Art As A Driving Force For The Abstract Of Art - 940 Words

Art can be for art’s sake; it does not need to be representational. Jackson Pollock was an influential American painter who became a driving force for the abstract expression movement. His belief that his art comes from within was an impetrative idea behind his style. His beliefs have a huge impact on how I view art, create art, and inspired me for my final piece. Pollock was born in Cody, Wyoming in 1912. His father, LeRoy Pollock, was a farmer who raised his children in Arizona and Chico, California. Pollock was heavily influenced by Pablo Picasso, Digo Rivera, and Native American art. All of these influences contributed to Pollock’s unique style. In 1929, Jackson Pollock studied at the Students League in New York under Thomas Hart Benton. He learned techniques that helped him understand space, line, color, and much more. In mid-1940’s Pollock introduced his famous drip paintings. These paintings were such a radical approach to the changes that happened during and after WWII. Media latched onto his methods and Life soon releases an article titled â€Å"Jackson Pollock: Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?† The content was â€Å"mocking and respectful.† Vogue magazine caught onto the avant-garde artwork and joined the trend publishing fashion photographs in front of the beautiful drip paintings. These widely known companies persuaded society to accept the new idea to art. Pollock struggled with depression and alcoholism. His premature death in August of 1956,Show MoreRelatedRobert Motherwell : Art History1099 Words   |  5 PagesProfessor Ming Art History 11 April 2016 Robert Motherwell Robert Motherwell was born in Washington in 1915, sought to be a conservative bank chairman as his father, Motherwell had other plans. Motherwell growing up showed more interest in intellectual and creative pursuits. Following the passion landed him with a scholarship to Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles, Ca. 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The Furies, thoughRead MoreAnalysis Of The Other Hand 1418 Words   |  6 Pagesbeauty we perceive through art can change or support a pre-conceived idea. On the other hand, Elaine Scarry’s view resides in the fact that our view of beauty promotes the spirit of justice. Art is not so much the focus, rather beauty is the driving force of these two essays. There is an educational aspect to beauty that implies improvement within an individual or society and is promoted through both essays. Leo Tolstoy’s â€Å"What is Art† rejects any definition of art based on the conceptionRead More Behind the Art Essay1684 Words   |  7 PagesBehind the Art What is art? By definition it is, â€Å"An occupation requiring knowledge or skill† (Merriam). Many people would argue that late artist Jackson Pollock’s work would not go under this category. But Pollock’s paintings were not random splats and splashes, but carefully planned and expertly executed works of art. In order to understand Pollock’s work, it’s important that you know a little about him. Jackson Pollock was born in Wyoming in 1912. His familyRead MoreThe Portrayal Of Women Since 1960 s Comics888 Words   |  4 PagesThe Portrayal of Women in 1960’s Comics We can learn a lot about history through art. Take for example prehistoric cave painting, the painting of pictures on caves gave historians insight into the mindset of a culture that lived a long time ago. Since the invention of the printing press and television, we can learn a great deal about modern culture through newspapers, television programs, novels, and print advertisements. In this essay, we’ll explore what we can learn about 1960s American cultureRead More The prince Essay1526 Words   |  7 Pages Niccolo Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Prince† attempts to explain the necessary tactics and required knowledge a ruler must attain in order to gain and maintain a successful reign. 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The Lost Symbol Chapter 30-32 Free Essays

