Novice Nurses Should Be Revived - 1396 Words

Core values Valid information: Facilitator ought share decision and information along with rational and expect same conduct in turn. Compassion: Facilitator must sense of compassion for others and self while holding both party responsible for act. Free and informed choice: Facilitator would help to make choice fully based on valid information without any external manipulation. Internal promise: Novice nurses should be revived in such a manner that they ambiance personally accountable for the admirable choices they make. Assumptions Concurring to this model, I want to share some information: Facilitator and newcomer nurses need to change their thoughts and feelings so they can create conversation that is more†¦show more content†¦Tactics use to endorse newcomer nurses’ performance 1.Reeal model (Bedford, 2014) Efficient facilitator and educator can use Reeal model because being in critical care setting may inflict a risk reaction. Accepting the domain in the REEAL model and finding adapted scheme to use in depth analysis of learning and help facilitator work effectively. It helps to minimize threat and increase reward inherent in everyday experience. The REEAL model for discussion facilitation and its prerequisite analysis provides a framework from which instructors can build their discussion facilitation skills. Using the REEAL model ensures that the faculty member has considered a variety of issues in her responses. It outlines the feedback that results from the use of a process that includes in-depth analysis of the discussion text and draws on content analysis techniques as described in subsequent sections. Discussion responses using the REEAL model includes following: †¢ Reiteration (R): Facilitator gives attention to learning and improvement of newcomer nurses and tells the nurses about the instructor reference. †¢ Encouragement (E1): Acknowledges a newcomer’s effort, prior knowledge or critical thinking for the effective learning. †¢ Evidence (E2). Educator provides idea to know how their ideas are juxtaposed to the course content, other resources, or practical application. †¢ Analysis (A):

The American Political Process Of America - 1798 Words

What would you think if I told you that being young in America is not the easiest thing in the world to be? The young adults in America go from having to ask permission to go to the bathroom and living with no responsibilities; to having to move out and begin an independent life filled with work, college, and hard choices that will determine the rest of their adult life. This brisk change happens in less than a year. That might be one of the major reasons that the American youth does not give that much value to the American Political Process, and do not fully understand the changes that they can provide just by simply voting. It is critical that the American Youth votes because those votes imply making decisions that can affect their future and they should be deciding their own future. The American political process is of great importance when it involves America’s youth and how the country is able to run as a democracy. The procedures in the American Political Process include topics like public opinion, the media, political parties, interest groups, and voting. All these subjects help deal with the way the US government handles its political process. In the next few paragraphs we will see how the American Political Process is handled and how the young Americans can affect the outcome of how they want their country to be run just by simply voting. Public opinion is what the people think or believe. Our government believes in knowing what the public wants and how theyShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Edward J. Larson s The Crucible 1383 Words   |  6 Pagesfrom America’s electoral process in 1800. The book explores four candidates; Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. However, the author’s main focus is on Jefferson and Adams due to their salient bout. 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The Lost Symbol Chapter 19-21 Free Essays

