The Da Vinci Code Chapter 30-32

CHAPTER 30 Security warden Claude Grouard simmered with rage as he stood over his prostrate captive in front of the Mona Lisa.This bastard killed Jacques Sauniere! Sauniere had been like a well-loved father to Grouard and his security team. Grouard wanted nothing more than to pull the trigger and bury a bullet in Robert Langdon's back. As senior warden, Grouard was one of the few guards who actually carried a loaded weapon. He reminded himself, however, that killing Langdon would be a generous fate compared to the misery about to be communicated by Bezu Fache and the French prison system. Grouard yanked his walkie-talkie off his belt and attempted to radio for backup. All he heard was static. The additional electronic security in this chamber always wrought havoc with the guards' communications. I have to move to the doorway.Still aiming his weapon at Langdon, Grouard began backing slowly toward the entrance. On his third step, he spied something that made him stop short. What the hell is that! An inexplicable mirage was materializing near the center of the room. A silhouette. There was someone else in the room? A woman was moving through the darkness, walking briskly toward the far left wall. In front of her, a purplish beam of light swung back and forth across the floor, as if she were searching for something with a colored flashlight. â€Å"Qui est la?† Grouard demanded, feeling his adrenaline spike for a second time in the last thirty seconds. He suddenly didn't know where to aim his gun or what direction to move. â€Å"PTS,† the woman replied calmly, still scanning the floor with her light. Police Technique et Scientifique.Grouard was sweating now. I thought all the agents were gone!He now recognized the purple light as ultraviolet, consistent with a PTS team, and yet he could not understand why DCPJ would be looking for evidence in here. â€Å"Votre nom!† Grouard yelled, instinct telling him something was amiss. â€Å"Repondez!† â€Å"C'est mot,† the voice responded in calm French. â€Å"Sophie Neveu.† Somewhere in the distant recesses of Grouard's mind, the name registered. Sophie Neveu? Thatwas the name of Sauniere's granddaughter, wasn't it? She used to come in here as a little kid, but that was years ago. This couldn't possibly be her! And even if it were Sophie Neveu, that was hardly a reason to trust her; Grouard had heard the rumors of the painful falling-out between Sauniere and his granddaughter. â€Å"You know me,† the woman called. â€Å"And Robert Langdon did not kill my grandfather. Believe me.† Warden Grouard was not about to take that on faith. I need backup! Trying his walkie-talkie again, he got only static. The entrance was still a good twenty yards behind him, and Grouard began backing up slowly, choosing to leave his gun trained on the man on the floor. As Grouard inched backward, he could see the woman across the room raising her UV light and scrutinizing a large painting that hung on the far side of the Salle des Etats, directly opposite the Mona Lisa. Grouard gasped, realizing which painting it was. What in the name of God is she doing? Across the room, Sophie Neveu felt a cold sweat breaking across her forehead. Langdon was still spread-eagle on the floor. Hold on, Robert.Almost there.Knowing the guard would never actually shoot either of them, Sophie now turned her attention back to the matter at hand, scanning the entire area around one masterpiece in particular – another Da Vinci. But the UV light revealed nothing out of the ordinary. Not on the floor, on the walls, or even on the canvas itself. There must be something here! Sophie felt totally certain she had deciphered her grandfather's intentions correctly. What else could he possibly intend? The masterpiece she was examining was a five-foot-tall canvas. The bizarre scene Da Vinci had painted included an awkwardly posed Virgin Mary sitting with Baby Jesus, John the Baptist, and the Angel Uriel on a perilous outcropping of rocks. When Sophie was a little girl, no trip to the Mona Lisa had been complete without her grandfather dragging her across the room to see this second painting. Grand-pere, I'm here! But I don't see it! Behind her, Sophie could hear the guard trying to radio again for help. Think! She pictured the message scrawled on the protective glass of the Mona Lisa.So dark the con of man.The painting before her had no protective glass on which to write a message, and Sophie knew her grandfather would never have defaced this masterpiece by writing on the painting itself. She paused. At least not on the front.Her eyes shot upward, climbing the long cables that dangled from the ceiling to support the canvas. Could that be it? Grabbing the left side of the carved wood frame, she pulled it toward her. The painting was large and the backing flexed as she swung it away from the wall. Sophie slipped her head and shoulders in behind the painting and raised the black light to inspect the back. It took only seconds to realize her instinct had been wrong. The back of the painting was pale and blank. There was no purple text here, only the mottled brown backside of aging canvas and – Wait. Sophie's eyes locked on an incongruous glint of lustrous metal lodged near the bottom edge of the frame's wooden armature. The object was small, partially wedged in the slit where the canvas met the frame. A shimmering gold chain dangled off it. To Sophie's utter amazement, the chain was affixed to a familiar gold key. The broad, sculpted head was in the shape of a cross and bore an engraved seal she had not seen since she was nine years old. A fleur-de-lis with the initials P. S. In that instant, Sophie felt the ghost of her grandfather whispering in her ear. When the time comes, the key will be yours.A tightness gripped her throat as she realized that her grandfather, even in death, had kept his promise. This key opens a box, his voice was saying, where I keep many secrets. Sophie now realized that the entire purpose of tonight's word game had been this key. Her grandfather had it with him when he was killed. Not wanting it to fall into the hands of the police, he hid it behind this painting. Then he devised an ingenious treasure hunt to ensure only Sophie would find it. â€Å"Au secours!† the guard's voice yelled. Sophie snatched the key from behind the painting and slipped it deep in her pocket along with the UV penlight. Peering out from behind the canvas, she could see the guard was still trying desperately to raise someone on the walkie-talkie. He was backing toward the entrance, still aiming the gun firmly at Langdon. â€Å"Au secours!† he shouted again into his radio. Static. He can't transmit, Sophie realized, recalling that tourists with cell phones often got frustrated in here when they tried to call home to brag about seeing the Mona Lisa.The extra surveillance wiring in the walls made it virtually impossible to get a carrier unless you stepped out into the hall. The guard was backing quickly toward the exit now, and Sophie knew she had to act immediately. Gazing up at the large painting behind which she was partially ensconced, Sophie realized that Leonardo Da Vinci, for the second time tonight, was there to help. Another few meters, Grouard told himself, keeping his gun leveled. â€Å"Arretez! Ou je la detruis!† the woman's voice echoed across the room. Grouard glanced over and stopped in his tracks. â€Å"Mon dieu, non!† Through the reddish haze, he could see that the woman had actually lifted the large painting off its cables and propped it on the floor in front of her. At five feet tall, the canvas almost entirely hid her body. Grouard's first thought was to wonder why the painting's trip wires hadn't set off alarms, but of course the artwork cable sensors had yet to be reset tonight. What is she doing! When he saw it, his blood went cold. The canvas started to bulge in the middle, the fragile outlines of the Virgin Mary, Baby Jesus, and John the Baptist beginning to distort. â€Å"Non!† Grouard screamed, frozen in horror as he watched the priceless Da Vinci stretching. The woman was pushing her knee into the center of the canvas from behind!† NON!† Grouard wheeled and aimed his gun at her but instantly realized it was an empty threat. The canvas was only fabric, but it was utterly impenetrable – a six-million-dollar piece of body armor. I can't put a bullet through a Da Vinci! â€Å"Set down your gun and radio,† the woman said in calm French,† or I'll put my knee through this painting. I think you know how my grandfather would feel about that.† Grouard felt dizzy. â€Å"Please†¦ no. That's Madonna of the Rocks!† He dropped his gun and radio, raising his hands over his head. â€Å"Thank you,† the woman said. â€Å"Now do exactly as I tell you, and everything will work out fine.† Moments later, Langdon's pulse was still thundering as he ran beside Sophie down the emergency stairwell toward the ground level. Neither of them had said a word since leaving the trembling Louvre guard lying in the Salle des Etats. The guard's pistol was now clutched tightly in Langdon's hands, and he couldn't wait to get rid of it. The weapon felt heavy and dangerously foreign. Taking the stairs two at a time, Langdon wondered if Sophie had any idea how valuable a painting she had almost ruined. Her choice in art seemed eerily pertinent to tonight's adventure. The Da Vinci she had grabbed, much like the Mona Lisa, was notorious among art historians for its plethora of hidden pagan symbolism. â€Å"You chose a valuable hostage,† he said as they ran. â€Å"Madonna of the Rocks,†she replied. â€Å"But I didn't choose it, my grandfather did. He left me a little something behind the painting.† Langdon shot her a startled look. â€Å"What!? But how did you know which painting? Why Madonnaof the Rocks?† â€Å"So dark the con of man.† She flashed a triumphant smile. â€Å"I missed the first two anagrams, Robert. I wasn't about to miss the third.† CHAPTER 31 â€Å"They're dead!† Sister Sandrine stammered into the telephone in her Saint-Sulpice residence. She was leaving a message on an answering machine. â€Å"Please pick up! They're all dead!† The first three phone numbers on the list had produced terrifying results – a hysterical widow, a detective working late at a murder scene, and a somber priest consoling a bereaved family. All three contacts were dead. And now, as she called the fourth and final number – the number she was not supposed to call unless the first three could not be reached – she got an answering machine. The outgoing message offered no name but simply asked the caller to leave a message.† The floor panel has been broken!† she pleaded as she left the message. â€Å"The other three are dead!† Sister Sandrine did not know the identities of the four men she protected, but the private phonenumbers stashed beneath her bed were for use on only one condition. If that floor panel is ever broken, the faceless messenger had told her, it means the upper echelon has been breached. One of us has been mortally threatened and been forced to tell a desperate lie. Call the numbers. Warn the others. Do not fail us in this. It was a silent alarm. Foolproof in its simplicity. The plan had amazed her when she first heard it. If the identity of one brother was compromised, he could tell a lie that would start in motion a mechanism to warn the others. Tonight, however, it seemed that more than one had been compromised. â€Å"Please answer,† she whispered in fear. â€Å"Where are you?† â€Å"Hang up the phone,† a deep voice said from the doorway. Turning in terror, she saw the massive monk. He was clutching the heavy iron candle stand. Shaking, she set the phone back in the cradle. â€Å"They are dead,† the monk said. â€Å"All four of them. And they have played me for a fool. Tell me where the keystone is.† â€Å"I don't know!† Sister Sandrine said truthfully. â€Å"That secret is guarded by others.† Others who are dead! The man advanced, his white fists gripping the iron stand. â€Å"You are a sister of the Church, and yet you serve them?† â€Å"Jesus had but one true message,† Sister Sandrine said defiantly. â€Å"I cannot see that message in Opus Dei.† A sudden explosion of rage erupted behind the monk's eyes. He lunged, lashing out with the candle stand like a club. As Sister Sandrine fell, her last feeling was an overwhelming sense of foreboding. All four are dead. The precious truth is lost forever. CHAPTER 32 The security alarm on the west end of the Denon Wing sent the pigeons in the nearby Tuileries Gardens scattering as Langdon and Sophie dashed out of the bulkhead into the Paris night. As they ran across the plaza to Sophie's car, Langdon could hear police sirens wailing in the distance. â€Å"That's it there,† Sophie called, pointing to a red snub-nosed two-seater parked on the plaza. She's kidding, right? The vehicle was easily the smallest car Langdon had ever seen.† SmartCar,† she said. â€Å"A hundred kilometers to the liter.† Langdon had barely thrown himself into the passenger seat before Sophie gunned the SmartCar up and over a curb onto a gravel divider. He gripped the dash as the car shot out across a sidewalk and bounced back down over into the small rotary at Carrousel du Louvre. For an instant, Sophie seemed to consider taking the shortcut across the rotary by plowing straight ahead, through the median's perimeter hedge, and bisecting the large circle of grass in the center. â€Å"No!