Alaska Bible College Admissions SAT Scores, Tuition...

Alaska Bible College has open admissions, so any applicant who has completed the equivalent of a high school degree has the opportunity to enroll. This does not mean that it is easy to get into the college, and most students who attend are highly motivated. There are several requirements to apply to Alaska Bible College including an application form, letters of recommendation, and four essays (focusing on personal goals, family life, Christian testimony, and ministry involvement). Applicants will also need to submit a high school transcript and SAT/ACT scores if they have taken either test. Students are able to apply for full-time or part-time admissions. Admissions Data (2016): Alaska Bible College Acceptance Rate: Alaska Bible College has open admissionsTest Scores -- 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: - / -SAT Math: - / -SAT Writing: - / -ACT Composite: - / -ACT English: - / -ACT Math: - / - Alaska Bible College Description: Alaska Bible College (ABC) is a tiny, private, non-denominational Christian college located in Glennallen, Alaska, a small rural town about 180 miles east of Anchorage. The 80-acre campus is surrounded by stunning mountains and wilderness areas, but students should be prepared for the challenges of living in interior Alaska. Winter temperatures can hit 50-below zero. All students at Alaska Bible College major in Biblical Studies, and most go on to do ministerial or mission work. The colleges small size creates an intimate environment, and classwork is supported by an  8 to 1 student / faculty ratio. The campus has a fitness center and ultimate frisbee course, and outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting, hiking, canoeing, skating, and skiing are all popular. Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 50  (all undergraduate)Gender Breakdown: 68 percent male / 32  percent female58 percent full-time Costs (2016- 17): Tuition and Fees: $9,300Books: $600 (why so much?)Room and Board: $5,700Other Expenses: $3,960Total Cost: $19,560 Alaska Bible College Financial Aid (2014- 15): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 86 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 86 percentLoans: 21 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $3,556Loans: $5,113 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  All students major in Biblical Studies and Christian Ministries with a concentration in pastoral studies, missions, or educational ministries. Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 67 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 20 percent Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like Alaska Bible College, You May Also Like These Schools: For applicants interested in a college in Alaska, Alaska Pacific University, and the University of Alaska (at Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Southeast) are all great options—Alaska Pacific is a similar size to ABC, while the Universities of Alaska are all bigger, between 2,000 and  15,000 students. Other Bible Colleges around the country include Trinity Bible College (in North Dakota), Appalachian Bible College (in West Virginia), and Boise Bible College (in Idaho). Alaska Bible College Mission Statement: mission statement from  http://www.akbible.edu/about/ The purpose of Alaska Bible College is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ and extend His Church by biblically training believers to be servant-leaders with Christ-like character.

The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian - 1050 Words

Arnold/Junior Spirit is a fourteen year old Spokane Indian who lives on a small reservation in Washington state. In the book The Absolutely True Diary of a part-Time Indian, Junior leaves his reservation for a primary white school called Reardan to find hope. He struggles with friendships, family, basketball, school work and identity through the year. His experiences on and off the reservation, are constantly changing his beliefs to become less racist and more positive. For example, Junior begins thinking that hope is barely reachable for him, but ends the book realizing that nothing stops him from having hope except how much he works for it. Junior begins the book believing that if people are not born with hope, people cannot ever change†¦show more content†¦As Diary of a Part Time Indian progresses and Junior enrolls in Reardan, he continues to belief that he does not deserve hope, unlike the kids at Reardan, but not necessarily because of his race anymore. Resulting from his choice to leave the reservation, Junior struggles to fit in at Reardan, but not leave his identity behind, since for him living on the reservation is entwined with being poor. â€Å"Reardan was the opposite of the rez. It was the opposite of my family. It was the opposite of me. I didn’t deserve to be there. I knew it; all of those kids knew it,† (page 56) saids Junior on page 56, after attending Reardan for a couple days. Here Junior fears that both his socioeconomic class, and identity make him unsuitable for hope. Junior also says, â€Å" I don’t know if hope is white. But I do know that hope for me is like some mythical creature,† proving that even though he has left the reservation, he still doubts that the sacrifice he made to come to Reardan will pay off. After a rough first months of school, basketball season kicks off an ongoing positive impact Juniors school year and beliefs. At basketball tryouts, Junior and the Coach have a conversation that goes, â€Å"You’re from the reservation?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Did you play basketball up there?† â€Å"Yes. For the eighth grade team.† Coach studied my face. â€Å"I remember you,† he said. â€Å"You were a good shooter.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said.† (page 140) At this point Junior is starting to learn that his race may not affectShow MoreRelatedThe Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian1296 Words   |  6 PagesIn Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (2007) a teenage boy named Junior, explains his struggle of breaking the cycle of his indigenous people and moving between an Indian American reservation (the ‘rez’) and a mainstream school in a town called Reardon. The protagonist explains, through first-person accounts, his life on the reservation and his experiences as he attempts to break the cycle of alcoholism and poverty that is imposed on him merely because he is an IndigenousRead MoreThe Absolutely True Diary Of The Part Time Indian1932 Words   |  8 Pageslifestyles, sexual situations, violence, and inappropriate behavior for the age it s been given to. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is one of those books and actually almost consists of all of the reasons most b ooks are banned. The book is actually one, if not the most, challenged book in the United States. Sherman Alexie s 2007 novel The Absolutely True Diary of the Part-Time Indian is considered a controversial novel because of it s demeaning references to alcohol, poverty, bullyingRead MoreThe Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian2462 Words   |  10 PagesAdolescence is a time of Changes Adolescents experience a multitude of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social, and mental changes during a short span of years in their developmental journey to adulthood, and this transition period is full of many developmental changes and milestones. Some typical changes and milestones in an adolescent’s life include puberty, learning to drive, dating, developing new social relationships and social roles, cognitive changes, becoming sexually active, obtainingRead MoreThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian799 Words   |  4 PagesThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian After reading the book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, I got a much better understanding of what that title means. When you think of part-time you normally think of having a part-time job when you only work some days but not all the time. Well that is a lot like the life of the main character in this story. Throughout the book, Junior manages to be â€Å"half Indian† and â€Å"half white.† He says â€Å" It was like being Indian was my jobRead MoreThe Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian2017 Words   |  9 PagesTrauma in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian In Sherman Alexie’s novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Alexie shows trauma in a realistic and believable way. He has characters experience traumatic events that stay with them and affect them for a long time, and change said characters in a significant way. He also shows characters who share a common trauma, but react differently - to the point where some characters experience trauma from a situation while others do notRead MoreThe Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian Essay1409 Words   |  6 PagesNicolà ¡s Juà ¡rez â€Å"Each funeral was a funeral for all of us†: Notions of Race, Identity and Mortality in Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian The American Indian occupies a unique place in the White American imaginary. Indians, one is told, are cordial, wise, poor in the â€Å"humble poverty† sort of way, brown, there assist whites with either mystic knowledge or humorous ignorance. Figures such as Squanto, Tonto and Disney’s Pocahontas along with a large smattering of WesternsRead MoreThe Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian1267 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"I was born with water on the brain† (Alexie 1), Sherman Alexie starts his novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. His first sentence explains it all; the main character of his book, Arnold Spirit Junior, is not an ordinary boy. Junior was born with a rare condition called Hydrocephalus; it made him prone to seizures, brain damages and to get picked on and bullied. However, the same impairment makes him a fighter. He fights off his brain surgery, seizures and the bullies. He fightsRead MoreThe Absolutely True Diary Of A Part T ime Indian Essay1869 Words   |  8 PagesIn a novel by Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, important issues are brought to light, such as poverty, racism, alienation, and more, with little to no sugar coating. It is a one of a kind novel due to the vivid descriptions and sense of humor that give a first-person perspective on the life of a teenage Indian struggling through life and pushing past all odds in search of success. This book focuses on a small isolated reservation in Wellpinit Washington. As it bringsRead MoreThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Essay1131 Words   |  5 Pagesof life, and making sense of one’s self and identity becomes a priority. Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian addresses the challenges of adolescence in an engaging tale, but deals with minority communities and cultures as well. Establishing an identity has been called one of the most important milestones of adolescent development (Ruffin, 2009). Additionally, a central part of identity development includes ethnic identity (ACT for Youth, 2002). While some teens searchRead MoreThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Essay763 Words   |  4 PagesThis book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, is about a boy called Arnold Spirit aka Junior. He is a Native American that lives in an Indian Reservation. He isnt really satisfied with his life, since hes pretty poor, but he gets along. He doesnt really accept himself, since he has multiple medical problems, and he has been beaten up since he was little. When he starts to gain more friends in this new (American) school, he starts to like and accept himself more

