The Da Vinci Code Chapter 13-17

CHAPTER 13 For several seconds, Langdon stared in wonder at the photograph of Sauniere's postscript. P. S. Find Robert Langdon.He felt as if the floor were tilting beneath his feet. Sauniere left a postscript with my name on it? In his wildest dreams, Langdon could not fathom why. â€Å"Now do you understand,† Sophie said, her eyes urgent,† why Fache ordered you here tonight, and why you are his primary suspect?† The only thing Langdon understood at the moment was why Fache had looked so smug when Langdon suggested Sauniere would have accused his killer by name. Find Robert Langdon. â€Å"Why would Sauniere write this?† Langdon demanded, his confusion now giving way to anger. â€Å"Why would I want to kill Jacques Sauniere?† â€Å"Fache has yet to uncover a motive, but he has been recording his entire conversation with you tonight in hopes you might reveal one.† Langdon opened his mouth, but still no words came. â€Å"He's fitted with a miniature microphone,† Sophie explained. â€Å"It's connected to a transmitter in his pocket that radios the signal back to the command post.† â€Å"This is impossible,† Langdon stammered. â€Å"I have an alibi. I went directly back to my hotel after my lecture. You can ask the hotel desk.† â€Å"Fache already did. His report shows you retrieving your room key from the concierge at about ten- thirty. Unfortunately, the time of the murder was closer to eleven. You easily could have left your hotel room unseen.† â€Å"This is insanity! Fache has no evidence!† Sophie's eyes widened as if to say: No evidence?† Mr. Langdon, your name is written on the floor beside the body, and Sauniere's date book says you were with him at approximately the time of the murder.† She paused. â€Å"Fache has more than enough evidence to take you into custody for questioning.† Langdon suddenly sensed that he needed a lawyer. â€Å"I didn't do this.† Sophie sighed. â€Å"This is not American television, Mr. Langdon. In France, the laws protect the police, not criminals. Unfortunately, in this case, there is also the media consideration. Jacques Sauniere was a very prominent and well-loved figure in Paris, and his murder will be news in the morning. Fache will be under immediate pressure to make a statement, and he looks a lot better having a suspect in custody already. Whether or not you are guilty, you most certainly will be held by DCPJ until they can figure out what really happened.† Langdon felt like a caged animal. â€Å"Why are you telling me all this?† â€Å"Because, Mr. Langdon, I believe you are innocent.† Sophie looked away for a moment and then back into his eyes. â€Å"And also because it is partially my fault that you're in trouble.† â€Å"I'm sorry? It's your fault Sauniere is trying to frame me?† â€Å"Sauniere wasn't trying to frame you. It was a mistake. That message on the floor was meant for me.† Langdon needed a minute to process that one. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"That message wasn't for the police. He wrote it for me.I think he was forced to do everything in such a hurry that he just didn't realize how it would look to the police.† She paused. â€Å"The numbered code is meaningless. Sauniere wrote it to make sure the investigation included cryptographers, ensuring that I would know as soon as possible what had happened to him.† Langdon felt himself losing touch fast. Whether or not Sophie Neveu had lost her mind was at this point up for grabs, but at least Langdon now understood why she was trying to help him. P. S.Find Robert Langdon.She apparently believed the curator had left her a cryptic postscript telling her to find Langdon. â€Å"But why do you think his message was for you?† â€Å"The Vitruvian Man,†she said flatly. â€Å"That particular sketch has always been my favorite Da Vinci work. Tonight he used it to catch my attention.† â€Å"Hold on. You're saying the curator knew your favorite piece of art?† She nodded. â€Å"I'm sorry. This is all coming out of order. Jacques Sauniere and I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sophie's voice caught, and Langdon heard a sudden melancholy there, a painful past, simmering just below the surface. Sophie and Jacques Sauniere apparently had some kind of special relationship. Langdon studied the beautiful young woman before him, well aware that aging men in France often took young mistresses. Even so, Sophie Neveu as a† kept woman† somehow didn't seem to fit. â€Å"We had a falling-out ten years ago,† Sophie said, her voice a whisper now. â€Å"We've barely spoken since. Tonight, when Crypto got the call that he had been murdered, and I saw the images of his body and text on the floor, I realized he was trying to send me a message.† â€Å"Because of The Vitruvian Man?† â€Å"Yes. And the letters P. S.† â€Å"Post Script?† She shook her head. â€Å"P. S. are my initials.† â€Å"But your name is Sophie Neveu.† She looked away. â€Å"P. S. is the nickname he called me when I lived with him.† She blushed. â€Å"It stood for Princesse Sophie† Langdon had no response. â€Å"Silly, I know,† she said. â€Å"But it was years ago. When I was a little girl.† â€Å"You knew him when you were a little girl?† â€Å"Quite well,† she said, her eyes welling now with emotion. â€Å"Jacques Sauniere was my grandfather.† CHAPTER 14 â€Å"Where's Langdon?† Fache demanded, exhaling the last of a cigarette as he paced back into the command post. â€Å"Still in the men's room, sir.† Lieutenant Collet had been expecting the question. Fache grumbled,† Taking his time, I see.† The captain eyed the GPS dot over Collet's shoulder, and Collet could almost hear the wheels turning. Fache was fighting the urge to go check on Langdon. Ideally, the subject of an observation was allowed the most time and freedom possible, lulling him into a false sense of security. Langdon needed to return of his own volition. Still, it had been almost ten minutes. Too long. â€Å"Any chance Langdon is onto us?† Fache asked. Collet shook his head. â€Å"We're still seeing small movements inside the men's room, so the GPS dot is obviously still on him. Perhaps he feels ill? If he had found the dot, he would have removed it and tried to run.† Fache checked his watch. â€Å"Fine.† Still Fache seemed preoccupied. All evening, Collet had sensed an atypical intensity in his captain. Usually detached and cool under pressure, Fache tonight seemed emotionally engaged, as if this were somehow a personal matter for him. Not surprising, Collet thought. Fache needs this arrest desperately.Recently the Board of Ministers and the media had become more openly critical of Fache's aggressive tactics, his clashes with powerful foreign embassies, and his gross over budgeting on new technologies. Tonight, a high-tech, high-profile arrest of an American would go a long way to silence Fache's critics, helping him secure the job a few more years until he could retire with the lucrative pension. God knows he needs the pension, Collet thought. Fache's zeal for technology had hurt him both professionally and personally. Fache was rumored to have invested his entire savings in the technology craze a few years back and lost his shirt. And Fache is a man who wears only the finest shirts. Tonight, there was still plenty of time. Sophie Neveu's odd interruption, though unfortunate, had been only a minor wrinkle. She was gone now, and Fache still had cards to play. He had yet to inform Langdon that his name had been scrawled on the floor by the victim. P. S.Find Robert Langdon.The American's reaction to that little bit of evidence would be telling indeed. â€Å"Captain?† one of the DCPJ agents now called from across the office. â€Å"I think you better take this call.† He was holding out a telephone receiver, looking concerned. â€Å"Who is it?† Fache said. The agent frowned. â€Å"It's the director of our Cryptology Department.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"It's about Sophie Neveu, sir. Something is not quite right.† CHAPTER 15 It was time. Silas felt strong as he stepped from the black Audi, the nighttime breeze rustling his loose-fitting robe. The winds of change are in the air.He knew the task before him would require more finesse than force, and he left his handgun in the car. The thirteen-round Heckler Koch USP 40 had been provided by the Teacher. A weapon of death has no place in a house of God. The plaza before the great church was deserted at this hour, the only visible souls on the far side of Place Saint-Sulpice a couple of teenage hookers showing their wares to the late night tourist traffic. Their nubile bodies sent a familiar longing to Silas's loins. His thigh flexed instinctively, causing the barbed cilice belt to cut painfully into his flesh. The lust evaporated instantly. For ten years now, Silas had faithfully denied himself all sexual indulgence, even self-administered. It was The Way.He knew he had sacrificed much to follow Opus Dei, but he had received much more in return. A vow of celibacy and the relinquishment of all personal assets hardly seemed a sacrifice. Considering the poverty from which he had come and the sexual horrors he had endured in prison, celibacy was a welcome change. Now, having returned to France for the first time since being arrested and shipped to prison in Andorra, Silas could feel his homeland testing him, dragging violent memories from his redeemed soul. You have been reborn, he reminded himself. His service to God today had required the sin of murder, and it was a sacrifice Silas knew he would have to hold silently in his heart for all eternity. The measure of your faith is the measure of the pain you can endure, the Teacher had told him. Silas was no stranger to pain and felt eager to prove himself to the Teacher, the one who had assured him his actions were ordained by a higher power. â€Å"Hago la obra de Dios,†Silas whispered, moving now toward the church entrance. Pausing in the shadow of the massive doorway, he took a deep breath. It was not until this instant that he truly realized what he was about to do, and what awaited him inside. The keystone. It will lead us to our final goal. He raised his ghost-white fist and banged three times on the door. Moments later, the bolts of the enormous wooden portal began to move. CHAPTER 16 Sophie wondered how long it would take Fache to figure out she had not left the building. Seeing that Langdon was clearly overwhelmed, Sophie questioned whether she had done the right thing by cornering him here in the men's room. What else was I supposed to do? She pictured her grandfather's body, naked and spread-eagle on the floor. There was a time when he had meant the world to her, yet tonight, Sophie was surprised to feel almost no sadness for the man. Jacques Sauniere was a stranger to her now. Their relationship had evaporated in a single instant one March night when she was twenty-two. Ten years ago.Sophie had come home a few days early from graduate university in England and mistakenly witnessed her grandfather engaged in something Sophie was obviously not supposed to see. It was an image she barely could believe to this day. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes†¦ Too ashamed and stunned to endure her grandfather's pained attempts to explain, Sophie immediately moved out on her own, taking money she had saved, and getting a small flat with some roommates. She vowed never to speak to anyone about what she had seen. Her grandfather tried desperately to reach her, sending cards and letters, begging Sophie to meet him so he could explain. Explain how!? Sophie never responded except once – to forbid him ever to call her or try to meet her in public. She was afraid his explanation would be more terrifying than the incident itself. Incredibly, Sauniere had never given up on her, and Sophie now possessed a decade's worth of correspondence unopened in a dresser drawer. To her grandfather's credit, he had never once disobeyed her request and phoned her. Until this afternoon. â€Å"Sophie?† His voice had sounded startlingly old on her answering machine. â€Å"I have abided by your wishes for so long†¦ and it pains me to call, but I must speak to you. Something terrible has happened.† Standing in the kitchen of her Paris flat, Sophie felt a chill to hear him again after all these years. His gentle voice brought back a flood of fond childhood memories. â€Å"Sophie, please listen.† He was speaking English to her, as he always did when she was a little girl. Practice French at school.Practice English at home. â€Å"You cannot be mad forever. Have you not read the letters that I've sent all these years? Do you not yet understand?† He paused. â€Å"We must speak at once. Please grant your grandfather this one wish. Call me at the Louvre. Right away. I believe you and I are in grave danger.† Sophie stared at the answering machine. Danger? What was he talking about? â€Å"Princess†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her grandfather's voice cracked with an emotion Sophie could not place. â€Å"I know I've kept things from you, and I know it has cost me your love. But it was for your own safety. Now you must know the truth. Please, I must tell you the truth about your family.