string(48) " the same reason we keep matches from children\." CHAPTER 19 Director Inoue Sato stood with her arms folded, her eyes locked skeptically on Langdon as she processed what he had just told her. â€Å"He said he wants you to unlock an ancient portal? What am I supposed to do with that, Professor?† Langdon shrugged weakly. He was feeling ill again and tried not to look down at his friend’s severed hand. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Symbol Chapter 19-21 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"That’s exactly what he told me. An ancient portal . . . hidden somewhere in this building. I told him I knew of no portal.† â€Å"Then why does he think you can find it?† â€Å"Obviously, he’s insane.† He said Peter would point the way. Langdon looked down at Peter’s upstretched finger, again feeling repulsed by his captor’s sadistic play on words. Peter will point the way. Langdon had already permitted his eyes to follow the pointing finger up to the dome overhead. A portal? Up there? Insane. â€Å"This man who called me,† Langdon told Sato, â€Å"was the only one who knew I was coming to the Capitol tonight, so whoever informed you I was here tonight, that’s your man. I recommend–â€Å" â€Å"Where I got my information is not your concern,† Sato interrupted, voice sharpening. â€Å"My top priority at the moment is to cooperate with this man, and I have information suggesting you are the only one who can give him what he wants.† â€Å"And my top priority is to find my friend,† Langdon replied, frustrated. Sato inhaled deeply, her patience clearly being tested. â€Å"If we want to find Mr. Solomon, we have one course of action, Professor–to start cooperating with the one person who seems to know where he is.† Sato checked her watch. â€Å"Our time is limited. I can assure you it is imperative we comply with this man’s demands quickly.† â€Å"How?† Langdon asked, incredulous. â€Å"By locating and unlocking an ancient portal? There is no portal, Director Sato. This guy’s a lunatic.† Sato stepped close, less than a foot from Langdon. â€Å"If I may point this out . . . your lunatic deftly manipulated two fairly smart individuals already this morning.† She stared directly at Langdon and then glanced at Anderson. â€Å"In my business, one learns there is a fine line between insanity and genius. We would be wise to give this man a little respect.† â€Å"He cut off a man’s hand!† â€Å"My point exactly. That is hardly the act of an uncommitted or uncertain individual. More important, Professor, this man obviously believes you can help him. He brought you all the way to Washington–and he must have done it for a reason.† â€Å"He said the only reason he thinks I can unlock this `portal’ is that Peter told him I can unlock it,† Langdon countered. â€Å"And why would Peter Solomon say that if it weren’t true?† â€Å"I’m sure Peter said no such thing. And if he did, then he did so under duress. He was confused . . . or frightened.† â€Å"Yes. It’s called interrogational torture, and it’s quite effective. All the more reason Mr. Solomon would tell the truth.† Sato spoke as if she’d had personal experience with this technique. â€Å"Did he explain why Peter thinks you alone can unlock the portal?† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Professor, if your reputations are correct, then you and Peter Solomon both share an interest in this sort of thing–secrets, historical esoterica, mysticism, and so on. In all of your discussions with Peter, he never once mentioned to you anything about a secret portal in Washington, D.C.?† Langdon could scarcely believe he was being asked this question by a high-ranking officer of the CIA. â€Å"I’m certain of it. Peter and I talk about some pretty arcane things, but believe me, I’d tell him to get his head examined if he ever told me there was an ancient portal hidden anywhere at all. Particularly one that leads to the Ancient Mysteries.† She glanced up. â€Å"I’m sorry? The man told you specifically what this portal leads to?† â€Å"Yes, but he didn’t have to.† Langdon motioned to the hand. â€Å"The Hand of the Mysteries is a formal invitation to pass through a mystical gateway and acquire ancient secret knowledge– powerful wisdom known as the Ancient Mysteries . . . or the lost wisdom of all the ages.† â€Å"So you’ve heard of the secret he believes is hidden here.† â€Å"A lot of historians have heard of it.† â€Å"Then how can you say the portal does not exist?† â€Å"With respect, ma’am, we’ve all heard of the Fountain of Youth and Shangri-la, but that does not mean they exist.† The loud squawk of Anderson’s radio interrupted them. â€Å"Chief?† the voice on the radio said. Anderson snatched his radio from his belt. â€Å"Anderson here.† â€Å"Sir, we’ve completed a search of the grounds. There’s no one here that fits the description. Any further orders, sir?† Anderson shot a quick glance at Sato, clearly expecting a reprimand, but Director Sato seemed uninterested. Anderson moved away from Langdon and Sato, speaking quietly into his radio. Sato’s unwavering focus remained on Langdon. â€Å"You’re saying the secret he believes is hidden in Washington . . . is a fantasy?† Langdon nodded. â€Å"A very old myth. The secret of the Ancient Mysteries is pre-Christian, actually. Thousands of years old.† â€Å"And yet it’s still around?† â€Å"As are many equally improbable beliefs.† Langdon often reminded his students that most modern religions included stories that did not hold up to scientific scrutiny: everything from Moses parting the Red Sea . . . to Joseph Smith using magic eyeglasses to translate the Book of Mormon from a series of gold plates he found buried in upstate New York. Wide acceptance of an idea is not proof of its validity. â€Å"I see. So what exactly are these . . . Ancient Mysteries?† Langdon exhaled. Have you got a few weeks? â€Å"In short, the Ancient Mysteries refer to a body of secret knowledge that was amassed long ago. One intriguing aspect of this knowledge is that it allegedly enables its practitioners to access powerful abilities that lie dormant in the human mind. The enlightened Adepts who possessed this knowledge vowed to keep it veiled from the masses because it was considered far too potent and dangerous for the uninitiated.† â€Å"Dangerous in what way?† â€Å"The information was kept hidden for the same reason we keep matches from children. You read "The Lost Symbol Chapter 19-21" in category "Essay examples" In the correct hands, fire can provide illumination . . . but in the wrong hands, fire can be highly destructive.† Sato took off her glasses and studied him. â€Å"Tell me, Professor, do you believe such powerful information could truly exist?† Langdon was not sure how to respond. The Ancient Mysteries had always been the greatest paradox of his academic career. Virtually every mystical tradition on earth revolved around the idea that there existed arcane knowledge capable of imbuing humans with mystical, almost godlike, powers: tarot and I Ching gave men the ability to see the future; alchemy gave men immortality through the fabled Philosopher’s Stone; Wicca permitted advanced practitioners to cast powerful spells. The list went on and on. As an academic, Langdon could not deny the historical record of these traditions–troves of documents, artifacts, and artwork that, indeed, clearly suggested the ancients had a powerful wisdom that they shared only through allegory, myths, and symbols, ensuring that only those properly initiated could access its power. Nonetheless, as a realist and a skeptic, Langdon remained unconvinced. â€Å"Let’s just say I’m a skeptic,† he told Sato. â€Å"I have never seen anything in the real world to suggest the Ancient Mysteries are anything other than legend–a recurring mythological archetype. It seems to me that if it were possible for humans to acquire miraculous powers, there would be evidence. And yet, so far, history has given us no men with superhuman powers.† Sato arched her eyebrows. â€Å"That’s not entirely true.† Langdon hesitated, realizing that for many religious people, there was indeed a precedent for human gods, Jesus being the most obvious. â€Å"Admittedly,† he said, â€Å"there are plenty of educated people who believe this empowering wisdom truly exists, but I’m not yet convinced.† â€Å"Is Peter Solomon one of those people?† Sato asked, glancing toward the hand on the floor. Langdon could not bring himself to look at the hand. â€Å"Peter comes from a family lineage that has always had a passion for all things ancient and mystical.† â€Å"Was that a yes?† Sato asked. â€Å"I can assure you that even if Peter believes the Ancient Mysteries are real, he does not believe they are accessible through some kind of portal hidden in Washington, D.C. He understands metaphorical symbolism, which is something his captor apparently does not.† Sato nodded. â€Å"So you believe this portal is a metaphor.† â€Å"Of course,† Langdon said. â€Å"In theory, anyway. It’s a very common metaphor–a mystical portal through which one must travel to become enlightened. Portals and doorways are common symbolic constructs that represent transformative rites of passage. To look for a literal portal would be like trying to locate the actual Gates of Heaven.† Sato seemed to consider this momentarily. â€Å"But it sounds like Mr. Solomon’s captor believes you can unlock an actual portal.† Langdon exhaled. â€Å"He’s made the same error many zealots make–confusing metaphor with a literal reality.† Similarly, early alchemists had toiled in vain to transform lead into gold, never realizing that lead-to-gold was nothing but a metaphor for tapping into true human potential– that of taking a dull, ignorant mind and transforming it into a bright, enlightened one. Sato motioned to the hand. â€Å"If this man wants you to locate some kind of portal for him, why wouldn’t he simply tell you how to find it? Why all the dramatics? Why give you a tattooed hand?† Langdon had asked himself the same question and the answer was unsettling. â€Å"Well, it seems the man we are dealing with, in addition to being mentally unstable, is also highly educated. This hand is proof that he is well versed in the Mysteries as well as their codes of secrecy. Not to mention with the history of this room.† â€Å"I don’t understand.† â€Å"Everything he has done tonight was done in perfect accordance with ancient protocols. Traditionally, the Hand of the Mysteries is a sacred invitation, and therefore it must be presented in a sacred place.† Sato’s eyes narrowed. â€Å"This is the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building, Professor, not some sacred shrine to ancient mystical secrets.† â€Å"Actually, ma’am,† Langdon said, â€Å"I know a great number of historians who would disagree with you.† At that moment, across town, Trish Dunne was seated in the glow of the plasma wall inside the Cube. She finished preparing her search spider and typed in the five key phrases Katherine had given her. Here goes nothing. Feeling little optimism, she launched the spider, effectively commencing a worldwide game of Go Fish. At blinding speed, the phrases were now being compared to texts all over the world . . . looking for a perfect match. Trish couldn’t help but wonder what this was all about, but she had come to accept that working with the Solomons meant never quite knowing the entire story. CHAPTER 20 Robert Langdon stole an anxious glance at his wristwatch: 7:58 P.M. The smiling face of Mickey Mouse did little to cheer him up. I’ve got to find Peter. We’re wasting time. Sato had stepped aside for a moment to take a phone call, but now she returned to Langdon. â€Å"Professor, am I keeping you from something?† â€Å"No, ma’am,† Langdon said, pulling his sleeve down over his watch. â€Å"I’m just extremely concerned about Peter.† â€Å"I can understand, but I assure you the best thing you can do to help Peter is to help me understand the mind-set of his captor.† Langdon was not so sure, but he sensed he was not going anywhere until the OS director got the information she desired. â€Å"A moment ago,† Sato said, â€Å"you suggested this Rotunda is somehow sacred to the idea of these Ancient Mysteries?† â€Å"Yes, ma’am.† â€Å"Explain that to me.† Langdon knew he would have to choose his words sparingly. He had taught for entire semesters on the mystical symbolism of Washington, D.C., and there was an almost inexhaustible list of mystical references in this building alone. America has a hidden past. Every time Langdon lectured on the symbology of America, his students were confounded to learn that the true intentions of our nation’s forefathers had absolutely nothing to do with what so many politicians now claimed. America’s intended destiny has been lost to history. The forefathers who founded this capital city first named her â€Å"Rome.† They had named her river the Tiber and erected a classical capital of pantheons and temples, all adorned with images of history’s great gods and goddesses–Apollo, Minerva, Venus, Helios, Vulcan, Jupiter. In her center, as in many of the great classical cities, the founders had erected an enduring tribute to the ancients–the Egyptian obelisk. This obelisk, larger even than Cairo’s or Alexandria’s, rose 555 feet into the sky, more than thirty stories, proclaiming thanks and honor to the demigod forefather for whom this capital city took its newer name. Washington. Now, centuries later, despite America’s separation of church and state, this state-sponsored Rotunda glistened with ancient religious symbolism. There were over a dozen different gods in the Rotunda–more than the original Pantheon in Rome. Of course, the Roman Pantheon had been converted to Christianity in 609 . . . but this pantheon was never converted; vestiges of its true history still remained in plain view. â€Å"As you may know,† Langdon said, â€Å"this Rotunda was designed as a tribute to one of Rome’s most venerated mystical shrines. The Temple of Vesta.† â€Å"As in the vestal virgins?† Sato looked doubtful that Rome’s virginal guardians of the flame had anything to do with the U.S. Capitol Building. â€Å"The Temple of Vesta in Rome,† Langdon said, â€Å"was circular, with a gaping hole in the floor, through which the sacred fire of enlightenment could be tended by a sisterhood of virgins whose job it was to ensure the flame never went out.