The Presidency of FDR Essay Example For Students

The Presidency of FDR Essay In 1932, Americans realized that they had an increasingly great financial problem on their hands, and tried to correct it bycentralizing power. The President acquired so much power that the nation almost became a communism, especially with Roosevelts introduction of the New Deal. When Franklin Roosevelt became President of the United States in 1933, the nation was in the depths of the worst depression it had ever experienced. President Roosevelt, a very energetic and enthusiastic person, inspired the people with his own confidence and faith in the future. He gathered a group of people sharing his views to help him, and provided food, clothing, and shelter for millions of unemployed and poverty-stricken Americans. This was part of what he called the New Deal, of which his three objectives were relief, recovery, and reform for American citizens. In another attempt at recovery, Congress attempted to revive the nations agriculture and industry and place the economy on a solid foundation. They printed extra money to loan to industries that quickly paid it back. By 1933 nearly 14 million Americans were jobless. In response, the Roosevelt administration immediately launched what seemed at the time to be a wonderful program of direct relief. In 2 years, federal agenc ies distributed 3 billion dollars to the states. However, the people unemployed wanted jobs, not welfare, thus the Works Progress Administration (WPA) came into existence. This helped restore some of the lost jobs. By 1936, the New Deal program faced a large and growing body of opposition, some from within the Democratic Party itself. Many critics felt that the government was interfering too much with the free enterprise system, and in doing so, was threatening individualism and democracy. This absorption of power by the president is what is known as the Imperial Presidency. By the end of 1938, the opposition had become so strong that President Roosevelt decided to postpone other large reforms he had been considering. We will write a custom essay on The Presidency of FDR specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Innumerable committees were created to deal with the problems of the time, and the President was in control of all of them. Allthis power that the President acquired caused the executive branch to become bloated. World War II also prompted the government to recruit many, many Americans into the army. Since the President has completecontrol over the army, a greater army gave him more power. The president also had control over the federal police. However, with all the manufacturing that had to take place to accommodate for all the necessities of war, many new ideas came into action. In order to boost the economy, power was readily and radically centralized, and the government introduced the policies of cost plus, resource allocation, wage price controls, and prohibition of strikes. Cost plus and resource allocation gave the government much power to control industries. The government would withhold certain raw materials from companies unless they were using them to make war utilities. However, if they did choose to agree with the government, they could set the prices for their products and make extra money. Wage and price controls were another method of the government to boost industry. The government would increase the price for which a manufacturer must sell his goods and the minimum wages allowable for different types of workers. This made everyone happy because the only person suffering this way was the consumer or in this case, the government. After the Second World War, a cold war with the Soviet Union began. President Roosevelt anticipated that this cold war would bankrupt the Soviet union in their trying to outdo Americas weapon production. Thus the United States had to allocate much of its production into yet more weapon manufacturing and research. With the government controlling all of Americas output, economy, and industry, the nation had moved from a capitalistic economy to nearly a communismAmericans social rights had also been tampered with in the pandemonium caused by the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War with Russia. The social revolution in the 1960s made many people happy, but also gave unnecessary power to the government, especially the president. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 revoked the right of states to choose who gets to vote, and let the federal government decide. The Roe versus Wade case put control over abortion into federal hands, and Brown versus the Board of Education let the federal government control segregation in schools and other situations. The nation has started moving back in the direction from which it came before World War II, but until now has not readjusted completely. Time and effort, however, may shift some of the governments and presidents power acquired during the 20s back into citizen hands.

Central Conflict of the Scarlet Letter Arises from the Presentation of Different Ways of Seeing the Individual in Relation to Society Essays

Central Conflict of the Scarlet Letter Arises from the Presentation of Different Ways of Seeing the Individual in Relation to Society Essays Central Conflict of the Scarlet Letter Arises from the Presentation of Different Ways of Seeing the Individual in Relation to Society Essay Central Conflict of the Scarlet Letter Arises from the Presentation of Different Ways of Seeing the Individual in Relation to Society Essay Pearl? -Ruby, rather! or Coral! -or Red Rose'(101). Even though Mr.Wilson disapproves of Pearls attire, he still acknowledges her beauty by comparing her to beautiful things in nature. At the same, time, he shows his disapproval because he, like most Puritans, distrusts nature. Later on, Mr. Wilson asks Pearl if she knows who made her. She replies by saying that she had not been made at all but had been plucked by her mother off the bush of wild roses that [grows] by the prison-door(103). Pearls answer tells the reader that she understands both her physical beauty and her internal wildness because she compares herself to a wild rose.The answers creativity and unexpectedness also reveal Pearls unusual, whimsical character. At this point in the novel, the reader can already discern Pearls fundamental character traits. As Pearl grows older, her isolation from the Puritans leads her to spend more time with nature, and she continu es to remind Hester of her sin. When Hester goes to the seashore to talk to Chillingworth, she tells Pearl to go to the margin of the water and play with the shells and tangled sea- weed(154). In response, Pearl [flies] away like a bird(154) to the margin of the sea.Pearl is eager to play with nature. She has grown used to having nature as a playmate and finds playing with it enjoyable. Pearl builds boats out of birch-bark seize[s] a live horseshoe [crab] by the tail catches several five-fingers lays out a jelly-fish to melt in the warm sun(162), throws foam, and pelts sea-birds with pebbles. When Pearl thinks that she actually hit a bird, however, she feels remorse for having done harm to a little being that was as wild as herself(163).Another way that Hawthorne highlights the individual in relation to society is through the irony that while Hester lives shamed, and discriminated against, Dimmesdale, whose sin is equal, is â€Å"apotheosized with worshippers† and held in the highest regard. While Hester confesses to her sins on the scaffold, Hawthorne uses situational irony in this first scene to show that while Hester is confessing to her sins and is shunned by her entire community, the reader applauds her for having courage to stick to the path of confession and thus redemption but, yet, did not incriminate Dimmesdale in spite of being heavily pressured.Dimmesdale on other hand is revered by the congregation and they perceive him as flawless, while he is equally in the wrong. In fact, hes adding on to his sin because he actually has the moral obligation to be truthful and honest, and thus shows Dimmesdale in a shameful light, uncourageous and dishonorable. In contrast, Hawthorne is able to present Hester to us as a striking and outstanding figure who gains the respect of the audience, even though she is clearly represented as an individual outside of society.As a result, we can actually see that Hawthornes presentation of 17th century Boston, Massach usetts is dependent on the different perspectives people hold of the Hester, the individual in question. Hawthornes narrator gives the audience different perspectives by having his characters react to individuals (Hester and Pearl) in different manners- letting the audience decide who is worthy of praise as an individual and who isnt.

Alvarez Surname Meaning and Origin

Alvarez Surname Meaning and Origin Alvarez is a patronymic (derived from the name of the father) surname meaning son of Alvaro and is thought to have originated with the Visigoths. The Visigoths were 5th-century German warriors who participated in the eventual fragmentation and collapse of the Western Roman Empire, and one of two main branches of the East Germanic tribe known as Goths. According to the Instituto Genealà ³gico e Histà ³rico Latino-Americano, the surname Alvarez originated in Spain, primarily from the regions of Andalucà ­a, Aragà ³n, Asturias, Galicia, Leà ³n, and Navarra. Alvarez Surname: Fast Facts Alvarez is the 26th most common Hispanic surname.Surname Origin:  SpanishAlternate Surname Spellings:  Albarez, Alvaroz, Alviriz, Alvares, Albaroiz Famous People with the Surname Alvarez Carlos Alvarez- Spanish opera singerLuis Walter Alvarez- American experimental physicist, Nobel Prize winner in PhysicsLuis Fernndez lvarez- Spanish American doctor and researcher; grandfather of Luis Walter AlvarezPedro Alvarez- Dominican American MLB baseball playerJosà © lvarez Cubero- Spanish sculptorJorge Montt lvarez- Chilean Admiral and former President of ChileGregorio lvarez- Argentine historian, physician, and writer;  the Alvarezsaurus dinosaur was named for him. Where Do People With the Alvarez Surname Live? The surname distribution data at  Forebears  ranks Alvarez as the 212th most common surname in the world, identifying it as most prevalent in Mexico and with the highest density in Cuba. The Alvarez surname is the 10th most common surname in Cuba, 11th in Argentina, and 16th in Spain. Within Spain, Alvarez is found most commonly in the northwestern regions of Asturias, followed by Galicia and Castille Y Leà ³n,  according to  WorldNames PublicProfiler. Is There an Alvarez Coat of Arms? Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as an Alvarez family crest or coat of arms.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.   Resources for Exploring the Alvarez Surname ALVAREZ Family Genealogy Forum- Search this popular genealogy forum for the Alvarez surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Alvarez query.FamilySearch: ALVAREZ Genealogy- Access over 2.7 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Alvarez surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.ALVAREZ Surname Family Mailing Lists- This free mailing list for researchers of the Alvarez surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages.DistantCousin.com- ALVAREZ Genealogy Family History- Explore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Alvarez.The Alvarez Genealogy and Family Tree Page- Browse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Alvarez from the website of Genealogy Today. Genealogy and Resources for Spanish Surnames Have you ever wondered about your Spanish last name  and how it came to be? The 100 Most Common Spanish Surnames have unique naming patterns and origins. When researching  your Hispanic heritage, its best to start with the basics such as family tree research and country-specific organizations, genealogical records, and resources for Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean and other Spanish speaking countries. Sources Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. ï » ¿Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Health Promotion and Health Education Assignment

Health Promotion and Health Education - Assignment Example By definition, health promotion, according to H. Seymour, is â€Å"aimed at delivering a â€Å"positive pursuit of fitness and wellbeing by means of a whole range of activities including health education, legal and environmental controls and influences on social and economic factors† (Seymour, 1984). On the other hand, WHO defines health education as the â€Å"Consciously constructed opportunities for learning involving some form of communication designed to improve health literacy, including improving knowledge, and developing life skills, which are conducive to individual and community health† (WHO, 2012) As to the points of perception where they overlap, both are driven to achieve a healthy world, that is, to have healthy individuals who make healthy decisions to manage their well being, community and environment. Both concepts work on the same sphere of interventions such as in the education, health, political, social, economic and environmental arenas to include policy making, empowering communities, better health treatment and care, among others. However, their methods, content and framework models of implementation are done differently. According to Howard Seymour, â€Å"both are not unitary but when looked at in details but from the point of view of their practice, all mirror various aspects of each other† (Seymour, 1984). Both are â€Å"regarded vital to society because both â€Å"address the risks that lead to diseases, reduce medical treatment costs, reduce costly premature deaths and disability, advocate and lobby for health legislation, among others† (Ã¢â‚¬Ë œHealth Education Specialist’, n.d.) and just about anything for the whole welfare of every individual living in this world. Their differences would start from the report that â€Å"health education still exists as a sub-set of overall health promotion activity†