† Sophie suddenly could hear her own heart. My family? Sophie's parents had died when she was only four. Their car went off a bridge into fast-moving water. Her grandmother and younger brother had also been in the car, and Sophie's entire family had been erased in an instant. She had a box of newspaper clippings to confirm it. His words had sent an unexpected surge of longing through her bones. My family! In that fleeting instant, Sophie saw images from the dream that had awoken her countless times when she was a little girl: My family is alive! They are coming home! But, as in her dream, the pictures evaporated into oblivion. Your family is dead, Sophie. They are not coming home. â€Å"Sophie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  her grandfather said on the machine. â€Å"I have been waiting for years to tell you. Waiting for the right moment, but now time has run out. Call me at the Louvre. As soon as you get this. I'll wait here all night. I fear we both may be in danger. There's so much you need to know.† The message ended. In the silence, Sophie stood trembling for what felt like minutes. As she considered her grandfather's message, only one possibility made sense, and his true intent dawned. It was bait. Obviously, her grandfather wanted desperately to see her. He was trying anything. Her disgust for the man deepened. Sophie wondered if maybe he had fallen terminally ill and had decided to attempt any ploy he could think of to get Sophie to visit him one last time. If so, he had chosen wisely. My family. Now, standing in the darkness of the Louvre men's room, Sophie could hear the echoes of this afternoon's phone message. Sophie, we both may be in danger.Call me. She had not called him. Nor had she planned to. Now, however, her skepticism had been deeply challenged. Her grandfather lay murdered inside his own museum. And he had written a code on the floor. A code for her.Of this, she was certain. Despite not understanding the meaning of his message, Sophie was certain its cryptic nature was additional proof that the words were intended for her. Sophie's passion and aptitude for cryptography were a product of growing up with Jacques Sauniere – a fanatic himself for codes, word games, and puzzles. How many Sundays did we spend doing the cryptograms and crosswords in the newspaper? At the age of twelve, Sophie could finish the Le Monde crossword without any help, and her grandfather graduated her to crosswords in English, mathematical puzzles, and substitution ciphers. Sophie devoured them all. Eventually she turned her passion into a profession by becoming a code breaker for the Judicial Police. Tonight, the cryptographer in Sophie was forced to respect the efficiency with which her grandfather had used a simple code to unite two total strangers – Sophie Neveu and Robert Langdon. The question was why? Unfortunately, from the bewildered look in Langdon's eyes, Sophie sensed the American had no more idea than she did why her grandfather had thrown them together. She pressed again. â€Å"You and my grandfather had planned to meet tonight. What about?† Langdon looked truly perplexed. â€Å"His secretary set the meeting and didn't offer any specific reason, and I didn't ask. I assumed he'd heard I would be lecturing on the pagan iconography of French cathedrals, was interested in the topic, and thought it would be fun to meet for drinks after the talk.† Sophie didn't buy it. The connection was flimsy. Her grandfather knew more about pagan iconography than anyone else on earth. Moreover, he an exceptionally private man, not someone prone to chatting with random American professors unless there were an important reason. Sophie took a deep breath and probed further. â€Å"My grandfather called me this afternoon and told me he and I were in grave danger. Does that mean anything to you?† Langdon's blue eyes now clouded with concern. â€Å"No, but considering what just happened†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sophie nodded. Considering tonight's events, she would be a fool not to be frightened. Feeling drained, she walked to the small plate-glass window at the far end of the bathroom and gazed out in silence through the mesh of alarm tape embedded in the glass. They were high up – forty feet at least. Sighing, she raised her eyes and gazed out at Paris's dazzling landscape. On her left, across the Seine, the illuminated Eiffel Tower. Straight ahead, the Arc de Triomphe. And to the right, high atop the sloping rise of Montmartre, the graceful arabesque dome of Sacre-Coeur, its polished stone glowing white like a resplendent sanctuary. Here at the westernmost tip of the Denon Wing, the north-south thoroughfare of Place du Carrousel ran almost flush with the building with only a narrow sidewalk separating it from the Louvre's outer wall. Far below, the usual caravan of the city's nighttime delivery trucks sat idling, waiting for the signals to change, their running lights seeming to twinkle mockingly up at Sophie. â€Å"I don't know what to say,† Langdon said, coming up behind her. â€Å"Your grandfather is obviously trying to tell us something. I'm sorry I'm so little help.† Sophie turned from the window, sensing a sincere regret in Langdon's deep voice. Even with all the trouble around him, he obviously wanted to help her. The teacher in him, she thought, having read DCPJ's workup on their suspect. This was an academic who clearly despised not understanding. We have that in common, she thought. As a code breaker, Sophie made her living extracting meaning from seemingly senseless data. Tonight, her best guess was that Robert Langdon, whether he knew it or not, possessed information that she desperately needed. Princesse Sophie, Find Robert Langdon.How much clearer could her grandfather's message be? Sophie needed more time with Langdon. Time to think. Time to sort out this mystery together. Unfortunately, time was running out. Gazing up at Langdon, Sophie made the only play she could think of. â€Å"Bezu Fache will be taking you into custody at any minute. I can get you out of this museum. But we need to act now.† Langdon's eyes went wide. â€Å"You want me to run?† â€Å"It's the smartest thing you could do. If you let Fache take you into custody now, you'll spend weeks in a French jail while DCPJ and the U. S. Embassy fight over which courts try your case. But if we get you out of here, and make it to your embassy, then your government will protect your rights while you and I prove you had nothing to do with this murder.† Langdon looked not even vaguely convinced. â€Å"Forget it! Fache has armed guards on every single exit! Even if we escape without being shot, running away only makes me look guilty. You need to tell Fache that the message on the floor was for you, and that my name is not there as an accusation.† â€Å"I will do that,† Sophie said, speaking hurriedly,† but after you're safely inside the U. S. Embassy. It's only about a mile from here, and my car is parked just outside the museum. Dealing with Fache from here is too much of a gamble. Don't you see? Fache has made it his mission tonight to prove you are guilty. The only reason he postponed your arrest was to run this observance in hopes you did something that made his case stronger.† â€Å"Exactly. Like running!† The cell phone in Sophie's sweater pocket suddenly began ringing. Fache probably.She reached in her sweater and turned off the phone. â€Å"Mr. Langdon,† she said hurriedly,† I need to ask you one last question.† And your entire future may depend on it. â€Å"The writing on the floor is obviously not proof of your guilt, and yet Fache told our team he is certain you are his man. Can you think of any other reason he might be convinced you're guilty?† Langdon was silent for several seconds. â€Å"None whatsoever.† Sophie sighed. Which means Fache is lying.Why, Sophie could not begin to imagine, but that was hardly the issue at this point. The fact remained that Bezu Fache was determined to put Robert Langdon behind bars tonight, at any cost. Sophie needed Langdon for herself, and it was this dilemma that left Sophie only one logical conclusion. I need to get Langdon to the U. S. Embassy. Turning toward the window, Sophie gazed through the alarm mesh embedded in the plate glass, down the dizzying forty feet to the pavement below. A leap from this height would leave Langdon with a couple of broken legs. At best. Nonetheless, Sophie made her decision. Robert Langdon was about to escape the Louvre, whether he wanted to or not. CHAPTER 17 â€Å"What do you mean she's not answering?† Fache looked incredulous. â€Å"You're calling her cell phone, right? I know she's carrying it.† Collet had been trying to reach Sophie now for several minutes. â€Å"Maybe her batteries are dead. Or her ringer's off.† Fache had looked distressed ever since talking to the director of Cryptology on the phone. After hanging up, he had marched over to Collet and demanded he get Agent Neveu on the line. Now Collet had failed, and Fache was pacing like a caged lion. â€Å"Why did Crypto call?† Collet now ventured. Fache turned. â€Å"To tell us they found no references to Draconian devils and lame saints.† â€Å"That's all?† â€Å"No, also to tell us that they had just identified the numerics as Fibonacci numbers, but they suspected the series was meaningless.† Collet was confused. â€Å"But they already sent Agent Neveu to tell us that.† Fache shook his head. â€Å"They didn't send Neveu.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"According to the director, at my orders he paged his entire team to look at the images I'd wired him. When Agent Neveu arrived, she took one look at the photos of Sauniere and the code and left the office without a word. The director said he didn't question her behavior because she was understandably upset by the photos.† â€Å"Upset? She's never seen a picture of a dead body?† Fache was silent a moment. â€Å"I was not aware of this, and it seems neither was the director until a coworker informed him, but apparently Sophie Neveu is Jacques Sauniere's granddaughter.† Collet was speechless. â€Å"The director said she never once mentioned Sauniere to him, and he assumed it was because she probably didn't want preferential treatment for having a famous grandfather.† No wonder she was upset by the pictures.Collet could barely conceive of the unfortunate coincidence that called in a young woman to decipher a code written by a dead family member. Still, her actions made no sense. â€Å"But she obviously recognized the numbers as Fibonacci numbers because she came here and told us. I don't understand why she would leave the office without telling anyone she had figured it out.† Collet could think of only one scenario to explain the troubling developments: Sauniere had written a numeric code on the floor in hopes Fache would involve cryptographers in the investigation, and therefore involve his own granddaughter. As for the rest of the message, was Saunie recommunicating in some way with his granddaughter? If so, what did the message tell her? And how did Langdon fit in? Before Collet could ponder it any further, the silence of the deserted museum was shattered by an alarm. The bell sounded like it was coming from inside the Grand Gallery. â€Å"Alarme!† one of the agents yelled, eyeing his feed from the Louvre security center. â€Å"GrandeGalerie! Toilettes Messieurs!† Fache wheeled to Collet. â€Å"Where's Langdon?† â€Å"Still in the men's room!† Collet pointed to the blinking red dot on his laptop schematic. â€Å"He must have broken the window!† Collet knew Langdon wouldn't get far. Although Paris fire codes required windows above fifteen meters in public buildings be breakable in case of fire, exiting a Louvre second-story window without the help of a hook and ladder would be suicide. Furthermore, there were no trees or grass on the western end of the Denon Wing to cushion a fall. Directly beneath that rest room window, the two-lane Place du Carrousel ran within a few feet of the outer wall. â€Å"My God,† Collet exclaimed, eyeing the screen. â€Å"Langdon's moving to the window ledge!† But Fache was already in motion. Yanking his Manurhin MR-93 revolver from his shoulder holster, the captain dashed out of the office. Collet watched the screen in bewilderment as the blinking dot arrived at the window ledge and then did something utterly unexpected. The dot moved outside the perimeter of the building. What's going on? he wondered. Is Langdon out on a ledge or – â€Å"Jesu!† Collet jumped to his feet as the dot shot farther outside the wall. The signal seemed to shudder for a moment, and then the blinking dot came to an abrupt stop about ten yards outside the perimeter of the building. Fumbling with the controls, Collet called up a Paris street map and recalibrated the GPS. Zooming in, he could now see the exact location of the signal. It was no longer moving. It lay at a dead stop in the middle of Place du Carrousel. Langdon had jumped.