† Sato shrugged. â€Å"This Rotunda is a circle, but I see no gaping hole in this floor.† â€Å"No, not anymore, but for years the center of this room had a large opening precisely where Peter’s hand is now.† Langdon motioned to the floor. â€Å"In fact, you can still see the marks in the floor from the railing that kept people from falling in.† â€Å"What?† Sato demanded, scrutinizing the floor. â€Å"I’ve never heard that.† â€Å"Looks like he’s right.† Anderson pointed out the circle of iron nubs where the posts had once been. â€Å"I’ve seen these before, but I never had any idea why they were there.† You’re not alone, Langdon thought, imagining the thousands of people every day, including famous lawmakers, who strode across the center of the Rotunda having no idea there was once a day when they would have plunged down into the Capitol Crypt–the level beneath the Rotunda floor. â€Å"The hole in the floor,† Langdon told them, â€Å"was eventually covered, but for a good while, those who visited the Rotunda could see straight down to the fire that burned below.† Sato turned. â€Å"Fire? In the U.S. Capitol?† â€Å"More of a large torch, actually–an eternal flame that burned in the crypt directly beneath us. It was supposed to be visible through the hole in the floor, making this room a modern Temple of Vesta. This building even had its own vestal virgin–a federal employee called the Keeper of the Crypt–who successfully kept the flame burning for fifty years, until politics, religion, and smoke damage snuffed out the idea.† Both Anderson and Sato looked surprised. Nowadays, the only reminder that a flame once burned here was the four-pointed star compass embedded in the crypt floor one story below them–a symbol of America’s eternal flame, which once shed illumination toward the four corners of the New World. â€Å"So, Professor,† Sato said, â€Å"your contention is that the man who left Peter’s hand here knew all this?† â€Å"Clearly. And much, much more. There are symbols all over this room that reflect a belief in the Ancient Mysteries.† â€Å"Secret wisdom,† Sato said with more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice. â€Å"Knowledge that lets men acquire godlike powers?† â€Å"Yes, ma’am.† â€Å"That hardly fits with the Christian underpinnings of this country.† â€Å"So it would seem, but it’s true. This transformation of man into God is called apotheosis. Whether or not you’re aware of it, this theme–transforming man into god–is the core element in this Rotunda’s symbolism.† â€Å"Apotheosis?† Anderson spun with a startled look of recognition. â€Å"Yes.† Anderson works here. He knows. â€Å"The word apotheosis literally means `divine transformation’–that of man becoming God. It’s from the ancient Greek: apo–`to become,’ theos–`god.’ â€Å" Anderson looked amazed. â€Å"Apotheosis means `to become God’? I had no idea.† â€Å"What am I missing?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Ma’am,† Langdon said, â€Å"the largest painting in this building is called The Apotheosis of Washington. And it clearly depicts George Washington being transformed into a god.† Sato looked doubtful. â€Å"I’ve never seen anything of the sort.† â€Å"Actually, I’m sure you have.† Langdon raised his index finger, pointing straight up. â€Å"It’s directly over your head.† CHAPTER 21 The Apotheosis of Washington–a 4,664-square-foot fresco that covers the canopy of the Capitol Rotunda–was completed in 1865 by Constantino Brumidi. Known as â€Å"The Michelangelo of the Capitol,† Brumidi had laid claim to the Capitol Rotunda in the same way Michelangelo had laid claim to the Sistine Chapel, by painting a fresco on the room’s most lofty canvas–the ceiling. Like Michelangelo, Brumidi had done some of his finest work inside the Vatican. Brumidi, however, immigrated to America in 1852, abandoning God’s largest shrine in favor of a new shrine, the U.S. Capitol, which now glistened with examples of his mastery–from the trompe l’oeil of the Brumidi Corridors to the frieze ceiling of the Vice President’s Room. And yet it was the enormous image hovering above the Capitol Rotunda that most historians considered to be Brumidi’s masterwork. Robert Langdon gazed up at the massive fresco that covered the ceiling. He usually enjoyed his students’ startled reactions to this fresco’s bizarre imagery, but at the moment he simply felt trapped in a nightmare he had yet to understand. Director Sato was standing next to him with her hands on her hips, frowning up at the distant ceiling. Langdon sensed she was having the same reaction many had when they first stopped to examine the painting at the core of their nation. Utter confusion. You’re not alone, Langdon thought. For most people, The Apotheosis of Washington got stranger and stranger the longer they looked at it. â€Å"That’s George Washington on the central panel,† Langdon said, pointing 180 feet upward into the middle of the dome. â€Å"As you can see, he’s dressed in white robes, attended by thirteen maidens, and ascending on a cloud above mortal man. This is the moment of his apotheosis . . . his transformation into a god.† Sato and Anderson said nothing. â€Å"Nearby,† Langdon continued, â€Å"you can see a strange, anachronistic series of figures: ancient gods presenting our forefathers with advanced knowledge. There’s Minerva giving technological inspiration to our nation’s great inventors–Ben Franklin, Robert Fulton, Samuel Morse.† Langdon pointed them out one by one. â€Å"And over there is Vulcan helping us build a steam engine. Beside them is Neptune demonstrating how to lay the transatlantic cable. Beside that is Ceres, goddess of grain and root of our word cereal; she’s sitting on the McCormick reaper, the farming breakthrough that enabled this country to become a world leader in food production. The painting quite overtly portrays our forefathers receiving great wisdom from the gods.† He lowered his head, looking at Sato now. â€Å"Knowledge is power, and the right knowledge lets man perform miraculous, almost godlike tasks.† Sato dropped her gaze back down to Langdon and rubbed her neck. â€Å"Laying a phone cable is a far cry from being a god.† â€Å"Perhaps to a modern man,† Langdon replied. â€Å"But if George Washington knew that we had become a race that possessed the power to speak to one another across oceans, fly at the speed of sound, and set foot on our moon, he would assume that we had become gods, capable of miraculous tasks.† He paused. â€Å"In the words of futurist Arthur C. Clarke, `Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.’ â€Å" Sato pursed her lips, apparently deep in thought. She glanced down at the hand, and then followed the direction of the outstretched index finger up into the dome. â€Å"Professor, you were told, `Peter will point the way.’ Is that correct?† â€Å"Yes, ma’am, but–â€Å" â€Å"Chief,† Sato said, turning away from Langdon, â€Å"can you get us a closer look at the painting?† Anderson nodded. â€Å"There’s a catwalk around the interior of the dome.† Langdon looked way, way up to the tiny railing visible just beneath the painting and felt his body go rigid. â€Å"There’s no need to go up there.† He had experienced that seldom-visited catwalk once before, as the guest of a U.S. senator and his wife, and he had almost fainted from the dizzying height and perilous walkway. â€Å"No need?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Professor, we have a man who believes this room contains a portal that has the potential to make him a god; we have a ceiling fresco that symbolizes the transformation of a man into a god; and we have a hand pointing straight at that painting. It seems everything is urging us upward.† â€Å"Actually,† Anderson interjected, glancing up, â€Å"not many people know this, but there is one hexagonal coffer in the dome that actually swings open like a portal, and you can peer down through it and–â€Å" â€Å"Wait a second,† Langdon said, â€Å"you’re missing the point. The portal this man is looking for is a figurative portal–a gateway that doesn’t exist. When he said, `Peter will point the way,’ he was talking in metaphorical terms. This pointing-hand gesture–with its index finger and thumb extended upward–is a well-known symbol of the Ancient Mysteries, and it appears all over the world in ancient art. This same gesture appears in three of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous encoded masterpieces–The Last Supper, Adoration of the Magi, and Saint John the Baptist. It’s a symbol of man’s mystical connection to God.† As above, so below. The madman’s bizarre choice of words was starting to feel more relevant now. â€Å"I’ve never seen it before,† Sato said. Then watch ESPN, Langdon thought, always amused to see professional athletes point skyward in gratitude to God after a touchdown or home run. He wondered how many knew they were continuing a pre-Christian mystical tradition of acknowledging the mystical power above, which, for one brief moment, had transformed them into a god capable of miraculous feats. â€Å"If it’s of any help,† Langdon said, â€Å"Peter’s hand is not the first such hand to make an appearance in this Rotunda.† Sato eyed him like he was insane. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† Langdon motioned to her BlackBerry. â€Å"Google `George Washington Zeus.’ â€Å" Sato looked uncertain but started typing. Anderson inched toward her, looking over her shoulder intently. Langdon said, â€Å"This Rotunda was once dominated by a massive sculpture of a bare-chested George Washington . . . depicted as a god. He sat in the same exact pose as Zeus in the Pantheon, bare chest exposed, left hand holding a sword, right hand raised with thumb and finger extended.† Sato had apparently found an online image, because Anderson was staring at her BlackBerry in shock. â€Å"Hold on, that’s George Washington?† â€Å"Yes,† Langdon said. â€Å"Depicted as Zeus.† â€Å"Look at his hand,† Anderson said, still peering over Sato’s shoulder. â€Å"His right hand is in the same exact position as Mr. Solomon’s.† As I said, Langdon thought, Peter’s hand is not the first to make an appearance in this room. When Horatio Greenough’s statue of a naked George Washington was first unveiled in the Rotunda, many joked that Washington must be reaching skyward in a desperate attempt to find some clothes. As American religious ideals changed, however, the joking criticism turned to controversy, and the statue was removed, banished to a shed in the east garden. Currently, it made its home at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, where those who saw it had no reason to suspect that it was one of the last vestigial links to a time when the father of the country had watched over the U.S. Capitol as a god . . . like Zeus watching over the Pantheon. Sato began dialing a number on her BlackBerry, apparently seeing this as an opportune moment to check in with her staff. â€Å"What have you got?† She listened patiently. â€Å"I see . . .† She glanced directly at Langdon, then at Peter’s hand. â€Å"You’re certain?† She listened a moment longer. â€Å"Okay, thanks.† She hung up and turned back toward Langdon. â€Å"My support staff did some research and confirms the existence of your so-called Hand of the Mysteries, corroborating everything you said: five fingertip markings–the star, the sun, the key, the crown, and the lantern–as well as the fact that this hand served as an ancient invitation to learn secret wisdom.† â€Å"I’m glad,† Langdon said. â€Å"Don’t be,† she replied curtly. â€Å"It appears we’re now at a dead end until you share whatever it is you’re still not telling me.† â€Å"Ma’am?† Sato stepped toward him. â€Å"We’ve come full circle, Professor. You’ve told me nothing I could not have learned from my own staff. And so I will ask you once more. Why were you brought here tonight? What makes you so special? What is it that you alone know?† â€Å"We’ve been through this,† Langdon fired back. â€Å"I don’t know why this guy thinks I know anything at all!† Langdon was half tempted to demand how the hell Sato knew that he was in the Capitol tonight, but they’d been through that, too. Sato isn’t talking. â€Å"If I knew the next step,† he told her, â€Å"I’d tell you. But I don’t. Traditionally, the Hand of the Mysteries is extended by a teacher to a student. And then, shortly afterward, the hand is followed up with a set of instructions . . . directions to a temple, the name of the master who will teach you–something! But all this guy left for us is five tattoos! Hardly–† Langdon stopped short. Sato eyed him. â€Å"What is it?† Langdon’s eyes shot back to the hand. Five tattoos. He now realized that what he was saying might not be entirely true. â€Å"Professor?† Sato pressed. Langdon inched toward the gruesome object. Peter will point the way. â€Å"Earlier, it crossed my mind that maybe this guy had left an object clenched in Peter’s palm–a map, or a letter, or a set of directions.† â€Å"He didn’t,† Anderson said. â€Å"As you can see, those three fingers are not clenched tightly.† â€Å"You’re right,† Langdon said. â€Å"But it occurs to me . . .† He crouched down now, trying to see up under the fingers to the hidden part of Peter’s palm. â€Å"Maybe it’s not written on paper.† â€Å"Tattooed?† Anderson said. Langdon nodded. â€Å"Do you see anything on the palm?† Sato asked. Langdon crouched lower, trying to peer up under the loosely clenched fingers. â€Å"The angle is impossible. I can’t–â€Å" â€Å"Oh, for heaven’s sake,† Sato said, moving toward him. â€Å"Just open the damned thing!† Anderson stepped in front of her. â€Å"Ma’am! We should really wait for forensics before we touch–† â€Å"I want some answers,† Sato said, pushing past him. She crouched down, edging Langdon away from the hand. Langdon stood up and watched in disbelief as Sato pulled a pen from her pocket, sliding it carefully under the three clenched fingers. Then, one by one, she pried each finger upward until the hand stood fully open, with its palm visible. She glanced up at Langdon, and a thin smile spread across her face. â€Å"Right again, Professor.† How to cite The Lost Symbol Chapter 19-21, Essay examples

