Great Ideologies Stemming Out From Chaos Essay

Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Thomas Paine, three great political philosophers, all view the nature of man and society as anarchical, which is a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority, making it â€Å"war of all against all†. The utopian society of individuals enjoys complete freedom without government, wherein there is a display of a lack of morality for most of the time. In the Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes presented the political state as a Leviathan—a sea monster. As a metaphor for the state, it is described as a replica of a person whose body is made up of all the bodies of its citizens, who are the literal members of the Leviathan’s body, and placing the sovereign as the head. In order for them to escape this natural condition, the people in the state constructed the Leviathan through social contract wherein they give up certain natural rights and transfer them to another person of authority. In turn, the power of the Leviathan protects them from the abuses of one another. The source of inequality comes from the scarcity of resources. If one looks around at other animals—Hobbes specifically notes ants and bees—they appear to live harmoniously with one another without any sort of state or society. If they can do so, then why can’t men who are, after all, â€Å"animals† themselves? Hobbes discussed several reasons as to why men cannot live this way: the main one being that men are rational creatures. If we lived in some pre-societal concord with others, reason would always devise ways for us to cheat and make ourselves better off than others in order for us to survive. Furthermore, as we humans possess speech, we are able to mislead one another about our wants and desires. Hobbes also claims that animals naturally agree with one another while humans do not, and the reason for this essentially is because man is competitive in nature and therefore views everyone around him as a threat. Therefore, the government is created to provide order and regulation. For Hobbes, the best form of government is monarchy for four reasons: first, since humans will always choose the private over the public good, the best way to ensure peace when choosing a sovereign is to have these united. And by the outweighing of private good over public ones, infighting and corruption within government is encouraged. Second, having a secret counsel is allowed in a monarchy as opposed to in a democracy or aristocracy. Third, a monarchy is more consistent: since the monarch is one person and humans are not perfectly consistent, the commonwealth changes only as human nature dictates. In a democracy and aristocracy, because more natural bodies compose the sovereign, the commonwealth is more subject to human inconsistency as well as the inconsistency that comes from a change in the makeup of the sovereign, which happens with each election cycle or new member of the aristocracy. Lastly, infighting or warring factions caused by envy, self-interest, or any other human imperfections cannot be seen in a monarchy. On the other hand, Jean-Jacques Rousseau views the government as an abomination because it interferes with the nature of man. His aim is to examine the foundations of inequality among men, and to determine whether this inequality is authorized by natural law. He attempts to demonstrate that modern moral inequality, which is created by an agreement between men, is unnatural and unrelated to the true nature of man and that it is necessary to consider human nature and to chart how that nature has evolved over the centuries to produce modern man and modern society. Like Hobbes, he describes man as just another animal, and this proves to be very important. The distinction between human and animal was used both to justify man’s possession and use of the Earth’s resources, and to explain why humans apparently have certain unique capabilities, such as reason and language. He further expounds that man is like yet unlike other animals, due to the unique way he develops. And as time goes by, human faculties were being fully developed. To be and to appear became two different things. Man became subjugated by a multitude of new needs, especially by his need for other men. Man became a slave to men as one takes pleasure in domination and tries to be their master. However, this is only true for the rich. When the powerful claims a right to another person’s goods, such as the right of property, the inequality can lead to a state of war. Therefore, the rich tried to persuade the weak, who were indeed easily convinced, to unite with them into a supreme power to institute rules of justice and peace. Men ran towards their chains in the belief that they were securing their freedom, while those who did know about the deceit thought that they could trade part of their freedom for security. Although his idea sounds wrong, it essentially represents a point at which the self-preservation and pity of savage man are perfectly balanced with the acute regard for oneself in relation to others of modern man. Some aspects of reason and communal life are good, but they are still potentially destructive. In criticizing civility and concern for others as negative features of society, Rousseau goes against the good manners and civility that are generally seen as restraining the savage features of man, as he feels that there is nothing to restrain in natural man, and civility only makes men compare themselves to one another. As for Thomas Paine’s The Rights of Man, he justifies the principles of modern republican governments. He attacks the notion of monarchy and privilege and argues that each generation has the right to establish its own system of government. No nation can legally be ruled by a hereditary monarchy because government is for the living and not the dead. No generation has the right to establish a government binding on future generations. He argues that humankind can reach its full potential under republican governments which would allow individuals to live free of privilege and caste. To sum it all up, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Thomas Paine put forward an idea of how the government sprung from inequality and lack of a central world authority. For Hobbes, an absolute monarchial government ruled by one person only, is necessary to fulfill the society’s need for order and the regulation of its people so that society can avoid from spiraling into anarchy. As for Rousseau, a government having biases towards the rich while deceiving the poor was created so that the insecurities of the people would force them in order to perpetuate inequality which make them dependent on the government, giving it more power. Lastly, for Paine, a representative and democratic government is formed to protect the people’s rights to be protected and to safeguard them from the threat of chaos, allowing the people to create an environment where they can mature and achieve their potential. Despite the differences in some parts of their ideologies such as the sources of inequality and the roles of the government, a single goal is presented—that is, for the creation of a concept of government in order to prevent the society from turning back to its nature of anarchism. While Hobbes’ â€Å"one-man rule† could lead to abuse of power, his intention is for this monarchial type of government to administer order and self-preservation in the society. As for Rousseau, the maintenance of an inequality between social classes assures the stabilization of finite resources and society itself. Lastly, for Paine, his ideal world of a representative-democratic government lies on the belief that environmental influences create the individual and that a benevolent form of government can bring about human happiness. Putting them together, their main objective can be viewed as the organization and harmonization of society so as to push it towards progression. References: (n.d.). Rights of Man. Retrieved December 20, 2012, from http://www.enotes.com/rights-man salem/rights-man SparkNotes Editors. (n.d.). SparkNote on Discourse on Inequality. Retrieved December 20, 2012, from http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/inequality/

Johnson Pte Ltd. Case Study

According to the case study, en Azmi that been charge to make a research and turnaround strategy for Johnson Pte Ltd. En Azmi has implement 3 strategy. First is under production and services. The industry of food and beverages are competing between Johnson, Unilever and Nestle. For Unilever and Nestle always take turn to win. This giving an impact to Johson Pte Ltd competes in the industry itself. The strategy that been implemented by En. Azmi is by consistently research and investigated opportunities in new markets. With this research, it can help the company to explore the market of food and beverages.Researcher also can produce new product or new flavor according to the survey that been conducted through loyal customer. Second under Management Information System, Johnson Pte Ltd has problem in manage the proper accounting system in the company. So in order to fix that, en Azmi has taken initiative by improves the current accounting system at retailing division. With this improveme nt of accounting system, it can help giving better inventory and efficiency cash management in the division. Third is under Human Resources Management, En Azmi has implement 2 strategy. First is by undertaking cost reduction programed.Under this program, senior management of Johnson Pte Ltd pay or salary needs to cut down by between 5% – 30%. This can help to reduce the expenses that are too high. In order to reduce manpower costs, En Azmi also doing replacement of employees. Once Chairman receive the sweeping power, the unproductive management staff was been trimmed. This allows all the expatriates to leave. All the expatriates then been replaced with local expertise. This help to reduce the manpower cost and unnecessary compliance cost also speed up decision making within group.

Admission Essay (Robin_Kim)

There are many incidents that continue to shape and guide us in our everyday endeavors. Each one helps us understand the complexities that life has to offer and at the same time provide us with an insight that challenges and hurdles may come along the way. As these events continue to shape us, it also bestows on us the skills to make us competent in our own respective fields. With this thing in mind, I would like to present my intention to apply in the foodservice and hospitality field. Though I do not have a particular person who has influenced my life, I believe that it is my experience and the intention to serve is the main reason behind this application. My understanding of service had contributed to this passion and intention to be educated and learn the necessary skills to be competent in my area. Moreover, I feel motivated and inspired by seeing people enjoying their time whenever a good service is provided. It is in here, that I absorbed the real elements of every service-oriented business; making customers happy and contented. Looking back at my education, even if I was not able to finish my bachelor’s degree in both fashion school and graphic design school, I considered it as a good training ground towards this application. With these, I can say that I have been blessed with a good creative mind that can facilitate for a good career in hospitality and foodservice field. I’ve have always known I would be involved with the creative aspect of things that is why I chose majoring in baking and pastries. In addition, I intend to be part of a beautiful, pretty, high quality product that will make people happy when they see it. Lastly, I intend to help people feel better and enjoy themselves, forget about worries and problems and enjoy the decadence of my creations. Also, I believe I have the necessary competence that can help me in this degree. I consider communication to be a vital part in the overall facilitation of service. With this, I had immersed myself in improving this skill to better adapt to the challenges in the profession. Demonstrating initiative and confidence in both individual and team-based environment is another condition that every student must be familiar of. By having this capability, each one can handle the relative setbacks given in the field. Lastly, I have the necessary proactive and tenacious approach to handle the complexities of projects and programs. The willingness to learn has been an important attribute towards achieving all these proficiencies. In the future, with this degree I hope I can contribute to the betterment of individuals by imparting to others the relevant concepts and theories that I had learned. With teaching, I aspire to give students the ability to understand the tenets of service and at the same time learn in the process. On the other hand, I also wish to be part of a restaurant family. It is in here that I can be included in a group where I shall use all my abilities for its relevant growth and development. Lastly, I wish to include the poor and needy in my profession. Relentless serving is only half-hearted if the intention is only focused on people I am comfortable at or to those who can afford. By also concentrating my profession towards charitable work, I can actively bridge the increasing gap between to the rich and poor. With all of these mentioned, I do hope you consider my application. With your capabilities, I can be trained and honed to adapt to the changing trends in today’s society. By doing this, not only can I improve as a professional but seek to provide a holistic growth as a servant for other people. My name is Robin Kim; an individual inspired by his experiences and ready to overcome all the obstacles and challenges this degree can give.

