Genzyme Case Study free essay sample

1. How does Genzyme’s focus on orphan drugs affect the degree of competition it faces? How does it affect the bargaining power of customers? For a drug to qualify as an ‘orphan drug’, a disease must only afflict less than 200,000 people worldwide. From this we can understand that Genzyme’s target market is a very small niche and consequently there is very little competition. Big pharmaceuticals primarily focus their resources on ‘blockbuster’ drugs because there is a large market to target. Since Genzyme’s target market does not appear to be attractive for most pharmaceuticals in that regard, it gains significant leeway from competition by focusing on orphan drugs. Also, the Orphan Drug Act provides 7 years of market exclusivity which virtually eliminates competition for Genzyme for at least a while. As an orphan drug, there is minimal threat of substitutes and potential entrants into the market, as explained above. Also, the nature of t he drugs made by Genzyme are of a very critical nature; the drugs save lives of people with very rare genetic disorders. We will write a custom essay sample on Genzyme Case Study or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Considering these points, the bargaining power of customers in this case are minimal to none. 2. How does focusing on orphan drugs affect the types of resources and capabilities a biotech firm needs to be successful? Rare genetic disorders is a highly specialised area, and so is the research and development of orphan drugs. The kind of resources needed will definitely be difficult to procure and a biotech firm needs to have access to relevant technology to be successful. However, in the pharmaceutical industry, orphan drugs can also mean smaller clinical trials, approvals take shorter time, lesser need for focus on large scale marketing and the freedom to have a more direct sales force, allowing the biotech firm to be more focused on its core competencies. 3. Does Genzyme’s focus on orphan drugs make sense? Do you think Genzyme has a long-term strategic intent? Genzyme’s focus on orphan drugs does make a lot of sense, especially since The Orphan Drug Act has been passed. The Act allows better protection than a patent and gives Genzyme 7 years to develop more drugs and capabilities. With improved technology, 7 years is a lot of time. Also, the orphan drug market is one where customers have very limited bargaining power, and this enables Genzyme to transfer the costs incurred to customers. Despite the small size of the target market, it is a highly profitable one and Genzyme managed to capitalise on it. Genzyme does appear to have long-term strategic intent, but it was difficult to say so at the  time they started out. Their strategic position was to stick to the orphan drug market, and through their initial years they’ve proven that such a position can be profitable. They’ve managed to come up with a business model that was successful and scalable. As mentioned in the case, their success even attracted the attention of others. Out of the 5000-8000 rare genetic disorders out there (currently known), only 300 orphan drugs have been successfully placed into the market. There is plenty of scope in the orphan drug market, and Genzyme’s position to focus on orphan drugs does qualify as long-term strategic intent. 4. Why do you think Genzyme has diversified into other areas of medicine? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this? Genzyme diversified into other areas of medicine primarily to generate funds to sustain research and development costs for the orphan drugs. The advantages to this are that Genzyme could generate more revenue. Its existing competencies were supported by the diversification and stick to its decision to stay independent. Also, Genzyme could divide its liabilities, and it has something to fall back on. The disadvantages to this is that Genzyme does risk losing focus on its core competencies i.e. research and development of orphan drugs. 5. What recommendations would you offer Genzyme for the future? Genzyme can apply for research grants from the government due to the nature of the market it is focusing on. This will enable Genzyme better access to resources and facilities for research and development. Genzyme can also focus on investing and developing some of its side business which complement Genzyme’s core objectives, for example the diagnostic centres which are also crucial points for collecting data beneficial for research. Genzyme should also consider taking additional measures to secure its intellectual property, which can enable Genzyme to stay ahead after the 7 years of the Orphan Drug Act has passed.

Career Passports and Career Portfolios Essay Essay Example

Career Passports and Career Portfolios Essay Essay Example Career Passports and Career Portfolios Essay Essay Career Passports and Career Portfolios Essay Essay Portfolios have long been used in some professions to showcase professional work and accomplishment. In instruction. portfolios have besides been used for appraisal. including self-assessment ( Lankes 1995 ; Pond et al. 1998 ) . Both calling portfolios and calling passports reflect this double focus- students assess themselves in the procedure of developing a merchandise. and the resulting merchandise show windows and paperss their experiences and accomplishments. A differentiation is sometimes drawn between a portfolio as developmental and a passport as summational ( Bridging the Gap 1993 ) . With portfolios. more accent is put on the developmental procedure of self-assessment. planning. and goal-setting ; with passports. more accent is put on the concluding merchandise that sums up the consequences of the procedure and communicates them to others. In pattern. nevertheless. both passports and portfolios represent a combination of developmental procedure and summational merchandise. The value of the passport or portfolio is besides double: pupils come to an consciousness of their ain accomplishments and experience. and employers have richer. more elaborate information for engaging determinations than is provided in transcripts and sheepskin. Equally early as the mid-1980s. Charner and Bhaerman ( 1986 ) advocated a Career Passport as a manner for secondary pupils to place and document their work and nonwork experiences and to interpret those experiences into statements of accomplishments specifically related to work. The procedure was necessary for pupils to understand what they had to offer to employers ; the ensuing Career Passport provided employers with critical information to supplement the information in school transcripts or even sketchs. The Ohio Individual Career Plan ( ICP ) and Career Passport. The Ohio Career Passport is the finishing touch of students’ calling decision-making procedure. begun before the 9th class ( Gahris n. d. The planning and determination devising involved in the ICP procedure lead to each student’s Career Passport. an single certificate lodging an array of formal paperss that pupils use in the following measure after high school. Components include a missive of confirmation from the school ; a student-developed sketch ; a pupil narrative placing calling ends and implicit in principle ; a transcript ( including attending ) ; sheepskin. certifications. licences. or other certificates ; and a list of any specific vocational plan competences. The provin ce recommends lodging those constituents in a consistent. easy recognizable booklet. Students develop ICPs through calling involvement and aptitude appraisal. geographic expedition experiences. sooner through occupation tailing. and one-year reappraisal and alteration in high school. The ICP and Career Passport can be developed in any statewide course of study country but most frequently this occurs in English or societal surveies. with aid from the computing machine teacher and counsel counsellor. Classroom support stuffs include simple. center. and high school Career Development Blueprints and sample activity packages ( Classroom Support Materials n. d. ) . All Ohio schools are required to supply pupils the chance to finish the ICP and Career Passport in a structured schoolroom scene and local school boards may do the Career Passport a graduation demand for their territory. although parents may take non to hold their kid involved. The South Dakota Career and Life Planning Portfolio. The Career and Life Planning Portfolio is a aggregation of work that paperss a student’s accomplishments. abilities. and aspirations ( Division of Workforce and Career Preparation 1999 ; â€Å"DWCP Wins National Award† 2000 ) . Normally organized in a standard jacket with color-coded booklets. certification can include both illustrations of work and information on calling and instruction planning. accomplishments employers want. projects/work samples. and assessment consequences. The Portfolio. which is non required. can be used for a assortment of educational intents. but its ultimate usage is to house the undertakings and work samples that demonstrate to a prospective employer that the pupil has the accomplishments and endowments the employer needs. Based on a theoretical account developed by the Sioux Falls School District and tested at 25 province high schools. the Portfolio is accompanied by course of study stuffs. activities. and resources for instructors. Career Certificates The Wisconsin Employability Skills Certificate. The Employability Skills Certificate Program is designed for pupils who do non take part in the Cooperative Education Skills Certificate Program and the Youth Apprenticeship Program ( Lifework Education Team 2000 ) . The Employability Skills Certificate. issued by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. recognizes students’ command of the employability accomplishments identified by the U. S. Department of Labor’s Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills ( SCANS ) . To take part in the voluntary plan. local territories must supply three needed constituents: Direction and appraisal of SCANS skills- Instruction can be provided in any curriculum country. and presentation and appraisal can happen either in the school or in the community. School-supervised work-based acquisition experience- Considerable flexibleness is allowed for local territories in supplying work-based learning experiences. which can include bing concerted instruction. work experience. internships. or service acquisition plans. A lower limit of 180 entire work hours is required ; occupation-related direction is non required. Career planning- Working with parents and school forces. each pupil develops a written Individual Career Plan ( ICP ) to do appropriate calling. educational. and occupational picks. The ICP identifies tentative calling ends and concrete. specific stairss after high school to recognize those ends ; schools manage the ICP procedure and supply nonsubjective informations both for original development and periodic reevaluation. The Connecticut Career Certificate ( CCC ) . Part of the go oning School-to-Career ( STC ) system. the CCC verifies that a pupil has mastered a set of employability. academic. and proficient accomplishments identified in a partnership between the province Departments of Labor. Education. and Higher Education and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association ( Connecticut Department of Labor 2001 ; Stickney and Alamprese 2001 ) . The CCC is awarded by state-approved local territories to pupils who achieve all needed competences in one of eight calling bunchs. Academic criterions ( reading. composing. communicating accomplishments. math. scientific discipline. and computing machine cognition ) are based on state-determined degrees of public presentation on one of four appraisals: Connecticut Mastery Test. administered to all 8th-grade pupils ; the Connecticut Academic Performance Test. administered to all 10th-grade pupils ; the voluntary Scholastic Assessment Test ; or the voluntary Comprehensive Adult Students Assessment System. Level C or D. Employability criterions ( attitudes and properties. client service. teamwork. and adaptability ) . which are integrated curriculum models for all eight calling bunchs. are correlated with SCANS accomplishments. Both academic and employability criterions are common across all eight calling bunchs. whereas proficient accomplishments and criterions vary by bunch. The figure of CCCs awarded has increased from 101 statewide in 1997-98 to 569 in 2000-01. More significant per centums of high school pupils participated in STC calling development activities- for illustration. 72 per centum in calling guidance and 50 per centum each in calling involvement studies and portfolio development. The Oregon Certificates of Mastery. By the school twelvemonth 2004-05. all Oregon high schools will be required to offer the Certificate of Advanced Mastery ( CAM ) . Designed to fix pupils for success in their following stairss after high school. the CAM paperss each student’s academic and career-related cognition and accomplishments ( Oregon Department of Education 2001 ) . In the 2001 CAM theoretical account. academic accomplishments include province public presentation criterions in English ( reading. speech production. and composing ) math. scientific discipline. and societal scientific discipline ; these are four of the seven criterions required for the state’s Certificate of Initial Mastery ( CIM ) . which besides include art. 2nd linguistic communication. and physical instruction. CAM campaigners can run into the four required CIM public presentation criterions either through CIM cognition and accomplishment trials or through CIM work samples. The six career-related larning standards- †fundamental accomplishments indispensable for success in employment. college. household and community life† ( p. 2 ) - include personal direction. job work outing. communicating. teamwork. employment foundations. and calling development. To gain a CAM. each pupil must develop. reappraisal. and update an instruction program for following stairss after high school ; develop an instruction profile to document advancement and accomplishment ; meet public presentation criterions for using academic and career-related cognition and accomplishments in new and complex state of affairss ; show career-related cognition and accomplishments ; take part in planned career-related acquisition experiences ; and fulfill the four CIM criterions. Students can choose specific countries of their instruction profile to papers and communicate specific cognition and accomplishments to specific audiences. such as employers. and supplement that with a record of personal achievements. experiences. and accomplishments. Other illustrations could be added to those presented here. Oklahoma’s 2001 Career Activity File: Career Portfolios K-12 ( 2001 ) . Arizona’s Career Pathways: An Execution and Resource Guide ( 1997 ) . and Michigan’s proposed Content Standards and Working Draft Benchmarks for Career and Employability Skills ( Using Employability Skills 1998 ) all address the same demand for pupils to pass on cognition and accomplishments non captured good by traditional sheepskin and transcripts. Whether an empty construction to make full or a carefully defined certificate to gain. calling passports. portfolios. and certifications provide a new agencies for pupils to document the whole scope of cognition and skills- employability. academic. or technical- they have to offer to employers. Effective patterns in developing and utilizing calling portfolios and passports involve specifying the functions of different histrions. turn toing issues of portfolio or passport design. and easing students’ developmental procedure ( Wonacott 2001 ) . Issues related to career passports. portfolios. and certifications that have non yet been addressed include pupil results and success ( e. g. . employment. get downing salary ) . plan coordination and cooperation across provinces. and the possible development of a national theoretical account.