Cover Up JFK Essay Example For Students

Cover Up JFK Essay Grapes of WrathAuthor: John Steinbeck, Robert Demott (Introduction). Penguin USA; New York. Reissued Edition (Oct. 1992). 619 Pages. Reviewed By: Kevin Kearney, 2001 April 22. Reviewed For: Professor George Browne. Kearney 1The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the desperate conditions under which the migratory farming families of America during the 1930s lived, through a personal approach and heavy symbolism. The novel tells of one familys migration west to California through the great economic depression of the 1930s. The bank took possession of their land because the owners could not pay off their loan. The novel shows how the Joad family deals with moving to California, and how they survive the cruelty of the landowners that took advantage of them, their poverty, and willingness to work. The Grapes of Wrath combines Steinbecks adoration of the land, his passionate hatred for corruption; resulting from materialism (money), and his abiding faith in the common people to overcome the hostile environment. As it opens with a retaining picture of nature on rampage, the novel shows the men and women that are unbroken by nature. The theme is that of a man verses a hostile env ironment. His body may be destroyed, but his spirit is not broken. The method used to develop the theme of the novel is through the use of symbolism. There are several uses of symbols in the novel from the turtle at the beginning to the rain at the end. As each symbol is presented, examples of the good and the bad things that exist within the novel are shown. The opening chapter paints a vivid picture of the situation facing the drought-stricken farmers of Oklahoma. Dust is described as covering everything, smothering the life out of anything that wants to grow. The dust is symbolic of the erosion of the lives of the people. The dust is synonymous with deadness, as Steinbeck puts it.. The land is a ruined way of life (farming), people Kearney 2uprooted and forced to leave. Secondly, the dust stands for profiteering banks in the background that squeeze the life out the land as the people are actually forced from their land. The soil, or the people (farmers), have been drained of life and are exploited: The last rain fell on the red and gray country of Oklahoma in early May. The weeds became dark green to protect themselves from the suns unyielding rays. The wind grew stronger, uprooting the weakened corn, and the air became so filled with dust that the stars were not visible at night. The book continues with a turtle, which appears and reappears several times early on in the novel and which can be seen as standing for survival, a driving life force in all of mankind that cannot be conquered by nature or man. The turtle represents a hope that the trip to the west is survivable and accomplishable by the Joad family. The turtle further represents the migrants struggles against both nature and man by overcoming all obstacles he encounters: the red ant in his path, being captured in Tom Joads jacket, and lastly, as a light truck approached nearer and nearer, the driver saw the turtle and swerved to hit it. The driver of the truck works for a large company, who try to stop the migrants from going west. As the driver attempts to hit the turtle, it is yet another example of the large and powerful trying to extinguish or kill the small and weak. Steadily the turtle advances on, ironically to the southwest, the direction of the migration of people. The turtle is described a s being lasting, ancient, old and wise: horny head, yellowed toenails, indestructible high dome of a shell, humorous old eyes. The driver of the truck, red ant, and Tom Joads jacket are all symbolic of nature and man trying to stop the turtle from continuing his journey westward to the promise land. The turtle helps to develop the theme by showing its struggle against life, comparing it to the Joad struggle against man. The grapes seem to symbolize both copiousness and bitterness. Grandpa, the oldest member of the Joad family, talks of the grapes as symbols of plenty; all his descriptions of what he is going to do with the grapes in California suggest contentment, freedom, the goal for which the Joad family strive for. The grapes that are talked about by Grandpa help to elaborate the theme by showing that no matter how nice everything seems in California, the truth is that their beauty is only skin deep, in their souls they are rotten. The willow tree that is located on the Joads fa rm represents the Joad family. The willow is described as being unmovable and never bending to the wind or dust. The Joad family does not want to move, they prefer to stay on the land they grew up on, much the same as the willow does. The willow contributes to the theme by showing the unwillingness of the people to be removed from their land by the banks. The latter represents the force making them leave their homes. Both of these symbols help contribute to the theme by showing a struggle between each other. The rains that come at the conclusion of the novel symbolize several things. Rain in that it is excessive, in a certain way fulfills a cycle of the dust which is also excessive. In a way nature has restored a balance and has initiated a new growth cycle. This ties in with other examples of the rebirth idea in the ending, much in the way the Joad family will grow again. The rain contributes to the theme by showing the cycle of nature that gives a conclusion to the novel by showin g that life is a pattern of birth and death. The rain is another example of nature against man, the rain comes and floods the living quarters of the Joads. In opposite ways rain can be helpful to give life to plants that need Kearney 4it to live. Depending on which extreme the rain is in, it can be harmful or helpful. This is true for man, man can become either extremes bad or good depending on his personal choices. Steinbeck wrote this book for one reason; to make the plight and difficulties of themigrant workers known to all of America. He accomplished this by telling the story fromthe viewpoint of a particular family, rather then the migrant workers as a whole. Steinbeck showed what these people went through from their eviction from their home,to their eventually self-destruction and failure as a family. Once the appropriate focuson the Joads had been reached, it was then possible for Steinbeck to tie it all together by bringing the entire situation into view. This was possible t hrough the demonstrationof the workers establishing a common ground with each other. Once the strength ofthe inner family had been established, a family of families could be constructed. It showed just what the life of a migrant worker was all about, the establishing of a common ground within one another. The migrant workers were a group of people who were looking out for each other and willing to work together, as survival during these periods proved tough and could not be accomplished without teamwork. This is simply why the migrant workers found ways to successfully govern themselves throughout their tent cities which is why they looked to establish a common ground. Times were tough, and that constant harassment of police organizations only worsened the situation. It was clearly evident that the Joads like any of the migrant workers, were looking out for one other, and would do anything if one was Kearney 5in need, and nothing exemplifies this ideal more then the closing scene of the novel. Rose, surrounded by a family overshadowed by personal loss, lack of income and food, and in a period of emotionally and mental death, gives life to a dying stranger regardless of who he was, or where he came from. This is what true life to the migrant workers was all about, and this is what they had demonstrated time and time again. .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 , .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 .postImageUrl , .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 , .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567:hover , .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567:visited , .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567:active { border:0!important; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567:active , .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567 .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5fc0566f433dd3fbd4677cc066b82567:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Fall 2000 Mid-Term EssayAs each symbol is presented chronologically through the novel, they come together at the end to paint a clear picture of the conditions, treatment and feelings the Joads as they make there journey through the novel to the West. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of our country or of the Great Depression. It was quite a lengthy novel, but you could feel the story because Steinbeck was writing about his own time period, not his ancestors nor his children, but something he actually had lived through. The book stirs emotion from deep within. The powerfully thick description allowed me to picture the book in my min ds eye. Overall it was a novel,worthy of the Pulitzer Prize it won. Words/ Pages : 1,483 / 24

William Shakespeare engagingly examines the themes of love in the tragic play Essay Example

