present in foods of this group. Dairy products Dairy products are enriched with calcium. Calcium fortified soy milk helps to build baby bones. Recommended supplements used during pregnancy Supplement of folic acid is commonly recommended. Sources recommend 1200 mcg of folate (natural form) per day for maximum benefit. To meet nutritional needs, pregnant women are encouraged to consume a rich, along a daily vitamin and mineral supplement. Recommended food to eat Avocados, Mangoes, Broccoli, Carrots Spinach DHA eggs yogurt, Edamame beans Lentils, Oatmeal Nuts Foods to avoid In order to not get ill or harm baby’s health, there are some foods that should be avoided. Nutritional needs of breast feeding mothers Women are recommended to continue eating nutrition full diet similarly to how they were eating during their pregnancy. A breast-feeding woman requires 200 more calories than a pregnant woman provided that the calories come from nutritious foods. While breast-feeding two to three servings of protein must be taken each day. Good sources of protein include: Meat Poultry Seafood Tofu Dairy products Dried beans The foods that are avoided during pregnancy are also recommended to be avoided during breast feeding because it might cause an allergic reaction or harm to either mother or baby. Nutritional requirements of Athletes Key dietary guidelines for an athlete For an athlete there is an excessive and well balanced diet, which is full of nutrition. As an athlete it is necessary to maintain the proper diet , there must be have proper balance of nutrients, minerals, vitamins and well as calories to improve the performance. Supplements The supplements used by athlete are, BS-Vitamins, protein, omega 3 fatty acids (fish oil), vitamin D, magnesium, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) Athletes requires more amount of nutrients they actually demand from their bodies than even almost equal fitness buffs in order to compensate with the help of nutrients, which can be obtained from foods or supplement, so that performance cab be remained for a long time. In order to achieve them maximum level of performance, there are some recommended food to gain maximum carbohydrate storage, it is suggested by the experts that they need to get around70% of its calories from carbohydrates, along with pasta, fruits, cereals, vegetables etc. Foods to avoid There are some foods which are recommended to avoid for athletes, these foods are avoidable to meet with the maximum level of great performance. The avoidable foods are including energy and protein bars, sports drink and as well as it is also needful to avoid Before running a long-drawn-out there are some recommended ways that must be done by an athlete? The foremost tips for them are: Dont carbo-overload A body can store sufficient amount of carbohydrates in order to keep them going for around 90 minutes approx., which it has to help to sweltering fat reserves for liveliness Make the use of plain and familiar foods To avoid from unwanted gas, diarrhea, inflating, it is necessary to take care from junk foods, avoid unused foods and also keep away from spicy foods as well. Supplements used by body builders There are some supplements used by an athlete. It is appropriate for working amazingly, but if diet is not proper then these supplements will not be very much effective. Those supplements are usually included, multi vitamins, glutamine, creatine, thermogenics, ZMA as well (Perret, 2014). Side effects of supplements As it is known that there are several supplements used by an athlete to improve the efficiency However, not all supplements are effective. Although there disadvantages are more as compared to their advantages. As time passes it weakens the body, in some cases it make the body addicted to these supplements. Nutrition for School-Age Children and Healthy Lunchboxes Key dietary The key dietary for school age children are usually including eat four to five times a day, as well as including snacks, which are healthy for children. Degree of development and frequently eat 4 to 5 times per day, as well as snacks which are full of nutrients. After coming back from schools it is good for them to take healthy snacks, because these snacks contribute more third of the total calorie for the day (Napier, 2014). Supplements recommended during childhood In case of required supplements for children, vitamins and minerals are significant elements of the total nutritional needs. The reason is that body is not able to produce more amount of vitamin, therefore some supplements are required to adequate the nutritional need in children. The included supplements are Vitamin A, B, C and D. As body need multiple vitamins, that why vitamins and minerals should be increased in an adequate amount. In certain, a good and increased quantity of protein, iron, calcium and as well as vitamins A and D is necessary. Recommended food As calcium is most significant in school age children, therefore it is recommended to increase the amount of calcium in their daily routine. They need calcium around 500 mg per day, and the best basis of this nutrient is cow’s milk. As well as meat, eggs, wheat is also recommended for them. Foods to avoid These are the following food, which are avoidable at school age of children, for example processed meats, sports drink, canned tomatoes, sugary cereals (Weichselbaum, 2014) Potential food allergens Along with a food allergy, the human body comes into some reaction process as though that specific food product is risky and unsafe. Due to which the immune system of body produces antibodies in order to fight with the food allergen, the constituent in the food that activates the antipathy. In the schools of UAE all types of processed food, as well as all categories of crisps, fries and chocolates are provided, although now it is going to be replaced by healthier selections such as vegetables and healthy fruits in the Northern Emirates state schools and in all Dubai. Ways to Make Food More Fun for children In order to attract children towards healthier foods, there are some interesting ways by which school age children can easily get interest, for example by changing the color of food into their favorite colors, because colorful foods naturally more attracting to children, like this we can maximize their interest, use fun names of their foods. To encourage the use of healthy food in children. Do some additional efforts, a child can detecthungerand fullness better, Formerly offering a subsequent facilitating or serving, test your child by making them await for a few minutes to observe if they are really still hungry. Healthy snacking vs. Junk food Junk foods usually have high ranks of calories from sugar or fat along with littleprotein,minerals and vitamins. Foods generally measured junk foods contain saltedsnack foods,candy, sweetdesserts, gum, sugarycarbonated beverages and fried fast food. Plain snacks similar plain cereals, vegetables and pasta are correspondingly slightly general. What effect does tobacco/sheesha have on our body and diet? Tobacco is a sort of plant that is usually grown in the southeastern of USA. North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, are the manufacturers of tobacco (Khan, 2014). Tobacco smoke comprises a poisonous mixture of more than 7,000 toxic elements. In which 70 types of chemicals can cause cancer among the addicted users of smoking. Here are some of the chemicals. Formaldehyde Polonium 210 Vinyl chloride Benzene There are several side effects for long term smokers. Even though the risks regarding health are at high risks among heavy smokers, the usage of tobacco damages the lungs. Condensed lung function and a deteriorating of difficulties from asthma. All smokers are at further risk for: Coronary heart disease Peripheral vascular disease High