Essays --

You maybe, as many people are curious of where online shopping came from? When did it start? Did someone invent it? And how was it created?In 2011, Michael Aldrich publish a claim that he had invented online shopping in the United Kingdom in 1979, using a standard dial up telephone line. He connected a modified domestic television to a real-time transaction processing computer to create the Aldrich system. During 1980s he launched the Redifons Office vicissitude that allowed the consumers, distributors, suppliers and companies to be connected on-do business transactions. From 1980 onwards, the system is only used for business to business system and transaction only but during the widespread availability of the earnings and computer systems during the 1990s the business to consumer online shopping started to become financially viable. (Michael Aldrich Archive. 2011)Online or e-shopping is a part of e-commerce and a process that allows the consumers to buy products, information and services with the internet. Since the generation today has extravagantly technology, it is one of the factors that encourage the people to do online shopping, rather than doing the traditional way of going to the market and store. (Gans. 2011) Shopping online is fast maturation to be part of our everyday lives. Increasingly people are using the convenience of online shopping due to people having computers in the home along with high speed connection. Online shopping and scrutinizeing an online shop enables the customer to search, find, order and pay for the products, information and services that they need. To be able to do online shopping, one must visit an online shop, like a website or an account in the social networking sites that sells products. The payment o... ...s that online shopping undergoes is revealed. The diagram shows simplicity and can be easily done, thats why people tends to be an online shopper now a days. Online shopping offers a lot of benefits for the cust omers.The exploreer used different methods of collecting information that was used in this research paper. The researcher gathered information in the internet and in the library. They visited different reliable and credible websites and looked for recent articles and data that were used for the betterment of this research paper. The researchers did a survey to gather some numerical data about the customers who are engaged into online shopping. They did random sampling and gave out approximately 50 survey document to different people aged from 14-30. These methods where used in order to make this research paper about online shopping credible and factual.

Todays Consumer Culture: Bought Self-worth and Artificial Happiness Es

Theres a lady whos sure all that glitters is goldAnd shes buy a stairway to heaven.When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closedWith a word she can get what she came for.Ooh, ooh, and shes buying a stairway to heaven.From Stairway To enlightenment, by Led ZeppelinShopping malls didnt just happen. They are non the result of wise planners deciding that suburban people, having no social life and stimulation, requisite a place to go (Bombeck, 1985). The mall was originally conceived of as a community center where people would converge for shopping, cultural activity, and social interaction (Gruen & Smith, 2005). It is guard to say that the mall has achieved and surpassed those early expectations. Unfortunately, in todays consumer culture, the mall is the center of the universe and and this has shaped consumers in a negative way. In contrast to the original imagination of providing the consumer with greater choice, the mall actually limits the choices of the suburb sh opper. The consumer is forced to go to the mall to full-fill shopping needs, but, once inside, also made to feel guilty if they do not make any purchases. The mall promotes materialism and superficiality, a sense of bought self-worth and artificial happiness. Housing shortages and increased mobility (car) allowed families to move away from the city and into the suburbs. These areas were designed to be self-contained, pre-packaged communities with schools, parks, homes, etc inside close proximity of each other. Not far from jobs in the city, the suburbs provided the safe, enclosed realm ideal for raising families. The only problem was the fact that most stores were downtown and too far for mothers (who did most of the shopping) to driv... ...y, advocates this cycle of earning money, spending money, and buying happiness. Overall, the malls promote a sense of superficiality, a need to acquire goods for social acceptance, and an emphasis on artificial happiness. Though they began wit h innocent intentions, the sinister effects of changing societal values has left us in a jeopardizing situation. Our shallow needs for consumer goods flip weakened society and compromised our position as a close community. Works CitedGruen, V., and Smith, L. (2005), Shopping Towns, U.SA. The Planning of Shopping Centers. New York Van Nostrand Reinhold.May, Elaine Tyler. Homeward Bound American Families in the Cold War Era. Basic Books, 2008. Miller, Daniel. Capitalism An Ethnographic Approach. Berg, Oxford. 1997. Miller, Daniel. A Theory of Shopping. Polity Press, Oxford, 1998.

The Investment Industry :: essays research papers

The Investment IndustryThe investment industry is composed of a wide variety of firms. Themain players include independent full gillyflower securities firm firms, investment banksubsidiaries of contract banks, and discount brokers. Independent full linebrokerage firms offer a wide range of services, including underwriting, tradingof stocks, advice and research. In essence, the full service brokeragesubsidiaries of chartered banks offer the same services, however, banksbrokerage firms whitethorn have a larger pre-established clientele. Finally, thediscount brokers are basic stock brokers that perform trades for clients who donot want investment advice. Usually, this service is targeted toward thesophisticated investor who does his/her give birth research to incur minimal commissionfees.Banks entered the investment industry in 1987, whereby they took overfull-service brokerages, introduced mutual funds to the banking industry andbecame part of discount brokering. From this time on , chartered banks haveexpanded their dominance in the industry by acquiring key players in theindustry or branching off into full brokerage services. For example, thebrokerage firms for CIBC, Royal Bank, Toronto Dominion Bank, Bank of Nova Scotiaand Bank of Montreal are Wood Gundy, RBC Dominion, Evergreen, Scotia McLeod andNesbitt Burns respectively. In addition, the aforementioned chartered banks havealso tined into the discount brokerage sector.As of December 1994, the Securities Industry as a whole included 158firms, directly employs over 24,000 people, has operate revenue of $5.1Billion and operating profit of $1.2 Billion (Appendix A). Within this industrythe largest firms ranked by revenue are RBC Dominion Securities ($1 Billion),Midland Walwyn ($480 million), Burns Fry ($416 million) and Nesbitt Thomson($335 million) (Appendix B). It is sheer that the industry is highlyconcentrated in a small number of companies. The surpass 4 leaders in the industryaccounted for 44% of r evenue, duration the top 8 was 51%.Industry information from 1993 displays further segregation, betweenretail, institutional and integrated firms. Integrated retail-institutionalizedfirms (RBC Dominion Securities, Scotia McLeod, Nesbitt Thomson, Wood Gundy) madeup 66% of the industrys revenue, while strictly institutional firms (FirstMarathon Securities, Gordon Capital Corp. and Loewer Ondaatje McCutcheon Ltd.)made up 21% and Retail firms (Green Line Investor Services Inc.), 15% (AppendixC). The following analysis will depict the investment dealers industry,specifically the life cycle, critical success factor, strengths, weaknesses,target markets and profitability.Life CycleThe demand for investment financial services is expanding. This becomesevident by examining the add up increase in revenue which has occurred over the1990-1994, 5 year span. This amounts to a 114% increase in revenue, ($2.4Billion and $5.13 Billion), (Appendix A). An additional indication of growth inthe inves tment industry is the fact that the number of firms in the industry has