The market plan of Nokia free essay sample

The electronic products technology is popular all around the world. It has done a tremendous change in all over the world; basically the mobile phones because now at present time mobile phones are the first priority in terms of telecommunication. In the mobile phone manufacturers China must be one of the biggest and growing markets. As we know about that, a leader in mobile telecommunications market, Nokia has its scientific business strategy that leads to success, and pays a great attention to the market of China. Based on the Chinese mobile phone market, this paper analyzes Nokia’s business strategy to show reason of Nokia’s success. The business strategy includes the strategic intent, the competitive strategy and marketing mix. The strategic concept of Nokia is to take the demand-side strategy. Nokia subdivides the whole market into several objective markets according to the researches about the partialities of different individuals. And then different types of mobile phones are put into the market aimed at attracting different consumer groups. The competitive strategy of Nokia is to improve the innovative ability to win the competitive advantage. Strong technological innovation ability makes Nokia stand in the most forward position of mobile industry all the time, and characterized this brand by a special vitality. And the marketing mix of Nokia is to use the integrated marketing strategy including product, price, promotion and place. It values the construction of a brand, the orientation of its products and pays a lot of attention to technology improvement. It increases the sales through sensitive advertisement, presentation to the celebrities and large-scale entertainment. And also choose the FD platform as its major sales channel to improve its sale. Introduction Nokia is famous all over the world as a successful mobile phone manufacturer. It keeps being the leader in the mobile telecommunications relies on its plentiful experience, technology innovation and scientific marketing strategy. The concept of the company is technology connecting people, which has been rooted in people’s mind deeply. The company emphasizes the consideration of humanity either in the decision of marketing strategy or in the management of the corporation. In 1985, Nokia established its first branch company in Beijing, which means that Nokia has entered the Chinese market. And now the employee of Nokia in China has increased far beyond 6000. Nokia insists on the combination of produce and research in China. It has set up two research centers in China and paid a great attention to the cooperation with other local company. Nokia also takes parts in several public services and has gained great reputation in China. The first part gives a brief description of the Nokia in China. The second part shows the marketing objective of Nokia, and the third one talks about the Target Market Strategy of this company. Following that is the Competitive Strategy of Nokia, and finally marketing mix is the which includes product strategy, price strategy, and promotional strategy and place strategy. At last is the conclusion about Nokia’s total business strategy. The marketing objectives of Nokia in China As Nokia knows that everyone in the world needs communication, it insists on helping people fulfill this need by providing consumers with very human technology- technology that is intuitive, a joy to use and beautiful. While in the Chinese market, the marketing objectives of Nokia is to take the first place in the field of mobile communications and become the international enterprise welcomed by government, operator and consumer most of all. Besides these, Nokia in China is determined to become the best employer that has the ability to attract and keep outstanding talents. Because of such market target, the strategy of Nokia relies on growing, transforming, and building the Nokia business to ensure its future success. The Target Market Strategy of Nokia in China a. The market segmentation The subdivision of the market is essential for a company to make decision. It is required as a basic skill for a company to understand the mobile phone market and its structure, so as to the market decision. (Earl Peter, 1996)) Nokia collect data and process it in order to get results that may reflect the age, sex, region, education, income, lifestyle and the partiality of the consumers in China. Then it subdivides consumers according to the research results and chooses the target market accurately. (John C, Mowen, Miner, 2004) According to the development of communication and the extensive market research, Nokia has subdivided the mobile phone market into four different types: the science and technology pursuer, the time controller, the personal communicator and the image chaser. From such continuously improving market segmentation, the products of Nokia have been more and more mature, and have attracted the attention of the majority of customers. (Reid, David A, Richard E, 2004) b. The target market strategy of Nokia According to the correct subdivision of the Chinese mobile phone market, Nokia has delineated its different market strategies emphasized on different market demands. Through its abundant product line, strong investigative ability and sound commercial network, with the suitable marketing strategy, Nokia designs various types of products to meet the need of each target market. In the market of personal communicator, the objective-oriented consumers pay more attention to the quality, price and convenience of a phone rather than any additional features. For this features, the product from Nokia, which is expected to satisfy the consumers, is simple, practical, and abandons a lot of phones additional features to result in lower prices on a large cut-off. Because of the lack of additional features, to extend the service life is very feasible. And the 1 series and the 3 series Nokia mobile phones like 1100, 3100, 3108 and 3120 have reflected this. In the market that pursues science and technology, the consumers wish that their phones could be helpful to raise the efficiency of the work and study. For this reason, Nokia develop new technology applications on mobile phones as possible as it can. And the N series of Nokia phones are the typical representatives to fit this market. They have already become a kind of electronic product with a high price. In customers’ view, it is worthwhile to by such a mobile phone at a high price because of the application of new technology and improved efficiency. With a high price, this market offers Nokia with generous profits as well as a high-technology image of Nokia. While in the market of image chaser, the customers prefer to care about the external image of a mobile phone. So the products should catch the popular element, including products appearance, propagate spokesman that popularizes, etc. And the orientation of the Nokia adoring series is to express the individual character and grade of their users appropriately. The Nokia 7260, Nokia 7280 and Nokia 7360 are representatives of these phones that have satisfied the demand of fashion, grade and lifestyle. And in the market pursuing management of time, the products of Nokia are trying their best to improve their work efficiency. So that the users could have enough rest time out of their heavy workload. So for the supervisors who usually need to make decision and emphasize on efficiency, the 6 series of Nokia mobile phones like 6600, 6670 and 6681 are the correct choices. The Competitive Strategy of Nokia a. Theories of competitive strategy There are five kinds of basic competitive strength in an industry. They determine the potentiality for profit of this industry. The potentiality here is measured in the long-term investment, and not every industry has the same potentiality. The final profit potentiality will change fundamentally with the change of the joint competitive strength. The result comes out from the interaction of the competitive strength is to form three kinds of basic competitive strategies. Those strategies are: overall cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy and focus strategy. (Michael porter, 1997) The first strategy means to make the greatest efforts to lower commodity prices through reducing costs, then to maintain competitive advantage. It is necessary to improve the control of cost because the profit of a low-cost company could be much more than the average level. While in the competitive market, this is essential for a company to overpower its competitors, to take the initiative and to be a winner. (Hooley Graham J, John Saunders, 1993) The second strategy is to provide a unique product or service that is more functional, more fashionable or handsome. If a differentiation strategy can be achieved, it would help the company acquire the extraordinary income in this area. Because it can establish a defensive position to deal with the five competitive forces, and maintain the competitive advantage on the basis of the customer brand loyalty. Finally, the main strategy is to focus on a particular customer base or a certain regional market. This requires a company to provide goods or services more efficaciously to a narrow strategic target, and then surpass their competitors in a wider scale. This strategy has the potential to gain profit over the average level. (Ketels Christian H, 2006) b. The competitive strategy of Nokia in China The Chinese market of mobile phone is large and attractive for each mobile phone manufacturer. And so it is no doubt that the competition in Chinese mobile phone market is intense. Even though Nokia is in a leading position in global mobile communications industry, it always maintains a high degree of vigilance. Motorola must be its major competitor either in China or other areas. Anycall Corporation comes from Korea also wants to seize this profitable market. Meanwhile, more and more local mobile phone manufacturers appear and acquire support from some consumers. Nokia could never slacken itself. The basic competitive strategy of Nokia is the differentiation strategy, which requires winning the competitive advantage through improving its innovative ability continuously. Strong technological innovation ability makes Nokia stand in the most forward position of mobile industry all the time, and characterized this brand by a special vitality. How to meet demands of realistic market? This is the biggest challenge which the Hi-Tech company faces together. (Oster Sharon M, 1994) Nokia pays a great attention to technology innovations, and has invested a lot in developing new technologies to maintain its leadership. Till now, Nokia has 54 researches develop centers all over the world. These centers work hard to analyze the global market and keep on providing new concept, new demands to the company. This ensures its advanced technology and leading position. In China, Nokia has 2 RD centers which are located in Beijing and Hangzhou separately. So that the researches in China develop fast and won great reputation. Relied on these investments Nokia has enough resources to do researches, and could always keep ahead of others. The individuation is the marrow of the Nokia mobile phones. On the gradually ripe market of mobile phone, the dazzling and outstanding design is even more important than the technology. Nokia is far-sighted that takes the initial to establish an independent apartment which are specialized in appearance design. The assignment of this apartment is to provide mobile phones with diversification and individual character. Over the past 10 years, the factor that Nokia’s continually updated product design has become a unique competitive advantage. Under the guidance of the philosophy called â€Å"technology connecting people†, Nokia has not only won the leading position in mobile phone market, it also fit the customers’ needs accurately. Nokia also makes great effort to innovate upon technology, produce new mobile phones continuously, create good cooperative relationship with local companies and carry out humanized management. All of these are essential for Nokia to hold its competitive advantage and leading position. The marketing mix The mix marketing program, which is one of the major concepts in modern marketing, means a set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to produce the goods or services to meet the demands in the target market. It consists of everything that a company has ability to de to influence the demands for its product. There are four kinds of tools that are well known, they are product, price, place, and promotion. (Peter Doyle, 2006) a. Product Strategy There are many choices for a company to make its product strategy. Among them, the product orientation strategy, the brand strategy and the product development strategy are the most three important choices. (Safon Vicente, 2007) After subdividing, confirming the target market, how to enter and capture that market becomes the essential problem for Nokia. This is a problem about its products orientation. The market researches of Nokia shows that the consumers can make decisions completely in accordance with their own preferences, the product brand, the ability of the economy, consumer confidence and other personal characteristics, when supplied with the mobile phone products with the same quality and effort. In this so-called buyers’ market, the marketing strategy should be corresponding to the characteristics of the different consumption community to win the competition. Nokia has done well in this area. Researchers in Nokia analyze the different personalities, divide consumer groups and decide what kind of mobile phones should be supplied to a particular consumer community. So the Nokia mobile phones have won a great number of supporters around the world. It is no doubt that the Nokia mobile phones will be considered first of all when a person decides to buy a mobile phone because of its high ability, special design and good reputation. (Sadler Philip, 2003) A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of these, that identifies the maker or seller of a product or service. Consumers view a brand as an important part of a product, and branding can add value to a product. And product design is certainly affect the success of the brand. Nokia keeps being good at molding the good brand image by injecting individuality into product design. It has considered a lot about how the customers will choose the brand, and how it can make that experience reflect the brand character. For example, Nokia designers believe that the screen of a phone is the eye into the soul of the product. The shape of phones is curvy and easy to hold. The soft key touch pads also add to the feeling of  friendliness, expressing the brand personality. All in a word, the design of a mobile phone is essential and important to the development of Nokia. At the year of 2006, Nokia has won several design awards because of the four successful types of mobile phones. Nokia 8800, Nokia N70, Nokia 7370 and the N series are the awarded phones. All of them has gained glorification and always been welcomed by consumers since the day they were put into the market. Here shows that Nokia has paid a great attention to the fit the consumers’ demands and acquired encouraging repayments. Price strategy The price of a product reflects that the business enterprise should satisfy the various kinds of demand and get profit to ensure its general index object. The pricing objectives are the guidance for an enterprise to make price decision, which means the purpose or the standard that the company consciously wants to attain while setting a price for its product. The pricing decision means that the business enterprise set a reasonable price for its product scientifically so that it could achieve the goal. And the major method for Nokia to make its pricing decision is the Brand Life Cycle Model that means to set different prices based on different life cycle of the product. That means to set a high price for new products, medium price for second-line products and low price for third-line products. The new products are the substitutes for the original first-line products. Once there has a change or development, whether it is technical, functional or just on the packaging and even it is the slightest one, the price can jumped to a new level. The technologies applied to mobile phones are innovated fast because of the short life cycle of the mobile phone. When the market is not saturated, the competition is not intensifying, and the transparency of the product technology is not very high, the enterprise could access to excess profits most easily. Once the new entrants and the transparency of improving technology increase, it only can get a basic profit. So it is necessary for a new product to have a high price, which could make the enterprise earn excess profits. When others begin to supply the similar products, it is essential to provide substitutes with improvements and reduce the price of the original ones. It is not only ensure the sales of the new products, also lengthen the life time of the old ones. As long as the enterprises innovates, challenges itself, surpass itself, it will be able to keep leadership when compete with other manufacturers. Meanwhile, the price should be made on the basis of sufficient market researches on consumers. No matter what an advanced technology that a product has, it is successful only the consumers love and purchase it. Take Nokia 88 series and 89 series as an example, these phones were made for those costumers who have strong purchase abilities and treat the mobile phone as a symbol of their status. So this kind of mobile phones usually has a high price and a long life cycle, and seldom reduces their price because their users do not change their mobile phones too frequently. c. Promotion of Nokia Promotion refers to the use of effective ways to attract consumers’ attentions and acquire their comprehensions to understand and pay attention to their products and to stimulate consumer desire to purchase and promote the realization of the final purchase. The promotional strategy for Nokia to increase the sales is the integrated promotional strategy. It is a series of activities inform the consumer the existence and characteristics of the enterprises, brands and products, which could arouse the market demands, create and maintain the image of a company. The promotional activities of Nokia are always based on the topic like fashion, convenience and function etc. Especially in the past two years, it pays more and more attention to attract consumers and create consumer group through the usage of emotional elements. Technology Connecting People is the distinguished brand concept of Nokia, which has been rooted in consumers’ mind through some traditional promotion methods like TV advertisements, magazine advertisements. But now, it adopts some new ways to publicize its products. Nokia usually contracts with film distributors to make its phones appear in the film. This is actually an advertisement in a different form. People could see Nokia phones in the TV or film just like â€Å"Friends†, â€Å"Love of Scenery† and â€Å"An Empire† etc. And Nokia takes the lead to use the celebrity effect and presents the celebrity with its own products. It also holds programs accord with its products to publicize the brand, concept and the culture of Nokia. d. Marketing Channel Strategy of Nokia The marketing channel strategy is a set of inter-reliant channels through which the products could be spread from manufacturers to the consumers. The meaning of products here is not restricted to the tangible ones. The marketing channel strategy is an important component of the entire marketing system, which plays a significant part in reducing the cost and enhancing the competitive power of the enterprise. Along with the market development, the patterns of the marketing channel strategy are diversified. The vertical marketing system, horizontal marketing system and hybrid marketing system are three common forms. (Arch W, 1975) Nokia choose its local business agent based on 5C principle. That is to say, Nokia will decide whom to choose according to their capital, credibility, channel, cooperation and management. Once the decision is made, the agent must comply with the contract, and sale the phone in his own area. The office should supply perfect base station for the sell. Meanwhile, pay attention to the network marketing and try to take the intensive marketing strategy in all domains. In 2005, Nokia chose new channel pattern called FD, which has ability to change the provincial agent into funds platform, save a lot of intermediate links and make the channel flat. Through this method, most of Nokia monopoly stores can acquire the ability of direct supply, which will help Nokia reduce the decision time, ensure the profit of its terminal cooperators and its good post-sale service. Conclusions In conclusion, the success of Nokia is inseparable with the scientific business strategy. The business strategy is a general concept. It includes two indispensable elements called competitive strategy and marketing strategies as well as the concept of the business strategy. The strategic concept of Nokia is to take the demand-side strategy. Nokia subdivides the whole market into several objective markets according to the researches about the partialities of different individuals. And then different types of mobile phones are put into the market aimed at attracting different consumer groups. The competitive strategy of Nokia is to improve the innovative ability to win the competitive advantage. Strong technological innovation ability makes Nokia stand in the most forward position of mobile industry all the time, and characterized this brand by a special vitality. And the marketing mix of Nokia is to use the integrated marketing strategy including product, price, promotion and place. It values the construction of a brand, the orientation of its products and pays a lot of attention to technology improvement. It increases the sales through sensitive advertisement, presentation to the celebrities and large-scale entertainment. And also choose the FD platform as its major sales channel to improve its sale.