William Shakespeare engagingly examines the themes of love in the tragic play Essay William Shakespeare engagingly examines the themes of love in the tragic play Romeo and Juliet; this is shown primarily by the way Romeos character develops throughout various scenes in the play. Set in Verona Romeo and Juliet conveys a tragic tale about the devastating repercussions of love in a time of violence. I will be examining the presentation of Romeos character throughout key scenes in the play and analysing the impact of certain key events in the, quintessential lovers character. The initial brawl between the Montagues and Capulets in Act1 Scene1 introduces the two families in the play as being vindictive and resentful. Tybalt, Juliets cousin, obviously hates the Montagues and stands out as being malicious and spiteful. While Romeo, who was not present at the initial brawl, seems distanced from his family and their hatred toward the Capulets. Shakespeare does this to allow the audience to see Romeo as a loving and peaceful person. Shakespeares characterisation of Romeo in act 1 presents him as being a deeply thoughtful and detached person from his remark Is the day so young? to Benvolios questioning, emphasising his manic distress at losing Rosaline to the audience. Consequently Sad hours seem long to him which underlines his current state of depression since he sees life as an on going struggle to survive and find love therefore clearly demonstrating his low-spirit at this particular time caused by the unrequited love for Rosaline. As Romeo questions his cousin Benvolio what fray was here? the audience begin to realise that Romeo is exasperated with the feud between his family and the Capulets. We will write a custom essay sample on William Shakespeare engagingly examines the themes of love in the tragic play specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on William Shakespeare engagingly examines the themes of love in the tragic play specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on William Shakespeare engagingly examines the themes of love in the tragic play specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Romeo, who is experiencing unrequited love, is very confused and depressed about why the Montagues and Capulets have to feud. Shakespeare shows this by using oxymorons such as Loving hate and brawling love to emphasise how Romeo is trying to understand why the two families are feuding. The contradictory images help the audience to empathise with Romeos state of disarray while Romeo continues expressing his feelings using elaborate metaphors such as a sea nourishd with lovers tears to evoke a sense of sympathy for himself as he feels grief stricken about the unrequited love for Rosaline. This illustrates Romeo as a desperate man who sees love as a very sorrowful and distressing experience. Furthermore his use of rhyming couplets informs the audience of how this matter is emotionally important to Romeo. The audience realise this as in Elizabethan drama where actors spoke in verse when something was of particular significance or importance. In the opening of Act3 Scene1 the marriage between Romeo and Juliet significantly changes Romeos state of mind and presents him as a loving and romantic person. Although Act3 Scene1 begins with the newly formed union between the Capulet and Montague families, Shakespeare juxtaposes the marriage with another confrontation to ultimately show that the two families will never be united. This is shown when Tybalt and Mercutio confront each other and Mercutio ridicules Tybalt in public by saying And but a word with one of us? Couple it with something; make it a word and a blow. This comment by Mercutio tells the audience that Romeo and Juliets marriage will never last because of their families violence and hatred towards each other. The confrontation between Romeo and Tybalt in Act3 Scene1 helps the audience perceive Romeos character as strong and resilient while the other characters in the play see him as a coward when he does not turn and draw and face Tybalt in a fight. Tybalt slanderous comments thou art a villain enrages Romeo, although he shows his resilience and does not fight Tybalt. Demonstrating remarkable self-control to the audience, as he has been publicly insulted but instead he responds with Tybalt the reason that I have to love thee Doth much excuse my appertaining rage. also allowing the audience to empathise with Romeo who does not want to fight, as Juliet is Tybalts cousin. However Mercutio infuriated by Romeo resilience and sees his actions as calm, dishonourable, vile submission because of Romeo unwillingness to fight Tybalt, even though Tybalt has stained his reputation. Shakespeare uses this dramatic irony to tell the audience that Romeo is indeed strong and courageous in not fighting Tyba lt and preserving his love for Juliet. Mercutios death in the play is a very sorrowful and mournful experience for Romeo, as he feels guilty about why he could not stop Tybalt from murdering his best friend hath got mortal hurt in my behalf. This informs the audience of Romeos mental decline as he soon begins to behave irrationally and illogically. Mercutios line A plague oboth your house is repeated numerous times in during his death, this illustrates his outrage and fury since he sees himself as another innocent victim of the feud. At this point in the play the Romeo is grief-stricken about the death of his friend and begins questioning himself whether falling in love with Juliet has made him less manly Thy beauty hath made me effeminate and in my temper softend my valours steel! The audience now begins to see Romeos mental decline and his state of confusion, since he does not know whether to kill Tybalt in retaliation for his actions or to preserve his marriage with Juliet by enabling Tybalt to leave unharmed. Consequently Romeo takes on the role of the avenger for Tybalts actions in killing Mercutio and fights Tybalt, the line Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him, emphasises Romeos intent on killing Tybalt and avenging his best friends death. The use of imagery such as And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now illustrates Romeo anger towards Tybalt and underlines his mental decline as he loses control of himself. Tybalt seems unnerved by Romeos anger and is eager to fight with him, from his line Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here, Shalt with him hence; this indicates Tybalt brutality of his lack of remorse for his actions to the audience. Romeo decides to avenge Mercutios death and carries on fighting Tybalt at the expense of losing Juliet, as he knows he would be banished or put to death for his actions, but nevertheless he continues to kill Tybalt, fuelled by his rage and anger. This act of reprisal cost him dearly as he soon realises he has risked losing his wife Juliet . The audience now begin to see Romeo in a deep state of depression as he realises his future with Juliet is now uncertain. Romeo remark O, I am fortunes fool underlines the extent of his actions as he begins to see himself as a victim of destiny, since he knows his actions that night will have consequences and he could end up never seeing Juliet again. The audience can now see Romeo on the verge of insanity as he begins to comprehend that murdering Tybalt will separate him and Juliet forever. Romeos banishment to Mantua in Act5 Scene3 evokes Juliets feelings of grief and sorrow, as she believes fate has denied her a future with Romeo. Her line Come weep with me, past hope, past cure, past help reinforces the extent of her pain and suffering from Romeos forced departure to Mantua. Romeo who is also in anguish believes his banishment to be Tis torture and not mercy, as he cannot endure a day without Juliet, this emphasises Romeos belief on how being apart from Juliet is unbearable and unendurable. The audience now begins to see Romeo in a vulnerable state as he starts behaves irrationally. Furthermore, Juliet, motivated by sorrow, takes a potion feigning death, as she believes it will reunite her and Romeo. Romeo who does not know this is devastated and believes Juliet is dead so he sets his journey to back Verona. The audience can now begin to see Romeos decline, as he believes his beloved wife has died. This is shown when Romeo speaks to his servant Balthasar If thou are jealous, dost return to pry in what I further shall intend to do. By heaven, I will tear thee joint by joint and strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs, this emphasises Romeos decline from romantic lover to barbaric wild man. Shakespeare uses the oxymoron thou womb of death to suggest that Romeo is in a state of disarray and wants to start a new life with Juliet, where their love for each other can be preserved. The audience here begin to see Romeo as a desperate man who will do virtually anything to preserve the love he has for Juliet. Imagery such as rotten jaw reinforces Romeos decline as Sha kespeare uses vile imagery to show the audience his deranged mental state. Paris reintroduction into the play allows the audience to see how deeply love can affect another, like Romeo. He accuses Romeo of villainous shame for attending to Juliets tomb, this enflames Romeos love for Juliet, as he cares not of what Paris has to say. Paris continues to warn Romeo to stop thy unhallowd toil which indicates Paris belief on how Romeo is there to desecrate Juliets tomb, this allows the audience to empathise with Romeo as he is only there to mourn for his beloved wife. Romeo is in a tense and sorrowful state so he warns Paris by saying tempt not a desperate man he also carries on saying I love thee better than myself this stresses Romeos willing ness to be left along, by advising Paris not to tempt him to do something he will regret, it also illustrates Romeo state of mind as he hates him more than ever for ruining his relationship with Juliet. Romeo also begins to accept his madness and eventually murders Paris A madmans mercy bade thee run away this underlines his dismay and decline as he only warns Paris once, but earlier in the play spared Tybalt for his slanderous comments until he murdered Mercutio. Although Romeo has murdered Paris he shows remorse by listening to his last request and laying him next to Juliet, this informs the audience of Romeos compassion and empathy, as he understands Paris love for Juliet. Shakespeares dramatic purpose for introducing Paris at this point in the play is to show Romeo compassion for other, and that he has taken responsibility for everything that has happened to himself and everyone around him. Romeos final soliloquy reveals his deepest and inner most thoughts about Juliet. He uses the imagery honey of thy breath to emphasise Juliets enduring beauty and elegance. Romeo also employs the metaphor deaths pale flag is not advanced there to illustrate that Juliets beauty and vitality is still obvious, but the irony is she has not died. The line forgive me cousin implies that Romeo is reflecting on his murderous deeds and displays remorse for Tybalt. Shakespeare personifies death as Juliets lover in the line the lean abhorred monster keeps thee here in the dark to be his paramour? to stress that Romeo believes that even death cannot take away Juliets beauty, so death chooses to be her lover. The audience now begin to see that Romeo is realising that fate was against the marriage between him and his beloved wife Juliet shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this world-wearied flesh this emphasises Romeos mental state as he is mentally and physically tired and his knowledge that fate was against the unity of the Capulet and Montague families. The audience, realising the tragic irony of Romeo death, now see love as an overwhelming and cruel emotion. They also begin to acknowledge that the dramatic purpose of Romeos last soliloquy was to evoke sympathy for Romeo and illustrate how a feud can never solve any situation. Through Shakespeares presentation of Romeo we have acquired the knowledge of how can love influence and manipulate someone without them fully knowing. I myself have learnt that love can be intoxicating, as you cannot control how you feel towards someone else. Furthermore I have leant of how fate can never be changed or manipulated by love, even though Romeo and Juliet went to every possible and conceivable length to be with one another, but ultimately there relationship was doomed to fail.