† Langdon shouted, knowing the hedges around Carrousel du Louvre were there to hide the perilous chasm in the center – La Pyramide Inversee – the upside-down pyramid skylight he had seen earlier from inside the museum. It was large enough to swallow their Smart-Car in a single gulp. Fortunately, Sophie decided on the more conventional route, jamming the wheel hard to the right, circling properly until she exited, cut left, and swung into the northbound lane, accelerating toward Rue de Rivoli. The two-tone police sirens blared louder behind them, and Langdon could see the lights now in his side view mirror. The SmartCar engine whined in protest as Sophie urged it faster away from the Louvre. Fifty yards ahead, the traffic light at Rivoli turned red. Sophie cursed under her breath and kept racing toward it. Langdon felt his muscles tighten. â€Å"Sophie?† Slowing only slightly as they reached the intersection, Sophie flicked her headlights and stole a quick glance both ways before flooring the accelerator again and carving a sharp left turn through the empty intersection onto Rivoli. Accelerating west for a quarter of a mile, Sophie banked to the right around a wide rotary. Soon they were shooting out the other side onto the wide avenue of Champs-Elysees. As they straightened out, Langdon turned in his seat, craning his neck to look out the rear window toward the Louvre. The police did not seem to be chasing them. The sea of blue lights was assembling at the museum. His heartbeat finally slowing, Langdon turned back around. â€Å"That was interesting.† Sophie didn't seem to hear. Her eyes remained fixed ahead down the long thoroughfare of Champs-Elysees, the two-mile stretch of posh storefronts that was often called the Fifth Avenue of Paris. The embassy was only about a mile away, and Langdon settled into his seat. So dark the con of man.Sophie's quick thinking had been impressive. Madonna of the Rocks. Sophie had said her grandfather left her something behind the painting. A final message? Langdon could not help but marvel over Sauniere's brilliant hiding place; Madonna of the Rocks was yet another fitting link in the evening's chain of interconnected symbolism. Sauniere, it seemed, at every turn, was reinforcing his fondness for the dark and mischievous side of Leonardo Da Vinci. Da Vinci's original commission for Madonna of the Rocks had come from an organization known as the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception, which needed a painting for the centerpiece of an altar triptych in their church of San Francesco in Milan. The nuns gave Leonardo specific dimensions, and the desired theme for the painting – the Virgin Mary, baby John the Baptist, Uriel, and Baby Jesus sheltering in a cave. Although Da Vinci did as they requested, when he delivered the work, the group reacted with horror. He had filled the painting with explosive and disturbing details. The painting showed a blue-robed Virgin Mary sitting with her arm around an infant child, presumably Baby Jesus. Opposite Mary sat Uriel, also with an infant, presumably baby John the Baptist. Oddly, though, rather than the usual Jesus-blessing-John scenario, it was baby John who was blessing Jesus†¦ and Jesus was submitting to his authority! More troubling still, Mary was holding one hand high above the head of infant John and making a decidedly threatening gesture – her fingers looking like eagle's talons, gripping an invisible head. Finally, the most obvious and frightening image: Just below Mary's curled fingers, Uriel was making a cutting gesture with his hand – as if slicing the neck of the invisible head gripped by Mary's claw-like hand. Langdon's students were always amused to learn that Da Vinci eventually mollified the confraternity by painting them a second,† watered-down† version of Madonna of the Rocks in which everyone was arranged in a more orthodox manner. The second version now hung in London's National Gallery under the name Virgin of the Rocks, although Langdon still preferred the Louvre's more intriguing original. As Sophie gunned the car up Champs-Elysees, Langdon said,† The painting. What was behind it?† Her eyes remained on the road. â€Å"I'll show you once we're safely inside the embassy.† â€Å"You'll show it to me?† Langdon was surprised. â€Å"He left you a physical object?† Sophie gave a curt nod. â€Å"Embossed with a fleur-de-lis and the initials P. S.† Langdon couldn't believe his ears. We're going to make it, Sophie thought as she swung the SmartCar's wheel to the right, cutting sharply past the luxurious Hà ´tel de Crillon into Paris's tree-lined diplomatic neighborhood. The embassy was less than a mile away now. She was finally feeling like she could breathe normally again. Even as she drove, Sophie's mind remained locked on the key in her pocket, her memories of seeing it many years ago, the gold head shaped as an equal-armed cross, the triangular shaft, the indentations, the embossed flowery seal, and the letters P. S. Although the key barely had entered Sophie's thoughts through the years, her work in the intelligence community had taught her plenty about security, and now the key's peculiar tooling no longer looked so mystifying. A laser-tooled varying matrix.Impossible to duplicate.Rather than teeth that moved tumblers, this key's complex series of laser-burned pockmarks was examined by an electric eye. If the eye determined that the hexagonal pockmarks were correctly spaced, arranged, and rotated, then the lock would open. Sophie could not begin to imagine what a key like this opened, but she sensed Robert would be able to tell her. After all, he had described the key's embossed seal without ever seeing it. The cruciform on top implied the key belonged to some kind of Christian organization, and yet Sophie knew of no churches that used laser-tooled varying matrix keys. Besides, my grandfather was no Christian†¦ . Sophie had witnessed proof of that ten years ago. Ironically, it had been another key – a far more normal one – that had revealed his true nature to her. The afternoon had been warm when she landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport and hailed a taxi home. Grand-pere will be so surprised to see me, she thought. Returning from graduate school in Britain for spring break a few days early, Sophie couldn't wait to see him and tell him all about the encryption methods she was studying. When she arrived at their Paris home, however, her grandfather was not there. Disappointed, she knew he had not been expecting her and was probably working at the Louvre. But it's Saturday afternoon, she realized. He seldom worked on weekends. On weekends, he usually – Grinning, Sophie ran out to the garage. Sure enough, his car was gone. It was the weekend. Jacques Sauniere despised city driving and owned a car for one destination only – his vacation chateau in Normandy, north of Paris. Sophie, after months in the congestion of London, was eager for the smells of nature and to start her vacation right away. It was still early evening, and she decided to leave immediately and surprise him. Borrowing a friend's car, Sophie drove north, winding into the deserted moon-swept hills near Creully. She arrived just after ten o'clock, turning down the long private driveway toward her grandfather's retreat. The access road was over a mile long, and she was halfway down it before she could start to see the house through the trees – a mammoth, old stone chateau nestled in the woods on the side of a hill. Sophie had half expected to find her grandfather asleep at this hour and was excited to see the house twinkling with lights. Her delight turned to surprise, however, when she arrived to find the driveway filled with parked cars – Mercedeses, BMWs, Audis, and a Rolls-Royce. Sophie stared a moment and then burst out laughing. My grand-pere, the famous recluse! Jacques Sauniere, it seemed, was far less reclusive than he liked to pretend. Clearly he was hosting a party while Sophie was away at school, and from the looks of the automobiles, some of Paris's most influential people were in attendance. Eager to surprise him, she hurried to the front door. When she got there, though, she found it locked. She knocked. Nobody answered. Puzzled, she walked around and tried the back door. It too was locked. No answer. Confused, she stood a moment and listened. The only sound she heard was the cool Normandy air letting out a low moan as it swirled through the valley. No music. No voices. Nothing. In the silence of the woods, Sophie hurried to the side of the house and clambered up on a woodpile, pressing her face to the living room window. What she saw inside made no sense at all. â€Å"Nobody's here!† The entire first floor looked deserted. Where are all the people? Heart racing, Sophie ran to the woodshed and got the spare key her grandfather kept hidden under the kindling box. She ran to the front door and let herself in. As she stepped into the deserted foyer, the control panel for the security system started blinking red – a warning that the entrant had ten seconds to type the proper code before the security alarms went off. He has the alarm on during a party? Sophie quickly typed the code and deactivated the system. Entering, she found the entire house uninhabited. Upstairs too. As she descended again to the deserted living room, she stood a moment in the silence, wondering what could possibly be happening. It was then that Sophie heard it. Muffled voices. And they seemed to be coming from underneath her. Sophie could not imagine. Crouching, she put her ear to the floor and listened. Yes, the sound was definitely coming from below. The voices seemed to be singing, or†¦ chanting? She was frightened. Almost more eerie than the sound itself was the realization that this house did not even have a basement. At least none I've ever seen. Turning now and scanning the living room, Sophie's eyes fell to the only object in the entire house that seemed out of place – her grandfather's favorite antique, a sprawling Aubusson tapestry. It usually hung on the east wall beside the fireplace, but tonight it had been pulled aside on its brass rod, exposing the wall behind it. Walking toward the bare wooden wall, Sophie sensed the chanting getting louder. Hesitant, she leaned her ear against the wood. The voices were clearer now. People were definitely chanting†¦ intoning words Sophie could not discern. The space behind this wall is hollow! Feeling around the edge of the panels, Sophie found a recessed finger hold. It was discreetly crafted. A sliding door.Heart pounding, she placed her finger in the slot and pulled it. With noiseless precision, the heavy wall slid sideways. From out of the darkness beyond, the voices echoed up. Sophie slipped through the door and found herself on a rough-hewn stone staircase that spiraled downward. She'd been coming to this house since she was a child and yet had no idea this staircase even existed! As she descended, the air grew cooler. The voices clearer. She heard men and women now. Her line of sight was limited by the spiral of the staircase, but the last step was now rounding into view. Beyond it, she could see a small patch of the basement floor – stone, illuminated by the flickering orange blaze of firelight. Holding her breath, Sophie inched down another few steps and crouched down to look. It took her several seconds to process what she was seeing. The room was a grotto – a coarse chamber that appeared to have been hollowed from the granite of the hillside. The only light came from torches on the walls. In the glow of the flames, thirty or so people stood in a circle in the center of the room. I'm dreaming, Sophie told herself. A dream. What else could this be? Everyone in the room was wearing a mask. The women were dressed in white gossamer gowns and golden shoes. Their masks were white, and in their hands they carried golden orbs. The men wore long black tunics, and their masks were black. They looked like pieces in a giant chess set. Everyone in the circle rocked back and forth and chanted in reverence to something on the floor before them†¦ something Sophie could not see. The chanting grew steady again. Accelerating. Thundering now. Faster. The participants took a step inward and knelt. In that instant, Sophie could finally see what they all were witnessing. Even as she staggered back in horror, she felt the image searing itself into her memory forever. Overtaken by nausea, Sophie spun, clutching at the stone walls as she clambered back up the stairs. Pulling the door closed, she fled the deserted house, and drove in a tearful stupor back to Paris. That night, with her life shattered by disillusionment and betrayal, she packed her belongings and left her home. On the dining room table, she left a note. I WAS THERE. DON'T TRY TO FIND ME. Beside the note, she laid the old spare key from the chateau's woodshed. â€Å"Sophie! Langdon's voice intruded. â€Å"Stop! Stop!† Emerging from the memory, Sophie slammed on the brakes, skidding to a halt. â€Å"What? What happened?!† Langdon pointed down the long street before them. When she saw it, Sophie's blood went cold. A hundred yards ahead, the intersection was blocked by a couple of DCPJ police cars, parked askew, their purpose obvious. They've sealed off AvenueGabriel! Langdon gave a grim sigh. â€Å"I take it the embassy is off-limits this evening?† Down the street, the two DCPJ officers who stood beside their cars were now staring in their direction, apparently curious about the headlights that had halted so abruptly up the street from them. Okay, Sophie, turn around very slowly. Putting the SmartCar in reverse, she performed a composed three-point turn and reversed her direction. As she drove away, she heard the sound of squealing tires behind them. Sirens blared to life. Cursing, Sophie slammed down the accelerator.