Outline for Organ Donation Speech free essay sample

III. According to the U. S Department of Health and Human Services every 10 mintues another person in need is added to the Organ and Donor tansplant waiting list. IV. Organ Donation is the gift of Life, Providing others in need with healthy organs and tissues. Thesis Statement Becoming an organ donor is simple and can save the lives of many individuals needing help. Body I. Registering to become a organ donor will save lives, giving the greatest gift of all: Life A. becoming an organ donor is a simple task everyone should take time to consider. A Single person has the opportunity to save up to 8 Lives. . Make the commitment and register: Decide to be an organ and tissue donor Sign up: Your decision to be a donor may help to save or enhance over 50 lives. 2. Organ donation begins with a person who recognizes an opportunity to help others and saves or enhances the lives of several others. We will write a custom essay sample on Outline for Organ Donation Speech or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page B. Why donate: Every 10 minutes someone has been added to the waiting list for a transplant. 79 people a day recieve organ transplants How You can Help: 1. Donate Life Florida: Non-Profit Org. Contracted by the State of Fl to create the states Organ, tissue and eye donor registry. Volunteer: assist with Educational programs, Public speaking, Staffing Information tables at DMV Health Fairs Speak up: 2. Campus challenge: Launched in 2009, Campaign to bring together organ and tissue donation organizations and universities, colleges other post-secondary campuses to educate on the critical need for donors Transition: After Registering and signing up to become an organ donor you are placed on Floridas organ, tissue and eye donor registry and consent to having your organs, tissues and eyes available for transplantation upon death II. The process of organ donation and transplantation: Saving Lives A. ost donors are victims of severe head trauma, a brain anerurysm or stroke, once the medical team has exhausted all possible lifesaving efforts and the patient no longer responds doctors test for brain death. 1. OPO: Organ Procurement Organization: Contacted by hospital staff with information on the deceased to confirm his or her potential to donate 2. Matching Donors R ecipients: the OPO contacts the OPTN (Organ procurement and transplantation network) to begin the search for matching recipients. a computer program matches donor organs with recipients based upon charactoristics: blood type, tissue type, height and weight 3. Maintaining the Donor: donor is maintained on artificial support and the condition of each organ is monitored by medical staff 4. Recovering and Transporting Organs: the OPO arranges the arrival departure times of the transplant surgical team. donor is taken to OR where organs and tissues are recovered. Time is of the essence here, organs must get to their new homes very quickly. 5. Transplanting Organs: the transplant begins as soon as the organs arrive at the hospital, the recipient is already prepped and in the OR waiting for their life saving organ. B. Key Terms: 1. Brain Death: Tissue Recovieries: Eyes, Corneas, Heart Valves, Bones Skin Grafts. Organs: Heart, Liver, Pancreas, Kidneys, Lungs and Small Bowel. Transition: Just because the body of your loved ones is not present anymore, they still live on in the lives of others. III. Becoming a organ donor allows you or your loved ones to live on and continue helping others.