African Slave Trade essays

African Slave Trade essays There are three documents that explain the African Slave Trade. Document seven, The Life of Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, The African, is a primary memoir written by Olaudah in1789. Equiano wrote this document to describe his life in Africa and explain what it was like being a slave. This document, which was written for people involved in the English antislavery movement and anyone else who wanted to know about his experiences as a slave, relates to the slave trade from Africa and the sugar plantations in the West Indies. Both the document and the text talk about Equianos life as a slave and some of what he went through. Document eight, Commerce, Slavery, and Religion in North Africa, is a primary memoir written by a member of a caravan headed by a Tuareg guide called Cheggeun in 1860. This document, which was written for General E. Daumas, a French officer serving in Algeria, explains trade, slavery, and religion in North Africa. This document relates to the Atlantic trade syste m in sub-Saharan Africa. Both the text and the document explain the tasks that African slaves performed in Islam. They also talk about how Muslims were like Christians in that they saw no reason for trading slaves. Document nine, Slavery and the Slave Trade of Brazil, is a primary memoir written by Thomas Nelson in 1846. His purpose for writing it was to describe the conditions of the Africans he came into contact with while aboard slave ships. This document, which was written for people who wanted to know about the Africans aboard the slave ships, connects to the eighteenth-century. The document and the text both tell a little of what the slaves endured. They discuss several diseases such as dysentery and malaria, which took the lives of many slaves.These documents are similar in that they are all primary memoirs written to explain the African Slave Trade and discuss the ...

THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS - Essay Example Monopoly started a long time ago in the United States and it has since been a core tool to amass wealth in some firms in the world. Many people have constantly accused Google to be using such a monopolistic ideology of exploitation in the market. A monopoly exists when only one firm or person carries out supply of certain goods and services in the market. When such a phenomenon exists in the market, there is no competition in the production of goods and services hence it is very likely that the supplier does not bother about the quality of the products. According to Friedman (208), when the firm is the sole supplier in the market, it has significant powers to add prices of its products since there are no alternative goods or services in the market. Either the size of the business in the market does not matter in monopoly since a small or a big enterprise can possess powers to add prices on their products. Monopolistic firms practically produce small quantities of goods and services i n the markets to create artificial shortage in order to get a chance to hike their prices to realize maximum profits. Monopoly occurs in many forms such as government-established monopoly, natural monopoly and integration monopoly among others and each occurs depending on the prevailing market conditions. Although monopoly is legal and acceptable in the business domain, many governments in the world try to limit the level of monopoly in order to avoid exploitation and enhance competition which result in healthy development of the states. Monopoly law in the United States gained its roots over a century ago because it came with the colonial government. Many historical business experts link the establishment of monopoly in America with King Charles I of England in 1635. Yet this monopoly law has been applicable even in the recent years until the government passed another law to limit monopoly. Monopoly came into existence when the large-scale firms needed to provide labor to the large numbers of immigrants in America in order to promote hospitality in this state. According to Investopedia (Para. 2), the colonial government granted the huge firm contracts for the public works and after colonialism in America, the companies continued with the same policy due to the lands they possessed. One characteristic of monopoly is lack of completion but this system has proved to be very beneficial in the American economy. Therefore, immigration in America and existence of the few large companies led to the existence of monopoly and hospitality was the cause of monopoly. Some people’s minds take Google Company to be monopolistic in nature and some have gone into an extent of analyzing its business structure. Google is one of the best-known dot.com companies in the world because of its large variety of goods and services in the market. Google has provided a good platform for communication, search engines for academic and research purposes and the business solutions that promote better functioning of various businesses across the world. This firm has attracted so many users across all the disciplines such as scholars, office workers, businesspersons among others. Since its establishment, Google has earned large profits between 2001 and 2008 and this has steered the firm’

Critically analyse the role of public service broadcasting in Essay

Critically analyse the role of public service broadcasting in maintaining democracy in one nation-state with which you are familiar. (Best the UK) - Essay Example Most of the public radio and TV stations in the US for instance are licensed as non-commercial broadcasters, although they have some undertones of commercial advertising. This is contrary to the situation in other countries where public broadcasters can transmit commercials unabated (Blumler, 1992) The UK Broadcasting Research Unit in 1985 (quoted in Negrine, 2002) outlined the conditions that have to be fulfilled by public service broadcasting. Firstly, public service broadcasting should have a universal geographical presence accessible to all without any discrimination. Negrine (2002) argues that this is only attainable by setting up member stations across the country or having the broadcaster use sufficient transmitters capable of nationwide broadcasting. Similarly, public service broadcasting should cater for all interests and tastes as is the case of BBC, putting into considerations the plight of minority groups, Negrine further notes that public service broadcasting should demonstrate national identity and community meaning by airing local programmes from within the country other than importing shows from abroad. There is a strong tradition of public service broadcasting in United Kingdom. Study findings indicate that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was established in 1922 as cited in (Harrison & Woods, 2001). In addition to BBC, Harrison & Woods further note that there are other four more registered channels in the UK namely Channel 4 which is a state-owned commercial public service broadcaster, a Welsh language broadcaster in Wales named S4C and two other commercial analogue broadcasters, ITV and Five which have significant public service obligations that are imposed as part of their licence to broadcast. All the four television broadcasters in UK provide five nationwide analogue terrestrial television channels. Moreover, it is cited that there are two TV channels operated by BBC namely BBC 1 and BBC 2. Further

How Jack Welch Transforms Businesses Successfully Research Paper

How Jack Welch Transforms Businesses Successfully - Research Paper Example With his leadership qualities, Jack Welch gained the fame of being the youngest CEO in the history of GE in 1981. Contextually, his continuous efforts, as well as a decent leadership quality, played a major role in guiding GE into one of the most admired organizations valued for approximately $500 billion being recognized as one of the sustainable brands across the globe (Bartlett & Wozny, 2005).   Leadership Quality Possessed by Jack Welch Owing to the continuously increasing significance of leadership within an organizational context, it has emerged as one of the major considerations of a business growth and sustainability. It is believed in this regard that an effective leadership quality can significantly boost the performance of each individual towards the determined organizational objectives facilitating shared values and common principles as well as interests. On the contrary, it is often argued that the absence of effective leadership skills among the decision makers of any organization can lead to a dramatic decline of its overall performances in the long-run (Doh & Stumph, 2005). With this concern, the leadership skills of Jack Welch can be identified with due consideration towards the then external environment of GE witnessing various challenging tasks fundamentally owing to the changing scenario of the global market. According to the prevailing conditions of GE, it is also regarded as one of the leading brands and sustainable organizations with a leading position among the top 10 brands across the different regions of the world. Notably, the majority of the achievements attained by GE was during the later period of Jack Welch’s leadership which certainly fuels up the arguments emphasizing on the contribution made by him as a CEO towards the organizational accomplishments (Dulberg, Paschen, Sprindis & Stawski, n.d.). For instance, during his tenure, GE was able to attain the benefits of rapidly increasing revenues offering greater value to i ts shareholders compared to other business leaders across the global market. Stating precisely, the net worth of market capitalization of GE witnessed a steep increase from USD 12000 million during the year of 1981 (the year when Jack Welch was promoted as the CEO) to USD 500,000 million in the year 2001(when Jack Welch retired from his CEO position). A few of the strategies which Jack Welch had been considering during his tenure in GE, accounted the realignment of the business goals as well as the reduction of the motivational gaps existing within the higher level management and the other hierarchies of the organizational structure. He also played a major role in motivating his managers to extend their productivity and innovation capabilities to previously unknown levels gaining better competitive advantages over its international competitors. The leadership skills of Jack Welch were highly focused on enhancing the efficiency of the operational decision-making process by revitalizi ng the communication process engaging every individual within the organization.