Management for the service sector Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management for the service sector - Essay Example One of the best decisions recently made for the company, was its approach to do without franchisees and keep its stores company owned. The depth of management resources is what makes Starbucks different from small businesses. There are other similar companies that will spend up to approximately $300 million dollars per year, just in marketing, where as Starbucks will only spend 1 percent of its revenues (approximately $30 million) in both advertising and marketing. Starbucks utilizes their marketing and advertising dollars towards new products that are ready to come out or new coffee flavors and ideas. Starbucks has no doubt that their employees are one of their most important assets to the company. Their workforce is able to manage and maintain a competitive advantage. Pride in their workforce was produced through an empowering corporate culture; outstanding employee benefits and employee stock ownership programs. Being able to make decisions on their own without first having to report to management is empowering and motivating for the employees. They are encouraged to think for themselves as an entity of the business. Your mind unconsciously filters our most of what is going on around you. At some level of perception, your mind is aware of certain things. Perception is a persons mental image of the world. One of Starbucks biggest concerns is with customers perception. The customers perception of the way employees behave, greet them and even the way that handle their money has a lot to do with getting them to buy a $3.00 cup of coffee (Schultz & Dori 1997 p 14). One of the great challenges Starbucks faces is to create a perception of quality in order to get customers to pay the price they want charge. For many people, a brand is perception. People perceive Starbucks to be a great place to sit down in a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. The perception, leading to the experience, provides customers with an unforgettable

Han and Greek Dbq Essay Example for Free

Han and Greek Dbq Essay The ancient societies of Greece and China each produced a civilization remarkable for its time. Although these civilizations emerged nearly one thousand years apart, their philosophies were completely different, had various forms of governance, and had unique economic classes. First, the thoughts of the numerous Greek philosophers were absolutely different from those of the Chinese philosophers. Chinese philosophers believed that the individual was not as important as the kingdom was as a whole, whereas Greek philosophers consider the individuals as a crucial part of society. As shown in Document 12, the human is miniscule to the landscape around him, showing that the human is only a tiny piece in the civilization. The Greek Discus Thrower portrayed in Document 11, is depicting the view that the individual is the main focus of the society in which one resides. These two documents display how Han China and Classical Greece are different in their philosophies. Classical Greece looks at an individual as a key component in their daily life. Han China however does not look at an individual like the Greeks, but instead as a small piece in the vast kingdom. Confucius believes that by being a good person you are taking part in the government because one does not have take part in the government to be part of society, one must simply do what is right (Document 10). Confucius believes this because he has his own ideals that are separate from the government and as long as people are doing the right thing they are a part of the government. There is no document that portrays the take of a Greek philosopher simply on where an individual stands in the Greek state. This would allow one to know exactly the thoughts of a Greek philosopher and not only a Chinese philosopher. Second, the form of governance displayed by the Chinese civilization varied from that of the Greek civilization. The Greek civilization had developed a new form of government; democracy that contrasted from the bureaucracy in Han China. As shown in Document 7, the Han dynasty stresses a strong central government with many appointed governors to each district its dynasty possesses. However, the Athenian government was based on the people, so they basically governed themselves (Document 5). Also displayed in Document 8, they way the government is set up, anyone who has his own business has business in the government. That way if that person does not have any affairs at all is not involved in the government. Although in Document 6, the way anyone is in government is chosen by the heavens. This directly relates to how these civilization’s forms of governance are completely different. Pericles believes that democracy is the best government system because he displays an array of ways in which the government is of the people, such as â€Å"in settling of private disputes, everyone is equal before law† (Document 4). The Ancient Greece map in Document 1 displays an inaccurate proportion of size to the Han empire map that makes it seem that the Athenians controlled as much territory as the Han, where in reality they only controlled about a twelfth of the land that the Han did. There is no document that portrays a Chinese philosopher that may have his life in danger for the ideas he has. This would allow the reader to know what a Chinese philosopher would think about his place in society if he was questioned in what he believes in (Document 9). Third, the Han and Greek civilizations displayed numerous and unique economic classes that were different from each other. The Chinese economic classes consisted of six divisions whereas the Athenian economic classes consisted of four divisions. As shown in Document 2, there were as many free male citizens as free male non-citizens and about as many free females as slaves. The population distribution of Han China portrayed in Document 3 shows that there were only a few appointed officials along with the emperor, around thirteen times more educated bureaucrats, ten times as many aristocracies as bureaucrats, around 58,500,000 farmers, only 50,000 merchants, and 5,000,000 mean people. This shows how opposite the social classes of Classical Greece and Han Chin are. Aristotle believes that the class and job that a person has must keep that and try to learn that of another because there will be no more distinction between the master and the slave. Aristotle believes this because he is a high class citizen and he does not want to change his class. There is no document that accurately portrays the feelings of a slave on class distinctions. This would allow one to know the desires that a slave would have and why it would be better if he were able to move up in society. In conclusion, the ancient civilizations of Han China and Greece each created a society influential to the time period it flourished in. Although these civilizations emerged nearly one thousand years apart, they had unique economic classes, had various forms of governance, and their philosophies were completely different.

What Are the Career Doldrums? :: Employment Jobs Work Essays

What Are the Career Doldrums? The notion of the career doldrums is not a new one. Individuals have suffered from the symptoms associated with this concept for as long as jobs and careers have existed. What is new is the more open acknowledgment of the phenomenon. Judith Waterman, a career counselor in San Mateo, California, has seen her client base change significantly during the last 20 years. After beginning with reentry women in the 1970s, Waterman reports that "during the 1980s, [she] was seeing high achievers who were thinking, 'How did I get here and why am I not happy?' but they were keeping it under wraps." By the mid-1990s, however, she reports that it had become more acceptable to admit career dissatisfaction (Hornaday 1995, online). Betsy Collard, another career specialist, believes that part of this trend is related to "how personally knowledge workers view their work and the meaning of it," but that it is also related to changes in the economy. "In times of change, everybody turns inward to get clear about what's important to them, who they are, and what they want out of this" (ibid.). The career doldrums may also be associated with certain career stages. Careers are like lives in that they go through stages that frequently include transitions into new phases. One framework (Nicholson cited in Kidd 1998) for analyzing work transitions includes the following stages: . The preparation stage that occurs prior to assuming a work role. . The encounter stage that covers the early days of a career experience in which individuals begin to make sense of the chosen career. This stage may include shock, rejection, and regret. . The adjustment stage that involves the period in which individuals learn to do their work and make the adjustments necessary to reduce any dissonance between career choice and personal traits. . The stabilization stage in which job performance is the main focus. In this stage, failure, boredom, and stagnation are not uncommon. The symptoms associated with the career doldrums are most closely aligned with the stabilization stage. Individuals are not likely to become bored with or dissatisfied with their careers until they have had an opportunity to experience them for a while. Individuals who are in careers that are not a good fit may begin experiencing symptoms in the adjustment stage as they accommodate their careers to their personal traits and aptitudes.