Reading Response Essay

The September Sisters, by Jillian Cantor, is a story about two sisters, Abigail, the oldest and Becky the youngest. They both fight a lot and make each other’s life miserable, that’s all they do, then Becky disappears in the middle of the night, Abby struggles to cope with her own feeling of guilt and loss. Aby meets a new neighbor, Tommy, who with time, discover that love can bloom, even when it’s surrounded by thorns. This is shown by the author with tone, imagery and similes. Abigail feels a sense of guilt through the disappearance of Becky, they would always fight for no reason or for stupid reasons and now that she realizes that she’s gone. She struggles with this deep feeling of sorrow. â€Å"I felt this sudden surge of guilt, as if I should’ve heard everything, should’ve heard Becky get out of bed,† page 13. Throughout the book whole book, the tone is always said as guilt and grief. â€Å"Every time I got in the swimming pool or I looked at the inner tube, I thought about Becky swimming toward me, wanting the pink one so bad, I’d feel so guilty, and I’d think, why didn’t I just let her have it? What was the big deal anyway? She could’ve had this one thing; it wouldn’t have been so much to give,† page 296. Jillian Cantor gives us a very strong feeling of sorrow and grief to capture, which tells us the theme throughout the story. There’s also a big amount of similes used to show the theme. â€Å"Our house is like a prison, something that sometimes feels like it’s keeping me in, locked away, not keeping other people out,† page 17. Abigail feels trapped with all this situation of her sister missing, rather than feeling protected, its vice-versa. Another example is, â€Å"The kiss was short, and when he pulled back, I could see his breath, like frosting, lighting up the air,† page 189. When Aby uses â€Å"frosting,† it’s sweet and good, so Aby describes his presence as sweet air, making her happy, which goes with the theme of innocence of young love. The way Jillian Cantor captures images about what is going on is by giving imagery. â€Å"Becky’s hair was straight, dirty blond, and just past her shoulders. She had green eyes and pinkish sunburned skin in the summer. She had dimples. She had some freckles on her nose. She had two-inch scar just above her right elbow, from the time she fell off her bike. She was four feet eight inches tall, and she weighted seventy-three pounds. She was ten years old,† page 28. The author uses vivid amount of sentences to imagine how Becky looked before she went missing. â€Å" I felt his lips moving over mine, his tongue pushing slowly into my mouth, and it all felt perfectly and warm and so nice,† page 315. Abigail is comfortable with his presence when she’s with him and feels warmth by his side. I certainly picture this scene as it goes. The warmth of love and innocence is captured in this quote. Jillian Cantor really gives out the theme by expressing himself with tone, imagery and similes; even though there’s hard times in life, love always makes its way through, it will be there, through thick and thin. This innocent young love was told in this story with Tommy and Abigail. Abigail struggled with the disappearance of her younger sister but the love that Tommy and her gave each other made love bloom, through this hard situation of her family and her.

A look at methods that can be used to improve learning in disabled kids

A look at methods that can be used to improve learning in disabled kids Practicum Write Up As a teacher, we have specific moral/ethical and legal responsibilities for educating students with disabilities. Laws, such as IDEA, have been created to ensure that each student receives a free appropriate public education, the least restrictive environment, an individualized education program, procedural due process, nondiscriminatory assessment, and parental participation. We have to be highly effective teachers who understand our obligations and duties to help our students. Working with a student with an IEP during my field experiences was very rewarding. I learned so much about Tier 1 and 2 interventions, and I feel much more confident in the referral process for IEPs and how to implement them in real life. Reading and discussing about accommodations is so great in helping us learn the foundation, but actually preforming interventions with a real kid increased my understanding tenfold. At one point, I was getting a little frustrated that Talon couldn’t understand the fraction conversions while I worked with a small group, but I decided to take a step back and try a different angle, and it clicked! He finally was able to do the assignment, and this experience helped me see that every child is different. Every kid has unique challenges and is doing what they can to do their best. I feel like my perceptions of disabilities has changed after this experience. My student has an IEP, but he is so much more than an IEP. He’s motivated to do his best, and I can see how hard he works. I have been in Mrs. Young’s class before and never would have guessed that Talon had an IEP. Kids with disabilities are kids first. Their IEP or disability does not define them. This experience is helped me focus on the children as children.

Mountain Lion Population Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mountain Lion Population Model - Essay Example gic study mode considering Goldman’s findings of 1946 who stated that due to Texas being neighbors with Mexico, there will always be a significant number of mountain lions in Texas. The distribution of mountain lions is mainly in the west and south Texas which borders Mexico. However, the true population distribution is not known because there is no study that has been done before to determine the distribution (McKinney, 2003). I feel that she could have included the history about the lions in the article, considering historically the entire of Texas was inhibited with , Puma concolor, a lion species (McKinney, 2003). This species was famous among people living in Texas then because they viewed them as a threat to their livestock. However, early 1890’s, the mountain lions were being killed at an alarming rate which in turn lead to drastic decrease in population. Also, to be added in her findings are the strategies suggested in the survey that needs to be put in place. The study gave the following management plans that should be undertaken to control the lion numbers such as establish sink areas for rearing goat and sheep where no predators allowed, establish source areas where the lions reproduce without any interference and construct stable areas where harvesting can be done to control the mountain lions group (McKinney, 2003). In conclusion, including the history and the three strategies is very important because mountain lions also contribute to the ecology and it is also of social and economical value to Texas. For example, lions help control the population of animals such as deer and other species which in turn help maintain vegetation cover, thus achieving a balanced ecology. The study indicated that most of the lions killed are female and the current rate of killing is higher than the rate at which the lions reproduce. Due to the killing, the existing populace mainly comprises of young lions and this is not healthy for any animal populace

Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Business Strategy - Essay Example to remain progressive and contemporary with the changing business environment and has always tried to meet the consumer demand (Hitt, Duane and Hoskisson, 2012, pp.76-77). The company carries extensive research on the needs and tastes of the customers and at the same time constantly changes their advertising campaigns. The main aim of the company is to develop their products in the best possible way and give their customers a great place to socialize, eat and have a great experience. McDonald’s has achieved its competitive advantage through charging low price for its products and increasing the volume. McDonald’s attracts the consumers on a regular basis and at the most affordable prices. It aims at regular visits of the customers and hence does not display very high priced products on their menu. The product prices of McDonald’s are not standard for all the countries. It differs according to the location or rather the pricing strategy of McDonald’s depends on the local competition and promotions. McDonald’s has even changed the eating habits of the customers and attracts people at the peak hours by offering very low rates. McDonald’s follows an aggressive pricing strategy. McDonald’s products taste the same whichever country they operate, but they try and indulge some local taste so as to make it more appealing to the local consumers (Jeannet and Hennessey, 2005, pp.213-214). The company expands its operations internationally through franchising. They even aim at being the quick service restaurant and give their customers a good experienc e in terms of product quality, taste and cleanliness. The business strategy of McDonald’s comprises of the franchisee model, product consistency and act like retailer think like a brand strategy. The franchisee model that is adopted by the company helps it to maximize on the returns and minimize the investment. According to this model only 15% of the total number of restaurants of McDonald’s is actually owned by