Ryanair Business Strategy: Internal and External Analysis

Ryanair Business Strategy: Internal and External Analysis Ryanair:  Case Analysis Report Introduction Ryanair, established in 1985, is considered the main instigators of the â€Å"low cost â€Å" airline carriers, creating a new niche in a market previously dominated by former national airlines such as BA. The company has grown to a position where in 2005 it has 15 bases and 150 aircraft operating throughout Europe, carrying thirty million passengers (see figure 1), with a five year target to increase this to seventy million (Ryanair 2007). This position has been achieved by creating a â€Å"no-frills† approach on price (Pettigrew et al 2002), which gave it a competitive advantage over the established airlines (Porter 2004, p.207 and Kotler et al 2004, p.407), although attempts to extend this to include charging for ice used in in-flight drinks (Creaton 2004, p.169) was rescinded after customer complaints. The objective of the business is to become Europe’s leading â€Å"low-cost† airline and first for customer service, the latter position which was first reached in 2002 according to independent sources (see appendix A, figure 3). Similarly, the company also seeks to maintain value growth for shareholders. External Analysis Liberalisation of the airline industry in the 1970’s opened up the industry to new entrants and a new business model. Being one of the â€Å"first movers† in this new sector (Faulkner and Campbell 2006) Ryanair has taken advantage of the growth opportunities offered by creating a â€Å"low Cost† model based on the successful Southwest Airline (2007) strategy. This move has been partially responsible for increase in passenger numbers using UK airports in the last three decades (see table 1), with expectations of a threefold increase by 2030. Table 1 Airline passengers Year Passengers (m) 1980 50 1990 90 2000 180 With former eastern bloc countries converting from communistic to democratic political structures this growth is set to continue, providing the business with further opportunities (see appendix A, figure 4). Many of these former Baltic States have now joined the EU, which also provides Ryanair with the opportunity of expanding its destination network. However, the industry growth has also seen new competitors enter this niche market, including EasyJet, BMI, Virgin express and Aer Lingus. To maintain its competitive advantage the two major players have sought to consolidate their position by strategic acquisitions. In this area Ryanair, with its successful acquisition and integration of the â€Å"Buzz† lo-cost carrier, has been more successful that EasyJet’s experience when acquiring â€Å"Go.† Although the major airlines such as BA have responded to threats from Ryanair, to date these have not proved successful. The creation of this niche industry sector has also led to significant changes in the consumer’s perception (OConnell, J., and G. Williams 2005). Demands for cheaper fares has increased as prices have fallen, and the consumer perception and lifestyle has changed with regard to types of holidays has expanded rapidly, with weekend breaks and formerly unknown destinations increasing in popularity. Ryanair has also made full use of the advances in technology and digital processes within its â€Å"low-cost† business model. It was one of the first â€Å"low-cost† airlines to recognise the changes in the consumer buying habits resulting from these technological advances, using this diffusion to improve its services, encourage further consumer change and continue cost reduction advantages (Johnson et al 2007, p.481). Evidence of this can be found in the business move to paperless tickets, with more bookings being made through the Internet and, more recently, a move towards automated booking–in procedures at the airport, reducing the need for expansion of human resources to meet demand increase. At the same time, this technology use also helps Ryanair to maintain one of its key corporate objectives, which is to return success and value to the shareholders. There are two other external factors that impact upon the business and affect the determination of strategy. The first is environmental issues., which includes the concerns expressed by consumers and governments relating to the impact that air travel growth has upon the local communities and infrastructure and the second is the natural environment, where businesses are now required to consider the impact that their operations have upon issues such as climate change. The second issue is in the increase of legislation, particularly from the EU. In this respect Ryanair operations have to comply with regulations in terms of fair competition, which affects mergers and acquisitions and unfair practices, and targets set by the EU in relation to emission reductions required to address climate change.[PL1] Internal Analysis As Lynch (2006) and Faulkner and Campbell (2005) stated within their respective researches, for organisation’s such as Ryanair, who have targeted their strategy at a â€Å"low-price† product, it is imperative that, to maintain competitive advantage, who submitted that to achieve and maintain low price in the market place, the business itself had to be structured in a way that provided a limited cost base throughout all aspects of the business, in order to retain a profitable result. Porter (2004) suggests that this cost reduction process has to be communicated throughout the value chain (see appendix B, figure 6). Michael O’Leary, and the Ryanair management team have strived to achieve this position through a number of measures. Use of resources Ryanair makes good use of its resources. For example, all of the aircraft are of one design, the Boeing 737-800 series. This has several positives. Firstly, the company receives a discount from Boeing. Secondly, It reduces costs in terms of maintenance and training. In the latter case, unlike EasyJet, which has to train pilot and cabin crew to operate on a number of different aircraft designs, Ryanair’s staff only have to familiarise themselves with the one. Similarly, the turnaround of aircraft at destinations is quick and efficient, thus reducing unit cost. Human resources Despite the number of routes operated and the logistical problems of running a business of the magnitude of Ryanair, the company operates with a minimalist attitude towards head office, admin, aircraft and maintenance crews and administration staff. At the end of the 2005 financial year the business employed around 2,800 personnel, a figure which has changed very little over a five-year period. All of the Ryanair employees are expected to multitask. For example, cabin crew are required to clean cabins and remove rubbish between flights. Technology As mentioned earlier, Ryanair computerises as many services as possible. With Internet booking, paperless tickets, automated booking-in processes and many other parts of the operations being streamlined in this manner, this ensures that production and other costs remain low. Destinations Another imp0ortant aspect of the Ryanair cost reduction strategy is the concentration of its destinations into secondary rather than primary airports. Landing fees and other charges at these airports is substantially lower than the main airports and, even with the â€Å"sweetners† paid by Ryanair, the unit costs per passenger of flight into these destinations remains cheaper. Travel format Finally, the product itself has been simplified. There is only one class on a Ryanair flight and no pre-booking of seats. Furthermore, virtually everything but the seat costs. This includes drinks, meals and the other retail products available on board, with even free levels of baggage is limited. The success of this strategy can be evidenced when comparing the met profit margin of Ryanair with other carriers. The following data, taken from the various organisation’s websites and financial statements show the differnce (see table 2 below): Table 2 Net profit percentages Company Percentage Ryanair 17.81% EasyJet 7.98% British Airways 7.28% Diagnosis of current challenges However, like all businesses, Ryanair is not immune from challenges as it moves into the future. From the analysis of the business operations it is apparent that these challenges and threats will come from five main areas (appendix A, figure 4). Competition As mentioned earlier, with the emerging democracies within Europe, together with the regional and global harmonisation of competition rules, Ryanair is likely to find increased competition developing from these areas within the next few years to a decade. With the increased market place and, as can be seen from the share of the market that low cost airlines have (see figure 2), there is ample scope for new competition. The discussions about the â€Å"open skies† agreement between the EU and US (Milmo and Gow 2007), if these come to fruition, will also pose a threat as it creates a potential for US airlines to enter the industry sector. These actions could adversely affect the business continued financial success. Consolidation and growth There has already been some consolidation within the sector. It is likely that this will continue for the foreseeable future, and this could pose a threat to Ryanair’s dominant position. Furthermore, the corporations own growth pattern could impact negatively upon profitability. Despite growth attracting economies of scale, it can involve additional costs that threaten efficiency (Creaton 2004, p.250). Political intervention There are three main aspects of political intervention that are like to affect Ryanair in respect of its future development within Europe. The first of these relates to the EU’s competition laws, which is an area where Ryanair has come into conflict with the commissioners in terms of payments being made to secondary airports and other similar issues (BBC News 2004). The second is the threat by the EU to reduce or eliminate the subsidies given to the sector, worth an estimated  £6 billion annually (Bized 2004). This includes report, this VAT, Landing and Fuel tax benefits. The removal of these benefits will have a significant impact upon profitability. The third issue is the EU intention to force budget airlines to pay compensation for cancellations, which is not done at present. Environmental issues One of the major issues is the environment. Following the EU adoption of the IPCC[1] report recommendations, focus has been concentrated upon setting emissions targets for airline industry player, with stringent targets being set (see table 3). Future strategic options All researches promote the need for corporations to ensure corporate strategy addresses future challenges (Lynch (2006) and Faulkner and Campbell (2006)). In Ryanair’s case, it is suggested there are three strategic options that could be adopted (see appendix C, figure 7). Low price – low added value The aim of this strategy is to achieve the lowest price by a process of continually reducing the additional elements that attach to the service. For example, in terms of the budget airlines, from the consumers’ viewpoint this has meant reducing the facilities offered in-flight, such as changes to the quality of seating, increasing the seating capacity on the aircraft and reducing choice of services that involve human resources, such as hot meals, snacks and drinks. For the business is requires a continual drive to continue cost reduction throughout the value chain. Low price The intention of the low price strategy per se it to achieve reduction in the cost of fares, whilst retaining the consumers’ perception of the value of the product. To implement this strategy means that the business will need to seek cost reductions in areas other than those that directly impact upon the quality of the in-=flight service provided. This could be achieved by the further use of technology to automate in additional areas of the operational processes. Focused differentiation A strategy if focused differentiation is intended to set the business product apart from that of its competitors. Price can be used in the differentiation process, but in this case it needs to be inclusive with other elements that make the product unique. Evaluation of strategic options Following an evaluation of these strategic options, using the criteria recommended by Rumselt (see appendix D, figure 8), the following is an outline of the results that this produced. Option 1 – Low price – love value added This strategic option is consistence with the policy that Ryanair has followed in the past and is in accord with the previous intentions of the business strategy, which has been to reduce price at the cost of services, in other words achieving a â€Å"no frills† situation. However, it would seem that Ryanair would find it difficult to further reduce the level of service provided to its customers and it is unlikely that this approach would secure its market position. Option 2 – Low price Low price, as with option one, is in line with the business existing strategy. However, from the analysis of the internal situation at Ryanair, it would seem that there are limited options in terms of reducing existing resources, particularly if the business wishes to maintained a sustained growth programme and market share. Furthermore, it is not in accord with external trends, which indicates that consumers are becoming more discerning and the political arena more concerned with the consumers’ rights and environmental costs. Option 3 – Focused differentiation Focused differential, which could still include low price, would also be consistent with the Ryanair strategy. The differential of â€Å"low price, no frills† has been the core differential upon which the business has promoted itself previously. However, with other competitors entering the market place, that differential needs to be extended to other areas. In summary therefore, it is felt that the focused differentiation option would be most appropriate for the business future and will assist it to retain and improve its competitive advantage. Overview of selected strategy The core elements of the proposed â€Å"focused differentiation† strategy being proposed will be threefold. Free flights An aggressive strategy aimed at achieving free flights to be pursued. This can be achieved by seeking third party turnover to replace the ticket cost. For example, the business could introduce sponsoring, where travel and venue destinations, such as holiday locations, theme parks and local tourist boards pay for flights. Similarly, in-flight facilities could be introduced, such as Internet shopping, gambling and pay to view telephone. Furthermore, other services such as car rental and insurances could be used to cover the lost ticket revenue. Consolidation The business should be looking to make acquisitions, particularly with organisations within the Eastern European countries that have recently joined the EU. This enables the business to achieve market growth and maintain its dominant position. It also reduces the future competition. Aircraft fleet Fleet replacement is an area that Ryanair has concentrated upon in the past. In the future, in addition to discounts, this should be linked to conditions that ensure the fleet includes the latest environmentally friendly specifications, with aircraft being regularly upgraded as part of the purchase options. Implementation plan To enable the selected strategy to be implemented, several courses of action need to be undertaken. Short term Moves towards a â€Å"free-flight† position can be commenced within the immediate future, with the management and marketing departments of Ryanair discussing this concept with potential sponsor from the commercial leisure world, as well as tourism boards within the region and in specific destinations. Medium Term In the medium term two actions required for the strategy can be undertaken. The first of these is the gradual refits that will be required to aircraft to include the various new technological facilities that have been recommended. The second action would be to assess the potential market players to ascertain which, if any, would provide the business with a strategic fit for expansion of its market reach within the region. Long term Contracts with Boeing need to be re-negotiated to ensure that environment related conditions are included as an inherent part of the purchase process for replacement aircraft. Conclusion There is no doubt that Ryanair faces a number of key challenges in the future. To ensure that the business can successfully deal with the changes these challenges present, it is important that the future strategy is sufficiently robust to be able ensure that the business retains its competitive advantage and profitability levels. The aggressive strategies recommended within this analysis study are designed to achieve this objective. The â€Å"Free-flight† with added services, albeit being paid for, will maintain the unique and differentiated service that the Ryanair brand has become known for. Bibliography BBC News (2004). Ryanair faces new payment probe. Retrieved 17 May 2007 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3458423.stm Bized (2004). Low Flying Fares: An End to Cheap, No Frills? Retrieved 27 July 2007 from http://www.bized.co.uk/current/leisure/2003_4/010304.htm Brassington Frances and Pettitt, Stephen (2006). Principles of Marketing, 4th edition, Pearson Education Ltd. London, UK Channel 4 News (2007). If you care about the environment, you should fly Easyjet. Really? Retrieved 16 May 2007 from http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/environment/factcheck+how+green+is+easyjet/509642 Creaton, Siobhan (2004). Ryanair: How a Small Irish Airline Conquered Europe. Aurum Press Ltd. London, UK. De Groote, P.D (2005). The Success Story of European Low-Cost Carriers in a Changing Airworld. GaWC Research Bulletin 174. Retrieved 27 July 2007 from http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb174.html Doganis, Rigas (2000). The Airline Business in the 21st Century. Routledge. London, UK. Faulkner, David and Campbell, Andrew (2006). The Oxford Book of Strategy: A Strategy Overview and Competitive Strategy. New ed. Oxford University Press. Oxford, UK. Haslam, Chris and Ungoed-Thomas, Jon (2007). Ryanair denies baggage ‘scam’. The Times. London, UK. Johnson, Gerry., Scholes, Kevan and Whittington, Richard (2007). Exploring Corporate Strategy. FT Prentice Hall, Harlow, UK. Kotler, Philip. Wong, Veronica., Saunders John A and Armstrong, Gary (2004). Principles of Marketing, 4th European edition, Pearson Education Ltd. London, UK. OConnell, J., and G. Williams (2005). Passengers Perceptions of Low Cost Airlines and Full Service Carriers. Journal of Air Transport Management, 11: 259-272. Porter, Michael E (2004). Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors. The Free Press. New ed. The Free Press. New York, US. Press association (2007). Budget airline offers low cost New York flights. Retrieved 17 May 2007 from http://www.which.co.uk/reports_and_campaigns/travel_and_leisure/reports/holiday_advice/Flights/zoom_flights_news_article_557_112479.jsp Report (2007). The Environmental Effects of Civil Aircraft in Flight. Royal Commission of Environmental Pollution. Retrieved 29 July 2007 from http://www.rcep.org.uk/avreport.htm Ryanair (2007). About us. Retrieved 14 May 2007 from http://www.ryanair.com Southwest Airlines (2007). About SWA. Retrieved 28 July 2007 from http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/airborne.html Stragler, Joos (1999). Current issues arising with airline alliances. Retrieved 17 May 2007 from http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/speeches/text/sp1999678_en.html Appendix A – external environment Figure 4 Pestel analysis Political Airline liberalisation Extension of democracy in EU Open skies policy Economic Internal financial performance Disposable income Abolishing of international tariffs Competition Acquisition Social Consumer attitudes Brand image Lifestyle and travel changes Technological Automatic booking in systems Online activity Change in consumer buying habits Environment Investor added value EU and international environment concerns Legal issues European legislation Environment regulations Competition rules Figure 5 Opportunities and Threats Opportunities Threats Growth of network Increased competition Growth of passenger numbers Industry consolidation Maintenance of cost reductions Political intervention Continuing price reductions (free?) Environmental issues Expand cooperation between â€Å"Low cost† carriers Further acquisitions Appendix B – Internal environment Figure 6 Value Chain Source: Porter (2004) Appendix C – strategic options Figure 7 The strategy clock Source: www.marketing teacher.com Appendix D – evaluation criteria Figure 8 Rumelts evaluation criteria Consistency Are the external strategies consistent with (supported by) the various internal aspects of the organization? You must examine all the various functional and internal management strategies employed by the organization and compare them with the external business strategy. Consonance Are the strategies in agreement with the various external trends (and sets of trends) in the environment? To answer this questions, you need to look at all the major trends that impact the selected strategy both positively and negatively. Feasibility Is the strategy reasonable in terms of the organizations resources? Money and capital Management, professional, and technical resources Time span Advantage Does the strategy create and/or maintain a competitive advantage? Resources Skills Position Source: Johnson et al (2007, p.593) 1 Footnotes [1] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [PL1]1