4 Popular Camel Spider Myths and the Truth Behind Them

4 Popular Camel Spider Myths and the Truth Behind Them SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You’ve no doubt seen pictures of camel spiders before, usually accompanied by a story about deadly bites, camel eating, or chasing people across the desert. Thanks to chain letters, camel spiders have a reputation as being fearsome, terrifying predators- but is that warranted? In this article, we’ll be covering the facts and fictions of camel spiders, including where they’re found and what they eat, as well as some biological information about how camel spiders fit into their environment. Read on to learn more about camel spiders! JonRichfield/Wikimedia Commons What’s a Camel Spider? Whether you love the Arachnida class or you’d prefer to never see them again, camel spiders, or Solifugae, are pretty intimidating. Part of that comes from their many names- they’re commonly called camel spiders, but also wind scorpions or sun spiders. Anything that can be called either a spider or a scorpion is bound to look a little off-putting, and Solifugae’s long body, many legs, and large fangs certainly don’t help its reputation. In fact, Solifugae are neither true spiders nor true scorpions. Unlike scorpions, they have no tails, and unlike spiders, they do not belong to the order Araneae and lack spinnerets and silk, though they are arachnids. They vary in size, with body lengths usually falling between 2 inches and 3 inches, though their legs can be several inches long, making them look even larger. They also have what appears to be a fifth set of legs, called pedipalps, that work something like antennae. Pedipalps aren’t used for walking, but do aid in locomotion as they help detect obstacles and food. Camel spiders are often associated with Middle Eastern deserts thanks to popular chain letters that began circulating during the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq War. However, that’s not quite accurate- camel spiders have a much wider habitat than most people would care to think about! Where Do Camel Spiders Live? Camel Spiders do live in the deserts of the Middle East, but they also live in a whole lot of other deserts, as well. In fact, they can be found everywhere on earth except Australia and Antarctica. It’s not a surprise that camel spiders can’t be found in Antarctica, but why not Australia? Unfortunately, it’s hard to say- observing solifugids in the wild is quite difficult, and they don’t survive well in captivity. This makes them exceedingly difficult to study. Camel spiders prefer desert biomes, but can also be found in everything from scrub to forests. Because there are some 1,100 subspecies of Solifugae, there’s quite a lot of variance in where they appear and what they eat. JonRichfield/Wikimedia Commons What Do Camel Spiders Eat? So what do camel spiders eat? Is it camels? Humans? Well, it’s a little bit of everything. Camel spiders are carnivorous or omnivorous, so pretty much anything is on the table. This is especially true because camel spiders, unlike many similar creatures, don’t just spin a web and wait for prey to come to them. Solifugids are hunters. They run, and they run fast- about 10 miles per hour. Their speed means they can eat everything from small insects to lizards, birds, and rodents depending on availability. Camel spiders use their chelicerae, a scientific name for the jaws of the arthropod group Chelicerata, to cut into prey. Their chelicerae function similar to a crab’s pincers, allowing camel spiders to do everything from shearing feathers to cutting through bone. However, it’s important to note that, while fast and strong, camel spiders primarily hunt for food that is only a bit bigger than they are. They don’t have venom of any kind, and though their bites can be painful (their chelicerae are no joke), they are simply not equipped for consuming large, strong prey, including camels and humans. Braboowi/Wikimedia Commons Common Myths About Camel Spiders One of the primary sources for interest in camel spiders comes from a chain letter circulated in the early 90s and again toward the beginning of the Iraq War, which reads: From someone stationed in Baghdad. He was recently bitten by a camel spider which was hiding in his sleeping bag. I thought you’d like to see what a camel spider looks like. It’ll give you a better idea of what our troops are dealing with. Enclosed is a picture of his friend holding up two spiders. Warning: not for the squeamish! This picture is a perfect example of why you don’t want to go to the desert. These are 2 of the biggest I’ve ever seen. With a vertical leap that would make a pro basketball player weep with envy (they have to be able to jump up on to a camels stomach after all), they latch on and inject you with a local anesthesia so you can’t feel it feeding on you. They eat flesh, not just suck out your juices like a normal spider. I’m gonna be having nightmares after seeing this photo! Is any of this true? Should we really be fearing that camel spiders are going to creep up on people while they’re sleeping, numb them, and eat their flesh? Let’s take a look at some of the most prominent things people believe about camel spiders and whether or not they’re accurate. Myth 1: Camel Spiders Are Huge Camel spiders aren’t small- they range in size from two to three inches in the body, plus several inches of legs- but many famous photos of the creatures often make them look as if they’re more like a foot or so in length. This kind of trickery can be accomplished with careful positioning, making it look as though a camel spider is the same size as a human leg when in fact it is just a few inches long. Myth 2: Camel Spiders Are So Named Because They Eat Camels According to urban legend, camel spiders are particularly frightening spiders that jump up, grab a camel’s belly, inject them with a numbing venom, and eat chunks from their bodies. Naturally, this horrific story could also happen to people. However, almost none of this is true. Camel spiders don’t jump, as they have no need to- their pedipalps seek out prey in front of them, which is more than sufficient in keeping them fed. Since they don’t jump, they definitely don’t cling to a camel’s body. But could one inject venom into a sleeping camel? Nope, because camel spiders don’t have any venom. Their jaws do more than enough to keep them fed. Though they are hunters, they primarily hunt things that are around their size or slightly smaller, and their chelicerae are quite capable of killing and cutting prey on their own. Once food has been chopped up, it’s liquified and eaten. So in a sense, that last part of the myth- that camel spiders eat chunks of flesh- is sort of true, but there’s no jumping, no venom, and no camels involved. Myth 3: Camel Spiders Chase People As previously mentioned, camel spiders are fast. But as we know, camel spiders don’t eat people and therefore have no real reason to chase them. So why might a camel spider be seen to chase a human anyway? Camel spiders are nocturnal. Desert nights are cooler, and camel spiders do their hunting at night. If you see a camel spider out in the day, it’s probably looking for shade- something a human can offer through its shadow. That’s why it may look as though a camel spider is chasing a person. It might run after a human, pausing when the human pauses, in search of cool shade. Myth 4: Camel Spiders Scream as They Chase People We’ve already established that camel spiders might follow people to stay in the shade of their shadow, but â€Å"chasing† isn’t quite accurate. It should be no surprise that the claim that they scream as they’re chasing people is also false. Camel spiders may stridulate- rubbing together two body parts to produce a sound- but do not actually scream. Stridulation may produce a buzzing or hissing sound, but not a scream. It’s all an urban legend! What’s Next? If you find camel spider biology interesting, AP biology may be the class for you! Take a look through the AP biology syllabus to see if it interests you. Does your spider interest extend beyond camel spiders? Learn about garden spiders and why most people don't need to worry about them here. Need some help studying for AP biology? These AP biology notes can help you out! Whether you just like to gross people out a little bit or you need to calm down after looking at all those camel spider facts, this slime recipe might be exactly what you need.

Medical Conversation and Vocabulary for Joint Pain

Medical Conversation and Vocabulary for Joint Pain Read  the following dialogue between a patient and her doctor as they discuss joint pain during an appointment. Practice the dialogue with a friend so you can feel more confident the next time you visit the doctor. A comprehension and vocabulary review quiz follow the dialogue.   Joint Pain Patient: Good morning. Doctor Smith? Doctor:  Yes, please come in. Patient: Thank you. My name is Doug Anders.​ Doctor: What have you come in for today Mr. Anders? Patient: Ive been having some pain in my joints, especially the knees. Doctor: How long have you been having the pain? Patient: Id say it started three or four months ago. Its been getting worse recently. Doctor: Are you having any other problems like weakness, fatigue or headaches? Patient: Well Ive certainly felt under the weather. Doctor: Right. How much physical activity do you get? Do you play any sports? Patient: Some. I like to play tennis about once a week. I take my dog on a walk every morning. Doctor: OK. Lets have a look. Can you point to the area where you are having pain? Patient: It hurts right here.   Doctor: Please stand up and put weight on your knees. Does this hurt? How about this?   Patient: Ouch!   Doctor: It seems you have some inflammation in your knees. However, theres nothing broken. Patient: Thats a relief! Doctor: Just take some ibuprofen or aspirin and the swelling should go down. Youll feel better after that. Patient: Thank you! Key Vocabulary joint pain (noun) the connection points of the body where two bones connect including wrists, ankles, kneesknees (noun) the connection point between your upper and lower legsweakness (noun) the opposite of strength, feeling like you have little energyfatigue (noun) overall tiredness, low energyheadache (noun) a pain in your head that is steadyto feel under the weather (verb phrase) not feel well, not feel as strong as usualphysical activity (noun) exercise of any kindto have a look (verb phrase) to check something or someoneto have pain (verb phrase) to hurt  to put your weight on something (verb phrase) put the weight of your body onto something directlyinflammation (noun) swelling  ibuprofen/aspirin (noun) common pain medicine that also helps reduce swellingswelling (noun) inflammation Check your understanding with this multiple choice comprehension quiz. Comprehension Quiz Choose the best answer to each question about the dialogue. 1. What seems to be Mr. Smiths problem?   Broken knees  Fatigue  Joint pain 2. Which joints are bothering him the most?   Elbow  Wrist  Knees 3. How long has he been having this problem?   three or four years  three or four months  three or four weeks 4. Which other problem does the patient mention?   Hes felt under the weather.  Hes been vomiting.  He doesnt mention another problem. 5. Which phrase best describes the amount of exercise the patient gets?   He works out a lot.  He gets some exercise, not a lot.  He doesnt get any exercise. 6. Whats Mr. Anders problem? He has broken his knees.He has some swelling in his knees.He has broken a joint.   Answers Joint painKneesThree or four monthsHes felt under the weather.He gets some exercise, not a lot.He has some swelling in his knees.   Vocabulary Review Fill in the gap with a word or phrase from the dialogue. Ive had a lot of  _________for more than a week. Im really tired!Are you feeling _________the weather today?Im afraid I have some _________around my eyes. What should I do?Could you please put your _________on your left foot?Take some _________and stay home for two days.Are you having any pain in your _________? Answers fatigue/weaknessunderinflammation / swellingweightaspirin/ibuprofenjoints

Effects of Different Mathematic Instructional Techniques for Learning Research Paper

Effects of Different Mathematic Instructional Techniques for Learning Disabled Students - Research Paper Example The idea of this research emerged from the author’s interest and fascination in how two different teaching techniques could ensure better results for students with learning disabilities that were struggling to learn how to solve mathematical word problems. Teaching young students that have learning disabilities can be difficult as they must overcome hurdles that other children do not. This analysis is imperative to help find new ways to teach young students so that they are more successful in learning a technique to solve math problems so they will not be hindered by their learning disability and instead be able to take these techniques and apply them to their future adult lives. The hypothesis of this research is that one of the two techniques will help students progress in learning how to solve word math problems though it is not initially clear how the two instructional techniques differentiate until farther into the experiment. There are multiple points in the literary ana lysis by that can shed light on the two different teaching techniques on how to teach problem-solving in the sector of mathematics that would impact how it could help students with learning disabilities improve.   One main point in this research is to increase awareness to teachers, students and parents alike that mathematical problem-solving skills are crucial to students in their futures, regardless of whether or not they have learning disabilities.  

