Critical Thinking Essay

Critical Thinking Essay Critical Thinking Essay What is Critical Thinking? Aaron Moore Axia College of University of Phoenix . What is Critical Thinking? Does every need to think critically? Yes! If everyone just made assumptions on how they could do things, the world would be in chaos. Critical thinking is what helps everyone in his or her day-to-day decisions. No matter how big or small the decision everyone thinks critically. Critical thinking is basically making wise decisions. In our reading making wise decisions is to â€Å"not being way- laid by temptation, emotion, greed, irrelevant considerations, stupidity, bias, or other similar things. â€Å" (CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING, ANYWAY?) While making a decision, and you let your emotions get the better of you, you may regret your outcome later. The same can be said for greed and temptation. Say you want to buy new clothes, but you know you need your money for other things. What you need and want are not always the same. So if you let your want out beat your need, you may be hurting in the end. Rational decisions, without thinking clearly could create a big mess. Like the story of the teenager who decided to run away from the cops. He thought rational, but didn’t think everything through. And as everyone knows, if you run from the cops it just adds to the felony. But if the teenager had just thought everything though while being read his rights, the teenager probably would have realized

Lorna Dee Cervantes - Feminist Chicana Voice

Lorna Dee Cervantes - Feminist Chicana Voice article edited with additions by  Jone Johnson Lewis Born: 1954 in San FranciscoKnown For: Chicana poetry, feminism, writing that bridges cultures Lorna Dee Cervantes is recognized as a significant voice in feminist and Chicana poetry. In fact, she has referred to her adoption of the label Chicana as a feminist identification within the Chicano movement.   She is critically acclaimed for writing poetry that bridges cultures and explores gender and various points of view. Background Born in San Francisco and raised in San Jose, California, Lorna Dee Cervantes has Mexican and Chumash heritage on her mothers side and Tarascan Indian heritage on her fathers side. When she was born, her family had been in California for several generations; she has called herself indigenous Californian.   She was raised in her maternal grandmothers home, where she discovered books in homes where her mother worked as a domestic worker. Lorna Dee Cervantes became an activist when she was a teenager. She was involved with the Womens Liberation Movement, NOW, the Farm Workers Movement, and the American Indian Movement (AIM), among other causes. Poetry Debut Lorna Dee Cervantes began writing poetry as a teenager and compiled a collection of her poems at age 15. Although her debut poetry collection, Emplumada, was published in 1981, she was a recognized poet before that publication. She participated in the San Jose poetry scene, and in 1974 she read one of her poems at a theater festival performance in Mexico City, which brought her accolades and attention in Mexico. A Rising Chicana Star It was not unusual to hear Chicano/a poetry performed as spoken word, not just consumed as a written medium. Lorna Dee Cervantes was a prominent voice of the rising generation of Chicana writers during the 1970s. In addition to writing and performing poetry, she founded Mango Publications in 1976. She also published a journal called Mango. The heady days of running a small press from the kitchen table led to further involvement with Chicano writers such as Sandra Cisneros, Alberto Rios, and Jimmy Santiago Baca. Womens Experiences Early in her poetry career, Lorna Dee Cervantes reflected on her mother and grandmother in her writing. She contemplated their place in society as women and as Chicana women. Chicana feminists often wrote of the struggles they faced fitting into white society, paralleled with the struggles of gender in society. Lorna Dee Cervantes described Emplumada as a womans coming-of-age and as a rebellion against the male-dominated Chicano movement. She resented being considered disloyal to Chicano social justice ideals when she pointed out sexism in the movement. Poems such as You Cramp My Style Baby directly confront the sexism in Chicano men and how Chicana women were treated as second class. When her mother was killed brutally after Emplumada had been published, she integrated grief and and a strong sense of injustice in her 1991 work. From the Cables of Genocide: Poems of Love and Hunger. Themes of love, hunger, genocide, grief, interweave with her understandings of culture and women, and with a vision of what affirms life. Other Work Lorna Dee Cervantes attended Cal State San Jose and UC Santa Cruz. She was a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder from 1989-2007 and briefly directed the Creative Writing program there. She received multiple prizes and fellowships, including the Lila Wallace Readers Digest Award, the Pushcart Prize, NEA fellowship grants, and the American Book Award for Emplumada. Other books by Lorna Dee Cervantes include   and Drive: The First Quartet (2005). Her work continues to reflect her ideals of social justice, eco-consciousness, and peace.

Eastern European democratisation has greatly increased the number of Essay

Eastern European democratisation has greatly increased the number of presidential regimes in Europe. Explain and comment - Essay Example he masses with the environmental factors that have significant impact and which are capable of influencing any future recourse to the formation of a new political equation. Indeed, increasing democratization of Eastern and central European states into presidential regimes is an exemplary example of the dynamics of evolving society and the reorganization of political blueprint that have laid the foundation of democratization. The historical background of the political instability of Balkan region, in the last hundred years, aided and abetted the cause and consequences of the recent wars. Before the World War I, greater part of Balkan region was ruled by large empires. Serbia and Bosnia was under the rule of Ottoman Turks and greater part of Croatia was dominated Austria-Hungary jointly. Serbia became the first Slavic region to revolt against the bad administration and looked at Russia for military support. Though the Turks suppressed the uprising, they realized that further discontent among the Serbs may influence Russia to give support so in 1829, they gave more autonomy to them. The autonomous status provided to Serbia, made it more politically ambitious and it had its eyes on Croatia and Bosnia so that it could gain access to sea route and thereby become economically independent. WWI was all about power and territorial gain and had involved almost all the political powers including Bulgaria, Greece etc. By the end of WWI, ‘Kingdom of Serbs, Croat and Slovenes’ was created which included Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, and Macedonia. The Balkan region was greatly influenced by the communist Russians whose economic dependency played vital role in their political alignment. During and after WWII, under the influence of USSR, Balkan region consolidated into strong communist states to counter the Allied forces led by America, Britain and France. The disintegration of USSR and emergence of Boris Yeltsin as the popular leader