human reason Essay -- essays research papers

Perspectives on Human ReasonHuman reason is a topic that, without a doubt, can set about multiple outlooks by various individuals. Descartes believed that reason was the ultimate cornerstone of human feelledge, while Pascale believed that reason alone could not allow someone to attain knowledge. He felt there were limits on reason. Both tried, to the best of their ability, to back their beliefs and make others see their point of view.Descartes doubted the senses and believed that people altogether knew things through the content of their mind through human reason. Descartes used logical deductive reasoning to brain the certainty of the senses. He states, I have fix that these senses sometimes deceive me, and it is a matter of prudence never to confide completely in those who have deceived us even once (Descartes 26). His basic question that he sought to find the answer for is very complex yet seems so simple when reflecting upon it. How can we actually know things, for certain? How do we know that the sky is actually blue, or that the earth is round? Is there any certain proof to reveal the fact of anything? Are the ideas we form in our minds and perceptions we have the truth? These are the types of things Descartes thought about. He questioned the certainty of absolutely everything. I have no senses at all body, figure, extension, movement and place are chimeras. What will, then, be true? Perhaps just this one thing that there is nothing cer...

Effects of the Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki :: history

Effects of the Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and NagasakiEver since the dawn of time man has found new ways of killing each other. The most pestiferous way of killing people known to man would have to be the atomic run out. The reason why the atomic bomb is so destructive is that when it is detonated, it has more(prenominal) than one effect. The effect of the atomic bomb are so great that Nikita Khrushchev said that the survivors would envy the dead (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, 1982). These devastating physical effects come from the atomic bombs blast, the atomic bombs thermal radiation, and the atomic bombs nuclear radiation. An atomic bomb is either weapon that gets its destructive power from an atom. This power comes when the matter inside of the atoms is transformed into energy. The process by which this is done is known as fission. The only two atoms able for fissioning are the uranium isotope U-235 and the plutonium isotope Pu-239 (Outlaw Labs) . Fission occurs when a neutron, a subatomic particle with no electrical charge, strikes the nucleus of one of these isotopes and causes it to split apart. When the nucleus is split, a large amount of energy is produced, and more free neutrons are also released. These neutrons then in turn strike other atoms, which causes more energy to be released. If this process is repeated, a self-sustaining chain reception will occur, and it is this chain reaction that causes the atomic bomb to have its destructive power (World Book, 1990). This chain reaction can be attained in two different ways. The first suit of atomic bomb ever used was a gun-type. In this type two subcritical pieces of U-235 are placed in a device similar to the barrel of an artillery shell. One piece is placed at one cease of the barrel and will remain there at rest. The other subcritical mass is placed at the other end of the barrel. A conventional explosive is jammed behind the second subcritical mass. When the fus e is triggered, a conventional explosion causes the second subcritical mass to be propelled at a high velocity into the first subcritical mass. The resulting combining causes the two subcritical masses to become a supercritical mass. When this supercritical mass is obtained, a rapid self-sustained chain reaction is caused (World Book, 1990). This type of atomic bomb was used on

Effects of the Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki :: history

Effects of the Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and NagasakiEver since the dawn of time man has put together new ways of killing each other. The most destructive way of killing people known to man would have to be the nuclear bomb. The causa why the nuclear bomb is so destructive is that when it is detonated, it has more than one effect. The effects of the atomic bomb are so great that Nikita Khrushchev said that the survivors would resent the dead (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, 1982). These devastating physical effects come from the atomic bombs blast, the atomic bombs thermal radiation, and the atomic bombs nuclear radiation. An atomic bomb is any weapon that gets its destructive power from an atom. This power comes when the matter inside of the atoms is transformed into energy. The process by which this is done is known as fission. The only two atoms suitable for fissioning are the uranium isotope U-235 and the plutonium isotope Pu-239 (Outlaw Labs). Fis sion occurs when a neutron, a subatomic particle with no electrical charge, strikes the nucleus of one of these isotopes and causes it to split apart. When the nucleus is split, a large amount of energy is produced, and more free neutrons are also released. These neutrons then in turn strike other atoms, which causes more energy to be released. If this process is repeated, a self-sustaining chain reaction will occur, and it is this chain reaction that causes the atomic bomb to have its destructive power (World Book, 1990). This chain reaction can be attained in two different ways. The first type of atomic bomb ever used was a gun-type. In this type two subcritical pieces of U-235 are placed in a device similar to the barrel of an accelerator pedal shell. One piece is placed at one end of the barrel and will remain there at rest. The other subcritical mass is placed at the other end of the barrel. A conventional explosive is packed behind the second subcritical mass. When the fuse i s triggered, a conventional explosion causes the second subcritical mass to be propelled at a high velocity into the first subcritical mass. The resulting combination causes the two subcritical masses to become a supercritical mass. When this supercritical mass is obtained, a rapid self-sustained chain reaction is caused (World Book, 1990). This type of atomic bomb was used on