CHAPTER 30 SB level. Senate basement. Robert Langdon’s claustrophobia gripped him more tightly with every hastening step of their descent. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Symbol Chapter 30-32 or any similar topic only for you Order Now As they moved deeper into the building’s original foundation, the air became heavy, and the ventilation seemed nonexistent. The walls down here were an uneven blend of stone and yellow brick. Director Sato typed on her BlackBerry as they walked. Langdon sensed a suspicion in her guarded manner, but the feeling was quickly becoming reciprocal. Sato still hadn’t told him how she knew Langdon was here tonight. An issue of national security? He had a hard time understanding any relation between ancient mysticism and national security. Then again, he had a hard time understanding much of anything about this situation. Peter Solomon entrusted me with a talisman . . . a deluded lunatic tricked me into bringing it to the Capitol and wants me to use it to unlock a mystical portal . . . possibly in a room called SBB13. Not exactly a clear picture. As they pressed on, Langdon tried to shake from his mind the horrible image of Peter’s tattooed hand, transformed into the Hand of the Mysteries. The gruesome picture was accompanied by Peter’s voice: The Ancient Mysteries, Robert, have spawned many myths . . . but that does not mean they themselves are fiction. Despite a career studying mystical symbols and history, Langdon had always struggled intellectually with the idea of the Ancient Mysteries and their potent promise of apotheosis. Admittedly, the historical record contained indisputable evidence that secret wisdom had been passed down through the ages, apparently having come out of the Mystery Schools in early Egypt. This knowledge moved underground, resurfacing in Renaissance Europe, where, according to most accounts, it was entrusted to an elite group of scientists within the walls of Europe’s premier scientific think tank–the Royal Society of London–enigmatically nicknamed the Invisible College. This concealed â€Å"college† quickly became a brain trust of the world’s most enlightened minds– those of Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon, Robert Boyle, and even Benjamin Franklin. Today, the list of modern â€Å"fellows† was no less impressive–Einstein, Hawking, Bohr, and Celsius. These great minds had all made quantum leaps in human understanding, advances that, according to some, were the result of their exposure to ancient wisdom hidden within the Invisible College. Langdon doubted this was true, although certainly there had been an unusual amount of â€Å"mystical work† taking place within those walls. The discovery of Isaac Newton’s secret papers in 1936 had stunned the world by revealing Newton’s all-consuming passion for the study of ancient alchemy and mystical wisdom. Newton’s private papers included a handwritten letter to Robert Boyle in which he exhorted Boyle to keep â€Å"high silence† regarding the mystical knowledge they had learned. â€Å"It cannot be communicated,† Newton wrote, â€Å"without immense damage to the world.† The meaning of this strange warning was still being debated today. â€Å"Professor,† Sato said suddenly, glancing up from her BlackBerry, â€Å"despite your insistence that you have no idea why you’re here tonight, perhaps you could shed light on the meaning of Peter Solomon’s ring.† â€Å"I can try,† Langdon said, refocusing. She produced the specimen bag and handed it to Langdon. â€Å"Tell me about the symbols on his ring.† Langdon examined the familiar ring as they moved through the deserted passageway. Its face bore the image of a double-headed phoenix holding a banner proclaiming ORDO AB CHAO, and its chest was emblazoned with the number 33. â€Å"The double-headed phoenix with the number thirty-three is the emblem of the highest Masonic degree.† Technically, this prestigious degree existed solely within the Scottish Rite. Nonetheless, the rites and degrees of Masonry were a complex hierarchy that Langdon had no desire to detail for Sato tonight. â€Å"Essentially, the thirty- third degree is an elite honor reserved for a small group of highly accomplished Masons. All the other degrees can be attained by successful completion of the previous degree, but ascension to the thirty-third degree is controlled. It’s by invitation only.† â€Å"So you were aware that Peter Solomon was a member of this elite inner circle?† â€Å"Of course. Membership is hardly a secret.† â€Å"And he is their highest-ranking official?† â€Å"Currently, yes. Peter heads the Supreme Council Thirty-third Degree, which is the governing body of the Scottish Rite in America.† Langdon always loved visiting their headquarters–the House of the Temple–a classical masterpiece whose symbolic ornamentation rivaled that of Scotland’s Rosslyn Chapel. â€Å"Professor, did you notice the engraving on the ring’s band? It bears the words `All is revealed at the thirty-third degree.’ â€Å" Langdon nodded. â€Å"It’s a common theme in Masonic lore.† â€Å"Meaning, I assume, that if a Mason is admitted to this highest thirty-third degree, then something special is revealed to him?† â€Å"Yes, that’s the lore, but probably not the reality. There’s always been conspiratorial conjecture that a select few within this highest echelon of Masonry are made privy to some great mystical secret. The truth, I suspect, is probably far less dramatic.† Peter Solomon often made playful allusions to the existence of a precious Masonic secret, but Langdon always assumed it was just a mischievous attempt to coax him into joining the brotherhood. Unfortunately, tonight’s events had been anything but playful, and there had been nothing mischievous about the seriousness with which Peter had urged Langdon to protect the sealed package in his daybag. Langdon glanced forlornly at the plastic bag containing Peter’s gold ring. â€Å"Director,† he asked, â€Å"would you mind if I held on to this?† She looked over. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"It’s very valuable to Peter, and I’d like to return it to him tonight.† She looked skeptical. â€Å"Let’s hope you get that chance.† â€Å"Thanks.† Langdon pocketed the ring. â€Å"Another question,† Sato said as they hastened deeper into the labyrinth. â€Å"My staff said that while cross-checking the concepts of the `thirty-third degree’ and `portal’ with Masonry, they turned up literally hundreds of references to a `pyramid’?† â€Å"That’s not surprising, either,† Langdon said. â€Å"The pyramid builders of Egypt are the forerunners of the modern stonemasons, and the pyramid, along with Egyptian themes, is very common in Masonic symbolism.† â€Å"Symbolizing what?† â€Å"The pyramid essentially represents enlightenment. It’s an architectural symbol emblematic of ancient man’s ability to break free from his earthly plane and ascend upward toward heaven, toward the golden sun, and ultimately, toward the supreme source of illumination.† She waited a moment. â€Å"Nothing else?† Nothing else?! Langdon had just described one of history’s most elegant symbols. The structure through which man elevated himself into the realm of the gods. â€Å"According to my staff,† she said, â€Å"it sounds like there is a much more relevant connection tonight. They tell me there exists a popular legend about a specific pyramid here in Washington–a pyramid that relates specifically to the Masons and the Ancient Mysteries?† Langdon now realized what she was referring to, and he tried to dispel the notion before they wasted any more time. â€Å"I am familiar with the legend, Director, but it’s pure fantasy. The Masonic Pyramid is one of D.C.’s most enduring myths, probably stemming from the pyramid on the Great Seal of the United States.† â€Å"Why didn’t you mention it earlier?† Langdon shrugged. â€Å"Because it has no basis in fact. Like I said, it’s a myth. One of many associated with the Masons.† â€Å"And yet this particular myth relates directly to the Ancient Mysteries?† â€Å"Sure, as do plenty of others. The Ancient Mysteries are the foundation for countless legends that have survived in history–stories about powerful wisdom protected by secret guardians like the Templars, the Rosicrucians, the Illuminati, the Alumbrados–the list goes on and on. They are all based on the Ancient Mysteries . . . and the Masonic Pyramid is just one example.† â€Å"I see,† Sato said. â€Å"And what does this legend actually say?† Langdon considered it for a few steps and then replied, â€Å"Well, I’m no specialist in conspiracy theory, but I am educated in mythology, and most accounts go something like this: The Ancient Mysteries–the lost wisdom of the ages–have long been considered mankind’s most sacred treasure, and like all great treasures, they have been carefully protected. The enlightened sages who understood the true power of this wisdom learned to fear its awesome potential. They knew that if this secret knowledge were to fall into uninitiated hands, the results could be devastating; as we said earlier, powerful tools can be used either for good or for evil. So, in order to protect the Ancient Mysteries, and mankind in the process, the early practitioners formed secret fraternities. Inside these brotherhoods, they shared their wisdom only with the properly initiated, passing the wisdom from sage to sage. Many believe we can look back and see the historical remnants of thos e who mastered the Mysteries . . . in the stories of sorcerers, magicians, and healers.† â€Å"And the Masonic Pyramid?† Sato asked. â€Å"How does that fit in?† â€Å"Well,† Langdon said, striding faster now to keep pace, â€Å"this is where history and myth begin to merge. According to some accounts, by the sixteenth century in Europe, almost all of these secret fraternities had become extinct, most of them exterminated by a growing tide of religious persecution. The Freemasons, it is said, became the last surviving custodians of the Ancient Mysteries. Understandably, they feared that if their own brotherhood one day died off like its predecessors, the Ancient Mysteries would be lost for all time.† â€Å"And the pyramid?† Sato again pressed. Langdon was getting to it. â€Å"The legend of the Masonic Pyramid is quite simple. It states that the Masons, in order to fulfill their responsibility of protecting this great wisdom for future generations, decided to hide it in a great fortress.† Langdon tried to gather his recollections of the story. â€Å"Again, I stress this is all myth, but allegedly, the Masons transported their secret wisdom from the Old World to the New World–here, to America–a land they hoped would remain free from religious tyranny. And here they built an impenetrable fortress–a hidden pyramid– designed to protect the Ancient Mysteries until the time that all of mankind was ready to handle the awesome power that this wisdom could communicate. According to the myth, the Masons crowned their great pyramid with a shining, solid-gold capstone as symbol of the precious treasure within–the ancient wisdom capable of empowering mankind to his full human potential. Apotheo sis.† â€Å"Quite a story,† Sato said. â€Å"Yes. The Masons fall victim to all kinds of crazy legends.† â€Å"Obviously you don’t believe such a pyramid exists.† â€Å"Of course not,† Langdon replied. â€Å"There’s no evidence whatsoever to suggest that our Masonic forefathers built any kind of pyramid in America, much less in D.C. It’s pretty difficult to hide a pyramid, especially one large enough to hold all the lost wisdom of the ages.† The legend, as Langdon recalled, never explained exactly what was supposed to be inside the Masonic Pyramid–whether it was ancient texts, occult writings, scientific revelations, or something far more mysterious–but the legend did say that the precious information inside was ingeniously encoded . . . and understandable only to the most enlightened souls. â€Å"Anyway,† Langdon said, â€Å"this story falls into a category we symbologists call an `archetypal hybrid’–a blend of other classic legends, borrowing so many elements from popular mythology that it could only be a fictional construct . . . not historical fact.† When Langdon taught his students about archetypal hybrids, he used the example of fairy tales, which were recounted across generations and exaggerated over time, borrowing so heavily from one another that they evolved into homogenized morality tales with the same iconic elements– virginal damsels, handsome princes, impenetrable fortresses, and powerful wizards. By way of fairy tales, this primeval battle of â€Å"good vs. evil† is ingrained into us as children through our stories: Merlin vs. Morgan le Fay, Saint George vs. the Dragon, David vs. Goliath, Snow White vs. the Witch, and even Luke Skywalker battling Darth Vader. Sato scratched her head as they turned a corner and followed Anderson down a short flight of stairs. â€Å"Tell me this. If I’m not mistaken, pyramids were once considered mystical portals through which the deceased pharaohs could ascend to the gods, were they not?† â€Å"True.† Sato stopped short and caught Langdon’s arm, glaring up at him with an expression somewhere between surprise and disbelief. â€Å"You’re saying Peter Solomon’s captor told you to find a hidden portal, and it didn’t occur to you that he was talking about the Masonic Pyramid from this legend?† â€Å"By any name, the Masonic Pyramid is a fairy tale. It’s purely fantasy.† Sato stepped closer to him now, and Langdon could smell her cigarette breath. â€Å"I understand your position on that, Professor, but for the sake of my investigation, the parallel is hard to ignore. A portal leading to secret knowledge? To my ear, this sounds a lot like what Peter Solomon’s captor claims you, alone, can unlock.† â€Å"Well, I can hardly believe–â€Å" â€Å"What you believe is not the point. No matter what you believe, you must concede that this man might himself believe that the Masonic Pyramid is real.† â€Å"The man’s a lunatic! He may well believe that SBB Thirteen is the entrance to a giant underground pyramid that contains all the lost wisdom of the ancients!† Sato stood perfectly still, her eyes seething. â€Å"The crisis I am facing tonight is not a fairy tale, Professor. It is quite real, I assure you.† A cold silence hung between them. â€Å"Ma’am?† Anderson finally said, gesturing to another secure door ten feet away. â€Å"We’re almost there, if you’d like to continue.† Sato finally broke eye contact with Langdon, motioning for Anderson to move on. They followed the security chief through the secure doorway, which deposited them in a narrow passage. Langdon looked left and then right. You’ve got to be kidding. He was standing in the longest hallway he had ever seen. CHAPTER 31 Trish Dunne felt the familiar surge of adrenaline as she exited the bright lights of the Cube and moved into the raw darkness of the void. The SMSC’s front gate had just called to say that Katherine’s guest, Dr. Abaddon, had arrived and required an escort back to Pod 5. Trish had offered to bring him back, mostly out of curiosity. Katherine had said very little about the man who would be visiting them, and Trish was intrigued. The man was apparently someone Peter Solomon trusted deeply; the Solomons never invited anyone back to the Cube. This was a first. I hope he handles the crossing okay, Trish thought as she moved through the frigid darkness. The last thing she needed was Katherine’s VIP panicking when he realized what he had to do to get to the lab. The first time is always the worst. Trish’s first time had been about a year ago. She had accepted Katherine’s job offer, signed a nondisclosure, and then come to the SMSC with Katherine to see the lab. The two women had walked the length of â€Å"The Street,† arriving at a metal door marked POD 5. Even though Katherine had tried to prepare her by describing the lab’s remote location, Trish was not ready for what she saw when the pod door hissed open. The void. Katherine stepped over the threshold, walked a few feet into the perfect blackness, and then motioned for Trish to follow. â€Å"Trust me. You won’t get lost.† Trish pictured herself wandering in a pitch-black, stadium-size room and broke a sweat at the mere thought. â€Å"We have a guidance system to keep you on track.† Katherine pointed to the floor. â€Å"Very low- tech.† Trish squinted through the darkness at the rough cement floor. It took a moment to see it in the darkness, but there was a narrow carpet runner that had been laid down in a straight line. The carpet ran like a roadway, disappearing into the darkness. â€Å"See with your feet,† Katherine said, turning and walking off. â€Å"Just follow right behind me.† As Katherine disappeared into the blackness, Trish swallowed her fear and followed. This is insane! She had taken only a few steps down the carpet when the Pod 5 door swung shut behind her, snuffing out the last faint hint of light. Pulse racing, Trish turned all of her attention to the feeling of the carpet beneath her feet. She had ventured only a handful of steps down the soft runner when she felt the side of her right foot hit hard cement. Startled, she instinctively corrected to the left, getting both feet back on soft carpet. Katherine’s voice materialized up ahead in the blackness, her words almost entirely swallowed by the lifeless acoustics of this abyss. â€Å"The human body is amazing,† she said. â€Å"If you deprive it of one sensory input, the other senses take over, almost instantly. Right now, the nerves in your feet are literally `tuning’ themselves to become more sensitive.† Good thing, Trish thought, correcting course again. They walked in silence for what seemed entirely too long. â€Å"How much farther?† Trish finally asked. â€Å"We’re about halfway.† Katherine’s voice sounded more distant now. Trish sped up, doing her best to stay composed, but the breadth of the darkness felt like it would engulf her. I can’t see one millimeter in front of my face! â€Å"Katherine? How do you know when to stop walking?† â€Å"You’ll know in a moment,† Katherine said. That was a year ago, and now, tonight, Trish was once again in the void, heading in the opposite direction, out to the lobby to retrieve her boss’s guest. A sudden change in carpet texture beneath her feet alerted her that she was three yards from the exit. The warning track, as it was called by Peter Solomon, an avid baseball fan. Trish stopped short, pulled out her key card, and groped in the darkness along the wall until she found the raised slot and inserted her card. The door hissed open. Trish squinted into the welcoming light of the SMSC hallway. Made it . . . again. Moving through the deserted corridors, Trish found herself thinking about the bizarre redacted file they had found on a secure network. Ancient portal? Secret location underground? She wondered if Mark Zoubianis was having any luck figuring out where the mysterious document was located. Inside the control room, Katherine stood in the soft glow of the plasma wall and gazed up at the enigmatic document they had uncovered. She had isolated her key phrases now and felt increasingly certain that the document was talking about the same far-flung legend that her brother had apparently shared with Dr. Abaddon. . . . secret location UNDERGROUND where the . . . . . . somewhere in WASHINGTON, D.C., the coordinates . . . . . . uncovered an ANCIENT PORTAL that led . . . . . . warning the PYRAMID holds dangerous . . . . . . decipher this ENGRAVED SYMBOLON to unveil . . . I need to see the rest of the file, Katherine thought. She stared a moment longer and then flipped the plasma wall’s power switch. Katherine always turned off this energy-intensive display so as not to waste the fuel cell’s liquid hydrogen reserves. She watched as her keywords slowly faded, collapsing down into a tiny white dot, which hovered in the middle of the wall and then finally twinkled out. She turned and walked back toward her office. Dr. Abaddon would be arriving momentarily, and she wanted to make him feel welcome. CHAPTER 32 â€Å"Almost there,† Anderson said, guiding Langdon and Sato down the seemingly endless corridor that ran the entire length of the Capitol’s eastern foundation. â€Å"In Lincoln’s day, this passage had a dirt floor and was filled with rats.† Langdon felt grateful the floor had been tiled; he was not a big fan of rats. The group continued on, their footfalls drumming up an eerie, uneven echo in the long passageway. Doorways lined the long hallway, some closed but many ajar. Many of the rooms down on this level looked abandoned. Langdon noticed the numbers on the doors were now descending and, after a while, seemed to be running out. SB4 . . . SB3 . . . SB2 . . . SB1 . . . They continued past an unmarked door, but Anderson stopped short when the numbers began ascending again. HB1 . . . HB2 . . . â€Å"Sorry,† Anderson said. â€Å"Missed it. I almost never come down this deep.† The group backed up a few yards to an old metal door, which Langdon now realized was located at the hallway’s central point–the meridian that divided the Senate Basement (SB) and the House Basement (HB). As it turned out, the door was indeed marked, but its engraving was so faded, it was almost imperceptible. SBB â€Å"Here we are,† Anderson said. â€Å"Keys will be arriving any moment.† Sato frowned and checked her watch. Langdon eyed the SBB marking and asked Anderson, â€Å"Why is this space associated with the Senate side even though it’s in the middle?† Anderson looked puzzled. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"It says SBB, which begins with an S, not an H.† Anderson shook his head. â€Å"The S in SBB doesn’t stand for Senate. It–â€Å" â€Å"Chief?† a guard called out in the distance. He came jogging up the hallway toward them, holding out a key. â€Å"Sorry, sir, it took a few minutes. We couldn’t locate the main SBB key. This is a spare from an auxiliary box.† â€Å"The original is missing?† Anderson said, sounding surprised. â€Å"Probably lost,† the guard replied, arriving out of breath. â€Å"Nobody has requested access down here for ages.† Anderson took the key. â€Å"No secondary key for SBB Thirteen?† â€Å"Sorry, so far we’re not finding keys for any of the rooms in the SBB. MacDonald’s on it now.† The guard pulled out his radio and spoke into it. â€Å"Bob? I’m with the chief. Any additional info yet on the key for SBB Thirteen?† The guard’s radio crackled, and a voice replied, â€Å"Actually, yeah. It’s strange. I’m seeing no entries since we computerized, but the hard logs indicate all the storage rooms in the SBB were cleaned out and abandoned more than twenty years ago. They’re now listed as unused space.† He paused. â€Å"All except for SBB Thirteen.† Anderson grabbed the radio. â€Å"This is the chief. What do you mean, all except SBB Thirteen?† â€Å"Well, sir,† the voice replied, â€Å"I’ve got a handwritten notation here that designates SBB Thirteen as `private.’ It was a long time ago, but it’s written and initialed by the Architect himself.† The term Architect, Langdon knew, was not a reference to the man who had designed the Capitol, but rather to the man who ran it. Similar to a building manager, the man appointed as Architect of the Capitol was in charge of everything including maintenance, restoration, security, hiring personnel, and assigning offices. â€Å"The strange thing . . .† the voice on the radio said, â€Å"is that the Architect’s notation indicates that this `private space’ was set aside for the use of Peter Solomon.† Langdon, Sato, and Anderson all exchanged startled looks. â€Å"I’m guessing, sir,† the voice continued, â€Å"that Mr. Solomon has our primary key to the SBB as well as any keys to SBB Thirteen.† Langdon could not believe his ears. Peter has a private room in the basement of the Capitol? He had always known Peter Solomon had secrets, but this was surprising even to Langdon. â€Å"Okay,† Anderson said, clearly unamused. â€Å"We’re hoping to get access to SBB Thirteen specifically, so keep looking for a secondary key.† â€Å"Will do, sir. We’re also working on the digital image that you requested–â€Å" â€Å"Thank you,† Anderson interrupted, pressing the talk button and cutting him off. â€Å"That will be all. Send that file to Director Sato’s BlackBerry as soon as you have it.† â€Å"Understood, sir.† The radio went silent. Anderson handed the radio back to the guard in front of them. The guard pulled out a photocopy of a blueprint and handed it to his chief. â€Å"Sir, the SBB is in gray, and we’ve notated with an X which room is SBB Thirteen, so it shouldn’t be hard to find. The area is quite small.† Anderson thanked the guard and turned his focus to the blueprint as the young man hurried off. Langdon looked on, surprised to see the astonishing number of cubicles that made up the bizarre maze beneath the U.S. Capitol. Anderson studied the blueprint for a moment, nodded, and then stuffed it into his pocket. Turning to the door marked SBB, he raised the key, but hesitated, looking uneasy about opening it. Langdon felt similar misgivings; he had no idea what was behind this door, but he was quite certain that whatever Solomon had hidden down here, he wanted to keep private. Very private. Sato cleared her throat, and Anderson got the message. The chief took a deep breath, inserted the key, and tried to turn it. The key didn’t move. For a split second, Langdon felt hopeful the key was wrong. On the second try, though, the lock turned, and Anderson heaved the door open. As the heavy door creaked outward, damp air rushed out into the corridor. Langdon peered into the darkness but could see nothing at all. â€Å"Professor,† Anderson said, glancing back at Langdon as he groped blindly for a light switch. â€Å"To answer your question, the S in SBB doesn’t stand for Senate. It stands for sub.† â€Å"Sub?† Langdon asked, puzzled. Anderson nodded and flicked the switch just inside the door. A single bulb illuminated an alarmingly steep staircase descending into inky blackness. â€Å"SBB is the Capitol’s subbasement.† How to cite The Lost Symbol Chapter 30-32, Essay examples