Dq7-Terence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Dq7-Terence - Essay Example Each of the concern will be supported by plausible exemplifications. The critical definition associated with knowledge in a firm allows for its consideration as an essential asset towards the realization of the aspired success. There exists a number of pros and cons to be associated in the delivery of decisions via information technology. The qualities are founded on the capacity of the firm that is tasked with the implementation of the discussed information technology packaging and presentations options. Among the pros include the efficiency in accessibility of the considered decision to the broad population under target. Information technology systems are rather presentable and places into utilization the virtual storage units, thus saving the office space (Imboden, Pfenninger & Stürchler, 2013). However, there exists a significant number of challenges associated with these systems in regard to the process of decision making. Safety concerns remain critical to the consideration of the effectiveness of the information technology as a platform for packaging and presenting decisions. Internationally, the concern of the security of the respective virtual systems installed in the hope of achieving the respective obligations has been mentioned as challenging. Additionally, the usage of information systems in decision making calls for additional lessons to the targeted population over usage (Kendall, 2013). Cyber security has been defined among the leading reasons that seek to explain on the concerns associated to the usage of information security. Hacking of critical information has been described to be an essential source of concern to the various institutions. Hacker outfits such as anonymous have capitalized on the possible loopholes in these systems to expose sensitive information. The progressive address of these challenges has lead to the eventual realization

Analytical chemistry assignment 12 questions Essay

Analytical chemistry assignment 12 questions - Essay Example In other cases, the matrix can constitute the interferent, which alters the results of the chemical analysis procedure. The accuracy of a chemical measurement explains how close the results obtained are to the true value. It is essential to establish the accuracy of a chemical measurement before interpreting the results obtained from the measurement. To determine the accuracy of an analytical measurement, one is required to calibrate it with a known standard. For instance, you can determine the accuracy of a weighing scale by comparing it with a fully functional one. Calibration refers to the process of comparing two measurements or methods whereby one is of a known magnitude or accuracy, made using a standard device or procedure and the other made in as alike a way as possible using a second device or method. The second device or method is usually referred to as the unit under test. To calibrate an analytical method, one needs to compare the results of the measurement to a set standard and making adjustments as required. The steps involved in making a chemical measurement include: selection of an analytical method, sample collection, sample processing, elimination of interferences, measurement, and calculation of results and estimation of the reliability of the results. To collect toxic fumes from a room, a known volume of the contaminated air is drawn through a glass fibre filter. The sample is then desorbed using the appropriate chemical substance and then analyzed by gas chromatography using a flame ionisation detector. Care should be observed to avoid inhalation of the fumes during the collection and analysis process. Urine collection methods vary depending on the analyte being tested. Drugs differ in the way in which they are metabolized in the body, including the components that are excreted through the urine. Depending on the analyte being investigated, urine samples can be collected during different times to

A Problem In the Field of Finance Annotated Bibliography

A Problem In the Field of Finance - Annotated Bibliography Example This will provide important information and guidance about scholarly sources relating to earning management. This journal article examines the relationship between firm size and earnings management. To this end, the article is based on an empirical study into small and large organizations to identify which organizations are more prone to earnings management. The study indicates that both large and small organizations undertake earnings management to avoid presenting negative results. The study shows that most small firms undertake earnings management to avoid reporting losses. On the other hand, larger and medium sized organizations use aggressive earning management to avoid profit decreases than smaller firms. The journal involves a study of the relationship between earnings management and accounting standards. It identifies that earnings management are increasingly done in areas where organizations and business are allowed to pass judgments. These areas are increasingly being regulated by accounting standards. However firms continue to use methods of overriding accounting standards because most of these elements and aspects of earnings management causes firms to incur serious losses. Fundamentally, this journal examines the relationship between earnings management and corporate governance. It answers the question of which practices of earnings management affects earnings management and how. The study critically evaluates 100 S&P firms and their accounting practices and auditing trends between 1994 and 2003. The study identifies that in organizations where there is a strong presence of institutional investors, earnings management are minimal because there is control and care that is induced in the affairs of the firm. However, where there are many individual shareholders, earnings management is common. This study involved an examination of elements of managers’ manipulation of

EMPLOYEE RIGHTS, MANAGED CARE AND PATIENT SAFETY Essay - 1

EMPLOYEE RIGHTS, MANAGED CARE AND PATIENT SAFETY - Essay Example Such requests to abstain from certain patient treatment strategies are generally reviewed by an ethics committee. A similar right has been afforded to employees in cases involving abortion of fetuses if they consider it to be unethical. A similar right of refusal is also under consideration for pharmacists who can refuse to dispense medications meant for abortions if they deem it to be unethical and against their moral conscience. A caregiver or a nurse also has the right to question the concerned physician regarding the care given to a patient. If the explanation provided by the physician is unsatisfactory the caregiver has the right to take up the matter with a higher authority for further clarification (Pozgar, 2012). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides protection against employee discrimination on the basis of sex, age, nationality, race and religion. It also affords protection for workers against sexual harassment within a healthcare facility. The most vulnerable population wh o are more prone to face sexual harassment in an healthcare setting are nurses who are in many cases exploited by colleagues, physicians or patients for sexual favors in return for employment or which interferes with the working environment of the employee (Pozgar, 2012; Legal, Ethical and Safety Issues, n.d). The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) has issued guidelines against sexual harassment and also prohibits the creation of a hostile environment by improper sexual conduct. Nurses also have the right to offer appropriate guidance to the patient’s family even if it involves suggestions to change the physician especially in cases of patient negligence (Pozgar, 2012).Every individual working in the healthcare industry is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect by their employers. They must pay heed to the employee’s complaints, problems and concerns

Growing up as a child in my family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Growing up as a child in my family - Essay Example I fell pregnant on five separate occasions but had a total of six children, all of whom were all girls. I gave birth for the first time in 1977 and had my last child in 1981. In conjunction with being a full-time mother, I also worked two jobs to help support my children. In 1989, a met a really nice guy who was to be my future husband. We have now been together for 22 years and are still in love with each other just as much as we were back then. In the year 2000, my husband and I decided to become foster parents. We have cared for over 32 kids since then and have gone on to adopt three of those kids, all of whom are girls. These girls were so adorable that we had no choice but to open our hearts and accept them. They are currently aged 11, 14, and 17 years old respectively. For the last 26 years I have been working as a C.M.A. All this time I have been trying to finish raising my girls. It is only now that I have realized that I need to go back to school in order to finish my high s chool diploma. I don’t have much to say about my childhood except I became a mother far too soon. I thank God every day for each of my three kids. I am part of a gospel group called God’s Chosen Generation, of which I am the group’s manager; my husband is in charge of the music. My two youngest daughters sing as part of the group along with my friend’s daughter too. Every Sunday we go to church and participate heavily in the church’s activities. This is the story of me â€Å"growing up as a