The international debt crisis-causes, consequences, and remedies Research Paper

The international debt crisis-causes, consequences, and remedies - Research Paper Example A nation usually runs a surplus in the capital account when it runs a current account deficit. A capital account surplus is an inflow of the foreign capita; in the nation which is often advantageous to a country. The main question that is posted by critiques is where these monies go and their role in the growth and development of the economies. If it is used for consumption, it will not have any injections and therefore more debts. It will be more stress to the country as opposed to when it is invested. It is unarguable that debt crisis is a challenge to a number of countries across the globe. In a number of economies, the crisis started during the mid-1970s when a number of the Organizations of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) managed to amass wealth and banks were willing to lend billions of dollars. A number of developing economies borrowed huge sums of money at floating and low interest rates. Due to the irresponsibility of the debtor governments and the creditors, the money borrowed was not used in the productive purposes, i.e. investment; rather it was used for immediate consumption. Consequently, these countries could not generate enough finances to repay the loans. The incidences of adjustable interest loans increased during Reagan’s administration in the United States to reduce inflation through the enforcement of stringent rules. (Madura, 2012) During this time, the prices of the raw materials collapsed, meaning that a number of poor countries did not have enou gh money to repay the debts. Most developing countries failed to pay their debts and have heavily relied on the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. There was however a condition those countries were to adopt economic structural adjustments. The government of the affected countries was forced to cut costs on education, health, and other social services to be able to repay the debts. In Latin America, the per capita of most countries plummeted, the GDP stagnated and

JPMorgan Chase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

JPMorgan Chase - Essay Example However, losses also occur due to internal frauds and corruptions which lead to comparatively severe consequences. Due to this banking activities are administered by the security agencies like Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodities Futures Training Commission (CFTC). The prime responsibility of these security agencies is to look after the financial dealings within the banking sector and to investigate the losses and fraudulent activities. The summer of 2012 brought a very distinctive case forward in the history of financial gambling as a leading bank of United States of America was found to have a loss of $5.8 billion. The company officials reported that the loss occurred due to the poor investment decision made by the management with respect to trading. Later on this statement given to the CFTC inspectors was found to be false and the overall inspection showed some counter results. The bank officials working on trading investment left the bank soon after this event w hich raised a lot of questions to the investigating officers (Farrell, 2012). Role of SEC and CFTC in preventing high risk gambles When a bank or any other financial institution faces a loss due to gambling then the overall economy of the country has to bear its consequences since these two economic sectors act as the most significant structural blocks for any nation. In relation to this the role of SEC and CFTC also becomes substantial as they are the key forces behind the prevention of such activities. Their prime concern is to ensure that maximum protection is extended to the investors, rules are fairly followed by the banks, financial market is operating efficiently and lastly there is enough capital available to the banks and other financial institutions to carry on their activities (Schapiro, 2012). Among these the duty of protecting the investors safeguards high risk gambles. In addition to this, these agencies implement laws regarding the fraudulent activities reported by th e financial institutions. For instance, in the case of JP Morgan Chase the CFTC investigated the overall scenario and found that initial reporting made to the agency was falsified and that the real reasons behind the massive loss were in kept hidden by the Chief Investment Office (CIO). CFTC was responsible to look after trading and financial derivatives while on the other hand SEC supervised the bank’s financial disclosures from the stockholders so as to investigate the details of such a massive loss (Gary Shorter, 2012). Valid Contract Contracts are not just general agreements between two parties rather they are the legally supported documents which can be challenged in the court. The contracts are made to give legal assistance to an agreement so that in future if either of the parties commits an illegal activity then the other one can save itself from potential losses. Due to the legalities attached to contracts there are certain essential elements of a Valid Contract whic h makes it fully acceptable in courts and in legal institutions. Following are the essential elements of a Valid Contract (Elements of a Contract, 2013): Offer and Acceptance: First of all an offer is made by one of the parties which can be accepted or rejected by the second party. If the offer is accepted by the other party then the procedure moves on. The acceptance of the offer reflects the agreement of the other party regarding all the stated rules and regulations. Intention to build successful legal relations: A valid

Photography branding part 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Photography branding part 2 - Assignment Example This is the extended version of old CRM. At our photo studio we can maintain a database comprising of all the customer details which will be helpful to us in future contracts. E-CRM can be very advantageous because it is entirely based on the modern technology. We can say that with the help of electronic CRM we can manage our customers on a regular and even on individual basis. The firm can be more responsive towards the customers’ orders. This can help us to create a loyal customer base. At our photo studio we can also apply this e-CRM technique. There would be specific information which must be required from the customers in order to fulfill their future orders in proper time. The information required would include full name, home address, purchase history, and also the planner for the coming events. This would help our professional staff to coordinate with them accordingly. If we have a proper time schedule of the upcoming events then we can accurately manage them and thus satisfying our customers. By promoting our websites on different social websites we can have a larger customer base. In this advanced business world the need of internet based systems is very much important, because many researchers have proved that a strong CRM system directly affects the profits of the organization. This e-CRM helps to establish long term relationships with the customers. Research studies showed that there can be three ways to implement a CRM system in any organization; these can be operational, analytical and collaborative. The operational CRM is for working at the front office means it directly connects with the customers. Now the second technique is analytical CRM which works on the data provided by the operational CRM. It is used for interpretation or we can say data mining. In other words we can say that operational CRM records the number of sales and the analytical CRM predicts the purchasing pattern on those

Does language shape the way we think Evaluate theoretical and Essay

Does language shape the way we think Evaluate theoretical and empirical evidence - Essay Example Thus, there is less of human thinking in instances where language does not play a role (p.16). This essay will attempt to explain if languages shape how we think and if so, the degree to which it does. There are more than five thousand languages globally, and some from the same family that varies, for example, British English and American English, which have the some similar words but different pronunciations or meanings (Law 1993: 38). Different people in various geographical areas speak different languages each of which diverse syllables and structure have. This could mean that people who speak different languages or people who come from different cultures may think differently due to the result of their language. To further explain this point, (Cooper & Fishman, 1991:34) gives an example of how the word â€Å"really† is used differently in the British and North American English. In the British English â€Å"really† is used to encourage someone to keep elaborating, wh ile, in the North American, it is used to questioning the validity of what is being said. This difference in thinking is brought about by the difference in culture. The principle of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is that the structure of our language outlines the structure of our thought processes. Language affects the manner we remember things and the manner in which we view the  globe  (Harley, 2013:90). ... However, the drum was full of petrol vapor, which led to an explosive outcome (p. 91). Since the 1930s, American Linguistics Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf researched on how languages differ; and proposed ways that speakers of different languages may reason differently. According to the Sapir- Whorf hypothesis, language differences produce cognitive differences. This illustrates the relationship between language and thought. The Sapir-Whorf theory lays out the linguistic determinism versus linguistic relativity. Linguistic determinism is sometimes described as strong Sapir Whorf hypothesis. It goes by the notion that a language and its structures may affect how one thinks and the knowledge possessed. This does not deter much from the Linguistic relativism theory that states that a language influences how an individual can theorize his or her world. Whorf et al., 2012: 45). The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is made up of both linguistic relativism and linguistic determinism. Determinism can be divided into two; strong and weak determinism. Strong determinism directly states that what is heard is directly what is thought. For instance, language determines thought. Weak determinism agrees that language does influence the way we think and our view of the real world, but it does not fully determine or constraint it. This means that the language influences thought to some extent. When languages differ largely, thoughts also tend to be different, for example, Mandarin and English, speakers think in very different ways. In 1940’s a linguist, Benjamin Lee Whorf studied Hopi which is a Native American language spoken in northeastern Arizona. Based on his studies Hopi and other English speakers perceived the world differently because of

Crude Oil Prices between 1985 and 1994 Article Analysis Assignment

Crude Oil Prices between 1985 and 1994 Article Analysis - Assignment Example The authors point out that over time, competitive forces have caused a greater variance in the prices of oil in world oil markets even with the market arrangements brought by OPEC or by international oil companies. They agree with other authors such as Claudio Morana who states that both direct and indirect effects that came about because of consumption matters and technologies led to oil price volatilities (Morana, 2012, p. 2). Hence, the authors assert that between 1985 and 1994 there was a volatility in the price of oil as well as other non-oil commodities The two authors divided the article into six major parts. In the introduction, the authors introduce the trends in the volatility of the oil prices, the oil price shocks and the forces behind the volatility of the prices. In the introduction, the authors bring in a very important argument stating that the way competitive forces lead to an upsurge in oil prices, so do the factors that determine the availability and price of oil parallel the factors that determine other traded commodities (Institute for the 21st Century Energy, 2012, p. 2). In the next section titled ‘background and motivation,’ the authors look at the years before the 1985-1994 period and the manner in which oil prices were handled. The authors look at the failure of the major oil companies to set oil prices that led to the emergence of OPEC as the ultimate price determinant. They also look at the price of oil going into the 1980s period when OPEC was weakened by market forces in determining the price of oils. They point out 1983 as the most significant year when the transition to market forces happened and saw the creation of the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX).

Law and Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Law and Ethics - Essay Example em came into existence; however, due to objections raised by certain citizens, the courts gave their verdict against these religious practices and forbade schools to continue with daily prayers. It is difficult to agree with the statement in the sense that religion is everyone’s personal belief and schools should not foster any particular religious idea among students particularly when the US constitution has granted a full freedom of faith to all its citizens. This simply means that separating church from the school education was indeed a necessity to secure a freedom of expression of the people as their fundamental right as provided in the US constitution. At least until 1962, the regular school prayers were common but while delivering its judgment in the case of Engel versus Vitale, the Supreme Court called it unconstitutional. The Supreme Court took its view citing the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and declared that the reciting prayer in the school is an unconstitutional act. The Establishment Clause ensures that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". The makers of the constitution had introduced the First Amendment, especially to prevent majority thrusting their opinions on others and the school prayers tended to do so. The Supreme Court further added that neither the nondenominational character nor the voluntary nature of school prayers can protect the schools from violating the Establishment clause. Through the case of Murray versus Curlett, the Supreme Court put an end to the prayer recitation practices in the public schools. The Fourteenth Amendment ensures that no state can ever make or enforce any law that results into taking away the privileges and rights given to all Americans. In the landmark decision, the Supreme Court declared that prayer recitation practices were in direct violation of the fundamental rights – "the freedom of religion† provided in the

Decisions in Paradise Part II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Decisions in Paradise Part II - Essay Example Despite the business risk associated with the Kava project there are also tremendous opportunities and benefits associated with the project if the company takes advantage it. At the turn of the second decade of the 21st century we have reached a point in our history in which society expects more from corporations than ever. A company that finds a special needs community such as Kava which has been forgotten by the rest of society can utilized their business investment as a catalyst for a global social responsibility campaign. The first alternative solution is to build a brand new factory in Kava to expand the production capacity of the enterprise. This alternative implies the highest capital commitment of any other alternative. The company is facing political pressures from the Kava government for greater involvement in the community. The solution would comply with the political factor, but it might not be the best alternative because there are other stakeholders to consider. The business risk associated with this alternative is high. Kava has a topography and geographic location that makes it susceptible to natural disasters such as tidal waves, tsunamis, typhoons, hurricanes, floods, fires, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes (Decisions in Paradise: How to Be, or Not to Be, 2009). There are other issues in Kava. The population is at high risk for Avian Flu and the population faces an HIV / AIDS epidemic. The island is susceptible to petroleum spills, which is an undesirable business risk due to the pot ential ecological disaster in the entire island. The region has a high risk for both domestic and foreign terrorist attacks. The shareholders of the company that invested a lot of money in the firm must be considered, thus the philanthropic plan in Kava cannot exceed business logic. In order to provide an analysis utilizing critical thinking techniques a model that applies