Discipline in School and at Home free essay sample

Discipline in school and at home In its original sense,  discipline  is systematic instruction given to  disciples  to train them as students in a craft or trade, or any other activity which they are supposed to perform, or to follow a particular  code of conduct  or order. Often, the phrase to discipline carries a negative connotation. This is because enforcement of order – that is, ensuring instructions are carried out – is often regulated through  punishment. Discipline is the assertion of willpower over more base desires, and is usually understood to be synonymous with  self control. Self-discipline is to some extent a substitute for  motivation, when one uses reason to determine the best course of action that opposes ones desires. Virtuous behavior is when ones motivations are aligned with ones reasoned aims: to do what one knows is best and to do it gladly. Continent behavior, on the other hand, is when one does what one knows is best, but must do it by opposing ones motivations. We will write a custom essay sample on Discipline in School and at Home or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Moving from continent to virtuous behavior requires training and some self-discipline. * Self-discipline: Self-discipline can be defined as the ability to motivate oneself in spite of a negative emotional state. Qualities associated with self-discipline include willpower, hard work, and persistence. Self-discipline is the product of persisted willpower. Whereas willpower is the strength and ability to carry out a certain task, self-discipline is the ability to use it routinely and even automatically. An analogy for the relationship between the two might be defined as follows: Where willpower is the muscle, self-discipline is the structured thought that controls that muscle. In most cultures, it has been noted that self-discipline is the ultimate path towards success. There are TWO ways of discipline: * Positive Discipline. Negative Discipline. * Positive Discipline: Positive discipline is more an attitude and atmosphere than an action. It is a tool, not a weapon. It is an expression of love, not anger. Discipline in the true biblical sense is positive and encouragingin fact, its even proof of love. Positive Discipline (or PD) is a discipline model used by schools that focuses on the positive points of behavior, based on the idea that there are no bad children, just good and bad behaviors. You can teach and reinforce the good behaviors while weaning the bad behaviors without hurting the child verbally or physically. Positive discipline includes a number of different techniques that, used in combination, can lead to a more effective way to manage groups of students. Some of these are listed below. Positive discipline contrasts with negative discipline. Negative discipline may involve angry, destructive, or violent responses to inappropriate behavior. In the terms used by psychology research, positive discipline uses the full range of reinforcement and punishment options: * Positive reinforcement, such as complimenting a good effort. * Negative reinforcement, such as ignoring requests made in a whining tone of voice. Positive punishment, such as requiring a child to clean up a mess he made. * Negative punishment, such as removing a privilege in response to poor behavior. * Five criteria There are 5 criteria for effective positive discipline: * Helps children feel a sense of connection. (Belonging and significance) * Is mutually respectful and encouraging. (Kind and firm at the same time. ) * Is effective long-term. (Considers what the child is thinking, feeling, learning, and deciding about himself and his world – and what to do in the future to survive or to thrive.

Scott Joplin Essays - Music, Rags, Ragtime, American Music

Scott Joplin CHOW, BENJAMIN F EXTRA CREDIT In the late 1890's ; a craze for a new kind of music called ragtime swept the country off it's feet. Instant popularity of ragtime increased before the turn of the century. By 1910, the ?ragtime? mania reached its peak in all elements of music: popular dance, theater, and movie music. Scott Joplin was a young black man that mastered and polish this subtle art. Born in Texarkana, Texas on November 29, 1868, Scott became facinated with the piano at an early age and was mentored by a old german teacher that took him in as a pupil. Scott's style of piano playing stress his smooth singing tone and subtle sense of rhythm. Scott has the tendency to turn melodic lines into delicate and but simple notes. Generally all of his pieces share the customary ragtime layout and composition of a pair of contrasting lines, each repeated and followed by the return to the first line, then a new section consisting of two or three repeated lines emerge and is usually subdominant. In Scott's piece the ?Magnetic Rag?. The reappearance of the orginal theme at the close of the piece, shares a shocking likeness to Beethoven's famous reoccuring ?I am Death Theme?. In the ?Magnetic Rag?, the return of the opening theme at the end of the piece creates a rondo-like structure with a scheme ABCDA, with the outer A section and the central C section stands in tonal harmony. This can be compared to his other famous pieces of work ?Maple Leaf Rag? and ?The Entertainer? which all exercise the reappearing theme that shows a tendency to round out by always returning to the home key. ?Magnetic Rag? was the last piece that Scott completed. It was subtitled : syncopation classiques because of his wonderful blend of syncopation on every up-beat and mad-cow improvisations tailored to sound like European dance music that influenced early ragtime.