Outline and discuss the evolution of CSR, including its history, role Assignment

Outline and discuss the evolution of CSR, including its history, role in the financial crisis and prospects for the future - Assignment Example J. Maurice Clark argued in 1916 that â€Å"if men are responsible for the known results of their actions, business responsibilities must include the known results of business dealings, whether these have been recognized by law or not† (Clark, Abramovitz, & Ginzberg, 2009, p. 83). This paper critically examines the concept of CSR, its implications for both business and communities and the drivers for CSR. Analysing and understanding the concept of CSR is crucial because it focuses on the development of a sustainable future. CSR is important because it affects all facets of businesses and, in turn, businesses are vital because they generate much of the welfare and wealth in society. By itself, CSR is ever more critical to firm value and societal stability. Hence, fundamental to the notion of CSR is determining where businesses belong in the society. By dealing with environmental issues, corporate ethics and governance, and other concerns, society builds a progressive framework w herein companies operate (Nakajima, 2011). Framework is progressive because the perfect combination of business objectives and societal demands is continuously changing. Although businesses are mainly in charge of generating wealth and motivating growth in society, they do not operate single-handedly. Governments are important because they develop and establish the policies and limits through which businesses and society function. Furthermore, nongovernmental or non-profit organisations are tasked to generate social goods without satisfying the obligations of a government agency or pursuing profit. However, in the absence of innovation free enterprise demands, economic and social growth deteriorates (Alexander, 2010). In the absence of the powerful wealth-generating mechanisms of business, the resources necessary to activate non-profit organisations and government agencies wither, eventually diminishing people’s quality of life. Businesses generate numerous societal goods. Ye t, they also bring about serious harm, as economic crunches, industrial mishaps, increasing unemployment rate, and environmental problems reveal. The governments then respond with regulatory policies to limit the worst unethical practices of businesses (Pedamon, 2010). Between the severe damage and general good businesses generate, consequently, resides interest in the legitimate role of businesses in society, particularly as technological advancement and globalisation widen the influence and power of major corporations. Economist Milton Friedman claims that â€Å"Few trends could so thoroughly undermine the very foundations of our free society as the acceptance by corporate officials of a social responsibility other than to make as much money for their stockholders as possible† (Aras & Crowther, 2010, p. 327). Yet, in contrast, companies are more and more pressured to operate with a multiple-stakeholder perspective (Alexander, 2010)—recognising the needs and demands o f various stakeholders, such as customers, shareholders, and employees while fulfilling responsibility for communities and the broader environment wherein they conduct their business. Implication of CSR for Business Although there are various ways to view the advantages of CSR because they are interconnected, they mostly involve the following: first, enhanced reputation; second, more positive and stronger ties with communities; third,

Llean Implementation Using VSM and Simulation Assignment

Llean Implementation Using VSM and Simulation - Assignment Example Thus, this report will be an attempt towards depicting the use of the Lean manufacturing technique for optimizing the supply chain of ACW. Technology drives industry. This is true for industrial sectors especially those belonging to the developed economies of the world. Until the last decade, industries in the United States and Europe (which were some of the most heavily industrialized countries of the world) were so heavily dependent on technological Research & development so much so that a major chunk of companies' budget used to be allocated exclusively for R&D purposes. But, the most glaring phenomenon was that there were no research initiatives in the direction of management let alone waste management. Here waste must not be confused with physical waste, as the following sections will go on to depict. It was not until two decades ago that manufacturing industries realized their folly. They had learnt an important lesson from their fellow counterparts in Japan who had successfully implemented & popularized the use of "Just in Time" policies. The "Just in Time" policy was a conglomeration or in other words, a fusion of the concepts of mass production and scientific management methodologies. ... With the passage of time, the concept of lean manufacturing has gained immense popularity with its varied application in fields ranging from mass production to the services industry. Thus, lean methodologies have been successfully implemented in many disciplines.If one were to look down at history towards various sectors of the industry, it can be understood as to how lean principle have come into being. The roots of lean come from the word-CUTTHROAT COMPETITION. Since the 1970s, regardless of the nature or the services provided by the industry, the emphasis is laid more on how fast can the final product be delivered with optimum quality. If one were to look at Dell's strategy, it would be imperative that dell manufactures custom desktops in less than a week so as to remain a step ahead of its competitors. FedEx has been known to deliver packages within a day and this is the reason for the company's huge customer base and its dominance in the courier industry. Thus, their main strate gy is to think on the basis of adding value to the supply chain, which in managerial jargon, would be known as Lean thinking. Under the lean strategy, the industry strives to identify critical elements connected to the industry that add value to the product along with minimizing the production time.The same is the case with the company that is under focus as far as this report is concerned. The company here is called ACW that is based in Tonypandy. The main objective of this report would be to analyze the current state of workflow using some popular methods under the lean manufacturing techniques and thereupon propose further strategies and changes in order to optimize the work processes further. But before that, a major