Articles of Confederation Essay

America’s first form of government was under the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation was written after the Revolutionary War, compiled of ideas by the Continental Congress. Under the Articles of Confederation its powers included conducting foreign relations, settling disputes between states, controlling maritime affairs, regulating Indian trade, and valuing state and national coinage. It purposely did not give the national government all the power in fear of tyranny like in Britain. In the end, the Articles of Confederation proved to be both inadequate in economic conditions and foreign relations. Under the Articles of Confederation the national government was not allowed to raise revenue to finance the war and other essential needs that a country need money for. The state governments had control of taxing the American people but many were unwilling to do so. So to try and finance the war the government and the states started to print currency. Although the currency was just paper and not backed by anything it was given out freely without excessive downgrading during 1775 to 1776. As 1776 went on the demand for both military supplies and civilian goods began to increase as the war progressed. America also encouraged trade and local production between the states. As the end of 1776 was approaching, the armies suffered reverses in both New York and New Jersey causing the prices to rise and inflation to finally set in. The state governments tried to fight inflation by taking control of wages and prices, and accepting paper money equal to hard money. They would also borrow funds, establish lotteries and even levy taxes to try and stop inflation. Their efforts were useless, though Congress attempted to stop printing currency altogether, they relied solely on money contributed by the states. By 1780, currency was worthless. Congressmen started to take action by establishing a department of finance with help from Robert Morris, a wealthy Philadelphia merchant. The government then asked the states to amend the Articles of Confederation and allow the Congress to levy duty of 5% on imported goods. Robert Morris had put national finances on stable balance, but the customs that Congress asked for were never adopted. The states’ had resisted in fear that the central government would become too powerful. As the war was ending Congress had to face major diplomatic problems. In the Articles of Confederation Article 4 had promised repayment of prewar debts, most of which were owed to by Americans to British merchants. In Article 5 it stated that states should allow loyalists to recover their confiscated property, which aroused considerable opposition. The state governments passed lass that denied the British subjects the right to sue for the recovery of property or debts in American courts. Since Congress had no power under the Articles of Confederation to overturn the decision, many loyalists were unable to get back what had rightfully been theirs to begin with. With this decision it gave the British an excuse to main their military posts on the Great Lakes long after when troops were supposed to have withdrawn. This had showed Congress weakness in the area of trade because the Articles of Confederation denied power to establish a national commercial policy. Right after the war had ended, Britain, France and Spain limited American trade with the colonies. The Americans were outraged but were unable to do anything about it. They thought that after the war, their independence would bring about trade with all nations. Members of the Congress, watched as British manufactured goods started to flood the states, while American produce could no longer be sold in British West Indies, once its prime market of trade. In the areas of finance, overseas trade and foreign affairs the Articles of Confederation were obviously inadequate. Congress was not allowed to levy taxes, nor was it able to impose its will on the states to establish a commercial policy. The Articles of Confederation, led the economy into a depression. The Continental Congress gave little power under the Articles of Confederation to the central government in fear of tyranny. In the end it only proved that too little power is not sufficient in controlling both economic conditions and foreign relations.

Preliminary Reference Procedure in Ensuring Uniformity and Consistent Essay

Preliminary Reference Procedure in Ensuring Uniformity and Consistent Development of European Union Law - Essay Example This paper stresses that the European Union preliminary ruling procedure places substantial vested interest in the national courts; it is the national courts, after-all, who are the first guarantors of Union law. One notes that the all-consuming nature of this ruling is parallel to the United States Supreme Court interpretive mechanism of law, wherein this judicial body represents the ultimate view on the subject matter. Indeed, the very name preliminary ruling procedure is slightly misleading as it seemingly indicates the origination of the interpretive process when in reality it is the endpoint of law. this essay has contained a discussion of the procedural nature of the ECJ's interaction. However, it should not be forgotten that the preliminary reference procedure is instrumental in allowing the ECJ to lay down new substantive legal principles. One need look no further for an example than the case of Van Gend. This was the first case in which the doctrine of direct effect was articulated. Today it has come to represent a seminal ruling in terms of preliminary procedure for its exploration of the limits and potential expansive nature of the process itself. At the time only Treaties were held to be directly effective, subsequently however, the principle has expanded and can now, stated generally, include virtually any form of EU legislation, so long as these are unequivocally articulated, not dependent on outside understanding, and grant a unique right to the claimant. Van Gend, as described above was a case brought to the ECJ under the preliminary reference procedure on a question of the interpretation of Article 30 TFEU. ... icle 110 TFEU occasioned the ECJs shift to primacy over national courts 5 Article 30 TFEU and the Preliminary Reference Procedure – the development of EU precedent 7 Preliminary Reference Procedure and the substantive development of the law 9 Conclusion 9 Bibliography 10 Introduction European Union preliminary reference procedure functions as the predominant interpretive mechanism in Union Law. Indeed, the preliminary reference procedure has been referred to as the ‘jewel in the Crown of the ECJ’s jurisdiction’ for this central position to the development of Union law (Barnard 2010, p109). It is a procedure that provides a vital contact point between the jurisdiction of the ECJ and the national courts, allowing legal issues relating legal issues that are correlated with the interpretation of Treaties to be mitigated throughout the European Union (Blackstone 2011). This preliminary ruling procedure is a unique element of the European Union legal structure. W hile interpretive and appellate processes are regularly aspects of most Western legal system, the European Union preliminary ruling procedure places substantial vested interest in the national courts; it is the national courts, after-all, who are the first guarantors of Union law. One notes that the all-consuming nature of this ruling is parallel to the United States Supreme Court interpretive mechanism of law, wherein this judicial body represents the ultimate view on the subject matter. Indeed, the very name preliminary ruling procedure is slightly misleading as it seemingly indicates the origination of the interpretive process when in reality it is the endpoint of law. This process emerged with the formulation of the European Union judicial system and is specifically described in the Treaty on the

Essay about Hip-Hop Beyond beats and Rhymes directed by Byron Hurt

About Hip-Hop Beyond beats and Rhymes directed by Byron Hurt (movie) - Essay Example Men with their bling-bling paraphernalia, for instance, threw money promiscuously in front of the camera while women in scanty dress dance erotically in the background. These images imply four things: (1) Amassing a great amount of money is men’s ultimate goal. The privilege of wealth and comfort seems to belong only to men. (2) Men’s and women’s roles, as it appears, are codified through paper money. While men search for money, on the other hand, women passively wait for men to come for their rescue. (3) The role of women is placed underneath or behind men’s. As a background, a woman only becomes a woman if she puts her place in the arms of a man. (4) Women are tagged with price on their body. Here, women are transformed into objects. In contrast to men, women seem to have no power and will. Activist Hurt realized the sharp conflict between his ideals and the ideas propagated by hip-hop culture. He believes that life’s goal is men’s and women’s equality in the access of comfort and resources. Money is just a human invention. Like money, role-giving belongs to humans, both men and women. Hurt confessed that the more he deciphered about the reproduction of sexism and masculinity in the hip-hop songs, â€Å"the more those lyrics became unacceptable to

Family and Child Clinic Feasibility Study Term Paper

Family and Child Clinic Feasibility Study - Term Paper Example The incorporation will help the clinic avoid loads of costly asset purchases and other time-consuming needs such as assignment of leases. Budgets for marketing might be trimmed as the larger hospital will undertake the marketing costs. Knowledge and Expertise Incorporation will help the new clinic make use of highly trained and skilled health professionals from the larger hospital. Development departments not available in the clinic such as Researchers and scientists will work together with staff from the clinic to generate great innovative services. Combined skills of the marketing staff will generate more sales and the net result is increased profitability and shareholder value. Market Penetration Incorporation will facilitate first market penetration as it is established, associated with more customers. I will have to incorporate the clinic with a hospital that has demonstrated successfully in separate markets such as pharmaceutical company in the State (Finkelstein & Cooper 2010). Disadvantages The only disadvantage I will have is that the incorporation/merger has to be approved by votes of the stockholders of each firm. Two-thirds of the share votes will be required for the approval. Although I have experience and a good reputation of successfully leading mergers and acquisitions of hospitals, the process of obtaining the required votes has always proved to be time-consuming and difficult. The cooperation of the stakeholders is not easily obtainable. The process of incorporation involves gathering votes from the stakeholders and the board members to determine those in support of the merger. If enough votes are gathered in support of the merges, then the transaction will be effected and the dissenting shareholders will be obliged to go along with the process of incorporation (Finkelstein & Cooper 2010). Feasibility Study Family and Child will start as a non profit organization of an already established nonprofit hospital. This sort of arrangement is referred as fiscal spons orship. Feasibility will help to determine whether time is convenient to launch the project. Public support is also a common characteristic for all non profits. Feasibility study will therefore determine whether the initiative has public support that is feasible. The key questions to be answered by the feasibility study include; Will the clinic intended merges support the initiative and the incorporation process? Is the wider community beneficiary of the initiative support the initiative to level that will make the initiative feasible? Time will then be spent to determine that the initiative will be sustainable (Judith, 2009). The feasibility will involve testing depth of the supporter’s commitment to the program. The propose clinic will be described to a reasonable list of p[potential supporters and careful analysis of their replies will make a sober assessment. A consultant who will interview staff from the clinic will do this. Board members, community leaders, top and pros pective donors will be interviewed. The consultant selected will be someone from the outside that not having any biased agenda but simply undertaking the fact-finding mission. People are more likely to tell a stranger both the affirmative and unenthusiastic aspects of the organization. They will be comfortable to genuinely express their feelings with a stranger rather than share them with the executive director or board member (Finkelstein & Cooper 2010). This term contract is made between the Family and Child clinic and; Personal Information 1. Name: 2. Date of Birth(mm/dd/yy): 3.

Political Science Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Political Science - Assignment Example The Congress used the commerce power in the U.S constitution to enact the provision that the Supreme Court subsequently upheld (Schwinn, 2015). The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the provision. Indeed, the Supreme Court noted that the provision could apply in small local hotels since they bought most of their raw materials from other states thus amounting to interstate commerce that falls under the regulation of the commerce clause (Cornell University Law School, 2015). The provision is an effective business measure that eliminated the eminent negative image on interstate commerce since it criminalized the behavior of denying the minority groups access to accommodation and catering services. Ideally, racial discrimination has substantial effect on interstate commerce and hence the provision seeks to regulate this effect (Cornell University Law School, 2015). The provision has control over non-state businesses unlike the Fourteenth Amendment that only applied to state actors. The Fourteenth Amendment only illegalized state-sponsored dis ­crimination but did not address private discrimination. The provision developed a private right of action that allowed the federal government to charge non-state actors with Equal Protection violations (Schwinn, 2015). Apparently, most businesses serve interstate travellers and hence the significance of the provision. As such, I agree with the provision in the 1964 Civil Rights Act that illegalizes racial discrimi nation in businesses that provide accommodations to interstate travelers. Schwinn, S. (2015). Civil Rights Act of 1964: Enduring and Revolutionary. Retrieved from

Common Scientific MythConceptions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Common Scientific MythConceptions - Essay Example The gravitational forces attract the said particles with lower gravitational forces than that of the black hole. Black holes are compressed objects more dense than the particles that come into contact with it that gives them a stronger gravitational pull. Black holes create deep wells in space such that it causes distortions and curves that trap elements with no enough energy to climb back out including light. The name originated from its nature and ability to trap light rays (Orwig, n.p). A black hole only accretes material with little angular momentum. The accretion disks around the black holes make the matter close to them and with low gravitational spiral pull. The spiral effect makes the atmosphere very hot and can slow the progress or alter the cooling effect of the stars (Cornell.edu, n.p). The stronger gravitational pull attracts lesser dense particles to its surface subsequently increasing its radius and reduces the black hole’s gravitational pull (Spekkens, n.p). Cornell.edu. "Is There Any Limitation to What a Black Hole Can "suck" In? (Intermediate)† Ask an Astronomer. Astronomy Department at Cornell University, 2015. Web. 18 June 2015. . Hamilton, Kristy. "52 Of the Most Common Myths and Misconceptions Debunked in One Infographic." IFLScience. IFL Science, 10 Nov. 2014. Web. 18 June 2015. . Orwig, Jessica. "10 Mind-Blowing Facts about Black Holes." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc., 19 Oct. 2014. Web. 18 June 2015. . Spekkens, Kristine. "Why Doesnt Dark Matter Fall into a Black Hole? (Advanced)." Ask an Astronomer. Astronomy Department at Cornell University, 2015. Web. 18 June 2015.

Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Religion - Essay Example Whereas the cycle of life in Buddhism is continuous, the cycle of life in Sikhism continues until one can attain a oneness with God; at which point being freed from the constraints of birth, life, and death. Conversely, Hinduism and Jainism also represent a very old and a relatively newer religion. Whereas many scholars argue that Hinduism may be the oldest extant religion on planet earth, Jainism only came into being around the year 600 BCE. Hinduism on the other hand can definitively be traced back as far as 1700 BCE. Hinduism retains no specific founder and instead rests its claim to truth based upon the universal acceptance that it seeks to inspire. Alternatively, Jainism seeks to integrate three main principles into the life of its adherents: non-violence, non possession, and non-absolutism. Both religions have an array of gods and seeking to understand their respective pantheon requires a great deal of

Accountancy is not a profession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Accountancy is not a profession - Essay Example In the period between 1933 and 1934, there occurred tremendous growth in the financial markets and their structure and level of organization improved considerably. That growth can be attributed to the audited financial data’s reliability to a considerable extent (Antle and Suner, 2007). However, over the last decade, a wave of scandals has shaken the structure of accountancy as a profession. The debate surrounding the professional status of accountancy can be traced back to the early 20th century. The supreme court of one of the states in the early 20th century referred to accountancy as a â€Å"business† that did not benefited the public like the â€Å"profession of law†, and further said that the laws of accountancy â€Å"have been passed in the interest of those engaged in the business and for their protection and advantage rather than in the interest of the public welfare† (Turnburee, 1946, p. 47). Profession has been defined as â€Å"a calling, occup ation, or vocation distinguished from a trade or handicraft† (Webster cited in Turnburee, 1946, p. 47). On the other hand, accountancy has been defined as â€Å"the art as well as the science of recording, classifying, summarizing of business transactions in terms of money within an accounting or financial year, with the help of principles and techniques† (Banerjee, 2010, p. 4). ... Formation of such organizations has increased the demand of clarification of the rules. When the accountants get any pressure from the management or are sued, they tend to approach the rule-making organizations and express their concern over lack of clarification of rules in particular cases. Rules are always secondary to professional judgment. â€Å"In the big picture, this shift in emphasis from judgment to rules has damaged their professionalism. No profession can rely on rules as the main basis for its work† (Sunder cited in Antle and Sunder, 2007). The professional status of accountancy has also been challenged by many accountants. For example, the accountant David Logan at the IRIS World Event arranged at Twickenham warned the fellows that accountancy is increasingly becoming a trade rather than a profession; â€Å"I used to have seven audits, but I could do 95% of my business without being registered. We’re competing with anybody who can set up as a bookkeeper. If someone is made redundant and sets up on their own, you can’t compete with that† (Logan cited in Stokdyk, 2012). The recent changes made to the audit exemption criteria have made things even worse as the firms have started to do the works of accountancy without an accountant. These days, many large companies do such works as filing the accounts and bookkeeping without the help of accountants and still no objections are raised by the government (Stokdyk, 2012). Although the government provides business with the relaxation of red tape, yet the accountants are facing restrictions from various avenues for making income. Another accountant Paul Scholes encouraged

Consumer decision-making models Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Consumer decision-making models - Assignment Example However, in case of holiday decision making, the process is not that logical and uniform. The need for a holiday is a luxury for most people and hence their decisions are very flexible. The decision to go on a holiday is dependent as much on external factors as the aspiration of the customer. Many times, the decisions are made due to other co-customers. Also the actual purchase decisions are often made very late in the process in order to avoid risks and regrets. While in traditional models, the customers search for a product before buying it, in case of holiday decision making the search may actually continue during or even after the experience. The decisions regarding holidays are more emotional than rational and are often dependent upon right opportunity and adaptability. Most of the holiday customers tend to fall in the ‘Affective’ quadrant of the FCB grid (Erasmus et. al. 2001). 2. The information search process for a household appliance is quite different from that of a holiday planning. In case of a household appliance, the customers recognize or feel the need of the appliance due to an unmet need say not able to have fruit juices because juicer is not available at home. However, in case of holiday planning, a holiday may simply be planned because a friend or a relative is going.

A Beautiful Mind Essay Example for Free

A Beautiful Mind Essay You have to wonder what goes through the mind of a person with schizophrenia. I have often wondered if the people who have this disorder have had experiences similar to those of John Nash, portrayed by Russell Crowe, the Oscar nominated best actor in a leading role. The movie was A Beautiful Mind. This 2001 film received four Oscars in 2002 for Best supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Writing Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published. I think all too often people are given medication and other intrusive forms of treatment for mental illness when cognitive therapy with motivating factors can help to overcome the crippling illness. This is the drama represented in this film. This film depicts mathematician John Nash and his lifelong struggles with his mental health. Enrolling at Princeton in 1947 as a graduate student, Nash almost immediately stood out as an odd duck (Honeycutt). He devoted himself to finding something unique, a mathematical theorem that would be completely original. He kept to himself for the most part and while he went out for drinks with other students, he spends a lot of time with his roommate, Charles, who eventually becomes his best friend. Five years later John is a professor at MIT where he meets and eventually marries a graduate student, Alicia. The problem that John Nash writes on the blackboard in his lecture is a real one (unlike in other movies, where math on boards is usually either too simple or fake). See more:  Masters of Satire: John Dryden and Jonathan Swift Essay There is an important theorem in mathematical physics that directly says the answer to this is 1. Later, when he discusses the problem with Alicia Nash, he makes additional restrictions for the solution, without which the problem is much harder, so he is pretty confident she didnt solve it. Over time however John begins to lose his grip on reality, he secretly goes to work for the Pentagon and an elusive spy, breaking hidden messages from the coded newspapers sent by Soviets to operatives in the United States, warning of Armageddon (David). As the depths of his imaginary world are revealed, we find out that Charles, along with his niece, is a figment of his imagination; Nash withdraws from society and eventually is institutionalized and diagnosed with schizophrenia. Years of partially successful psychiatric treatment combined with medication follow, and although there was some success with this form of treatment, Nash realizes his thinking is a fog and his marriage is falling apart and to op it off he does not feel like he is a husband. With tremendous effort and much practice he learns to ignore the delusions of his mind and focus on reality, Alicia stands by him and continues to support Nash in his daily struggle. Its not until the 1970’s that John makes his long journey back into the world of academics, gradually returning to research and teaching. In 1994, John Nash was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics (David). Paraphrasing Nash’s acceptance speech, in the movie Russell Crowe sums up his career by saying â€Å"And I have made the most important discovery of my career, the most important discovery of my life: It is only in the mysterious equations of love that any logic or reasons can be found (Crowe). † In conclusion I would like to state that by being compassionate and loving towards a person with mental illness it is possible to help them to cope with life without drugging them. Thank you. Are there any questions?