cholesterol (LDL) Lung cancer Cancer of the mouth, throat and voice box Cancer of the pancreas Cancer of the kidney, and urinary bladder Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Influenza The common cold Peptic ulcers Although it is not well understood, that smoking can have direct effects on the daily dietary routine. Smoking is related with reduced nutrition intake and subordinate body weight. Nicotine accomplished whichever by means of smoking or by smokeless routes, is considered the main constituent of tobaccos. There are many negative effects of smoking on human bodies. Nicotine and the poisonous ingredients in cigarettes not solitary trough the body of vitamins and minerals, nevertheless they also chunk absorption of these vigorous nutrients. Of course tobacco is harmful for body. Percentage of tobacco use in UAE. Several efforts have been done by the government of UAE in order to control the excessive use of smoking in the Arab countries, different number of orders have been made to put health warning on the packets of tobacco and also decided to start some advertisement campaign with the help of TV and radio stations. After several researches it has been observed that the usage of tobacco is not useful for human being, as it damages the lungs, increases the respiratory problems like asthma. Therefore there should have something in order to ban the usage of these types of toxic elements as it is harmful and spoil the precious life of human being. Smoking is self-sufficiently related with reduced bone density of the hip, in body of younger and as well as older persons. What effect does caffeine have on our body and diet? Caffeine is formed by means of numerous plants as a self-protective mechanism, and the caffeine which is added to soda derives from unused produces of tea and coffee handling. Chemicals existent in caffeine arenitrogenousorganic compoundbelong to thealkaloidgroup, constituents that have noticeable physiological special effects. Sometimes caffeine is safe for alders, but on the other hand it has numerous side effects like it can cause insomnia, vomiting, headache, anxiety and agitation as well, caffeine can also increase heart rate and can disturb the respiration. Even amongst grown person, substantial caffeine usage can become the main reason of unkind side effects. And caffeine possibly will not be a respectable selection for people who are exceedingly delicate to its possessions. As soon as the caffeine enters the body it is previously being metabolized by means of the liver and fragmented into theophylline, theobromine, and paraxanthine. The caffeine metabolites are at that point clarified through the kidneys and after that they exit from the body with the urine. Caffeine also prevents the quantity of calcium that is engrossed over the gastric tract and exhausts the volume reserved by means of the bones. Caffeine constrains the receptors of vitamin D, which bound the quantity that will be fascinated (Bray, 2014). For the reason that vitamin D is significant in the absorption and as well as the usage of calcium in bone, further this can reduce bone inorganic density, consequential in an augmented danger for osteoporosis. Benefits of Caffeine Caffeine has several side effects like caffeine assorted along with carbsrefills muscle glycogen meditations sooner after isometrics. Therefore caffeine is healthier than sleep while you have to be alert during driving We can conclude that caffeine expended by means of ordinary sources is doubtless the preeminent meanwhile numerous of the healthiness welfares of caffeine are perhaps fundamentally because of the extraordinary antioxidant intensities originate by consistent coffee and tea. References Bray, G. A., Popkin, B. M. (2014). Dietary sugar and body weight: have we reached a crisis in the epidemic of obesity and diabetes? Health be damned! Pour on the sugar. Diabetes care, 37(4), 950-956. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/37/4/950.short Kok, E., Pedersen, J., Onori, R., Sowa, S., Schauzu, M., De Schrijver, A., Teeri, T. H. (2014). Plants with stacked genetically modified events: to assess or not to assess?.Trends in biotechnology. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167779913002527 Khan, A., Laronde, D. M. (2014). Waterpipe smoking: A healthy alternative to cigarettes or a health hazard in disguise?. Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene, 48(1). http://web.a.ebscohost.com/abstract?direct=trueprofile=ehostscope=siteauthtype=crawlerjrnl=1712171XAN=95297677h=AzEmhzHPPWlAbfHh5VIyex4T3aYkrBUhX7EKBVrG%2fjuVnCzgQBUsjvM9buJOhAmciOQm370ykgEXoHN%2fmdjNZQ%3d%3dcrl=c McFadden, B., Lusk, J. (2014). Cognitive Biases in the Assimilation of Scientific Information on Global Warming and Genetically Modified Food. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/162532/2/SAEA%202014.pdf Napier, C., Hlambelo, N. (2014). Contribution of school lunchboxes to the daily food intake of adolescent girls in Durban. South African Journal of Child Health, 8(2), 59-63. http://www.sajch.org.za/index.php/SAJCH/article/view/658 Perret, C., Shaw, G. (2014). 11 Use of Supplements in Athletes. Sports Nutrition for Paralympic Athletes, 167. http://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=enlr=id=b3pcAgAAQBAJoi=fndpg=PA167dq=Nutritional+requirements+of+Athletesots=rpDP8-Vuizsig=IQutYU1r5tOt80PT9__Ld41L7CE#v=onepageq=Nutritional%20requirements%20of%20Athletesf=false Weichselbaum, E., Buttriss, J. L. (2014). Diet, nutrition and schoolchildren: An update. Nutrition Bulletin. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nbu.12071/full

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Comprehensive perspective of radical feminism

Comprehensive perspective of radical feminism In Rosemarie Putnam Tongs book, Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction, she describes the perspective of radical feminism. By splitting radical feminism into two different parts, the radical-libertarian feminists and the radical-cultural feminists, Tong shows how two parties that have the same basic theory and goal can have significant differences. In the beginning of the chapter, Tong points out that a feminist must insist the sex/gender system is the fundamental cause of womens oppression (Tong, p. 46). This differs from the liberal view of feminism because the radical feminists want an entirely new system opposed to working with the system for change. Tong illustrates two very different methods for achieving a solution to womens oppression, the radical-libertarian and the radical-cultural feminists. The radical-libertarian feminists oppose the concept of femininity and all things including reproductive, mothering and sexual roles. They believed in an androgynous society which combines both masculine and feminine characteristics exemplified by society. This expressed radical feminists original desire to transcend the limits of the sex/gender system by daring women to be masculine as well as feminine (Tong, p. 47). The radical-cultural feminists differs from radical-libertarian because it rejects masculinity and encourages women to be more like women and emphasizes the values and virtues associated with women (Tong, p. 47). Both methods have conflicting ideas about sex, reproduction, and mothering. The radical-libertarians believe in all forms of sexual expression and freedom as long as pleasure is achieved for both parties. Any form of sexual restriction is looked at as cruel (Tong, p. 62). Pornography is looked at as a way to control sexuality (p. 68). On the other hand, the radical-cultural feminists see male sexuality as flawed (Tong, p.62). When looking at reproduction and mothering, radical-libertarian feminists look at reproduction as a weakness. They are also against biological motherhood and prefer reproduction to be done artificially. Radical-cultural feminists see reproduction as a womans source of power, hence men always trying to control it. The best choice is for women to be mothers on their own terms (Tong, p. 80-81). Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger was one of the cornerstone representatives of radical feminist movement of the twentieth century. In her book, Woman and the New Race, Sanger discusses birth control and womens rights to her own body. As she states clearly in the beginning of the section, no woman can call herself free who does not own and control her body. No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be a mother (Sanger, 138). Sanger compares both man and woman and the effects of pregnancy on both of them. Though men do suffer from the consequences of the situation, Sanger feels women suffer much more. The woman is the one who has to face the physical difficulty of bearing and rearing the unwanted children (Sanger, p. 139). Like many liberal feminists, Sanger touches on the fact that a change needs to be made. Unlike other feminists though, Sanger took action. Regardless of what is right, the fact is that women will never gain freedom until women take it for themselves. Women should not accept but challenge as pointed out by Sanger. Instead of looking into the past like most of society would, look at what should be. Before it is a mans problem, it is a women and she should therefore be able to decide for herself (Sanger, p. 139). Birth control is womans problem. The quicker she accepts it as hers alone, the quicker will society respect motherhood (Sanger, p. 139). Sanger brings up an important fact about motherhood. No one can enjoy something they never really wanted in the first place. By giving women the right to choose, society is making it more likely for woman to be satisfied and enjoy motherhood. By just giving woman the choice is a satisfying enough step for Sanger. This relates to radical feminism in that as Tong stated earlier, Sanger wanted a completely new system of womens right to her own body rather than just fixing what society saw as acceptable (Sanger, p.139). Kate Milletts Theory of Sexual Politics relates to radical feminism by showing how thoroughly culture and society are dominated by men. The central thesis to this theory of sexual politics is that when one group rules another, the relationship between the two is political. When this is carried out over a long period of time it develops into a belief. She defined sex as a status category that contained political implications. Such areas in society like the military, industry, technology, universities, science, political office, finance, and police force are all powered by males (Millett, p. 219). Politics equals power and according to Millet, males dominate female and elder males dominate younger (Millett, p. 220). Millet also touches point on democracies, aristocracy, and patriarchy. In a democracy, females have not held office except in small areas. This differs from an aristocracy in that women are permitted to hold power and the elder male rule is not present either. In a patriarchy, men hold power over women, children, and most areas of society (Millett, p. 220). Milletts beliefs of sexual politics can be related to Tongs original theory of radical feminism. Millet wished to destroy the sex/gender system and create a new society where men and women are equal throughout society. Millett also believed in the idea of androgyny and that it was only valid if feminine and masculine qualities are worthy enough separately (Tong, p. 51). This androgynous person must combine the balance of the best masculine and feminine characteristics (Tong, p.53). Tong ends chapter two with a critique of radical feminism. This theory of women is shown to be fascinated by roles and stereotypes that ignore the flaws of women. It is also described as being a historical by social feminists. Radical Feminism is the root to womens oppression. Women realize their strength and power and want society to acknowledge that. Women are given few choices in a male dominated society. Sanger and Millett focus on the lack of choices when dealing with birth control and political power. Both want a change and an entirely new system.

Monday, August 19, 2019

We Must Be Put To an End to Gun Control in America Essay -- Firearms W

Today in America we face many controversial problems. With strict gun control, Americans cannot feel safe, and to some the thought of not being able to use a firearm in self-defense is very frightening. We Americans should never have to be in fear of not being able to protect ourselves, especially in the comfort of our own home. How are strict gun control laws and regulations going to reach the estimated 65 million gun owners that own approximately 240 million firearms (Just Facts Gun Control)? The answer is simple, they can’t. There must be an end to gun control, its problems significantly outweigh any good intentions it has, and besides there is no doubt about it, America is a safer place when the citizens are able to own firearms. Not all Americans understand what gun control really is and the useless intentions that it imposes. Gun control consists of laws and regulations that prohibit certain people from owning a firearm and establish waiting periods on the sales of firearms. In some instances, firearms are totally banned. There are several gun control laws around the nation today and there are others that vary from state to state, but one of the most heard of and controversial gun control laws is the Brady Act. The Brady Act is one of the gun control laws that makes a background check which is necessary to purchase a firearm, and also establishes a waiting period of five business days before the firearm can be sold (Just Facts Gun Control). Activists do a great job of portraying firearms as a very negative and frightening. There are many things that gun control activists fail to consider. Many times they do not think about how often a gun is used in self defense. Also of the total crime that is committed with a fire... ...g† Outdoor Life. November 2004. Vol 211(9): 20 â€Å"Gun Control† Just Facts Gun Control. 30 March 2002. Just Facts. 25 Oct. 2004.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Explain And Evaluate Critically Malthuss Population Theory. Essay examp

Explain and Evaluate Critically Malthus's Population Theory. In 1798 Thomas Robert Malthus, a British clergyman and professor, wrote an essay showing the way to modern demography. In 1824 he wrote a shorter final version, the article on population for that year's Encyclopedia Britannica. Malthus has been criticized for his lack of scientific foresight—he did not foresee modern advances leading to increased life expectancy, food production and birth control. He has been criticized for his politics—he thought welfare immorally increased population and hunger. He has been criticized for pessimism— the adjective Malthusian is associated with a gloomy outlook for humanity. But he showed the way for the study of human population. People. To learn how fast people might reproduce, Malthus examined the United States census. Conveniently, that count was required each decade, starting in 1790, by the Constitution of the former British colonies. Land was so fertile and uncrowded that food production seemed not to limit population growth. Immigration counts were available to subtract from natural rates of population growth, thus revealing net reproductive growth. Malthus observed that under such ideal conditions, during each 25 years the human population tends to double. So if world population is represented by 1, then after each 25 years it would be 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and so on, provided there were no limits on such "natural" rates of population in...