Innovative Management Practices and Positive and Negative Tradeoffs of Essay

Innovative Management Practices and Positive and Negative Tradeoffs of Toyota Company - Essay Example Even the most minor of hiccups have been caught and analyzed in a proper way so that no ambiguities shall remain uncaught within the automobile industry as far as manufacturing state of the art vehicles is concerned. The emphasis has been on quality at all levels which indeed speaks much for the automobile industry in general and the operations that are being handled at each and every rank in meticulous. The positive tradeoffs with outsourcing production function to supplier organizations come about in the wake of lowered cost issues which would have been higher had the same been done at the manufacturer’s end. This becomes a huge aspect that comes under consideration whenever there is a discussion on the price tangent that is involved overall. Further, this seems to be one of the stronger positives that comes out of the related equations mainly because outsourcing has come out as a trend in the modern world that has brought about a lot of incentives (Klepper, 2004). The negative tradeoffs with outsourcing production function to supplier organizations happen when there is less control for the parent automobile manufacturer and his exertion becomes minimal or even negligible within the localized market domains. This poses a significant problem which when seen from a strategic perspective can leave a lasting impact on the entire automobile industry. The innovative management practices at Toyota have ensured that the faulty automobiles were never delivered to its esteemed customers. This was one guarantee that came about in the wake of the highly efficient management regimes which were in place and still remain strong within it. The relationship between Toyota and its customers is just too strong to manifest these kinds of gross mistakes.

History of Globalization

History of Globalization INTRODUCTION: Historical Background of Globalisation For developing countries, globalization means integration with the world economy. In simple economic terms, globalization refers to the process of integration of the world into one huge market. Such unification calls for the removal of all trade barriers among countries. Even political and geographical barriers become irrelevant. At the company level, globalization means two things: (a) the company commits itself heavily with several manufacturing locations around the world and offers products in several diversified industries and (b) it also means the ability to compete in domestic markets with foreign competitors. In the popular sense, globalization refers mainly to multi-plant operations. International Monetary Fund defines globalization as the growing economic interdependence of countries worldwide through increasing volume and variety of cross border transactions in goods and services and of international capital flows and also through the more rapid and widespread diffusion of technology. Charles Hill defines globalization as, the shift towards a more integrated and interdependent world economy. Globalization has two main components- the globalization of market and the globalization of production. Interdependency and Integration of individual countries of the world may be called as globalization. Thus globalization integrates not only economies but also societies. The globalization process includes globalization of markets, globalization of production, globalization of technology and globalization of investment. Globalization encompasses the following: Doing or planning to expand, business globally. Giving up the distinction between the domestic facilities on a consideration of the global outlook of the business. Locating the production and other physical facilities on a consideration of the global business dynamics, irrespective of national considerations. Basing product development and production planning on the global market considerations. Global sourcing of factors of production, i.e., raw materials, components, machinery/technology, finance etc., are obtained from the best source anywhere in the world. Global orientation of organizational structure and management culture. A company, which has gone global, is called a Multinational (MNC) or a transnational (TNC). An MNC is, therefore, one that, by operating in more than one country, gains through Research and Development (RD), leading to substantial production, marketing and financial advantages in its cost and reputation that are not available to purely domestic competitors. The global economy views the world as one market, minimize the importance of national boundaries, raised capital and market wherever it can do the job best. To be specific, a global company has three characteristics: i) It is a conglomerate of gathering multiple units (located in different parts of the globe) but all linked by common ownership. ii) Multiple units draw on a common pool of resources such as money, credit, information, patents, trade names and control system iii) The units respond to some common strategy. Nestle International is an example of an enterprise that has become multinational. It sells its products in most countries and manufactures in many. Besides, its manager and shareholders are from many nations. The other MNCs whose names can be mentioned here are IBM, GE, McDonald, Ford, Shell, Philips, Sony, and Uniliver. Stages of Globalization/globalization process Globalization does not take place in a single instance. It takes place gradually through an evolutionary approach. According to Ohamae, globalization has five stages. They are: 1) Domestic company exports to foreign countries through the dealers or distributors of the home country. 2) In the second stage, the domestic company exports to foreign countries directly on its own. 3) In the third stage, the domestic company becomes an international company by establishing production and marketing operations in various key foreign countries. 4) In the fourth stage, the company replicates a foreign company in the foreign country by having all the facilities including RD, full-fledged human resources etc. 5) In the fifth stages, the company becomes a true foreign company by serving the needs of foreign customers just like the host countrys company serves. 6) Thus, globalization means globalizing the marketing, production, investment, technology and other activities. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT Economic globalization refers to the increasing economic interdependence of the national economies across the world through the rapid increase in the cross-border movement of goods, service, technology and capital. Whereas, it is centered on the diminution of international trade regulations as well as the tariffs, taxes, and other impediments that suppresses global trade, it is the process which increasing economic integration among countries, leading to the emergence of a global marketplace or single world market. Depending on the paradigm, economic globalization can be viewed as either a positive or a negative phenomenon. Economic globalization comprises the globalization of production, markets, competition, technology, and corporations and industries. Current globalization trends can be largely accounted for by developed economies integrating with less developed economies, by means of foreign direct investment, the reduction of trade barrier as well as other economic reforms and, in many cases, immigration. As example, Chinese economic reform began to open China to the globalization in the 1980s. Scholars find that China has attained the degree of openness that is unprecedented among the large and populous nations, with competition from foreign goods in almost every sector of the economy. Foreign investment helped to greatly increase quality, knowledge and standards, especially in heavy industry. Chinas experience supports the assertion that globalization greatly increases wealth for poor countries. As of 2005-2007, the Port of Shanghai holds the title as the Worlds busiest port. Economic liberalization in India refers to ongoing economic reforms in India that started in 1991. As of 2009, about 300 million people-equivalent to the entire population of the U.S-have escaped extreme poverty. In India, business process outsourcing has been described as the primary engine of the countrys development over the next few decades, contributing broadly to GDP growth, employment growth, and poverty alleviation. SUPPORT AND CRITICISM In general, corporate businesses, particularly in the area of finance, globalization as the positive force in the world. Many economists cite statistics that seem to support such positive impact. For example, per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth among post-1980 globalizing countries accelerated from 1.4 percent a year in the 1960s and 2.9 percent a year in the 1970s to 3.5 percent in the 1980s and 5.0 percent in the 1990s. This acceleration in growth seems even more remarkable given that the rich countries saw steady declines in growth from the high of 4.7 percent in the 1960s to 2.2 percent in the 1990s. Also, the non-globalizing developing countries seem to fare worse than the globalizes, with the formers annual growth rates falling from highs of 3.3 percent during the 1970s to only 1.4 percent during the 1990s. This rapid growth among the globalization is not simply due to the strong performances of China and India in the 1980s and 1990s-18 out of the 24 globalizers expe rienced increases in growth, many of them quite substantial. Economic liberals generally argue that higher degrees of political and economic freedom in the form of free trade in the developed world are ends in themselves, producing higher levels of overall material wealth. Globalization is seen as the beneficial spread of liberty and capitalism. Jagdish Bhagwati, a former adviser to the U.N. on globalization, holds that, although there are obvious problems with overly rapid development, globalization is a very positive force that lifts countries out of poverty by causing a virtuous economic cycle associated with faster economic growth. Economist Paul Krugman is the staunch supporter of globalization and free trade with a record of disagreeing with many critics of globalization. He argues that many of them lack a basic understanding of comparative advantage and its importance in todays world. EFFECTS OF GLOBALISATION Globalization is both beneficial and harmful for different stakeholders. Globalization has both benefits and limitation. Benefits of Globalization: (1) Free flow of capital: Globalization helps for free the flow of capital from one country to the other. It helps the investor to get a fair interest rate or dividend and the global companies to acquire finance at lower cost of capital. Further, globalization increases capital flows from surplus countries to the needy countries, which in turn increase the global investment. (2) Free Flow of Technology: As stated earlier, globalization helps for the flow of technology from advanced countries to the developing countries. It helps the developing countries to implement new technology. (3) Increase in Industrialization: Free flow of capital along with the technology enables the developing countries to boost-up industrialization in their countries. This ultimately increases global industrialization. (4) Lower Price with High Quality: Indian consumers have already been getting the products of high quality at lower prices. Increased industrialization, speed up of technology, increased production and consumption level enables the companies to produce and sell the products at lower prices. (5) Cultural exchange and demand for a variety of products: Globalization reduces the physical distance among the countries and enable people of different countries to acquire the culture of other countries. The cultural exchange, in turn makes the people to demand for a variety of products which are being consumed in other countries. For example, demand for American pizza in India and demand for Masala Dosa and Hyderabadi Birayani and Indian styles garments in USA and Europe. (6) Increase in Employment and Income: Globalization results in shift of manufacturing facilities to the low wage developing countries. As such, it reduces job opportunities in advanced countries and alternatively creates job opportunities in developing countries. For example Harwood Industries (US cloth manufactures) shifted its operation from US (paying wages $ per hour) to Honduras (wage rate was 48 % per hour). However, advanced countries can specialize in producing high technology product resulting in enhancement of employment opportunities. For example, Microsoft Cell Phone in USA. (7) Higher Standards of Living: Further, Globalization reduces prices and thereby enhances consumption and living standards of people in all the countries of the world. Though the globalization process produces a variety of benefits/advantages, developing countries including, India have bitter experiences. These bitter experiences are due to the disadvantage of Globalization. Limitation of Globalization (1) Heterogeneity of Problems: A major hurdle in the path of globalization is the absence of a universally accepted set of solution of the problems which have to be tackled. Some of these problems happen to be political and social ones, but even their solutions have economic implications. Frequently, the proposed solutions are such that some countries view them as more harmful than beneficial. Usually, the developed countries are not ready to share the gains of globalization with developing ones on an equitable basis and this hinders a smooth transition to globalization. (2) Reluctance of Developing Countries: The developing countries, on their part, have the bitter experience of being forced into giving trade and non-trade concessions to the developed countries at the cost of their own interest. They realize that, with them, the developed countries want to have free trade and not fair trade. The developed countries keep finding fresh reasons for adding to the trade disadvantages of the developing countries. (3) Non- Economic Hurdles: Any form of economic integration, by its very nature, necessitates a corresponding compromise of national sovereignty; and it is more so in the case of global economics integration. This poses a very difficult and often unacceptable choice for national governments. For example, a national government may find itself forced to abandon measures for providing food security, or jobs during a natural calamity, etc. (4) Factor Mobility: Globalization necessitates unhindered international factor mobility. Developing countries feel that unrestricted mobility of capital and finance can be damaging for them; while developed countries are apprehensive about the effects of unrestricted immigration of low wage labor. In other words, while globalization is expected to bring about free factor mobility and factor price equalization, most countries are apprehensive about such phenomena. (5) Social Security: With globalization, it becomes increasingly difficult for a government (particularly of a developing country) to create and finance a social security system. Such like provisions tend to lose their priority in a market-oriented globalization. (6) Risks and Uncertainties: Progress towards globalization is also hindered by uncertainties relating to a possible shift in political and economic philosophy of some member countries; the fear of nationalization by the MNCs, the resistances to cultural invasion associated with unrestricted inflow of foreign capital and enterprises, and so on. (7) Infrastructure: Provision of economical and efficient infrastructure is essential for economic development. However, the responsibility of providing it remains essentially with the government of country. Therefore, there is a risk that a poor country, which is not able to provide infrastructure for inviting foreign investment capital, may remain perpetually poor and suffer from inferior terms of trade in the bargain.