Making a Doctors Appointment - ESL Dialogue

Making a Doctor's Appointment - ESL Dialogue Read the following dialogue with a partner to learn important vocabulary used for making doctors appointments. Practice this dialogue with a friend to help you feel confident when you next make an appointment in English. Check your understanding with the quiz and review vocabulary.   Role Play: Making a Doctors Appointment Doctors Assistant: Good morning, Doctor Jensens office. How may I help you?Patient: Hello, Id like to make an appointment to see Doctor Jensen, please. Doctors Assistant:  Have you been in to see Doctor Jensen before?Patient: Yes, I have. I had a physical last year. Doctors Assistant:  Fine, what is your name?Patient:  Maria Sanchez. Doctors Assistant:  Thank you, Ms. Sanchez, let me pull up your file... Okay, Ive located your information. Whats the reason for your making an appointment?Patient: I havent been feeling very well lately. Doctors Assistant:  Do you need urgent care?Patient: No, not necessarily, but Id like to see the doctor soon. Doctors Assistant:   Of course, how about next Monday? Theres a slot available at 10 in the morning.Patient: Im afraid Im working at 10. Is there anything available after three? Doctors Assistant:  Let me see. Not on Monday, but we have a three oclock opening next Wednesday. Would you like to come in then?Patient: Yes, next Wednesday at three would be great. Doctors Assistant:   All right, Ill pencil you in for three oclock next Wednesday.Patient: Thank you for your help. Doctors Assistant: Youre welcome. Well see you next week. Goodbye.Patient: Goodbye. Key Making an Appointment Phrases Make an appointment: schedule a time to see the doctorHave you been in before?: used to ask if the patient has seen the doctor beforePhysical (examination:  yearly check-up to see if everything is okay.Pull up a file: find a patients informationNot feeling very well: feel ill or sickUrgent care: similar to an emergency room, but for everyday problemsA slot:  an available time to make an appointmentIs there anything open?:  used to check if there is an available time for an appointmentPencil someone in:  to schedule an appointment True or False? Decide whether the following statements are true or false:   Ms. Sanchez has never seen Doctor Jensen.Ms. Sanchez had a physical examination with Doctor Jensen last year.The doctors assistant already has the file open.Ms. Sanchez is feeling fine these days.Ms. Sanchez needs urgent care.She cant come in for a morning appointment.  Ms. Sanchez schedules an appointment for next week. Answers:   FalseTrueFalseFalseFalseTrueTrue Preparing for your Appointment Once youve made an appointment youll need to make sure youre prepared for your doctors visit. Here is a short overview of what youll need in the United States. Insurance / Medicaid / Medicare Card In the US doctors have medical billing specialists whose job it is to bill the correct insurance provider. There are many insurance providers in the US, so its essential to bring your insurance card. If you are over 65, you probably will need your Medicare card. Cash, Check or Credit/Debit Card to Pay for Co-payment Many insurance companies require a co-payment which represents a small portion of the total bill. Co-payments can be as little as $5 for some medicines, and as much as 20 percent  or more of larger bills. Make sure to check with your insurance provider for much information on co-payments in your individual insurance plan as these vary widely. Bring some form of payment to your appointment to take care of your co-pay. Medication List Its important for your doctor to know which medications you take. Bring a list of all medications that you currently take. Key Vocabulary Medical billing specialist:  (noun) a person who processes charges to insurance companiesInsurance provider:  (noun) company that insurances people for their health care needsMedicare:  (noun) a form of insurance in the US for people over 65Co-payment / co-pay:  (noun) partial payment of your medical billMedication:  (noun) medicine True or False? Co-payments are payments made by the insurance company to the doctor to pay for your medical appointments.Medical billing specialists will help you deal with insurance companies.Everyone in the US can take advantage of Medicare.Its a good idea to bring a list of your medications to a doctors appointment. Answers: False - patients are responsible for co-payments.True - medical billing specialists specialize in working with insurance companies.False - Medicare is national insurance for those over 65.True - its important for your doctor to know which medications you are taking.   If you need English for medical purposes you should know about troubling symptoms  and  joint pain,  as well as  pain that comes and goes.  If you work in a pharmacy, its a good idea to practice talking about  prescriptions.  All medical staff might be faced with a patient who is  feeling queasy  and how to  help  a patient.

Create Effective Multi-Image Posts on Facebook and Twitter - CoSchedule

Create Effective Multi-Image Posts on Facebook and Twitter Organic social media reach  is on the decline. To make matters worse, competition is only getting more fierce. From Fortune 500 companies to small mom and pop shops, all types of businesses are getting in on the social media marketing game. Plus, youre not just competing against other brands for attention. Youre competing against updates from friends and family, funny animal GIFs, and everything else people might come across on social media. Users feeds are so saturated, getting seen by your intended audience can be incredibly difficult. If youre going to succeed, you need to get creative. One way to start experimenting is with multi-image social media posts. In fact, posts with multiple images have been shown to get more reach  (and the data doesnt lie). More reach means more opportunities to connect with your audience (and turn them into leads and customers). Intrigued? Read on to learn how to create effective multi-image posts and start pushing your reach in the right direction. Did You Know Now Supports Multi-Image Posts on Facebook and Twitter? ^^^ You better believe it! Your favorite marketing and social media scheduling tool now supports multi-image social media posts for your Facebook and Twitter accounts. With the ability to schedule multi-image posts using , your team no longer has to worry about sending one image at a time. Not only that but grouping your images together to creates a visually impactful social media post which can help draw more eyes to your content. More eyes = more leads = more sales! More eyes = more leads = more sales!Ready to try it yourself? Start your free 14-day trial. Then, read this post to learn how to get the most of your new tool. Recommended Reading: How to Convince Your Team to Use (And Love) Create Multi-Image Posts With This Giant Social Media Image Bundle (Psst Its Free) Were so excited about launching multi-image post support that were giving away this enormous bundle of free stock photos! Download em all now and use them in your own marketing, totally free of charge.How to Create the Most Effective Multi-Image Posts on Facebook and TwitterWhat Are Multi-Image Social Media Posts? It might seem like an obvious question, but first, let's explain what multi-image posts are (and are not). Multi-Image posts are the same as your standard social media post. But, instead of one image, they include multiple images. Here's a great example from Ford Motor Company: Posted by Ford Motor Company on  Thursday, April 27, 2017 We should note this post will only cover organic multi-image posts on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook carousel posts are a little more complex (and worthy of a post unto themselves), so we won’t be discussing them here. Recommended Reading: How to Make the Best Social Media Images the Easy Way Why Should Marketers Create Multi-Image Posts? You may have just read that and thought, â€Å"Yeah, but what's the real benefit to adding more images to my posts?† There are three main benefits that can come from utilizing multi-image social media posts: Increased engagement. Multi-image posts add more visual appeal. That means your posts will have a better chance of standing out in a cluttered newsfeed. Thus, they create more opportunities to drive engagement. Tell more complete visual stories. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what's the value of adding even more pictures? By including several related photos (or even sequential images showing steps in a process), you can add more context to your content. Showcase more details about your products. Now you can show off multiple angles, features, and more in greater detail, enticing your customers to buy (or at least start doing more research). Organic reach declining? Try using multi-image posts to pick it up back up.How Do I Create Multi-Image Posts On Facebook? Now comes the fun part, creating your multi-image posts on Facebook. We’ll break this down and show you how to create them in and on the network. How To Create Multi-Image Posts On Facebook Via Desktop To create multi-image posts on your desktop, first open your company Facebook page: Click on  Share a photo or video: Click on Upload photos/videos a pop up window will appear that will let you select the photos that you want to upload to your status: Select your photos: Your photos will appear in preview and you can drag and drop them in the order you want them to appear in your post: You can then either publish or schedule your post. How To Create Multi-Image Posts On Facebook Via Mobile To schedule your multi-image posts on mobile, open your Facebook app and go to your company page: Click on Publish and then Photo/Video: Select your photos. The order that you select your photos in is the order that they will appear in your post: Unlike the desktop version, you cannot drag and rearrange your photos once they are in place. So, be conscious of the order you select them in. Once you have the right order, you can publish or schedule the post right from the app: How To Schedule Multi-Image Facebook Posts Via Desktop With Now let’s say that your team decides to use to create and send your multi-image Facebook messages. To set up those messages on your desktop, go to your calendar: Click the + button in the upper right-hand corner and select Social Media Message: Select your Facebook profile: Once your profile is selected, you can upload photos for the post: A pop up window will appear allowing you to choose your photos: Once your photos are uploaded you can rearrange the photos in the order that you want them to appear. will preview the post before it’s published: Once you fill in the text on your post, you can scroll down and schedule your post: How To Schedule Multi-Image Facebook Posts Via The Mobile App Download the app via the App Store  (iOS) or Play Store  (Android) and log into your calendar: Tap the content tab and create a post for your Facebook profile: Select your profile: Click Add Images: You can also pre-schedule your posting time at this point as well: Choose where you want to upload your photos from (you can either take a photo, or select images from your photo library): Choose which photos from your camera roll are going to be in your post: Rearrange your photos and check the post preview to make sure they are displaying correctly: Preview your post: Schedule your post: That's it! Facebook Multi-Image Best Practices When creating multi-image posts on Facebook, consider image size and consistency. Different size images create different effects for your post. Similar-sized images will create more of a square image gallery. Here is what different combinations of image sizes look like. Two photos: Three photos: Four photos: Five photos (notice this creates a +2 square): Three photos (with one image of unequal size to the other two): Four photos (with one of unequal size) Overall, ensure that your images are related and be mindful of how they'll look once published. How Do I Create Multi-Image Posts On Twitter? The other network we'll be discussing is Twitter. It's a little more limited than Facebook in terms of handling multiple images, but it's still pretty easy to get them published. How To Schedule Multi-Image Posts On Twitter Via Desktop First, head to your Twitter page and click tweet in the upper right-hand corner like you usually do: Click the image button: Once you select Add photos or video a second screen will appear allowing you to select your photos: Unlike Facebook, Twitter only allows you to upload four pictures at a time. Photos can’t be dragged and dropped around like Facebook either, so they’ll need to be upload in the order you want them to appear in your post: Look at my new puppy pic.twitter.com/Ymrjaygnyv - Breonna Bergstrom (@brebergstrom) August 29, 2017 How To Schedule Multi-Image Twitter Posts Via Mobile Open your Twitter app and select the profile you want to tweet from: Click the create new Tweet icon: Then add in up to four photos from your phone: And then select from your available images: Next, include your post text: How To Schedule Multi-Image Twitter Posts On Your Desktop Via Open your calendar: Click the + in the upper right-hand corner and select Social Message:   Select your Twitter channel: Then click to add in a maximum of four photos to your post. A second screen will appear allowing you to upload them straight into : Once your photos are uploaded you can preview what your post will look like. If you don’t like the way that your photos look you can drag them around until you find the combination you’re looking for: Once you have your photos set you can schedule or publish your post: How To Schedule Multi-Image Twitter Posts With The Mobile App Open your App: Select social message and then the Twitter profile you want to send your post from: Select add image: You can either upload photos via your camera roll or snap ones using your phone: Select your photos: Preview your post: Schedule it to publish: Twitter Multi-Image Best Practices Multi-image posts work similarly on Twitter, as they do on Facebook. For example, the way they display depends on the size and combination of images you include. Here are what different combinations of images look like on Twitter. Two Images: Three Images: Four Images: Unlike Facebook, you cannot add more than four images to a Twitter post. Your team should also think about what order they want photos to be in when they are uploaded to Twitter. If you want one image to stand out in a set of three it would be best to place that image first and the others second, third, and fourth respectively. Recommended Reading: The Social Media Posting Schedule That Will Boost Your Traffic By 192% Now You Can Schedule All Your Multi-Image Posts In One Place Instead of having to keep track of every photo, schedule every post and then panic if the wrong image was paired with the wrong post, make it easy and use . First, open your calendar and select the brand you want to work with: Then select the channels you want to send your post on: From there, add in the images that you want to post to your channels, but remember if you choose Twitter, you can only choose a maximum of four photos: Draft your text: Drag and drop your photos in the order that you want them to appear and check the preview: Publish or schedule your message: It’s really that easy. Plus, with Best Time Scheduling, can make sure all your posts are optimally scheduled. With built-in Social Analytics, you can also know exactly how those posts are performing, too. Recommended Reading: How to Build a Social Media Editorial Calendar The Easy Way (Free Template) Now You Can Be A Multi-Image Posting Pro The benefits to multi-images post are clear. Standing out means you get more eyeballs on your content, which turn into leads which turn into sales. Plus, you now know exactly how to create those posts, using the apps themselves or with . Ready to try it yourself? Schedule a demo now.