Blue Remembered Hills Essay

The plot and background Set in the West country (Devonshire/Cornwall) in 1943, the playwright Dennis Potter explores the traumatic childhoods of 7 young children. Originally written for television in 1979, the play follows seven 7 year olds through an actual day of their lives. As the play takes place in ‘real time’ the whole thing is naturalistic and there are no non naturalistic techniques such as flashbacks or other theatrical devices to skip to different times. The play is set in a barn, a wood and a field on a summer’s afternoon. Over the two hour period the friends play and squabble, particularly victimizing a boy whom they call ‘Donald Duck’, the play climaxes when this character is left out of games and activities by his peers and therefore decides to play his own game†¦ a game of pyromania! Characters As I said earlier the play is ‘totally’ naturalistic, however there is one significant exception: the playwright Dennis Potter insisted that adult actors were cast to portray the children. He thought that if children were used the audience would lose the ‘true meaning’ of the story within the sympathy that they would feel for the child actors. The Boys John: Looks after Raymond, fair-minded, often challenges Peter. Peter: Bully, very strong, is not very clever. Raymond: Has a stutter, very gentle and sensitive, is dressed as a cowboy. Willie: Intelligent and he uses this to overcome Peter’s bullying, is easy going The Girls Angela: Very bossy, pretty and very flirtatious for a seven year old, very self-centered. Audrey: Always trying to be Angela’s friend, very plain, overshadowed by Angela. The victim Donald Duck: Boys don’t like him very much, girls allow him to play ‘house’ with them. Very lonely as everyone taunts and bullies him. He is abused. Important hidden characters Wallace Wilson: class bully, hear lots about him but never actually see him. Donald Ducks mother: Abuses him, plays part towards Donald’s depression and pyromania. Adult Actors Dennis Potter decided that for his play he wanted to cast adult actors to play the parts of the children, mainly because of the audience’s reaction to the plot. He felt that the audience would lose the ‘true meanings’ of the play, as they would sympathize with child actors. Potter took into consideration how child behavior differentiates when being watched by an audience, whereas adults would truthfully portray their emotions. My opinion In my opinion I think that Dennis Potters casting choice was a very bad decision. I see the play as more of a ‘joke’ than a serious piece of drama. The adult actors do not resemble children, but instead adults with mental difficulties, because of this I believe ‘Potter’ has done exactly what he wanted to avoid and took the ‘true meaning’ out of the play. Lesson 1 In our first lesson we began by exploring playing children, from womb to 2 years old. We turned off the lights to focus on the themes of loneliness and to focus on actually developing in the mother’s womb. I began in a tucked shape as foetus’ do we then turned the light on to represent the birth. From this point we were babies and infants developing gradually from 0-2 yrs. Examples of body language awareness Fetus: still, in a tucked position. Newborn: slight movement of limbs- visual and audio only. 3 months: As above, slight movement of head- side to side to explore surroundings – visual and audio only. 6-9 months: As above, able to roll over slightly-visual audio and kinesthetic. 12-18 months: Able to lift head alone and support self. Movement of all body parts now occurring – visual, audio and kinesthetic. 18-24 months: crawling to explore surroundings kinesthetically; Using objects to pull selves up. It is at this age we felt that we would be capable of interacting with other actors, by both voice and body language. I and Connie chose to play typical childhood activities (clapping games and pulling hair) and squabbling. We then continued our childhood explorations by spontaneously improvising a classroom scene. My drama teacher acted as a year 3 teacher and my peers and I as the year 3 class. We all interacted well with each other creating stereotypical characters and situations Our task was to build a ‘den’ in competition with the other team. We used stacked staging to act as a tower and I played a princess. We chose a fairytale scenario to portray childhood imagination. This also helped us maintain high energy levels which are compulsory for playing children. We used appropriate vocabulary such as ‘founded that firsted tho’ and ‘you are the bestest’ to show the simplicity of children’s language at 7 years old. We improvised arguments with both our own group and our opponents over props and spacing. We also chose to incorporate a fairytale storyline into it and take an opponent from the other team hostage. We also showed how our moods changed quickly e.g. falling out and then making up again. As I was acting I could find many similarities in my own and others performances in comparison to ‘Blue Remembered Hills’ characters. Hayley(me): Very similar to Angela. I remained seated at the top of our pretend towers dishing orders out and generally being very bossy. I also portrayed her flirtatious side by settling a row between 2 boys over who would be my prince â€Å"why don’t you both be princes then you can both kiss me!† This links to Angela because she is also very bossy and flirtatious. Warren: very similar to Raymond. He stayed well away from the arguments and instead chose to play alone with his pretend guns. Sophie: very similar to Audrey. Backed up everything I said (Angela). Held doll when I was climbing etc. Wanted attention constantly. Evaluation I think my performance as a 7 year old was well thought through. I used appropriate body language (free and wild) and voice (high pitched and squeaky) to portray my desired character. I think my performance was strongly influenced by my 7 year old brother and 5 year old sister. I managed to keep in role by keeping my energy levels high to feel more like my character. I enjoyed this performance even though I normally dislike spontaneous improvisation tasks. I learnt how important it is to keep up energy levels and momentum when performing as children, I strongly believe that this performance has helped me get the feel and prepare for childhood performances in the Blue Remembered Hills scenes. Lesson 2 Character exploration and Still image In our second lesson we were to perform a role play, reenacting a selected scene from the play. This was to allow us to empathize with the characters and familiarize ourselves with their relationship with each other. I selected the scene with Angela, Andrea and Donald Duck in the barn. We chose to stage this in the round to portray Donald’s isolation, the ’round enabled the audience feel close to us acting ‘feeling’ the tension. We used appropriate proxemics. There were a variety of characteristics to my role. It is in this scene that pathetic fallacy is used a lot as Donald’s emotions are portrayed by the grubby, battered barn. Physicalisation As I was playing the part of Angela I was aware that her personal characteristics would be very different to my own. I was familiar with Angela’s bossy, controlling ways from previous lessons. To portray her characteristics I did the following things: This posture showed that I was over confident. As you can see I had hold of the baby the whole time, although it was an effective way to portray status and authority it particularly helped me by restricting me with my hand gestures. I intimidated Donald at the end of the scene by using positioning and movement to my advantage. > I used good levels to show status > Positioned my body as someone with confidence would > Used very static and energetic movement to adapt to a 7 yr olds characteristics. I also used movement effectively when intimidating Donald. I circled him to show how my character controls the scene. I used centering which is a good technique to show a character physically. As this means that my character is ruled by a particular part of the body, I chose to use the arm holding the baby. When I walked, this arm would lead etc. This also emphasized my status due to possessing the doll. My facial expressions changed throughout the scene mainly because of the themes and emotions varying. My facial expressions always portrayed my hubris: which is my overconfidence. For example- concern ‘Oh dear. Poor, poor Donald’ (denoted from text) My expression was very interested and showed that my attention was solely on Donald. This showed the caring and imaginative side to Angela : I was also the ‘mommy’ which may have encouraged me to over-exaggerate. Another example- Anger and intimidation â€Å"Quack, Quack, Quack† (denoted from the text). My expression was very bold and frustrated. This showed my nasty streak. Chosen prop in scene: Doll Obvious choice as it helped me adapt to my character and her age. It helped me with my Physicalisation by restraining my body to certain movements. Helped me portray my authority, Relationships with others Angela shows her authority over Audrey and repeatedly gets her own way. â€Å"Course I be. I got the babby, aint I? It chunt your doll, Audrey† This dialogue portrays the authority in their friendship. The fact that Angela has the doll and is therefore able to play the mother proves how she has everything Audrey wants. Angela also gets a lot of attention from the boys which is why she gets jealous and frustrated when Audrey gets the attention from Donald, because of this Andrea copies Angela to ‘fit in’ The majority of the time the 2 characters get along with each other very well, especially when they play ‘house’ and get to play the main parts. However when Donald interacts with Audrey, Angela gets angry at him and bullies him: she becomes very violent towards him. The proxemics shows the audience how the characters feel about each other. This means the way that space is being used to communicate meaning. Communication Lesson 3 We used hot-seating in our 3rd lesson. Hot-seating is where one person takes on the role of a character and answer questions asked by the rest of the group in the way they believe the character would respond. Hot-seating is used to gain a deeper understanding of a specific character. Below are some of the questions we asked ‘Donald Duck’ along with his answers. Any Brothers and sisters? Did have a baby sister but died from smallpox 3 years ago. Who’s your best friend? I like the girls because I can play house with them. Was your father violent? No my daddy didn’t believe in violence he was a Christian, an honest man. Favorite color? Red like blood. Does your mum hit you because you’re naughty? I aint no naughty boy she just gets cross at me sometimes that’s all. Why are you more comfortable around the girls? Yes because they let me play and they don’t fight like Peter does. Denoted means information taken straight from the script. Connoted means to imply and read between the lines. D- Has shoes but no socks. Timid and anaemic C- poor, not nourished, not cared for? D-Collects empty jam jars for money. C- Look after himself. Independent. D- Doesn’t like smacking of the baby â€Å"not in my house† C- Past experiences? Treat kids nicely. D- talks about blood a lot when playing house with the girls†¦Ã¢â‚¬ blood all over the saw. Blood all over me. Blood everywhere. Blood, blood† C- Used to seeing it? Psychotic, fascinated by it. D- Lets have four sugars eh? C- Not normally got it, Rationing. Treat for him. D- imitates authority by banging up and down shouting for his tea. C- men dominating?, not used to power. D- Enjoys playing with the girls†¦he hugs himself with glee, rocking slightly C- Nice females: is different to usual, don’t really fit in with boys, attention D- Doesn’t like being called Donald Duck. Goes into a psychotic frenzy as girls jeer and pull his hair. He howls but is totally submissive. C- Used to violence? Hates it because his name is not friendly, derogatory term. D- Donald wouldn’t show Willie his jam jars until he threatened to kick his head in. The boys think he is a weed and a cry baby â€Å"one punch and he’ll give in† C-They know past history, again evident from Angela in the barn. They use it against him. D- He’s got hold of a box of matches by going through his mam’s handbag. The boys discuss how she knocks him about, he sets light to the coal shed after she locks him up in it. C- Pyromania, get rid of bad memories. Fire is something he can control, shows status, redeeming feature. Development section We were asked to get into groups of 4 and elaborate and create a piece of drama around the stimulus below. We decided to use flashbacks to portray Donald’s emotions. Flashbacks represent and explore the background and emotions of a character or a story; we used this as we believed this to be an appropriate way to portray Donald’s motives. As flashbacks are used to provide information about a characters past to explain a present situation. We chose to pick scenes where Donald was being abused and victimized by a variety of different people. We portrayed a life of sadness and abuse in all of our scenes. We also used imaging to represent Donald’s feelings beneath the surface of his actual character. 1st Flashback We showed the thing Donald most longs for†¦his Dad. We tell the audience through dialogue how his father went to war and Donald begged him not to go. 2nd Flashback We showed how mother abuses him and how he is really scared of her. 3rd Flashback Here we denoted from the text. Audrey â€Å"smack er one Donald† Angela† Yes, and if he hits me I shall tell is mam. Her’ll skin him alive won’t her? She hits you with the poker, don’t she? Both â€Å"Quack, quack,† ( hit him etc) We then got Donald to show how he longs to be loved and accepted; he begged and showed the audience his innocence. † please, please don’t, you promised† we then went silent to add a contrast of noise and tranquility. However this was again totally contrasted by Peter shouting at him. 4th flashback Peter: â€Å"where them jam jars, dem girls told me you ad um!† Donald: â€Å"No I aint ad no jars† Girls enter and create a sound collage ( soundscape) â€Å"yes you did, you ad 10 jars you said† â€Å"Dont lie you said† ‘Liar† etc., etc. The soundscaping (Sound collage) was used to emphasize and build a dramatic ending . Soundscaping is where the voice and body is used to create sound associated with the atmosphere. We used a tableau at the end. Also known as a freeze frame or still image: characters freeze as if it is a photograph. We used positioning and levelling: > Surrounded Donald to show his isolation > Peter and girls stood up to show authority > Donald sat down to show his lower status compared to the others At the end all characters froze and we used direct address (where character speaks directly to the audience): this created dramatic irony. It could be argues that this is a soliloquy as it was also a thought spoken out aloud. Donald: â€Å"All I wanted was my dad† Throughout our piece Donald remained on stage rocking and continuously repeating his speech in the stimulus, this emphasized his emotions and gained him sympathy from the audience. When not acting the remaining cast kept our backs to the audience and remained still and focused. This lesson we had to prepare a short piece of drama based on scene 6 of Blue Remembered Hills. The squirrel scene includes all of the boys apart from Donald. We used the script and kept the scene totally naturalistic as this is the way that Dennis Potter intended. We began by getting into groups of 4 and planning our piece. We had to decide who was to play which character. I played Raymond, Rebecca played Willie, Reece played the antagonist John and Tom was the protagonist Peter. An antagonist is the character who has some kind of conflict with the main character (in this scene the main character is Peter). A protagonist is the main character who has some kind of conflict with another character. Another difficult choice was choosing the most suitable staging: After studying all of the good and bad points of every staging, we decided to use a thrust stage. We thought this would be most fitting as it makes the audience feel close to our performance, feeling all o our emotions with us. It also allowed us to use the top of the thrust as a focal point to position the squirrel. As the scene was set n the woods we decided that we needed something to act as tree-stumps not only to set the scene but to also help us with our Physicalisation as we were able to sit, stand and ‘hang’ off them. This also provided us with levels. We began our scene differently to everybody else, instead of beginning with the actual killing of the squirrel we decided to start after this where all of the characters are silent and full of guilt. We used ad-lib (adding our own speech) at the start of the scene to build tension and portray the boys feelings of uncertainty and regret. As we began our piece with an anti-climax it emphasized the themes within the scene such as sadness and lament. We then ran the scene using the script. Throughout the scene it was compulsory that we changed our voice to suit our character. As the play was set in the West Country in 1943 we not only had to change our accent to suit the place but also our spoken language (during ad-lib) to suit the era. Our tone, pitch, pace and volume all changed throughout the piece along with the mood: for example at the begging where there is a major anti-climax our mood is sad and our spirit is low therefore our voice must portray our state of mind. I spoke at a very slow space, with a very low pitch, volume and tone; this was to emphasize the themes of sadness and regret. However, because Raymond has a stutter I found that it was particularly difficult to add all of the voice changes as well as the stutter. As I was a 16 year old girl playing the part of a 7 year old boy there was an awful lot of thinks I had to consider in relation to my physicalisation. My posture was no longer feminine and mature, it was slouched and wild. My movement as a 7 year old was never ending; I constantly had to keep moving, whether it was slow when sad or quick when happy. My group also chose to use repetition of movement in our piece to emphasize a specific characteristic of our character: for example Raymond continuously went to the back wall of our stage to cry. This could also symbolize how Raymond is always at the back, away from all of the action. My positioning of Raymond was well thought through, I remained behind my other actors to show how I was the one against harming the squirrel as I was furthest away. I think that as I played a 7 year old boy well it has proved that I am versatile. Because we were to perform in our classroom we were unable to use lighting, sound or costumes. However if we were able to use them I believe that they would tremendously improve my piece. Costume colours Willie-Greys, whites and light blues to symbolize that he is plain. John -Greens, because it is a neutral colour for a neutral character. He is quite jealous of Peter being the strongest. Peter- Bold blacks and reds, as he is a bold character. Sinister. Raymond-Cowboy costume. Shown below. I believe that some recorded effects would have made our piece have more realism about it. A sound of rustling trees and the chirping of birds would have helped set the scene yet kept it realistic. Lighting would have kept the various themes and focus fluent throughout. I would have chosen the below gobos to set the scene During the ad-lib at the start I would have a white spotlight on the squirrel to make this the focal point for the audience: the white would represent its innocence I would use a red fresnel spot when Raymond says the word ‘dead’. The red would symbolize the death and blood. The fresnel spot is a lot softer like the mood than the par can for example. In our final lesson our task was to produce our own script including the character of Wallace Wilson. My script Silence. Donald sits alone, curled up tight, head down. He is shaking vigorously, rocking back and forth with continuous chanting. Donald: come back Dad, come back Dad†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Suddenly, loud shouts and banging is heard off stage. Donald s startled and freezes immediately. (Offstage) Wallace Wilson’s mum: Gerrout! Gerrout thou feivin get! A loud smack is heard offstage, followed by a cry of pain. (Offstage) Wallace Wilson’s mum: Thou wouldn’t dream of stealin’ my matches if you Da’ were ere. A tall scruffy boy is seen entering stage right. He sits on the opposite side of the hay to Donald. Wallace is totally unaware of Donald’s presence. Donald remains silent and alert as Wallace Wilson begins to sob. Wallace Wilson: we†¦wel†¦well e’s not! Your ere ‘nd I dun’t lie you†¦ I dun’t like you at all! I†¦I wish you were dead. (pause) Donald: (whispered) I fink like that sometime, but I dun’t mean it like†¦ I dun’t mean it at all Wallace Wilson: (anxiously) He†¦Hello? Donald: Me Mam ‘its me sometime you know†¦ but I know she dun’t mean it like†¦ it cuza me Dad†¦Jap’s ‘ave got ‘im. Wallace Wilson: Jap’s ‘ave got ya Da’? Donald: Yh 2 year now. Wallace Wilson: (hesitantly) mine too. (Awkward silence) Wallace Wilson continues to wipe the tears from his eyes. Donald lies on his back and gazes up towards the ceiling deep in thought. Donald: Does thou mam drink the clear stuff ‘eh? Wallace Wilson: Yh, Yh she do. She says it ‘elp ‘er like but it don’t. Both boys remain silent and both reflect on their home situations. They become more relaxed in their environment however tug on their clothes to feel more secure. (Suddenly Donald breaks the silence) Donald: She use the poker like? (Short pause) Wallace Wilson: (Softly) Yh. Donald: Belt? Wallace Wilson: (softly) Yh. (Short pause) Donald: For nothin’. Wallace Wilson: For nowt. (Really long pause) Donald stands up Donald: so†¦ thou got any matches? Wallace Wilson: erm†¦ well yer I ‘ave†¦ I just gotta†¦ A young, pretty blonde girl enters stage right. Angela: Who be dere? Wallace Wilson turns and looks in her direction. He quickly wipes his eyes and changes back to his usual boisterous self. Angela: Oh†¦Oh Wallace thou din’t know it were you like. On the name of ‘Wallace Wilson’ Donald realizes whom is actually on the other side of the hay and quickly scarpers stage left. Angela flirtatiously plays with her hair Wallace Wilson: I were ’bout t’ start a fire like†¦ I got me matches. Wallace reveals a box of matches from his back pocket. The end Setting We decided to set our scene in the barn as we felt that this could act as both characters refuge. We felt that comparing the most powerful character with the most weakest would be very effective in terms of similarities and comparisons. Costumes I would like to experiment with costume and maybe dress both characters in the same way. I would dress both characters in dirty clothes, light blue and white in colour. The light blue would symbolize both boys’ sadness and the white their innocence. Dressing hem both similarly would further emphasize their similarities. Sound and music As this scene is totally dependant on he emotions being portrayed through sound it is compulsory that we kept unnecessary sounds to a minimum. Silence was the most effective form of sound, as it symbolized how both boys had suffered in silence. Silence also made the scene awkward and built up tension. Make up I wouldn’t use any ‘fantasy make up’ however I would use a mixture of ‘straight make up’ and ‘character make up’ to add dirt and wounds and scars. Masks Masks could be worn by both characters at the start of the scene and then removed when the boys feel comfortable opening up about their lives. This would make the audience aware of the boys’ feelings towards each other. Lighting At the beginning where Donald is alone and rocking, I believe that a stropescope (where lighting flickers to a rhythm would be really effective. Throughout the piece I would use a fresnel spot as it would create a soft effect as it spreads the light more gently. Another advantage of using this lighting is that it can be focused on a character at an important time. I would use either a white (innocence) or blue (sadness) cinemoid (gel). Levels Both boys were sat down to show they are not very powerful or confident. Both stand up at the end however to show how they have become confident in each others company. Set and Props A haystack (or substitute) to symbolize the barrier between the boys. Movement We wanted very little movement to show the tension and awkwardness between the boys. Voice Use both high and low volume depending on the characters mood and confidence. We also changed our tone depending on our confidence. We used appropriate spoken language in our piece. Staging I believe there to be 2 effective staging Proscenium arch and traverse. Proscenium arch This enables the audience to see both sides of the haystack, and both boys actions and reactions to each other. However the audience is not ‘close’ to the scene. Traverse This is effective as the audience feel ‘close’ to the actors this enforces the tension upon them. Although the audience are nearer it is quite possible that they are unable to see both characters due to blocking.