Angels Demons Chapter 64-65

64Langdon and Vittorias taxi completed the unity-mile sprint up the wide Via della Scrofa in just all over a minute. They skidded to a gag rule on the s extincth side of the Piazza del Popolo just before eight. Not having any lire, Langdon overpaid the driver in U.S. dollars. He and Vittoria jumped proscribed. The piazza was quiet except for the joke of a handful of locals seated step forwardside the popular Rosati Cafe a hot spot of the Italian literati. The breeze smelled of espresso and pastry.Langdon was sleek over in shock over his mistake at the Pantheon. With a cursory glance at this squ atomic number 18, however, his sixth sense was already tingling. The piazza seemed subtly filled with Illuminati significance. Not just now was it primed(p) out in a perfectly elliptical shape, further dead center s in additiond a towering Egyptian obelisk a square anchor of stone with a distinctively pyramidal tip. Spoils of Romes imperial pl to a lower placeing, obelisks were sc attered across Rome and referred to by symbologists as Lofty Pyramids skyward extensions of the sacred pyramidal form.As Langdons eyes move up the monolith, though, his sight was shortly drawn to something else in the background. Something even more than remarkable.Were in the right place, he said quietly, feeling a sudden exposed wariness. Have a look at that. Langdon pointed to the imposing Porta del Popolo the high stone arch track at the far end of the piazza. The bound structure had been overlooking the piazza for centuries. departed center of the archways highest point was a symbolic engraving. Look familiar?Vittoria looked up at the huge carving. A emit star over a triangular pile of stones?Langdon shook his take. A source of Illumination over a pyramid.Vittoria turned, her eyes suddenly wide. Like the peachy Seal of the United States?Exactly. The Masonic symbol on the one-dollar bill.Vittoria took a boneheaded breath and scanned the piazza. So wheres this damn ch urch?The Church of Santa Maria del Popolo stood out wish well a misplaced battleship, askew at the subject of a hill on the southeast corner of the piazza. The eleventh-century stone aerie was made even more clumsy by the tower of scaffolding covering the faade.Langdons thoughts were a blur as they raced toward the edifice. He stared up at the church in wonder. Could a put to death really be about to take place inside? He wished Olivetti would hurry. The gun felt awkward in his pocket.The churchs front stairs were ventaglio a welcoming, trend fan ironic in this case because they were blocked with scaffolding, construction equipment, and a sign warningConstruzzione.Non EntrareLangdon realized that a church closed for renovation meant fundamental privacy for a killer. Not interchangeable the Pantheon. No fancy tricks needed here. Only to find a way in.Vittoria slipped without hesitation between the sawhorses and headed up the staircase.Vittoria, Langdon cautioned. If hes still in thereVittoria did not seem to adjudicate. She ascended the main portico to the churchs sole wooden door. Langdon hurried up the stairs shtup her. Before he could say a word she had grasped the handle and overstretched. Langdon held his breath. The door did not budge. at that place must be another adit, Vittoria said.Probably, Langdon said, exhaling, but Olivetti will be here in a minute. Its too dangerous to go in. We should cover the church from out here until Vittoria turned, her eyes blazing. If theres another way in, theres another way out. If this guy disappears, were fungito.Langdon knew enough Italian to jockey she was right.The alley on the right side of the church was pinched and dark, with high walls on both sides. It smelled of urine a common aroma in a city where nix outnumbered public rest rooms twenty dollar bill to one.Langdon and Vittoria hurried into the fetid dimness. They had gone about fifteen yards cut down when Vittoria tugged Langdons arm and poin ted.Langdon saw it too. Up ahead was an unassuming wooden door with heavy hinges. Langdon recognized it as the standard porta sacra a private entrance for clergy. Most of these entrances had gone out of use years ago as encroaching buildings and limited real estate relegated side entrances to inconvenient alleyways.Vittoria hurried to the door. She arrived and stared down at the doorknob, apparently perplexed. Langdon arrived behind her and eyed the peculiar donut-shaped hoop hanging where the doorknob should go been.An annulus, he whispered. Langdon reached out and quietly lifted the ring in his hand. He pulled the ring toward him. The stationariness clicked. Vittoria shifted, looking suddenly uneasy. Quietly, Langdon twisted the ring clockwise. It spun loosely 360 degrees, not engaging. Langdon frowned and tried the other direction with the same result.Vittoria looked down the remainder of the alley. You think theres another entrance?Langdon doubted it. Most Renaissance cathedr als were designed as makeshift fortresses in the event a city was stormed. They had as few entrances as possible. If there is another way in, he said, its probably recessed in the rear bastion more of an escape route than an entrance.Vittoria was already on the move.Langdon followed deeper into the alley. The walls shot skyward on both sides of him. Somewhere a bell began ringing eight oclockRobert Langdon did not hear Vittoria the first time she called to him. He had slowed at a stained-glass window covered with bars and was trying to peer inside the church.Robert Her voice was a loud whisper.Langdon looked up. Vittoria was at the end of the alley. She was pointing slightly the back of the church and waving to him. Langdon jogged reluctantly toward her. At the base of the rear wall, a stone bulwark jutted out concealing a narrow grotto a kind of compressed passageway cutting straightway into the foundation of the church.An entrance? Vittoria asked.Langdon nodded. Actually an ex it, but we wont get technical.Vittoria knelt and peered into the tunnel. Lets check the door. See if its open.Langdon undetermined his mouth to bearing, but Vittoria took his hand and pulled him into the opening.Wait, Langdon said.She turned impatiently toward him.Langdon sighed. Ill go first.Vittoria looked surprised. more(prenominal) chivalry?Age before beauty.Was that a compliment?Langdon smiled and go past her into the dark. Careful on the stairs.He inched slowly into the darkness, keeping one hand on the wall. The stone felt sharp on his fingertips. For an instant Langdon recalled the ancient myth of Daedelus, how the boy kept one hand on the wall as he moved done and through the Minotaurs labyrinth, knowing he was guaranteed to find the end if he never broke contact with the wall. Langdon moved forward, not entirely certain he wanted to find the end.The tunnel narrowed slightly, and Langdon slowed his pace. He sensed Vittoria close behind him. As the wall curved go forth , the tunnel opened into a semicircular alcove. Oddly, there was faint light here. In the dimness Langdon saw the outline of a heavy wooden door.Uh oh, he said.Locked?It was.Was? Vittoria arrived at his side.Langdon pointed. Lit by a shaft of light coming from within, the door hung ajar its hinges splintered