The Role of Central Bank of Saudi Arabia in the Global Crisis Dissertation

The Role of Central Bank of Saudi Arabia in the Global Crisis - Dissertation Example The experience of the banking system of Saudi Arabia during the global financial crisis which ravaged the financial markets globally since mid-2007 is required to be answered. While many economies around the globe were negatively and severely affected, especially developed countries, during the crisis in 2008 and 2009 but the Saudi economy has shown resilience and strong growth of the economy. The experience of Saudi Arabia in respect of domestic financial intermediation and international banking was relatively positive during this tough time. Though being affected moderately by the deteriorating conditions of global financial markets, the domestic financial market of Saudi Arabia continuously functioned in an efficient and effective manner. The Central Bank of Saudi Arabia has played a vital role in keeping the strength of the economy during the crisis period. So, the hypothesis to be tested is the measure taken by the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia to maintain sound economic growth d uring the crisis period also.Economic developments of Saudi Arabia during 2008 and 2009 During the five year period 2004-08, the economy of Saudi Arabia fared well by international standards reflecting 4.4% growth rate in real GDP and 19% average surplus in government fiscal. All economic sectors were propelled with this, especially the banking sector which showered great benefits. In 2008, growth in real GDP was 4.5% with 4.8% growth in the oil sector.

Social movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social movement - Essay Example s in India which was hard to ascertain since many gays in India tend to maintain their sexuality as a secret because homosexuality in the Indian culture is considered both immoral and unethical. The actual number of gays in India is much more than 2.5 million that is the officially recorded population of gays in India (â€Å"India’s gay rights†) since the gays inside the closet are excluded from this figure. The gay march was a wonderful opportunity for the gays both in and out of the closets in India since it not only provided them with a sense of identity and community, but also encouraged more of them to come out of the closet and declare their sexuality to their friends and family and be gays openly since it is no more a crime in India. The gay march was strategically conducted to change the cultural perception that homosexuality is immoral or unethical. â€Å"While†¦many challenges lie ahead, †¦a cultural shift is occurring and the 2009 ruling paved the way† (â€Å"Indias gay

My ideal place Essay Example for Free

My ideal place Essay Every person has some special place, where he or she feels the most comfortable and happy. My ideal place is football field of my high school. Being a member of our high school football team I always spend a lot of time there when participating in our trainings and playing games. I truly enjoy this dynamic activity, and there is nothing better for me than playing football with my good friends and feeling myself as a member of the team. This is the place where I can fulfill myself the best, and this makes me feel great. Our football playground is amazing! It is absolutely not worth than the ones for professional NFL teams. The field is very large, comfortable and perfectly cared about by our high school personnel, so the grass is always in good condition and everywhere is very clean. There are special seats for those, who want to see and enjoy our games. We have very good equipment for the games and trainings: balls and our personal kits of yellow-blue colors. During our daily trainings our coach makes us to do different things. We do a lot of special physical exercises and drills, as well as having some theoretical lectures and consultations. As a rule, quite a lot of people gather for the games to support our team: our friends, parents, teachers and other spectators. Many of them hold our small yellow-blue flags and applaud for the best players of the team. By the way, we have a group of beautiful cheer girls, who always accompany us at the games. It is incredible thrill to appear in front of our audience and receive from them a huge doze of positive energy for good performance. I always try to catch a second before the game begins, to watch the skies for a moment and to take a deep breath of tonic fresh air. The football field of my high school is ideal place for me, because I truly like playing this game. I believe that it will become my real life-long dedication! Football is not only physical activity, but it is always a challenge. We like to play and to win, and we always enjoy our accomplishments together. During the trainings and playing games every one of us learns, how to be a member of the team, and together we learn how to deal with the things as a team. I think that this activity is very important for my future, because it improves both my social image and self-esteem. It helps to gain self-control over my physical self and mental self.

The Psychological Journey of the Narrator in Atwood’s Surfacing Essay

The Psychological Journey of the Narrator in Atwood’s Surfacing  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In Surfacing, a novel by Margaret Atwood, the narrator undertakes three basic journeys: a physical quest to search for her lost father, a biographical journey into her past, and most importantly a psychological journey. The psychological journey allows the narrator to reconcile her past and ultimately leads to the conclusion of the physical journey. In this psychological voyage into her innerself, the narrator, while travelling from cognizant rational reasoning to subconscious dissociated reality progresses through three stages. In the first stage, the narrator is in touch with reality; she lives and exists in a state of mind known in Freudian psychology as the Ego. The Ego is defined as "the element of being that consciously and continuously enables an individual to think, feel and act." (Barnhardt, 667). The ego is based on a reality principle, in which, a person reacts in "realistic ways that will bring long term pleasure rather than pain or destruction" (Meyers, 414). The narrator's inability to cope with disagreeable thoughts such as her father's possible death is evidenced early in the novel. The narrator states: "nothing is the same, I don't know the way anymore. I slide my tongue around the ice cream, trying to concentrate on it, they put seaweed in it now, but I'm starting to shake, why is the road different, he shouldn't have allowed them to do it, I want to turn around and go back to the city and never find out what happened to him. I'll start crying, that would be horrible, none of them would kno w what to do and neither would I. I bite down into the cone and I can't feel anything for a minute but the knife-hard pain up the side of my face... ...to reality: "The lake is quiet, the trees surround me, asking and giving nothing" (Atwood, 224). Thus, the narrator has completed a psychological journey from snaeness to madness and then again in a fullcircle, travelling through three distinct stages: the Ego, the Superego, and the Id. The narrator by completing the psychological journey into the subconscious is able to resolve the biographical and physical journeys. Therefore, with the past and present conflicts resolved, it can be most likely assumed that the narrator will assimilate herself back into reality. She may have a chance to become human again. Works Cited Atwood, Margaret. Surfacing. Simon and Schuster: New york, 1972 Barnhardt, Clarence L. Ed. The World Book Dictionary, Field Enterprises Publishing Co: Chicago, 1975. Meyers, David. Psychology. Worth Publishing:U.S.A., 1992   