Structural Functionalism and Conflict Theory Essay Example for Free

Structural Functionalism and Conflict Theory Essay Karl Marx and Max Weber were the first conflict theorists in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Following Marx and Weber were three mid-20th century conflict theorists: Lewis Coser, Ralf Dahrendorf, and Randall Collins. Coser draws his theoretical ideas from Simmel. Like Simmel, Coser maintains that conflict is healthy for society. In contrast, Dahrendorf combines theoretical ideas from Marx and Weber. Dahrendorf sees power as the main feature in all social relationships. However, Collins incorporates Weber, Durkheim, and Goffman’s theories to provide a micro-level orientation to conflict theory. Collins also used geopolitics at a global level to examine political conflicts historically and geographically. According to Marx and Weber, the root of most social conflict comes from an unequal distribution of class, status, and power, as well as a group’s sense of deprivation caused by class (Allan, 2007). Coser, Dahrendorf, and Collins added to Marx and Weber’s theories. These conflict theorists assert that the degree of deprivation is essential in creating class consciousness and critical awareness. In particular, Coser discusses the consequences of inter and intra group conflict. Internal conflict can build up over time between groups and become explosive. Internal groups have a psychological need to be in conflict with each other. Modes of releasing hostility and developing authority with a corresponding justice system are necessary for healthy internal conflict. Further, external conflicts between groups create well defined and guarded boundaries to distinguish membership. Group membership becomes exclusive, which is necessary for group survival. â€Å"Conflict sets boundaries between groups within a social system by strengthening group consciousness and awareness of separateness, thus establishing the identity of groups within the system† (Coser, as quoted in Allan, p. 219, 2007). Coser maintains that conflict can have functional consequences. Some functional consequences of conflict are: social change, innovation, and increased centralized power. Structural Functionalism was the dominant theoretical approach in the United States from the 1930s through the 1970s. Structural Functionalism asserts that the various parts of society are interrelated and form a complete  system. â€Å"Just as the body is a system with specific parts (e.g., arms, legs, liver) that ensure its overall functioning, so, too, society is a system with specific parts (family, government, economy, religion, etc.) necessary for its very survival† (Appelrouth and Edles, 2008, p. 349). Two key structural functionalism theorists are Talcott Parsons and Robert Merton. Parsons theories were highly abstract. Parsons developed a social action theory to explain why people behave the way they do. He explained human actions as a result of three systems: social systems, personality systems, and cultural, and behavioral systems (Appelrouth and Edles, 2008). These systems are not separate entities; rather together they form a simplified model of society. â€Å"Social systems, personality systems, and cultural systems undergird all action and all social life† (Appelrouth and Edles, 2008, p. 352). Parsons applied his theory to the American family in Sex Roles in the American Kinship System (1943). Parsons proclaimed that â€Å"many women succumb to their dependency cravings through such channels as neurotic illness or compulsive domesticity and thereby abdicate both their responsibilities and their opportunities for genuine independence† (Parsons, 1943 as quoted by Appelrouth and Edles, 2008, p. 382). Sex Roles in the American Kinship System (1943) incited criticisms as Parson endorsed traditional gender roles, and asserted that dire consequences would occur if these roles were breached. Robert Merton’s theoretical influences were broad. He read extensively, and there are elements of Durkheim, Weber, Simmel, and Marx in his theories. In contrast to Parson’s abstract theories, Merton was a middle-range theorist. Middle range theories â€Å"lie between the minor but necessary working hypotheses that evolve in abundance during day-to-day research and the all-inclusive systematic efforts to develop a unified theory that will explain all the observed uniformities of social behavior, social organization, and social change† (Merton, as quoted by Appelrouth and Edles, p. 383). Merton was best known for his distinction between manifest and latent functions. Whereas manifest functions are the conscious intentions of the actor, latent functions are the unintended consequences of the action. Merton used the example of the Hopi rain dance to illustrate manifest and latent functions. The manifest function of the rain dance often does not  produce rain, and is called superstitious by some. However, the rain dance continues to be performed for a function that the actor is unaware of, which is the latent function (Appelrouth and Edles, 2008). â€Å"†¦This behavior may perform a function for the group, although this function may be quite remote from the avowed purpose of the behavior† (Merton, 1949 as quoted by Appelrouth and Edles, 2008, p. 391). Even though the Hopi rain ceremony does not produce the manifest function of producing rain, the ceremony does bear latent functions that sociologists and anthropologists can study. Parsons Sex Roles in the American Kinship System (1943) received a lot of criticism in the 20th century. This 20th century criticism stems from Parsons endorsement of traditional gender roles, and the dire consequences that would occur should these roles be breached. Interestingly, the 21st century critiqued the 20th century critiques. The 21st century does not claim that Parsons assertions were not sexist, rather that the 20th century critiques were sexist (Appelrouth and Edles, 2008). As Appelrouth and Edles (2008) note, Parson’s pivotal premise was not sexist at all. Parsons believed that changes that are functional for one part of the system will produce changes that are not necessarily functional for other parts of the system. Appelrouth and Edles (2008) further noted the sexism in the 20th century in the premise that women could enter the workforce without significant changes being made to other social structures and systems, and without a major increase in quality dayca re and childcare facilities. How would Parsons view 21st century families? I maintain that Parsons might find 21st century families dysfunctional. Twenty-first century families do not have the rigid structure that Parsons describes. Parsons wrote from a 1940s, 1950s white male middle class perspective, and could not picture the perspective of other social classes. However, families today are socially and racially diverse, especially in the US, and even the white middle class family does not fit Parsons proscribed role definitions. In the 21st century, there is substantial role confusion in families. Gay and lesbian couples adopt children and raise them with same sex parents. More fathers stay at home to take care of their children while the mother is the primary breadwinner. Increased educational opportunities for women have produced a professional class of women who sometimes earn substantially more than their  husbands. Families in the 21st century are also deciding to have fewer children, and are marrying at a later age (and sometimes not at all). In short, the 21st century has produced more: women in the workforce, single parent households, stay-at-home dads, same sex parents, and racially blended families. It is arguable whether families in the 21st century are dysfunctional. Certainly there are dysfunctional families; yet, many families perform well in the new social order. Would Parsons view the 21st century change in sex roles as negatively affecting the family? Indeed, some would argue that changed sex role definitions create confusion, and affect the family and the socialization of children negatively. However, sex role changes in the 21st century are logical when one looks at the situation using Parson’s AGIL scheme. The 21st century has produced rapid changes, and as a result, family roles have had to change in order to adapt to the new environment. Social changes and changes in the job market have forced people to conform. Therefore, families have had to adapt to the new economic system (A), and therefore have new goals (G), which create changes in the social system with norms and interactions (I), and thus cultural systemic change occurs to adapt to the new order (L) (Appelrouth and Edles, 2008). Hence, the new social order is more functional for the 21st century. Therefore, it can be concluded that Parsons fixed and inflexible role structure is only one depiction of a functional family, as portrayed by 21st century families. Merton’s manifest and latent functions are applicable as a functional analysis tool for social organizations. In evaluating social programs, assessors may tend to just investigate manifest functions. When querying a social organization as to whether they achieved their program goals or intended purpose, the answer received in the manifest function gives little depth of information. Granted, this type of manifest inquiry is important, as it reveals whether programs have achieved their stated goals. Nevertheless, this manifest inquiry can be achieved simply by questioning agency personnel. On the other hand, utilizing latent inquiry, the assessor can discover deeper theoretical problems. By simply examining manifest functions, the evaluator becomes merely a recorder and transcriber of  behavior and actions. In contrast, latent inquiry provides more depth to an assessment. Latent inquiry discovers unrecognized information that cannot be obtained by a manifest inquiry. Latent inquiry discovers consequences, motivations, and paradoxes, which provide useful assessment information. Therefore, when used together, both manifest and latent functions are a valuable functional analysis tool for sociological inquiry. Resources Allan, K. (2007). The Social Lens: An Invitation to Social and Sociological Theory. California: Pine Forge Press. Appelrouth, S., and Edles, L. (2008). Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory. California: Pine Forge Press.

Induction Plan Essay Example for Free

Induction Plan Essay The entire staff member must attend three hour of induction training. At the first two hour of the induction all the waiter, waitress and supervisor will need to combine to have their induction together. First I will welcome them to our organisation, briefly tell them overview of their duties, discuss the rule of our company, and an introduction to the benefits provided to all the employees. Besides that, I will take them to a tour around the restaurant and show them all the equipment in the restaurant. After that I will create an ice breaking session to let them introduce themselves to each other and chat a while with each other. In order to create team sprit among them, I will divide them in to groups to play a game or complete a task. A leader will be selected among them and groups with supervisor in it the supervisor will be the leader, but if the group does not have a supervisor in it they can just choose anybody to be the leader. After that I will ask them to have a role play, some of them will act as the customers whom are very hard to handle and some of them will be the supervisor or waiter of the restaurant. The people who act as the supervisor or waiter of the restaurant must find a way to settle the problem. They also need to switch their roles after they finish because every employee must have a chance to act as the customers and the waiter or supervisor of the restaurant. After the two hours of the induction programme, both waiter or waitress and supervisor need to have a separate induction programme in the next one hour. For the supervisors they will need to attend a briefing on how should they manage the restaurant and how they should treat their staff. I will also let them know what they should do when their staff did something wrong, how they should react in all kinds of situation and other important things that they need to take precaution while managing the restaurant. For the waiters and waitresses, they will need to attend a briefing on how should they treat their supervisor and what should they do if your supervisor does not do his or her duty as a supervisor. I will also let them know how they should react in all kinds of situation and other important  things that they need to take precaution as a waiter or waitress. A number of issues need to be decided in advance if an induction programme is to be successful . (Maimunah Aminuddin, 2009). So, I will make sure that the induction programme will go on smoothly. I strongly agree that, induction programme should be scheduled as soon as the new employee joins the company, the longer the delay, the less effective the programme will be. (Maimunah Aminuddin, 2009).