The narrative of 'Second Glance' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The narrative of 'Second Glance' - Essay Example The storyline is immensely influenced by literature on psychological thrillers and other movies of the same genre. Throughout the film, diversified literary techniques derived from other movies and texts shall be employed. The movie will open with a scene of Clarke, lying unconscious in a pool of blood washed up near the river Lea with police and ambulance sirens honking aloud, as rescue workers desperately transport Clarke for medical aid. The next scene will portray a man enveloped in gauze bandages, with a deep voice referring to the man in the bed as ‘I’. This direct participation of the hero through first-person narrative will fully absorb the audience; hence, enabling them to fully comprehend the mechanics of the character’s mental and emotional state. Furthermore, narration will aids in triumphantly manifesting character’s mental psyche by using emotionally laden and evocative words, vivid expositions illustrating his cognitive inability, and connect ion establishing visuals. This literary method is termed as stream of consciousness. (Sang 2010). Literary techniques derived from texts and other movies will play an integral role in direction to engage the audience fully and to retain their attention throughout. As memory is the crux of the plot; hence, it will be accentuated throughout the film by employing another favourite psychological thriller literary technique known as ‘back-story’ (Rendsburg 2000). This involves revealing the history behind the present situation or presenting a series of flashbacks as the main story progresses like Memento. This emphasizes the psychological facet of the plot, as the viewer is better able to apprehend the character, in particular, his motivations and past that paved the way to his present cognitive perceptions. The story features East London, which is an area characterized by worst capital deprivation. Despite the establishment of luxury apartments and accelerating property pri ces, this area is still to a great degree deemed as the hub of crime. Therefore, this has been a preferred spot of fictional social investigations (Clarke 1997). Crime, drugs, sexual offences, social status conflict, destituteness, and multi-cultural socializing are some of the primary themes attached with this part of the city. The notion of slums in what has been depicted has ‘forbidden East End’ has always fascinated literati and audiences alike (LeUnes 1974). The suspense will be derived from the internal mental conflicts needed to be resolved by Clarke. He will rely on his mental faculties to uncover and deal with his barbaric enemies by fighting for equilibrium within his own mind (Baxendale 2004). It is imperative to bear in mind that a psychological thriller stands out for portraying its characters prone to danger on a mental level, more than physical (McCollom 1971). Fundamentally, the suspense produced in

Human Resources Management Essay Example for Free

Human Resources Management Essay On Monday, 13 January 2014, Ada wrote to Ben saying, â€Å"Please sell me your vintage BNW car for $80,000†. On Tuesday, 14 January 2014, Ben replied by leaving a message on Ada’s voicemail, â€Å"Sure, provided you pay by cash†. Ben then changed his mind and he posted a letter to Ada which read, â€Å"I have reconsidered the matter. I am no longer able to sell you my BNW†. This letter arrived on Thursday, 16 January 2014, before Ada checked her voicemail. 1) Advise Ada and Ben. There is no contract between Ada and Ben. This is because initially Ben leaves a message on Ada’s voicemail to accept the offer. However, Ben changes his mind and posts the letter to Ada on the same day, but the letter arrived before Ada checked her voicemail. Although the voicemail was sent earlier than the letter, acceptance can only be made with actual communication and notification to the offeror. Besides, according to the postal rule, the acceptance is deemed to be competed when the properly stamped and addressed letter of acceptance is posted, and not when it is delivered to the offerors’ address, or received by them, or brought to their notice, or read by them.1 This rule, laid down in Adam v. Lindsell in 1818. It explained that if the defendants were not bound by their offer when accepted by the plaintiffs till the answer was received, then the plaintiffs ought not to be bound till after they had received the notification that the defendants had received their a nswer and assented to it.2 In this case, the contract be only be made unless Ada checks her voicemail before the letter arrived. Therefore, Ada does not have any legal claim against Ben. 2) What difference, if any, would it make if: a) Ben’s letter had never arrived; There is no contract between Ada and Ben if Ada never checks her voicemail. This is because the postal rule does not apply to situations where the acceptance of an offer is communicated by any instantaneous methods such as telex, telephone and fax. The rule with regard to acceptance by such methods is that the contract is complete only when the acceptance is received by the offeror.3 Therefore, the contract only takes effect when it is received and read by Ada. On the other hand, there is a binding contract between Ada and Ben if Ada has knowledge of the acceptance by Ben. The contract comes into existence as soon as Ada checks the voicemail. With reference to the case of Entores Ltd v. Miles Far East Corporation in 1955, the plaintiff in London sent a telex to the defendant in Amsterdam offering to buy goods from the defendant. The defendant sent a telex in return to the plaintiff accepting the offer. Therefore, a contract was made between the parties when the defendant’s acceptance was accepted by the plaintiff.4 b) Because of a fault on Ada’s voicemail system, Ben’s message had not been recorded; There is no contract between Ben and Ada. This is because Ben’s message has not been recorded, so Ada does not receive and read the message. Since there cannot be acceptance of an offer without the knowledge of it, acceptance must be communicated to the offer, and mere inactivity or silence on the offeree does not create a contract as well. The rule laid down in Felthouse v. Bindley that mere inactivity or silence cannot amount to an acceptance is correct in 1862. The plaintiff offered to buy a horse from his nephew, John, who was going to sell it by auction. John intended to accept his uncle’s offer and advised the auctioneer to reserve the horse for his uncle. However, the nephew did not send his acceptance to the plaintiff and finally the horse was sold by the auctioneer by mistake. However, since John had not communicated his acceptance to the plaintiff, there was no contract between them.5 In the case of Ada and Ben, Ben also sends a letter to reject the Ada’s offer  after he has changed his mind. The rejection of an offer by the offeree kills the offer. The offer comes to an end. It can no longer be accepted by the offeree.6 Therefore, a contract cannot come into existence. c) On Sunday, 12 January, Ben had asked Ada if she wanted to buy his BNW? There is an invitation to treat if Ben has asked Ada to buy his BNW. It is not an offer because Ben just invites offer rather than making one. Where Ada accepts the terms of the invitation, she makes an offer but there is still no contract. Ben is still free to accept or reject the offer. With reference to the case of HKSAR v. Wan Hon Sik in 2001, the display of pirated video discs on the shelves of the shop was just an invitation to treat. A customer who selected the goods from shelves and took them to the casher’s desk only made an offer. There was no sale at that point. The contract was not completed until the owner of the shop accepted the offer.7 Therefore, an invitation to treat is different from an offer. In the case of Ada and Ben, since Ada makes an offer which can be accepted or rejected by Ben. No contract has been concluded between them because Ben rejects the offer by sending a letter that is arrived before Ada checks her voicemail.

Religion and Evangelicalism in Jane Eyre Essay -- Jane Eyre Essays

Religion and Evangelicalism in Jane Eyre    When orphans of the nineteenth century were able to receive an education, it usually came from a charity instution. These charity institutions were founded on a basis of religion. This is the case in Jane Eyre for Mr. Brocklehurst is a clergyman who owns and overlooks the Institution that Jane became a part of. Jane's conversation with the newly met Helen Burns exposes this to the reader. Jane asks the question, "Who was Naomi Brocklehurst?" The reader finds out that she was the lady who built the new part of the Institution. It is her son, Mr. Brocklehurst who "overlooks and directs everything." At Lowood he "is the treasurer and manager of the establishment." It is also at this time that Jane finds out Mr. Brocklehurst is a clergyman (82; ch.5). The goal of charity schools was to teach religion and morals to orphans. Knowing this, and feeling as though Jane needs more moral and religious instruction, Mrs. Reed tells Mr. Brocklehurst that "this little girl has not quite the character and disposition I could wish: should you admit her into Lowood school, I should be glad if the superintendent and teachers were requested to keep a strict eye on her, and, above all, to guard against her worst fault, a tendency to deceit" (65; ch. 4). However, religious and moral teaching were secondary to grammar. Before the Elementary Act of 1870, religious instruction was limited to the beginning or the end of the school sessions (Curtis 386). This is true at Lowood. After the girls get up and wash, they go into a "dimly-lit schoolroom" and the prayers are read. Then, "Business now began: the day's Collect was repeated, certain texts of Scripture were said, and to these succeeded a protracted... ...d takes great care to be plain and dress neatly. Before she leaves her room, she checks to make sure that everything is neat and orderly. She is "still by nature solicitous to be neat" (130; ch. 11). After Mr. Rochester asks her to marry him, when he says that he will send for the family jewels, her relpy is, "No, no, sir! Think of other subjects, and speak of other things, and in another strain. Don't address me as if I were a beauty; I am your plain, Quakerish govnerness" (287; ch. 24). She cannot have jewels because it would upset her plainness and she would no longer look like that "plain, Quakerish" type of girl. Lowood had quite an impact on her life as it was sure to have had on the other children that went there. Works Cited: Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. London, Penguin Books Ltd.: 1996. (Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Michael Mason).