Online Payroll System Essay

This chapter presents a brief discussion and introduction about the proposed system, the Online Payroll System. Its conceptual framework, the process of the existing manual based system as well as the automated process of the proposed system, the problems and the possible ways to minimize the hassle of the existing system, and the objectives and significance of the study. Introduction Every employee needs to be paid for the services he provides. For this to happen, the employer must have a payroll system in place. So obviously, there are benefits to be derived from using a payroll system. A payroll system is the method used by payroll professionals to pay employees for their services. As computer technology changes at such fast phase, many businesses sectors try to cope up by upgrading computer system constantly in order to stay competitive. The multi-function ability of technology for its advance system is also an important factor for a company to use software. It makes efficient use of the advance technology and has ambition to discover more. Computers have the great impact on the profession of accounting. With the rapid growth of technology today, there is no doubt that computer will become a common asset in all profession. The program also allows the monthly payroll schedule to be calculated accurately. Just by having all employees’ info like name, working hours, pay rate many others to enter in the database. Therefore, payroll can be done with the guide of the program. The system is good in for its specialty in the fields of accounting. It is easy to use, effective and efficient in organizing and calculating the payroll. In addition, this study aims to develop a reliable and manageable computerized  payroll system for Eastwoods Professional College of Science and Technology for a better manageable of a business. The Proposed Online Payroll System will give a big relief of the employee and employers as well. Payroll consists of the process by which a business pays its employees for work performed during a specific period. A payroll system allows businesses to follow a set series of processes in order to make timely, correct payments incompliance with government regulations. A payroll system may be manual or computerized and handled in-house or outsourced to another provider. The payroll process typically includes calculating employee pay, recording payroll transactions and determining and paying payroll taxes. A company must have in place a timekeeping system that accurately reflects the hours put in employees as well as the regular salary payments for exempt workers. Employers typically withhold federal income tax from employee earnings; at the end of the year, they must report all wages, tips and other compensation paid. The solution has to take care of calculation of salary as per rules of the company. This Online Payroll System is a full-featured system that manages financial information of every employee in an organization. It computes and processes the payroll in the certain payroll period. This Online Payroll System is also a flexible compensation administration solution. It is designed to help human resource professionals as well as finance and accounting personnel to manage employee compensation, deductions, allowances, and benefits in an  organization. The system is integrated with the Employee’s information, offers efficient features and functionalities to manage company’s expenses. Background of the Study Nowadays all establishment are becoming modernized, they use modern technologies to make their transaction fast, easy, and accurate in order to avoid waste of time and for the sake of safety and security. It also helps human to solve and understand complex problem and analysis such us the  computational need of humans. Especially to business establishment or corporation processing enormous data and complex transaction. Payroll is an example of a complex transaction because it is a critical business operation dealing with numerous accounts and produce plenty and confidential files. Payroll is encompasses every employee of a company who receives a regular wages or other compensation due to each. Applying manual procedure on a Payroll transaction involving the vast beat answer in that problem would be computer because computers can simulate enormous data and can process complex transaction in a fast and efficient way. It can generate numerous accounts and data accurately. An Online Pa yroll System will not only provide accurate calculation and fast process of Payroll transaction but it will secure data through security implementation and accordingly arrange files provided by a well-designed database that will produce a paperless environment. Conceptual Framework The group gathered some data and information by conducting feasibility studies on heads of every department in EASTWOODS Professional College of Science and Technology by conducting an interview with them on how the user monitor and manage the items respectively, specifically to the main user of the inventory which is the admin. a. Process of the Existing System b. Process of the Proposed System Statement of the Problem The existing system expected to encounter problems with regards in the manual computation of the employee’s income. It might have an error in the computation because it is manually calculated. Moreover, the manual system needs so much effort and spends so many papers which is obviously expensive. Due to this, the developers think of the different possibilities wherein, the problems that were encountered in the manual-based payroll system will be taken away. The study intends to minimize the hassle in bookkeeping and calculating the employee’s income.The group seeks to answer the following: 1. Can the system lessen the hassle in data storage and calculation of  employee’s income of the payroll systems? 2. Can the system be able to surpass on the following criteria: Accuracy Security Reliability Accessibility Efficiency Flexibility Effectiveness and Functionality 3. From manually to online way of data storage and calculation of employee’s income in the proposed payroll system, what are the different advantages? Objective of the Study General Objectives To develop a network-based payroll system for Eastwoods Professional College of Science and Technology, that is user-friendly, more accurate, more efficient, and can easily produce reports of the transactions faster. Specific Objectives In order to fulfill our objective, we will observe the following: 1. To conduct an interview about the current payroll system. 2. Observed how the current payroll system performs the operations. 3. To identify the different problems of manual payroll system. 4. To help the municipal hall and the employee to make their work faster and shorter. 5. To identify problems in using the system through data flow diagram. 6. To design a new system that is an online based. Significance of the Study a. Economic Significance For the system is paperless, the proposed system is economically significant because it can lessen the expenses such as spending money for buying papers. b. Educational Significance The proposed system is educationally significant because the administrator may discover some new learning on how to develop and improve the system so that it become more reliable and more useful. c. Operational Significance The proposed system is very significant when it comes to the operation because it can avoid the hassle in calculating the employee’s income. Moreover, through the proposed system, it can lessen the error in calculation. Also, the data encoded in the proposed system is secure when disaster comes likes flood, typhoon, tsunami and many others. d. Legal Significance Scope and Limitation The scope of the developed system is to generate an Online Payroll System which is capable of calculating the employee’s income. The main user, which is the admin can use this Online Payroll System to calculate and store the encoded data online. The proposed system can automatically calculate the employee’s income after the admin encode all the information needed. Compare to the manual based system, this is more accurate, fast and easy to use. Moreover, every employee can access the Online Payroll System so that they can monitor their income individually. The project is developed by the Administrator and it will work only in EASTWOODS Professional College of Science and Technology. The proposed system is accessible in all web browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer and many others. There are 2 users that can access the system, the Admin and every employee. The Admin can view reports of the calculation of employee’s income. The pro posed system is useful as long as the internet connection is present.

Accuracy of Historical Films

How accurate a portrayal of Roman gladiatorial games and culture is the movie â€Å"Gladiator'? In society today historical films are merely valuable to society as a form of entertainment. Historical events have become another form of stimulus for directors when creating an engaging film for audience's . Len the creation of a film many historical Inaccuracies occur as seen In the film Gladiator.This film Instead of being a historical recreation of the Roman culture and gladiatorial games tends to embody the idea of certain characters and events. They reflect 21st century ideals onto these historical events to create a film that will appeal to the masses. Ultimately these inaccuracies are in insignificant in detracting from the purpose of these films which is to entertain. Historical films are merely a form of entertainment that is used to engage the masses but this is the extent of its value to society.Unlike a documentary, films are supposed to be â€Å"aesthetic Journeys† a nd historical events are merely another form of stimulus for a director trying to create an Individual storyline. On the release of the â€Å"historical film† 300, Warner Pros issued a statement Insisting that it â€Å"developed this film purely as a fictional work with the sole purpose of entertaining audiences' ‘ . In order to entertain audiences film makers must use these historical events , edit where necessary ,to create an film for a 21st century audience.Gladiator Is a key example of where an aspect of a culture has been reworked into a blockbuster film. The writer for Gladiator started to develop the story after reading â€Å"those who are about to die† by Daniel P Manic . The sinking f the titanic is an important historical event but in order to pitch this event to a current audience it was mixed with â€Å"a Romeo and Juliet love story† . David Benison summed up precisely the method in which accuracy in a historical film is undertaken â€Å"as for being absolutely faithful to the source material, I'm always going to pick the project† .The accuracy of these film's depictions are compromised so that it can be â€Å"guided by the Inner logic of capitalism†. Gladiator through this guidance made $457, 640,427 at the box office a very tricky task If you do not appeal to the audience. As seen In the film Gladiator, historical films tend to embody the Idea of a culture In order to appeal to the wider audience. While the film makers attempt to portray the emperor as the antagonist of the story, they however remove or add material where they see necessary.In the film Gladiator Marcus Aurelia's describes his son Commodes as an â€Å"immoral man† and thus is unable to present him with emperors but this is contradictory as Commodes was a joint ruler with his father Marcus Aurelia . While ancient historian Did Cassias refers to Commodes as a greater curse to the Romans† the production team have excluded facts such as his self-portrayal as Hercules , his left handedness and the â€Å"conspicuous growth on his groin † as these weren't necessary to the plot line and catered to the needs of the actors.This sense of recognition is further seen In how the film Gladiator portrays ancient Rome to be a grand city full of white buildings. The Coliseum was recreated as Riddle Scott felt that the real Coliseum was â€Å"too small† so Instead the CGI team created a grand â€Å"Rome of the Imagination† with a much larger coliseum ND fully white buildings as such to relate with the modern perception of this many colored building but today modern society can only view these structure without the color and in less grandeur.Gladiator's historical inaccuracies are further seen in its depiction of gladiatorial games as they aim to heighten the action within the film. The central character of Maximum is not a historical figure but is merely a personification of the traits that create a g ladiator. Russet's Crow's depiction off brave, fearless, skilled gladiator mirror many historical sources such s Valerian Maximum' who references the bravery skill and passion that are common among the great gladiators. These characteristics are cited by Cicero who describes the gladiators to be incredible well disciplined.Although they have avoided they have used historical figures as stimulus for the central character and as part of the story line. There was indeed a General Maximum who was an advisor to Marcus Aurelia's , and Commodes was killed by a gladiator named Narcissus . These however are two different people but their storyline have been merged to increase the excitement of he games which is further seen where Maximum a Protractor gladiator fights multiple different gladiators and animals.This contrasts to ancient gladiatorial games where he would have only been able to fight another Protractor rather than the Retailers (gladiators fighting with nets), Estuaries (gladiato rs on chariots) and Tigris . The warping of facts can further been seen in the death of Commodes in the arena. Although Commodes did fight in the arena , he always fought as a Sector and therefore Maximum should have faced him as a Retailers but instead both men ought as no particular gladiator type. This battle did not result in his death but rather Commodes was strangled in his home .While the death rate in the film is over 50% Professor David Potter believes the death rate to be 5-10% as too much time and money had been invested into them. Therefore gladiatorial games were to first blood . All of these inaccuracies are created to increase the entertainment value and appeal to a 21st century audience. In the film industry and especially to a 21st century audience the inaccuracies of these films become irrelevant because they increase the entertainment value of the film. The problem however is when these films are described as being historically accurate.Historical films are unreli able for a historian studying the time period but are still useful for discerning the 21st century western perception of Roman society. Gladiator is guilty of false advertising as Peter Russell, art director, states that the film is â€Å"based factually on the events of the time† . Though we can assume this is merely a marketing ploy as the majority of society is uneducated . As one review of the film dutifully states â€Å"there was no alternative odder audiences would have accepted or recognized† and this is true for many of the inaccuracies within the film.Oliver Reed Justifies these inaccuracies when he states â€Å"we are not making a documentary' and anyway if they were to make a historically accurate film it would be too long. Jean Shaw further states that films â€Å"need to appeal to their audience by having an exciting plot, a lot of drama † in order to become successful. As George Lucas was quoted â€Å"the secret to film is that it's an illusionâ €  and this illusion allows millions all over the world to and gain an insight into past civilization.In our modern 21st century society today, historical films are merely an individual's recreation of a culture. The have incredible value to the entertainment industry in providing stimulus for films, however the creation of these the goal off film. The film Gladiator clearly shows how the reliability of a film's portrayal of culture and in these particular case gladiatorial games is warped based on the decisions of the production team. Historical information is better suited to historians and lets leave film makers to cater for the rest of society.