The Effects Of Homophobic Bullying Social Work Essay

The Effects Of Homophobic Bullying Social Work Essay The stigma and prejudice attached to homosexuality encourages the perpetuation of homophobic bullying against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and Trans gender (LGBT) youth by their peers. Bullying can take the form of homophobic epithets, sexual harassment and even violence. The class room has been described by social psychologists as the most homophobic of all institutions. This paper examines the effects of homophobic bullying on the physical and mental health of the LGBT youth which is characterized by depression, suicide ideation and engaging in risky behaviors (alcohol and substance abuse). The paper also analyses the buffering effects provided by positive school climate, parental and peer support as well as personal resilience. Keywords: LGBT youth, homophobic bullying, depression, hostile school climate, suicide ideation The Effects of Homophobic Bullying on the Mental and Physical Health of LGBT Youth: The Buffering Effects of Positive School Climate and Parental Support A Review of the Literature In todays permissive society an increasing number of adolescents who are in their early and middle teens (Middle and High school students) have begun to come out of the proverbial closet. However, even in this day and age our society is largely intolerant of deviation from gender norms prescribed by the culture. This makes it especially challenging for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth who are struggling and trying to come to terms with their sexual identity and orientation. The stigma attached to homosexuality encourages the perpetuation of homophobic bullying against the LGBT youth by their peers. It is a matter of immense concern to the doctors, psychologists and the entire community that there is a high incidence of suicide within this sexual minority group as compared to the heterosexual youth. This literature review focuses on homophobic bullying and its effects on the LGBT youth who are at a challenging stage in life and are struggling with their feelings abo ut sexual orientation and sexual gender. The effects of homophobic bullying on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth encompass challenges to their psychosocial development, emotional distress an increase in risky behavior (substance abuse), depression and suicide ideation. However, the literature review also highlights the buffering effects of a positive school environment and positive parental relations against negative effects of homophobic bullying. Homophobic Teasing and General Peer Victimization Homophobic teasing, peer victimization and gender non-conformity attitudes are some important mental health issues faced by the LGBT youth as result of their sexual orientation. Homophobic teasing is often long-term, systematic, and perpetrated by groups of students; it places the targets at risk for greater suicide ideation, depression and isolation. Homophobic teasing includes negative beliefs, attitudes, stereotypes and behaviors towards gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender youth, and can take the form of verbal and/or physical abuse, and in todays advanced technological age cyber abuse. Peer victimization can take the form of verbal insults, threats of violence, physical assault, and sexual assault (Espelage, Aragon, Birkett Koenig, 2008). A 2009 survey of more than 7,000 LGBT middle and high school students aged 13-21 years found that in the past year, because of their sexual orientation: Eight of ten students had been verbally harassed at school; four of ten had been phys ically harassed at school; six of ten felt unsafe at school; and one of five had been the victim of a physical assault at school (cdc.gov). Challenges to Psycho Social Development According to Erik Eriksons theory of psychosocial development all individuals must master particular developmental tasks during the adolescent years in order to lead productive and healthy lives. These tasks include adjusting to the physical and emotional changes of puberty, forming practical social and functioning relationships with peers, accomplishing independence from primary care takers, preparing for a career, and formation of a unique identity and a set of moral values (McDermott, Roen Scourfield 2008). However, for the LGBT adolescents achieving these developmental goals is challenged by the stress of being part of a stigmatized group. These youth also have to contend with a lack or absence of a support system such as family rejection, social isolation and harassment by peers and feelings of alienation with the school as a result of consistent homophobic bullying. Emotional Distress The social climate of our nation promotes heterosexist attitudes and these views are up held by our social institutions such as families, schools, the church, and government institutions. These prejudiced attitudes result in gay related stress for the LGBT youth who experience a unique set of stressors related directly to being sexual minorities within a heterosexually oriented society. These stressors may be both external (homophobic bullying, family rejection), and internal (internalized homophobia) in nature From the time they are children the youth have been barraged by negative attitudes towards homosexuality and this can lead to the internalization of homophobic sentiments. Internalized homophobia often results in feelings of shame and disgust towards ones sexual orientation which has been reinforced by family and society and can create conflict and dissonance and lead to emotional distress (Rosario Schrimshaw 2002). School Alienation and Lack of Social Support The constant flow of negative information regarding gender non -conformity and homosexuality from figures of authority such as parents, teachers, the clergy, and government officials encourages discriminatory and prejudicial behavior towards the sexual minority group by fellow students. Their heterosexist tendencies are manifested through homophobic bullying, social isolation and violence towards the vulnerable LGBT adolescents. Peer victimization can result in creating a hostile school environment and promotes feelings of alienation from school. An on-line research conducted on 3,450 public and private students (ages13-18) in the U.S found that 88% of the students reported that homophobic remarks were used in the teachers presence and that teachers and staff failed to intervene during these incidents (Espelage 2008). These findings clearly indicate that teachers and staffs failure to intervene encourages and promotes peer victimization and homophobic teasing and creates and sustains a hostile environment for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender youth. Having a strong social support system (family, peers, and teachers) is vital to maintaining mental and emotional health. It works as a buffer against stress; elevates a persons self-confidence and self-esteem; reduces feelings of loneliness and isolation to name a few. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans gender youth have lack or absence of a social support system by virtue of their sexual orientation that is negatively sanctioned by the heterosexual society. They face family rejection after coming out, social isolation by their peers, and many adults fear discrimination, job loss, and abuse if they openly support LGBT youth. Thus there is a lack of positive role models and support system which makes it more challenging to cope with the stress produced by stigmatization (Padilla, Crisp Rew 2011). Depression, Substance Abuse, and Suicide Ideation Suicidal ideation is defined as thoughts of engaging in suicide-related behavior. It can range from passive ideation- having the thought but not the intent to active ideation which includes intent as well as a plan to harm oneself. Suicidality has a number of risk factors as well as a number of protective factors. Among LGB individuals there is a higher incidence of risk factors and there are less protective factors in place. There is, for example, a higher incidence of important suicide risk factors such as depression and substance abuse in LGB youth compared to their heterosexual peers. These associations between mood disorders are borne out by research studies (Malley, Posner, Potter, 2008). Also, LGB individuals often experience a lack of support at home and are deprived of positive environments in their schools due to avoidance or bullying. Within the LGB cohort certain factors can affect the risk of suicidality as well-for example the younger the age at which the individual di scloses sexuality the higher the risk of suicide. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2007), It has been widely reported that gay and lesbian youth are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than other youth and that thirty percent of all attempted or completed youth suicides are related to issues of sexual identity. The Suicide Prevention Resource Centre (2008) in the United States noted a 1.5 to 7 fold (depending on the study) increased risk of attempted suicide in LGB youth as compared to their heterosexual peers. A landmark study commissioned by the US Secretary of Health found that one third of all sexual minority youth suicides occur before the age of seventeen (Malley, Posner, Potter, 2008). Padilla, Crisp, and Rew (2010) found that in the adolescent population sexual minorities have a much higher rate of drug use with contributing factors including a greater number of psychological stressors and poor social networks. They also noted that when parents accepted the adolescents sexual orientation the impact of life stressors was decreased significantly. Buffering Effects Provided by Parental Support and Positive School Climate and Resilience As mentioned previously there is a greater prevalence of psychological problems and high risk behaviors in LGBT youth then in their heterosexual peers. These include mood disorders, suicidal thoughts and substance abuse. Espelage, Aragon, Birkett and Koenig (2008) and Poteat, Mereish, Di Giovanni Koenig(2011) highlighted the crucial role a support system plays in preventing psychiatric and other behavioral problems in LGBT youth. Two important and beneficial support networks identified were the first of which were communicative and empathic parents and the second affirming and healthy school environments. The presence of both these networks corresponded with a markedly reduced incidence of psychological problems, suicide and substance use compared to individual where there was a lack of these support systems. Parental support and acceptance also seems to foster resilience and improve coping skills. It appears from the review of relevant literature that contrary to popular perception and despite the efforts of most sections of the media as well as many social organizations, general and unconditional acceptance of LGBT individual remains the exception and not the norm. The alienation and stigmatization is achieved through both passive (social ostracization, not standing up for LGBT rights) and aggressive (violence and emotional homophobic bullying) means and is aggravated by the absence of a buffer against these assaults in the form of parental acceptance and positive school environments. These findings do not differ much from those of earlier studies or from studies of other minorities that face prejudices. We know that the problem exists and we have identified the enabling, aggravating and protective factors. What remains to be seen is whether society will show the will to follow words with actions. What may also be beneficial is to conduct larger studies with more statistical power so that the facts can be ascertained with a greater degree of confidence. Annotated Bibliography Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2011, May 19). Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health. Retrieved April 3, 2012, from http://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/youth.htm This website provides statistics on the prevalence of homophobic bullying in the schools. Since community psychology focuses on social issues and social institutions it is of particular interest to community psychologists that our sexual minority youth are facing harassment and violence at the hands of these social institutions such as schools, church and governmental organizations. Espelage, D.M. (2008). Addressing research gaps in the intersection between homophobia and bullying. School Psychology Review, 37 (2), 155-58. Homophobic bullying is a pressing and immediate problem facing our community since it affects adolescents who are members of a sexual minority group. One of the fundamental principles of Community psychology is a respect for diversity which includes race ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and social class. Espelage, D. L., Aragon, S. R., Birkett, M., Koenig, B. W. (2008). Homophobic teasing, psychological outcomes, and sexual orientation among high school students: What influence does parents and schools have? School Psychology Review, 37(2), 202-216. Another fundamental principle of Community Psychology is ecological perspective and multiple levels of intervention. LGBT youth face an increased risk of mental and emotional problems as a result of stigmatization of their sexual orientation. It is of interest to the community psychologist that the youths positive parental (microsystem) and school (microsystem) involvement help as a buffer to negate the effects of stigmatization. McDermott, E., Roen, K., Scourfield, J. (2008). Avoiding shame: young LGBT people, homophobia and self-destructive behaviors. Culture, Health Sexuality, 10(8), 815-829. doi:10.1080/13691050802380974 Since community psychology focuses on social issues and social institutions it is of particular interest to community psychologists that our sexual minority youth are facing harassment and violence at the hands of these social institutions such as schools, church and governmental organizations. Padilla, Y. C., Crisp, C., Rew, D. (2010). Parental acceptance and illegal drug use among gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents: Results from a national survey. Social Work, 55(3), 265-275. Community psychologists are interested in the effects of social support on our youth. Since social support has been shown to promote and maintain physical and mental wellbeing and also helps in the development of resiliency in youth who are at risk such as the sexual minority youth. Poteat, V., Mereish, E. H., DiGiovanni, C. D., Koenig, B. W. (2011). The effects of general and homophobic victimization on adolescents psychosocial and educational concerns: The importance of intersecting identities and parent support. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 58(4), 597-609. doi:10.1037/a0025095 Another fundamental principle of Community Psychology is ecological perspective and multiple levels of intervention. LGBT youth face an increased risk of mental and emotional problems as a result of stigmatization of their sexual orientation. It is of interest to the community psychologist that the youths positive parental (microsystem) and school (microsystem) involvement help as a buffer to negate the effects of stigmatization. Rosario, M., Schrimshaw, E. W., Hunter, J., Gwadz, M. (2002). Gay-related stress and emotional distress among gay, lesbian and bisexual youths: A longitudinal examination. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70(4), 967-975. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.70.4.967 Since community psychology focuses on social issues and social institutions it is of particular interest to community psychologists that our sexual minority youth are facing harassment and violence at the hands of these social institutions such as schools, church and governmental organizations. Suicide Prevention Resource Center. (2008). Suicide risk and prevention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc. Community psychology advocates the importance of context and environment because our behaviors are governed by the expectations and demands of given situations. It is vital to study the social environment of the LGBT youth to figure out what interventions can be made in order to prevent suicide within this population.