Unmasking Monsters of Meaning in the ‘Narrative Complexity’ of Supernat

The subjects of this study, The X-Files (Carter, 1993-2002) and Supernatural (Kripke, 2005-), can be seen as innovative pioneers of ‘Narrative Complexity’ and of the ‘monster-of-the-week’ concept. The X-Files stars FBI agents, Mulder and Scully, as they take charge in investigating the X files (cases that occur through unknown phenomena). Mulder, the believer, and Scully, the sceptic, face corrupt government officials, monstrous mutants and phenomena that cannot be explained. The episodic and formulaic series allow Mulder and Scully to face phenomena after phenomena while being spliced with a greater ‘mytharc’ concerning government corruption and of the alien colonisation of earth. Supernatural stars Dean and Sam Winchester, brothers in arms, who also, within formulaic and self-contained episodes, hunt monsters and creatures of folklore, urban legend and myth. Supernatural features arcs every season that take Dean and Sam searching for their los t father, preventing a demon apocalypse and do battle with Satan and God’s Angels. American television has, since its very first broadcast, twisted and changed to cater towards its ever-growing and ever-changing audience (Mittel, 2007, p.162-163). Narratives, structure styles, special effects, characters and themes have developed and changed, been tested and tried. Mittel identifies the three notable structures of the television: the anthology, the serial and the series (2007, p. 163). For this study, we are more interested in the serial and the series for its crossover in narrative complexity. Mittel states that ‘narrative television offers ongoing storyworlds, presenting specific opportunities and limitations for creating compelling narratives’ (2007, p.163). The ‘episodic series’ is bro... ...d Everyday Life in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In: M. Hammond and L, Mazdon, eds. 2005. The Contemporary Television Series. Edinburgh: Edinburg University Press, pp.159-182. Hodges, L., 2008. Mainstreaming Marginality: Genre, Hybridity, and Postmodernism in The X-Files. In: J. P. Tellote, ed. 2008. The Essential Science Fiction Television Reader. Kentucky: Kentucky University Press, pp.231-246. Mittel, J., 2007. Film and Television Narrative. In: D. Herman, ed. 2007. The Cambridge Companion to Narrative. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp.156-171. Mittell, J., 2006. Narrative Complexity in Contemporary American Television. The Velvet Light Trap, 58(32), pp.29-40 Nixon, N., 1998. Making Monsters, or Serializing Killers. In: R. Martin and E, Savoy, eds. 1998. American Gothic: New Interventions in a National Narrative. Iowa: Iowa University Press, pp.217-236.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 76-78