Computer System Architecture of Buses

Computer System Architecture of Buses Abstract This report focuses on the computer system architecture of buses. The research is based on the buses which used by AMD K computer system. Those are includes bus characteristics, bus arbitration and bus topology. In bus characteristics, we had cover the bus width and bus speed, types of buses and bus lines, and also advantages and disadvantages of a bus to a network. In bus arbitration, there was include purpose of arbitration, how does the arbitration protocol work and multiplexing. Other else was the bus topology. In the end of the report, there was a summarize results which include why a bus hierarchy is required, how a bus hierarchy works and additional hardware circuitry required. Introduction This assignment is mainly explaining a fundamental architectural feature present in all computer system, buses. Buses have historically provided a flexible communications structure in computer systems. Furthermore, buses in computing are a digital communication mechanism that allows two or more functional units to transfer control signals or data. Most buses are designed for use inside a single computer system; some are used within a single integrated circuit. Many bus designs exist because a bus can be optimized for a specific purpose. For example, a memory bus is intended to interconnect a processor with a memory system and an I/O bus is intended to interconnect a processor with set of I/O devices. Furthermore, buses can be divided into two major groups based on their control. Those two groups are local buses and system buses. Various bus designs have been used in the PC, including ISA, EISA, Micro Channel, VL-bus and PCI. Other peripheral busses are NuBus, TURBOchannel, VMEbus, MULTIBUS and STD bus. Bus Width A bus is characterized by the amount of information that can be transmitted at once. It is call bus width. The amount expressed in bits, corresponds to the number of physical lines over which data is sent simultaneously. The term width is used to refer to the number of bits that a bus can transmit at once. Typical widths are 8, 16, 32, or 64 bits at a time. In other words, the bus width means the size of the entity that the bus sends data in one cycle. For example 32 bits, this means that the bus has 32 wires that are used for the transmission. (This may also be different, depending on the transmission protocol). Bus Speed Bus speed means how many bits or bytes (1 byte = 8 bits) is the bus able to send in a unit of time (typically second). For example for a computer network it could be 100 Mbs means 100 Megabits (12, 5 Megabytes) in a second. The bus speed is also defined by its frequency. It expressed in Hertz. Frequency means the number of data packets sent or received per second. Each time that data is sent or received is called a cycle. Besides, the bus speeds also commonly known as front side bus (FSB). It is shows how fast the components can communicate with each other. Faster bus speed means faster computer. You can easily see how a faster FSB helps your computer get more information from one place to the other. For example, if two computers are exactly the same in all ways except one has an FSB speed of 500 MHz and the other has an FSB of 1066 MHz, twice as much data will get through on the second computer compared to the first. This means your computer will get more work done in the same amount of time faster spreadsheet calculations, faster decoding of that movie, or smoother video games. To increase the bus speed you can either increase the bus width or the frequency of the transmission on the bus. The Different Types of Buses Local Buses A local bus is the simplest buses consist of set of wires. Within the central processing unit (CPU), local buses can generally be divided in three types. They are address buses, data buses or control buses. Address buses tend to be specialized in purpose and are usually unidirectional. It carries an address from the CPU to memory or I/O devices. Data buses tend to be more general in purpose and are bidirectional. It carries data between the CPU and memory or I/O devices. Control buses carry signals from the control unit to other components of the computer and back to control unit. System Buses Unlike local buses, system buses are independent functional components of many computers. Each system bus has its own control circuit, called a bus controller, and within each bus controller is an arbiter, which process requests to use the bus. The bus controller may be distributed among the devices that use the bus. Systems buses generally connect system components together, such as the CPU,I/O system and often the main-memory system, and designers often optimize system buses for transferring data between I/O devices and main-memory. A key distinction between system buses and local buses is that system buses tend to have well-documented and stable definitions, so that designers can attach a wide variety of devices to them. Local buses are processor-specific and not widely documented. They tend to be proprietary. Example of system buses are DEC UNIBUS and the Apple NuBus. Bus Lines The wires that comprise a bus are called lines. Four main categories of bus lines : Data lines Carry data from one place to another. Address lines Specify the recipient of data on the bus. Control lines Provide control for the synchronization and operation of the bus and the modules to which it is connected. Power lines Provide power to various components connected to the bus. Advantages / Disadvantages of a Bus to a Network Data bus networks have quite a few advantages compare the other network topologies such as point-to-point links in these applications. Generally, a data bus can make possible the interconnection of a set of terminals when the number of terminals is so large that interconnection through individual point-to-point links becomes unusable. Furthermore, a data bus topology can provide large configurationally flexibility. Terminals can be added to the network or moved to different locations without major revisions in the cabling layout. Both of these advantages are of particular importance in applications in which cable installation is the dominant system cost, for example in shipboard applications. Purpose of arbitration In a computer system, all the devices communicate with the other device are connected to the main board over a same bus. If two or more I/O (input and output) devices try to use the bus at the same time to access the main board, there will be a conflict arise. Therefore, bus arbitration is created is to resolve the problem. Bus arbiter is a circuit to coordinate the activities of devices request for memory transfer using the bus. The process that runs by bus arbiter is name as Bus Arbitration. It is to prevent two or more I/O devices initiating transfers at the same time. The bus arbitration mechanism is designed to allow high priority devices such as the processor and RAM get first access to the bus, while the other devices (disks, video cards, sound cards etc.) get lower priority, and often have to wait to access the bus. The prioritization is according numbered interrupts to priority systems. The lower the numbered interrupts will has the higher priority. On many systems, the CPU has interrupt 0. Therefore, CPU always goes first on the bus. Meanwhile, there are time slices provided over the bus. How does the arbitration protocol work The device that uses to allow for initiating data transfers on the bus is called as bus master. Therefore, only one bus master can exist at a time. When the bus master relinquished its control, the other device also can act as bus master. However, the process of transferring the bus mastership from one device to another device has to coordinate carefully to take account of the needs of various devices. As stated earlier, the bus arbitration has been design to use by high priority device. Therefore, scheduling function will be performs by bus arbiter. Bus arbiter can be part of the processer or separate unit that connected to bus. The diagram above show a basic arrangement example of processor contains the bus arbiter circuitry. In this case, the processor is act as the bus master. However in some cases, the other DMA (direct memory access) controller can gain the bus mastership. DMA controllers activate the Bus-request line, BR before it gain the bus mastership. The Signal of Bus- request line is transfer using the logical OR concept from the bus-request line to the other I/O devices. When the bus request is activated, the processor will activates the bus Grant signal, BG1, gives permission to the DMA controller use the bus when it become free. The signal is using a daisy-chain arrangement to connect all DMA controllers. Therefore, when DMA controller 1 request for the bus, it will block the propagation of the grant signal to other I/O device automatically. Else, it will assert BG2 to grant downstream. The bus master indicates all I/O devices that it is using the bus by activating another open collector line call as Bus Busy, BBSY. Therefore, a DMA controller need to wait for Bus busy to inactive after the Bus Grant signal send. In the situation, the DMA controller can assumes the bus mastership. Multiplexing Multiplexed bus is a type of bus structure which the number of signal lines represented by the bus is less than the number of bits of data, addresses, and control information being transferred between devices of the computer system. For example, if a multiplexed address bus use 8 signal lines to transmit 16 bits of address information. The information is transferred sequentially where the additional control line is being used for sequencing the transfer. In another example, the system represent a master control unit (MCU) connecting to one or more receiver-transmit unit (RTU) by a data bus. The MCU transmits a message to the RTU for comprising a synchronization pulse of known duration and successive time spaced timing signals separated by time duration T marking the boundaries of data bits to be transmitted from the RTU to the MCU. The RTU is including a clock pulse source which utilizes the synchronization pulse to determine the frequency of the clock pulse source in P pulses per duration T. The value P is used in conjunction with the timing signals to create properly timed data determining signals in the data bits. Point to point topology Point to point (PTP) is directly connects two nodes to together. Following is some example of using PTP to connect 2 nodes together. Two computers communicating via modems. A mainframe terminal communicating with a front end processor. A workstation communicating along a parallel cable to a scanner. In a point-to-point topology, all the devices are connected with a shared switch. The switch is different from the shared topology. Computational components that are connected using a point-to-point topology do not need to use any type of bus arbitration scheme. Instate, the shared switch breaks the continuous stream of data on the bus into data packets that are routed to the individual devices. Using this method, the shared switch able establishes point-to-point connections between the different devices. From an individual devices perspective, a connection has to be a private, direct, continuous connection to another device. The connection may comprise one or more two-way of serial-connections. By increasing the number of lanes of a connection, therefore the bandwidth of the connection can by increase. An example of point-to-point bus topology is the implementation in peripheral component interface expresses (PCI Express). PCI Express is a computer expansion card standard designed t o replace the older PCI, PCI-X, and AGP standards. It was introduced by Intel in 2004, PCIe is the latest standard for expansion cards that is available on mainstream personal computers. Multipoint Multipoint is a bus topologies that carries signals to several destinations. It is also known as multidrop bus (MDB) or broadcast bus. Multipoint bus usually requires addressing signals on the bus to identify the addressed destination. Example : Ethernet. It is also a computer bus in which all components are connected to same set of electrical wires. Summary From this assignment, we had classified out the type of buses which its basically grouped into four parts known as processor bus, cache bus, local I/O bus and standard I/O bus. Each of this is different as processor bus is the highest-level bus that the chipset uses to send information to and from the processor. While, cache bus used to accessing the system cache. At the same time, the local I/O bus is for connecting performance-critical peripherals to the memory, chipset, and processor such as video cards and disk storage devices. Example of local I/O bus is like Peripheral Component Interconnect Bus (PCI). Last would be the standard I/O bus which it used for slower peripherals such as modems while it also for compatibility with older devices. Bus hierarchy is required due to the lower level bus like local and standard I/O buses need to steps by steps sent the data to the upper levels of buses in order to allow users to retrieve or transfer the data from each particular memory to another. Hence, I consider them a hierarchy because each bus is to some extent further removed from the processor; each one connects to the level above it, integrating the various parts of the PC together. Each one is also generally slower than the one above it. As a conclusion, bus is generally designed for multiple devices to share the medium. Furthermore, additional hardware circuitry is needed because of that may have problems when two clients want to transmit at the same time on the same bus. Therefore, hardware like bus arbitration is needed to overcome this conflict. Conclusion As a conclusion, buses are actually helpful as its act as a vital medium in order to transferring data. Basically, buses connect different modules within the CPU and to memory and other I/O peripherals. Meanwhile, buses can also connect two different components at the same time through the usage of point-to-point or multipoint. Buses can carry data, address and control function as it could transmit the instructions of the users into the outputs. Buses are form in the combination of data line, address line, power line and control line. Then, buses and buses communicate through a medium called bridge. Further, we had identified the characteristics of the buses as it categorized into two categories. For bus speed, it covers the area for speed of transmitting data to another medium. While, bus width is the amount of data can be transferring. Besides, type of buses, pros and cons of bus and network and buses arbitration also included within our report. Lastly, we had also stated out the purposes of buses arbitration. Frequently Ask Question (FAQ) What is a bus? How to solve the conflict of different data is being transferring through the same bus but at different devices? What are the functions of buses? How to measure the speed of transferring or retrieving data from buses? How does buses connected to each other? How to increase the buses speed? Which method allows buses to connect 2 devices? References Jospeph.S, 1985, Multiplex bus system for controlling the transmission of data between a master control unit and a plurality of remotely located receiver-transmitter units [online], Available from http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4538262.html [Accessed 30 October 2009] What is a computer bus? [Online], Available World Wide Web : URL http://en.kioskea.net/contents/pc/bus.php3 [Accessed 26 Oct 2009] Shinichi, What is bus speed? [Online], Available World Wide Web : URL http://www.helium.com/items/986164-what-is-bus-speed [Accessed 26 Oct 2009] Multidrop bus [Online], Available World Wide Web : URL http://wikirank.com/en/Multidrop [Accessed 02 Nov 2009] Derwyn.J, 1984, Passive fiber optic data bus configurations [online], Available from http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4457581.html [Accessed 10 November 2009] System bus, online, Available from http://www.inetdaemon.com/tutorials/computers/hardware/mainboards/bus/[Accesed 30 October 2009] DAINTITH.J, 2004, multiplexed bus. A Dictionary of Computing [online], Available from http://www.encyclopedia.com [Accessed 03 November 2009] Hamacher.C, Vranesic.G, Zaky.G, 1996, computer organization In, 4th edition, McGraw-hill international editions, Singapore, 1996, pp186

Types of Communication

Types of Communication Introduction The topic researched is the different types of communication and their importance in the teaching environment. There are four main types of communication: verbal, non-verbal, written and visual. Each of these have there own way of passing on information from one person to another. They each have there own advantages and disadvantages. The report looks at each one in turn and looks at ways poor communication can cause barrier to learning. Verbal communication is a way of expressing yourself wth words and getting the correct message across. It can be spoken words either face-to-face or chatting on the telephone. It is important to set the right tone and pace and use simple words and less Jargon. The choice of words would also need to be considered as there may be learners for whom English would be their second language. In another word use KISS (Keep it Short and Simple). When communicating verbally it is important to use simple language and not to use Jargon. It would be best practise to back up the lessons with Visual aids and handouts for referencing. Introduce point in a logical order to avoid ambiguity and summerise key point regulary. Always give construcive feedback and allow the learners to ask question to confirm their understanding. When using verbal Communication remember to use KISS. Advantages Able to clarify and ask questions straight away Able to be flexible and adaptable according to the audience Able to check if the messages had been understood Build a rapport with learners, use humour. Disadvantages Tone and body language can give the wrong message The instruction can result in misunderstanding and incorrect responses if badly presented. Leaners may have different connotations for different words If no notes are taken then may be difficult to remember Non-Verbal Communication is the use of body language, facial expression, and hand movement to convey the message across. As a teacher, you should be aware of your body language, of your dress, the language used, as each of these are observed by your learners. The other areas that a teacher would need to be aware like making eye contact and addressing each of the learners. Also need to watch their facial expression to see how they are react. The teacher should be aware of his/her posture, gestures and body contact. The teacher would need to be positioned so they are visible to all learners, If the teacher is stood behind a desk, it can cause a divide. By paying attention to these attributes enables the teacher to send clear positive vibes to the learners and for the learners to feel safe and comfortable. Below is a diagram with some nonverbal ways to communicate. Advantages: able to communicate something that you dont want other to hear The conversation can be short and brief Able you to communicate in places where you are supposed to be silence. Disadvantages You cannot have long conversation. Difficult to understand and requires many repetitions. Written communication can be in forms of emails, handouts, presentations slides, manuals, and overhead projectors etc. It is another way of communicating to your learners using visual aids. When creating written documentation, it is best practise to keep the written documentation brief and precise. Making sure that no jargon, slang or abbreviation is being used. The wriiten documkentation must be spellchecked and proofread to see if anything can be misinterrpreted. A lot of colleges and unversities use a central database or Intranets to put their handouts and notes. Regardless of how the information is displayed it still need to be well written and the audience needs to considered. Advantages. Good for instructions and vital information There is a lesser chance for the message to be misunderstood. It is a good reference if you need to come back to it. Disadvantages Not very personal. Learners tend to forget to read them. There is no one to ask immediate. Difficult to engage a tone so can be misinterpreted eg emails. Barriers to Learning, due to poor communication. To avoid barriers to learning when using verbal and non-verbal communication the teachers would need to consider many factors. They would need to have knowledge and understanding of diversity and cultural differences. In some cultures, making direct eye contact can be seen as rude or offensive. They would need to take into consideration the audience i.e. age, disability, religion, learning difficulties. Their own body language would need to open and inviting. Using a simple language vocabulary would suit all levels of literacy learners. Establishing their level of the minimum core would enable the teacher to pitch at the right level for example not asking the class to do research on the computer if they have never used one. Most of the barriers can be overcome by the teacher, if they are receptive to the learners needs. Conclusion Professor Albert Mehrabian has pioneered the understanding of communications since the 1960s. His research provided the basis for the effectiveness of spoken communications. Here is a more precise (and necessarily detailed) representation of Mehrabians findings than is typically cited or applied: 7% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is in the words that are spoken. 38% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said). 55% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is in facial expression. (Mehrabian) As the saying goes, action speaks louder than words. If we are constantly aware of the signals, we send out and if it is done in a positive, approachable, and fair way then there is no reason why a teacher and learner cannot communicate in a successful way References Petty.G (Forth edition) Teaching Today: Communication blocks, p40 to p41 Gravells, A, Simpson, S, (2008) Planning and Enabling Learning: Communication p71-p87 Website addresses: http://www.cehjournal.org/download/ceh_13_35_044.pdf http://communicatebetter.blogspot.com/2009/03/causes-of-miscommunication-in-daily.html http://ukpmc.ac.uk/articlerender.cgi?artid=952211 http://www.uk-student.net/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=120 http://www.businessballs.com/mehrabiancommunications.htm http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/teachtip.htm#communication

Essay examples --

Meeting is an assembly or gathering of the staff in order to discuss and solve problem that arise. In Pejabat Dewan Undangan Negeri dan Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan, the practical trainee involved before and during the meeting. Most of the meeting held at the Meeting Room of Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan between the staff, Speaker, EXCO and YB. Firstly, the practical trainee need to type a notice or memo and paste it at the board of Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan about the meeting that will be held. The notice about the meeting should contains about the date, venue and the matters of the meeting that will be held. Besides that, the practical trainee need to make a copy of the notice or memo to the entire of the staff to ensure they alert about the meeting. For example, the practical trainee need to type a notice about the meeting to discuss about the â€Å"Persidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri 2013† and prepare a file consist of all documents that will be discussed during the meeting. Next, before the meeting, the practical trainee need to make a preparation about the facilities and equipment of meeting sessions like the visual aids and other technological equipments. The practical trainee also should ensure that meals will be served to the guests are sufficient accordingly with the numbers of the members of the meeting. Minutes of meeting is the record of a meeting. The minutes of meeting starting with list of attendance, issues by the participant and decision for the issues. The practical trainee should write down every an information that the members of the board meeting have discuss. It is very important to record the minutes of the meeting for the staff to take action. For example, the practical trainee need to record about the progress of the â€Å"... ...cted Puan Zaitun to type several letter. There are several steps in typing a letter. Firstly,the practical trainee need to open Microsoft Word and type the word â€Å"Sulit† on the left top and right bottom of the document and all the word are standardized with Arial, 12. Some of the examples of the letter that the practical trainee need to type are â€Å"Kertas Kerja Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan† that was held on the 31st July 2013, the cover letter for the â€Å"Kertas Kerja† of the meeting that was held at Alor Setar and Kuala Lumpur, â€Å"Taklimat Pantadbiran Tanah Negeri Kedah Kepada YAB Menteri Besar dan Ahli-Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan† and Kertas-Kertas Kerja Yang Akan Dibentangkan Dalam Mesyuarat EXCO†. All the letter are private and confidential and need to be put in a file room with a password (Refer Appendix, figure 1.3).