Individualistic Countries Essay Example for Free

Individualistic Countries Essay The Rise of Collectivism â€Å"Harmony And The Dream† by David Brooks emphasizes that the ideal of collectivist societies like China become more appealing than individual societies. Brooks defines Americans as individuals and Asians as contexts by some experiments. There are obvious differences between individualistic countries and collective societies. The former emphasizes rights and privacy, but the later prefer harmony and duty. The author also lists the example of the opening ceremony in Beijing. The example shows that harmonious society contributed to the fast speed of China. Therefore, the influence of harmony is larger than the impact of American Dream. â€Å"If you show an American an image of a fish tank, the American will usually describe the biggest fish in the tank and what it is doing. If you ask a Chinese person to describe a fish tank, the Chinese will usually describe the context in which the fish swim.† Brooks uses comparison to explain the different views between American and Chinese. Americans pay more attention to the only one, but Chinese focus on the context. The example helps us to understand the divide between individualist mentality and collectivist mentality. Definition is also used in the article. â€Å"The individualistic countries tend to put rights and privacy first. People in collective societies tend to value harmony and duty.† This definition deepen the understanding of differences and shows the thesis of the article. The last one is transition. Before paragraph12, the author prefers Eastern collectivist societies. But Brooks also narrates the reasons why individualism can sweep the field. The author thinks subconscious influences and permeability of human’s brain are two essences. Western people are deeply influenced by individualism. In conclusion, Brooks tend to approve the ideal of collective collective. He also admits the success of western individualism.

Benefits Of Using Halophytes Environmental Sciences Essay

Benefits Of Using Halophytes Environmental Sciences Essay The continual increase in world population, coupled with the expansion of salt affected lands into agricultural lands, places additional pressure on global agriculture to produce enough food to feed the growing population. Salt-tolerant plants, namely halophytes, provide a sensible alternative to increase productivity in saline lands where traditional crops such as wheat and canola are unproductive. Halophytes can also be used simultaneously for land rehabilitation. This review covers the physiology of halophytes that enable them to thrive in a salt-stressed environment as well as their uses in food production and phytoremediation of saline or contaminated lands. Introduction Global population is expected to increase by 2.6 billion over the next 40 years to 9.1 billion. In order to meet this growing demand for food and fiber, global agriculture is tasked to increase its productivity by more than 110 %. (FAO, 2005). Expanding cultivation into new areas is undesirable mainly due to the detrimental environmental impacts associated with it. The removal and disturbances of these previously uncultivated areas can have wide ranging and long-term consequences to the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems via deforestation and eutrophication etc. (Tilman, 1999). As such, improving crop productivity per unit area of existing cultivated land is critical to feed the growing population. However, due to land degradations of cultivated areas worldwide, agriculture is gradually being pushed to marginal and salt-affected lands. Globally, these saline lands cover an area of 831 million hectares, and spans all continents including Africa, Asia, Australasia as well as the Americ as (Rengasamy, 2006). In Western Australia alone, 6.5 million hectares of agricultural land are at risk of dryland salinity due to land degradation (ANRA, 2002), and traditional crops such as wheat and canola will then be unproductive to be farmed. Halophytes are plants capable of surviving and being productive in a saline environment. As such, halophytes can be grown in saline areas in which traditional crops falter, as well as in regions increasingly affected by dryland salinity. Although halophytes constitute a small percentage of the known plant population, they play a number of useful roles in the environment. The first part of this review focuses on the physiology of halophytes that allow them to succeed in a saline environment, and the second part discusses the potential uses of halophytes in increasing global food production, either directly as a food source or through their phytoremediatary capabilities. Halophytes are highly specialized and evolved plants capable of acquiring nutrients from a high salt environment in which glycophytes (salt-sensitive plants) are either unproductive or unable to survive. In this first part of the review, the physiology of halophytes, in particular ion compartmentation, production of organic solutes, salt glands and bladders, as well as leaf and shoot succulence is discussed. Physiology of Halophytes Ion compartmentation Intracellular cytosolic enzymes in both glycophytes and halophytes are equally sensitive to salt (Glenn and Brown, 1999). Under typical physiological conditions, high cytosolic K+/Na+ ratio is maintained (Tester and Davenport, 2003) to ensure normal cellular functions. The maintenance of this ratio in the plants cytosol is energy dependent, and is mediated by pathways for Na+ extrusion or by compartmentation of Na+ into the vacuole (Blumwald, 2000). Unlike glycophytes, halophytes have developed mechanisms to sequester excess Na+ into the vacuoles to avoid Na+ toxicity in the cytosol. The transport of Na+ into the vacuoles is mediated by cation/H+ antiporters driven by the electrochemical gradient of protons generated by the vacuolar H+ translocating enzymes such as H+-ATPase (Gaxiola et al., 2007). These transporters play an essential role in the sequestering Na+ ions into the vacuole or exclusion outside the cell of the halophytes, ultimately allowing them to tolerate much higher sa lt concentrations compared to the glycophytes. Production of compatible solutes Solute transport is a process regulated by environmental and endogenous signals. Environmental stresses such as salinity affects solute transport in plants and can cause changes in the partitioning of carbon and nitrogen. In addition to compartmentalizing extra salt in its vacuoles, halophytes can produce organic solutes. These osmotically active solutes are synthesized in order to maintain normal cellular functions in response to a drop in the osmotic potential within the plant (Glenn and Brown, 1999). Depending on the halophyte species, a variety of organic solutes ranging from proline, sucrose to pipecolatebetaine (Rhodes and Hanson, 1993) can be produced. Unlike inorganic solutes such as Na+, these compounds do not induce toxicity even at high concentrations (Ashraf and Foolad, 2007), and serves as a key adaptation to halophytes survival in a saline environment. Salt glands and bladders As an adaptation to saline environments, halophytes frequently have specialized structures designed for extruding salt from tissues. Salt glands and bladders play an important role in internal ion regulation by transporting ions away from the mesophyll cells to the leaf surfaces. Once deposited on the leaves, crystallization occurs and the salt crystals are washed or blown away. Salt glands Salt glands consist of several specialized cells and are located in the depressions of leaf epidermis. When grown in highly saline environments such as seawater, the excreted ions are typically Na+ and Cl-, and excretion increases with increased levels of salinity. Found in both halophytic monocotyledons and dicotyledons (Khan and Weber, 2006), these glands allow for massive amount of salt to be removed and are important organs for salt management. Salt bladders Salt bladders are derived from modified epidermal hairs and typically have a stalk cell and a bladder cell. Stalk cells serve as ion transporters from mesophyll cells to the bladder cells. As salts accumulate in the bladder cells, expansion occurs until they burst. The bursting action allows salt to be discharged on leaf surfaces. By accumulating salt in the bladder cells, ion toxicity is prevented from building up in the mesophyll cells and this constitutes an important mechanism for the protection of young leaves. This specialized organ is a common feature on the salt tolerant halophytes in the family Chenopodiaceae, and includes the saltbushes (Atriplex sp.) (Khan and Weber, 2006). Leaf and stem succulence Highly vacuolated and large cells resulting in fleshy or thick leaves and stems are a common feature in halophytes. Despite the poor understanding of the anatomical response leading to succulence, Na+ ions are believed to be responsible (Khan and Weber, 2006). Succulence is not confined to halophytes alone. Non-halophytic plants, such as the cotton, increase succulence when grown at a high salt concentration. Despite its succulence, plant growth is still impaired by high levels of salt. In contrast, the Atriplex spp., in conjunction with its salt bladders, utilizes succulence as additional storage for excess salts, and thus reduces ionic toxicity on the mesophyll cells. Saline agriculture Naturally salt-tolerant species are used in agriculture, mainly to provide forage, medicine, and aromatics (Qadir et al., 2008). In Australia, Barrett-Lennard (2002) identified 26 salt-tolerant plant species of potential economic value to agriculture. Examples of these useful halophytes include the potential oil-seed crops Kosteletzkya virginica, Salvadora persica, Salicornia bigelovii, and Batis maritime. Useful fodder crops include Atriplex spp., Distichlis palmeri and biofuels (Flowers et al. 2010). In addition, growing halophytic biofuel crops on saline agricultural land would help to counter concerns that the biofuel industry reduces the amount of land available for food production (Qadir et al., 2008). This second part of the review explores the potential uses of halophytes in the context of Australia in increasing food production directly as a food source or through their phytoremediatary capabilities in abiotic stress management. Saltland pastures Halophytes grown on saline agricultural land helps improve site productivity by providing ground cover to prevent erosion as well as increase the organic contents in saline soils. Atriplex species are now widely used throughout the Meditteranean areas, including Australia, for the purpose of rehabilitating saline land and to increase forage productivity. Saltland pastures provide fresh feed for the entire year, including the summer months in Australia. Furthermore, many studies have been done on halophyte species that can be used for fodder, in particular Atriplex nummularia, A. halimus and A. lentiformis (Choukr-Allah, 1997). These three species are now well established in the Meditteranean basin. When used in conjunction with deep-rooted perennials such as Eucalyptus occidentalis, halophytes can help to restore the hydrologic balance on areas affected by dryland salinity. This can potentially allow vast areas to be reclaimed (Barrett, 2000) and subsequently used to plant traditiona l crops such as wheat and barley. Halophytes as food sources Oilseed crops are grown for the oil contained in the seeds. Seeds of various halophyte species, such as Salicornia bigelovii, Haloxylon stocksii, and Halogeton glomeratus contain 70-80% of high quality and unsaturated edible oil (Ladeiro, 2012). A controversial species underutilized for its edible qualities is Diplotaxis tenuifolia (Rocket). Rocket is widely used in Europe where it is regarded as a delicacy. It is naturally adapted to Mediterranean-type climate, including saline and dry ecosystems. Rocket is able to compete strongly with other pasture plants and can reproduce via seeds and root fragments. Studies have shown that it is able to grow and reproduce at salinity levels of up to 300 mM NaCl, and can be grown at levels up to 100 mM NaCl without losing its nutritional values (Ladeiro, 1997). In Australia, however, rocket is regarded as an agricultural weed found mainly in poorer pastures in the Eyre Peninsular of South Australia and Victoria (DAFWA, 2007). Thus, if Rocket is to be used as a food source in Australia, proper containment strategies must be in placed to prevent it from spreading into unwanted areas. Halophytes in abiotic stress management Desalination of saline soil As dryland salinity increasingly affects huge areas of cultivated land, numerous physical, chemical and biological methods have been developed for reclaiming these saline soils (Shahid, 2002). Biological methods include crop rotation, inputs of organic manure as well as the use of salt-tolerant crops (Shahid, 2002). The ability of plants to accumulate huge amounts of salt is highly dependent on the capacity of their aboveground biomass (Rabhi et al., 2010). This ability is especially important in the drier regions of Australia where rainfed systems are used and rainfall events are not reliable enough to reduce the salt concentration in the rhizosphere (Shahid, 2002). Halophytes are the most important group of plants used in soil desalination due to its salt accumulating and salt-tolerant characteristics. High salt resistance, high aboveground biomass, and high degrees of economic utility (fuel, fiber, and oil seeds etc.) (Rabhi et al., 2010) are key requirements to assess a plants us efulness in desalination. Sesuvium portulacastrum is a naturally occurring halophyte species in western Australia. Most importantly, it is able to accumulate huge quantities of Na+ within its aboveground organs. In addition, Sesuvium portulacastrum has been used in other parts of the world for desalination of salt-affected lands (Patil et al., 2012) and should be studied further in the context of Australia for similar purposes. Phytoremediation In cultivated soils, contamination by heavy metals (i.e. Zn, CU, Cd, Fe, As, etc.) is a serious environmental problem. Throughout evolutionary history, plants have developed various detoxification mechanisms in response to allelochemicals produced by competing organisms. Thus, a biological method of rehabilitating contaminated lands utilize plants to decontaminate affected sites and is termed phytoremediation. Phytoremediation exploits the natural ability of plants to absorb, accumulate, storage and degradation of both organic and / or inorganic compounds. In this regard, halophytes show the most success in terms of adaptations to a variety of abiotic stresses including heavy metal stress. Mechanism of phytoremediation Physical removal and bioconversion of compounds by plants are termed phytoextraction and phytotransformation or phytodegradation respectively. Phytoextraction utilizes the plants ability to take up a range of chemical compounds through the root system, translocate them through the vascular tissues and eventually compartmentalizing these compounds in different organs such as leaves and stems. For a compound to be readily available to a plant, soil conditions e.g. clay content and pH play a crucial role. Incorporation of soil amendments e.g. lime has been shown to increase the availability of lead (Pb) and uranium (U) by more than 100-fold (Chen et al., 1998). Using this approach, successful remediation of agricultural soils contaminated with selenium (Se) in the US had been recorded (Eapen et al., 2006). Similarly, the Australian saltbush (Atriplex nummularia var. De Koch) has been successfully used in rehabilitating mercury-contaminated sites, with studies showing undetectable levels of mercury just 72 hours after plant introduction (Khondaker and Caldwell, 2003). The compartmentation of metals into the aerial organs of the plant allows for easy harvesting and can be processed to reclaim economically important metals or disposed off as hazardous waste in landfills. Phytochelatins (PCs) play a crucial role in phytodegradation and phytotransformation. PC production in plants is stimulated by the presence of heavy metals. PCs are metal-binding peptides and works by mobilizing heavy metal compounds in the cytosol and then sequestering PC metal complexes in the vacuoles of plant cells. Upon absorption of heavy metal compounds, PCs and enzymes such as e.g. oxygenase, peroxidases and reductases etc. are produced in large quantities. Degradation of these heavy metal compounds occurs and the biodegraded constituents are then converted into inert forms stored in the lignin or released as exudates (Watanabe, 1997). In phytotransformation, the absorbed heavy metal compounds are biochemically bonded by PCs and enzymes to cell tissues in inert forms where they are eventually compartmentalized (Watanabe, 1997). In Australia, great success in the use of native Halosarcia pergranulata to revegetate old mining areas has been recorded. Conclusion: Going into the future Sustainable agriculture is continuously threatened by the decreasing availability of freshwater and arable land. Global agriculture is pressured further by the demand for more food by the growing population. In addition, saline agriculture will be of particular importance to Mediterranean countries, including Australia, due to the widespread increase in soil degradation and unfavourable climatic conditions. With these issues, saline agriculture involving the use of halophytes plays a crucial emerging role. Halophytes have demonstrated their importance with is wide range of uses ranging from food production to phytoremediation of stressed environment. By growing and developing agriculture on marginal saline lands, halophytes can help augment the global sources of food, forage, medicine and plant-based chemicals for the growing population. By understanding the stress mechanisms in halophytes, the knowledge can be used in extracting valuable genes for transgenic manipulation in traditional crops.