CHAPTER 76 Freedom Plaza is a map. Located at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Thirteenth Street, the plaza's vast surface of inlaid stone depicts the streets of Washington as they were originally envisioned by Pierre L'Enfant. The plaza is a popular tourist destination not only because the giant map is fun to walk on, but also because Martin Luther King Jr., for whom Freedom Plaza is named, wrote much of his â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech in the nearby Willard Hotel. D.C. cabdriver Omar Amirana brought tourists to Freedom Plaza all the time, but tonight, his two passengers were obviously no ordinary sightseers. The CIA is chasing them? Omar had barely come to a stop at the curb before the man and woman had jumped out. â€Å"Stay right here!† the man in the tweed coat told Omar. â€Å"We'll be right back!† Omar watched the two people dash out onto the wide-open spaces of the enormous map, pointing and shouting as they scanned the geometry of intersecting streets. Omar grabbed his cell phone off the dashboard. â€Å"Sir, are you still there?† â€Å"Yes, Omar!† a voice shouted, barely audible over a thundering noise on his end of the line. â€Å"Where are they now?† â€Å"Out on the map. It seems like they're looking for something.† â€Å"Do not let them out of your sight,† the agent shouted. â€Å"I'm almost there!† Omar watched as the two fugitives quickly found the plaza's famous Great Seal–one of the largest bronze medallions ever cast. They stood over it a moment and quickly began pointing to the southwest. Then the man in tweed came racing back toward the cab. Omar quickly set his phone down on the dashboard as the man arrived, breathless. â€Å"Which direction is Alexandria, Virginia?† he demanded. â€Å"Alexandria?† Omar pointed southwest, the exact same direction the man and woman had just pointed toward. â€Å"I knew it!† the man whispered beneath his breath. He spun and shouted back to the woman. â€Å"You're right! Alexandria!† The woman now pointed across the plaza to an illuminated â€Å"Metro† sign nearby. â€Å"The Blue Line goes directly there. We want King Street Station!† Omar felt a surge of panic. Oh no. The man turned back to Omar and handed him entirely too many bills for the fare. â€Å"Thanks. We're all set.† He hoisted his leather bag and ran off. â€Å"Wait! I can drive you! I go there all the time!† But it was too late. The man and woman were already dashing across the plaza. They disappeared down the stairs into the Metro Center subway station. Omar grabbed his cell phone. â€Å"Sir! They ran down into the subway! I couldn't stop them! They're taking the Blue Line to Alexandria!† â€Å"Stay right there!† the agent shouted. â€Å"I'll be there in fifteen seconds!† Omar looked down at the wad of bills the man had given him. The bill on top was apparently the one they had been writing on. It had a Jewish star on top of the Great Seal of the United States. Sure enough, the star's points fell on letters that spelled MASON. Without warning, Omar felt a deafening vibration all around him, as if a tractor trailer were about to collide with his cab. He looked up, but the street was deserted. The noise increased, and suddenly a sleek black helicopter dropped down out of the night and landed hard in the middle of the plaza map. A group of black-clad men jumped out. Most ran toward the subway station, but one came dashing toward Omar's cab. He yanked open the passenger door. â€Å"Omar? Is that you?† Omar nodded, speechless. â€Å"Did they say where they were headed?† the agent demanded. â€Å"Alexandria! King Street Station,† Omar blurted. â€Å"I offered to drive, but–â€Å" â€Å"Did they say where in Alexandria they were going?† â€Å"No! They looked at the medallion of the Great Seal on the plaza, then they asked about Alexandria, and they paid me with this.† He handed the agent the dollar bill with the bizarre diagram. As the agent studied the bill, Omar suddenly put it all together. The Masons! Alexandria! One of the most famous Masonic buildings in America was in Alexandria. â€Å"That's it!† he blurted. â€Å"The George Washington Masonic Memorial! It's directly across from King Street Station!† â€Å"That it is,† the agent said, apparently having just come to the same realization as the rest of the agents came sprinting back from the station. â€Å"We missed them!† one of the men yelled. â€Å"Blue Line just left! They're not down there!† Agent Simkins checked his watch and turned back to Omar. â€Å"How long does the subway take to Alexandria?† â€Å"Ten minutes at least. Probably more.† â€Å"Omar, you've done an excellent job. Thank you.† â€Å"Sure. What's this all about?!† But Agent Simkins was already running back to the chopper, shouting as he went. â€Å"King Street Station! We'll get there before they do!† Bewildered, Omar watched the great black bird lift off. It banked hard to the south across Pennsylvania Avenue, and then thundered off into the night. Underneath the cabbie's feet, a subway train was picking up speed as it headed away from Freedom Plaza. On board, Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon sat breathless, neither one saying a word as the train whisked them toward their destination. CHAPTER 77 The memory always began the same way. He was falling . . . plummeting backward toward an ice-covered river at the bottom of a deep ravine. Above him, the merciless gray eyes of Peter Solomon stared down over the barrel of Andros's handgun. As he fell, the world above him receded, everything disappearing as he was enveloped by the cloud of billowing mist from the waterfall upstream. For an instant, everything was white, like heaven. Then he hit the ice. Cold. Black. Pain. He was tumbling . . . being dragged by a powerful force that pounded him relentlessly across rocks in an impossibly cold void. His lungs ached for air, and yet his chest muscles had contracted so violently in the cold that he was unable even to inhale. I'm under the ice. The ice near the waterfall was apparently thin on account of the turbulent water, and Andros had broken directly through it. Now he was being washed downstream, trapped beneath a transparent ceiling. He clawed at the underside of the ice, trying to break out, but he had no leverage. The searing pain from the bullet hole in his shoulder was evaporating, as was the sting of the bird shot; both were blotted out now by the crippling throb of his body going numb. The current was accelerating, slingshotting him around a bend in the river. His body screamed for oxygen. Suddenly he was tangled in branches, lodged against a tree that had fallen into the water. Think! He groped wildly at the branch, working his way toward the surface, finding the spot where the branch pierced up through the ice. His fingertips found the tiny space of open water surrounding the branch, and he pulled at the edges, trying to break the hole wider; once, twice, the opening was growing, now several inches across. Propping himself against the branch, he tipped his head back and pressed his mouth against the small opening. The winter air that poured into his lungs felt warm. The sudden burst of oxygen fueled his hope. He planted his feet on the tree trunk and pressed his back and shoulders forcefully upward. The ice around the fallen tree, perforated by branches and debris, was weakened already, and as he drove his powerful legs into the trunk, his head and shoulders broke through the ice, crashing up into the winter night. Air poured into his lungs. Still mostly submerged, he wriggled desperately upward, pushing with his legs, pulling with his arms, until finally he was out of the water, lying breathless on the bare ice. Andros tore off his soaked ski mask and pocketed it, glancing back upstream for Peter Solomon. The bend in the river obscured his view. His chest was burning again. Quietly, he dragged a small branch over the hole in the ice in order to hide it. The hole would be frozen again by morning. As Andros staggered into the woods, it began to snow. He had no idea how far he had run when he stumbled out of the woods onto an embankment beside a small highway. He was delirious and hypothermic. The snow was falling harder now, and a single set of headlights approached in the distance. Andros waved wildly, and the lone pickup truck immediately pulled over. It had Vermont plates. An old man in a red plaid shirt jumped out. Andros staggered toward him, holding his bleeding chest. â€Å"A hunter . . . shot me! I need a . . . hospital!† Without hesitation, the old man helped Andros up into the passenger seat of the truck and turned up the heater. â€Å"Where's the nearest hospital?!† Andros had no idea, but he pointed south. â€Å"Next exit.† We're not going to a hospital. The old man from Vermont was reported missing the next day, but nobody had any idea where on his journey from Vermont he might have disappeared in the blinding snowstorm. Nor did anyone link his disappearance to the other news story that dominated the headlines the next day–the shocking murder of Isabel Solomon. When Andros awoke, he was lying in a desolate bedroom of a cheap motel that had been boarded up for the season. He recalled breaking in and binding his wounds with torn bedsheets, and then burrowing into a flimsy bed beneath a pile of musty blankets. He was famished. He limped to the bathroom and saw the pile of bloody bird-shot pellets in the sink. He vaguely recalled prying them out of his chest. Raising his eyes to the dirty mirror, he reluctantly unwrapped his bloody bandages to survey the damage. The hard muscles of his chest and abdomen had stopped the bird shot from penetrating too deep, and yet his body, once perfect, was now ruined with wounds. The single bullet fired by Peter Solomon had apparently gone cleanly through his shoulder, leaving a bloody crater. Making matters worse, Andros had failed to obtain that for which he had traveled all this distance. The pyramid. His stomach growled, and he limped outside to the man's truck, hoping maybe to find food. The pickup was now covered with heavy snow, and Andros wondered how long he had been sleeping in this old motel. Thank God I woke up. Andros found no food anywhere in the front seat, but he did find some arthritis painkillers in the glove compartment. He took a handful, washing them down with several mouthfuls of snow. I need food. A few hours later, the pickup that pulled out from behind the old motel looked nothing like the truck that had pulled in two days earlier. The cab cap was missing, as were the hubcaps, bumper stickers, and all of the trim. The Vermont plates were gone, replaced by those from an old maintenance truck Andros had found parked by the motel Dumpster, into which he had thrown all the bloody sheets, bird shot, and other evidence that he had ever been at the motel. Andros had not given up on the pyramid, but for the moment it would have to wait. He needed to hide, heal, and above all, eat. He found a roadside diner where he gorged himself on eggs, bacon, hash browns, and three glasses of orange juice. When he was done, he ordered more food to go. Back on the road, Andros listened to the truck's old radio. He had not seen a television or newspaper since his ordeal, and when he finally heard a local news station, the report stunned him. â€Å"FBI investigators,† a news announcer said, â€Å"continue their search for the armed intruder who murdered Isabel Solomon in her Potomac home two days ago. The murderer is believed to have fallen through the ice and been washed out to sea.† Andros froze. Murdered Isabel Solomon? He drove on in bewildered silence, listening to the full report. It was time to get far, far away from this place. The Upper West Side apartment offered breathtaking views of Central Park. Andros had chosen it because the sea of green outside his window reminded him of his lost view of the Adriatic. Although he knew he should be happy to be alive, he was not. The emptiness had never left him, and he found himself fixated on his failed attempt to steal Peter Solomon's pyramid. Andros had spent long hours researching the Legend of the Masonic Pyramid, and although nobody seemed to agree on whether or not the pyramid was real, they all concurred on its famous promise of vast wisdom and power. The Masonic Pyramid is real, Andros told himself. My inside information is irrefutable. Fate had placed the pyramid within Andros's reach, and he knew that ignoring it was like holding a winning lottery ticket and never cashing it in. I am the only non-Mason alive who knows the pyramid is real . . . as well as the identity of the man who guards it. Months had passed, and although his body had healed, Andros was no longer the cocky specimen he had been in Greece. He had stopped working out, and he had stopped admiring himself naked in the mirror. He felt as if his body were beginning to show signs of age. His once-perfect skin was a patchwork of scars, and this only depressed him further. He still relied on the painkillers that had nursed him through his recovery, and he felt himself slipping back to the lifestyle that had put him in Soganlik Prison. He didn't care. The body craves what the body craves. One night, he was in Greenwich Village buying drugs from a man whose forearm had been tattooed with a long, jagged lightning bolt. Andros asked him about it, and the man told him the tattoo was covering a long scar he had gotten in a car accident. â€Å"Seeing the scar every day reminded me of the accident,† the dealer said, â€Å"and so I tattooed over it with a symbol of personal power. I took back control.† That night, high on his new stash of drugs, Andros staggered into a local tattoo parlor and took off his shirt. â€Å"I want to hide these scars,† he announced. I want to take back control. â€Å"Hide them?† The tattoo artist eyed his chest. â€Å"With what?† â€Å"Tattoos.† â€Å"Yes . . . I mean tattoos of what?† Andros shrugged, wanting nothing more than to hide the ugly reminders of his past. â€Å"I don't know. You choose.† The artist shook his head and handed Andros a pamphlet on the ancient and sacred tradition of tattooing. â€Å"Come back when you're ready.† Andros discovered that the New York Public Library had in its collection fifty-three books on tattooing, and within a few weeks, he had read them all. Having rediscovered his passion for reading, he began carrying entire backpacks of books back and forth between the library and his apartment, where he voraciously devoured them while overlooking Central Park. These books on tattoos had opened a door to a strange world Andros had never known existed–a world of symbols, mysticism, mythology, and the magical arts. The more he read, the more he realized how blind he had been. He began keeping notebooks of his ideas, his sketches, and his strange dreams. When he could no longer find what he wanted at the library, he paid rare-book dealers to purchase for him some of the most esoteric texts on earth. De Praestigiis Daemonum . . . Lemegeton . . . Ars Almadel . . . Grimorium Verum . . . Ars Notoria . . . and on and on. He read them all, becoming more and more certain that the world still had many treasures yet to offer him. There are secrets out there that transcend human understanding. Then he discovered the writings of Aleister Crowley–a visionary mystic from the early 1900s– whom the church had deemed â€Å"the most evil man who ever lived.