Issues Affecting Communication in the Workplace

This essay will focus primarily on three main issues that can undermine effective communication namely cultural diversity, emotions and language (Robbins et al. 2011 p. 331). The importance of feedback in an organisation to improve communication would also be reviewed (Iyer & Israel 2012 p. 55). Through feedback received, communication unveils opportunities to improve the individual and general performances of the organisation (Daneci-Patrau 2011 p. 496).Communication in an organisation comprises of many dimensions spanning formal and informal means of internal communication and external communications (Iyer & Israel 2012 p. 52). Communication is an ongoing process in which feelings, ideas, values and perceptions are transferred from one person to another through symbols which can be in the form of nonverbal, verbal and graphic communication (Dwyer 2009). Organisational communication refers to the transferring of information among members of an organisation, as well as in correctly u nderstanding the message contained in the information (Daneci-Patrau 2011p. 88). In order for an organisation to function effectively coordination of all aspects of the organisation must be achieved and this can only be done through effective communication which enables the organisation to meet its goals and objectives (Daneci-Patrau 2011). Effective communication is necessary in understanding management behaviour, reducing misunderstanding and building trust in and amongst members of an organisation (Daneci-Patrau 2011).Managers play an important role in ensuring the flow of communication through the organisation by using an effective system whereby feedback is received and acted upon (Daneci-Patrau 2011 496). Dwyer (2009 p. 9) states that leaders and managers with effective communication skills are able to work directly with people thereby minimising direct controls and encouraging more understanding, commitment, motivation and productivity within the organisation.The occurrence o f misunderstanding and inefficiency in an organisation can be attributed to lack of communication (Iyer & Israel 2012). Means of communication has grown significantly with the advancement in technology. Managers now have access to various communication channels such as emails, teleconferencing, computers, mobile phones and fax which speeds up the business of communicating (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997).Communication channels must be established through appropriate methods and on all levels in an organisation both on an individual and group level between various people in the workplace ranging from clients, who are either internal or external to the organisation, staff members from within and outside it, those in managerial positions and line personnel (Klenk & Hickey 2010). The role of an organisation and management is to facilitate and coordinate communication within the organisation.Klenk & Hickey (2010) states that organisational communication relates to the transaction al and symbolic process that facilitates the coordination of activities through mutual adjustments of behaviour of individual parts to achieve a common goal. Communication in an organisation is not just the mere exchange of information, it is more comprehensive than that and includes constructive meanings between members of the organisation who influence each other in the context of asymmetrical power relationships during which they compete for power, resources and legitimacy (Klenk and Hickey 2010).Managers within organisations are in positions of power and personal influence in their relationships with employees and should be proactive in communicating with staff (White, Vanc & Stafford 2010). A number of studies have linked internal communication and the degree to which employees are given feedback to their job satisfaction and performance (White, Vanc & Stafford 2010).Vos (2009) measures performance in the communication area based on the following criteria: the management must s upport the holistic assessment of the organisation, the assessment must be an integral part of the communication function, the assessment process must be a team activity and those responsible for implementing these changes must be part of the team, the assessment must be well-prepared and well-organised and before commencement, those concerned should be well-informed of the organisation’s communication activities. Communication breakdown occurs when the message is not fully understood by the receiver.Breakdowns occur in situations when messages are distorted or blocked in some ways (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997). These breakdowns are of major concern to the organisation as it may cost them both time and money (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997). The first undermining factor we will be looking at is culture. Cultural diversity in the workplace is increasingly growing as most organisations today are multicultural in nature (Robbins et al. 2011). Culture is dynami c and a constantly changing in nature over time (Dwyer 2009).Communication barriers can also arise from different languages spoken, values and customs of individuals from various ethnic backgrounds. (Robbins, DeCenzo, Coulter &Woods 2011, p. 331). Culture refers to the norms, beliefs, customs, ethics, codes, mores, values, sentiments, behaviour and attitudes of individuals in a society (Kumar & Chakravarthi 2009). The more common the culture between two people, the greater the likelihood of achieving mutual understanding and effective communication(Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997).Culture can form barriers in communication when individuals are not aware of each other’s differences in values or customs (Kumar & Chakravarthi 2009). Managers today work with people from different nationalities and it is therefore important for them to be culturally competent through gaining knowledge of the cultural aspects of individual and countries they interact with to ensure effective and efficient communication (Todarita & Ranf 2009). Another issue that can undermine effective communication is one’s emotion.Emotions refer to the physiological and psychological state at the immediate time of communication (Smeltzer & Waltman 1984). Robbins et al. (2011) also defines emotions in regards to communication, as how a receiver feels when the message is received and how he or she interprets it. There are two types of emotional abilities namely managing emotions and the use of emotions to facilitate thinking and communication associated with job performance in an organisation (Lindebaum 2009).Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a term that is used to substantiate personal skills and characteristics that are responsible for the ways in which individuals behave, feel and relate to others in a job context (Dwyer 2009). Emotionally intelligent leaders are able to have the social skills and awareness to associate effectively in different settings (Dwyer 2009). In personal, social and business relationships, managers are able to build satisfying relationships nd make effective decisions based on their EI (Dwyer 2009). When emotions are running high, individuals often disregard rational and objective thinking process and substitute it with emotional judgements (Robbins et al. 2011, p. 331). ‘Learning to recognise emotions and empathise with others, developing high self-esteem, managing emotional upsets and anger are all emotional skills that managers and staff should learn’ (Dwyer 2009). In addition, use of language can affect communication adversely.To communicate effectively managers must learn to be clear and concise and tailor their language at an appropriate level so that their audience understands the meaning (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997 p. 256). Due to the diverse backgrounds of employees in an organisation, different patterns of speech are formed easily in a specialized environment and this developed technical language i s known as jargon (Robbins et al. 2011).Although jargon may greatly help communication within specialized groups, it can impede communication among individuals who are not conversant with the language (Understanding and Managing Organisational Behaviour 2006). Age, education and cultural backgrounds are variables that influence the language a person uses and the definitions the individual applies to it (Robbins et al. 2011). An example of incorporating a language for better communication can be seen in Denmark where predominantly speaking Danish organisations are obliged to adopt English into their organisation (Tange & Lauring 2009). Language management and social interaction within the multilingual workplace national and corporate languages serve different needs and purposes, which is particularly evident  in  a country such as Denmark, where corporate language planning involves the imposition of an English  lingua franca  on  organisations  that are traditionally Dani sh-speaking’ (Tange & Lauring 2009). Tange & Lauring (2009) provides that language usage within multinational companies has suggested that multilingualism creates a complex managerial situation with great implications for cross-cultural communication. When communicating across cultures, awareness of the meaning of the words and idiomatic expressions in the language of another culture can prevent communication barriers and their consequences’ (Dwyer 2009 p. 41). Furthermore, feedback system is an example of a system that managers can use to improve communication in their respective organisation. Kaymaz (2011) defines feedback as the most important stage in the communication process. Communication is a two way process, and managers must be prepared to give feedback to employees and in return encourage feedback from employees (Hitt, Black, Porter & Hanson 2007).Receiving feedback is important as it indicates to the sender that their message has been received and correctly understood and interpreted (Robbins et al. 2011). Once received, feedback can trigger another idea from the sender, initiating yet another cycle of communication which triggers yet another round of feedback, thereby continuing the cyclical nature of the communication process (Understanding and Managing Organisational Behaviour 2006). The provision of feedback helps reduce the likelihood of misinterpretation to occur in the workplace (Iyer & Israel 2012 p. 2). For example in an organisation that sells goods and services directly to customers, the organisation can evaluate their performance by encouraging feedback from customers based on employee service and conduct. ‘Customer feedback can help to identify problem areas and strengths, and generate ideas for service improvements’ (Wirtz, Tambyah & Mattila 2010). Measuring performance should not be seen as extra work but rather as part of normal business operations. Feedback should be seen as a method for continuous assess ment and improvement.In this sense, it can be seen as a strategic feedback system that improves communication within the organisation in general. Performance measurement leads to transparency and in turn drives innovation and creativity (Vos 2009). In conclusion, organisations do not have independent existence, they associate with many groups and individuals by means of effective communication and feedback to achieve their results and desired outcomes (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997). Interaction with organisations occurs through different channels of communication and by different methods.All organisations and managers need to be aware of the communication patterns that occur within their environment to ensure effective communication (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997 p. 117). The complex world of management today presents countless occasions to those in managerial positions to express their ideas and convince or persuade others to accept their ideas (Showry & Manasa 2 012). However, it can be an ordeal if one fails to focus on the critical foundation which is effective communication (Showry & Manasa 2012).Factors such as language, culture and emotions can undermine effective communication in an organisation but through feed-back achieved, communication discloses opportunities to improve the individual and general performances of the organisation (Daneci-Patrau 2011). From this essay we can draw on the significance of effective communication in an organisation and how the lack of it can result in decreased productivity, poor interpersonal relationships between employees and employers and be the cause of other serious workplace issues that could lead to other negative outcomes (Mallet Hammer 2005). ReferencesAlger G, Delahunty, J, Diamantopoulos, A 1997, Business Management, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press. Daneci-Patrau, D. 2011, ‘Formal Communication in Organisation’, Economics, Management and Financial Markets, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 4 87-497. Dwyer, J 2009, Communication in Business: Strategies and skills, 4th edn, Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest. Hitt,M A, Black J S, Porter, L W, Hanson, D 2007 Management, Pearson Education Australia. Iyer, S, & Israel, D 2012, ‘Structural Equation Modelling for Testing the Impact of Organization Communication Satisfaction on Employee Engagement’,  South Asian Journal Of Management, 19, 1, pp. 1-81. Kaymaz, K 2011,  Ã¢â‚¬ËœPerformance Feedback: Individual Based Reflections and the Effect on Motivation’, Business and Economics Research Journalvol. 2, no. 4, pp. 115-134. Klenk, NL & Hickey, GM 2010, ‘Communication and Management Challenges in Large, Cross-sector Research Networks: A Canadian Case Study’,  Canadian Journal of Communication, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 239-263. Kumar, M & Chakravarthi, K 2009, ‘Cross-Cultural Communication’,  ICFAI Journal of Soft Skills, 3, 2, pp. 43-47. Lindebaum, D 2009, ‘Rhetoric or Remedy? A Critique on Developing Emotional Intelligence', Academy Of Management Learning & Education, 8, 2, pp. 25-237. Mallet-Hammer, B 2005 ‘Communication in the Workplace’ Research Paper, University of Wisconsin, viewed 14 August 2012 . Robbins, S, DeCenzo, D, Coulter, M & Woods, M 2011, Management: The Essentials, Pearson, Frenchs Forest. Showry, M & Manasa, K 2012, ‘Effective Communication for Professional Excellence’, IUP Journal Of Soft Skills, pp. 39-46 Smeltzer, LR & Wlatman L 1984, Managerial Communication-Strategic Approach, Louisiana State University, John Wiley & Sons.Tange, H & Lauring, J 2009, ‘Language management and social interaction within the multilingual workplace’,  Journal of Communication Management,  vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 218-232. Todarita, E & Ranf, DE 2009, ‘The Necessity and Efficient Usage of Managerial Communication within Organisations during Crisis Situations. Drawing-Up the Content of a Crisis Planningà ¢â‚¬â„¢,  Annales Universitatis Apulensis : Series Oeconomica,  vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 796- 804. Understanding and Managing Organisational Behaviour 2006, Delta Publishing Company, California.Vos, M 2009, ‘Communication quality and added value: a measurement instrument for Municipalities’, Journal of Communication Management, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 362-377. White, C, Vanc, A & Stafford, G 2010, ‘Internal Communication, Information Satisfaction, and Sense of Community: The Effect of Personal Influence’, Journal Of Public Relations Research, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 65-84. Wirtz, J, Tambyah, SK, Mattila, AS 2010, Organizational learning from customer feedback Received by service employees: A social capital perspective, Journal of Service Management, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 363-387.