Raves Essays - Electronic Dance Music, Electronic Music, Dance

Raves Essays - Electronic Dance Music, Electronic Music, Dance Raves Raves Imagine you are in your at about 1:00 in the morning. Its pitch black outside and youve been lost for hours. Nothings good on the radio. Your dying of thirst and your drenched with sweat. Your just about to turn around, when you open your windows for some fresh air and you hear it. The bass is in sync with your heartbeat. It is the vibe that is so commonly talked about within this culture. You follow this music and youve arrived at your destination: A rave. Raves consist of about 300-6,000 kids aged to about 17-25. A big empty wear house, a fog machine and a DJ. Every single rave has 1 type of music: techno with a ton of base. It tends to be electronically created with a very fast-paced. Techno music has its origins in gay dance clubs. Hip-hop also has had a big impact on techno music. Rave dancing ranges from being highly choreographed and stylistic all the way to thrusting your body back and forth. Ravers say they lose their selves to the beat and become one with the music by letting the music control their movements. Someone once said: Techno was made not only to be played, but to be listened to loudwe are called not to listen, but to feel. And how do you know when the rave is and where? Well flyers are put up. A flyer isnt going to straight out say RAVE! you have to look for the secret messages only Ravers know. They do this to avoid the mainstream. A rave poster can be spotted by noticing that within the words that are on the poster, every E, X, and K, are capitalized. There are certain colors that the flyers will have on them. A lot of times there will be a cartoon character on it, or smiley faces and aliens. Now, I could do a whole paper on fashion. Basically there are classes of people grouped by what they wear, not how much money you have and what not. The most common class is the Candy Ravers you would define a candy raver by being a female or male (but mostly female). Candy Ravers have short hair thats usually in barrettes or pigtails theyre usually carrying around stuffed animals, or sucking on lollipops or pacifiers. They wear glitter all over their bodies and stickers on each cheek. Normally they will have a TON of jewelry weighing down each cheek. Theyll sport a shirt with childhood heros such as my little pony, care bares, strawberry shortcake ect. The next class knows as the Hip Hop Boys are usually pared up w/ candy Ravers. Hip Hop boys are in fat pants and head to toe adidas Logos. Occasionally you will see them wearing bug eyed glasses with suspenders. The 3rd of many rave classes is the Gwen Stefani class. They are always girls and are wearing crop tops or anything that will bare their belly. They wear track pants, or swish pants and are sporting every piercing known to man and more. Gwen Stefanis match are the club Ravers. These males dress in wife beaters; tube socks up to their knees, and very room cargo or army print pants. They will have a tight shirt or no shirt and every club Ravers boxers WILL be exposed. They will have spiky hair usually with frosted tips and they wear either a visor, or no hat at all. Regardless of these 4 classes (out of many) the rave scene will include snow hats; electronic colored wigs, 5-inch platforms and everyone will have glow sticks in their mouths. As you can observe it is very hard to stick out at a rave. The candy Ravers dress like little girls because they know that they are there and that is all that matters. They feel they need to recapture the child that has died in them. The kid they used to be when play was the most important thing and it didnt matter that mom and dad were fighting. It didnt matter that they were having money problems and it did not matter that there was a hole in the o-zone layer. From the time you walk into

Discover More About Sea Kelp

Discover More About Sea Kelp What is kelp? Is it different than seaweed or algae? Actually, kelp is the general term that refers to  124 species of brown algae that are in the Order Laminariales. While kelp may look like a plant, it is classified in the Kingdom Chromista. Kelp is a type of seaweed, and seaweeds are a form of sea algae. The kelp plant itself is made up of three parts: the blade (the leaf-like structure), the stipe (the stem-like structure) and the holdfast (root-like structure). The holdfast grips a substrate and anchors the kelp to keep it secure despite moving waves and currents. The Value ​of Kelp Forests Kelp grows in forests in cold waters (usually less than 68 F). Several kelp species can make up one forest, the same way that different species of trees are found in a forest on land. A multitude of marine life lives in and depends upon kelp forests such as fish, invertebrates, marine mammals, and birds. Seals and sea lions feed on kelp, while grey whales may use it to hide from hungry killer whales. Seastars, kelp crabs, and isopods also rely on the kelp as a food source.   The most well-known kelp forests are the forests of giant kelp that grow off the coast of California, which are inhabited by sea otters. These creatures eat the red sea urchins that can destroy a kelp forest if their population is not controlled. Sea otters also hide from predatory sharks in the forests, so the forest also provides a safe haven as well as a feeding habitat. Many Common Uses Kelp is not only useful to animals; it is helpful for human beings, too. In fact, you probably even had kelp in your mouth this morning! Kelp contains chemicals called alginates that are used to thicken a number of products (e.g., toothpaste, ice cream). For example,  bongo kelp  ash is loaded with alkali and iodine and is used in soap and glass. Many companies derive vitamin supplements from kelp, as it is rich in many vitamins and minerals. Alginates are also used in pharmaceutical medications. SCUBA divers and water recreationists also enjoy the kelp forests. There Are About 30 Different Species There are about 30 different species of kelp: Giant kelp, southern kelp, sugarwack, and bull kelp are just a few kinds of kelp. Giant kelp is, not surprisingly, the largest kelp species and most popular or well-known. It is capable of growing 2 feet per day in the right conditions, and up to about 200 feet in its lifetime. Threats to Vital Kelp Forests There are several things that threaten kelp production and the health of vital kelp forests. Forests can become degraded due to overfishing. This can release fish into different areas, which can cause overgrazing of the forests. With less kelp or fewer species available in a sea, it can drive out other animals that rely on the kelp forest as their ecosystem or cause other animals to eat the kelp instead of other creatures.   Water pollution and quality, as well as climate changes and introductions of invasive species, also are threats to kelp forests.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Summary - Essay Example At next stage the company may ensure its web presence through a corporate website. This web presence is then used to provide details of company’s products or services. At the next level of B2C e-business implementation the company may accept online orders and integrate it with its finance department and later on customer may be enabled to make online payments. This requires an integration of website with company’s financial system. In today’s global markets customer acquisition, retention and extension are ensured through used of Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRMs). A B2B e-commerce system facilitates interoperability between supply chain organizations and other business organizations. It is also integrated with local information systems of the organization. These systems are supplier-facing and are known to be Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) systems. The performance of these systems is analyzed in terms of time they take to complete a procurem ent process. B2B e-commerce systems have significantly squeezed the delays and most of the activities are automated and processed online. Closely related to e-commerce is the procurement process, this process is usually considered to cover all activities of supply chain process and it has a separate model for e-procurement process. Examples of e-business and e-commerce systems http://www.ibm.com/us/en/sandbox/ver2/ http://www.walmart.com/ Chapter 8: Knowledge & Systems for Communicating Online Knowledge is the purified form of information. We come across information in our routine life very frequently and by processing this information we accumulate knowledge that has some value to us. Using information is an important aspect of our daily life. It is important to know how to deal with information we come across and embed it with our previous knowledge to purify existing knowledge. Imagination is the other source of knowledge and we tend to imagine whatever we need to know. Imaginati on is a very important tool used for enhancing our knowledgebase. Knowledge management is essential for its systematic acquisition and various fields of knowledge are combined to make a new field of knowledge. Our professional knowledge is a combination of theoretical, empirical, personal, procedural knowledge and practical wisdom. Practicing several knowledge domains with varying depths formulate professional competence. Sharing, collaboration, participation and building knowledgebase are common functions to generate, acquire and retain knowledge. ICT technologies have contributed a lot towards building and enhancing all these knowledge functions. Wikipedia, e-mails, blogs, forums are few to mention the contribution of ICT technologies. Knowledge Management (KM) is an important organizational objective to utilize the scattered knowledge resources like experiences, insights, and various information systems and databases to ensure learning and sharing from existing knowledge. Knowled ge Management can be utilized to create a competitive advantage, to avoid repetition of mistakes and to achieve sustainable growth and improvement at organizational level. KM can also give powerful and useful inferences form an organizational CRM to make intelligent and aware business decisions. Examples of Knowledge and online Communication Systems

Changes in government policy towards domestic violence Essay

Changes in government policy towards domestic violence - Essay Example Domestic violence includes female genital mutilation, forced marriage and "honour crimes". In England and Wales, domestic violence is rampant at 25% of all violent crime. Statistics of The British Crime Survey of 2000 reveal that domestic violence comprises 40% of the violent incidents reported by women and 10% of the violent incidents reported by men1. The self-completion section of the British Crime Survey of 1996 reveals that 25% of women and 17% of men will be a victim of domestic violence2. Domestic violence is a complicated issue and the police, health, social services and education bodies have to attach greater importance to it. The Government has to ensure that domestic violence is accorded the organisational priority of those bodies that have to bring about change. The self - completion section of the British Crime Survey of 1996, highlights the importance of the adoption of a well considered and planned approach to this problem. The data of this survey have revealed that 50% of the women suffering from domestic violence had children less than sixteen years in the household4. The Government's Fact sheet on Domestic Violence has recognized that "domestic violence is rarely a non-off event"5. Moreover, common assault is considered to be a comparatively minor offence, therefore considering domestic violence to be common assault detracts from the gravity of the pattern of behaviour that result in individual incidents. Domestic violence takes place in an intimate or family-type relationship and constitutes a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour between adults. Some of the tactics employed by the perpetrators of domestic violence include psychological, sexual and physical violence, emotional and verbal abuse, isolation, threats and intimidation, harassment, destruction of property, actual or threatened harm to children and pets and financial control. Crime statistics and research have revealed that no woman irrespective of race, ethnic or religious group, class, sexuality, disability or lifestyle is safe from domestic violence, which is repetitive, life-threatening and destroys the lives of women and children. In the UK 25% to 33% of women experience domestic violence from a male partner in their lifetime, and on an average 1 woman is killed every three days in England due to domestic violence and the frequency of calls to the police for assistance is one per minute. Domestic violence incidents constitute 25% of all reported violent crime, despite the fact that less than 35% of actual domestic violence is reported to the police. It is essential for the criminal justice system to intervene and prosecute perpetrators of violence to women and children in order to improve protection and safety for abused women and children. This will permit them to lead violence free lives. A major factor that helps perpetuate

Art & the Pregnant Form Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Art & the Pregnant Form - Essay Example Through the years, the way in which the pregnant form has been represented, misrepresented and ignored has been a growing theme, coming into full flower in the modern art world in a variety of media. What is painted or sculpted and how this is done reveals much about the prevailing attitudes of the time period in which the art work was created. From the fully clothed, questionable nature of early artists’ renditions of pregnant women to the fully nude and exposed form of today’s pregnant sculptures, the art of the pregnant form has definitely advanced into the worldview. To gain an understanding of how this change came about, it is necessary to learn more about some of the artists that have participated in this centuries long debate about how best to portray the multiple aspects of the pregnant woman – her impending motherhood, her swelling form, her newfound tenderness. Among these artists are Jan van Eyck, Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Lucien Freud, Marc Quinn an d Ron Mueck. By looking at how these artists portrayed pregnant women as well as their motivations in doing so, we can begin to gain an understanding of how the cultural attitude toward pregnancy and the female form has changed. Jan van Eyck is the earliest of these painters, having painted his â€Å"Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife† in 1434. This painting has been largely acknowledged primarily due to the various examples of symbolism contained in the painting as well as for its unique perspective. However, left mostly out of the conversation is the idea that Arnolfini’s wife is pregnant. Closer inspection indicates that Jeanne de Chanany is not actually pregnant but is instead wearing the voluminous clothing popular for the early Renaissance period. â€Å"Although many modern viewers mistakenly assume Giovanna is pregnant, art historians familiar with 15th century painting point out