† Great minds are always feared by lesser minds. Andros learned about the power of ritual and incantation. He learned that sacred words, if properly spoken, functioned like keys that opened gateways to other worlds. There is a shadow universe beyond this one . . . a world from which I can draw power. And although Andros longed to harness that power, he knew there were rules and tasks to be completed beforehand. Become something holy, Crowley wrote. Make yourself sacred. The ancient rite of â€Å"sacred making† had once been the law of the land. From the early Hebrews who made burnt offerings at the Temple, to the Mayans who beheaded humans atop the pyramids of Chichen Itza, to Jesus Christ, who offered his body on the cross, the ancients understood God's requirement for sacrifice. Sacrifice was the original ritual by which humans drew favor from the gods and made themselves holy. Sacra–sacred. Face– make. Even though the rite of sacrifice had been abandoned eons ago, its power remained. There had been a handful of modern mystics, including Aleister Crowley, who practiced the Art, perfecting it over time, and transforming themselves gradually into something more. Andros craved to transform himself as they had. And yet he knew he would have to cross a dangerous bridge to do so. Blood is all that separates the light from the dark. One night, a crow flew through Andros's open bathroom window and got trapped in his apartment. Andros watched the bird flutter around for a while and then finally stop, apparently accepting its inability to escape. Andros had learned enough to recognize a sign. I am being urged onward. Clutching the bird in one hand, he stood at the makeshift altar in his kitchen and raised a sharp knife, speaking aloud the incantation he had memorized. â€Å"Camiach, Eomiahe, Emial, Macbal, Emoii, Zazean . . . by the most holy names of the angels in the Book of Assamaian, I conjure thee that thou assist me in this operation by the power of the One True God.† Andros now lowered the knife and carefully pierced the large vein on the right wing of the panicked bird. The crow began to bleed. As he watched the stream of red liquid flowing down into the metal cup he had placed as a receptacle, he felt an unexpected chill in the air. Nonetheless, he continued. â€Å"Almighty Adonai, Arathron, Ashai, Elohim, Elohi, Elion, Asher Eheieh, Shaddai . . . be my aid, so that this blood may have power and efficacy in all wherein I shall wish, and in all that I shall demand.† That night, he dreamed of birds . . . of a giant phoenix rising from a billowing fire. The next morning, he awoke with an energy he had not felt since childhood. He went running in the park, faster and farther than he'd imagined possible. When he could run no longer, he stopped to do pushups and sit-ups. Countless repetitions. Still he had energy. That night, again, he dreamed of the phoenix. Autumn had fallen again on Central Park, and the wildlife were scurrying about searching for food for winter. Andros despised the cold, and yet his carefully hidden traps were now overflowing with live rats and squirrels. He took them home in his backpack, performing rituals of increasing complexity. Emanual, Massiach, Yod, He, Vaud . . . please find me worthy. The blood rituals fueled his vitality. Andros felt younger every day. He continued to read day and night–ancient mystical texts, epic medieval poems, the early philosophers–and the more he learned about the true nature of things, the more he realized that all hope for mankind was lost. They are blind . . . wandering aimlessly in a world they will never understand. Andros was still a man, but he sensed he was evolving into something else. Something greater. Something sacred. His massive physique had emerged from dormancy, more powerful now than ever before. He finally understood its true purpose. My body is but a vessel for my most potent treasure . . . my mind. Andros knew his true potential had not yet been realized, and he delved deeper. What is my destiny? All the ancient texts spoke of good and evil . . . and of man's need to choose between them. I made my choice long ago, he knew, and yet he felt no remorse. What is evil, if not a natural law? Darkness followed light. Chaos followed order. Entropy was fundamental. Everything decayed. The perfectly ordered crystal eventually turned into random particles of dust. There are those who create . . . and those who destroy. It was not until Andros read John Milton's Paradise Lost that he saw his destiny materialize before him. He read of the great fallen angel . . . the warrior demon who fought against the light . . . the valiant one . . . the angel called Moloch. Moloch walked the earth as a god. The angel's name, Andros later learned, when translated to the ancient tongue, became Mal'akh. And so shall I. Like all great transformations, this one had to begin with a sacrifice . . . but not of rats, nor birds. No, this transformation required a true sacrifice. There is but one worthy sacrifice. Suddenly he had a sense of clarity unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. His entire destiny had materialized. For three straight days he sketched on an enormous sheet of paper. When he was done, he had created a blueprint of what he would become. He hung the life-size sketch on his wall and gazed into it as if into a mirror. I am a masterpiece. The next day, he took his drawing to the tattoo parlor. He was ready. CHAPTER 78 The George Washington Masonic Memorial stands atop Shuter's Hill in Alexandria, Virginia. Built in three distinct tiers of increasing architectural complexity from bottom to top–Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian–the structure stands as a physical symbol of man's intellectual ascent. Inspired by the ancient Pharos lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt, this soaring tower is capped by an Egyptian pyramid with a flamelike finial. Inside the spectacular marble foyer sits a massive bronze of George Washington in full Masonic regalia, along with the actual trowel he used to lay the cornerstone of the Capitol Building. Above the foyer, nine different levels bear names like the Grotto, the Crypt Room, and the Knights Templar Chapel. Among the treasures housed within these spaces are over twenty thousand volumes of Masonic writings, a dazzling replica of the Ark of the Covenant, and even a scale model of the throne room in King Solomon's Temple. CIA agent Simkins checked his watch as the modified UH-60 chopper skimmed in low over the Potomac. Six minutes until their train arrives. He exhaled and gazed out the window at the shining Masonic Memorial on the horizon. He had to admit, the brilliantly shining tower was as impressive as any building on the National Mall. Simkins had never been inside the memorial, and tonight would be no different. If all went according to plan, Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon would never make it out of the subway station. â€Å"Over there!† Simkins shouted to the pilot, pointing down at the King Street subway station across from the memorial. The pilot banked the helicopter and set it down on a grassy area at the foot of Shuter's Hill. Pedestrians looked up in surprise as Simkins and his team piled out, dashed across the street, and ran down into King Street Station. In the stairwell, several departing passengers leaped out of the way, plastering themselves to the walls as the phalanx of armed men in black thundered past them. The King Street Station was larger than Simkins had anticipated, apparently serving several different lines–Blue, Yellow, and Amtrak. He raced over to the Metro map on the wall, found Freedom Plaza and the direct line to this location. â€Å"Blue Line, southbound platform!† Simkins shouted. â€Å"Get down there and clear everyone out!† His team dashed off. Simkins rushed over to the ticket booth, flashed his identification, and shouted to the woman inside. â€Å"The next train from Metro Center–what time is it due?!† The woman inside looked frightened. â€Å"I'm not sure. Blue Line arrives every eleven minutes. There's no set schedule.† â€Å"How long since the last train?† â€Å"Five . . . six minutes, maybe? No more than that.† Turner did the math. Perfect. The next train had to be Langdon's. Inside a fast-moving subway car, Katherine Solomon shifted uncomfortably on the hard plastic seat. The bright fluorescent lights overhead hurt her eyes, and she fought the impulse to let her eyelids close, even for a second. Langdon sat beside her in the empty car, staring blankly down at the leather bag at his feet. His eyelids looked heavy, too, as if the rhythmic sway of the moving car were lulling him into a trance. Katherine pictured the strange contents of Langdon's bag. Why does the CIA want this pyramid? Bellamy had said that Sato might be pursuing the pyramid because she knew its true potential. But even if this pyramid somehow did reveal the hiding place of ancient secrets, Katherine found it hard to believe that its promise of primeval mystical wisdom would interest the CIA. Then again, she reminded herself, the CIA had been caught several times running parapsychological or psi programs that bordered on ancient magic and mysticism. In 1995, the â€Å"Stargate/Scannate† scandal had exposed a classified CIA technology called remote viewing–a kind of telepathic mind travel that enabled a â€Å"viewer† to transport his mind's eye to any location on earth and spy there, without being physically present. Of course, the technology was nothing new. Mystics called it astral projection, and yogis called it out-of-body experience. Unfortunately, horrified American taxpayers called it absurd, and the program had been scuttled. At least publicly. Ironically, Katherine saw remarkable connections between the CIA's failed programs and her own breakthroughs in Noetic Science. Katherine felt eager to call the police and find out if they had discovered anything in Kalorama Heights, but she and Langdon were phoneless now, and making contact with the authorities would probably be a mistake anyway; there was no telling how far Sato's reach extended. Patience, Katherine. Within minutes, they would be in a safe hiding place, guests of a man who had assured them he could provide answers. Katherine hoped his answers, whatever they might be, would help her save her brother. â€Å"Robert?† she whispered, glancing up at the subway map. â€Å"Next stop is ours.† Langdon emerged slowly from his daydream. â€Å"Right, thanks.† As the train rumbled toward the station, he collected his daybag and gave Katherine an uncertain glance. â€Å"Let's just hope our arrival is uneventful.† By the time Turner Simkins dashed down to join his men, the subway platform had been entirely cleared, and his team was fanning out, taking up positions behind the support pillars that ran the length of the platform. A distant rumble echoed in the tunnel at the other end of the platform, and as it grew louder, Simkins felt the push of stale warm air billowing around him. No escape, Mr. Langdon. Simkins turned to the two agents he had told to join him on the platform. â€Å"Identification and weapons out. These trains are automated, but they all have a conductor who opens the doors. Find him.† The train's headlamp now appeared down the tunnel, and the sound of squealing brakes pierced the air. As the train burst into the station and began slowing down, Simkins and his two agents leaned out over the track, waving CIA identification badges and straining to make eye contact with the conductor before he could open the doors. The train was closing fast. In the third car, Simkins finally saw the startled face of the conductor, who was apparently trying to figure out why three men in black were all waving identification badges at him. Simkins jogged toward the train, which was now nearing a full stop. â€Å"CIA!† Simkins shouted, holding up his ID. â€Å"Do NOT open the doors!† As the train glided slowly past him, he went toward the conductor's car, shouting in at him. â€Å"Do not open your doors! Do you understand?! Do NOT open your doors!† The train came to a full stop, its wide-eyed conductor nodding repeatedly. â€Å"What's wrong?!† the man demanded through his side window. â€Å"Don't let this train move,† Simkins said. â€Å"And don't open the doors.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"Can you let us into the first car?† The conductor nodded. Looking fearful, he stepped out of the train, closing the door behind him. He escorted Simkins and his men to the first car, where he manually opened the door. â€Å"Lock it behind us,† Simkins said, pulling his weapon. Simkins and his men stepped quickly into the stark light of the first car. The conductor locked the door behind them. The first car contained only four passengers–three teenage boys and an old woman–all of whom looked understandably startled to see three armed men entering. Simkins held up his ID. â€Å"Everything's fine. Just stay seated.† Simkins and his men now began their sweep, pushing toward the back of the sealed train one car at a time–â€Å"squeezing toothpaste,† as it was called during his training at the Farm. Very few passengers were on this train, and halfway to the back, the agents still had seen nobody even remotely resembling the description of Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon. Nonetheless, Simkins remained confident. There was absolutely no place to hide on a subway car. No bathrooms, no storage, and no alternative exits. Even if the targets had seen them board the train and fled to the back, there was no way out. Prying open a door was almost impossible, and Simkins had men watching the platform and both sides of the train anyway. Patience. By the time Simkins reached the second-to-last car, however, he was feeling edgy. This penultimate car had only one passenger–a Chinese man. Simkins and his agents moved through, scanning for any place to hide. There was none. â€Å"Last car,† Simkins said, raising his weapon as the threesome moved toward the threshold of the train's final section. As they stepped into the last car, all three of them immediately stopped and stared. What the . . . ?! Simkins raced to the rear of the deserted cabin, searching behind all the seats. He spun back to his men, blood boiling. â€Å"Where the hell did they go?!†