Network and computer intrusion threats Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Network and computer intrusion threats - Essay Example Security is a psychological impulse within ourselves so we feel comfortable and protected.   Security is the idea of something being in a location unable to be modified, stolen, damaged and or removed without permission.   According to the American Heritage Dictionary of English Language (2006) secure is a word describing freedom of danger, attack and risk of loss.   A sense of security has always been an element of the human infrastructure to protect what is theirs from outside intruders.   We can see this in the methods by which ancient people constructed their homes and the usage of fortifications in their villages, towns and cities. These ancient protections were an essential part of life, to live in safety and comfort while the daily activities were carried out.   In modern times our military, the civilian police force and other  Ã‚   government services reflect such protective methods.   A major difference is, while physical fortifications were sufficient for our ancestors, we must incorporate cyber fortifications to meet the challenges of today’s environment.Intruders today use malicious binary codes as the latest weaponry for a battering-ram technique to demolish and bypass our cyber security walls, so they can pillage and collect the bounty of their victim’s cyber home.   Jang describe the growing age of information warfare, which reflect information security as displaying patterns that expand into a more offensive than defensive stance.  ... Figure 4 Technologist Intruder Profiling - Conceptual Framework Figure 5 The process of executing an Exploit using Metasploit tool (Hicks, Mark. 2005) Table of Tables: S.No. Name and Hyperlink Table 1 Format of analysis of the outcome of survey TABLE 2 The proposed time table for the research Introduction: This research is targeted to establish a detailed methodology of network intrusion profiling such that security policies on collaborative IDPS frameworks can be implemented. A brief overview of the context is introduced in this section. 1.1 History of Security & Intrusion Security is a psychological impulse within ourselves so we feel comfortable and protected. Security is the idea of something being in a location unable to be modified, stolen, damaged and or removed without permission. According to the American Heritage Dictionary of English Language (2006) secure is a word describing freedom of danger, attack and risk of loss. A sense of security has always been an element of the human infrastructure to protect what is theirs from outside intruders. We can see this in the methods by which ancient people constructed their homes and the usage of fortifications in their villages, towns and cities. These ancient protections were an essential part of life, to live in safety and comfort while the daily activities were carried out. In modern times our military, the civilian police force and other government services reflect such protective methods. A major difference is, while physical fortifications were sufficient for our ancestors, we must incorporate cyber fortifications to meet the challenges of today's environment. Intruders today use malicious binary codes as the latest weaponry for a battering-ram technique

Downfall of the American Dream Essay Example for Free

Downfall of the American Dream Essay As a child, one is told that life is just a dream. If one believes in his or her dreams and pursues the path to this goal than one shall achieve it and shall live a joyful, ‘happy’ life. However as one grows older and wiser, one learns that the reality is far more complicated and corrupted. One discovers that despite their perseverance and audacious efforts to attain his or her objectives, the American dream is just an illusion that cannot come true and cannot be attained. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is set in New York City and Long Island in the early 1920’s when America was viewed as the land of opportunity. Nevertheless, this novel explores the downfall of the American Dream and how it has an effect on people and the society. This is demonstrated by characters such as Myrtle Wilson who corrupts herself, her relationship and her life over an obsession with something that cannot be attained. Daisy Buchman who sacrifices herself and her happiness to maintain her social status. Finally, Jay Gatsby, the protagonist of the novel exemplifies how the American dream can lead one to make immoral decisions. Through the use of these characters, F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby explores that no matter one\s gender, race or class the American dream does not discriminate; it is simply elusive and unachievable to all who seek to pursue it. Myrtle Wilson, often described in the novel as Tom’s mistress, remains a very flat character throughout the whole novel meaning that she doesn’t develop as a character and her morals do not change throughout the novel; however, she plays a huge role in Fitzgerald’s novel to outline the flaws in the American dream. Myrtle’s objective throughout her whole life as it was for many women of this era is to wed a rich successful man who can â€Å"take care of her†. Evidently, her husband, George Wilson, is not suitable for her. She even says â€Å"he isn’t fit to lick my shoe† (page number) This is why Myrtle finds herself another man who â€Å"qualifies† to her standards/ checklist. Throughout the novel Myrtle literally buries her relationship with George by getting involved with Tom Buchman as well she betrays herself and gives away little pieces of herself by pursuing her dream. Tom Buchman breaks her nose in chapter two yet she pur sues the relationship because she is so desperate to rise in social class. A cream is like an off-color of white; it is tainted with yellow. Fitzgerald often uses this color to portray one\s falseness and inability to fit in with the upper class. In chapter two, Myrtle wears a cream-colored dress and when someone gives her a compliment about the dress she says â€Å" â€Å" It’s just a crazy old thing, [] I just slip it on sometimes when I don’t care what I look like.† (page 35). Nick remarks that Myrtle repeatedly changes her outfits so when she brushes off this compliment and acts snobbish; it becomes very evident to Nick and the readers that she is desperately trying to make herself appear superior, sophisticated and a part of the upper class. People of the upper class often wear white because it is easily corrupted so it can be replaced. White can become creamed colored but cream color clothing cannot become white. This shows how despite one’s endles s effort, the American Dream is unattainable. As proven with Myrtle and Tom’s relationship, Myrtle dream is very materialistic. According to Michelle Hurley in her â€Å"The End of the American dream† she expresses â€Å"Fitzgerald documenting the corruption through materialism of what was once an era of genuine optimism and individualism the original American dream.† This is shown through many characters but especially Myrtle. Her immoral, wrongful and materialistic perception by the American dream literally led her to her own demise. Fitzgerald kills her off in chapter seven when she gets hit by the car she was chasing after. Myrtle represents the people from lower class that attempt to defy the social boundaries at any possible cost. However, her fate unfolds that anyone who endeavors to disobey the American dream will suffer severe and deadly consequences. Furthermore, Jay Gatsby also known as James Gatz executes multiple unethical actions driven by his desire to achieve wealth and love. Motivated by Dan Cody and his loathing of the poverty-stricken life, Gatsby seeks a simple way to become apart of the wealthy class. Therefore, Gatsby becomes involved in some illegal business; this becomes especially obvious when Nick first meets Meyer Wolfsheim and Gatsby says, â€Å" â€Å"Oh, no, [] this isn’t the man!† page number!!!!. Gatsby panics because Meyer Wolfsheim almost discloses confidential information about the business to the wrong person. Although it does not directly state in the novel that Gatsby is involved in the bootlegging business, many clues such as Gatsby’s relationships with questionable people like Mayor Wolfsheim as well as Gatsby’s story’s about his past that never seems to add up suggest that Gatsby is not completely innocent. This also causes the readers to question how exactly he e arned his fortune. In addition, this shows how Gatsby’s morals openly oppose the idea of the American dream which states that only those who â€Å"work hard can achieve it†. Daisy Buchman means the world to Gatsby; his genuine American dream was to attain Daisy’s love. Everything he does in the novel he does for the sole purpose of getting her back into his life. Daisy and Gatsby had a great love before he went off to represent his country in the war; In her article â€Å"The end of the American dream†, Michelle Hurley explains that â€Å"Daisy promised to wait for him but being fickle, materialistic and in demand she married Tom Buchanan instead.†. Not only does this show the carelessness and selfishness of the upper class but it also shows the cruelness of the American dream. Gatsby does everything to â€Å"woo† Daisy over; he throws parties in hope that one day she would attend one and he even gets involved in immoral business all with t he sole purpose of getting Daisy to fall in love with him once again.Yet despite all of his efforts, Daisy screws him over and his American dream stabs him right in the back. Finally, for years Gatsby paints an unrealistic picture for himself of Daisy. Nick even tells Gatsby to stop expecting so much from Daisy because she will crack from the pressure and he will lose her. Nick also repeatedly reminds Gatsby that the past cannot be recreated yet Gatsby continually opposes this idea. As a result of Daisy’s inability to reach this unreal illusion that Gatsby idealized constantly disappoints Gatsby and causes him to ask for more from her. In the end, he dies waiting for her which represents the reality of the unreachable American dream. Gatsby’s unrealistic and unachievable comprehension/ perception of the American dream, as well as his kindness and innocence, eventually leads him to disappointment and his own demise. Finally, Daisy Buchman was born and raised on the opposite social spectrum as Gatsby. As Gatsby remarks Daisy’s â€Å" voice is full of money† Page NUMber; her main value in life is wealth and social. She has adapted to her wealthy lifestyle ever since she was little which clouds her understanding and view of the American dream. As said by Jordan Sarah Head, â€Å" Daisy and Tom’s common denominator is wealth and an upper-class position†. Even after falling in love with Gatsby, Daisy marries Tom not as much because she loves him but because she loves what he represents. She believed that because of his appreciable wealth he could â€Å"care for her† and make her happy but as once said by Denzel Washington â€Å"Money doesn’t buy happiness. This is why even though she is truly in love with Jay Gatsby she gives up her happiness for her materialistic values. Furthermore, Daisy Buchman and Gatsby come from the complete opposite sides of the wealth spectrum. Daisy Buchman has the lifestyle that most people believe http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=10sid=769a7693-0ce6-41e7-bba1-181bb4c496aa%40sessionmgr4006bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=9306106555db=aqh http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=26sid=769a7693-0ce6-41e7-bba1-181bb4c496aa%40sessionmgr4006 Daisy Buchanan