The Concept Of Charity In Islam Religion Essay

The Concept Of Charity In Islam Religion Essay The paper which I am going to right is about Islamic concept of charity. The concept is not new for so many people because every religion of the world preached that charity is a way of bringing justice to society. But here I would like to explain different forms of charity in Islam, their differences and its impact on society. Charity is for those in need. This is general principle which enjoins us to help people in need, be they good or bad, on the right path or not, Muslims or non-Muslims. No one should judge in these matters. The foremost ends in charity should be Gods pleasure and our own spiritual good. The concept of charity in Islam is thus linked with justice. It is not limited to the redressed of grievances. It implies apart from the removal of handicaps, the recognition of the right that every human being has to attain the fullness of life.   The definition of charity in Islamic tradition differs somewhat from its interpretation in other contexts. The Quran states: And be steadfast in your prayer and pay charity; whatever good you send forth for your future, you shall find it with Allah, for Allah is well aware of what you do . Charity is central to a Muslims life. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said No wealth (of a servant of Allah) is decreased because of charity. There are misconceptions by some people regarding Islamic concept of Charity. They think that Islam is taking Charity by force in the name of Zakat. But this is not reality. Islam does not force anyone to give charity. This is third pillar of Islam and its reward will be given in after world. The following five words are the most frequently used words to describe charity in the Noble Quran: 1. Infaq fi Sabil Allah (spending in the path of Allah).    Infaq Meaning spending benevolently 2. Ihsan Meaning the doing of good or (kindness and consideration) 3. Zakah  Ã‚   Meaning growth or purification 4. Sadaqah Derived from the root sidq and meaning truth, and comes to signify charitable deed 5. Khayrat Meaning good deeds Here two basic concepts will be explained that is Zakat and Sadaqah where Zakat is obligatory charity and Sadaqah is voluntarily Charity. DEFINITION AND IMPLICATION OF ZAKAT (ALMS GIVING) Zakat, is derived from the verb zaka, (which means to thrive, to be wholesome,[to be pure) and signifies purification. The Noble Quran referring to the purification of wealth states: Of their wealth take alms to purify and sanctify them ZakÄ t or alms giving, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is the giving of a small percentage of ones possessions (surplus wealth) to charity, generally to the poor and needy. It is often compared to the system of tithing and alms, but it serves principally as the welfare contribution to poor and deprived Muslims, although others may have a rightful share. It is the duty of an Islamic community not just to collect zakat but to distribute it fairly as well. Zakat is a multi facial concept. In one form it is an act of worship while in other form it is the carrying out of social service. It is thus not just the payment of a tax as it is generally understood but is rather an act of religious significance. Muslims fulfil this religious obligation by giving a fixed percentage of their surplus wealth. Zakat has been paired with such a high sense of righteousness that it is often placed on the same level of importance as offering Salat. Muslims see this process also as a way of purifying themselves from their greed and selfishness and also safeguarding future business. In addition, Zakat purifies the person who receives it because it saves him from the humiliation of begging and prevents him from envying the rich. Its importance and centrality to Islam results in the punishment for not paying when able are very severe. Muslim jurists agree that zakat is obligatory on the Muslim who has reached puberty, who is sane, who is free, and who owns the minimum assigned nisab throughout Islamic history; denying Zakat equals denying the Islamic faith. However, Muslim jurists differ on the details of zakat, which may include rate, the exemptions, and the kinds of wealth that are zakatable. Zakatable refers to assets subject to zakat according to Islamic examples and directives. Some scholars consider the wealth of children and insane individuals zakatable. Some scholars consider all agricultural products zakatable; others restrict zakat to specific kinds only. Some consider debts zakatable. Similar differences exist for business assets and womens jewellery. Some require certain minimum nisab for zakatability. THE PAYMENT OF ZAKAT Zakat is obligatory on every sane adult Muslim who is malik al-nisab, i.e., who possesses wealth equivalent to the monetary value of 20 Dinar of gold or 200 Dirham of silver. In the case of Muslims below the age of puberty and those Muslims who are insane, Zakat is obligatory on their wealth and their guardians are entrusted to pay it on their behalf. The law stipulates that once a year (after the completion of one lunar year) Zakat must be calculated and 2.5% is to be deducted from a malik al-nisabs wealth (cash, savings, investments, gold and silver) and donated as Zakat. ZAKAT AS AN ACT OF WORSHIP Zakat is in spirit an act of worship and in its external form the discharging of a social service. It is, therefore, not a levy or a tax, but is rather an act of worship. That is why the Noble Quran often mentions the observance of Salah alongside the giving of Zakat: ÙˆÙÅ ½ÃƒËœÃ‚ £Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã…  Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã‹â€ ÃƒËœÃƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ØلؠµÃƒâ„¢Ã… ½Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒËœÃƒâ„¢Ã… ½ÃƒËœÃ‚ ©Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½ ÙˆÙÅ ½ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¢ÃƒËœÃ‚ ªÃƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã‹â€ ÃƒËœÃƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Øلؠ²Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒâ„¢Ã†â€™Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½ÃƒËœÃƒËœÃ‚ ©Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½ ÙˆÙÅ ½Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½ÃƒËœ Ø ªÃƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¯Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã‹â€ ÃƒËœÃƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ لؠ£Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ ÃƒËœÃ‚ ³Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã†â€™Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Ù†¦Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Ø ®Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½Ãƒâ„¢Ã…  Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ÃƒËœÃ‚ ±Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚  Ø ªÃƒâ„¢Ã… ½ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¬Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¯Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã‹â€ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚  Ø ¹Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬  ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¯Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½ ØللّÙ†¡Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚  Ø ¥Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ ØللّÙ†¡Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½ Ø ¨Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½ÃƒËœ Ø ªÃƒâ„¢Ã… ½ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¹Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã‹â€ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½ Ø ¨Ãƒâ„¢Ã… ½ÃƒËœÃ‚ µÃƒâ„¢Ã‚ Ãƒâ„¢Ã…  ÃƒËœÃ‚ ±Ãƒâ„¢Ã…’ And be steadfast in your prayer and pay charity; whatever good you send forth for your future, you shall find it with Allah, for Allah is well aware of what you do Moreover, the Noble Quran emphasizes the importance of Zakat as follows: By no means shall you attain righteousness, unless you give of that which you love RECIPIENTS OF ZAKAT Allah (S.W.T) has mentioned paying of Zakat on multiple occasions like. Zakat is for the poor and the needy and those who are employed to administer and collect it, and for those whose hearts are to be won over, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage, and for those who are overburdened with debts and for every struggle in Gods cause, and for the wayfarers: this is a duty ordained by God, and God is the All-Knowing, the Wise. According to the Noble Quran, the lawful recipients of Zakat must be Muslims who belong to either one or more of the eight categories: (1) The poor (2) The needy (3) Those whose hearts are to be reconciled (4) Securing the freedom of those who are captives (5) Those that are genuinely in debt (6) Muslim employees (7) Those who engage in the cause of Allah I (8) The wayfarers DEFINITION OF SADAQAH The word Sadaqah is derived from the Arabic root verb sadaqah which means to be truthful and hence Sadaqah implies engaging in any righteous act in order to earn the mardat (pleasure) of Allah. SOME RULES PERTAINING TO SADAQAH There are three basic rules involved for Sadaqah to be divinely rewarded. Firstly, it must be donated in the name of Allah alone. Secondly, all monies donated must be from a legitimate source. Money that has been stolen or earned unethically is rendered void by Allah . Thirdly, all excess wealth is seen being owned by Allah and Muslims hold the wealth as trustees. Therefore, it is left up to individual Muslims to determine as to how much they are willing to give back to Him in the form of charity. SOME MITIGATING CONSEQUENCES OF SADAQAH According to the teachings of Islam, the giving of Sadaqah serves a number of functions. First and foremost is the expiation of sins. The believers are asked to give Sadaqah immediately following any divine transgression. It also serves to compensate for any shortcoming in any past payment of Zakah. Moreover, it also gives protection against falling victim to calamities. Furthermore, it wards off affliction in this world, and punishment on Day of Judgment. It is therefore recommended to give Sadaqah, irrespective whether it is at night or during the day, in secret or in public in order to seek God Almightys pleasure (Al-Baqarah, 2:274). Finally, it is generally believed that the constant giving of a little charity pleases God Almighty more than the occasional giving of much charity. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ZAKAT AND SADAQAH It is important to differentiate between Zakat and Sadaqah. Zakat is the obligatory annual almsgiving which is determined on the basis of the value of ones wealth. Sadaqah on the other hand is superogatory charity, given by Muslims over and above their Zakat contribution. Moreover, every Muslim irrespective of his/her financial status can in actual fact participate in Sadaqah in view of the fact that Sadaqah is not necessarily restricted to monetary contributions, but can also be given in kind as specified in the Noble Quran, for example, feeding the poor (69:34; 90:11-16; 107:1-3), extending any form of support to the orphans (17:34; 76:8; 89:17; 90:15; 93:9, 107:2) and widows, advising or counselling, and volunteering ones services in the community. CONCLUSION Thus charity, on a generic level, plays a major role in Muslim society. One of the key purposes of the religion is grounded in a sense of community, which is fostered by charity. The Noble Quran reassures those who engage in voluntary charity would be amply rewarded: Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. From the Islamic point of view, wealth belongs to God and is held by human beings in trust; so for those whom Allah has blessed with wealth, it is a test; and Muslims should strive to pass this test by not becoming worshipers of hoarded wealth. They should rather use the wealth only in ways God has permitted and realize that the amount to be given is not really their money but, rather, it belongs to those who have less than they do. Islamic charity is one of those unique forms of worship that bring out both the individual and the social aspects of ibada worship. Consider its sociopolitical effects: it frees society from the ill feelings arising out of class hatred. It opposes an individualism that is blind to the travails of ones neighbors and stands against a socialism that shackles individual freedom. It fosters neither selfishness nor renunciation. It also strengthens a sense of brotherhood and establishes social cohesion. Islamic charity represents the unbreakable bond between members of the community, whom Prophet Mohammed described as like the organs of the body, if one suffers then all others rally in response. We are fortunate to have sufficient means to live a quality life, but there are millions of people who are less fortunate than ourselves. Many millions of children, women and men live in abject poverty. Things that we take for granted-regular meals, housing, education and healthcare-are considered luxuries in some of the worlds poorest countries. It is our duty to help them-because helping the poor and destitute is emphasized again and again in the Quran and in the other Holy Scripts and traditions. By working together we can help make a real difference and bring about positive change to many peoples lives. The rewards for being charitable are also manifold: charity purifies our wealth and God has promised us a great reward for being charitable towards our fellow human beings.