Benefits Of Ict In Physical Education Education Essay

Benefits Of Ict In Physical Education Education Essay ABSTRACT 1.0 INTRODUCTION This decade is characterised by rapid technological advances. Being in the digital era, technology has accounted for many changes in the educational sector. These changes range from the method instruction is delivered, to the attitudes on how learning occurs to the amount of collaboration and knowledge sharing between not only students, but also between teachers, managers and administrators. ICT represents one of the most useful tools to enhance curriculum if used correctly. According to Waxman H.Lin Mitchko (2003), teaching and learning with technology has had a significant impact on students outcomes when compared to traditional instruction. In the future, P.E will need to undergo radical changes. If technology had an impact in learning in general education, could it also enhance teaching and learning in P.E? New developments in the field of technology will positively affect the P.E curriculum. For example, the use of technological advances will prepare physical educators for the future demands and expectations of the society. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education is laying much emphasis on integrating ICT in the teaching and learning process in secondary schools. As students perform exercises and skills in their PE classes, PE teachers can use technological tools and systems to quantify processes and results to help them learn more about themselves (Kirkwood, Manon, 2002).However, before using ICT in our schools as a teaching tool, these important questions must be addressed. What technological options are available for our PE educators? Do using technological tools in the PE classes motivate the students? What is the role of technology as an assessment tool and how it is linked to performance? According to Green (2002), with the rapid developments in technology, ICT has made a significant impact on a number of P.E departments, and has the potential to enhance teaching and learning in P.E. Cummings (2002) further suggests that the pervasion of ICT in education is now impacting on P.E as much as on any other subjects. Many P.E departments in the U.K are currently using ICT for administration and management tasks. Computers allow us to continuously modify and update our schemes of work and lesson plans. The creation of a database of all students in the schools enable school administrators to maintain detailed records of assessments, key stage grades, sports awards and extra-curricular achievements. GENERAL CONTRIBUTION/BENEFITS OF ICT IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION The use of ICT in PE makes the science of sport come to life by linking both physical and mental activity. It also helps to create full-fledged students who are able to concentrate better on both practical and theoretical work. Besides, it helps students to develop a better understanding of their own body parts and that of the human body in general. It also raises the profile of P.E within the establishment by making the subject not only interesting, but also attractive and effective. Furthermore, it brings enthusiasm and motivation for both PE teachers and students. ICT is also very important with regards to school administrative work. In fact, data can easily be collected and shared for analytical purposes, e.g. electronic records of performance of athletes. ICT also promotes teaching and learning within the school organization by changing the nature of learning itself. Students are motivated and are able to grasp essential concepts that previously eluded them. By developing their abilities to think in different ways students can select and apply skills, tactics and ideas, to evaluate and increase performance. Moreover, with the infusion of ICT in PE, life-long learning can be supported through the collection of resources via the internet. According to Mike Rimmer, Head of Physical Social development at the Buttershaw upper school in Bradford: Its the excitement of learning in a different way. In addition, with ICT, pupils are able to get access, select and interpret a wide range of information more easily. They are also able to recognise patterns, relationships and behaviours using appropriate technological software. Furthermore, models, predictions and even hypothesis can be made by students with the advent of ICT. Access to images of quality performances can be obtained through video filming. Hence, students are able to review their work and modify it to improve the quality. Through ICT tools reliability, evaluation and accuracy of actions can also be done. ICT further provides a very reliable source of communication among people within the organisation. The use of email, fax, facebook or even skype will enable quick and direct communication among P.E staffs and even students in other schools on fixtures, meetings and many other relevant matters. Therefore, accuracy of information does not depend only on the busy school secretary. Throughout ICT tools, pupils can benefit from immediate feedback to improve their observational and analysis skills. As they familiarise with the software, they are able also to point out the relevant points for positive technique. The main advantage, however, remain the general improvement in the performance level of the majority of the pupils work, as they struggle their way to look impressive especially if their performance will be analysed on digital video system. There are many good options available to physical educators in regards to technology. Many of these technologies are easily accessible and are easily incorporated into the curriculum. SOME TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS Pedometers Theses apparatus also called step counters are mechanical sensors used to count steps and can easily be incorporated in PE classes. They address motivation, assessment, and advocacy. Furthermore, they are portable and can be worn under the belt and be kept the whole day. Today, it can be said that the pedometer has become a recognized acceptable tool for measuring physical activity. Students can wear a pedometer and receive immediate and continuous feedback regarding their activity level (Beighle, Pangrazi,Vincent, 2001). Using pedometers at school can also demonstrate to parents that students are achieving a certain level of physical activity. By using the pedometers students will be able to see progress towards set goal and consequently will be more motivated in the classes. Heart Rate Monitors Based completely on the student ability level and current level of fitness, the heart rate monitor makes learning more student centered. It also provides immediate feedback that can make students work harder (Bian, Partridge, King, Andon, Boyer, 2007). As fitness level increases, student feel that their cardiovascular system is working and can set individualized goal to work more effectively. The Heart rate monitor will also provide real time data that will allow students to see how different exercises and activities affect the heart rate. Hence the heart rate monitor is a convenient apparatus that allows students to use up to date technology (Kirkwood, Manon 2002). Charts of maximum heart rate can be made for each student and track increase or decrease in their heart rate. Digital Video camera and visual analysis software The use of the motion analysis system will surely enhance many areas of the physical education curriculum both in research and teaching. Using digital video camera has indeed simplified the collection of data. These results can then be imported to carry out interactive multimedia presentation to provide students with a better understanding of the importance of breaking skills into components and the consequences of subtle variation in techniques ( Ladda, Keating, Adam, Toscana, 2004). The visual analysis software allows students to view captured movement and to analyse them. This particular technology can help teachers to control students progress towards motor skills goals; provide feedback opportunities and assessing students learning (Fiorentino and Castelli, 2005). Using digital video camera to record pupils performance in table tennis for example, can be a useful tool to help students improve their techniques. With the addition of motion analysis software, pupils have a professional supportive tool. For instance during a training session, a robot pong, which is a special technological tool that distribute ping pong balls at varying direction and speed, is used to face a student. The P.E teacher can then use the Digital video camera to analyse the actions more closely. This is done with a view to improve the teaching and learning of table tennis. Digital video clips were used weekly to stress on proper and improper techniques and then the pupils were given the opportunity to evaluate their own techniques and the technique of others via the dà ©jà   vu resource. In the Mauritian context, some state colleges which are actually working on a pilot project set up by the ministry of education are presenting candidates for the Cambridge O level Exa mination. Teachers involved in this project will have to make use of video cameras during the practical examination to record students performance and then send them to Cambridge University. Each college involved in the pilot project have already received a laptop, an overhead projector and its respective screen. Digital video cameras and internet connection facilities will soon be available in these schools. Simulation and Games Games such as Dance, Dance revolution, Fx cycles and Nintendo Wii Fit provide opportunities for students to be physically active and simultaneously enjoying themselves .These games can also be combined to other technologies to enhance the experience (Di Giorgio, 2004). Concerning the Nintendo Wii Fit, work outs are done on a small balanced board that gamers stand on. The players receive instructions from screen and mimic the stretching and muscle building exercises. The Wii Fit tracking feature shows progress using the system. Therefore, it can be a valuable PE tool. However, teachers should not consider gaming system equivalent to traditional exercises. It should be considered as a supplement and a not a replacement of traditional exercises. 3.0 METHODOLOGY Methodology refers to a systematic investigation of an issue to collect important data. When analyzing data, valuable evidence may be obtained by using several indicators.   A survey method seemed to be most appropriate rather than an Action research to us due to factors like time constraints, cost of implementation, high rate of absenteeism during 3rd term and unrealistic expectations. 3.1 SAMPLING The quality of an efficient survey is not only based on appropriate instrumentation but also on a suitable sampling strategy that has been selected. The selection of sampling strategy was governed by the criterion of suitability. The choice for this strategy adopted were related to the goals of the survey- the time constraints, the data collection methods, and the methodology. All these factors have been considered to ensure validity. The non-probability sample of 378 students of Form 4 was chosen for our survey which satisfied the minimum sample of Form 4 students. The estimated total population of Form 4 students was 19,179 which represent the number of students sitting for SC this year. We chose particularly Form 4 students because the survey had to be carried out during term 3 and during this period Form 5 and 6 students usually shine by their high absence rates. Hence, 66 students of Form 4 were randomly selected from 5 Form 4 classes in each school. PE teachers were also targeted for our survey to be meaningful. For a total population of 325 PE Teachers, we selected a minimum sample of 176 according to the given software for sampling calculation. P.E. teachers who were selected to fill questionnaires were from respective schools where members of our group work and PE educators who are following Diploma, B Ed, M Ed and PGCE courses at the MIE. 3.2 METHODS AND TOOLS FOR DATA COLLECTION The survey has been based on quantitative observations. The methods and tools for data collection were: Survey questionnaires Documentation 3.21SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES Two distinct survey questionnaires were designed one for the students and the other one for P.E teachers in respect to the objectives and opinions on using ICT to enhance P.E. The questionnaires included profile of the student/teacher, knowledge in ICT, opinions if ICT is integrated in P.E. A structured questionnaire was designed to reduce time for filling questionnaire and simplify data analysis. 3.22 DOCUMENTATION Our investigation to gain required information regarding number of P.E. teachers in Mauritius and approximate form 4 students population included consultation of various records and statistics. 3.3 DATA COLLECTION STRATEGIES The questionnaires were distributed in four secondary schools and two MITD schools that is in the six institutions where six members of our group work. Respected teachers in our group briefed respondents before answering questionnaires about our objectives in the research. Record of number of questionnaires being circulated was kept. As for teachers, questionnaires were distributed to PE teachers around the island. 3.4 SELECTED SCHOOL PROFILE 1. Three State colleges SSS, one from urban and two other from rural areas. One of them is a Girls college and two others are Boys College. 2. A private mixed college situated in an urban area. 3. Two MITD mixed Schools were chosen, one from rural and the other from urban area. PE and IT facilities available in almost all selected schools: P.E. room/gymnasium, audio visual room(PowerPoint presentation and theory classes), Laptop, playground. audio visual room, Lecture theatre (PowerPoint presentation and theory classes), Laptop, playground, Internet facilities in the computer lab. Pupils from different type of schools were selected for the survey to check students attitude in P.E., to collect different perspectives of using IT in PE and to seek their views on ICT integration in P.E. from different types of schools and regions in order to meet our objectives. 