Comparing the Poetry of Gary Snyder and Ruth Stone Essay -- Comparison

Comparing the Poetry of Gary Snyder and Ruth Stone Gary Snyder is not only a poet, but a preacher of sorts. His poems carry powerful messages about getting back to your roots. His poems contain strong themes of anti-consumerism and spirituality. "Facts" is a short piece consisting of facts on consumerism in America. This piece warns of the dangers of over consumption and lack of moderation. In some cases, however, Snyder does appear far too extreme in his views, like in "By Frazier Creek Falls" where is says "We could live on this Earth / Without clothes or tools." This theme of "primitivism" is a common theme in Snyder's poetry. Many of his poems are about nature and the "uncivilized" world. the settings of his poems are often woods, lakes, mountain trails, or other similar uninhabited uncultivated areas. Snyder's poetry is sometimes political activism in disguise. "Four Changes" is less like a poem and more like an environmental extremist's manifesto. Each of the "changes" closes with a suggestion of what type of soci al or political action to take in order to make the aforementioned change occur. Loss is a major theme in Ruth Stone's poetry, although her poems are rarely depressing as one might expect from loss poems. Instead, her poems contain a bitter yet sharp tone of humor. She writes about the loss of her husband, old lovers, her mother, and the past. Stone also writes about the dangers of getting too caught up in the modern world and losing touch with our roots. In "The Solution" she refers to "My friend the Supermarket" which brings her gratification in several ways. In "Lullaby" she writes about babies who kiss their computer goodnight and tells how they program computers after putting on thei... ...aired Mother† and writes many poems about mothers. Both Snyder and Stone make use of strong concrete images in their poems. In â€Å"The Bath† Snyder appeals to almost all of the senses by talking about the â€Å"crackle of waterdrops† and â€Å"the scent of cedar† and his wife entering the sauna, â€Å"letting in cool air.† In â€Å"Simplicity† Stone’s intense use of adjectives and figurative language creates strong images in the reader’s mind. She describes her surroundings as â€Å"wrinkled skin on a cup of boiled milk† an describes â€Å"the water’s muscular flow.† The writings of both poets can be described as both simple and complex at the same time, just like the world they’re writing about. While on a purely literal level you may be reading about loss, family, traveling, or nature, all of the poems have a deeper meaning about these topics that the poet leaves the reader to discover.

Essqy

The perks of being a wallflower The Perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is about a boy named Charlie he finds a group of friends sort of like him, who became his friends and introduced him into experience common to many teens. His new group of friends gives Charlie something precious he has never had before: a sense of belonging because he is a lonely teen. For example, Charlie is lonely when he is at home â€Å"it has been very lonely because my sister is busy being the oldest one in our family. My brother is busy being a football player at pen state† (pg 8).He clearly wants to spend time with his family because he loves them. He doesn’t want to be alone. Charlie speaks about his life and says â€Å"so, this is my life and I want you to know that Im both happy and sad and Im trying to figure out how out how that could be† (pg 2). There are certain things that make him sad and happy he wants to know what those things are but Cant. â€Å"In the silence , I remembered this one time that I never told anybody about the time we were walking. Just the three of us. And I was in the middle†¦I just remember walking between them feeling for the first time that I belonged some where† (pg 198).When Charlie is alone he was thinking about how lonely he was and how he felt that he mattered and wasn’t a lone. I think Stephen Chbosky did a good job showing all the emotions and feelings Charlie had because a lot of people and relate to how he is feeling. According to the mental health foundation research shows that one in then people often feel lonely (11%) and half think that people are getting lonelier in general (48%) the report says the way people now live is impacting on their ability to connect with others.More people live alone: The percentage of households occupied by one person doubled from 64% in 1972 to 12% in 2008. (1) In recent years, social psychologist has expressed concern about the friendless male. Many studies h ave concluded that women have better relational skills which help them to be more successful at making and keeping friends. Women on the other hand, are more likely than men to express their emotions and display empathy and compassion in response to the emotions of others. (2) The effects of depression, suicide, drug addiction, alcohol addiction and acute and chronic illness. 3) Many people who are lonely can get help from doing research or going to a professional doctor who can help them they can also try to socialize with family or friends. The Perks of Being a Wallflower shows a boy who deals with loneliness and how he tries to make friends. Feeling alone is bad for your health and if you feel alone you should talk to someone about it and get help. Sources: 1) http://m. ivy-rose. co. uk/Articles/modern-life-leading-to-loneliness 2) http://www. leaderu. com/orgs/probe/docs/lonely. html 3) http://www. psychologistanywhereanytime. com/realationships_psychologist/psychologist_lonelin ess. htm