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Health and Safety Program Essay

With the aim to align with the standards set by the OSHA and ensure employee safety and protection, the company has decided to create a (1) formal safety program for employees and (2) reduce workers’ compensation cost. Given such changes, the company shall elaborate on important guidelines and information needed by each employee to actively avail of such incentives. The next section will highlight the coverage of such amenities and benefits Workers’ Compensation and Safety The creation of the workers’ compensation and safety plan seeks to ensure a fair practice among the employers and the employees with the aim of creating compromise between two parties in each ones needs. The following are included in the overall program: 1. Rehabilitation of Injured Employee 2. Insurance Coverage 3. Cost Allocation Workers Compensation Insurance With the formalization of compensation policies, the company will provide insurance to its employees based on the following: a. the company will use self-insurance as its form of option b. the determinant for premium rates shall be computed based on a manual rating and shall be determined by the Manager of Health and Safety Please note that casual employees (part-time) and contractors & subcontractors are not subject to such changes. Coverage of Insurance and Safety Benefits The company will compensate workers and shoulder the expenses of employees who fit in the following categories: (1) Out of Employment Injuries, (2) Injuries during course of employment, (3) temporary disability and (4) permanent disability. With such initiative in mind, the company seeks to extend its arm towards its employees and wishes to assure each one that their welfare is taken care of. For the benefit of the workers and the growth of the company.

BMG entertainment Essay

Strengths: *First major record label to create websites branded towards different music genres. First major record label to use downloading technology to promote sales of CD’s and cassettes. *Merged with AOL–AOL has the largest internet service provider in the industry. *BMG was the largest music club in the world, and arguably the leader of the five major labels. *BMG set up a series of websites dedicated to specific genres of music. These sites linked fans to the artist’s websites, where they could download or purchase CD’s. (Another innovative move from BMG) Weaknesses: * Through sites like CDNow and Amazon.com customers had the option of having CD’s or cassettes mailed to them. Consumers may not want to â€Å"deal† with downloading music from the net. They may just stick with what they have. Many sites had illegal downloads, so the conventional consumer may not want to bother with this new type of technology. * Although BMG was the first company to create branded websites for specific music genres, they only focused on promotional aspects here, rather than focusing on selling music and in turn making money. Opportunities: * The innovativeness and newness of the digital era could spark a surge of  consumer interest in the music industry. For instance, the CD had a big impact on industry revenue; owners of tapes simply replaced their collections with CD’s. * ;BMG is arguably the leader in the music industry, and consequently has the influence to take its existing customers with them into the digital mp3 era. * BMG had close relationships with all the players involved in setting tech standards for downloadable music. This could give BMG the heads up on newest technology, and an advantage for market entry. * If BMG begins to sell music on the internet, they can reduce their costs greatly by doing away with distribution and manufacturing expenses. Threats: * -In 1929 the new technology of radio posed a serious threat to the music industry. Could a similar event take place with Digital music, where BMG loses a lot of money due to a decrease in CD and cassette sales? * -Time Warner had one of the most advanced cable systems in the US. They were experimenting with services such as video on demand and HD TV so the possibility of digital music was definitely there for TW, and they had the internet resources to distribute it too. * -Would conventional music buyers want to go through the â€Å"hassle† of joining a website, installing a media player, and then buying additional software to play the music at their convenience? * -With a 56K modem (one that many still used 7 years ago), a song took roughly 7 minutes to download. Ten songs can take 70 minutes, and that is not appealing or convincing enough for conventional consumers to switch over to mp3’s usage. * -Sony’s Kiosks in retail music stores posed a threat for BMG. These kiosks  allowed customers to choose from a variety of over 4,000 songs, and create their own CD within 15 minutes. Attacking Piracy at the Source- the CD’s In order to attack piracy, record labels must start at the source. Nearly all of the music traded on the Internet originally comes from CDs, which can be easily copied, or â€Å"ripped,† onto any computer as MP3 digital audio files. Most analysts point to CDs as the biggest hole in the music industry’s strategy for aiding online piracy. The recording industry wants to make it harder for consumers to directly copy CDs, but it faces enormous hurdles. First, any barriers to copying must be â€Å"backwards compatible†Ã¢â‚¬â€œmeaning the new technologies would have to work on old CD players that don’t screen for pirated material, and vice versa. Eventually, the group â€Å"SDMI† was formed, consisting of all the major players involved in setting the technological standards for downloading music.