by a wrecking bar still lodged in the wood.They stood a moment in silence. Then, in the dark, Langdon felt Vittorias hands on his chest, groping, sliding beneath his jacket.Relax, professor, she said. Im just getting the gun.At that moment, inside the Vatican Museums, a task force of Swiss Guards spread out in all directions. The museum was dark, and the guards wore U.S. Marine issue infrared goggles. The goggles made everything appear an eerie shade of green. Every guard wore headphones connected to an antenna bid detector that he waved rhythmically in front of him the same devices they used twice a week to sweep for electronic bugs inside the Vatican. They moved methodically, checking behind statues, inside niches, closets, under furniture. The antennae would sound if they detected even the tiniest magnetic field.Tonight, however, they were getting no readings at all.65The interior of Santa Maria del Popolo was a murky cave in the dimming light. It looked more like a half-finished subway station than a cathedral. The main sanctuary was an obstacle course of torn-up flooring, brick pallets, mounds of dirt, wheelbarrows, and even a rusty backhoe. Mammoth columns rose through the floor, supporting a vaulted roof. In the air, silt drifted lazily in the muted glow of the stained glass. Langdon stood with Vittoria beneath a sprawling Pinturicchio fresco and scanned the gutted shrine. zero moved. Dead silence.Vittoria held the gun out in front of her with both hands. Langdon checked his watch 804 P.M. Were crazy to be in here, he thought. Its too dangerous. suave he knew if the killer were inside, the man could leave through any door he wanted, making a one-g un outside stakeout totally fruitless. Catching him inside was the only way that was, if he was even still here. Langdon felt guilt-ridden over the blunder that had cost everyone their chance at the Pantheon. He was in no go down to insist on precaution now he was the one who had backed them into this corner.Vittoria looked harrowed as she scanned the church. So, she whispered. Where is this Chigi chapel?Langdon gazed through the dusky ghostliness toward the back of the cathedral and canvas the outer walls. Contrary to common perception, Renaissance cathedrals invariably contained multiple chapels, huge cathedrals like Notre Dame having dozens. Chapels were less rooms than they were hollows semicircular niches holding tombs around a churchs perimeter wall.Bad news, Langdon thought, seeing the four recesses on each side wall. there were eight chapels in all. Although eight was not a particularly consuming number, all eight openings were covered with huge sheets of clear polyure thane due to the construction, the translucent curtains apparently intended to keep dust off the tombs inside the alcoves.It could be any of those draped recesses, Langdon said. No way to know which is the Chigi without looking inside every one. Could be a good reason to wait for Oliv Which is the secondary left apse? she asked.Langdon studied her, surprised by her command of architectural terminology. Secondary left apse?Vittoria pointed at the wall behind him. A decorative tile was embedded in the stone. It was engraved with the same symbol they had seen outside a pyramid beneath a shining star. The grime-covered plaque beside it readCoat of mail of Alexander Chigi whose tomb is located in the secondary left apse of this CathedralLangdon nodded. Chigis coat of arms was a pyramid and star? He suddenly found himself wondering if the wealthy patron Chigi had been an Illuminatus. He nodded to Vittoria. Nice work, Nancy Drew. What?Never mind. I A piece of metal clattered to the fl oor only yards away. The clang echoed through the entire church. Langdon pulled Vittoria behind a pillar as she whipped the gun toward the sound and held it there. Silence. They waited. Again there was sound, this time a rustling. Langdon held his breath. I never should have let us come in here The sound moved closer, an intermittent scuffling, like a man with a limp. Suddenly around the base of the pillar, an object came into view.Figlio di puttana Vittoria cursed under her breath, jumping back. Langdon fell back with her.Beside the pillar, dragging a half-eaten sandwich in paper, was an enormous rat. The creature paused when it saw them, staring a farsighted moment down the barrel of Vittorias weapon, and then, apparently unmoved, continued dragging its prize off to the recesses of the church.Son of a Langdon gasped, his heart racing.Vittoria lowered the gun, quickly regaining her compo accredited. Langdon peered around the side of the column to see a workmans lunchbox splayed on the floor, apparently knocked off a sawhorse by the resourceful rodent.Langdon scanned the basilica for movement and whispered, If this guys here, he sure as underworld heard that. You sure you dont want to wait for Olivetti?Secondary left apse, Vittoria repeated. Where is it?Reluctantly Langdon turned and tried to get his bearings. Cathedral terminology was like stage directions totally counterintuitive. He feelingd the main altar. Stage center. Then he pointed with his thumb backward over his shoulder.They both turned and looked where he was pointing.It seemed the Chigi Chapel was located in the third of four recessed alcoves to their right. The good news was that Langdon and Vittoria were on the correct side of the church. The bad news was that they were at the wrong end. They would have to traverse the length of the cathedral, passing three other chapels, each of them, like the Chigi Chapel, covered with translucent plastic shrouds.Wait, Langdon said. Ill go first.Forget it. Im the one who screwed up at the Pantheon.She turned. But Im the one with the gun.In her eyes Langdon could see what she was really thinking Im the one who lost my father. Im the one who helped build a weapon of mass destruction. This guys kneecaps are mineLangdon sensed the futility and let her go. He moved beside her, cautiously, down the east side of the basilica. As they passed the first shrouded alcove, Langdon felt taut, like a contestant on some surreal game show. Ill take curtain number three, he thought.The church was quiet, the thick stone walls blocking out all hints of the outside world. As they hurried past one chapel after the other, pale humanoid forms wavered like ghosts behind the rustling plastic. Carved marble, Langdon told himself, hoping he was right. It was 806 P.M. Had the killer been prompt and slipped out before Langdon and Vittoria had entered? Or was he still here? Langdon was unsure which scenario he preferred.They passed the second apse, ominous in the slowly darkening cathedral. Night seemed to be falling quickly now, accentuated by the musty tint of the stained-glass windows. As they pressed on, the plastic curtain beside them billowed suddenly, as if caught in a draft. Langdon wondered if someone somewhere had opened a door.Vittoria slowed as the third niche loomed before them. She held the gun before her, motioning with her head to the stele beside the apse. Carved in the granite block were two words genus Gallinago ChigiLangdon nodded. Without a sound they moved to the corner of the opening, positioning themselves behind a wide pillar. Vittoria