The Lost Symbol Chapter 4-6

CHAPTER 4 The U.S. Capitol Building stands regally at the eastern end of the National Mall, on a raised plateau that city designer Pierre L'Enfant described as â€Å"a pedestal waiting for a monument.† The Capitol's massive footprint measures more than 750 feet in length and 350 feet deep. Housing more than sixteen acres of floor space, it contains an astonishing 541 rooms. The neoclassical architecture is meticulously designed to echo the grandeur of ancient Rome, whose ideals were the inspiration for America's founders in establishing the laws and culture of the new republic. The new security checkpoint for tourists entering the Capitol Building is located deep within the recently completed subterranean visitor center, beneath a magnificent glass skylight that frames the Capitol Dome. Newly hired security guard Alfonso Nunez carefully studied the male visitor now approaching his checkpoint. The man had a shaved head and had been lingering in the lobby, completing a phone call before entering the building. His right arm was in a sling, and he moved with a slight limp. He was wearing a tattered army-navy surplus coat, which, combined with his shaved head, made Nunez guess military. Those who had served in the U.S. armed forces were among the most common visitors to Washington. â€Å"Good evening, sir,† Nunez said, following the security protocol of verbally engaging any male visitor who entered alone. â€Å"Hello,† the visitor said, glancing around at the nearly deserted entry. â€Å"Quiet night.† â€Å"NFC play-offs,† Nunez replied. â€Å"Everyone's watching the Redskins tonight.† Nunez wished he were, too, but this was his first month on the job, and he'd drawn the short straw. â€Å"Metal objects in the dish, please.† As the visitor fumbled to empty the pockets of his long coat with his one working hand, Nunez watched him carefully. Human instinct made special allowances for the injured and handicapped, but it was an instinct Nunez had been trained to override. Nunez waited while the visitor removed from his pockets the usual assortment of loose change, keys, and a couple of cell phones. â€Å"Sprain?† Nunez asked, eyeing the man's injured hand, which appeared to be wrapped in a series of thick Ace bandages. The bald man nodded. â€Å"Slipped on the ice. A week ago. Still hurts like hell.† â€Å"Sorry to hear that. Walk through, please.† The visitor limped through the detector, and the machine buzzed in protest. The visitor frowned. â€Å"I was afraid of that. I'm wearing a ring under these bandages. My finger was too swollen to get it off, so the doctors wrapped right over it.† â€Å"No problem,† Nunez said. â€Å"I'll use the wand.† Nunez ran the metal-detection wand over the visitor's wrapped hand. As expected, the only metal he detected was a large lump on the man's injured ring finger. Nunez took his time rubbing the metal detector over every inch of the man's sling and finger. He knew his supervisor was probably monitoring him on the closed circuit in the building's security center, and Nunez needed this job. Always better to be cautious. He carefully slid the wand up inside the man's sling. The visitor winced in pain. â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"It's okay,† the man said. â€Å"You can't be too careful these days.† â€Å"Ain't that the truth.† Nunez liked this guy. Strangely, that counted for a lot around here. Human instinct was America's first line of defense against terrorism. It was a proven fact that human intuition was a more accurate detector of danger than all the electronic gear in the world–the gift of fear, as one of their security reference books termed it. In this case, Nunez's instincts sensed nothing that caused him any fear. The only oddity that he noticed, now that they were standing so close, was that this tough-looking guy appeared to have used some kind of self-tanner or concealer makeup on his face. Whatever. Everyone hates to be pale in the winter. â€Å"You're fine,† Nunez said, completing his sweep and stowing the wand. â€Å"Thanks.† The man started collecting his belongings from the tray. As he did, Nunez noticed that the two fingers protruding from his bandage each bore a tattoo; the tip of his index finger bore the image of a crown, and the tip of his thumb bore that of a star. Seems everyone has tattoos these days, Nunez thought, although the pads of his fingertips seemed like painful spots to get them. â€Å"Those tats hurt?† The man glanced down at his fingertips and chuckled. â€Å"Less than you might think.† â€Å"Lucky,† Nunez said. â€Å"Mine hurt a lot. I got a mermaid on my back when I was in boot camp.† â€Å"A mermaid?† The bald man chuckled. â€Å"Yeah,† he said, feeling sheepish. â€Å"The mistakes we make in our youth.† â€Å"I hear you,† the bald man said. â€Å"I made a big mistake in my youth, too. Now I wake up with her every morning.† They both laughed as the man headed off. Child's play, Mal'akh thought as he moved past Nunez and up the escalator toward the Capitol Building. The entry had been easier than anticipated. Mal'akh's slouching posture and padded belly had hidden his true physique, while the makeup on his face and hands had hidden the tattoos that covered his body. The true genius, however, was the sling, which disguised the potent object Mal'akh was transporting into the building. A gift for the one man on earth who can help me obtain what I seek. CHAPTER 5 The world's largest and most technologically advanced museum is also one of the world's best- kept secrets. It houses more pieces than the Hermitage, the Vatican Museum, and the New York Metropolitan . . . combined. Yet despite its magnificent collection, few members of the public are ever invited inside its heavily guarded walls. Located at 4210 Silver Hill Road just outside of Washington, D.C., the museum is a massive zigzag-shaped edifice constructed of five interconnected pods–each pod larger than a football field. The building's bluish metal exterior barely hints at the strangeness within–a six-hundred- thousand-square-foot alien world that contains a â€Å"dead zone,† a â€Å"wet pod,† and more than twelve miles of storage cabinets. Tonight, scientist Katherine Solomon was feeling unsettled as she drove her white Volvo up to the building's main security gate. The guard smiled. â€Å"Not a football fan, Ms. Solomon?† He lowered the volume on the Redskins play-off pregame show. Katherine forced a tense smile. â€Å"It's Sunday night.† â€Å"Oh, that's right. Your meeting.† â€Å"Is he here yet?† she asked anxiously. He glanced down at his paperwork. â€Å"I don't see him on the log.† â€Å"I'm early.† Katherine gave a friendly wave and continued up the winding access road to her usual parking spot at the bottom of the small, two-tiered lot. She began collecting her things and gave herself a quick check in the rearview mirror–more out of force of habit than actual vanity. Katherine Solomon had been blessed with the resilient Mediterranean skin of her ancestry, and even at fifty years old she had a smooth olive complexion. She used almost no makeup and wore her thick black hair unstyled and down. Like her older brother, Peter, she had gray eyes and a slender, patrician elegance. You two might as well be twins, people often told them. Their father had succumbed to cancer when Katherine was only seven, and she had little memory of him. Her brother, eight years Katherine's senior and only fifteen when their father died, had begun his journey toward becoming the Solomon patriarch much sooner than anyone had ever dreamed. As expected, though, Peter had grown into the role with the dignity and strength befitting their family name. To this day, he still watched over Katherine as though they were just kids. Despite her brother's occasional prodding, and no shortage of suitors, Katherine had never married. Science had become her life partner, and her work had proven more fulfilling and exciting than any man could ever hope to be. Katherine had no regrets. Her field of choice–Noetic Science–had been virtually unknown when she first heard of it, but in recent years it had started opening new doors of understanding into the power of the human mind. Our untapped potential is truly shocking. Katherine's two books on Noetics had established her as a leader in this obscure field, but her most recent discoveries, when published, promised to make Noetic Science a topic of mainstream conversation around the world. Tonight, however, science was the last thing on her mind. Earlier in the day, she had received some truly upsetting information relating to her brother. I still can't believe it's true. She'd thought of nothing else all afternoon. A pattering of light rain drummed on her windshield, and Katherine quickly gathered her things to get inside. She was about to step out of her car when her cell phone rang. She checked the caller ID and inhaled deeply. Then she tucked her hair behind her ears and settled in to take the call. Six miles away, Mal'akh was moving through the corridors of the U.S. Capitol Building with a cell phone pressed to his ear. He waited patiently as the line rang. Finally, a woman's voice answered. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"We need to meet again,† Mal'akh said. There was a long pause. â€Å"Is everything all right?† â€Å"I have new information,† Mal'akh said. â€Å"Tell me.† Mal'akh took a deep breath. â€Å"That which your brother believes is hidden in D.C. . . . ?† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"It can be found.† Katherine Solomon sounded stunned. â€Å"You're telling me–it is real?† Mal'akh smiled to himself. â€Å"Sometimes a legend that endures for centuries . . . endures for a reason.† CHAPTER 6 Is this as close as you can get?