(AT&T, Microsoft, Liquid Audio, IBM, etc) SDMI’s efforts have focused on installing digital â€Å"watermarks† on CD tracks that would enable copyright holders to trace illegal copies and to create devices that would refuse to play copied tracks. In its first phase, SDMI selected a watermark system created by Verance Technologies as the global standard. Future record releases for BMG- Copy Management. It is the Record label’s responsibility to protect the work of their artists. Copy management technology is one of several responses to illegal file sharing and mass copying, which has had a detrimental effect on the music industry (unit shipments have fallen 26% from 1.16 billion units in 1999 to 860 million units last year). There are a few features that are new to this type of technology: Device playability- These discs play just like an enhanced CD. Certain products recently tested had playability issues with DVD players, car  stereos and game consoles, yet these discs play on nearly all DVD players, car stereos, etc. Anywhere an enhanced CD will play, these discs will play. Mac playability – The discs can now be played on a Mac like any other CD. Voluntary Collective Licensing- Music Industry and the Internet Many Record Labels have spent countless amounts of time evaluating alternatives that would pay artists while making file sharing legal. One solution that has emerged as the favorite is voluntary collective licensing. The concept is simple: the music industry forms a collecting society which then offers file-sharing music fans the opportunity to â€Å"get legit† in exchange for a reasonable regular payment, for example $5 per month. So long as they pay, the fans are free to keep doing what they are going to do anyway–share the music they love using whatever software they like on whatever computer platform they prefer–without fear of lawsuits. The money collected gets divided among rights-holders based on the popularity of their music. In exchange, file-sharing music fans would be free to download whatever they like using whatever software works best for them. The more people share, the more money goes to rights-holders.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Caesars Gallic Wars

Sanders Walker Dr. Bishop Western Civilization 103-104 11/20/12 Caesars Conquest Caesar is known as one of the greatest military leaders in history. His was General and later, Ruler of Rome during its peak years. Caesar is known for his military strategy and conquest of much of ancient Europe. Where Caesar made a name for himself was his conquest of the Gauls. Caesars conquest of Gaul consisted of many campaigns throughout northern Europe; the most notable being the battles of Avaricum, Gergovia, and the final battle in Alesia.Caesar and Vercingetorix, the leader of the Gauls, were both similar in ambition. How does Caesar fair strategically against Vercingetorix and the Gauls at the battles of Avaricum, Gergovia and, Alesia? Caesars conquest of Gaul was indeed his most difficult one. Gaul consisted of dozens of tribes and much of the territory being Northern Europe had never been explored before by the Romans. A great amount of pressure was put on Caesar by himself to conquer Gaul.H e was in deep political debt to Rome and its leaders, and he saw the conquest of Gaul to the best way to get out of debt and make a name for himself. Caesar making the first [1]Triumvirate with Crassus and Pompey gained the power of the election and became consul for the year 59 B. C. During this year he was made, â€Å"Governor of Illyricum, or Dalmatia, and of Gaul, that is to say of Gallia Cisalpina† (Pg. 40), this land is really known as a Province that Caesar acquired. Caesar having acquired these lands, but not officially having control, sought to conquer the inhabitants.Caesar is described as, â€Å"In person he was tall and slight, but well-knit; and, if he was as licentious as the mass of his contemporaries, his constitution, fortified by abstemious habits, was capable of sustaining prodigious efforts. His broad dome-like skull ; his calm and penetrating eyes ; his aquiline nose ; his massive yet finely moulded jaw, expressed, like no other human countenance, a rich and harmonious nature, aâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬  intellect, passion, will moving in accord. And, if his vices were common, his generosity, his forbearance, his [2]equanimity, his magnanimity were his own.He believed, with an unwavering faith, that above himself there was a power, without whose aid the strongest judgement, the most diligent calculation might fail. That power was Fortune; and Caesar was assured that Fortune was ever on his side† (Pg. 41). Caesar was extremely ambitious and refused to be undermined by his enemies, this is probably why his conquest against overwhelming odds was so successful. As Caesar dealt with his issues in Rome, there was word that newly acquired provinces in Gaul were going to be marched on by the Helvetti.Caesar left Rome as soon as possible, cutting through the Alps to reach the province of Geneva (Cisalpine/Transalpine province). Caesar legions linked up with the legion of that province and destroyed the bridge or Rhine leading to Geneva. Helvetii sent requests to pass through, but Caesar denied them. Caesar waited out the requests as levies were created and simply denied the crossing of the Helvetii. Some tried to force themselves over, but failed miserably in doing so. Caesar crossed back gathering more legions for his command.Caesar dispersed his legions with Lieutenants into different regions of Gual, with his plan being to divide the already disbanded Gallic tribes. Caesar returned to Rome and received great praise for his victory over the Helvetii. Caesar marches back towards northern Europe in 58 B. C where Ariovistus and his massive hordes of Germanic soldiers, had become a threat to Caesars campaign against the Gauls outside the town of Vesontio. The legions lacking rest and supplies and fearing Ariovistus, was taking its toll on Caesars men.A panic amongst the legionnaires ensued; Caesar immediately puts to work his persona. Giving a riveting speech to the legions, he regained the confidence overwhelmingly. There on ly several miles separating Caesar and Ariovistus, but many Cavalry skirmishes took place as Caesar tried time and again to force the Germanics to fight. Ariovistus requested several meetings with Caesar, the first resulting in failure due to lack of compromises, and the second because Caesar never attended. Ariovistus refused to fight before the New Moon, Caesar finding this out attacked early forcing the Germans to fight.Caesar having command of the right wing of the legions, had planned on attacking the opposing Germans left wing which was supposedly their weak point. Ariovistus and the German horde fell upon the Roman legions quickly leaving huge gaps between the legions. This prevented the Roman javelins to be thrown. The Germans formed a, â€Å"[3]phalanxes† (Pg. 66), which was a wall of men inclosing themselves in a shielded wall. The Romans made quick dismemberment of this wall of shields as the Romans, â€Å"Dug their swords down into them† (Pg. 66), leading t o the German left wing falling back.The left wing of the Roman legion however was beginning to give up ground. In command of the Caesars cavalry was Publius Crassus, the son of