leveled the gun around a corner at the plastic. Then she signaled for Langdon to pull back the shroud.A good time to start praying, he thought. Reluctantly, he reached over her shoulder. As carefully as possible, he began to pull the plastic aside. It moved an inch and then crinkled loudly. They both froze. Silence. After a moment, moving in slow motion, Vittoria leaned forward and pee red through the narrow slit. Langdon looked over her shoulder.For a moment, neither one of them breathed.Empty, Vittoria finally said, lowering the gun. Were too late.Langdon did not hear. He was in awe, transported for an instant to another world. In his life, he had never imagined a chapel that looked like this. Finished entirely in chestnut marble, the Chigi Chapel was breathtaking. Langdons trained eye devoured it in gulps. It was as earthly a chapel as Langdon could fathom, almost as if Galileo and the Illuminati had designed it themselves.Overhead, the domed cupola shone with a field of illuminated stars and the seven astronomical planets. Below that the twelve signs of the zodiac pagan, earthly symbols rooted in astronomy. The zodiac was also tied straightway to Earth, Air, Fire, Water the quadrants representing power, intellect, ardor, emotion. Earth is for power, Langdon recalled.Farther down the wall, Langdon saw tributes to the Earths four temporal seasons primavera, e state, autunno, inverno. But far more incredible than any of this were the two huge structures grand the room. Langdon stared at them in silent wonder. It cant be, he thought. It just cant be But it was. On either side of the chapel, in perfect symmetry, were two ten-foot-high marble pyramids.I dont see a cardinal, Vittoria whispered. Or an assassin. She pulled aside the plastic and stepped in.Langdons eyes were transfixed on the pyramids. What are pyramids doing inside a Christian chapel? And incredibly, there was more. Dead center of each pyramid, embedded in their anterior faades, were gold medallions medallions like few Langdon had ever seen perfect ellipses. The burnished disks glimmered in the setting sun as it sifted through the cupola. Galileos ellipses? Pyramids? A cupola of stars? The room had more Illuminati significance than any room Langdon could have fabricated in his mind.Robert, Vittoria blurted, her voice cracking. LookLangdon wheeled, reality returning as his eyes dropped to where she was pointing. Bloody hell he shouted, jumping backward.Sneering up at them from the floor was the image of a skeleton an intricately detailed, marble mosaic depicting death in flight. The skeleton was carrying a tablet portraying the same pyramid and stars they had seen outside. It was not the image, however, that had turned Langdons blood cold. It was the fact that the mosaic was attach on a circular stone a cupermento that had been lifted out of the floor like a manhole cover and was now sitting off to one side of a dark opening in the floor.Demons hole, Langdon gasped. He had been so taken with the ceiling he had not even seen it. Tentatively he moved toward the pit. The stench coming up was overwhelming.Vittoria put a hand over her mouth. Che puzzo.Effluvium, Langdon said. Vapors from decaying bone. He breathed through his sleeve as he leaned out over the hole, peering down. Blackness. I cant see a thing.You think anybodys down there?No way to know.Vit toria motioned to the far side of the hole where a rotting, wooden race descended into the depths.Langdon shook his head. Like hell.Maybe theres a flashlight outside in those tools. She sounded eager for an excuse to escape the smell. Ill look.Careful Langdon warned. We dont know for sure that the Hassassin But Vittoria was already gone.One strong-willed woman, Langdon thought.As he turned back to the pit, he felt light-headed from the fumes. Holding his breath, he dropped his head below the rim and peered deep into the darkness. Slowly, as his eyes adjusted, he began to see faint shapes below. The pit appeared to open into a small chamber. Demons hole. He wondered how many generations of Chigis had been unceremoniously dumped in. Langdon closed his eyes and waited, forcing his pupils to fat so he could see better in the dark. When he opened his eyes again, a pale muted figure hovered below in the darkness. Langdon shivered but fought the instinct to pull out. Am I seeing things? Is that a body? The figure faded. Langdon closed his eyes again and waited, longer this time, so his eyes would plump up the faintest light.Dizziness started to set in, and his thoughts wandered in the blackness. Just a few more seconds. He wasnt sure if it was breathing the fumes or holding his head at a low inclination, but Langdon was definitely starting to feel squeamish. When he finally opened his eyes again, the image before him was totally inexplicable.He was now staring at a crypt bathed in an eerie bluish light. A faint hissing sound reverberated in his ears. Light flickered on the noble walls of the shaft. Suddenly, a long shadow materialized over him. Startled, Langdon scrambled up.Look out someone exclaimed behind him.Before Langdon could turn, he felt a sharp pain in the neck on the back of his neck. He spun to see Vittoria twisting a lit blowtorch away from him, the hissing flame throwing blue light around the chapel.Langdon grabbed his neck. What the hell are you doing?I was giving you some light, she said. You backed right into me.Langdon glared at the portable blowtorch in her hand.Best I could do, she said. No flashlights.Langdon rubbed his neck. I didnt hear you come in.Vittoria handed him the torch, wincing again at the stench of the crypt. You think those fumes are combustible?Lets hope not.He took the torch and moved slowly toward the hole. Cautiously, he advanced to the rim and pointed the flame down into the hole, lighting the side wall. As he directed the light, his eyes traced the outline of the wall downward. The crypt was circular and about twenty feet across. Thirty feet down, the glow found the floor. The ground was dark and mottled. Earthy. Then Langdon saw the body.His instinct was to recoil. Hes here, Langdon said, forcing himself not to turn away. The figure was a pallid outline against the earthen floor. I think hes been stripped naked. Langdon flashed on the nude corpse of Leonardo Vetra.Is it one of the cardinals?Langdo n had no idea, but he couldnt imagine who the hell else it would be. He stared down at the pale blob. Unmoving. Lifeless. And yet Langdon hesitated. There was something very strange about the way the figure was positioned. He seemed to beLangdon called out. Hello?You think hes alive?There was no response from below.Hes not moving, Langdon said. But he looks No, impossible.He looks what? Vittoria was peering over the edge now too.Langdon squinted into the darkness. He looks like hes standing up.Vittoria held her breath and lowered her face over the edge for a better look. After a moment, she pulled back. Youre right. Hes standing up Maybe hes alive and needs help She called into the hole. Hello? Mi puo sentire?There was no echo off the mossy interior. Only silence.Vittoria headed for the rickety ladder. Im going down.Langdon caught her arm. No. Its dangerous. Ill go.This time Vittoria didnt argue.