Points of Sale Essay

2.1 INTRODUCTION The data collection used as references to gain information during the research conducted. This literature reviews discuss about the information gathered by reading journals and websites. It explains several important terms being used in developing a Student Information Management System. While, project methodology is methods or technique used to complete this project. This chapter covers the related literature and brief analogy of the proposed study which was used as a basis of reference. The theory, concepts, and principles used in analyzing the research were also tackled in the later part of this chapter of the study. The Review of related literature and studies are highly important in appreciating the difference between the past research and the proposed research. Making it useful in formulating more rational explanation in conducting the study and separating concepts that are closely related with both studies. 2.2 LOCAL LITERATURE The proponents included local literatures that would sustain the development of the proposed system. The proponents added reviews, write-ups, readings and studies related to the present study to the related to system determine the similarities and differences of the findings between the past and present studies. The Philippine Science High School Student Information Management System. These Student Information Management Systems are efficient in handling student data, any of which can be utilized by the school registrar of Philippine Science High School. A local variant of a student information system, the Student Record System (SRS) for Philippine Science High School – Central Mindanao Campus (PSHS-CMC), was developed by Taddie Fel L. Dagaerag and company (2002). SRS was designed to assist the registrar of PSHS-CMC but proper attention for the smooth transition from the previous system to the SRS was not given so the system encountered problems, which require major revisions. According to the school former registrar, Ms. Shiela M. Preagido (Registrar PSHS-CMC, year 2005), â€Å"†¦report on grade is not that usable, unless another program will be made that can copy grades from the summary grades sheets,† therefore, rendering the SRS unusable for the present. There are still insufficient services offered by any software solutions company in the Philippines that can provide the same kinds of functionality on a system with lower cost compared to foreign products. Such student information system would cost in the range from 75,000 pesos to 150,000 pesos. Although the Centre is Open Source software, maintenance and system upgrade will cost the school expensively than creating its own system. It is because of the limited capabilities of the schools own system administrators in handling the Centre and the absence of the services offered by the Miller Group in our country. Purchasing or maintaining an expensive student information system is extremely exorbitant. The Bulacan State University Student Information System Technology innovations had influenced man’s work, from data processing, student transactions, research, planning, monitoring and even in medical operation of man’s body is now entrusted to computer technology. Bulacan State University (BSU) as one of the University in San Jose Delmonte Bulacan aims to be the center of excellence in education had recently made changes to some of its existing systems. The student information system of the university is now computerized, and other systems are on its way. This only show that they are coping with the latest technology. The Student Information System of Bulacan State University aims for an accurate, user friendly, efficient system that can help both the student and personnel for fast data processing of enrollment. Engr. Hediki Hashimoto, a Japanese volunteer headed the creation and conceptualization of the system. The information technology faculty from the College of Engineering and Arts and Sciences assisted him. The system that is web based uses PHP programming language with data stored in MySQL is run through the intranet of SSU. A dry-run for this automated student information was done last summer and the first semester of this school year. Offices affected with the automation were the registrar, cashier, accounting, and the Colleges of Education, Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Industrial Technology, Nursing and Graduate Studies. Feedbacks from the students were formulated when the first semester started. Over 75 % of them say that the automation process of enrollment was better compared with the old system. With the good result of the dry run the student information system will be finally implemented this 2nd semester. The Virgen de Guadalupe de Novaliches School Computerized Enrollment, Grading and Sectioning System. This is broader but at the same time more convenient compare to general objective of the current system. As for the specific objectives, the proposed system has the same objectives as the present system but will me using a server that will serve as the storage of the records the registered students, the student’s personal information and the student’s balance if any. This will be more secured and with ease of use as compare to the present system’s logbook and cabinet. Getting, updating and deleting information would also be easier for the proposed system and it will not consume a large amount of space as used by the current system. As for the advantages of the proposed system, the system will make the job of the Registrar easier and more accurate as for the recording of the student’s balance. Instead of making use of a logbook the proposed system will be using an automated storage that will provide proofs such as the previous transactions of the enrollees. With particular to the storage, the proposed system will be less space consuming and more secured for the storage will be automated and will be accessible only by authorized personnel. In the part of the enrollee, the registration process will be faster especially if the enrollee is an old student for the student doesn’t need to fill-up the form anymore instead the Registrar will only require the student’s student number. Moreover teachers will be able to generate reports such as list of students easily. The Ace Adrian Sandoval Registration System can trace what is the standing of the students. It is extremely useful in the school in the way of working processes of enrolling become much easy. The main goal of this type of research is to track student data within the database the data and characteristics about what is being studied. The idea behind this type of research is to study frequencies, validation update of a student’s is highly accurate, and it does not gather the causes behind a situation. An inquiry of the student allows the admin weather the student is on track regarding to the school premises. The Morning Star Academy Foundation Scheduling System relies on their automatic creation of scheduling or timetable of the student; the school is able to update the queries of subject, time room and the availability of the teacher because of the user friendly of the system the admin can automatically understands the environment of the system. 2.3 Foreign Literature The proponents included literatures that would help in the development of the proposed system. The proponents added reviews, write-ups, readings and studies related to the present study to determine the similarities and differences of the findings between the past and present studies. The Ramapo Indian Hills High School which they call it The Studywiz Learning Environment, it is a secure online learning platform designed to work the way your school works. Teachers can spend more time teaching and less time on repetitive tasks, students are given the tools they need to succeed and parents too can take an active role in their child’s education. Studywiz connects teachers, students, parents and other members of the school community together whilst automating workflows within a personalized learning environment. Using rich media creation tools or off-the-shelf content, teachers can quickly build or tailor online learning activities, content and resources through a web browser to enable teaching and learning to continue anywhere, anytime. Teachers can engage students using the latest online tools and trends, including Podcasts, Blogs, eLockers, Learning Plans and personalized Learning Spaces. Parents too, can take an active role in their child’s education through the internet, and Studywiz. The Early College High school Student Information System provides schools with information to better understand how well their design and organization are serving students’ needs and resulting in reaching short- and long-term goals, including the earning of two years of college credit by high school graduation. The SIS continues to follow students after they leave early college high school and provides follow-up information to the school on the number of students who continue on to earn a four-year college degree. Schools use the system to monitor the progress of individual or groups of students or classes and to manage information on services and supports provided to students, including tutoring, mentoring, and counseling. The analyses provided by the system support professional development, program planning, and continuous school improvement. The SIS provides solid evidence that helps to sustain and expand funding, policy, and public support for early college high school. In order to obtain access to data on students, Policy Studies Associates contacts schools districts to secure agreement to participate in the SIS. Jobs for the Future works with postsecondary institution and district officials to gain approval for data transfer based on existing policies and requirements. EDSmart works with each institution’s or district’s research and evaluation unit to determine procedures for extracting, transforming, and transmitting district data to the SIS. Personal identity is protected by assigning each student a unique Student Information System number, which is assigned by EDSmart. Only this identifier, not student names or social security numbers, are visible and accessible to users of the SIS. Early college high schools and school districts supplying data on their students are the only ones that have access to individually identifiable student data. Districts are asked to update the data on students, preferably after each term. Information is collected on students enrolled in early college high school (beginning in fall 2002 through the 2008-2009 school year). Aggregated, district data is collected on non-early college counterparts for comparison purposes. Districts report data until the 2008-2009 school year. Postsecondary data collection will continue until 2013, at which point the SIS will be disposed of safely. Data records will be made available to districts for their students. The Early College High School Initiative’s SIS was developed in 2004 to capture and analyze early college high school data. SIS data provide evidence and documentation of student progress and include student demographics, high school and college courses, persistence and grade progression, state assessment results and post-early college enrollment in higher education. The data in the system offer a means for tracking student progress, improving instruction and student support, and helping students obtain a postsecondary degree. Edith Cowan University (ECU) is currently enrolling more than 5, 000 new students, which has been made easier with its Oracle-based online enrolment system. This has allowed ECU to substantially re-design its business processes. The system is known as the Edith Cowan University Web Enrolment System (ECUWES),and replaces traditional hard copy enrolment. According to the coordinator of Admission Support, Kerian Greenaway, the system offers immediacy and convenience of course enrolment via the Internet the technology in use was set up by Oracle in 1998, when ECU moved towards creating an innovative web-based enrolment and administrative system using Oracle database products. New enrolments using ECUWES are managed differently to re-enrolment on ECUWES. New enrolments are processed while the student is with an enrolment assistant, because there is a need to collect HECS and enrolment papers, as well as to familiarize students with the system. In terms of re-enrolment, the student has full control of enrolling in a six-week period, which allows for any small glitches in the system, such as not being able to get online.ECU also previously faced difficulties with managing student enrolment administration, as staffs were distributed across several locations, so there was a desire for improved access and management of student information. Similarly, re-enrolment required students to travel to the University and queue for service from administration staff. Faculties also requested that students enroll by porting enrolment sheets on computer bulletin boards. With ECUWES, students from remote areas and international students enjoy easy enrolment with improved time effectiveness. There have been no major problems, apart from a few power failures, but ECU has back-up plans, such as enrolment assistants taking up all the paperwork and processing the information once back online. Illinois Virtual High School Inquiry This online inquiry gives detailed information on persons that can be contacted with regard to specific field; example is a general program Issues, Technical Problems, Faculty Information and course development. It also gives information about their regional coordinators for participating schools. The website has a login feature where the students can login using their login ID. The online inquiry system of Illinois High School helps the authors to picture out and develop an ideal database structure for the system that will be proposed. The proponents system is similar and is based on some capabilities of the system in this study like the inquiry of courses and login feature for the students. A web-based enrollment system is developed to help both the old and new students, to enroll in a more efficient way without the hassles of waiting long hours just to fill up forms, which sometimes become redundant, or to stand in line and pay at the cashier. It is with the Web-based Enrollment System for VPS that this new style of enrollment may be achieved. This new type of system offers the student with new options for enrolling at VPS. Just by logging on to their website the student may create his new account for the current year he is to be enrolled in. With this, all the student has to do is to fill up certain forms that do not take more than a few minutes to accomplish. Then the records will be stored in the school database for future references. After that the student will be given confirmation that the transaction has been verified and all that the student has to do is visit the school and pay appropriate amount for the current school year. The student may also browse the web site of VPS and he can check his current account. He can also see the list of the school current tuition fee rates. For further enhancement of the site, an on-line payment or e-commerce is highly recommended. This feature for the system could be achieved by collaboration of the school with banks to provide easier payment and a more secure transaction. Posting of grades can also be a great addition to the site. Especially the breakdown of each grade can be seen by the students but with utmost security. Compared to the web-based enrollment system for VPS, the proposed system for CMI would only cover the current students; the student would also be asked to log into his or her account in the website where he/she would be asked to fill up some forms to update the school’s database. A confirmation would then be sent to the student that would inform him/her that the transaction is valid and had been verified. But unlike the system, there would be another option for the mode of payment that the student could choose from namely, on-line payment. AIMS enhances enrollment system of UNO-R Bacolod