the rennisance essays

the rennisance essays The Renaissance, which began in Italy in 1300s, was one of the largest periods of growth and development in Western Europe. The increase in trade caused an abundance in wealth that resulted in the focusing on the arts. Such things as literature, paintings, sculptures and many more works are known to have blossomed from the period known as the Renaissance. Many other important occurrences, such as the Reformation and split of the Roman Catholic Church, caused by the opposing views of Martin Luther and the beliefs of corruption within the Church. In the year 1305 the Roman Catholic Church was relocated from Rome to France. With this the power of the Papal States was divided among the region's leading families. Starting near the year 1300 the demand for reform began to grow at a rapid pace. By the 1600's close to half of the practicing Catholics in Western Europe had left the Church to join one of the new reformer religious groups. This reform brought about new ways of thought and new attitudes towards religion and the human race. The young German scholar realized that the way to salvation was "justification by faith." Martin Luther's beliefs were deemed to be heretic in nature and he was hidden away by a German prince. The eight crusades to retake Jerusalem from the Muslims, played key rolls in the period of the Renaissance. The Crusades, which took place before the period of the Renaissance, are a major factor in the coming about or "birth" of the Renaissance. The eight Crusades were the efforts to take back Jerusalem from the Muslims. These Crusades introduced to Western Europe the new tastes of art, fine quinines and new types of cloth, including silk. With this the need for trade with the Far East increased drastically. This increase in trade caused an abundance of wealth in Western Europe which intern brought new products and goods to Western Europe. Without the Crusades, which brought back lost works from the...