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 16

Current DayEllaI dont sack out why Im in here. I started to run polish up the street with so much adrenaline lashing by me it felt same(p) my chest was freeing to explode. The rain was streaming mound and all I could remember ab off was getting as far away(predicate) from Michas house as possible, but my mind caught up with me and I pulled myself keister somehow.My clothes drip on the bathroom floor, which is still dye red from her blood. I sit down and hug my knees to my chest, staring at the bathtub.Something died in me when I found her, but Im not sure what. Maybe my soul. That night, Id been so determined to go to that stupid party that I left her at the house alone, even though my dad had left me in charge of her. in that location was one simple rule keep an eye on mum. And I couldnt even follow it.Ella, what are you doing in here? Micha observes me from the doorway, his clothes and hair flood with rain.I cuddle my knees against me and squeeze my eyes shut. I saw you go to your bedroom with Naomi.Okay he sounds confused. Why do you sound upset, though?It doesnt matter, I affirm. None of this matters.Of course it matters. He sits down beside me and drapes his fort over his knees. Otherwise you wouldnt be in here.Youre right, it does matter. I run my finger between the cracks in the tile. I dont want you to be with Naomi.Wait a minute. Do you think I hooked up with her?Isnt that what you normally do when you take a fille back to your room?Naomi and I were skilful talking, he mutters quietly. And I givent taken a girl back to my room in months.Hearing him say that makes me feel go bad and I start to face the inevi remand. I can run all I want and try to shut myself down, but my feelings for Micha will always be there they control me.You have sex, you scared the shit start of me that night, he says, staring at the bathtub. The way you looked when I found you I dont ever want to encounter that look in your eyes again that emptiness. It was my fault. I let it fall off my chest and crash into the world. I was supposed to watch her that night, but I was selfish and thought that stupid party was more important.He turns my head toward him and looks me in the eyes, so I can see how much he essence what he says. Youre not selfish. You were seventeen and you made a mistake just like every other seventeen-year-old out there does.She died because of my mistake. The words scratch at my throat. If I would have just stayed home like I was supposed to then she wouldnt be dead.You have to let this go, he says, his voice strained. You cant keep blaming yourself for something that was out of your hands.I wish I could have a redo. Tears sting the corners of my eyes. I want to do it over again.He covers my hand with his. I think you might need to talk to somebody about this. Otherwise its going to haunt you forever.I suck the tears back and wiggle my hand away from his. You think Im going crazy.He shifts in front of me onto his knees, takes my face in his hands, and forces me to look at him. Look at me. No one thinks youre crazy. Youre strong, but youve been through a lot of shit and you might need some help working through it.I think Im more fucked up than you realize, I say. I cant even look in a mirror anymore.That does sound crazy. He tucks my hair out of my face and takes a good look at me. Youre beautiful.I shake my head slowly. Its not that. Its something else. Like if I look in the mirror I have to see whats really inside.Whats inside isnt bad.Yes, it is. If you knew the truth, you wouldnt want to be with me.He assesses me closely and then helps me to my feet, pulling me up by the arms.What are you doing? I ask as he steers me by the shoulders to the mirror on the medicament cabinet. I wince at the girl staring back at me big green eyes, wet hair stuck to her head, and mascara running down her face. I fix to recoil, but he holds me in place and forces me to look at myself.His aqua eyes lock on my reflection. When I saw you that night, I felt only helpless. I loved being able to help you, whether its if you fell off the roof and needed to go to the hospital or you needed help mount up a tree. It has always been my thing since we were kids and I loved every second of it, but that night there was absolutely nonentity I could do to help you. I never want to feel that way again. He takes a deep breath and lets it out gradually. I love you, Ella May and nothing will ever change that. You can push me away run away and I will still love you.Hot tears pour out of my eyes and down my cheeks. My shoulders start to shake as I turn to him and bury my face into his chest. His arms circle around my waist and he lifts me up. My arms and legs fasten around him like he is my lifeline, and maybe he is.He carries me into my room as I continue to sob and he lies down with me on the bed. Its dark and the music from next door drifts through the open window. Tears spill continuously to downpou r from my eyes, and I place my hand over his chest, feeling the beat of his heart. I keep crying years of tears that have been bottled up until finally my eyes run dry.Then I fade again.MichaI wake up early in morning in a state of panic. Ella is fast asleep in my arms, her eyes swollen from crying, and shes clinging onto me like Im everything to her. Its what Ive always wanted, but something feels unresolved within me and I need to fix it before I get in likewise deep with her. She needs someone strong and until I face the thing plaguing me, I cant be that for her.But I will be.Carefully, I raise her head from my shoulder and slip out of her room. Her dads snoring on the couch, theres a broken bottle on the kitchen floor, and the back door is wide open. I lock up and then jump the fence. My cause is trashed with beer bottles and cigarette butts and my moms car is parked in the driveway.The inside looks just as bad and I feel like a dick for leaving it for my mom to clean up, but if I dont go right now, Ill chicken out. So I hurry to my room, where Ethans passed out in my bed with his arms and legs hanging over the side. He still has on the clothes from last night and the whole room stinks of stale booze and cigarettes.I stuff some clothes into a bag and collect my keys from the dresser.Are you going somewhere? Ethan sits up from the bed, rubbing his eyes.I swing the bag over my shoulder. Im going on a teensy road trip. Ill be back in a few days.He gapes at me. By yourself?Yeah, this is something I have to do by myself.He considers something. Youre going to see your father, arent you?I let out a loud breath. Yeah man, but dont say anything, okay?Ethan nods. Alright, if thats what you want me to do.It is. I open the door. And hey, help my mom clean up and keep an eye on Ella.He falls back into the bed. Alright man, will do.I grab my wallet and leave the room, query who Im going to be when I come back.EllaI wake up to an empty bed, but try to stay calm. I t ext Micha and ask him where he is because Im sure theres an explanation.Im sure its nothing bad, I say, but theres an unsettling feeling squeezing inside me.I slip on a pair of shorts and a tank top and go downstairs to head to his house, but Dean, Lila, and a girl with short black hair are sitting at the kitchen table with coffee mugs in front of them. Theres a box of doughnuts on the counter and someones taken out the garbage and cleaned the dishes.Oh my God, its so nice to finally meet you. The girl with black hair stands up and meets me in the middle of the kitchen.Likewise, I guess I shake her extended hand, glancing at Lila and then Dean.Dean gets up and brushes crumbs off the front of his button down shirt. Ella, this is my fiance, Caroline.My mouth forms an O. Shes not how I pictured her short and slender, with tan skin and shoulder length wavy hair. She has a adorn on over a t-shirt and a pair of black jeans. Theres a butterfly tattoo on her wrist and her ears have multipl e piercings. I pictured her more prim and proper, by the way my brother showed up looking.Deans told me so much about you, she says with a genuine smile. And Im finally glad to have a face to attach to the stories hes been telling me.My eyes wander to Dean and my eyebrows arch up. Stories, huh? Id love to hear these stories.She doesnt miss a beat. Like how you like to overhear and how you love cars. He also said you attend UNLV, which is so cool because thats where I went.I thought you said you didnt know where I was, I say to Dean.He shifts uneasily. Dad told me once during like a five minute conversation. But anyway, its not a big deal, Ella, for me to tell my fiance about my slim sister.It kind of is. My voice carries an underlying meaning that only he will understand. All things considering.Dean hisses through clenched teeth. Ella, can you not start this shit. Its too early in the morning.Caroline glances from Dean to me then back to Dean. You werent lying. You guys relationsh ip is a little intense.Removing myself from the conversation, I pull my hair into a ponytail and pour myself a cup of coffee. Breathing in the aroma, I stare out the window, noting that Michas car isnt next door.Where the hell is he? I mutter to myself.Suddenly, Im being yanked by the arm out of the room.Hey, I protest as hot coffee spills onto my foot. What is your problem?Look. Dean says once were in the living room. I didnt invite her here. She just showed up to surprise me.So you dont want her here? I take a sip of my coffee, hiding my amusement.He rubs the back of his neck tensely. Theres just stuff she doesnt know about me yet and I dont think Im ready to tell her.You told her about me.But not dad. And not mom either.I set the cup down on the table and wipe up the coffee from my foot with a towel. Okay, so what do you want to do about it?Could you hang out with her for the day, magic spell I pack up the rest of my room? he asks. And then I can get her out of here by tomorrow morning.You should just tell her the truth. I toss the towel on the couch. Avoiding the problem will only catch up with you.He pulls an annoyed face. Youre one to talk.I know and Im working on it. My voice shakes a little and I clear it.His face is turning red. Would you please just keep her busy?I guess. I shrug. But where do you want me to take her?For a drive around the lake or something, he says. I dont care just as long as you keep her away from here.I collect my coffee and proceed for the kitchen, while he heads for the stairs to finish packing.And Ella, he calls out from the stairway You look various today happier.I give him a small smile, and then I turn away, wondering what looks different.