† Robert Langdon felt a sudden wave of anxiety as his driver parked on First Street, a good quarter mile from the Capitol Building. â€Å"Afraid so,† the driver said. â€Å"Homeland Security. No vehicles near landmark buildings anymore. I'm sorry, sir.† Langdon checked his watch, startled to see it was already 6:50. A construction zone around the National Mall had slowed them down, and his lecture was to begin in ten minutes. â€Å"Weather's turning,† the driver said, hopping out and opening Langdon's door for him. â€Å"You'll want to hurry.† Langdon reached for his wallet to tip the driver, but the man waved him off. â€Å"Your host already added a very generous tip to the charge.† Typical Peter, Langdon thought, gathering his things. â€Å"Okay, thanks for the ride.† The first few raindrops began to fall as Langdon reached the top of the gracefully arched concourse that descended to the new â€Å"underground† visitors' entrance. The Capitol Visitor Center had been a costly and controversial project. Described as an underground city to rival parts of Disney World, this subterranean space reportedly provided over a half-million square feet of space for exhibits, restaurants, and meeting halls. Langdon had been looking forward to seeing it, although he hadn't anticipated quite this long a walk. The skies were threatening to open at any moment, and he broke into a jog, his loafers offering almost no traction on the wet cement. I dressed for a lecture, not a four-hundred-yard downhill dash through the rain! When he arrived at the bottom, he was breathless and panting. Langdon pushed through the revolving door, taking a moment in the foyer to catch his breath and brush off the rain. As he did, he raised his eyes to the newly completed space before him. Okay, I'm impressed. The Capitol Visitor Center was not at all what he had expected. Because the space was underground, Langdon had been apprehensive about passing through it. A childhood accident had left him stranded at the bottom of a deep well overnight, and Langdon now lived with an almost crippling aversion to enclosed spaces. But this underground space was . . . airy somehow. Light. Spacious. The ceiling was a vast expanse of glass with a series of dramatic light fixtures that threw a muted glow across the pearl-colored interior finishes. Normally, Langdon would have taken a full hour in here to admire the architecture, but with five minutes until showtime, he put his head down and dashed through the main hall toward the security checkpoint and escalators. Relax, he told himself. Peter knows you're on your way. The event won't start without you. At the security point, a young Hispanic guard chatted with him while Langdon emptied his pockets and removed his vintage watch. â€Å"Mickey Mouse?† the guard said, sounding mildly amused. Langdon nodded, accustomed to the comments. The collector's edition Mickey Mouse watch had been a gift from his parents on his ninth birthday. â€Å"I wear it to remind me to slow down and take life less seriously.† â€Å"I don't think it's working,† the guard said with a smile. â€Å"You look like you're in a serious hurry.† Langdon smiled and put his daybag through the X-ray machine. â€Å"Which way to the Statuary Hall?† The guard motioned toward the escalators. â€Å"You'll see the signs.† â€Å"Thanks.† Langdon grabbed his bag off the conveyor and hurried on. As the escalator ascended, Langdon took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts. He gazed up through the rain-speckled glass ceiling at the mountainous form of the illuminated Capitol Dome overhead. It was an astonishing building. High atop her roof, almost three hundred feet in the air, the Statue of Freedom peered out into the misty darkness like a ghostly sentinel. Langdon always found it ironic that the workers who hoisted each piece of the nineteen-and-a-half-foot bronze statue to her perch were slaves–a Capitol secret that seldom made the syllabi of high school history classes. This entire building, in fact, was a treasure trove of bizarre arcana that included a â€Å"killer bathtub† responsible for the pneumonic murder of Vice President Henry Wilson, a staircase with a permanent bloodstain over which an inordinate number of guests seemed to trip, and a sealed basement chamber in which workers in 1930 discovered General John Alexander Logan's long- deceased stuffed horse. No legends were as enduring, however, as the claims of thirteen different ghosts that haunted this building. The spirit of city designer Pierre L'Enfant frequently was reported wandering the halls, seeking payment of his bill, now two hundred years overdue. The ghost of a worker who fell from the Capitol Dome during construction was seen wandering the corridors with a tray of tools. And, of course, the most famous apparition of all, reported numerous times in the Capitol basement–an ephemeral black cat that prowled the substructure's eerie maze of narrow passageways and cubicles. Langdon stepped off the escalator and again checked his watch. Three minutes. He hurried down the wide corridor, following the signs toward the Statuary Hall and rehearsing his opening remarks in his head. Langdon had to admit that Peter's assistant had been correct; this lecture topic would be a perfect match for an event hosted in Washington, D.C., by a prominent Mason. It was no secret that D.C. had a rich Masonic history. The cornerstone of this very building had been laid in a full Masonic ritual by George Washington himself. This city had been conceived and designed by Master Masons–George Washington, Ben Franklin, and Pierre L'Enfant– powerful minds who adorned their new capital with Masonic symbolism, architecture, and art. Of course, people see in those symbols all kinds of crazy ideas. Many conspiracy theorists claimed the Masonic forefathers had concealed powerful secrets throughout Washington along with symbolic messages hidden in the city's layout of streets. Langdon never paid any attention. Misinformation about the Masons was so commonplace that even educated Harvard students seemed to have surprisingly warped conceptions about the brotherhood. Last year, a freshman had rushed wild-eyed into Langdon's classroom with a printout from the Web. It was a street map of D.C. on which certain streets had been highlighted to form various shapes–satanic pentacles, a Masonic compass and square, the head of Baphomet–proof apparently that the Masons who designed Washington, D.C., were involved in some kind of dark, mystical conspiracy. â€Å"Fun,† Langdon said, â€Å"but hardly convincing. If you draw enough intersecting lines on a map, you're bound to find all kinds of shapes.† â€Å"But this can't be coincidence!† the kid exclaimed. Langdon patiently showed the student that the same exact shapes could be formed on a street map of Detroit. The kid seemed sorely disappointed. â€Å"Don't be disheartened,† Langdon said. â€Å"Washington does have some incredible secrets . . . just none on this street map.† The young man perked up. â€Å"Secrets? Like what?† â€Å"Every spring I teach a course called Occult Symbols. I talk a lot about D.C. You should take the course.† â€Å"Occult symbols!† The freshman looked excited again. â€Å"So there are devil symbols in D.C.!† Langdon smiled. â€Å"Sorry, but the word occult, despite conjuring images of devil worship, actually means `hidden' or `obscured.' In times of religious oppression, knowledge that was counterdoctrinal had to be kept hidden or `occult,' and because the church felt threatened by this, they redefined anything `occult' as evil, and the prejudice survived.† â€Å"Oh.† The kid slumped. Nonetheless, that spring, Langdon spotted the freshman seated in the front row as five hundred students bustled into Harvard's Sanders Theatre, a hollow old lecture hall with creaking wooden benches. â€Å"Good morning, everybody,† Langdon shouted from the expansive stage. He turned on a slide projector, and an image materialized behind him. â€Å"As you're getting settled, how many of you recognize the building in this picture?† â€Å"U.S. Capitol!† dozens of voices called out in unison. â€Å"Washington, D.C.!† â€Å"Yes. There are nine million pounds of ironwork in that dome. An unparalleled feat of architectural ingenuity for the 1850s.† â€Å"Awesome!† somebody shouted. Langdon rolled his eyes, wishing somebody would ban that word. â€Å"Okay, and how many of you have ever been to Washington?† A scattering of hands went up. â€Å"So few?† Langdon feigned surprise. â€Å"And how many of you have been to Rome, Paris, Madrid, or London?† Almost all the hands in the room went up. As usual. One of the rites of passage for American college kids was a summer with a Eurorail ticket before the harsh reality of real life set in. â€Å"It appears many more of you have visited Europe than have visited your own capital. Why do you think that is?† â€Å"No drinking age in Europe!† someone in back shouted. Langdon smiled. â€Å"As if the drinking age here stops any of you?† Everyone laughed. It was the first day of school, and the students were taking longer than usual to get settled, shifting and creaking in their wooden pews. Langdon loved teaching in this hall because he always knew how engaged the students were simply by listening to how much they fidgeted in their pews. â€Å"Seriously,† Langdon said, â€Å"Washington, D.C., has some of the world's finest architecture, art, and symbolism. Why would you go overseas before visiting your own capital?† â€Å"Ancient stuff is cooler,† someone said. â€Å"And by ancient stuff,† Langdon clarified, â€Å"I assume you mean castles, crypts, temples, that sort of thing?† Their heads nodded in unison. â€Å"Okay. Now, what if I told you that Washington, D.C., has every one of those things? Castles, crypts, pyramids, temples . . . it's all there.