Lamb to the Slaughter and The Speckled Band :: English Literature

Both Lamb to the Slaughter and The Speckled Band share some characteristics of murder mysteries. What are the similarities and differences between the two stories? I this essay I am going to compare two short stories. 'The Speckled Band' by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle and 'The Lamb to the Slaughter' by Roald Dahl. There are both many similarities and difference between these two stories. Though some similarities/differences are obvious and easy to spot, there are also some less obvious similarities/differences. The first difference we can see is the setting. 'In Lamb to the Slaughter', the main setting is in a quiet, warm house. 'The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight - hers and the one by the empty chair opposite.' This description tells us about how the house is appealing to be in. Also, by saying the 'empty chair opposite' you can gather that there is another character in the story, to which she is waiting for. The time period is a post 20th Century America (1954, about 10 years after the Second World War.) However, the main setting in 'The Speckled Band' is the complete opposite. 'The building was of grey, lichen-blotched stone, with a high central portion, and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab, thrown out on each side.' This gives a foreboding atmosphere, which could be used to en-still fear into readers. Another difference is that it is set in 19th Century England. Though both very different, both settings hold a murder to them. Other differences are in the way the characters are depicted. In 'Lamb to the Slaughter' the main character, Mary Maloney, is described as a quiet peaceful person. 'Curiously tranquil eyes with their new placid look, seemed larger, darker than before.' The writer also indicates that she is pregnant, 'for this was her sixth month with child.' With this description, you would not think of Mary to be a 'typical killer'. What people consider a typical killer is someone who is cold, precise and knows what they're doing, usually a man. However we are misled, 'brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his head. She might just have hit him with a steel club.' As you can see, this would not have been expected from a quiet tranquil person. There are no more descriptions of other people. This is strange as you would think that there would be more people in the story. Even though more people come into the story, they are not significant enough to get a description. They are just said to be a 'police detective'.

Contemplating The Hours :: Cunningham Hours Essays

Contemplating The Hours The Hours is about 3 women, Virginia Woolf,Laura Brown and Clarissa Vaughan who all have the same feeling in common. Each of the the women in three different time periods from in the 1940's, 1950's and the 1990's all share the thoughts of failure. Woolf thought she had failed as a writer, Brown thought she was a failure as a wife and mother, Vaughan also thought she was a failure as a writer. Each of the women also desired to escape out of their lives in the manner of suicide. Woolf's suicide was accomplished in the beginning of lthe story. Brown's attempt of suicide nixed by coming home and then later leaving her family. Vaughan's suicide thoughts was scrubbed when her friend Richard, fell to his death from a window because lhe was tired of living and he also felt that he was a faiiure. Woolf, Brown , and Vaughan also had a common bond in their position in relationships. Each of the women were in relationships that were dominated by the male dominance. Woolf had the dominating husband, Leonard who was tough as nails and critical. He always wanted perfection from those he worked with for example Ralph, whom he was always critical and hard on in terms of his work, Virginia always felt sorry for him but never would speak against her husband. She felt that she had to defend or to stand with him no matter what even if he was wrong. Brown felt that she had to have everything perfect ( the incident with the cake), yet, her husband was the middle class successful husband. Brown in the time where the husband would go off to work and the wife would stay home and take care of the family. Brown in the meantime would adore her husband and her family, yet, she would have feelings of despising her husband(he grossing her out with the way he spit over the cake when he blew out the candle on his cake), Brown also desired to get away by way of suicide ( when she checked herself in at the hotel as if she was doing something slutty and in secret) but she did not have the heart to kill herself. What she did was continue to read the book written by Virginia Woolf, whom she was an avid admirer of her. Brown was intrigued with the manner in which Woolf killed herself.

Evolution Vs Creation :: essays research papers

Creation vs. Evolution Is Evolution Biologically Impossible? How creationists justify their position against the evolutionary process, and how evolutionists answer them. The Overwhelming Odds against Spontaneous Generation Perhaps the most common scientific argument against the evolutionary theory used by creationists is the mathematical impossibility for the occurrence of successful changes in the DNA that actually results in a development of a new or modified species. What are the chances of evolving the DNA molecule - crucial to all life - by natural processes? Without an outside controlling designer of some kind, it is virtually impossible. Creationists argue that the complexity of a cell is extremely sophisticated and that the new and detailed understanding of the DNA molecules has revealed enormous problems for evolutionists belief in materialism. Creationists argue that in function, DNA is somewhat like a computer program on floppy disk. That it stores and transfers encoded information and instructions. They refer to publications saying that the DNA of a human stores enough information code to fill 1,000 books – each with 500 pages of very small closely printed type. Creationists compare the DNA code with computers, they say that DNA produces a product far more sophisticated than that of any computer. This enormous set of instructions fits within a single cell and routinely directs the formation of entire adult humans, starting with just a single fertilized egg. Even the DNA of a bacterium is highly complex, containing at least 3 million units that all are aligned in a very precise, meaningful sequence. DNA is described as a miniaturized marvel and with information so compactly stored that the amount of DNA necessary to code all the people living on our planet might fit into a space no larger than an aspirin tablet. Creation scientists are convinced that cells containing such a complex code and such intricate chemistry could never have come into being by pure, undirected chemistry. They claim that no matter how chemicals are mixed, they do not create DNA spirals or any intelligent code whatsoever. Only DNA reproduces DNA. Creationist also refers to scientists who calculated the odds of life forming by natural processes. Some estimated that there is less than 1 chance in 1040,000 that life could have originated by random trials. 10 to the 40.000th is a 1 with 40.000 zeros after it! However, here I found many different calculations published. Some said the chance was 10 to the 4.

Roman Empire: Its Fall and Power

Rome was a major power because it always made certain its own military prowess was preeminent. There have been many ideas presented as to the fall of the Roman Empire. Many believe that Rome declined morally and the violence and decadence of the societal norms led to the demise. Gibbons has been credited with the theory of the influence and transference of Christianity over the Roman system of Gods and Goddesses that perpetrated the fall. Another theory lays the blame at the feet of the Emperor, that the happiness of the people and the functioning of the government was directly correlated with the personal merit and management skills of the reigning authorityRome was a major power because it always made certain its own military prowess was preeminent. There have been many ideas presented as to the fall of the Roman Empire. Many believe that Rome declined morally and the violence and decadence of the societal norms led to the demise. Gibbons has been credited with the theory of the influence and transference of Christianity over the Roman system of Gods and Goddesses that perpetrated the fall. Another theory lays the blame at the feet of the Emperor, that the happiness of the people and the functioning of the government was directly correlated with the personal merit and management skills of the reigning authority Rome was a major power because it always made certain its own military prowess was preeminent. There have been many ideas presented as to the fall of the Roman Empire. Many believe that Rome declined morally and the violence and decadence of the societal norms led to the demise. Gibbons has been credited with the theory of the influence and transference of Christianity over the Roman system of Gods and Goddesses that perpetrated the fall.

Beauty Advertisement Analysis Essay

Advertisement or adverts for short is a form of communication for marketing and very often it is used to either coax, encourage and manipulate the audience – spectators, listeners, readers or a group of specified and targeted group to support the product or service at hand. Not only is it common but also convenient and efficient. There are a few approaches a company would want to promote or advertise their product or service. One of the many common and conventional methods of advertising can include billboards, printed flyers, web banners, web popups, magazines, newspapers and even human billboards. Before planning the advert, the product seller should weigh out and consider the three factors that would play a huge role in forming an effective advertisement. The three dimensions are cognitive, affective and behavioral information. Cognitive information would heavily involve about the already existing knowledge. Affective information on the other hand, focuses of the emotions of the individuals and behavioral information focuses on the reaction after reading, hearing or watching the advertisement. There are two ways for the individual to process the information given in the advertisement – systematic and superficial information processing. Systematic information processing is where the information attained is being scrutinized and analyzed while superficial information processing is where the information that is attained requires no in depth reading into the information and just coming up with an impression with the details on the advert. For this advertisement analysis, a beauty advert is selected and it would be critically analyzed to see if the ad is effective and appealing to the masses. To help analyze the advertisement various types of heuristics are being used. The different types of heuristics are, emotions – direct and indirect, attractiveness, familiarity, expertise, message-length, consensus, scarcity and consistency. These will be used to discuss and critique the advertisement. Emotions Emotions are one of the main factors when discussing persuassion. There are two types of emotion – direct and indirect. A direct emotion requires a superficial processing and it is based on a classical conditioning. Hence or this advert that focuses on a beauty product, one of the many common emotion that it would trigger would be curiosity. The indirect emotions that would be triggered from the advert, would be feelings of gratefulness or displeasure. At a glance, the advert may intrigue the audience by providing a more conventional method to resolve the problem at hand for the face or skin while the other feeling that would be evoked in the individual would be doubtful and weariness as there are various beauty products in the market that does not justify the purposes of the product. Attractiveness In general, every individual would be very prone to be attracted to someone who is attractive and likeable. Many adverts would usually have an attractive display or an appealing model to promote their products and services. The audience would be more drawn to the advert despite the product and content that is given. A famous celebrity, who is well known and liked, is being used as a model for the beauty product. A more attractive attribute of an individual would allow a much better start for an interaction between the audience and advertisement. With an appealing model, the beauty product that is being advertised would have a high chance of being likeable and interesting which would decrease the probability for the product to be turned down. Familiarity According to Zajonc (1968) individuals favor products and services that they have been regularly exposed to. Very often, the people or audience would be much more drawn to the product or services that they are able to relate to or if the product is considered to be recognizable to them. When familiarity is established between in advertisement and audience, the audience would feel the sense of belonging (Monin, 2003). Adverts that The advertisement that is used is familiar and also established a bond of belonging with the audience. The word natural and the attractive model that is being used for the advert is familiar to the audience – women – as we have an already formed perception of what beautiful looks like – flawless and natural looking skin. Which is what the model is showing off. That aside, it would also able to identify for individuals who are looking for a solution to their facial problems. Expertise Most often, individuals are easily influenced by the behavior of the experts or those who has the upper hand. The credibility of the source is important when an individual is weighing out their options. The individuals need to be assured that the product or services that is offered is trustworthy and competent as this would allow the individual to form a fast perception of the product or service. Advertisements would usually include pictures of an authority figure or include information that is factual. This advert however does not show or establish any from of specific and clear expertise and authority. Message-Length An advertisement with a long message length would be believed and seen as useful as more information is provided. The informative ad would be more appealing as it offers vital information about the product and services at hand. However this would only be useful and effective if the audience were to use a systematic information processing. For this advert, very short information is given but however, the information is direct and clear. But message length does not play a huge role when an attractive model is being used and it would be able to also entice the same reaction as an advert that is informative. According to Chaiken (1980), individuals would rarely check the validity of the message that is give but instead to the readily information given that would be analyzed. Therefore, in conclusion, information processing plays a major and important role when advertisements are at play. Like information processing, heuristics also influences decision-making. Hence, information processing and heuristics would commonly complement and work together when the audience has to make a choice. Thus when making a choice, the individual has to look for more options and weigh out the advantage and disadvantage, this is where the advertisements would play a major role and what heuristic that is being used would also be taken into consideration.