the famed triumvir Marcus Licinius Crassus. Publius Crassus led the 3rd line of the cavalry in and quickly rerouted the German onslaught on the Roman left wing. This led to the victory over Ariovistus and the Germanic army. With later victorious campaigns over Aquitani, Usipetes, Tencteri and Atuatuca from 56-54 B. C. Caesar believes Gaul is won and return to Rome to gain political power. While Caesar believed Gaul to be, â€Å"tranquillized† (Pg. 29), or rather under control as Caesar had planned to make all of Gaul a Roman province. The Gallic chieftains discussed in great detail of what was to become of Gaul if something was not done. A rumor quickly spread through Gaul in 52 B. C that Clodius had been murdered and violent riots broke out all over Gaul. The Gallic chieftains of Carnute made quick us e of time while Caesar was still in Rome; a small group of Carnutes stormed into the town of Cenabum and killed Roman merchants and a commissariat officer of Caesars as well.In the Gallic town of Gergovia, a young Gallic noble came to power. His name was Vercingetorix and he quickly assumed dominance throughout Gaul. Vercingetorix was very impressionable and ambitious, much like Caesar. He soon united all Gaul sparking a massive rebellion in 52 B. C. Caesar observed Vercingetorix and saw that he was vastly becoming a huge threat. Roman provinces in peril began to fall due to lack of supplies, But Caesar moved swiftly from Rome to rescue the provinces. Caesar stopped the invasion of Narbo. Caesar still needed to regroup with his legions in the north.Caesars being the brilliant military leader he was, planned to march north through mountains of [4]Cevennes into the land of Vercingetorix, where the land Agedincum was. The journey was rough for Caesars men under the harsh conditions of winter, but to Caesars advantage, Vercingetorix did not realize where the Romans were or where they were going. As Romans came through the mountains, â€Å"Caesar’s horsemen swept over the country in small parties, carrying fire and sword† (Pg. 135), Caesar anticipated that Vercingetorix would come to Agedincums relieve, and he did so reluctantly while Caesar proceeded north to regroup with his legions.Once Caesar had gathered his legions he awaited Vercingetorix next move. Vercingetorix recovered from the Romans strategic maneuvering, decided to go south, opposite of Caesars position and siege Gorgobina an allies of Caesars provinces. Vercingetorix figured this, â€Å"To strike at Caesar’s allies would be equivalent to striking at Caesar himself† (Pg. 136). This indeed was true it was imperative that Caesar could not lose the trust of his allies, but Caesar also knew that pursuing hundreds of miles south without enough supplies would put his legions at r isk of starvation. Caesar contemplated this and decided to relieve Gorgobina.Caesar instead of taking the same route he took to come north he went around in attempt for revenge for the massacre of Roman citizens. Caesar went about it, â€Å"More-over, by ravaging the lands of Carnutes and Bituriges, he might count on forcing Vercingetorix to relax his hold on Gorgobina† (Pg. 137). Caesar captured Vellaunodunum and approached Cenabum with rage as Romans set [5]Cenabum ablaze as supplies were given up to the legions while Caesar marched onwards to Avaricum. Vercingetorix believed the only way to weaken Caesars onslaught through his land was to burn and destroy any resources ahead of Caesar.The Gauls did not receive the news very optimistically. Burning down towns and crops was a harsh method of slowing down the Romans, but Vercingetorix got the Gauls to agree, with this speech he made, â€Å"They must make up their minds to sacrifice their own interest for the national weal. E very hamlet, every barn where the enemy could find provender must be burned to the ground. Even the towns must be destroyed, save those which were impregnable, lest they should tempt men who ought to be in the field to go to them for shelter, and lest the Romans plunder their stores† (Pg. 139).The Gauls still however thought to defend Avaricum rather than burn it to the ground. Avaricum was surrounded by walls and marshes and moats. Caesar made his encampment south of Avaricum several hundred yards out. Caesar realized the only way to siege Avaricum was to build siege towers and terraces. The marshes could not serve as proper platforms so, â€Å"in order to provide a secure foundation, the ground was cleared of obstructions and leveled as far as possible by men working inside stout huts† (Pg. 140). Wooden shields protected men relaying material through, â€Å"lines of sheds† (Pg. 40), as it was said to have taken several weeks to construct the towers. The effects of Vercingetorix burning of Gallic resources began to take its toll on Caesars legions. The Romans supplies began to dwindle and as Caesar sent men out to gather supplies and resources, Vercingetorix had patrols keep track of Caesars movements. Caesar was surrounded and while they waited to attack Avaricum, his men killed the cattle for food. Caesar did all he could to keep his legions spirits up, he would tell them, â€Å"He would abandon the siege† (Pg. 141), but the legionnaires were stubbornly loyal.A small attack was made on the towers, but only set the construction a day behind. The following day Caesar conducted his siege of Avaricum. The siege took no time at all with the Romans climbing the walls, they realized it was pointless to go down into the city, but rather, â€Å"They lined the wall round; and not a man of them would come down. Throwing away their weapons, the Gauls ran for their lives through the town to its furthest extremity; and there many jostling one another in the narrow gateways, were slaughtered, while others, who shouldered their way out were cut down by the cavalry† (Pg. 146).This was indeed a massacre by the Romans; no one was spared not man women or child. The Romans found a multitude of resources such as corn and other supplies. The Gauls were outraged by this massacre at [6]Avaricum. Caesar had hoped to break the Gallic pride with this victory, but it did quite the opposite. Vercingetorix following the massacre made a speech and a promise to Gaul. This speech gave Gaul a new found enragement and confidence. Caesar marched south to Gergovia, Vercingetorix homeland. Once Vercingetorix got word of Caesars movement he quickly destroyed all bridges along the river leaving only the bottom intact.As the Gauls caught up with Caesar, the Romans found it impossible to repair