Forward the Foundation Chapter 10

6 The weather was holding up over the undomed area of the Imperial Palace grounds-warm and sunny. It didn't often happen. Hari remembered Dors telling him once how this particular area with its cold winters and frequent rains had been chosen as the site. â€Å"It wasn't actually chosen,† she said. â€Å"It was a family estate of the Morovian family in the early days of the Kingdom of Trantor. When the Kingdom became an Empire, there were numerous sites where the Emperor could live-summer resorts, winter places, sports lodges, beach properties. And, as the planet was slowly domed, one reigning Emperor, living here, liked it so much that it remained undomed. And, just because it was the only area left undomed, it became special-a place apart-and that uniqueness appealed to the next Emperor†¦ and the next†¦ and the next†¦ And so, a tradition was born.† And as always, when hearing something like that, Seldon would think: And how would psychohistory handle this? Would it predict that one area would remain undomed but be absolutely unable to say which area? Could it go even so far? Could it predict that several areas would remain undomed or none-and be wrong? How could it account for the personal likes and dislikes of an Emperor who happened to be on the throne at the crucial time and who made a decision in a moment of whimsy and nothing more. That way lay chaos-and madness. Cleon I was clearly enjoying the good weather. â€Å"I'm getting old, Seldon,† he said. â€Å"I don't have to tell you that. We're the same age, you and I. Surely it's a sign of age when I don't have the impulse to play tennis or go fishing, even though they've newly restocked the lake, but am willing to walk gently over the pathways.† He was eating nuts as he spoke, which resembled what on Seldon's native world of Helicon would have been called pumpkin seeds, but which were larger and a little less delicate in taste. Cleon cracked them gently between his teeth, peeled the thin shells and popped the kernels into his mouth. Seldon did not like the taste particularly but, of course, when he was offered some by the Emperor, he accepted them and ate a few. The Emperor had a number of shells in his hand and looked vaguely around for a receptacle of some sort that he could use for disposal. He saw none, but he did notice a gardener standing not far away, his body at attention (as it should be in the Imperial presence) and his head respectfully bowed. Cleon said, â€Å"Gardener!† The gardener approached quickly. â€Å"Sire!† â€Å"Get rid of these for me,† he said, tapping the shells into the gardener's hand. â€Å"Yes, Sire.† Seldon said, â€Å"I have a few, too, Gruber.† Gruber held out his hand and said, almost shyly, â€Å"Yes, First Minister.† He hurried away and the Emperor looked after him curiously. â€Å"Do you know the fellow, Seldon?† â€Å"Yes, indeed, Sire. An old friend.† â€Å"The gardener is an old friend? What is he? A mathematical colleague fallen on hard times?† â€Å"No, Sire. Perhaps you remember the story. It was the time when†-he cleared his throat, searching for the most tactful way to recall the incident-â€Å"the sergeant threatened my life shortly after I was appointed to my present post through your kindness.† â€Å"The assassination attempt.† Cleon looked up to heaven, as though seeking patience. â€Å"I don't know why everyone is so afraid of that word.† â€Å"Perhaps,† said Seldon smoothly, slightly despising himself for the ease with which he had become able to flatter, â€Å"the rest of us are more perturbed at the possibility of something untoward happening to our Emperor than you yourself are.† Cleon smiled ironically. â€Å"I dare say. And what has this to do with Gruber? Is that his name?† â€Å"Yes, Sire. Mandell Gruber. I'm sure you will recall, if you cast your mind back, that there was a gardener who came rushing up with a rake to defend me against the armed sergeant.† â€Å"Ah yes. Was that fellow the gardener who did that?† â€Å"He was the man, Sire. I've considered him a friend ever since and I meet him almost every time I am on the grounds. I think he watches for me, feels proprietary toward me. And, of course, I feel kindly toward him.† â€Å"I don't blame you. And while we're on the subject, how is your formidable lady, Dr. Venabili? I don't see her often.† â€Å"She's a historian, Sire. Lost in the past.† â€Å"She doesn't frighten you? She'd frighten me. I've been told how she treated that sergeant. One could almost be sorry for him.† â€Å"She grows savage on my behalf, Sire, but has not had occasion to do so lately. It's been very quiet.† The Emperor looked after the disappearing gardener. â€Å"Have we ever rewarded that man?† â€Å"I have done so, Sire. He has a wife and two daughters and I have arranged that each daughter will have a sum of money put aside for the education of any children she may have.† â€Å"Very good. But he needs a promotion, I think. Is he a good gardener?† â€Å"Excellent, Sire.† â€Å"The Chief Gardener, Malcomber-I'm not quite sure I remember his name-is getting on and is, perhaps, not up to the job anymore. He is well into his late seventies. Do you think this Gruber might be able to take over?† â€Å"I'm certain he can, Sire, but he likes his present job. It keeps him out in the open in all kinds of weather.† â€Å"A peculiar recommendation for a job. I'm sure he can get used to administration and I do need someone for some sort of renewal of the grounds. Hmmm. I must think upon this. Your friend Gruber may be just the man I need. By the way, Seldon, what did you mean by saying it's been very quiet?† â€Å"I merely meant, Sire, that there has been no sign of discord at the Imperial Court. The unavoidable tendency to intrigue seems to be as near a minimum as it is ever likely to get.† â€Å"You wouldn't say that if you were Emperor, Seldon, and had to contend with all these officials and their complaints. How can you tell me things are quiet when reports seem to reach me every other week of some serious breakdown here and there on Trantor?† â€Å"These things are bound to happen.† â€Å"I don't recall such things happening so frequently in previous years.† â€Å"Perhaps that was because they didn't, Sire. The infrastructure grows older with time. To make the necessary repairs properly would take time, labor, and enormous expense. This is not a time when a rise in taxes will be looked on favorably.† â€Å"There's never any such time. I gather that the people are experiencing serious dissatisfaction over these breakdowns. It must stop and you must see to it, Seldon. What does psychohistory say?† â€Å"It says what common sense says, that everything is growing older.† â€Å"Well, all this is quite spoiling the pleasant day for me. I leave it in your hands, Seldon.† â€Å"Yes, Sire,† said Seldon quietly. The Emperor strode off and Seldon thought that it was all spoiling the pleasant day for him, too. This breakdown at the center was the alternative he didn't want. But how was he to prevent it and switch the crisis to the Periphery? Psychohistory didn't say. 7 Raych Seldon felt extraordinarily contented, for it was the first dinner en famille that he had had in some months with the two people he thought of as his father and mother. He knew perfectly well that they were not his parents in any biological sense, but it didn't matter. He merely smiled at them with complete love. The surroundings were not as warm as they had been at Streeling in the old days, when their home had been small and intimate, a virtual gem in the larger setting of the University. Now, unfortunately, nothing could hide the grandeur of the First Minister's Palace suite. Raych sometimes stared at himself in the mirror and wondered how it could be. He was not tall, only 163 centimeters in height, distinctly shorter than either parent. He was rather stocky but muscular-and not fat, with black hair and the distinctive Dahlite mustache that he kept as dark and as thick as possible. In the mirror he could still see the street urchin he had once been before the chanciest of great chances had dictated his meeting with Hari and Dors. Seldon had been much younger then and his appearance now made it plain that Raych himself was almost as old now as Seldon had been when they met. Amazingly, Dors had hardly changed at all. She was as sleek and fit as the day Raych had first showed Hari and Dors the way to Mother Rittah's in Billibotton. And he, Raych, born to poverty and misery, was now a member of the civil service, a small cog in the Ministry of Population. Seldon said, â€Å"How are things going at the Ministry, Raych? Any progress?† â€Å"Some, Dad. The laws are passed. The court decisions are made. Speeches are pronounced. Still, it's difficult to move people. You can preach brotherhood all you want, but no one feels like a brother. What gets me is that the Dahlites are as bad as any of the others. They want to be treated as equals, they say, and so they do, but, given a chance, they have no desire to treat others as equals.† Dors said, â€Å"It's all but impossible to change people's minds and hearts, Raych. It's enough to try and perhaps eliminate the worst of the injustices.† â€Å"The trouble is,† said Seldon, â€Å"that through most of history, no one's been working on this problem. Human beings have been allowed to fester in the delightful game of I'm-better-than-you and cleaning up that mess isn't easy. If we allow things to follow their own bent and grow worse for a thousand years, we can't complain if it takes, say, a hundred years to work an improvement.† â€Å"Sometimes, Dad,† said Raych, â€Å"I think you gave me this job to punish me.† Seldon's eyebrows raised. â€Å"What motivation could I have had to punish you?† â€Å"For feeling attracted to Joranum's program of sector equality and for greater popular representation in government.† â€Å"I don't blame you for that. These are attractive suggestions, but you know that Joranum and his gang were using it only as a device to gain power. Afterward-â€Å" â€Å"But you had me entrap him, despite my attraction to his views.