Web Radio :: essays research papers fc

Web Radio Instant global radio, or Web radio, is the latest manifestation of the Internet's multimedia successor, the World Wide Web. Improved technology and content are turning Web radio into a mass medium. (Hickman 30) The Web radio concept is mainly underlined by the concept of Webcasting, or broadcasting station content over the Internet. Online users who visit the Web pages of Webcasting stations can find archived and live audio covering news, business, sports, and many different types of music. (Thomas 38) Although the most prominent reason for the increase in Web radio activity is advancement in related technology, there are multiple other reasons. The key has been the development of software that allows a digital recording stored on a computer to be transmitted over the Internet and played instantly and continuously as it is received by the listener's computer. (Your Very Own 516) This technique is known as streaming, and was pioneered by RealNetworks. In the streaming process, the digitized clips are sent over the Internet as a stream of compressed data packets. (O'Malley 64) Free audio-player software that works with Web browsers then decompresses and assembles these packets at the user's computer and automatically plays them back as they are received. Streaming systems typically use a buffering system that stores an extra few seconds worth of data to prevent Internet "hiccups" from disrupting the steady flow of audio – not unlike the shock-protection systems on portable compact disc players. (O'Malley 64) As reported in 1995, listening to broadcasts on your computer is akin to dialing in a tinny transistor radio on the fringes of reception area – even with hotshot multimedia speakers. (Silverthorne A1) Advancements have made it so Web-based audio now offers near-CD quality, even over a modem of average speed. (Hickman 30) The broadcast quality depends largely on the amount of traffic on the Internet. (Your Very Own 516) Sites will have varying degrees of quality, and the only way to ensure pure transmission is a fast connection from a fast site. On September 5, 1995, the first broadcast of a Major League Baseball game was made over the Internet on ESPN's Web site. The next week, ABC Radio Net became the first organization to provide live Internet newscasts, with coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial. (Silverthorne A1) These early firsts by big-name network stations sparked the initial interest in Web radio, and the networks have been the biggest contributors towards the widening spectrum of quality content, as well as setting professional standards for content.

The Characters of Women in The Handmaids Tale and The Bell Jar Essay

Women in The Handmaid's Tale and The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath's renowned autobiographical legend "The Bell Jar" and Margaret Atwood's fictional masterpiece "The handmaid's tale" are the two emotional feminist stories, which basically involve the women's struggle. Narrated with a touching tone and filled with an intense feminist voice, both novels explore the conflict of their respective protagonists in a male dominated society. In spite of several extraordinary similarities in terms of influential characterization and emotive themes, both novels are diverse as far as their respective style, structure and setting is concerned. While Plath's preference of frequent flashback is admirable and absorbing, Atwood's choice of presenting her novel in terms of headed chapters that alternate between her peaceful past and chaotic present is, indeed, fascinating. On the contrary, although Atwood's symbolic style enriched with biblical metaphors is ironical and inspiring, Plath's touching use of meaningful motifs and descriptive imag ery suits its admiration as one of the best autobiographical fiction. "The Bell Jar" penned by Sylvia Plath, is a tragic tale of Esther Greenwood, her depressing experiences of life and social relationship and her eventual mental breakdown resulting with her attempts of committing suicide. On the other hand, Margaret Atwood's award winning novel "The Handmaid's Tale" depicts the haunting experiences of Gilead, where sexual repression and religious extremism was not uncommon. Both novels have female protagonist, who are victims of rape and sexual violence. Marco, a guy on a blind date with Esther, calls her a "slut" and tries to rape her, and Esther's struggle can be reveal... ...w did I know that someday . . . the bell jar, with its stifling distortions, wouldn't descend again?" (The Bell Jar, p.296). Conversely, the title of "The Handmaid's Tale" is straightforward which gives an initiative to the reader that it is a story of a handmaid struggling to survive in the midst of the cruelty. From the literary analysis of the novels it is evident that, both stories have similar themes and both authors used female characters to convey their feelings about feminist issues, especially in terms of loneliness and isolation. However, there are many diversities between these two stories, especially in terms of structure and style. In a nutshell, "The Bell Jar" and "The Handmaid's tale", are indeed, literary gems in the field of feminist literature that would definitely satisfy the literary thirst of their aspiring readers. The Characters of Women in The Handmaid's Tale and The Bell Jar Essay Women in The Handmaid's Tale and The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath's renowned autobiographical legend "The Bell Jar" and Margaret Atwood's fictional masterpiece "The handmaid's tale" are the two emotional feminist stories, which basically involve the women's struggle. Narrated with a touching tone and filled with an intense feminist voice, both novels explore the conflict of their respective protagonists in a male dominated society. In spite of several extraordinary similarities in terms of influential characterization and emotive themes, both novels are diverse as far as their respective style, structure and setting is concerned. While Plath's preference of frequent flashback is admirable and absorbing, Atwood's choice of presenting her novel in terms of headed chapters that alternate between her peaceful past and chaotic present is, indeed, fascinating. On the contrary, although Atwood's symbolic style enriched with biblical metaphors is ironical and inspiring, Plath's touching use of meaningful motifs and descriptive imag ery suits its admiration as one of the best autobiographical fiction. "The Bell Jar" penned by Sylvia Plath, is a tragic tale of Esther Greenwood, her depressing experiences of life and social relationship and her eventual mental breakdown resulting with her attempts of committing suicide. On the other hand, Margaret Atwood's award winning novel "The Handmaid's Tale" depicts the haunting experiences of Gilead, where sexual repression and religious extremism was not uncommon. Both novels have female protagonist, who are victims of rape and sexual violence. Marco, a guy on a blind date with Esther, calls her a "slut" and tries to rape her, and Esther's struggle can be reveal... ...w did I know that someday . . . the bell jar, with its stifling distortions, wouldn't descend again?" (The Bell Jar, p.296). Conversely, the title of "The Handmaid's Tale" is straightforward which gives an initiative to the reader that it is a story of a handmaid struggling to survive in the midst of the cruelty. From the literary analysis of the novels it is evident that, both stories have similar themes and both authors used female characters to convey their feelings about feminist issues, especially in terms of loneliness and isolation. However, there are many diversities between these two stories, especially in terms of structure and style. In a nutshell, "The Bell Jar" and "The Handmaid's tale", are indeed, literary gems in the field of feminist literature that would definitely satisfy the literary thirst of their aspiring readers.

Yawning: Anthropology and Healthy Functional Person

Ryan Casey Anthropology in the News Contagious Yawning Contagious yawning is something you can’t control. Infants after 11 weeks after birth start yawning and study’s say that around the age of four, children start to develop â€Å"contagious yawning†. Doctors use this to see if the child has a disorder such as autism. What the doctors would do is see if the child response to someone else’s yawn. If the child does respond then they would know if the child’s brain is functioning right. This is a good way for doctors of even parents to pick up if there kid has something wrong.The contagious yawning theory would be part of the social and cultural subfield of anthropology. Contagious yawning would represent social anthropology because it shows the way in which the body works and how it response to certain moves and actions that other people makes. Also, it would prove to be in the cultural subfield because it shows a pattern in the human body. Humans ar e not the only species that yawn. Study’s shown that all vertebrates yawn such as snakes and lizards. But only humans, chimpanzees and sometimes dogs had shown that they respond to other people yawning, known as contagious yawning.People have been yawning for as long as humans have been around. This shows that yawing and contagious yawning is in the human culture, and a sign of social bonding. Contagious yawning would be more proven in human biology because it is a reaction of the body when the brain recognize someone else yawn, it sets off a trigger in your brain that makes someone looking at someone yawning also yawn. Anthropology provides vital knowledge and information in this case of contagious yawning.This is shown in the story when they mention how the body develops overtime and when young infants at an early age of four show signs of contagious yawning. Also, it tells us how some primates and all vertebrates also devolve the theory contagious yawning. Contagious yawni ng is a shown is something that a healthy functional person cannot control. It is shown in the social and cultural subfields of anthropology and shows facts to support human culture, human biology and human history. Anthropology provides facts and knowledge about contagious yawning.