Angels Demons Chapter 7073

As soon as they’d arrived, Chinita and Glick had seen a veritable army of young men pour out of the Alpha Romeos and surround the church. Some had weapons drawn. One of them, a stiff older man, led a team up the front steps of the church. The soldiers drew guns and blew the locks off the front doors. Macri heard nothing and figured they must have had silencers. Then the soldiers entered. Chinita had recommended they sit tight and film from the shadows. After all, guns were guns, and they had a clear view of the action from the van. Glick had not argued. Now, across the piazza, men moved in and out of the church. They yelled to each other. Chinita adjusted her camera to follow a team as they searched the surrounding area. All of them, though dressed in civilian clothes, seemed to move with military precision. â€Å"Who do you think they are?† she asked. â€Å"Hell if I know.† Glick looked riveted. â€Å"You getting all this?† â€Å"Every frame.† Glick sounded smug. â€Å"Still think we should go back to Pope-Watch?† Chinita wasn’t sure what to say. There was obviously something going on here, but she had been in journalism long enough to know that there was often a very dull explanation for interesting events. â€Å"This could be nothing,† she said. â€Å"These guys could have gotten the same tip you got and are just checking it out. Could be a false alarm.† Glick grabbed her arm. â€Å"Over there! Focus.† He pointed back to the church. Chinita swung the camera back to the top of the stairs. â€Å"Hello there,† she said, training on the man now emerging from the church. â€Å"Who’s the dapper?† Chinita moved in for a close-up. â€Å"Haven’t seen him before.† She tightened in on the man’s face and smiled. â€Å"But I wouldn’t mind seeing him again.† Robert Langdon dashed down the stairs outside the church and into the middle of the piazza. It was getting dark now, the springtime sun setting late in southern Rome. The sun had dropped below the surrounding buildings, and shadows streaked the square. â€Å"Okay, Bernini,† he said aloud to himself. â€Å"Where the hell is your angel pointing?† He turned and examined the orientation of the church from which he had just come. He pictured the Chigi Chapel inside, and the sculpture of the angel inside that. Without hesitation he turned due west, into the glow of the impending sunset. Time was evaporating. â€Å"Southwest,† he said, scowling at the shops and apartments blocking his view. â€Å"The next marker is out there.† Racking his brain, Langdon pictured page after page of Italian art history. Although very familiar with Bernini’s work, Langdon knew the sculptor had been far too prolific for any nonspecialist to know all of it. Still, considering the relative fame of the first marker – Habakkuk and the Angel – Langdon hoped the second marker was a work he might know from memory. Earth, Air, Fire, Water, he thought. Earth they had found – inside the Chapel of the Earth – Habakkuk, the prophet who predicted the earth’s annihilation. Air is next. Langdon urged himself to think. A Bernini sculpture that has something to do with Air! He was drawing a total blank. Still he felt energized. I’m on the path of Illumination! It is still intact! Looking southwest, Langdon strained to see a spire or cathedral tower jutting up over the obstacles. He saw nothing. He needed a map. If they could figure out what churches were southwest of here, maybe one of them would spark Langdon’s memory. Air, he pressed. Air. Bernini. Sculpture. Air. Think! Langdon turned and headed back up the cathedral stairs. He was met beneath the scaffolding by Vittoria and Olivetti. â€Å"Southwest,† Langdon said, panting. â€Å"The next church is southwest of here.† Olivetti’s whisper was cold. â€Å"You sure this time?† Langdon didn’t bite. â€Å"We need a map. One that shows all the churches in Rome.† The commander studied him a moment, his expression never changing. Langdon checked his watch. â€Å"We only have half an hour.† Olivetti moved past Langdon down the stairs toward his car, parked directly in front of the cathedral. Langdon hoped he was going for a map. Vittoria looked excited. â€Å"So the angel’s pointing southwest? No idea which churches are southwest?† â€Å"I can’t see past the damn buildings.† Langdon turned and faced the square again. â€Å"And I don’t know Rome’s churches well enou – † He stopped. Vittoria looked startled. â€Å"What?† Langdon looked out at the piazza again. Having ascended the church stairs, he was now higher, and his view was better. He still couldn’t see anything, but he realized he was moving in the right direction. His eyes climbed the tower of rickety scaffolding above him. It rose six stories, almost to the top of the church’s rose window, far higher than the other buildings in the square. He knew in an instant where he was headed. Across the square, Chinita Macri and Gunther Glick sat glued to the windshield of the BBC van. â€Å"You getting this?† Gunther asked. Macri tightened her shot on the man now climbing the scaffolding. â€Å"He’s a little well dressed to be playing Spiderman if you ask me.† â€Å"And who’s Ms. Spidey?† Chinita glanced at the attractive woman beneath the scaffolding. â€Å"Bet you’d like to find out.† â€Å"Think I should call editorial?† â€Å"Not yet. Let’s watch. Better to have something in the can before we admit we abandoned conclave.† â€Å"You think somebody really killed one of the old farts in there?† Chinita clucked. â€Å"You’re definitely going to hell.† â€Å"And I’ll be taking the Pulitzer with me.† 71 The scaffolding seemed less stable the higher Langdon climbed. His view of Rome, however, got better with every step. He continued upward. He was breathing harder than he expected when he reached the upper tier. He pulled himself onto the last platform, brushed off the plaster, and stood up. The height did not bother him at all. In fact, it was invigorating. The view was staggering. Like an ocean on fire, the red-tiled rooftops of Rome spread out before him, glowing in the scarlet sunset. From that spot, for the first time in his life, Langdon saw beyond the pollution and traffic of Rome to its ancient roots – Citt di Dio – The city of God. Squinting into the sunset, Langdon scanned the rooftops for a church steeple or bell tower. But as he looked farther and farther toward the horizon, he saw nothing. There are hundreds of churches in Rome, he thought. There must be one southwest of here! If the church is even visible, he reminded himself. Hell, if the church is even still standing! Forcing his eyes to trace the line slowly, he attempted the search again. He knew, of course, that not all churches would have visible spires, especially smaller, out-of-the-way sanctuaries. Not to mention, Rome had changed dramatically since the 1600s when churches were by law the tallest buildings allowed. Now, as Langdon looked out, he saw apartment buildings, high-rises, TV towers. For the second time, Langdon’s eye reached the horizon without seeing anything. Not one single spire. In the distance, on the very edge of Rome, Michelangelo’s massive dome blotted the setting sun. St. Peter’s Basilica. Vatican City. Langdon found himself wondering how the cardinals were faring, and if the Swiss Guards’ search had turned up the antimatter. Something told him it hadn’t†¦ and wouldn’t. The poem was rattling through his head again. He considered it, carefully, line by line. From Santi’s earthly tomb with demon’s hole. They had found Santi’s tomb. ‘Cross Rome the mystic elements unfold. The mystic elements were Earth, Air, Fire, Water. The path of light is laid, the sacred test. The path of Illumination formed by Bernini’s sculptures. Let angels guide you on your lofty quest. The angel was pointing southwest†¦ â€Å"Front stairs!† Glick exclaimed, pointing wildly through the windshield of the BBC van. â€Å"Something’s going on!† Macri dropped her shot back down to the main entrance. Something was definitely going on. At the bottom of the stairs, the military-looking man had pulled one of the Alpha Romeos close to the stairs and opened the trunk. Now he was scanning the square as if checking for onlookers. For a moment, Macri thought the man had spotted them, but his eyes kept moving. Apparently satisfied, he pulled out a walkie-talkie and spoke into it. Almost instantly, it seemed an army emerged from the church. Like an American football team breaking from a huddle, the soldiers formed a straight line across the top of the stairs. Moving like a human wall, they began to descend. Behind them, almost entirely hidden by the wall, four soldiers seemed to be carrying something. Something heavy. Awkward. Glick leaned forward on the dashboard. â€Å"Are they stealing something from the church?† Chinita tightened her shot even more, using the telephoto to probe the wall of men, looking for an opening. One split second, she willed. A single frame. That’s all I need. But the men moved as one. Come on! Macri stayed with them, and it paid off. When the soldiers tried to lift the object into the trunk, Macri found her opening. Ironically, it was the older man who faltered. Only for an instant, but long enough. Macri had her frame. Actually, it was more like ten frames. â€Å"Call editorial,† Chinita said. â€Å"We’ve got a dead body.† Far away, at CERN, Maximilian Kohler maneuvered his wheelchair into Leonardo Vetra’s study. With mechanical efficiency, he began sifting through Vetra’s files. Not finding what he was after, Kohler moved to Vetra’s bedroom. The top drawer of his bedside table was locked. Kohler pried it open with a knife from the kitchen. Inside Kohler found exactly what he was looking for. 72 Langdon swung off the scaffolding and dropped back to the ground. He brushed the plaster dust from his clothes. Vittoria was there to greet him. â€Å"No luck?† she said. He shook his head. â€Å"They put the cardinal in the trunk.† Langdon looked over to the parked car where Olivetti and a group of soldiers now had a map spread out on the hood. â€Å"Are they looking southwest?† She nodded. â€Å"No churches. From here the first one you hit is St. Peter’s.† Langdon grunted. At least they were in agreement. He moved toward Olivetti. The soldiers parted to let him through. Olivetti looked up. â€Å"Nothing. But this doesn’t show every last church. Just the big ones. About fifty of them.† â€Å"Where are we?† Langdon asked. Olivetti pointed to Piazza del Popolo and traced a straight line exactly southwest. The line missed, by a substantial margin, the cluster of black squares indicating Rome’s major churches. Unfortunately, Rome’s major churches were also Rome’s older churches†¦ those that would have been around in the 1600s. â€Å"I’ve got some decisions to make,† Olivetti said. â€Å"Are you certain of the direction?† Langdon pictured the angel’s outstretched finger, the urgency rising in him again. â€Å"Yes, sir. Positive.† Olivetti shrugged and traced the straight line again. The path intersected the Margherita Bridge, Via Cola di Riezo, and passed through Piazza del Risorgimento, hitting no churches at all until it dead-ended abruptly at the center of St. Peter’s Square. â€Å"What’s wrong with St. Peter’s?† one of the soldiers said. He had a deep scar under his left eye. â€Å"It’s a church.† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Needs to be a public place. Hardly seems public at the moment.† â€Å"But the line goes through St. Peter’s Square,† Vittoria added, looking over Langdon’s shoulder. â€Å"The square is public.† Langdon had already considered it. â€Å"No statues, though.† â€Å"Isn’t there a monolith in the middle?† She was right. There was an Egyptian monolith in St. Peter’s Square. Langdon looked out at the monolith in the piazza in front of them. The lofty pyramid. An odd coincidence, he thought. He shook it off. â€Å"The Vatican’s monolith is not by Bernini. It was brought in by Caligula. And it has nothing to do with Air.† There was another problem as well. â€Å"Besides, the poem says the elements are spread across Rome. St. Peter’s Square is in Vatican City. Not Rome.† â€Å"Depends who you ask,† a guard interjected. Langdon looked up. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Always a bone of contention. Most maps show St. Peter’s Square as part of Vatican City, but because it’s outside the walled city, Roman officials for centuries have claimed it as part of Rome.† â€Å"You’re kidding,† Langdon said. He had never known that. â€Å"I only mention it,† the guard continued, â€Å"because Commander Olivetti and Ms. Vetra were asking about a sculpture that had to do with Air.† Langdon was wide-eyed. â€Å"And you know of one in St. Peter’s Square?† â€Å"Not exactly. It’s not really a sculpture. Probably not relevant.† â€Å"Let’s hear it,† Olivetti pressed. The guard shrugged. â€Å"The only reason I know about it is because I’m usually on piazza duty. I know every corner of St. Peter’s Square.† â€Å"The sculpture,† Langdon urged. â€Å"What does it look like?† Langdon was starting to wonder if the Illuminati could really have been gutsy enough to position their second marker right outside St. Peter’s Church. â€Å"I patrol past it every day,† the guard said. â€Å"It’s in the center, directly where that line is pointing. That’s what made me think of it. As I said, it’s not really a sculpture. It’s more of a†¦ block.† Olivetti looked mad. â€Å"A block?† â€Å"Yes, sir. A marble block embedded in the square. At the base of the monolith. But the block is not a rectangle. It’s an ellipse. And the block is carved with the image of a billowing gust of wind.† He paused. â€Å"Air, I suppose, if you wanted to get scientific about it.† Langdon stared at the young soldier in amazement. â€Å"A relief!† he exclaimed suddenly. Everyone looked at him. â€Å"Relief,† Langdon said, â€Å"is the other half of sculpture!† Sculpture is the art of shaping figures in the round and also in relief. He had written the definition on chalkboards for years. Reliefs were essentially two-dimensional sculptures, like Abraham Lincoln’s profile on the penny. Bernini’s Chigi Chapel medallions were another perfect example. â€Å"Bassorelievo?† the guard asked, using the Italian art term. â€Å"Yes! Bas-relief!† Langdon rapped his knuckles on the hood. â€Å"I wasn’t thinking in those terms! That tile you’re talking about in St. Peter’s Square is called the West Ponente – the West Wind. It’s also known as Respiro di Dio.† â€Å"Breath of God?† â€Å"Yes! Air! And it was carved and put there by the original architect!† Vittoria looked confused. â€Å"But I thought Michelangelo designed St. Peter’s.† â€Å"Yes, the basilica!† Langdon exclaimed, triumph in his voice. â€Å"But St. Peter’s Square was designed by Bernini!