† The creaking diminished. â€Å"My friends,† Langdon said, lowering his voice and moving to the front of the stage, â€Å"in the next hour, you will discover that our nation is overflowing with secrets and hidden history. And exactly as in Europe, all of the best secrets are hidden in plain view.† The wooden pews fell dead silent. Gotcha. Langdon dimmed the lights and called up his second slide. â€Å"Who can tell me what George Washington is doing here?† The slide was a famous mural depicting George Washington dressed in full Masonic regalia standing before an odd-looking contraption–a giant wooden tripod that supported a rope-and- pulley system from which was suspended a massive block of stone. A group of well-dressed onlookers stood around him. â€Å"Lifting that big block of stone?† someone ventured. Langdon said nothing, preferring that a student make the correction if possible. â€Å"Actually,† another student offered, â€Å"I think Washington is lowering the rock. He's wearing a Masonic costume. I've seen pictures of Masons laying cornerstones before. The ceremony always uses that tripod thing to lower the first stone.† â€Å"Excellent,† Langdon said. â€Å"The mural portrays the Father of Our Country using a tripod and pulley to lay the cornerstone of our Capitol Building on September 18, 1793, between the hours of eleven fifteen and twelve thirty.† Langdon paused, scanning the class. â€Å"Can anyone tell me the significance of that date and time?† Silence. â€Å"What if I told you that precise moment was chosen by three famous Masons–George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Pierre L'Enfant, the primary architect for D.C.?† More silence. â€Å"Quite simply, the cornerstone was set at that date and time because, among other things, the auspicious Caput Draconis was in Virgo.† Everyone exchanged odd looks. â€Å"Hold on,† someone said. â€Å"You mean . . . like astrology?† â€Å"Exactly. Although a different astrology than we know today.† A hand went up. â€Å"You mean our Founding Fathers believed in astrology?† Langdon grinned. â€Å"Big-time. What would you say if I told you the city of Washington, D.C., has more astrological signs in its architecture than any other city in the world–zodiacs, star charts, cornerstones laid at precise astrological dates and times? More than half of the framers of our Constitution were Masons, men who strongly believed that the stars and fate were intertwined, men who paid close attention to the layout of the heavens as they structured their new world.† â€Å"But that whole thing about the Capitol cornerstone being laid while Caput Draconis was in Virgo–who cares? Can't that just be coincidence?† â€Å"An impressive coincidence considering that the cornerstones of the three structures that make up Federal Triangle–the Capitol, the White House, the Washington Monument–were all laid in different years but were carefully timed to occur under this exact same astrological condition.† Langdon's gaze was met by a room full of wide eyes. A number of heads dipped down as students began taking notes. A hand in back went up. â€Å"Why did they do that?† Langdon chuckled. â€Å"The answer to that is an entire semester's worth of material. If you're curious, you should take my mysticism course. Frankly, I don't think you guys are emotionally prepared to hear the answer.† â€Å"What?† the person shouted. â€Å"Try us!† Langdon made a show of considering it and then shook his head, toying with them. â€Å"Sorry, I can't do that. Some of you are only freshmen. I'm afraid it might blow your minds.† â€Å"Tell us!† everyone shouted. Langdon shrugged. â€Å"Perhaps you should join the Masons or Eastern Star and learn about it from the source.† â€Å"We can't get in,† a young man argued. â€Å"The Masons are like a supersecret society!† â€Å"Supersecret? Really?† Langdon remembered the large Masonic ring that his friend Peter Solomon wore proudly on his right hand. â€Å"Then why do Masons wear obvious Masonic rings, tie clips, or pins? Why are Masonic buildings clearly marked? Why are their meeting times in the newspaper?† Langdon smiled at all the puzzled faces. â€Å"My friends, the Masons are not a secret society . . . they are a society with secrets.† â€Å"Same thing,† someone muttered. â€Å"Is it?† Langdon challenged. â€Å"Would you consider Coca-Cola a secret society?† â€Å"Of course not,† the student said. â€Å"Well, what if you knocked on the door of corporate headquarters and asked for the recipe for Classic Coke?† â€Å"They'd never tell you.† â€Å"Exactly. In order to learn Coca-Cola's deepest secret, you would need to join the company, work for many years, prove you were trustworthy, and eventually rise to the upper echelons of the company, where that information might be shared with you. Then you would be sworn to secrecy.† â€Å"So you're saying Freemasonry is like a corporation?† â€Å"Only insofar as they have a strict hierarchy and they take secrecy very seriously.† â€Å"My uncle is a Mason,† a young woman piped up. â€Å"And my aunt hates it because he won't talk about it with her. She says Masonry is some kind of strange religion.† â€Å"A common misperception.† â€Å"It's not a religion?† â€Å"Give it the litmus test,† Langdon said. â€Å"Who here has taken Professor Witherspoon's comparative religion course?† Several hands went up. â€Å"Good. So tell me, what are the three prerequisites for an ideology to be considered a religion?† â€Å"ABC,† one woman offered. â€Å"Assure, Believe, Convert.† â€Å"Correct,† Langdon said. â€Å"Religions assure salvation; religions believe in a precise theology; and religions convert nonbelievers.† He paused. â€Å"Masonry, however, is batting zero for three. Masons make no promises of salvation; they have no specific theology; and they do not seek to convert you. In fact, within Masonic lodges, discussions of religion are prohibited.† â€Å"So . . . Masonry is anti religious?† â€Å"On the contrary. One of the prerequisites for becoming a Mason is that you must believe in a higher power. The difference between Masonic spirituality and organized religion is that the Masons do not impose a specific definition or name on a higher power. Rather than definitive theological identities like God, Allah, Buddha, or Jesus, the Masons use more general terms like Supreme Being or Great Architect of the Universe. This enables Masons of different faiths to gather together.† â€Å"Sounds a little far-out,† someone said. â€Å"Or, perhaps, refreshingly open-minded?† Langdon offered. â€Å"In this age when different cultures are killing each other over whose definition of God is better, one could say the Masonic tradition of tolerance and open-mindedness is commendable.† Langdon paced the stage. â€Å"Moreover, Masonry is open to men of all races, colors, and creeds, and provides a spiritual fraternity that does not discriminate in any way.† â€Å"Doesn't discriminate?† A member of the university's Women's Center stood up. â€Å"How many women are permitted to be Masons, Professor Langdon?† Langdon showed his palms in surrender. â€Å"A fair point. Freemasonry had its roots, traditionally, in the stone masons' guilds of Europe and was therefore a man's organization. Several hundred years ago, some say as early as 1703, a women's branch called Eastern Star was founded. They have more than a million members.† â€Å"Nonetheless,† the woman said, â€Å"Masonry is a powerful organization from which women are excluded.† Langdon was not sure how powerful the Masons really were anymore, and he was not going to go down that road; perceptions of the modern Masons ranged from their being a group of harmless old men who liked to play dress-up . . . all the way to an underground cabal of power brokers who ran the world. The truth, no doubt, was somewhere in the middle. â€Å"Professor Langdon,† called a young man with curly hair in the back row, â€Å"if Masonry is not a secret society, not a corporation, and not a religion, then what is it?† â€Å"Well, if you were to ask a Mason, he would offer the following definition: Masonry is a system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.† â€Å"Sounds to me like a euphemism for `freaky cult.' â€Å" â€Å"Freaky, you say?† â€Å"Hell yes!† the kid said, standing up. â€Å"I heard what they do inside those secret buildings! Weird candlelight rituals with coffins, and nooses, and drinking wine out of skulls. Now that's freaky!† Langdon scanned the class. â€Å"Does that sound freaky to anyone else?† â€Å"Yes!† they all chimed in. Langdon feigned a sad sigh. â€Å"Too bad. If that's too freaky for you, then I know you'll never want to join my cult.† Silence settled over the room. The student from the Women's Center looked uneasy. â€Å"You're in a cult?† Langdon nodded and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. â€Å"Don't tell anyone, but on the pagan day of the sun god Ra, I kneel at the foot of an ancient instrument of torture and consume ritualistic symbols of blood and flesh.† The class looked horrified. Langdon shrugged. â€Å"And if any of you care to join me, come to the Harvard chapel on Sunday, kneel beneath the crucifix, and take Holy Communion.† The classroom remained silent. Langdon winked. â€Å"Open your minds, my friends. We all fear what we do not understand.† The tolling of a clock began echoing through the Capitol corridors. Seven o'clock. Robert Langdon was now running. Talk about a dramatic entrance. Passing through the House Connecting Corridor, he spotted the entrance to the National Statuary Hall and headed straight for it. As he neared the door, he slowed to a nonchalant stroll and took several deep breaths. Buttoning his jacket, he lifted his chin ever so slightly and turned the corner just as the final chime sounded. Showtime. As Professor Robert Langdon strode into the National Statuary Hall, he raised his eyes and smiled warmly. An instant later, his smile evaporated. He stopped dead in his tracks. Something was very, very wrong.