3.41QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN The purpose of the questionnaire: To make a survey on PE Teachers, and students questionnaire to seek their views on the possibility of enhancing P.E. classes with ICT. To meet our objectives and to be linked to the literature review. The students questionnaires include three sections- section1: Knowledge in ICT, section2: Physical education and section 3 included questions relating P.E. to Technology. Age-appropriate type of questions was included for mixed ability students like multiple choice questions. Different sections were designed to measure knowledge, attitude towards ICT integration in PE, interest in PE, level of importance now given to PE, level of IT literacy, willingness of students to adopt ICT in PE for self improvement and better learning, to seek pupils views in using ICT as a P.E. assessment tool. 3.42 PILOTING THE QUESTIONNAIRE A sample of 20 students was selected in Form 4 in two secondary schools in view of piloting the questionnaire. We took feedback from students after completion of questionnaire in order to reframe ambiguous questions. 3.43 QUESTIONNAIRES ADMINISTRATION Permission was sought from Rectors of respective schools. Students confidentiality has been assured. The questionnaires were delivered during 2 consecutive PE periods and collected at the end of class. 3.5 RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY To ensure validity and reliability quantitative data has been used. Investigations were carried out from reliable sources to compile relevant data. The required minimum sample of students and PE teachers were selected for validity and all questionnaires were directly collected by Teachers concerned from our group thus ensuring greater validity and reliability. 3.6 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION Information obtained through questionnaire was captured digitally using an application developed in SPSS software. The data was verified, cleaned and validated before proceeding to analysis. Data obtained was analyzed using SPSS where necessary. Analysis comprised of categorical tables, spider graph, clustered pyramid, count of responses and cross tabulations. Comparative analysis was also made in respect to correlated variables and basic classification criteria. An EFA was also carried out to have a reliable comparison of the variables in the students questionnaire. Estimates were made wherever, required, according to recommended statistical procedures. Results obtained were interpreted in relation to research findings in documentations. 4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION This particular research on ICT enhancing Physical Education has raised several pertinent questions. For our analysis we have focused on three key questions that seem to be relevant in our Mauritian context. To address the main research questions in our project, both students and teachers from the state, private and vocational institutions were targeted. As it can be seen through the following respondents profile (Table 4.0.1): Table 4.0.1 Students Respondent Profile Gender Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Male 231 61.1 61.1 61.1 Female 147 38.9 38.9 100.0 Total 378 100.0 100.0 School type Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid State 194 51.3 51.3 51.3 Private 61 16.1 16.1 67.5 Vocational 123 32.5 32.5 100.0 Total 378 100.0 100.0 Area Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Rural 193 51.1 51.1 51.1 Urban 185 48.9 48.9 100.0 Total 378 100.0 100.0 Level Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Poor 34 9.0 9.0 9.0 Average 140 37.0 37.0 46.0 Good 133 35.2 35.2 81.2 Excellent 71 18.8 18.8 100.0 Total 378 100.0 100.0 Teachers Respondent Profile School type Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Private 75 42.6 42.6 42.6 State 93 52.8 52.8 95.5 Vocational 8 4.5 4.5 100.0 Total 176 100.0 100.0 Types of Students Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Mainstream 109 61.9 61.9 61.9 Prevoc 55 31.3 31.3 93.2 Vocational 12 6.8 6.8 100.0 Total 176 100.0 100.0 From the student respondent profile: Mostly male students participated Majority of students came from state colleges Students were both from rural and urban areas The responded level of literacy were: average and good From the teacher respondent profile: Most teachers who participated came from state colleges The majority of teachers who responded worked with mainstream students 4.1 Perceptions of different school types in relation to motivation through video Filming With the rapid development in technology, and especially its use in enhancing P.E, one of the main objectives that have been pointed out is to find out whether using technological tools in P.E is a motivating factor for students. Digital video can effectively enhance P.E activities and is ever more relevant today in terms of availability, affordability, access and relative simplicityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Tearle Katene, in press; Stratton Finch, 2001). Using the video camera in P.E according to research can be a valuable tool to motivate students to improve their technique as it provide opportunities to give feedback, and create ideal situation for assessment of student learning (Fiorentino and Castelli, 2005). As advanced by Ladda, keating, Adams, Toscano (2004) students will be able to improve their abilities as the results obtained can then be imported to interactive multimedia presentations to provide students with a better understanding of the importance of breaking skills into compon ents and the consequences of subtle variations in techniques. In relation to this, a Frequency Tabulation (Table 4.1.1) was carried out at a preliminary stage, to have an overview of the tendencies of students in Mauritius especially when it comes to video filming as a motivating factor. As a result of it, the information obtained is represented visually on a spider graph (Table 4.1.2): Table 4.1.1 Perceptions of different school types in relation to motivation through video Filming Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Valid Strongly Disagree 23 6.1 6.2 6.2 Disagree 26 6.9 7.0 13.1 No Opinion 46 12.2 12.3 25.5 Agree 144 38.1 38.6 64.1 Strongly Agree 134 35.4 35.9 100.0 Total 373 98.7 100.0 Missing System 5 1.3 Total 378 100.0 Figure 4.1.2: Spider Graph representing perceptions of different school types in relation to motivation through video Filming Series1: All School Type (State, Private, Vocational) Through the graphical representation, it can be seen that the overall results tend to move to the outer side of the spider hence showing that the results (Agreed 38.6% Strongly agreed 35.9%) are favorable when it comes to video filming as a motivating factor for students. However, we want to investigate what are those specific school types who either disagreed or strongly disagreed to this pertinent question. To further deepen our analysis, the different school types were then cross tabbed with video filming as a motivating factor to have a more explicit view of the tendencies towards this question. The Cross tabulation indicates that most of the students who strongly disagreed and disagreed came from the vocational students of the M.I.T.D with 21.4% against 9.4% and 8.3% from the state and private students respectively. Hypothesis testing: H0: No association between perceptions of different school types and motivation through video filming H1 : Association between perceptions of different school types and motivation through video filming From a chi square test carried out, it was found out that à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡2 = 28.397, df= 8 and p Therefore, it can be said that in our Mauritian educational set up, visualization software does not always suit certain school environment and types of students. For example, concerning the vocational institution, there is generally a lack of resources and the literacy level of the students is quite low. This is why there response is much lower compared to state and private colleges. On the contrary, it is seen that the state and private colleges responded quite positively towards this issue as these students know that video filming will bear a lot of importance in P.E classes in the future. In addition to that, students are also aware that P.E subject will be examinable and that their practical performances will be recorded through the Digital Video and sent to Cambridge for moderation. 4.2 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS ICT TOOLS TO INCREASE PERFORMANCE Our second major research question addresses whether ICT tools are likely to increase students performance. In developing an ICT culture in P.E, students and primarily teachers need to keep up with understanding what learning means and what approaches are conducive to effective learning in P.E (Elbourn Cale, 2001). Literature has also shown how ICT tools can be used to enhance learning in P.E and especially in increasing performance of students. And the primary reason for using these kinds of ICT tools is to increase improvement in the performance level of student as they try to look impressive especially if their performances are recorded through the different technological tools. To depict the tendencies of this research question, a general analysis was done through frequency tabulation. The overall results were then demonstrated through a pie chart for both students and teachers (Figure 4.2.1 and Figure 4.2.2 respectively). Figure 4.2.1 Figure4.2.2 The results positively illustrated that most of our targeted students and teachers are very much agreeable to the fact that ICT tools have a lot to do with performance of students with 38.1% who agreed and 29.9 % who strongly agreed (Figure 4.2.1: Students perceptions) and 63.6% who agreed and 27.8% who strongly agreed (Figure 4.2.2: Teachers perceptions). A comparative analysis was further done through cross tabulations and displayed through clustered Pyramids to compare the tendencies of the different school types towards the usage of ICT tools in increasing performance for both students and teacher. This is particularly important to get a better interpretation of the question for both parties. Figure 4.2.3 Figure 4.2.4 From the results, it is interesting to note from (figure 4.2.3 and 4.2.4) that the trend is more or less the same for both students and teachers in the different school types. It is also worth noting that from the 176 teachers perspectives, none gave a negative view on the topic for which it does not feature in figure 4.2.4. In fact, the results are very much favorable with a maximum of 61, 27 and 55 counts from the state, private and vocational students and 50, 57 and 5 counts from state, private and vocational teachers. Hence it can be said that the research question tallies with what it has been said earlier about ICT tools -as a support linked to immediate feedback and in improving students performance level. Teachers also are likely to welcome ICT tools as a way to empower themselves and also in providing reliable, accurate and tracked performance of students. 4.3 EXPLANATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS ON SPSS FOR STUDENTS PERCEPTIONS Questions that were supposed to measure the same underlying dimensions were selected for the factor analysis test. The first table is a correlation matrix that will check the relationship between the variables. The determinant is listed at the bottom of the table. From the findings of the project the respective determinant is 0.149 (i.e. greater than 1 x 10 -5) Hence it is concluded that correlation exists between the variables and multicollinearity is not a problem for these data. KMO TEST The KMO value (Kaiser Meyer Olkin) is a measure of sampling adequacy. The KMO statistic varies between 0 and 1.The value should not be less than 0.5 otherwise this will imply that our sample size is not adequate. From our analysis the KMO value was found to be 0.710. This means that the pattern of correlation is quite compact and we expect at that level that the factor analysis will yield reliable results. BARTLETTS TEST OF SPHERICITY This value should be less than 0.01 for the analysis to be meaningful and significant. For the purpose of our analysis the value was 0.00. Hence, there were relationships among the variables. KMO and Bartletts Test Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy. (KMO) .710 Bartletts Test of Sphericity Approx. Chi-Square 622.440 df 153 Sig. .000 Rotated Component Matrix Component 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Agree to use Technological tools to do assessment and evaluation .706 Agree if teachers use Technological tools to do P.E .658 ICT tools will increase performance .583 Integration of ICT in P.E -.536 Using ICT to raise standard of P.E Presence of Technology .769 Changes brought in Education .658 Role of Technology in Society Importance of using latest Technology in P.E -.760 Use of Technology to make class more interesting Using ICT to develop cooperation and independence .811 Impact of Technology in Education system .578 Using ICT to boost up participation Well versed in ICT -.764 Use of ICT in some subjects .583 Effective communication with P.E teachers and friends -.700 Use of Technological tools in P.E .678 More attention given to Technological Tools rather than skills and techniques .831 After analysis of the above table the following construction was possible: COMPONENT 1 THE POSITIVE INFLUENCE OF ICT ON PE TEACHING STRATEGY Students accept that technological tools will be a valuable asset that PE teachers can use to enhance their interest in classes. These students also believe that during their assessment technological tools will be advantageous to them. COMPONENT 2 POSITIVE IMPACT OF ICT IN ALL MAURITIAN SECTORS Students believe that ICT does not only influence the educational field but also other spheres of life. COMPONENT 4 ENHANCING TEAMWORK The perception of Student is that in school ICT will help them to develop their ability to work in team. Note: No conclusions were provided for components 3, 5, 6, 7 because they were unable to be categorized and furthermore some coefficients were negative. 5.0 CON