Quiz on Markeing Manament

1. The task of any business is to deliver ________ at a profit. a. customer value b. products and services c. improved quality d. customer unavoidably e. products 2. Much of a brands strength in consumer marts depends on ________. a. underdeveloped a superior product b. creating superior packaging c. ensuring the products availability d. backing the product with engaging communications and reliable service e. only of the in a higher place 1. ________ are basic human requirements ________ are the ways in which we satisfy those requirements, and they are shaped by our society. . Wants needs b. Demands wants c. Needs wants d. Needs demands e. Demands needs 2. Companies address needs by putting forth a(n) ________, a set of benefits that they offer to customers to satisfy their needs. a. brand b. value proposition c. offering d. target market e. demand 3. Under which of the following company orientations toward the marketplace would we expect to find the better mousetrap fallacy? a. Production concept b. Product concept c. interchange concept d. Marketing concept e. Holistic marketing concept. 3.The ________ lays out the target markets and the value proposition that will be offered, based on an analysis of the high hat market opportunities. a. organizational plan b. strategic marketing plan c. corporate tactical plan d. corporate mission e. customer-value statement 4. Market-penetration, product-development, and market-development strategies would all be examples of ________ strategies. f. homocentric g. conglomerate h. horizontal i. intensive growth j. integrative growth 5. Which of the following is one of the four planning activities undertaken by all corporate headquarters? . defining the corporate mission l. establishing strategic business units m. assigning resources to each SBU n. assessing growth opportunities o. all of the above 6. The ________ identifies nine strategically relevant activities that create value and be in a specific business. a. valu e proposition b. value chain c. mission statement d. annual report e. managers log 7. some(prenominal) forces are driving companies to practice a higher level of corporate social responsibility. These include ________. a. rising customer expectations b. evolving employee goals and ambitions . tighter government legislation d. investor interests e. all of the above 8. One traditional depiction of tactical marketing activities is in terms of the marketing mix or four Ps. The four Ps are characterized as being ________. a. product, positioning, place, and price b. product, production, price, and place c. promotion, place, positioning, and price d. place, promotion, production, and positioning e. product, price, promotion, and place 1. A mission statement has as its primary focus the product and how to make it. a. unbent b. False Answer Key