the bridges with the Gauls watching. Caesar was forced to come up with another diversion; under the cover of darkness he moved opposite of one of the b ridges, and in the morning, â€Å"he took forty out of the sixty cohorts, composing his force; arrayed them in six divisions, so that seen from a distance, they would look like the six legions† (Pg. 149). With Caesar outwitting Vercingetorix, he moved south toward the mountain of Gergovia.As Caesar approached Gergovia a cavalry skirmish ensues, but the Gallic cavalry of Vercingetorix is forced back in the stronghold of Gergovia. Gergovia was going to prove to be another difficult siege due to its geography, â€Å"The town stood on an oblong plateau, which formed the summit, extending about seven furlongs from east to west, and six hundred yards wide† (Pg. 150). The town also had an outer wall as well, but the weak point appeared to be the southern wall. There were two large encampments in Gergovia, the smallest was on the southern wall, while the main encampment was on the steepest part of Gergovian wall.Caesar under the cover of night had several divsions move up the southern wall having Vercingetorix think that was where the main attack would be. Caesars full-scale attack actually occurred on the eastern or steepest side with Vercingetorix largest encampment was. The Gauls were caught off guard, â€Å"but the Romans deceived by their armour, took them for enemies: the Gauls were closing in up them on every side† (Pg. 158). As the Romans became overwhelmed they came back down the southern hillside, the Gauls followed blindly, as the Gauls were struck by left and right flanks of Caesars [7]10th legion.The battle on the hill was devastating on sides, 46 centurions and approximately 700 legionnaire’s dead and thousands wounded. Caesar disbanded the siege and tried to return to Rome to regroup and gather supplies and men. After the Gergovia the people of Gaul still had their faith in Vercingetorix, he was re-elected Commander and Chief. Caesar is further planning his campaign decided to enlist a large number of German cavalry to his as sortment. During the entire Gallic Wars, Caesar has been outnumbered almost 3 to 1 and sometimes 4 to 1 odds, but Caesars strategy is what has been proving key in battles; the quality of men over numbers.As Caesar marches toward the provinces, Vercingetorix in a sudden ignorant act of boldness ascends his infantry and small cavalry head on attacking Caesars Roman legions. Caesar staying calm, â€Å"He sent his cavalry, in three divisions, to repel the triple attack† (Pg. 168). The Gauls retreated to Alesia with Caesars legions following close behind night and day. As the Romans reach Alesia Caesar informs his men that this battle will be a, â€Å"toilsome effort† (Pg. 170). Caesar realized that Alesia could only be taken by what he called, â€Å"a line of investment, fully nine miles in length, along which a ring of camps was constructed† (Pg. 70), this was a series of circumvallations: trenches, ramparts, entrenchments, and barriers built around Alesia with cav alry on low ground and legion infantry on high slopes. The Romans being few in number did not have enough men or cavalry to guard the surrounding blockade of Alesia. Vercingetorix realizing that he was being closed in with four Roman legions linking up with Caesars six legions, Vercingetorix had to get help somehow. Under the cover of darkness Vercingetorix sent out Gauls to every region and, â€Å"bring back with them every man who could wield a sword† (Pg. 171). He also reminded them not to abandon the Gallic cause.Caesar had been given news of Vercingetorix call for relief armies, by group of deserters. Caesar understood that he too was surrounded by all of Gaul, but it was still uncertain whether the relief armies would show up for Vercingetorix. Unlike the Romans who had proven loyalty and precision in battle, the Gauls even though united, were still undisciplined and lacked the skill of a Roman legionnaire. Caesar seeing the potential threat from the surrounding mountai ns proceeded to build entrenchments and barriers to his rear and on the western slope of Alesia where an open meadow was located.Caesars men made haste with the construction of barriers and traps like, â€Å"five rows of strong boughs were fixed in each, with one end protruding above ground, sharpened and with the branches projecting so as to form a kind of [8]abatis† (Pg. 139/Part I). Caesar also had traps under the ground surface, â€Å"In front of them and rising a few inches above the ground, but purposely concealed by brushwood, were sharp pointed logs embedded in small pits† (Pg. 139/Part I), as there were also barbed spikes lying under the turf. Caesar moved quickly to gather as much corn and resources as he could, knowing that this battle may very well be the last.Meanwhile inside the wall of Alesia Vercingetorix had the grain thrown into a single stock; as the grain would be dispersed among the soldiers rather than the citizens. A council of Gallic Chieftains gathered at an assembly to discuss Vercingetorix situation in Alesia and how he had requested a, â€Å"universal levy† (Pg. 173), or a mass of armies combined. It was heavily debated because many tribes were at conflict with Germanic tribes or resolving domestic problems; some simply refused to send any army. In all about 43 tribes joined in with a massive cavalry as well.Four generals were given command of the 250,000 Gauls as it was said there was, â€Å"No one leader of sufficient eminence to command universal respect† (Pg. 174), this would be proven decisively. As the relief army of Gaul marched towards Alesia, days away, the city was going into famine. The chieftains proposed the method of cannibalism as said, â€Å"That their fathers, when driven into the fastnesses by the Cimbri and Teutoni, had sustained life by feeding upon the flesh of those who were useless for warfare† (Pg. 175). It was rather decided that the weak, young, and old were citizens of th e town, were to be exiled.The hopeless looking women and children, and elderly came down to the Roman blockade. Caesars blockade forbid no-one to pass through; the exiled inhabitants were not taken in, instead Caesar had them sent back or stay between the lines of the wall and blockade to perish. The relief army soon arrives passing through the mountain valley, they could be seen from miles away as a mass of cavalry and infantry. Commius leading the Gallic mass launched a cavalry assault on Caesars rear defenses as Vercingetorix