Biography †Aryabhata, the Indian mathematician Essay

Aryabhata (476 CE – 550 CE) was the first Hindu mathematician and astronomers from India. He wrote couple of treatise about mathematics and astronomy. Some of them were lost. His most famous works Aryabhatiya completed in 499 CE and the Arya-Siddhanta. Aryabhatiya consists of 108 verses, in which Aryabhata wrote about the mathematics and astronomy at the age of 23 in 499 CE. He was born in India at Asmaka or Kusumapura in 476 CE. There is no clear evidence of the place of birth (Indian Streams Research General, September 2012). Aryabhata studied in Kusumapura and stayed there for some time. The evidences from Hindu, Buddhist tradition, and Bhaskara I (629 CE) recognize Kusumapura as Pataliputra, currently known as Patna. Aryabhata was the head of an institution at Kusumapura. The University of Nalanda was in Pataliputra at the time. This university had an astronomical observatory that forces the belief that Aryabhata was the head of the Nalanda University. Aryabhata set up an observatory at the Sun temple in Taregana, Bihar (Aryabhata – Indian Mathematician). Aryabhatiya deals with mathematics and astronomy. That consists of an introduction containing astronomical tables and Aryabhata’s system of phonemic number notation. This work consists of three sections: Ganita (means mathematics), Kala-kriya (means Time calculations), and Gola (means Sphere). Ganita covers decimal number system, algorithms for square and cubic roots, geometric measurements, the algorithm for Pi, tables of sines using Pythagorean Theorem, quadratic equations, proportions, and the solution of linear equations. This discusses the Aryabhata’s method to solve the mathematical problem, Kuttaka (means pulverizer) also known as Aryabhata’s algorithm. This algorithm suggests breaking a problem in smaller fractions. Kala-kriya speaks about astronomy. It is about treating planetary motion and include the definition of various units for time, eccentric, epicyclic planetary motion modes, longitude, and latitude. Gola discusses the plane trigonometry to spherical geometry. It also has prediction of solar and lunar eclipses and explicit statement about westward motion of stars because of the  spherical rotation of the Earth about its axis (Indian Streams Research General, September 2012). The Arya-siddhanta was the work on astronomical computations. Surya Siddhanta was the base of this work and considered the start of the day at the midnight, as opposed to sunrise according to Aryabhatiya. It also contained a description of several astronomical instruments: the gnomon (shanku-yantra), a shadow instrument (chhAyA-yantra), possibly angle-measuring devices, semicircular, and circular (dhanur-yantra/chakra-yantra), a cylindrical stick yasti-yantra, an umbrella-shaped device called the chhatra-yantra, and water clocks of at least two types, bow-shaped and cylindrical. Bakhshali Manuscript discussed the place-value system first in the 3rd century. Georges Ifrah, the mathematician from France, acknowledged that awareness of zero by Aryabhata in place-value system because of a place holder for the powers of 10 with null coefficients. Instead of using Brahmi numerals Aryabhata continued the tradition from Vedic times by using letters of the alphabet for denoting numbers, expressing quantities, such as the table of sines in a mnemonic form (Indian Streams Research General, September 2012). The Surya Siddhanta laid foundational rules to determine the true motions of the luminaries and introduced the sine, cosine trigonometric functions. Aryabhata devised the formulae for calculating the area of triangle and circle. He also devised the same for pyramid and sphere. Formulae for triangle and circle were correct. Most historians claimed that formulae for sphere and pyramid were incorrect. He created a table of sines and versine with formula sin (n+1) x – sin nx = sin (n-1) x – (1/225) sin nx versin= 1 – cosine Aryabhata’s definition of jya (sine), kojya (cosine), urkrama-jya (versine), and otkram-jya (inverse sine) influence the trigonometry (Indian Streams Research General, September 2012). Aryabhata concluded that the approximation for pi ([pic]) is irrational. In Ganitapada he gave the formula for the ratio of circumference to the diameter as ((4 + 100) Ãâ€" 8 + 62000)/20000 = 62832/20000 = 3.1416, which is accurate to five significant figures (Aryabhata – Indian Mathematician). The speculation was that Aryabhata used ‘Ä sanna’ (means approaching), to mean that not only is this approximation but also that the value is irrational. This shows quite a sophisticated insight from him because Lambert proved the irrationality of pi in Europe only in 1761. Bhaskara’s commentary on Aryabhatiya discusses the topic known as Diophantine equations, e.g., integer solutions to the equations that have the form ax+by = c. That formula to find value of N stated as N = 8x+5 = 9y+4 = 7z+1. It turns out that the smallest value for N is 85. Vedic text Sulba Sutras discussed these notoriously difficult diophantine equations. Aryabhata provided rules of algebra in the Aryabhatia and those are as follows: and  13 + 23 +†¦+n3= (1+2+†¦+n) 2 In some texts, Aryabhata seems to ascribe the apparent motions of the heavens to the Earth’s rotation. He believed that the planet’s orbits as elliptical rather than circular. Aryabhata correctly insisted that the earth rotates about its axis daily and that the apparent movement of the stars is a relative motion caused by the rotation of the earth, contrary to the then-prevailing view in other parts of the world that the sky rotated. The first chapter of the Aryabhatiya indicated this, where he gives the number of rotations of the earth in a yuga, and made more explicit in his gola chapter (A He used analogy of movement of boat going forward. During this movement person feels an unmoving object going in opposite direction than the boat. With this analogy he discussed the appearance of unmoving stars going uniformly westward. The cause of rising and setting is that the sphere of the stars together with the planets apparently turns due west at the equator, constantly push ed by the cosmic wind. Aryabhata described a geocentric model of the solar system, in which he mentioned that the Sun and Moon in turn revolve around the Earth. He calculated the positions and periods of the planets with respect to uniformly moving points. He stated that speed at which Mercury, Venus, and Sun move around the Earth is identical and is different from the specific speed of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. He represented each planet’s motion through the zodiac. Most historians of astronomy expressed that this two-epicycle model reflects elements of pre-Ptolemaic Greek astronomy. Historians saw another element in Aryabhata’s model, the Å›Ä «ghrocca, the basic planetary period in relation to the Sun as a sign of an underlying heliocentric model. He explained  solar and lunar eclipses. He stated that the Moon and planets shine by reflected sunlight and explained eclipses in terms of shadows cast by and falling on Earth. His theory explained the lunar eclipse occurs when the moon ent ers into the Earth’s shadow and discussed the length the size and extent of the Earth’s shadow. He provided the computation and the size of the eclipsed part during an eclipse. Later Indian astronomers improved on the calculations, but Aryabhata’s methods provided the core. Aryabhata calculated the sidereal rotation as 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.1 seconds; the modern value is 23:56:4.091. Similarly, his value for the length of the sidereal year at 365 days, six hours, 12 minutes, and 30 seconds is an error of three minutes and 20 seconds over the length of a year (Indian Streams Research General, September 2012). Aryabhata’s work influenced the Indian astronomical tradition and several neighboring cultures through translations. His work as translated in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age (c. 820 CE). Al-Khwarizmi cited some of his results and in the 10th century Al-Biruni stated that Aryabhata’s followers believed that the Earth rotated on its axis. Aryabhata’s astronomical calculation methods were also very influential. Islamic world widely used the trigonometric tables to compute many Arabic astronomical tables (zijes). Calendric calculations devised by Aryabhata and his followers contributed the practical purposes of fixing the Panchangam (the Hindu calendar). Other cultures used this for forming the calendar systems. India honored Aryabhata by naming India’s first satellite as Aryabhata. An Institute for conducting research in astronomy, astrophysics, and atmospheric sciences is the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIOS) near Nainital, India. Indian authorities named the inter-school math competition as ‘Aryabhata Maths Competition’, as is Bacillus Aryabhata, a species of bacteria discovered by ISRO scientists in 2009. References Indian Streams Research General: Avhale, P. S; Waghmare, R. V.; Kolhe, S. B. Indian Streams Research Journal. Sep2012, Vol. 2 Issue 8, Special section p1-5. 5p. Retrieved from https://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/detail?vid=2&hid=117&sid=d84c9078-6d85-4131-9209-e44cdb4cba58%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=a9h&AN=82351338