Micro Environment

|Chapter | | 1 | Introduction 1. 1 Problem Background There are about three billion people, half of the world’s population, living on the income of less than two dollars a day. Among these poor communities, one child in five does not live to see his or her fifth birthday. One study in 2006 showed that the ratio of the income between the 5% richest and 5% poorest of the population is 74 to 1 as compared to the ratio in 1960, which was 30 to 12.To enhance international development, the United Nations Organization (UNO) announced the millennium development goals,aimed to eradicate poverty by 2015. In this regard, microfinance is the form of financial development that has its primary aim to alleviate the poverty. Governments, donors and NGOs around the world responded enthusiastically with plans and promised to work together towards the realization of these goals.In the recognition of microfinance, the UNO celebrated the year 2005 as a year of micro-credit, as a result this financ ing instrument is perceived worldwide as a very effective mean against hunger and poverty, mainly in developing countries. Microfinance is a credit methodology, which employs effective collateral substitute for short-term and working capital loans to micro-entrepreneurs. The level of a country’s poverty has long been linked with measures of its economic development. Little consideration was given to the social reorganization of the natural resources (e. empowerment vs. alien ation of people, sustainable use vs. depletion of the environment). The economies with positive growth rate of Gross National Product (GNP) were measured by their poverty mitigation. This gratitude emphasized on the achievement of wealth and technology as a path for development and assumed that improved lives for all would be the natural consequence. Microfinance is not a new development. Some developed countries as well as developing countries particularly in Asia hav e a long history of microfinance.Dur ing the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, in number of European countries, microfinance evolved as a type of the informal banking for the poor. Informal finance and self-help have been at the foundation of microfinance in Europe. The early history of microfinance in Ireland can be traced back to 18th century. It is a history of how self-help led to financial innovation, legal backing and conductive regulation, and creating a mass microfinance movement. But the unpleasant regulations prompted by commercial bankin g brought it down.The so-called Irish loan funds appeared in early eighteenth as charities, initially financed from donated resources and offering interest free loans. They were soon replaced by financial intermediation between savers and borrowers. Loans were granted on short–term basis and instalments were scheduled on weekly basis. To enforce the repayment, monitoring process was used. In Latin America and South Asia, the microfinance has grown out of experiment s, but the best-known start was in Bangladesh in 1976, following a widespread famine in 1974 and a hard-fought war of liberation in 1971.Its origin can be traced back to 1976, when Muhammad Yunus set up the Grameen Bank, as an experiment, on the outskirts of Chittagong University campus in the village of Jobra. The inspiration of Grameen Bank came to Muhammad Yunus’ mind when he lent the equivalent of $26 to $42 to exploited women who were working as bamboo furniture maker. He saw that, they were enthusiastic about it and paid back their loans on time.In the beginning, Muhammad Yunus focused the activities of Grameen Bank mainly on savings and small loans, and decided to put the interest rates high enou gh to cover the expenses. Finally yet importantly, he asked borrowers to organize themselves in solidarity groups of five people (who have to meet every week in order to repay their loans and to ex change their opinions). Inspired by the success of his experiment, he decided t o spread out this system to other villages in Bangladesh. In 1983, this institution became a bank.Today it operates in almost 36000 villages and serves more than 3500000 people. On 13th October 2006, the Nobel Peace Prize went to Muhammad Yunus and Gramen Bank, the microfinance institution he founded 30 years ago. Muhammad Yunus has shown himself to be a leader who has managed to translate visions into practical action for the benefit of millions of people, not only in Bangladesh, but also in many other countries. Loans to poor people without any financial security had appeared to be an impossible idea. 2 Eventually we are in a situation, in which Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank, tells us the goal spread of micro-credit and finance, which give us the hope, may be our great-grandchildren will go to museums to see what poverty was like. This report is about microfinance and its contribution to the improvement and poverty alleviation for millions of the poorest people of Ba ngladesh. Micro finance has a huge impact on the lives of millions of poor people..Numerous scholars and NGOs have been working to take microfinance within the reach of poor people, who are still not benefited by the conventional financial system. It was believed that microfinance is not important for all people but most groups can benefit from this idea. In this report, we try to present evidence of the important contributions made by microfinance in the eradication of poverty by increasing the income generating activities, empowerment of poor people to access development services such as health and education, and reduction in vulnerability. 1. 2 Problem StatementIn the light of problem, background leads to the following problem statement, Impact of Microcredit on poverty alleviation of the poor people in Bangladesh 1. 3 Objectives of the study To be meaningful, every work must have to formulate the objectives of the study. In the light of the topic of the report, the objective of this study is to show how microcredit works, by using group lending methodology for reducing poverty and how it effects the living standard (income, saving access to health and education, etc. ) of the poor people in Bangladesh. 1. 4 Methodology of the studyData & information are mainly collected from secondary sources. We have used several books, research literatures, articles, journals and report, as secondary sources for our study. Internet sources were also used as a secondary source for our report. Since the internet sources are less reliable, we have limited the use of those sources to the web pages of prominent organizations like Grameen Bank. Most of the sources, we tried to use, are reliable and are acceptable almost everywhere. Nevertheless, from them we had to choose the most appropriate literature for our report.For this reason, we had to go through numerous references related to this topic, to find the suitable materials. Besides these, Google Scholars were also used to find the suitable research material. The keywords used when searching for scientific articles and literatures were; microcredit, microcredit and Bangladesh, poverty reduction and microcredit, Muhammad Yunus and microcredit,living standards and microcredit etc. 1. 5 Limitations Due to shortage of time, the accuracy of information may not have been completely flawless. 1. Definitions and Key Concepts Microcredit It is a component of microfinance and is the extension of small loans to entrepreneurs, who are too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans. Especially in developing countries, micro-credit enables very poor people to engage in self-employment projects that generate income, thus allowing them to improve the standard of living for themselves and their families. Poverty Poverty is a condition in which a person of a commumity is deprived of the basic essentials and necessities for a minimum standard of living.Since poverty is understood in many senses, the basic essentials ma y be material resources such as food, safe dringking water and shelter, or they may be social resources such as access to information, education, health care, social status, political power, or the opportunity to develop meaningful connections with other people in society. According to the World Bank’s (1980 ) definition of poverty, condition of life so characterized by malnutrition, illiteracy, and disease as to be beneath any reasonable definition of human decency. Extreme Poverty/Absolute PovertyExtreme poverty is the most severe state of poverty, where people can not meet their basic needs for survival, such as food, water, clothing, shelter, sanitation, education and health care. Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger by 2015 is a Millennium Development Goal set by UNO. To determine the number of extreme poor people around the world, the World Bank characterizes extreme poverty as living on the daily income of US $1 or less. It has been estimated that around 1. 1 bill ion people currently live under these conditions. Moderate povertyIt indicates the condition where people earns about $ 1 to $2 a day, which enables households to just barely meet their basic needs, but they still have go for many of the other things – education, health care –that many of us take for granted. Relative Poverty It means that a household has an income below the national average income. Micro finance Institutions (MFIs) A microfinance institution is an or ganization, engaged in extending micro credit loans and other financial services to poor borrowers for income generating and self-employment activities.An MFI is usually not a part of the formal banking industry or government. It is usually referred to as a NGO (Non-Government Organization). |Chapter | | 2 | Theoritical Framework 2. 1 What is microcredit? Microcredit is the extension of very small loans (microloans) to the unemployed, to poor entrepreneurs and to others living in poverty who are not consi dered bankable. These individuals lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history and therefore cannot meet even the most minimal qualifications to gain access to traditional credit.Microcredit is a part of microfinance, which is the provision of a wider range of financial services to the very poor. 2. 2 Features of microcredit †¢ Size – loans are micro, or very small in size †¢ Target users – micro entrepreneurs and low-income households †¢ Utilization – the use of funds – for income generation, and enterprise development, but also for community use (health/education) etc. †¢ Terms and conditions – most terms and conditions for microcredit loans are flexible and easy to understand, and suited to the local conditions of the community. Usually micro-credit is provided to a particular geographical area or community. †¢ Micro-credit funds are sometimes initiated in response to the needs of a particular group . †¢ Some loan circles and lending institutions require participants to attend ongoing business training and mentoring programs, which is not the case with traditional debt lending. †¢ Micro-credit is recognized as having increased risk and is treated as a separate class of product by lenders. †¢ Its mission is to help the poor families to help themselves to overcome poverty. It is targeted to the poor, particularly poor women. 2. 3Classification of microcredit I. Traditional informal microcredit (such as, moneylender's credit, pawn shops, loans from friends and relatives, consumer credit in informal market, etc. ) II. Microcredit based on traditional informal groups (such as, tontin, su su, ROSCA, etc. ) III. Activity-based microcredit through conventional or specialised banks (such as, agricultural credit, livestock credit, fisheries credit, handloom credit, etc. ) IV. Rural credit through specialised banks. V. Cooperative microcredit (cooperative credit, credit uni on, savings and loan associations, savings banks, etc. VI. Consumer microcredit. VII. Bank-NGO partnership based microcredit. VIII. Grameen type microcredit or Grameencredit. IX. Other types of NGO microcredit. X. Other types of non-NGO non-collateralized microcredit. |Chapter | | 3 | Major MFIs and their role in Bangladesh Back during late 1970s, when the Jobra experiment was underway under Professor M. Yunus, the Dheki Rin Prokolpa was initiated by the Bangladesh Bank in collaboration with the Swanirvar Bangladesh, and several other pilot schemes were initiated by a handful of the NGOs who were active then.At that time, it was difficult then to conceive that these initiatives would lead to a major micro-credit movement, which would make Bangladesh known to the rest of the world. Even during the 1980s, in spite of Grameen Bank’s success, the main discourse amongst development practitioners in Bangladesh centred on the desirability of micro-credit program as opposed to concie ntization. By 1990, unhindered experimentation in the fields led to a quiet resolution of the debate and the country experienced a massive expansion of micro-finance activities during the 1990s.This is borne out by the figures on the time path of MFI expansion (see Figure 1), [pic] Many studies and surveys have been carried out by different agencies regarding the working of MFIs and their impact on the poor people in Bangladesh. The agencies like Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies and World Bank have found strong evidence that functioning of MFIs have helped the people in meeting their daily needs and at the same time building their assets.It has been stated in The World Bank Economic Review that microfinance has not only helped people to develop in their material capital but also in the human capital, by better access to health care and education system, and general awareness among the people about their rights and duties towards society. However, there are numerous MFIs w orking in Bangladesh at present so it is almost impossible to mention all of them. Therefore, we have chosen four of the most important ones and try to give the overview of them. 3. Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) With a vision of â€Å"a just, enlightened, healthy and democratic Bangladesh free from hunger, poverty, environmental degrad ation and all forms of exploitation based on age, sex, religion and ethnicity†, BRAC started as an almost entirely donor funded, small-scale relief and rehabilitation project to help the country overcome the devastation and trauma of the Liberation War. Today, BRAC has emerged as an independent, virtually self-financed paradigm in sustainable human development with its motto ?Alleviation of poverty and empowerment of the poor. It is the largest in the world employing 97,192 people, with the twin objectives of poverty alleviation and empowerment of the poor. Through experiential learning, BRAC today provides and protects liveliho ods of around 100 million people in Bangladesh. Diagnosing poverty in human terms and recognizing its multidimensional nature, BRAC approaches poverty alleviation with a holistic approach. BRAC's outreach covers all 64 districts of the country. 3. 1. Microfinance Programs of BRAC, at a Glance (Source: BRAC Annual report 2005) |Inception of micro finance programme |1974 | |Programme coverage |Districts 64,Thanas:507 | |Total No of Area/Branch Offices |1,381 | |Total No of village Organizations |160,197 | |Total No of Members |4,837,099 | |Percentage of Women Members |98% | |Outstanding Borrowers |4,159,793 | |Cumulative Loan Disbursement |165,794 million (US $3,094) | |Members’ Savings |9,159 million (US 141 million) | |Average Loan Size |9,452(US $145) | |Repayment Rate |99. 49% | 3. 2 Grameen Bank The history of origin of Grameen Bank can be traced back to 1976, when Professor Muhammad Yunus, head of the Rural Economics Program at the University of Chittagong, launche d an action research project to examine the possibility of designing a credit delivery system to provide banking services targeted at the rural poor.The initial activities started from Jobra village (adjacent to Chittagong University) and some in th e neighboring villages in the following years. Later in 1979, with the sponsorship of central bank and support of the nationalized commercial banks, the project was extended to Tangail, a district north of Dhaka. Later the Grameen Bank became an autonomous organization through the government legislation of October 1983. Today, Grameen Bank is mainly owned by the people whom it serves and they own 90% of its shares and remaining 10 % are owned by the government. 3. 2. 1 Microfinance Programs of Grameen bank, at a Glance (Source: Gra meen Bank annual report 2007) |Numbers of Members |7. 