Business Marketing :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Business Marketing Four basic categories define the business market: 1. The commercial market 2. Trade industries 3. Government organizations 4. Institutions Commercial markets include individuals and firms that acquire goods and services to support, directly or indirectly, production of other goods and services. Example: When Lufthansa buys aircraft built by the European consortium Airbus Industry, when Sara Lee purchases wheat to mill into flour for an ingredient in its cakes. Trade industries include retailers or whole sellers that purchase products for resale to others. Example: retail meat markets may carry out bulk purchases of sides of beef and then cut individual pieces for their customers. Institutions include a wide range of organizations, such as hospitals, churches, nursing homes, colleges and universities, museums and not-for-profit organizations. Example: state universities. Government organizations include domestic units of government- federal, state, and local as well as foreign governments. Example: national defense or pollution control. Q2. What are the characteristics of the commercial market? Show how each characteristic affects the marketing strategies of firms serving that market. The commercial market is the largest segment of the business market. It includes all individuals and firms that acquire goods and services to supports directly or indirectly, production of other goods and services. Some products aid in producing another good or service. Others are physically used up in the production of a good or service. Still others contribute to the firms day to day operations. Q3. What are the SIC codes? How do the marketers use these codes? Standard Industries Classification codes are the US government classification system that subsides the business market place into detailed market segments. Businesses use SIC code data for more then segmentation. These codes also help them to estimate the demand and forecast sales. Q4. Contrast organizational buying behavior and consumer purchasing behavior. What are the primary differences and similarities? Business buying behavior takes place with in a formal organization with its budget, costs and profit considerations. The primary differences include excessive organizational steps, considering budget, costs, prioritizing techniques for purchase decision analyses. Where as, consumer-purchasing behavior includes knowledge of business buying situations and is influenced by peers and ads. Q5. Give examples of the effect of industrial market demand of derived demand, volatile demand, joint demand, inventory adjustments, and the accelerator principal. Derived demand: Demand for a business product that results from demand for a consumer product of which it is a component. Example: The growing global demand by food service firms for packs of Heinz ketchup, mustard, mayo, etc. is all driven by consumer’s appetite for their convenience and joy of dining out.