Euro Studies

Euro Studies 2.What is the concept of the "margin of appreciation" and how has it been developed by the ECtHR?4.How has the European Union attempted to ensure equal treatment of men and women?I have completed this document solely with the assistance of the materials acknowledged in the proper academic manner in the footnotes and the bibliography. I have received no further assistance, whether from a fellow-student or any other person.2. The term "margin of appreciation" refers to the space for manoeuvre that the Strasbourg organs are willing to grant national authorities, in fulfilling their obligations under the European Court of Human Rights. The Court developed the concept of "margin of appreciation" to take into account the broadly-drawn principles of the Convention and how they are interpreted in different societies. The margin of appreciation allows the court to take into effect the fact that the Convention will be interpreted differently in different member states.Judges are obliged to tak e into account the cultural, historic and philosophical differences between Strasbourg and the nation.The Doctrine was used for the first time in the case Handyside v. United Kingdom , which concerned the publication of a book aimed at school children, a chapter which discussed sexual behaviour in explicit terms. The ECHR were willing to allow a limitation of freedom of expression in the interests of protection public morals.4. Gender equality policy, which is implemented in the European Union, is one of the most modern and most advanced in the world. The European Union is interested not only equality in the legal sense, because this was a relatively long achieved, but also gender equality in the labor market, access to education, goods and services, or in the decision making process. The European Union focuses on gender mainstreaming strategy, and...