Persuasive Essay on Teenage Pregnancy

Persuasive Essay on Teenage Pregnancy Persuasive Essay on Teenage Pregnancy A persuasive essay targets to inform a particular group of readers about the detrimental impacts of a certain habit or activity. In the same way, a persuasive essay can also be intended to depict the positive side of an argument that is not favored by the majority in a group. For example, the head of communications in a large organization can write a persuasive report that presents the benefits of adopting new communication technology, say videoconferencing. When one writes a persuasive essay, he or she hopes to let somebody know that a change of behavior is necessary. In the end, the person that reads the persuasive essay will realize that he/she urgently needs to change from a costly, dangerous, or outdated practice and adopt a more effective alternative. Persuasive essays are mostly written when the issue being discussed has a likelihood of being highly resisted. Equally, writing a persuasive essay is the way to go when you are targeting a group of readers who have little or no awareness about the topic. For instance, young people nowadays engage in casual sex with little knowledge about the repercussions. Negative peer pressure and inappropriate media content are to blame for this trend. Over and above this, there are contraceptive advertisements all over that encourage young people to interact freely, knowing that they can always protect themselves when sexual urges emerge. In spite of all this, it is the responsibility of the society to shun premature sex. Parents have a duty to monitor their children’s’ behavior, but adequate information through persuasive essays can be helpful. The most effective persuasive essay on teenage pregnancy is one that is written using the direct approach. The implication of this is that the essay will begin with a summary of the dangers of teenage pregnancy. Usually, essays written in a direct format are attractive because the main argument catches the reader’s eye instantly. This leads him or her to desire to know the reasons why the writer has made the conclusion presented. Because teenagers often exhibit a tendency of instantaneously dismissing arguments that do not favor them, a direct approach will suppress this urge. Apart from employing directness in writing, the persuasive essay needs to incorporate recent statistics about teenage pregnancy. The written content of the essay will persuade the readers to change their view of early sexual activity. However, including several statistical examples to highlight the dangers of teenage pregnancy enhances the persuasive effect. For example, the writer can utilize the Internet to obtain statistics about the number of teenage deaths that were caused by unsafe abortions. In addition, if the writer can get hold of material written by a person whose future was ruined by teenage pregnancy, it would be better. The writer can also obtain the consent of prominent personalities to include their written advice on teenage pregnancy. Because making a decision is a personal matter, the writer can include a certain clause in the essay that encourages the reader to consult the writer for further advice or clarification if he/she needs to. Do you need help with writing a persuasive essay on this topic? Feel free to order a custom essay online at paper writing service now!