The Trail of Evidence From Treatment To Causes of Depression Essay

The Trail of Evidence From Treatment To Causes of Depression When a person is depressed, the primary characteristic is a subjective awareness of mood change: the person has an ongoing feeling of sadness or emptiness. This feeling is often accompanied by eating disturbances, feelings of hopelessness, inability to concentrate, indecisiveness, sleep disturbances, lost interest in enjoyable activities, psychomotor retardation, fatigue, sluggishness or lethargy, and is often co-morbid with other disorders, especially anxiety. This constellation of feelings and observable behaviors give rise the term depression. In cases where the depression is not severe or recurrent, psychotherapy alone may be sufficient. However, in many cases, antidepressants in conjunction with psychotherapy are indicated. And in some proportion of cases, where the depression is especially severe, persistent, debilitating and resistant to antidepressants, therapies involving electrical stimulation to the brain are sometimes used. In psychology, theories surrounding the etiology of depression vary widely, from neurobiological to cognitive to behavioral, socioenvironmental and psychodyanmic. Biosocial models acknowledge that both biological predisposition and environmental factors play an interactive role in the creation and maintenance of depression. The nervous system is always changing. It changes as a result of its own activity, which itself is a reflection of responses to a variety of sources: external input, the system's own cyclical fluctuations, and its modification due to past experiences. Moreover, the nervous system's changes occur in varying degrees, from extremely temporary (action potentials transiently change the nervous system) to la... ...ations with Neil's Brain , by William Calvin and George Ojemann http://www.williamcalvin.com/bk7/bk7.htm 7)NAME OF YOUR THIRD WEB REFERENCE SITE, COMMENTS ABOUT IT http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro01/web3/URL%20OF%20YOUR%20THIRD%20WEB%20REFERENCE 8) New technique looks promising for treatment resistant depression http://www.psych.org/pnews/00-01-21/technique.html 9) Vagus nerve stimulation for treatment-resistant depressions: a multi-center study. led by John Rush http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/bps/abstracts/994888abs.htm 10) VNS: high tech hope for those with major depression , by Sandra Gordon http://aolsvc.health.cbshealthwatch.aol.com/ 11) A noradrenergic and serotonergic hypothesis of the linkage between epilepsy and affective disorders by P C Jobe et al http://depression.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm

Poetry, History, and Dialectic :: Philosophy Argumentative Argument Papers

Poetry, History, and Dialectic Twice in the Poetics, Aristotle contrasts poetry with history. Whatever its didactic value, the contrast has not seemed to readers of special philosophical interest. The aim of this paper is to show that this contrast is philosophically significant not just for our understanding of tragedy but also for the light it sheds on Aristotle’s overall methodology. I shall show how he uses the method sketched in the Topics to define tragedy and explain why the same method will not define history. In particular, tragedy admits of definition because its parts constitute a unity, and much of the Poetics aims to show how, despite being defined through six distinct parts, tragedy can be one. In contrast, history, though a proper preliminary to poetics and concerned also with human action, does not admit of scientific treatment because it contains no essential unities. Aristotle’s understanding of ‘science’ is used here to explain why any attempt to create a scientific hi story would turn history into poetry. I Aristotle claims that the art of dialectic sketched in the Topics contributes to philosophical knowledge because it can be used to find indemonstrable first principles from common opinions: "for, being capable of examining, dialectic has a path to the principles of all disciplines" (à µB ¤  £Ã…“Å ¸Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ  Ã‚ ¤) (I.2.101b3-4). Scientific knowledge of a subject consists of grasping its principles and demonstrating its essential attributes from them. How does one come to know the first principles? Obviously, they cannot be demonstrated from prior principles; they are first principles. As such, they are somehow determined by dialectic. Thus, dialectic transforms what we can call, for lack of a better term, a "subject matter" into a science. What is the state of this subject matter before dialectic discovers its principles? It is clear from our Topics text that this examination will look for common opinions, and it is well recognized that Aristotle's actual inquiries often begin from common opinions.(1) So the pre-scientific subject matter must contain common opinions about its facts. Aristotle has a name for such a setting out of facts: in the Prior Analytics, he speaks of deriving the principles of each field from experience and he refers to the account of the phenomena of a field as a "history" (Èà ³Ãƒ µÃ‚ ¦Ãƒ ²Ãƒ ¥Ã‹Å") (46a17-27). Evidently, "history" precedes "science," and transition is effected by dialectic. Aristotle has much to say about how knowledge is derived from sensation and experience, but he never explains how (or whether!) his many remarks fit together into a single process.

Media Portrayal of Female and Male Body Image :: Media Argumentative Persuasive Argument

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Fighting for Hunger

In this topic, we will see how Filipinos fighting for their hunger. We can see that there are so many people who starve to death, and the government didn't do anything about this problem. I hate how the government didn't do anything to solve this problem. There are many Filipinos who begging for food for them to live. My opinion here is we should help the others, if we help the others we can save a life. Starvation is not a joke we we're talking about million lives here. The government should take an action to this issue. There are so many cases that people die because of the hunger or starvation, they die because they can't do anything to stop their hunger, they just wait for someone to give them a food. So my opinion here is let's stop this problem now let's push the government to do something in this problem. If they can't do anything then let's encourage other people to help the people who's in need. If the government can't help them, I guess it's time to help the other people for them to have a longer life. The main problem here is the government didn't do anything to solve this problem. Many Filipinos died because of hunger or you can call it starvation. The rate of starvation in our country is increasing every year and every year the number of deaths in our country is increasing as well, it is all because of the starvation. I guess we are all aware that our country is rich in street people or you can call it as a homeless people, they are the one who experienced this problem, they can't do anything because they don't have any job or any money to buy their foods. We can help the by giving them a food or at least a small amount of money. In this way, we can help the others in a simple way. The problem here is why the government didn't do anything to solve this problem, they didn't do anything to save the others life. The fact that the government didn't do anything, we should help the one who's in need. If we have extra food or extra money we should give it to the people who can't afford to buy foods. We can always start a feeding program for the hungry people. I think there are many feeding program in our country.In this way we can help others, we can save the others by giving them a food or a money. There are many ways to help the people who's in need. If the government can't take any action to this then I guess it's time for us to make a move. We can help by starting a feeding program, giving a small amount of food and money to the people who's in need. We can help others in a small way if we want to I think it's time to help and care for the other people. Always remember that sharing is caring.