† As the caravan of Alpha Romeos tore out of Piazza del Popolo, everyone was in too much of a hurry to notice the BBC van pulling out behind them. 73 Gunther Glick floored the BBC van’s accelerator and swerved through traffic as he tailed the four speeding Alpha Romeos across the Tiber River on Ponte Margherita. Normally Glick would have made an effort to maintain an inconspicuous distance, but today he could barely keep up. These guys were flying. Macri sat in her work area in the back of the van finishing a phone call with London. She hung up and yelled to Glick over the sound of the traffic. â€Å"You want the good news or bad news?† Glick frowned. Nothing was ever simple when dealing with the home office. â€Å"Bad news.† â€Å"Editorial is burned we abandoned our post.† â€Å"Surprise.† â€Å"They also think your tipster is a fraud.† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"And the boss just warned me that you’re a few crumpets short of a proper tea.† Glick scowled. â€Å"Great. And the good news?† â€Å"They agreed to look at the footage we just shot.† Glick felt his scowl soften into a grin. I guess we’ll see who’s short a few crumpets. â€Å"So fire it off.† â€Å"Can’t transmit until we stop and get a fixed cell read.† Glick gunned the van onto Via Cola di Rienzo. â€Å"Can’t stop now.† He tailed the Alpha Romeos through a hard left swerve around Piazza Risorgimento. Macri held on to her computer gear in back as everything slid. â€Å"Break my transmitter,† she warned, â€Å"and we’ll have to walk this footage to London.† â€Å"Sit tight, love. Something tells me we’re almost there.† Macri looked up. â€Å"Where?† Glick gazed out at the familiar dome now looming directly in front of them. He smiled. â€Å"Right back where we started.† The four Alpha Romeos slipped deftly into traffic surrounding St. Peter’s Square. They split up and spread out along the piazza perimeter, quietly unloading men at select points. The debarking guards moved into the throng of tourists and media vans on the edge of the square and instantly became invisible. Some of the guards entered the forest of pillars encompassing the colonnade. They too seemed to evaporate into the surroundings. As Langdon watched through the windshield, he sensed a noose tightening around St. Peter’s. In addition to the men Olivetti had just dispatched, the commander had radioed ahead to the Vatican and sent additional undercover guards to the center where Bernini’s West Ponente was located. As Langdon looked out at the wide-open spaces of St. Peter’s Square, a familiar question nagged. How does the Illuminati assassin plan to get away with this? How will he get a cardinal through all these people and kill him in plain view? Langdon checked his Mickey Mouse watch. It was 8:54 P.M. Six minutes. In the front seat, Olivetti turned and faced Langdon and Vittoria. â€Å"I want you two right on top of this Bernini brick or block or whatever the hell it is. Same drill. You’re tourists. Use the phone if you see anything.† Before Langdon could respond, Vittoria had his hand and was pulling him out of the car. The springtime sun was setting behind St. Peter’s Basilica, and a massive shadow spread, engulfing the piazza. Langdon felt an ominous chill as he and Vittoria moved into the cool, black umbra. Snaking through the crowd, Langdon found himself searching every face they passed, wondering if the killer was among them. Vittoria’s hand felt warm. As they crossed the open expanse of St. Peter’s Square, Langdon sensed Bernini’s sprawling piazza having the exact effect the artist had been commissioned to create – that of â€Å"humbling all those who entered.† Langdon certainly felt humbled at the moment. Humbled and hungry, he realized, surprised such a mundane thought could enter his head at a moment like this. â€Å"To the obelisk?† Vittoria asked. Langdon nodded, arching left across the piazza. â€Å"Time?† Vittoria asked, walking briskly, but casually. â€Å"Five of.† Vittoria said nothing, but Langdon felt her grip tighten. He was still carrying the gun. He hoped Vittoria would not decide she needed it. He could not imagine her whipping out a weapon in St. Peter’s Square and blowing away the kneecaps of some killer while the global media looked on. Then again, an incident like that would be nothing compared to the branding and murder of a cardinal out here. Air, Langdon thought. The second element of science. He tried to picture the brand. The method of murder. Again he scanned the sprawling expanse of granite beneath his feet – St. Peter’s Square – an open desert surrounded by Swiss Guard. If the Hassassin really dared attempt this, Langdon could not imagine how he would escape. In the center of the piazza rose Caligula’s 350-ton Egyptian obelisk. It stretched eighty-one feet skyward to the pyramidal apex onto which was affixed a hollow iron cross. Sufficiently high to catch the last of the evening sun, the cross shone as if magic†¦ purportedly containing relics of the cross on which Christ was crucified. Two fountains flanked the obelisk in perfect symmetry. Art historians knew the fountains marked the exact geometric focal points of Bernini’s elliptical piazza, but it was an architectural oddity Langdon had never really considered until today. It seemed Rome was suddenly filled with ellipses, pyramids, and startling geometry. As they neared the obelisk, Vittoria slowed. She exhaled heavily, as if coaxing Langdon to relax along with her. Langdon made the effort, lowering his shoulders and loosening his clenched jaw. Somewhere around the obelisk, boldly positioned outside the largest church in the world, was the second altar of science – Bernini’s West Ponente – an elliptical block in St. Peter’s Square. Gunther Glick watched from the shadows of the pillars surrounding St. Peter’s Square. On any other day the man in the tweed jacket and the woman in khaki shorts would not have interested him in the least. They appeared to be nothing but tourists enjoying the square. But today was not any other day. Today had been a day of phone tips, corpses, unmarked cars racing through Rome, and men in tweed jackets climbing scaffolding in search of God only knew what. Glick would stay with them. He looked out across the square and saw Macri. She was exactly where he had told her to go, on the far side of the couple, hovering on their flank. Macri carried her video camera casually, but despite her imitation of a bored member of the press, she stood out more than Glick would have liked. No other reporters were in this far corner of the square, and the acronym â€Å"BBC† stenciled on her camera was drawing some looks from tourists. The tape Macri had shot earlier of the naked body dumped in the trunk was playing at this very moment on the VCR transmitter back in the van. Glick knew the images were sailing over his head right now en route to London. He wondered what editorial would say. He wished he and Macri had reached the body sooner, before the army of plainclothed soldiers had intervened. The same army, he knew, had now fanned out and surrounded this piazza. Something big was about to happen. The media is the right arm of anarchy, the killer had said. Glick wondered if he had missed his chance for a big scoop. He looked out at the other media vans in the distance and watched Macri tailing the mysterious couple across the piazza. Something told Glick he was still in the game†¦ Angels Demons Chapter 7073 As soon as they’d arrived, Chinita and Glick had seen a veritable army of young men pour out of the Alpha Romeos and surround the church. Some had weapons drawn. One of them, a stiff older man, led a team up the front steps of the church. The soldiers drew guns and blew the locks off the front doors. Macri heard nothing and figured they must have had silencers. Then the soldiers entered. Chinita had recommended they sit tight and film from the shadows. After all, guns were guns, and they had a clear view of the action from the van. Glick had not argued. Now, across the piazza, men moved in and out of the church. They yelled to each other. Chinita adjusted her camera to follow a team as they searched the surrounding area. All of them, though dressed in civilian clothes, seemed to move with military precision. â€Å"Who do you think they are?† she asked. â€Å"Hell if I know.† Glick looked riveted. â€Å"You getting all this?† â€Å"Every frame.† Glick sounded smug. â€Å"Still think we should go back to Pope-Watch?† Chinita wasn’t sure what to say. There was obviously something going on here, but she had been in journalism long enough to know that there was often a very dull explanation for interesting events. â€Å"This could be nothing,† she said. â€Å"These guys could have gotten the same tip you got and are just checking it out. Could be a false alarm.† Glick grabbed her arm. â€Å"Over there! Focus.† He pointed back to the church. Chinita swung the camera back to the top of the stairs. â€Å"Hello there,† she said, training on the man now emerging from the church. â€Å"Who’s the dapper?† Chinita moved in for a close-up. â€Å"Haven’t seen him before.† She tightened in on the man’s face and smiled. â€Å"But I wouldn’t mind seeing him again.† Robert Langdon dashed down the stairs outside the church and into the middle of the piazza. It was getting dark now, the springtime sun setting late in southern Rome. The sun had dropped below the surrounding buildings, and shadows streaked the square. â€Å"Okay, Bernini,† he said aloud to himself. â€Å"Where the hell is your angel pointing?† He turned and examined the orientation of the church from which he had just come. He pictured the Chigi Chapel inside, and the sculpture of the angel inside that. Without hesitation he turned due west, into the glow of the impending sunset. Time was evaporating. â€Å"Southwest,† he said, scowling at the shops and apartments blocking his view. â€Å"The next marker is out there.† Racking his brain, Langdon pictured page after page of Italian art history. Although very familiar with Bernini’s work, Langdon knew the sculptor had been far too prolific for any nonspecialist to know all of it. Still, considering the relative fame of the first marker – Habakkuk and the Angel – Langdon hoped the second marker was a work he might know from memory. Earth, Air, Fire, Water, he thought. Earth they had found – inside the Chapel of the Earth – Habakkuk, the prophet who predicted the earth’s annihilation. Air is next. Langdon urged himself to think. A Bernini sculpture that has something to do with Air! He was drawing a total blank. Still he felt energized. I’m on the path of Illumination! It is still intact! Looking southwest, Langdon strained to see a spire or cathedral tower jutting up over the obstacles. He saw nothing. He needed a map. If they could figure out what churches were southwest of here, maybe one of them would spark Langdon’s memory. Air, he pressed. Air. Bernini. Sculpture. Air. Think! Langdon turned and headed back up the cathedral stairs. He was met beneath the scaffolding by Vittoria and Olivetti. â€Å"Southwest,† Langdon said, panting. â€Å"The next church is southwest of here.† Olivetti’s whisper was cold. â€Å"You sure this time?† Langdon didn’t bite. â€Å"We need a map. One that shows all the churches in Rome.† The commander studied him a moment, his expression never changing. Langdon checked his watch. â€Å"We only have half an hour.† Olivetti moved past Langdon down the stairs toward his car, parked directly in front of the cathedral. Langdon hoped he was going for a map. Vittoria looked excited. â€Å"So the angel’s pointing southwest? No idea which churches are southwest?† â€Å"I can’t see past the damn buildings.† Langdon turned and faced the square again. â€Å"And I don’t know Rome’s churches well enou – † He stopped. Vittoria looked startled. â€Å"What?† Langdon looked out at the piazza again. Having ascended the church stairs, he was now higher, and his view was better. He still couldn’t see anything, but he realized he was moving in the right direction. His eyes climbed the tower of rickety scaffolding above him. It rose six stories, almost to the top of the church’s rose window, far higher than the other buildings in the square. He knew in an instant where he was headed. Across the square, Chinita Macri and Gunther Glick sat glued to the windshield of the BBC van. â€Å"You getting this?† Gunther asked. Macri tightened her shot on the man now climbing the scaffolding. â€Å"He’s a little well dressed to be playing Spiderman if you ask me.† â€Å"And who’s Ms. Spidey?† Chinita glanced at the attractive woman beneath the scaffolding. â€Å"Bet you’d like to find out.† â€Å"Think I should call editorial?† â€Å"Not yet. Let’s watch. Better to have something in the can before we admit we abandoned conclave.† â€Å"You think somebody really killed one of the old farts in there?† Chinita clucked. â€Å"You’re definitely going to hell.† â€Å"And I’ll be taking the Pulitzer with me.† 71 The scaffolding seemed less stable the higher Langdon climbed. His view of Rome, however, got better with every step. He continued upward. He was breathing harder than he expected when he reached the upper tier. He pulled himself onto the last platform, brushed off the plaster, and stood up. The height did not bother him at all. In fact, it was invigorating. The view was staggering. Like an ocean on fire, the red-tiled rooftops of Rome spread out before him, glowing in the scarlet sunset. From that spot, for the first time in his life, Langdon saw beyond the pollution and traffic of Rome to its ancient roots – Citt di Dio – The city of God. Squinting into the sunset, Langdon scanned the rooftops for a church steeple or bell tower. But as he looked farther and farther toward the horizon, he saw nothing. There are hundreds of churches in Rome, he thought. There must be one southwest of here! If the church is even visible, he reminded himself. Hell, if the church is even still standing! Forcing his eyes to trace the line slowly, he attempted the search again. He knew, of course, that not all churches would have visible spires, especially smaller, out-of-the-way sanctuaries. Not to mention, Rome had changed dramatically since the 1600s when churches were by law the tallest buildings allowed. Now, as Langdon looked out, he saw apartment buildings, high-rises, TV towers. For the second time, Langdon’s eye reached the horizon without seeing anything. Not one single spire. In the distance, on the very edge of Rome, Michelangelo’s massive dome blotted the setting sun. St. Peter’s Basilica. Vatican City. Langdon found himself wondering how the cardinals were faring, and if the Swiss Guards’ search had turned up the antimatter. Something told him it hadn’t†¦ and wouldn’t. The poem was rattling through his head again. He considered it, carefully, line by line. From Santi’s earthly tomb with demon’s hole. They had found Santi’s tomb. ‘Cross Rome the mystic elements unfold. The mystic elements were Earth, Air, Fire, Water. The path of light is laid, the sacred test. The path of Illumination formed by Bernini’s sculptures. Let angels guide you on your lofty quest. The angel was pointing southwest†¦ â€Å"Front stairs!