Three Types of African Marriages (Informative Speech Plan)

Informative Speech Plan Speech Topic Three types of African marriages General procedure To inform. Specific Purpose To inform my audience of the benefits and disadvantages of three different types of marriages. Thesis Statement/Central Idea Marriage is a social union or legal campaign amid two different people that exchange vows but in some countries, such(prenominal) as Africa they have different types of marriages. Organizational Strategy local Main Points African marriage types go back for centuries and are carried out even today because it is a very important part of their society.Some marriages are a result of two parties while the new(prenominal)s are forced upon whether it is a family obligation or life circumstances. Three types of traditional African are arranged marriages, polygamous marriages, and polygamous. All three may have some advantages in disadvantages in the African society. I. Some parts of Africa have arranged marriage. A) An arranged marriage is iodine that parents play an important piece in match-making by finding, evaluating, and approving the right type of spouse for their children, who maybe young as 13 years of age, which leave behind allow them to have long-term happiness.Similar essay Informative Speech Topics About AfricaSometimes the girls hand in marriage are exchanged for a dowry, such as money or farm animals, between the new husband and family. B) There are m whatsoever reasons why arranged marriages play an important role in Africa. These are few common reasons for arranged marriages mutual compatibility, religious and culture, financial needs, and the political alliances. C) There are a few advantages that arranged marriages have. The biggest advantage is that Africans who have arranged marriages have lower divorce rates.Another advantage is that African fathers gain sons from their daughters which may increase the families wealth. D) The part of Africa that carries out arranged marriages are newton Africa II. In some parts of Africa they have polyandrous and polygamy marriages. A) Polyandrous marriages, also known as plural marriages, are women having many husbands all at the said(prenominal) time in which they perform all the duties in the village, such as farming, shepherding, and other chores. A typical polyandrous marriage has less to do with effeminate power and is practiced more in African societies.Polygamy marriages are men having many wives at all the same time with no marriage bonds between the wives. It is still common today. B) There are a few good reasons for polyandrous. The main reason is to not split the brothers up. The brothers also help each other to raise their children which mark a socio-biological justification while the women who live in polygamy marriages produces the males many children. Another reason is that tending to the work on the farm requires a lot of physical strengths.African women take on many husbands in order to help tend to the lands. C) Polyandrous and polygamy dont really have any types of advantages. One disadvantage of both is it causes population problems while increasing the divorce rates. Another reason is that if both of these types of marriages were allowed at the same time then in that location would be a big confusion in many different social cultures. D) Polyandrous and polygamous are popular in regions of Central Africa, air jacket Africa, East Africa, and South Africa.

The Organizational Behavior

Organizational look studies human conduct in the workplace and the interaction between people and the boldness. When applied to judgment organizational culture, the set of understandings or meanings share by a group of people, and diversity, the differences that exist between individuals, organizational behavior helps a company gain agonistical advantage. It does so by improving access to and safekeeping of labor as well as worker productivity and company image.According to Vandeveer, Menefee and Sinclair (2006), organizational behavior is the systematic playing field of human behavior in the workplace, the interaction between people and the organization with the intent to understand and predict human behavior. Based on theories that behavior is generally predictable, there are differences between individuals, there are fundamental consistencies and that there are a set of rules in almost every(prenominal) organizational setting, organizational behavior explores relations in a n attempt to determine causes and effects and draws conclusions based on scientific evidence.Two of the many areas of study include organizational culture and diversity. Organizational culture is a set of understandings or meanings shared by a group of people that are largely soundless among members and are clearly relevant and distinctive to the particular group which are also passed on to new members (Louis, 1980). There are three levels of organizational culture, behavior and artifacts, values, assumptions and beliefs defined by Schein (1988). Behavior and artifacts include expressions that can be seen, felt or heard, such as dress code, offices, awards and recognition and how people interact with distributively other.Values include things such as a companys mission statement, codes of conduct, and slogans. Assumptions and beliefs are tacit in nature they are non visible and are not easily identified because they exist as unspoken rules. Underlying assumptions and beliefs grow out of values until they become taken for granted and drop out of awareness. The study of organizational culture is important because it affects productivity, performance, commitment, self confidence, and ethical behavior (Sathe, 1985). Diversity represents the differences that exist between individuals.It includes a broad range of things such as culture, race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomics, age, sensual and mental abilities, sexual orientation, religion, language, appearance, personality, learning and thinking styles, communication and conflict styles, family status, geography, military status, education, life and work experiences, and functional responsibility in a given organization (What is diversity? ) Goals of studying diversity in organizations are to understand and take advantage of similarities and differences of all people in achieving a companys mission.With this knowledge, it may be achievable to establish a process that allows diverse groups of people to maximize productivity, creativity, and enjoyment to reach their full potentials without being advantaged or disadvantaged by irrelevant or limiting factors. A Business-Higher Education Forum representative states, Demographic trends compel business and higher education to make a conscious investment in the development of the talent and productivity of all citizens. (Corporate, higher education leaders warn U. S. ust focus on diversity or face decline in competitiveness, 2002)In addition to recruitment, diversity in the workplace can reduce lawsuits and increase marketing opportunities, creativity, and business image (Esty, Griffin, and Schorr-Hirsh, 1995). Ultimately, organizational behavior is a check off that can be used to improve an organization. Organizational culture and diversity are two areas that prove the tremendous potential for applying organizational behavior. Labor supply, retention and performance and company image depend on successful cultural and diversity practices.