Macrina the Elder and Macrina the Younger

Macrina the Elder and Macrina the Younger Macrina the Elder Facts Known for:  teacher and grandmother of  St. Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa,  Macrina the Younger  and their siblings; also the mother of St. Basil the ElderDates:  probably born before 270, died about 340Feast Day:  January 14 Macrina the Elder Biography Macrina the Elder, a Byzantine Christian, lived in Neocaesaria. She was associated with Gregory Thaumaturgus, a follower of the church father Origen, who is credited with converting the city of Neocaesaria to Christianity. She fled with her husband (whose name is not known) and lived in the forest during the persecution of Christians by the emperors Galerius and Diocletian. After the persecution ended, having lost their property, the family settled in Pontus on the Black Sea. Her son was Saint Basil the Elder. She had a major role in the raising of her grandchildren, who included: Saint Basil the Great, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Saint Peter of Sebastea (Basil and Gregory are known as the Cappadocian Fathers), Naucratios,  Saint Macrina the Younger, and, possibly, Dios of Antioch Saint Basil the Great credited her with having formed and molded me in doctrine, passing on to her grandchildren the teachings of Gregory Thaumaturgus. Because she lived much of her life as a widow, she is known as the patron saint of widows. We know of St. Macrina the Elder primarily through the writings of her two grandsons, Basil and Gregory, and also of  Saint Gregory of Nazianzus. Macrina the Younger Facts Known for:  Macrina the Younger is credited with influencing her brothers Peter and Basil to go into a religious vocationOccupation:  ascetic, teacher, spiritual directorDates:  about 327 or 330 to 379 or 380Also known as:  Macrinia; she took Thecla as her baptismal nameFeast Day:  July 19 Background, Family: Mother: Saint EmmeliaFather: Saint BasilGrandmother:  Macrina the ElderNine or ten younger brothers include:  Saint Basil the Great  , Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Saint Peter of Sebastea (Basil and Gregory are two of the church theological leaders known as the Cappadocian Fathers), Naucratios and, possibly, Dios of Antioch Macrina the Younger Biography: Macrina, the eldest of her siblings, was promised to be married by the time she was twelve, but the man died before the wedding, and Macrina chose a life of chastity and prayer, considering herself a widow and hoping for her eventual reunion in the afterlife with her fiance. Macrina was educated at home, and helped educate her younger brothers. After Macrinas father died in about 350, Macrina, with her mother and, later, her younger brother Peter, turned their home into a womens religious community. The women servants of the family became members of the community, and others soon were attracted to the house. Her brother Peter later founded a mens community connected with the womens community.  Saint Gregory of Nazianzus  and Eustathius of Sebastea were also connected with the Christian community there. Macrinas mother Emmelia died in about 373 and Basil the Great in 379. Soon after, her brother Gregory visited her one last time, and she died shortly after. Another of her brothers, Basil the Great, is credited as a founder of monasticism in the East, and modeled his community of monks after the community founded by Macrina. Her brother, Gregory of Nyssa, wrote her biography (hagiography). He also wrote On the Soul and Resurrection. The latter represents a dialogue between Gregory and Macrina as he made his last visit to her and she was dying. Macrina, in the dialogue, is represented as a teacher describing her views on heaven and salvation. Later Universalists pointed to this essay where she asserts that all will ultimately be saved (universal restoration). Later church scholars have sometimes rejected that the Teacher in Gregorys dialogue is Macrina, though Gregory clearly states that in the work. They claim that it must have been St. Basil instead, apparently on no other grounds than disbelief that it could have referred to a woman.

Dark Pools Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Dark Pools - Case Study Example They are known to be trading in a dark pool. Thus, the concept of Dark Pool was introduced much back in 1980. This was initiated when many few of the institutional investors and traders got involved in trade in a secure place, away from the interfering eyes of the brokers or public exchanges. Their main aim was to sell or buy large amount of the stocks without being affected by the market fluctuations and achieve a better price than that provided by the public exchanges (â€Å"Definition of Dark Pools†). It was noticed that around 2005, the dark pools was successful in capturing 3-5% of the total market activity. After that, the situation had started to improve when the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) passed a new regulation, called the Reg NMS (Regulation National Market System). In this regulation, there were provisions which had increased the level of competition among the exchanges. However, it got rid of the rules that confined manual quotations which are generated by the stock exchanges. It allowed the investors the option to avoid the exchanges, if they are unsatisfied with the price and receives better price and convenience elsewhere. Dark Pools The dark pools can be defined as the name that is given to the networks which enables the traders to sell or buy huge orders without bearing the risk of other traders and their price of selling the orders. Thus, they are criticized for the lack of transparency that the later possesses. The unavoidable fragmentation of trading can lead to less competent pricing in the conventional open stock exchanges. In the dark pools, the pre-trade prices of the shares that are open for sale are not detectable to the public. The participants are also not aware of the prices at which the shares are traded. The prices are revealed only when the trade is done (â€Å"What the Heck is a Dark Pool and Why are People Trading in Them?†). The Reg NMS gave an opportunity to the brokers and the dealers to start their own automated trading, thereby creating dark pools. The institutional investors and the banks which generate huge money, started to head towards these dark pools in order to save their trading costs. The recent statistics indentify that there has been 12% trading in the dark pool accounts in United States (â€Å"What are dark pools?†). The main benefit of trading in dark pool can be recognized as the price improvement. The benefit can be explained through an example. Suppose the bid price of a stock on an exchange is $10.00 and the asking price is $10.10. The dark pool will set the price at $10.05 which is in the midpoint of ask and bid price. The investors like the activity of the dark pool and thus, prefer to invest there. The equity markets in United States and worldwide are prospering at an increasing rate. The participants work on a certain model which allows the people, interested to trade display the sell or buy price and ask or bid price. In the exchanges, the displa yed prices by the brokers are seen in the Tier II quotes (â€Å"What the Heck is a Dark Pool and Why are People Trading in Them?†). The opposite of the displayed prices are the dark pools. It refers to the place where the trading liquidity

Should the government impose stricter guidelines on how much students Annotated Bibliography

Should the government impose stricter guidelines on how much students can borrow in student loans - Annotated Bibliography Example Therefore, it will be significant in enabling us to come up with an in-depth conclusion. Giving loans to students play a significant role in enabling them to finance their education. However, there must be strict rules in order to avoid overspending. This book will be significant in understanding the specific needs that are required. In addition, it will enhance the understanding of benefits of loans to the students. Students’ loans increase equality in the society. It enables the government to distribute funds equitably to the student. This book analyzes the costs of sustaining student loans. Therefore, it will be important in understanding the necessary measures that the government should take in order to help the students. Many students are burdened by loans after finishing school. This is because the government has not put the necessary measures to curb overspending. This book will be important in understanding how the gaps in laws are making it hard for the student and the government to recover from the loans. In addition, it will highlight the challenges that come with the issuance of the loans. Students’ loan has increased inequality. This is because there lacks effective laws to govern its distribution. This book will enable me understand how the loan has increased inequality in the society. In addition, it will be significant in understanding different gaps that need to be closed in order to increase its