Definition and Examples of False Analogies

Definition and Examples of False Analogies The fallacy  of false analogy is an argument  based on misleading, superficial, or implausible comparisons. Also known as  faulty analogy, weak analogy, wrongful comparison,  metaphor as argument, and analogical fallacy. The analogical fallacy, says Madsen Pirie, consists of supposing that things which are similar in one respect must be similar in others. It draws a comparison on the basis of what is known, and proceeds to assume that the unknown parts must also be similar (How to Win Every Argument, 2015).   Analogies are commonly used for illustrative purposes to make a complex process or idea easier to understand. Analogies become false or faulty  when they are overextended or presented as conclusive proof. Etymology: From Latin  fallacia  deception, deceit, trick, artifice Commentary There are seven windows given to animals in the domicile of the head: two nostrils, two eyes, two ears, and a mouth...From this and many other similarities in Nature, too tedious to enumerate, we gather that the number of planets must necessarily be seven. (Francesco Sizzi, 17th-century Italian astronomer)[F]alse analogy is central to jokes whose humour derives from ill-judged comparisons, as in the old joke where a mad scientist builds a rocket to the sun but plans to embark at night to avoid being cremated. Here a false analogy is created between the sun and a light bulb, suggesting that when the sun is not shining it is not turned on, and hence, not hot. (Tony Veale, Computability as a Test on Linguistic Theories. Cognitive Linguistics: Current Applications and Future Perspectives, ed. by Gitte Kristiansen et al. Mouton de Gruyter, 2006)When you find yourself reasoning by analogy, ask yourself two questions: (1) are the basic similarities greater and more significant than the obvi ous differences? and (2) am I over-relying on surface similarities and ignoring more essential differences? (David Rosenwasser and Jill Stephen, Writing Analytically, 6th ed. Wadsworth, 2012) The Age of False Analogies We are living in the age of the false, and often shameless, analogy. A slick advertising campaign compares the politicians working to dismantle Social Security to Franklin D. Roosevelt. In a new documentary, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Kenneth Lay compares attacks on his company to the terrorist attacks on the United States.Intentionally misleading comparisons are becoming the dominant mode of public discourse...The power of an analogy is that it can persuade people to transfer the feeling of certainty they have about one subject to another subject about which they may not have formed an opinion. But analogies are often undependable. Their weakness is that they rely on the dubious principle that, as one logic textbook puts it, because two things are similar in some respects they are similar in some other respects. An error-producing fallacy of weak analogy results when relevant differences outweigh relevant similarities.  (Adam Cohen, An SAT Without Analogies Is Like: (A) A Confused Citizenry... The New York Times, March 13, 2005) The Mind-As-Computer Metaphor The mind-as-computer metaphor helped [psychologists] to focus attention on questions of how the mind accomplishes various perceptual and cognitive tasks. The field of cognitive science grew up around such questions.However, the  mind-as-computer metaphor  drew attention away from questions of evolution... creativity, social interaction, sexuality, family life, culture, status, money, power... As long as you ignore most of human life, the computer metaphor is terrific. Computers are human artifacts  designed to fulfill human needs, such as increasing the value of Microsoft stock. They are not autonomous entities that evolved to  survive and reproduce. This makes the computer metaphor very poor at helping psychologists to identify mental adaptations that evolved through natural and sexual selection. (Geoffrey Miller, 2000; quoted by  Margaret Ann Boden in  Mind as Machine: A History of Cognitive Science. Oxford University Press, 2006) The Darker Side of False Analogies A false analogy occurs when the two things compared are not similar enough to warrant the comparison. Particularly common are inappropriate World War II analogies to Hitlers Nazi regime. For example, the Internet has more than 800,000 hits for the analogy animal Auschwitz, which compares the treatment of animals to the treatment of Jews, gays and other groups during the Nazi era. Arguably, the treatment of animals is terrible in some cases, but it is arguably different in degree and kind from what happened in Nazi Germany. (Clella Jaffe, Public Speaking: Concepts and Skills for a Diverse Society, 6th ed. Wadsworth, 2010) The Lighter Side of False Analogies Next, I said, in a carefully controlled tone, we will discuss False Analogy. Here is an example: Students should be allowed to look at their textbooks during examinations. After all, surgeons have X-rays to guide them during an operation, lawyers have briefs to guide them during a trial, carpenters have blueprints to guide them when they are building a house. Why, then, shouldn’t students be allowed to look at their textbooks during an examination?There now, [Polly] said enthusiastically, is the most marvy idea I’ve heard in years.Polly, I said testily, the argument is all wrong. Doctors, lawyers, and carpenters aren’t taking a test to see how much they have learned, but students are. The situations are altogether different, and you can’t make an analogy between them.I still think it’s a good idea, said Polly.Nuts, I muttered. (Max Shulman, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Doubleday, 1951)

Capturing a market - product development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Capturing a market - product development - Essay Example There has been news about inferior quality of Chinese products, harmful Chinese products, china's conflict with Tibet, contaminated liquor, etc. In its aspiration to be a global marketer, china needs to strategise its move so that it appears as the strongest contender across the globe. It needs to establish a positive and congenial brand equity with conscious efforts to undo the tarnished image. China as a brand is very popular with the world. There is no dearth of FDI in the country. Even amidst economic crises, China expects a drop of only 10% as far as FDI is concerned. Thus there is immense brand awareness and china is viewed as a market with huge potential. Thus the attitude of the customer is positive. China now needs to create brand knowledge and a positive perception of ethics and behaviour. China is known to be a conservative society and it maintains a particular code of conduct with regards to business practices. It offers talent as far as skilled workers is concerned, cheap labour for production, raw material at competitive prices and great entrepreneurs. They are a closely bound society and Chinese expatriates take care of development in the country, the Chinese talent is spread across the world and occupy high levels in organisations. A. Designing marketing strategy: A well designed and precise marketing strategy will generate brand awareness and brand associations, thereby effecting consumer knowledge in a positive manner. A. Showcasing China: Participate in expositions and showcase china as a tourist destination, industrial destination, HR destination, investment destination, etc. Alongside convince about the ethical practices and the approaches Chinese adopt in various situations. Any negative news should be countered through creative ways. B. Establishing China as a quality producer- Reposition: China faces the brunt of the buyers on the grounds that the product though cheap does not last long and is beyond repair most of the time. It's about time this perception is changed. Technological advancement should be followed and quality products should be manufactured and exported to the global markets. In doing this of course the price competitiveness will have to be maintained. C. Investments in R & D: Research and development initiatives will alter china's image as a market that imitates and makes the products at a cheaper cost. It should design and manufactures some trade marked products so that there is a change in the perception. D. Public Relations: To rebut a few charges against few industries for instance baby food industry, china should indulge in heavy P R exercise stating facts and coming up with clarifications. Through P R it should also initiate write ups and articles in other countries stating strengths of brand china, its new initiatives, new products, etc. E. Communication strategy: A communication strategy should be adopted each year with specified agenda which gives guidelines to all the involved personnel on what