5 million | |Percent of Women Members |97% | |Number of Canters |99,502 | |Number of Villages covered |59,912 | |Number of Branches |2,499 | |Number of A reas |81,334 villages | |Number of Zones |21 | |Cumulative amount Disbursed since Inception |256,497. 40 (Million Taka) | |Cumulative Disbursed during |2005 39,183. 49 (Million Taka) | |Amount of Loan outstanding |27,970. 31 (Million Taka) | |Members |20,138. 7 (Million Taka) | |Non-Members |11,521. 19 (Million Taka) | |Portfolio Growth Rate |39. 66% | 3. 3 Association for Social Advancement (ASA) ASA in Bengali means ‘HOPE’. ASA is a non-governmental organization based in Bangladesh, which provides micro-credit financing. It was established in 1978 by Shafiqual Haque Choudhury who is also the current chairman. Its functioning is basedon the institutional support system.Innovations and simplifications of staff training, monitoring and bookkeeping are the three areas responsible for ASA's ability to effectively manage established units and pursue bold growth initiatives simultaneously. This makes the operations smooth and efficient. This makes it simple and easy to operate both for the organization and for the clients, without the unnecessary delays of bureaucracy and red-tape. Its mission is to â€Å"reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of the poor through the provision of qualitative and responsive micro finance services in an innovative and sustainable way†. ASA offers a successful alternative microfinance model to that of the Grameen bank.ASA combines low cost operations and high growth to fuel its success. ASA continues to perfect the role of financial intermediation by developing a variety of savings p roducts that are quite successful at generating the necessary funds from local sources. The experiences of ASA's managerial dynamism and replication of its simple model have much to offer the diverse microfinance sector as it accommodates demand for quality Financial services by the poor masses. ASA is confident that a financially viable microfinance sector that provides competitive financial services to its customers will be able to expand outreach at a pace similar to its own. 3. 3. Microfinance Programs of ASA, at a Glance (Source: ASA Annual Report 2005) |Inception of micro finance programme |1978 | |Programme coverage |Evenly distributed over the country | |Total No of Area/Branch Offices |2,291 | |Total No of village Organizations or groups |178,904 | |Total No of Members |5. 99 millions | |Percentage of Women Members |Not sex biased | |Outstanding Borrowers |4. 8 millions | |C umulative Loan Disbursement |33,082 million (Taka) | |Total Members’ Savings |3,036 million (Taka) | |Average Loan Size |Taka 7,129 | |Avg. savings balance by members |Taka 748 | 3. 4 Proshika Immediately after the ‘WAR OF LIBERATION’ in 1971, a group of young men, who could realize the inadequacy of the conventional development practices, began to plan development activities with an alternative appr oach. With an objective to contribute to rebuilding the war-ravaged country, they formed Proshika M anobik Unnayan Kendra (Proshika Centre for Human Development).The development process of PROSHIKA, one of the largest NGOs of Ban gladesh, started in a few villages of Dhaka and Comilla districts in 1975, although the organization formally took its first step in 1976. Proshika is an acronym of three Bangla words, proshikkhan (training), shikkha (education) and kaj (action). PROSHIKA envisages a society, which is economically productive and equitable, socially just, environmentally sound, and genuinely democratic. The main mission of PROSHIKA is to conduct an extensive, intensive, and participatory process of sustainable development through empowerment of the poor.Through empowerment, the poor are or ganized and made aware of the real causes of their impoverishment, a leadership is developed among them, their material resources are mobilized, income and employment is increased, and capacities are developed to cope with natural disasters. Empowerment makes th e poor functionally liter ate, enables them to take better care of their health, to get involved in environmental protection and regeneration, get elected in local government bodies and community institutions, and provides the poor with better access to public and common property resources. 3. 4. 1 Microfinance Programs of PROSHIKA, at a Glance ((Source: PROSHIKA Annual Report 2005) |Numbers of Members |2. 7 millions | |Percent of Women Members |Approximately 60% | |Number of Groups |148,039 | |Number of Villages covered |23559 | |Number of Slums |2102 | |Number of Households |2. 3 millions | |Number of primary Groups |148,039 | |Cumulative Disbursed during 2005 |Taka 31,870 millions | |Number of Education Centres Set Up So Far |53,616 | |Persons graduated with technical skills |1. 11 millions | |Chapter | | 4 | Impact of Microcredit Program on Poverty Alleviation 4. What the microcredit clients do with the loan money In one of the country's large formal MFIs, it was found that about sixty eight per cen t of the clients used 54% of their total loans for small trades. A few clients used 64% of the loan money for buying homestead and cropland. A small number of clients used 67% of the loans to build new houses. Some spent 15% of the total loan for medical treatment of their relatives and themselves. Some spent 19% of the total loan money for consumption purposes. A few clients used 29% of loan money for sending their relatives abroad for jobs. A smaller number of clients used 18% of their loan for major repairing of their dwelling houses.A handful of clients used 42% of the loan for buying television sets, furniture and gold ornaments, while others used the loan money in buying rickshaws, livestock and lending to others in a modicum scale . In another large non-governmental organisation (NGO)-MFI, it was spotted that fifty per cent of the clients used 95% of the total loan money in trading businesses like vegetables, grocery, fish, and betel leaves, etc. A few clients used 40% of the loan money in repaying occasional borrowed debts. Some clients used 35% in agricultural farming. Some used 37% of the total loan for buying livestock for rearing. A few clients used 41% loan money for redeeming mortgaged cropland.Some clients used 61% of the loan money for sending relatives abroad. Again some used 34% of the loan money for meeting the debts from moneylenders. Some clients used 15% of the total loans in repaying loan installments of other NGOs. Some clients used 17% of the loan for medical treatment. Some used 100% loan for house construction, while others used the loans for buying land, rickshaw vans and consumption purposes. Yet again in another large NGO-MFI in the country, about fifty per cent clients were noticed using 66% of the total loan in running their businesses. Several clients used 43% of the total loan for marriage ceremony of their family members.A few clients used 38% of the loan for house construction and repairing. Some used 32% of the total loans in repaying loans of the local moneylenders. A few clients used 59% of the loan for various litigation purposes. Some clients spent 41% in food consumption. Some clients used 67% loan for weaving purposes. Others used the loans for medical treatment, buying livestock, cropland, taking others land for cultivation and repaying loan installments of other NGOs. In a mid-level MFI operating in the urban areas, cent per cent clients used 86% of the total loan in various types of businesses that include grocery, cattle hide, computer composing, photocopy service, commercial phone service, saree selling, etc.Some clients used 84% of the total loan for house construction. A few clients used 81% of the total loan in buying land in the villages where they hailed from. In a pretty tiny NGO-MFI, some clients were found using 74% of the total loans for buying fishing equipment like nets and boats, etc. Some clients used 46% of the loan for buying livestock. A few used 74% of the loans as business capital. Some kept 52% of the loans as savings in the commercial banks, while others used the loan money for repairing houses and meeting medical costs. 4. 2 Impact of Microcredit The major objective of microcredit (MC) is to create income among poor households and thereby alleviate poverty.In this respect the question can be asked at two levels, first, whether MC leads to an improvement in income and second whether the increase in income is sufficient to lift them above the poverty level. There is also a third aspect related to the second that is whether poverty alleviation takes place on a sustained basis. Though most impact assessment studies examine the impact of MC on income, the analyses concentrated on mainly the first question. It should be mentioned that most studies consider the total impact on growth of income and do not examine whether a redistribution of credit fund has a redistributive impact on poverty and income of households 4. 2. 1 Findings of PKSF ME Study by BID SPalli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) commissioned a longitudinal Monitoring and Evaluation Study (MES) which was conducted by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS). Started in 1997, the studies were completed in 2001. The study covered 3026 sample households spread over 91 villages located in 13 of PKSF POs operational areas. A census was administered in late 1997, covering 19151 households in 91 villages. The first and the second round surveys under the study were administered in 1998 and 1999 and the third and final round survey was conducted in 2000. Some findings on the impacts of microcredit as presented here are gleaned from the reports and papers prepared by BIDS. The summary of the PKSF-ME Study by BIDS is shown in the Table below- Table: Impacts of Microfinance (compared to non-participants) Broad Category |Indicatiors |Type of Change |Cause of Change | |Economic Impact |Income |+ |Self employment activities | | |Food Security |+ |Greater access to cultiv able land through the | | | | |rental market | | |Wage (land poor) |+ |Transport and other non-agril activities sup. by MC| | |Employment (land poor) |+ |better access to the land rental market | | | | |Wage emoloyment in non-ag. sector | | |Assets (land poor) |+ |av. ow land size than non-participants | | | | |larger operational holding | | | | |impact of MF (poultry livestock, bi-cycles, | | | | |rickshaw/van) | |Social and other |Fertility and contraceptive use |+ |program participation | |development impacts | | |female methods dominate | | |Health and Nutrition |+ |program placement effect | | |Sanitation and drinking water |+ |program participation | | |Literacy and school enrollment |+ |program participation | | |of children | | | | |Social mobility |? |do not vary significantly | | |Women articipation and HH |+ |participation in a MC program | | |welfare | |increasing women’s income | 4. 2. 2 Measuring the Impact of Microfinance Grameen Bank has been tracking the pro gress of its clients in achieving all ten indicators since 1997, and reports that 55 percent of its established members (Grameen annually surveys all clients who have been in the program more than five years) had crossed the poverty line by the end of 2004: [pic] (Source: CIA World Factbook: http://www. cia. gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bg. tml) This is an impressive achievement, and exactly the type of information that one might hope any MFI would be tracking. Though it might seem arbitrary to determine that achieving all ten indicators constitutes movement out of poverty, in fact all poverty lines are to some degree arbitrary, and they are meant to quantify whether or not families are meeting basic needs—such as those represented in the Ten Indicators. Knowing that 55 percent of established Grameen clients never go hungry, have access to safe drinking water, and send their children to school is important to Grameen. Table 1: Poverty rates among Grameen Bank members vs . Non-participants, 1984-85 |Grameen members |Target non participants |All households | | | |Grameen |Comparison |Grameen |Comparison | | | |villages |villages |villages |villages | |Moderately poor (percent) |61. 0 |83. 7 |80. 4 |61. 5 |76. 3 | |Extremely poor (percent) |48. 0 |76 |74. 4 |47. 1 |54. 6 | Table 2: Poverty rates among Grameen Bank members vs. Non-participants, 1996-97 |All households | | |Grameen |Comparison | | |villages |villages | |Moderately poor (percent) |18 |57. 5 | |Extremely poor (percent) |15 |54. 5 | Table 1 and 2 suggest that Grameen Bank members are substantially less poor than non-members, and that Grameen Bank’s activities affected the poverty levels of entire villages. The centerpiece of the findings of a survey is that every additional taka lent to a woman adds an additional 0. 18 taka to annual household expenditure—an 18 percent return to income from borrowing. Notably, the returns to male borrowing were considerably lower, only 11 per cent.The paper and the book reported a variety of â€Å"wider† impacts, including: †¢ A one percent increase in credit to Grameen women increased the probability of girls’ school enrollment by 1. 86 percentage points. †¢ A 10 percent increase in credit provided to women increased the arm circumference of girls by 6 percent. †¢ A one percent increase in credit to women increased the height-for-age of both boys by 1. 42 percent and girls by 1. 16 percent. Microcredit is not merely an instrument for credit extension to the poor borrowers. It is a movement to emancipate the poor to alleviate their poverty, improve their quality of life, and build their capacity and awareness and to integrate them economically and socially into the mainstream of the economy.The benefits of microcredit go beyond the quantifiable ones, there are other benefits, which are not seen, but are evident in the socio-economic transformation of rural Bangladesh. |Chapter | | 5 | Conclus ion We have come to the conclusions that there is a noticeable and positive impact of microcredit activities on the living standards, empowerment and poverty alleviation among the poor people in the society. If one can help, a poor person to stand on his own that cannot only bring about a revolution in their lives but also in the society. The dream of a healthy and educated society with no discrimination and biased can be achieved through this simple thought, the dream which seems to be coming true and becoming practical.The simple vision of one man, Muhammad Yunus has taken the shape of the revolution and has shown the ray of hope in the path of life to every human, irrespective of his background or status or position. The hope of a life that no one will sleep hungry, no one will die due to lack of medication, our children can read and write on their own and everyone will be the pillar of the society. Scope for further research The current study did not consider the reasons of moti vation to join the microfinance program. Another area that has not been investigated is the difficulties that the borrowers face to repay the loan. These areas deserve to be studied by future researchers in the field. There is also another field, which is neglected in our study that the supply gap of MFIs.Actually, to what extent the MFIs are capable to deliver their service to the poor people. Further research could be conducted in this area and for finding the reasons for the gap between demand and supply in terms of microfinance services. References www. google. com Grameen Bank official website (www. grameen-info. org/) ASA official website (www. asabd. org) BRAC official website (www. brac. net) PROSHIKA official web site (www. proshika. o rg/) Rahman, R. I. , 1994, Impact of Credit for the Rural Poor: An Evaluation of Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation's Credit Program, Report Nr: 1207, BIDS, Dhaka. (found on the internet)The World Bank, 1996, Staff Appraisal Report, Bangladesh Po verty Alleviation Micro-finance Report 1, South Asia Region. (Found on the internet) Khandker, S. R, 1998, Micro-credit Programmes Evaluation —- A Critical Review, IDS Bulletin of International Development Studies 29 (4), 11-19. (Found on the internet) Measuring the Impact of Micro? nance: Taking Stock of What We Know (December 2005) – by Nathanael Goldberg. (Found on the internet) Impact of Microfinance on Living Standards,Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation of Poor People: A Case Study on Microfinance in the Chittagong District of Bangladesh. -by Mohammad Arifujjaman Khan and Mohammed Anisur Rahaman.