Marital Conflicts and the Resolutions

Our marriage is in one of the most critical moments of our lives; in fact it is between a rock and a hard place. It has now been six years since we got married in one of the most colorful church weddings I have ever witnessed.It is not that we have not gone through some minor conflicts previously, but at least we were able to resolve them immediately by counselors, friends, our pastors and ourselves.The previous disagreements had to do with our monthly spending, pressure from our parents, time to arrive home and our choice of friends among other issues. At present, things have escalated from being bad to worse, with no signs of a possible solution at the horizon.Before we got married, I had vividly known that my fiancà ©e at that time was a committed Seventh Day Adventist though I am a member of the Assemblies of God Church, an evangelical group of the Protestant church.Our parents, friends and the best couple had asked us if we foresaw any future collision since our churchesâ€℠¢ doctrines were different; our answer then was a big no. We believed that our love for each other would conquer any disputes that would arise in our marriage.My wife’s father is a very staunch Adventist; in fact, one of the senior elders at the local church and had never had the thought that any of his five children would ever desert the church which he helped found; an action that made him become respected in the entire locality. My wife loves his father so much and thus has no intent of betraying him.Being an evangelical, a born again Christian and the head of my family, I am not comfortable with the idea of having a divided family with my wife attending church on Saturday making her not attend to her domestic and marital duties from six in the morning to six in the evening (according to their beliefs). On the other hand, I attend church services on Sundays and other fellowships on the weekdays.The conflict is arising from the fact that we do not agree in very many issues that pertain to the different doctrines that the two groups advocate for. My wife does not eat pork or any related products; she does not take either tea or coffee for to her both are drugs, classifying them in the same group with tobacco or marijuana.My wife and I are both civil servants, my wife working with the department of Education and I as an army officer though at the moment I am on the study leave enrolled in the University in an undergraduate program.We have two daughters, Shari and Shako aged five and three respectively. It is our obligation as parents to bring them up in a way that is honorable so that they can become great members of the society. What makes me uncomfortable about our religious differences is because our little children look confused (especially the elder one). Sometimes they go to church on Saturdays and on Sundays; to their mother’s and father’s churches respectively.The older daughter has severally asked me why I do not go to their mothe r’s church and she has, I suppose, asked her mum a similar question. She has made me understand that her friends usually go to church with their both parents and looking at her anxious face, it is obvious that she will be very happy if we would start doing the same.My greatest desire is for us to attend the same church for the sake of our unity and our children. Since I have never thought of myself becoming an Adventist and have always regarded myself incompatible with their doctrines (that I find very conservative) and because our church is a bit liberal, I have severally suggested that we choose a neutral church where we would all be attending together with our children but she has categorically stated that this would only happen â€Å"over her dead body†. This definitely explains why I am a stressed man.

Athenian democracy similar to American democracy Essay

Our country was called a democracy when we still had millions of slaves. Our nation today is called a democracy when millions of citizens never exercise their right to vote, a few hundred party leaders select our national political candidates, and only those who have million-dollar treasuries can run for political office with a reasonable chance of winning. Latin American military dictatorships are called democracies. South Vietnam with a single candidate for president during the Vietnam War was called a democracy. The word democracy comes from two Greek words: a noun, demos which means †people† and a verb, kratein, which means †to rule,† Its basic meaning is †government by the people† or â€Å"rule by the ruled.† Ideas were expressed directly through the Assembly, which consisted of all male citizens over 18 years of age and who were willing to attend the sessions held about every 10 days. There was no system of representation calling for long campaigns and expensive elections. If you lived in the country you had to get up at the crack of dawn in order to get to the meeting place of the Assembly, a rocky hillside within the city gates. The police chased all the loafers off the Angora, a kind of public park, in order to encourage good attendance. Anyone who had powerful enough lungs to make himself heard by 6000 or more voters could speak to the Assembly. Of course, if you were a well-known and respected leader your chances of being listened to were greater. Whatever this Assembly decided by vote was the law of the land. Athens, both the city and its surrounding countryside was divided into 10 electoral districts called †tribes.† These districts were further divided into precincts or †demes† which had some limited self-government in the rural areas. Each precinct named candidates over 30 years of age for the Council of 500. From these candidates 50 were chosen by lot for each tribe to serve as members of the Council of 500 for a year’ The final choice by lot was one of the most democratic devices imaginable and reduced the danger of political skullduggery. There was no danger that the Council could turn into a private preserve for the wealthy or influential as modern government bodies have a tendency to do, because members served only one year: no man  could be a member two years in a row; and no one could serve more than twice in his lifetime. Just imagine what our legislatures and Congress would be like if we had rules like that.