† Glick exclaimed, pointing wildly through the windshield of the BBC van. â€Å"Something’s going on!† Macri dropped her shot back down to the main entrance. Something was definitely going on. At the bottom of the stairs, the military-looking man had pulled one of the Alpha Romeos close to the stairs and opened the trunk. Now he was scanning the square as if checking for onlookers. For a moment, Macri thought the man had spotted them, but his eyes kept moving. Apparently satisfied, he pulled out a walkie-talkie and spoke into it. Almost instantly, it seemed an army emerged from the church. Like an American football team breaking from a huddle, the soldiers formed a straight line across the top of the stairs. Moving like a human wall, they began to descend. Behind them, almost entirely hidden by the wall, four soldiers seemed to be carrying something. Something heavy. Awkward. Glick leaned forward on the dashboard. â€Å"Are they stealing something from the church?† Chinita tightened her shot even more, using the telephoto to probe the wall of men, looking for an opening. One split second, she willed. A single frame. That’s all I need. But the men moved as one. Come on! Macri stayed with them, and it paid off. When the soldiers tried to lift the object into the trunk, Macri found her opening. Ironically, it was the older man who faltered. Only for an instant, but long enough. Macri had her frame. Actually, it was more like ten frames. â€Å"Call editorial,† Chinita said. â€Å"We’ve got a dead body.† Far away, at CERN, Maximilian Kohler maneuvered his wheelchair into Leonardo Vetra’s study. With mechanical efficiency, he began sifting through Vetra’s files. Not finding what he was after, Kohler moved to Vetra’s bedroom. The top drawer of his bedside table was locked. Kohler pried it open with a knife from the kitchen. Inside Kohler found exactly what he was looking for. 72 Langdon swung off the scaffolding and dropped back to the ground. He brushed the plaster dust from his clothes. Vittoria was there to greet him. â€Å"No luck?† she said. He shook his head. â€Å"They put the cardinal in the trunk.† Langdon looked over to the parked car where Olivetti and a group of soldiers now had a map spread out on the hood. â€Å"Are they looking southwest?† She nodded. â€Å"No churches. From here the first one you hit is St. Peter’s.† Langdon grunted. At least they were in agreement. He moved toward Olivetti. The soldiers parted to let him through. Olivetti looked up. â€Å"Nothing. But this doesn’t show every last church. Just the big ones. About fifty of them.† â€Å"Where are we?† Langdon asked. Olivetti pointed to Piazza del Popolo and traced a straight line exactly southwest. The line missed, by a substantial margin, the cluster of black squares indicating Rome’s major churches. Unfortunately, Rome’s major churches were also Rome’s older churches†¦ those that would have been around in the 1600s. â€Å"I’ve got some decisions to make,† Olivetti said. â€Å"Are you certain of the direction?† Langdon pictured the angel’s outstretched finger, the urgency rising in him again. â€Å"Yes, sir. Positive.† Olivetti shrugged and traced the straight line again. The path intersected the Margherita Bridge, Via Cola di Riezo, and passed through Piazza del Risorgimento, hitting no churches at all until it dead-ended abruptly at the center of St. Peter’s Square. â€Å"What’s wrong with St. Peter’s?† one of the soldiers said. He had a deep scar under his left eye. â€Å"It’s a church.† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Needs to be a public place. Hardly seems public at the moment.† â€Å"But the line goes through St. Peter’s Square,† Vittoria added, looking over Langdon’s shoulder. â€Å"The square is public.† Langdon had already considered it. â€Å"No statues, though.† â€Å"Isn’t there a monolith in the middle?† She was right. There was an Egyptian monolith in St. Peter’s Square. Langdon looked out at the monolith in the piazza in front of them. The lofty pyramid. An odd coincidence, he thought. He shook it off. â€Å"The Vatican’s monolith is not by Bernini. It was brought in by Caligula. And it has nothing to do with Air.† There was another problem as well. â€Å"Besides, the poem says the elements are spread across Rome. St. Peter’s Square is in Vatican City. Not Rome.† â€Å"Depends who you ask,† a guard interjected. Langdon looked up. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Always a bone of contention. Most maps show St. Peter’s Square as part of Vatican City, but because it’s outside the walled city, Roman officials for centuries have claimed it as part of Rome.† â€Å"You’re kidding,† Langdon said. He had never known that. â€Å"I only mention it,† the guard continued, â€Å"because Commander Olivetti and Ms. Vetra were asking about a sculpture that had to do with Air.† Langdon was wide-eyed. â€Å"And you know of one in St. Peter’s Square?† â€Å"Not exactly. It’s not really a sculpture. Probably not relevant.† â€Å"Let’s hear it,† Olivetti pressed. The guard shrugged. â€Å"The only reason I know about it is because I’m usually on piazza duty. I know every corner of St. Peter’s Square.† â€Å"The sculpture,† Langdon urged. â€Å"What does it look like?† Langdon was starting to wonder if the Illuminati could really have been gutsy enough to position their second marker right outside St. Peter’s Church. â€Å"I patrol past it every day,† the guard said. â€Å"It’s in the center, directly where that line is pointing. That’s what made me think of it. As I said, it’s not really a sculpture. It’s more of a†¦ block.† Olivetti looked mad. â€Å"A block?† â€Å"Yes, sir. A marble block embedded in the square. At the base of the monolith. But the block is not a rectangle. It’s an ellipse. And the block is carved with the image of a billowing gust of wind.† He paused. â€Å"Air, I suppose, if you wanted to get scientific about it.† Langdon stared at the young soldier in amazement. â€Å"A relief!† he exclaimed suddenly. Everyone looked at him. â€Å"Relief,† Langdon said, â€Å"is the other half of sculpture!† Sculpture is the art of shaping figures in the round and also in relief. He had written the definition on chalkboards for years. Reliefs were essentially two-dimensional sculptures, like Abraham Lincoln’s profile on the penny. Bernini’s Chigi Chapel medallions were another perfect example. â€Å"Bassorelievo?† the guard asked, using the Italian art term. â€Å"Yes! Bas-relief!† Langdon rapped his knuckles on the hood. â€Å"I wasn’t thinking in those terms! That tile you’re talking about in St. Peter’s Square is called the West Ponente – the West Wind. It’s also known as Respiro di Dio.† â€Å"Breath of God?† â€Å"Yes! Air! And it was carved and put there by the original architect!† Vittoria looked confused. â€Å"But I thought Michelangelo designed St. Peter’s.† â€Å"Yes, the basilica!† Langdon exclaimed, triumph in his voice. â€Å"But St. Peter’s Square was designed by Bernini!† As the caravan of Alpha Romeos tore out of Piazza del Popolo, everyone was in too much of a hurry to notice the BBC van pulling out behind them. 73 Gunther Glick floored the BBC van’s accelerator and swerved through traffic as he tailed the four speeding Alpha Romeos across the Tiber River on Ponte Margherita. Normally Glick would have made an effort to maintain an inconspicuous distance, but today he could barely keep up. These guys were flying. Macri sat in her work area in the back of the van finishing a phone call with London. She hung up and yelled to Glick over the sound of the traffic. â€Å"You want the good news or bad news?† Glick frowned. Nothing was ever simple when dealing with the home office. â€Å"Bad news.† â€Å"Editorial is burned we abandoned our post.† â€Å"Surprise.† â€Å"They also think your tipster is a fraud.† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"And the boss just warned me that you’re a few crumpets short of a proper tea.† Glick scowled. â€Å"Great. And the good news?† â€Å"They agreed to look at the footage we just shot.† Glick felt his scowl soften into a grin. I guess we’ll see who’s short a few crumpets. â€Å"So fire it off.† â€Å"Can’t transmit until we stop and get a fixed cell read.† Glick gunned the van onto Via Cola di Rienzo. â€Å"Can’t stop now.† He tailed the Alpha Romeos through a hard left swerve around Piazza Risorgimento. Macri held on to her computer gear in back as everything slid. â€Å"Break my transmitter,† she warned, â€Å"and we’ll have to walk this footage to London.† â€Å"Sit tight, love. Something tells me we’re almost there.† Macri looked up. â€Å"Where?† Glick gazed out at the familiar dome now looming directly in front of them. He smiled. â€Å"Right back where we started.† The four Alpha Romeos slipped deftly into traffic surrounding St. Peter’s Square. They split up and spread out along the piazza perimeter, quietly unloading men at select points. The debarking guards moved into the throng of tourists and media vans on the edge of the square and instantly became invisible. Some of the guards entered the forest of pillars encompassing the colonnade. They too seemed to evaporate into the surroundings. As Langdon watched through the windshield, he sensed a noose tightening around St. Peter’s. In addition to the men Olivetti had just dispatched, the commander had radioed ahead to the Vatican and sent additional undercover guards to the center where Bernini’s West Ponente was located. As Langdon looked out at the wide-open spaces of St. Peter’s Square, a familiar question nagged. How does the Illuminati assassin plan to get away with this? How will he get a cardinal through all these people and kill him in plain view? Langdon checked his Mickey Mouse watch. It was 8:54 P.M. Six minutes. In the front seat, Olivetti turned and faced Langdon and Vittoria. â€Å"I want you two right on top of this Bernini brick or block or whatever the hell it is. Same drill. You’re tourists. Use the phone if you see anything.† Before Langdon could respond, Vittoria had his hand and was pulling him out of the car. The springtime sun was setting behind St. Peter’s Basilica, and a massive shadow spread, engulfing the piazza. Langdon felt an ominous chill as he and Vittoria moved into the cool, black umbra. Snaking through the crowd, Langdon found himself searching every face they passed, wondering if the killer was among them. Vittoria’s hand felt warm. As they crossed the open expanse of St. Peter’s Square, Langdon sensed Bernini’s sprawling piazza having the exact effect the artist had been commissioned to create – that of â€Å"humbling all those who entered.† Langdon certainly felt humbled at the moment. Humbled and hungry, he realized, surprised such a mundane thought could enter his head at a moment like this. â€Å"To the obelisk?† Vittoria asked. Langdon nodded, arching left across the piazza. â€Å"Time?† Vittoria asked, walking briskly, but casually. â€Å"Five of.† Vittoria said nothing, but Langdon felt her grip tighten. He was still carrying the gun. He hoped Vittoria would not decide she needed it. He could not imagine her whipping out a weapon in St. Peter’s Square and blowing away the kneecaps of some killer while the global media looked on. Then again, an incident like that would be nothing compared to the branding and murder of a cardinal out here. Air, Langdon thought. The second element of science. He tried to picture the brand. The method of murder. Again he scanned the sprawling expanse of granite beneath his feet – St. Peter’s Square – an open desert surrounded by Swiss Guard. If the Hassassin really dared attempt this, Langdon could not imagine how he would escape. In the center of the piazza rose Caligula’s 350-ton Egyptian obelisk. It stretched eighty-one feet skyward to the pyramidal apex onto which was affixed a hollow iron cross. Sufficiently high to catch the last of the evening sun, the cross shone as if magic†¦ purportedly containing relics of the cross on which Christ was crucified. Two fountains flanked the obelisk in perfect symmetry. Art historians knew the fountains marked the exact geometric focal points of Bernini’s elliptical piazza, but it was an architectural oddity Langdon had never really considered until today. It seemed Rome was suddenly filled with ellipses, pyramids, and startling geometry. As they neared the obelisk, Vittoria slowed. She exhaled heavily, as if coaxing Langdon to relax along with her. Langdon made the effort, lowering his shoulders and loosening his clenched jaw. Somewhere around the obelisk, boldly positioned outside the largest church in the world, was the second altar of science – Bernini’s West Ponente – an elliptical block in St. Peter’s Square. Gunther Glick watched from the shadows of the pillars surrounding St. Peter’s Square. On any other day the man in the tweed jacket and the woman in khaki shorts would not have interested him in the least. They appeared to be nothing but tourists enjoying the square. But today was not any other day. Today had been a day of phone tips, corpses, unmarked cars racing through Rome, and men in tweed jackets climbing scaffolding in search of God only knew what. Glick would stay with them. He looked out across the square and saw Macri. She was exactly where he had told her to go, on the far side of the couple, hovering on their flank. Macri carried her video camera casually, but despite her imitation of a bored member of the press, she stood out more than Glick would have liked. No other reporters were in this far corner of the square, and the acronym â€Å"BBC† stenciled on her camera was drawing some looks from tourists. The tape Macri had shot earlier of the naked body dumped in the trunk was playing at this very moment on the VCR transmitter back in the van. Glick knew the images were sailing over his head right now en route to London. He wondered what editorial would say. He wished he and Macri had reached the body sooner, before the army of plainclothed soldiers had intervened. The same army, he knew, had now fanned out and surrounded this piazza. Something big was about to happen. The media is the right arm of anarchy, the killer had said. Glick wondered if he had missed his chance for a big scoop. He looked out at the other media vans in the distance and watched Macri tailing the mysterious couple across the piazza. Something told Glick he was still in the game†¦