attacked from the inner defenses from [9]Alesia.The Roman legions held strong repelling the Gallic cavalry with Caesars brilliant defensive military strategy. The Romans formed a compact body of infantry and split the Gallic cavalry’s onslaught into disarray. The one major advantage the Caesar had over all the Gauls it was the reliable communication he had with his commanders of his legions. The Romans were on point and deadly, as the first day was wo n by Caesar. A 24 hour period of cease fire took place, and this time under the cover of darkness the Gauls launched a surprise attack on the Roman blockade using loud shouts to alert the rest of the Gallic army.The Gauls attempted to siege the blockade walls with grappling-hooks and ladders they attempted to overpower the blockades. In between the defensive lines the Gauls were dismembered by the wooden spikes and traps placed along the lines. Two sections of the Gallic army failed to cooperate with the rest of the mass due to poor [10]communication during the night. Roman artillery took apart the Gauls in between the defenses as casualties mounted because of poor effectiveness during the night raid. The Gauls retreated before dawn, fearing a flank from the right.Vercingetorix and Caesar refused to give into each other with casualties piling up on both parties, neither side budged. The soldiers of both sides were describes as they fought, â€Å"Every man fought like a hero; for th ey knew that from the heights around friends and enemies alike were anxiously watching† (Pg. 176). Vercingetorix and the Gauls planned for a final assault on the Romans. Vercingetorix discovered a weak spot in the Roman blockade where Caesars men were unable to build a barrier. The Gauls with no delay assaulted the weak point with 60,000 Gallic warriors against only two legions.The Romans became heavily overwhelmed and in disarray with 60,000 Gauls attacking from the rear and Vercingetorix army attacking from the inner walls. The Romans in panic and disorganization were described as, â€Å"painfully distracted by the roar of battle in their rear; for both on the inner and the outer line men felt, as they fought, that they would perish if their comrades behind suffered the enemy to break through† (Pg. 178). It was difficult for the Roman legions to mass together due to the overwhelming Gallic numbers. Vercassivellaunus, commanding the 60,000 Gauls from the rear; continua lly sent fresh infantry in.The Gallic infantry was disposable due the sheer numbers. Caesar seeing the disarray of the Romans and his cavalry sent Labienus with six cohorts to hold their ground till they were forced to fight in open ground. In astonishing fashion Caesar mounting horseback went down the Roman line as it was depicted, â€Å"riding down between the lines on to the plain, he harangued his weary soldiers and adjured them not to give in† (Pg. 179), continuing he said, â€Å"Just one short hour, and the prize was won† (Pg. 179). It was not until Caesar himself on horseback galloped steadfast, leading the last head on assault.A new found zealous came over the Roman legions as they followed behind Caesar, they disbanded the Gauls in a mass, scattering across the land. The Gauls to appease the Romans would have Vercingetorix give himself up and die. Vercingetorix gave himself up willingly out of respect for Caesar, being an admirer of his military brilliance. It was said that Vercingetorix, â€Å"took off his armour, laid down his sword, and bowed himself at Caesar’s feet† (Pg. 180). Caesar had no admiration for Vercingetorix as it came with a great cost. Caesar had him imprisoned in a dungeon, and then executed six ears later. The conquering of Gaul propelled Caesars political power tremendously. In 49 B. C he was elected dictator or emperor of Rome and soon after Civil war broke out eventually leading to Caesars killing. Caesar outwitted the ambitious and powerful, yet inexperienced Vercingetorix profoundly in the battles of Avaricum, Gergovia, and Alesia. Caesar conquered Gaul in such extraordinary fashion, that it still leaves some historians in amazement. Caesar outmaneuvered a quarter million Gauls and strategically dismantling them.Caesars reasoning for this long and grueling conquest of Gaul was to dig himself and Rome out of the debt that had amounted. His conquest of Gaul was also an attempt, a successful one at tha t, to further his political career and bolster his power. His victory in Rome, as said before, put Caesar on a pedestal surpassing Pompey and Crassus and making him the favorite amongst Roman people. Works Cited Holmes, Thomas. Caesar's conquest of Gaul. 1899. Print. . Julius, Caesar, W. A. McDevitte , and W. S. Bohn. The Gallic Wars . 1st. Print. . Julius, Caesar, W. A. McDevitte , and W. S. Bohn.The Gallic Wars . 3rd. Print. . Julius, Caesar, W. A. McDevitte , and W. S. Bohn. The Gallic Wars . 4th. Print. . Julius, Caesar, W. A. McDevitte , and W. S. Bohn. The Gallic Wars . 8th. Print. . Holmes, Thomas. Caesar's Conquest of Gaul:An Historical Narrative (being Part I of the Larger Work on the Same Subject). Part 1. Macmillan, ———————– [1] The First Triumvirate was between the Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey. An alliance to help bolster power for Caesar in particular. [2] Equanimity†¦one of Caesars great attributes being that he was very calm and poised in battle. 3] Phalanxes was a battle formation with consisted of shields and spears. The Romans used it very effectively against all. [pic] [4] The Cevennes Mountains are in south-central France. It is known as Hidden France by some. [5] Cenabum’s massacre was Caesars attempt at revenge as the town was pillaged. [6] The massacres of Cenabum and Avaricum specifically, was because of the difficulty Caesar had sieging the towns, thus frustration led to the killings. [7] The Roman 10th Legion was known as the Legio X Equestris and was one of Caesar more famous legions. 8] Abatis were used as barriers; they had long sharpened pointed logs. [9] â€Å"According to Napolean I (Precis des guerres de Cesar, 1836, p. 110), more than fifty days must have elapsed between the departure of Vercingetorix’s cavalry and the arrival of the relieving army† (Pg. 175) [10] Gaul having 4 commanding armies that totaled in a quarter million men made it Qy â⠂¬ËœÃ‚ »LiAOUaaaA ? â„ ¢  ¶ ? n w ? o? UO? UAU »Ã‚ ±Ã‚ §? â€Å"†°Ã¢â‚¬Å"oA|o_oRoRERhw? h42aCJ^JaJhw? h. â€Å"CJ^JaJjhyg? 0Jhw? h ®w†ºCJ^JaJhw? ho  CJ^extremely difficult for Vercingetorix to communicate successfully outside the walls.