Angels Demons Chapter 80-81

80 When Langdon had left the Vatican Secret Archives only two hours ago, he had never imagined he would see them again. Now, winded from having jogged the entire way with his Swiss Guard escort, Langdon found himself back at the archives once again. His escort, the guard with the scar, now led Langdon through the rows of translucent cubicles. The silence of the archives felt somehow more forbidding now, and Langdon was thankful when the guard broke it. â€Å"Over here, I think,† he said, escorting Langdon to the back of the chamber where a series of smaller vaults lined the wall. The guard scanned the titles on the vaults and motioned to one of them. â€Å"Yes, here it is. Right where the commander said it would be.† Langdon read the title. Attivi Vaticani. Vatican assets? He scanned the list of contents. Real estate†¦ currency†¦ Vatican Bank†¦ antiquities†¦ The list went on. â€Å"Paperwork of all Vatican assets,† the guard said. Langdon looked at the cubicle. Jesus. Even in the dark, he could tell it was packed. â€Å"My commander said that whatever Bernini created while under Vatican patronage would be listed here as an asset.† Langdon nodded, realizing the commander's instincts just might pay off. In Bernini's day, everything an artist created while under the patronage of the Pope became, by law, property of the Vatican. It was more like feudalism than patronage, but top artists lived well and seldom complained. â€Å"Including works placed in churches outside Vatican City?† The soldier gave him an odd look. â€Å"Of course. All Catholic churches in Rome are property of the Vatican.† Langdon looked at the list in his hand. It contained the names of the twenty or so churches that were located on a direct line with West Ponente's breath. The third altar of science was one of them, and Langdon hoped he had time to figure out which it was. Under other circumstances, he would gladly have explored each church in person. Today, however, he had about twenty minutes to find what he was looking for – the one church containing a Bernini tribute to fire. Langdon walked to the vault's electronic revolving door. The guard did not follow. Langdon sensed an uncertain hesitation. He smiled. â€Å"The air's fine. Thin, but breathable.† â€Å"My orders are to escort you here and then return immediately to the security center.† â€Å"You're leaving?† â€Å"Yes. The Swiss Guard are not allowed inside the archives. I am breaching protocol by escorting you this far. The commander reminded me of that.† â€Å"Breaching protocol?† Do you have any idea what is going on here tonight? â€Å"Whose side is your damn commander on!† All friendliness disappeared from the guard's face. The scar under his eye twitched. The guard stared, looking suddenly a lot like Olivetti himself. â€Å"I apologize,† Langdon said, regretting the comment. â€Å"It's just†¦ I could use some help.† The guard did not blink. â€Å"I am trained to follow orders. Not debate them. When you find what you are looking for, contact the commander immediately.† Langdon was flustered. â€Å"But where will he be?† The guard removed his walkie-talkie and set it on a nearby table. â€Å"Channel one.† Then he disappeared into the dark. 81 The television in the Office of the Pope was an oversized Hitachi hidden in a recessed cabinet opposite his desk. The doors to the cabinet were now open, and everyone gathered around. Vittoria moved in close. As the screen warmed up, a young female reporter came into view. She was a doe-eyed brunette. â€Å"For MSNBC news,† she announced, â€Å"this is Kelly Horan-Jones, live from Vatican City.† The image behind her was a night shot of St. Peter's Basilica with all its lights blazing. â€Å"You're not live,† Rocher snapped. â€Å"That's stock footage! The lights in the basilica are out.† Olivetti silenced him with a hiss. The reporter continued, sounding tense. â€Å"Shocking developments in the Vatican elections this evening. We have reports that two members of the College of Cardinals have been brutally murdered in Rome.† Olivetti swore under his breath. As the reporter continued, a guard appeared at the door, breathless. â€Å"Commander, the central switchboard reports every line lit. They're requesting our official position on – â€Å" â€Å"Disconnect it,† Olivetti said, never taking his eyes from the TV. The guard looked uncertain. â€Å"But, commander – â€Å" â€Å"Go!† The guard ran off. Vittoria sensed the camerlegno had wanted to say something but had stopped himself. Instead, the man stared long and hard at Olivetti before turning back to the television. MSNBC was now running tape. The Swiss Guards carried the body of Cardinal Ebner down the stairs outside Santa Maria del Popolo and lifted him into an Alpha Romeo. The tape froze and zoomed in as the cardinal's naked body became visible just before they deposited him in the trunk of the car. â€Å"Who the hell shot this footage?† Olivetti demanded. The MSNBC reporter kept talking. â€Å"This is believed to be the body of Cardinal Ebner of Frankfurt, Germany. The men removing his body from the church are believed to be Vatican Swiss Guard.† The reporter looked like she was making every effort to appear appropriately moved. They closed in on her face, and she became even more somber. â€Å"At this time, MSNBC would like to issue our viewers a discretionary warning. The images we are about to show are exceptionally vivid and may not be suitable for all audiences.† Vittoria grunted at the station's feigned concern for viewer sensibility, recognizing the warning as exactly what it was – the ultimate media â€Å"teaser line.† Nobody ever changed channels after a promise like that. The reporter drove it home. â€Å"Again, this footage may be shocking to some viewers.† â€Å"What footage?† Olivetti demanded. â€Å"You just showed – â€Å" The shot that filled the screen was of a couple in St. Peter's Square, moving through the crowd. Vittoria instantly recognized the two people as Robert and herself. In the corner of the screen was a text overlay: Courtesy of the BBC. A bell was tolling. â€Å"Oh, no,† Vittoria said aloud. â€Å"Oh†¦ no.† The camerlegno looked confused. He turned to Olivetti. â€Å"I thought you said you confiscated this tape!† Suddenly, on television, a child was screaming. The image panned to find a little girl pointing at what appeared to be a bloody homeless man. Robert Langdon entered abruptly into the frame, trying to help the little girl. The shot tightened. Everyone in the Pope's office stared in horrified silence as the drama unfolded before them. The cardinal's body fell face first onto the pavement. Vittoria appeared and called orders. There was blood. A brand. A ghastly, failed attempt to administer CPR. â€Å"This astonishing footage,† the reporter was saying, â€Å"was shot only minutes ago outside the Vatican. Our sources tell us this is the body of Cardinal Lamasse from France. How he came to be dressed this way and why he was not in conclave remain a mystery. So far, the Vatican has refused to comment.† The tape began to roll again. â€Å"Refused comment?† Rocher said. â€Å"Give us a damn minute!† The reporter was still talking, her eyebrows furrowing with intensity. â€Å"Although MSNBC has yet to confirm a motive for the attack, our sources tell us that responsibility for the murders has been claimed by a group calling themselves the Illuminati.† Olivetti exploded. â€Å"What!† â€Å"†¦ find out more about the Illuminati by visiting our website at – â€Å" â€Å"Non e posibile!† Olivetti declared. He switched channels. This station had a Hispanic male reporter. † – a satanic cult known as the Illuminati, who some historians believe – â€Å" Olivetti began pressing the remote wildly. Every channel was in the middle of a live update. Most were in English. † – Swiss Guards removing a body from a church earlier this evening. The body is believed to be that of Cardinal – â€Å" † – lights in the basilica and museums are extinguished leaving speculation – â€Å" † – will be speaking with conspiracy theorist Tyler Tingley, about this shocking resurgence – â€Å" † – rumors of two more assassinations planned for later this evening – â€Å" † – questioning now whether papal hopeful Cardinal Baggia is among the missing – â€Å" Vittoria turned away. Everything was happening so fast. Outside the window, in the settling dark, the raw magnetism of human tragedy seemed to be sucking people toward Vatican City. The crowd in the square thickened almost by the instant. Pedestrians streamed toward them while a new batch of media personnel unloaded vans and staked their claim in St. Peter's Square. Olivetti set down the remote control and turned to the camerlegno. â€Å"Signore, I cannot imagine how this could happen. We took the tape that was in that camera!† The camerlegno looked momentarily too stunned to speak. Nobody said a word. The Swiss Guards stood rigid at attention. â€Å"It appears,† the camerlegno said finally, sounding too devastated to be angry, â€Å"that we have not contained this crisis as well as I was led to believe.† He looked out the window at the gathering masses. â€Å"I need to make an address.† Olivetti shook his head. â€Å"No, signore. That is exactly what the Illuminati want you to do – confirm them, empower them. We must remain silent.† â€Å"And these people?† The camerlegno pointed out the window. â€Å"There will be tens of thousands shortly. Then hundreds of thousands. Continuing this charade only puts them in danger. I need to warn them. Then we need to evacuate our College of Cardinals.† â€Å"There is still time. Let Captain Rocher find the antimatter.† The camerlegno turned. â€Å"Are you attempting to give me an order?† â€Å"No, I am giving you advice. If you are concerned about the people outside, we can announce a gas leak and clear the area, but admitting we are hostage is dangerous.† â€Å"Commander, I will only say this once. I will not use this office as a pulpit to lie to the world. If I announce anything at all, it will be the truth.† â€Å"The truth? That Vatican City is threatened to be destroyed by satanic terrorists? It only weakens our position.† The camerlegno glared. â€Å"How much weaker could our position be?† Rocher shouted suddenly, grabbing the remote and increasing the volume on the television. Everyone turned. On air, the woman from MSNBC now looked genuinely unnerved. Superimposed beside her was a photo of the late Pope. â€Å"†¦ breaking information. This just in from the BBC†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She glanced off camera as if to confirm she was really supposed to make this announcement. Apparently getting confirmation, she turned and grimly faced the viewers. â€Å"The Illuminati have just claimed responsibility for†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She hesitated. â€Å"They have claimed responsibility for the death of the Pope fifteen days ago.† The camerlegno's jaw fell. Rocher dropped the remote control. Vittoria could barely process the information. â€Å"By Vatican law,† the woman continued, â€Å"no formal autopsy is ever performed on a Pope, so the Illuminati claim of murder cannot be confirmed. Nonetheless, the Illuminati hold that the cause of the late Pope's death was not a stroke as the Vatican reported, but poisoning.† The room went totally silent again. Olivetti erupted. â€Å"Madness! A bold-faced lie!† Rocher began flipping channels again. The bulletin seemed to spread like a plague from station to station. Everyone had the same story. Headlines competed for optimal sensationalism. Murder at the Vatican Pope Poisoned Satan Touches House of God The camerlegno looked away. â€Å"God help us.† As Rocher flipped, he passed a BBC station. † – tipped me off about the killing at Santa Maria de Popolo – â€Å" â€Å"Wait!† the camerlegno said. â€Å"Back.† Rocher went back. On screen, a prim-looking man sat at a BBC news desk. Superimposed over his shoulder was a still snapshot of an odd-looking man with a red beard. Underneath his photo, it said: Gunther Glick – Live in Vatican City Reporter Glick was apparently reporting by phone, the connection scratchy. â€Å"†¦ my videographer got the footage of the cardinal being removed from the Chigi Chapel.† â€Å"Let me reiterate for our viewers,† the anchorman in London was saying, â€Å"BBC reporter Gunther Glick is the man who first broke this story. He has been in phone contact twice now with the alleged Illuminati assassin. Gunther, you say the assassin phoned only moments ago to pass along a message from the Illuminati?† â€Å"He did.† â€Å"And their message was that the Illuminati were somehow responsible for the Pope's death?† The anchorman sounded incredulous. â€Å"Correct. The caller told me that the Pope's death was not a stroke, as the Vatican had thought, but rather that the Pope had been poisoned by the Illuminati.† Everyone in the Pope's office froze. â€Å"Poisoned?† the anchorman demanded. â€Å"But†¦ but how!† â€Å"They gave no specifics,† Glick replied, â€Å"except to say that they killed him with a drug known as†¦Ã¢â‚¬  – there was a rustling of papers on the line – â€Å"something known as Heparin.† The camerlegno, Olivetti, and Rocher all exchanged confused looks. â€Å"Heparin?† Rocher demanded, looking unnerved. â€Å"But isn't that†¦?† The camerlegno blanched. â€Å"The Pope's medication.† Vittoria was stunned. â€Å"The Pope was on Heparin?† â€Å"He had thrombophlebitis,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"He took an injection once a day.† Rocher looked flabbergasted. â€Å"But Heparin isn't a poison. Why would the Illuminati claim – â€Å" â€Å"Heparin is lethal in the wrong dosages,† Vittoria offered. â€Å"It's a powerful anticoagulant. An overdose would cause massive internal bleeding and brain hemorrhages.† Olivetti eyed her suspiciously. â€Å"How would you know that?† â€Å"Marine biologists use it on sea mammals in captivity to prevent blood clotting from decreased activity. Animals have died from improper administration of the drug.† She paused. â€Å"A Heparin overdose in a human would cause symptoms easily mistaken for a stroke†¦ especially in the absence of a proper autopsy.† The camerlegno now looked deeply troubled. â€Å"Signore,† Olivetti said, â€Å"this is obviously an Illuminati ploy for publicity. Someone overdosing the Pope would be impossible. Nobody had access. And even if we take the bait and try to refute their claim, how could we? Papal law prohibits autopsy. Even with an autopsy, we would learn nothing. We would find traces of Heparin in his body from his daily injections.† â€Å"True.† The camerlegno's voice sharpened. â€Å"And yet something else troubles me. No one on the outside knew His Holiness was taking this medication.† There was a silence. â€Å"If he overdosed with Heparin,† Vittoria said, â€Å"his body would show signs.† Olivetti spun toward her. â€Å"Ms. Vetra, in case you didn't hear me, papal autopsies are prohibited by Vatican Law. We are not about to defile His Holiness's body by cutting him open just because an enemy makes a taunting claim!† Vittoria felt shamed. â€Å"I was not implying†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She had not meant to seem disrespectful. â€Å"I certainly was not suggesting you exhume the Pope†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She hesitated, though. Something Robert told her in the Chigi passed like a ghost through her mind. He had mentioned that papal sarcophagi were above ground and never cemented shut, a throwback to the days of the pharaohs when sealing and burying a casket was believed to trap the deceased's soul inside. Gravity had become the mortar of choice, with coffin lids often weighing hundreds of pounds. Technically, she realized, it would be possible to – â€Å"What sort of signs?† the camerlegno said suddenly. Vittoria felt her heart flutter with fear. â€Å"Overdoses can cause bleeding of the oral mucosa.† â€Å"Oral what?† â€Å"The victim's gums would bleed. Post mortem, the blood congeals and turns the inside of the mouth black.† Vittoria had once seen a photo taken at an aquarium in London where a pair of killer whales had been mistakenly overdosed by their trainer. The whales floated lifeless in the tank, their mouths hanging open and their tongues black as soot. The camerlegno made no reply. He turned and stared out the window. Rocher's voice had lost its optimism. â€Å"Signore, if this claim about poisoning is true†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's not true,† Olivetti declared. â€Å"Access to the Pope by an outsider is utterly impossible.† â€Å"If this claim is true,† Rocher repeated, â€Å"and our Holy Father was poisoned, then that has profound implications for our antimatter search. The alleged assassination implies a much deeper infiltration of Vatican City than we had imagined. Searching the white zones may be inadequate. If we are compromised to such a deep extent, we may not find the canister in time.† Olivetti leveled his captain with a cold stare. â€Å"Captain, I will tell you what is going to happen.† â€Å"No,† the camerlegno said, turning suddenly. â€Å"I will tell you what is going to happen.† He looked directly at Olivetti. â€Å"This has gone far enough. In twenty minutes I will be making a decision whether or not to cancel conclave and evacuate Vatican City. My decision will be final. Is that clear?† Olivetti did not blink. Nor did he respond. The camerlegno spoke forcefully now, as though tapping a hidden reserve of power. â€Å"Captain Rocher, you will complete your search of the white zones and report directly to me when you are finished.† Rocher nodded, throwing Olivetti an uneasy glance. The camerlegno then singled out two guards. â€Å"I want the BBC reporter, Mr. Glick, in this office immediately. If the Illuminati have been communicating with him, he may be able to help us. Go.† The two soldiers disappeared. Now the camerlegno turned and addressed the remaining guards. â€Å"Gentlemen, I will not permit any more loss of life this evening. By ten o'clock you will locate the remaining two cardinals and capture the monster responsible for these murders. Do I make myself understood?† â€Å"But, signore,† Olivetti argued, â€Å"we have no idea where – â€Å" â€Å"Mr. Langdon is working on that. He seems capable. I have faith.† With that, the camerlegno strode for the door, a new determination in his step. On his way out, he pointed to three guards. â€Å"You three, come with me. Now.† The guards followed. In the doorway, the camerlegno stopped. He turned to Vittoria. â€Å"Ms. Vetra. You too. Please come with me.† Vittoria hesitated. â€Å"Where are we going?† He headed out the door. â€Å"To see an old friend.†