† Seldon said, â€Å"it wasn't easy for me to ask you to do that.† â€Å"And now you keep me working at the implementation of Joranum's program, just to show me how hard the task is in reality.† Seldon said to Dors, â€Å"How do you like that, Dors? The boy attributes to me a kind of sneaky underhandedness that simply isn't part of my character.† â€Å"Surely,† said Dors with the ghost of a smile playing at her lips, â€Å"you are attributing no such thing to your father.† â€Å"Not really. In the ordinary course of life, there's no one straighter than you, Dad. But if you have to, you know you can stack the cards. Isn't that what you hope to do with psychohistory?† Seldon said sadly, â€Å"So far, I've done very little with psychohistory.† â€Å"Too bad. I keep thinking that there is some sort of psychohistorical solution to the problem of human bigotry.† â€Å"Maybe there is, but, if so, I haven't found it.† When dinner was over, Seldon said, â€Å"You and I, Raych, are going to have a little talk now.† â€Å"Indeed?† said Dors. â€Å"I take it I'm not invited.† â€Å"Ministerial business, Dors.† â€Å"Ministerial nonsense, Hari. You're going to ask the poor boy to do something I wouldn't want him to do.† Seldon said firmly, â€Å"I'm certainly not going to ask him to do anything he doesn't want to do.† Raych said, â€Å"It's all right, Mom. Let Dad and me have our talk. I promise I'll tell you all about it afterward.† Dors's eyes rolled upward. â€Å"You two will plead ‘state secrets.' I know â€Å"As a matter of fact,† said Seldon firmly, â€Å"that's exactly what I must discuss. And of the first magnitude. I'm serious, Dors.† Dors rose, her lips tightening. She left the room with one final injunction. â€Å"Don't throw the boy to the wolves, Hari.† And after she was gone, Seldon said quietly, â€Å"I'm afraid that throwing you to the wolves is exactly what I'll have to do, Raych.† 8 They faced each other in Seldon's private office, his â€Å"thinking place,† as he called it. There, he had spent uncounted hours trying to think his way past and through the complexities of Imperial and Trantorian government. He said, â€Å"Have you read much about the recent breakdowns we've been having in planetary services, Raych?† â€Å"Yes,† said Raych, â€Å"but you know, Dad, we've got an old planet here. What we gotta do is get everyone off it, dig the whole thing up, replace everything, add the latest computerizations, and then bring everyone back-or at least half of everyone. Trantor would be much better off with only twenty billion people.† â€Å"Which twenty billion?† asked Seldon smiling. â€Å"I wish I knew,† said Raych darkly. â€Å"The trouble is, we can't redo the planet, so we just gotta keep patching.† â€Å"I'm afraid so, Raych, but there are some peculiar things about it. Now I want you to check me out. I have some thoughts about this.† He brought a small sphere out of his pocket. â€Å"What's that?† asked Raych. â€Å"It's a map of Trantor, carefully programmed. Do me a favor, Raych, and clear off this tabletop.† Seldon placed the sphere more or less in the middle of the table and placed his hand on a keypad in the arm of his desk chair. He used his thumb to close a contact and the light in the room went out while the tabletop glowed with a soft ivory light that seemed about a centimeter deep. The sphere had flattened and expanded to the edges of the table. The light slowly darkened in spots and took on a pattern. After some thirty seconds, Raych said in surprise, â€Å"It is a map of Trantor.† â€Å"Of course. I told you it was. You can't buy anything like this at a sector mall, though. This is one of those gadgets the armed forces play with. It could present Trantor as a sphere, but a planar projection would more clearly show what I want to show.† â€Å"And what is it you want to show, Dad?† â€Å"Well, in the last year or two, there have been breakdowns. As you say, it's an old planet and we've got to expect breakdowns, but they've been coming more frequently and they would seem, almost uniformly, to be the result of human error.† â€Å"Isn't that reasonable?† â€Å"Yes, of course. Within limits. This is true, even where earthquakes are involved.† â€Å"Earthquakes? On Trantor?† â€Å"I admit Trantor is a fairly nonseismic planet-and a good thing, too, because enclosing a world in a dome when the world is going to shake itself badly several times a year and smash a section of that dome would be highly impractical. Your mother says that one of the reasons Trantor, rather than some other world, became the Imperial capital is that it was geologically moribund-that's her unflattering expression. Still, it might be moribund, but it's not dead. There are occasional minor earthquakes-three of them in the last two years.† â€Å"I wasn't aware of that, Dad.† â€Å"Hardly anyone is. The dome isn't a single object. It exists in hundreds of sections, each one of which can be lifted and set ajar to relieve tensions and compressions in case of an earthquake. Since an earthquake, when one does occur, lasts for only ten seconds to a minute, the opening endures only briefly. It comes and goes so rapidly that the Trantorians beneath are not even aware of it. They are much more aware of a mild tremor and a faint rattling of crockery than of the opening and closing of the dome overhead and the slight intrusion of the outside weather-whatever it is.† â€Å"That's good, isn't it?† â€Å"It should be. It's computerized, of course. The onset of an earthquake anywhere sets off the key controls for the opening and closing of that section of the dome so that it opens just before the vibration becomes strong enough to do damage.† â€Å"Still good.† â€Å"But in the case of the three minor earthquakes over the last two years, the dome controls failed in each case. The dome never opened and, in each case, repairs were required. It took some time, it took some money, and the weather controls were less than optimum for a considerable period of time. Now, what, Raych, are the chances that the equipment would have failed in all three cases?† â€Å"Not high?† â€Å"Not high at all. Less than one in a hundred. One can suppose that someone had gimmicked the controls in advance of an earthquake. Now, about once a century, we have a magma leak, which is far more difficult to control-and I'd hate to think of the results if it went unnoticed until it was too late. Fortunately that hasn't happened and isn't likely to, but consider-Here on this map you will find the location of the breakdowns that have plagued us over the past two years and that seem to be attributable to human error, though we haven't once been able to tell to whom each might be attributed.† â€Å"That's because everyone is busy protecting his back.† â€Å"I'm afraid you're right. That's a characteristic of any bureaucracy and Trantor's is the largest in history. But what do you think of the locations?† The map had lit up with bright little red markings that looked like small pustules covering the land surface of Trantor. â€Å"Well,† said Raych cautiously, â€Å"they seem to be evenly spread.† â€Å"Exactly-and that's what's interesting. One would expect that the older sections of Trantor, the longest-domed sections, would have the most decayed infrastructure and would be more liable to events requiring quick human decision and laying the groundwork for possible human error. I'll superimpose the older sections of Trantor on the map in a bluish color and you'll notice that the breakdowns don't seem to be taking place any oftener on the blue areas.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"And what I think it means, Raych, is that the breakdowns are not of natural origin but are deliberately caused and spread out in this fashion to affect as many people as possible, thus creating a dissatisfaction that is as widespread as possible.† â€Å"It don't seem likely.† â€Å"No? Then let's look at the breakdowns as spread through time rather than through space.† The blue areas and the red spots disappeared and, for a time, the map of Trantor was blank-and then the markings began to appear and disappear one at a time, here and there. â€Å"Notice,† said Seldon, â€Å"that they don't appear in clumps in time, either. One appears, then another, then another, and so on, almost like the steady ticking of a metronome.† â€Å"Do ya think that's on purpose, too?† â€Å"It must be. Whoever is bringing this about wants to cause as much disruption with as little effort as possible, so there's no use doing two at once, where one will partially cancel the other in the news and in the public consciousness. Each incident must stand out in full irritation.† The map went out and the lights went on. Seldon returned the sphere, shrunken back to its original size, to his pocket. Raych said, â€Å"Who would be doing all this?† Seldon said thoughtfully, â€Å"A few days ago I received a report of a murder in Wye Sector.† â€Å"That's not unusual,† said Raych. â€Å"Even though Wye isn't one of your really lawless sectors, there must be lots of murders there every day.† â€Å"Hundreds,† said Seldon, shaking his head. â€Å"We've had bad days when the number of deaths by violence on Trantor as a whole approaches the million-a-day mark. Generally there's not much chance of finding every culprit, every murderer. The dead just enter the books as statistics. This one, however, was unusual. The man had been knifed-but unskillfully. He was still alive when found, just barely. He had time to gasp out one word before he died and that word was ‘Chief.' â€Å"That roused a certain curiosity and he was actually identified. He works in Anemoria and we don't know what he was doing in Wye. But some worthy officer managed to dig up the fact that he was an old Joranumite. His name was Kaspal Kaspalov and he is well known to have been one of the intimates of Laskin Joranum. And now he's deadknifed.† Raych frowned. â€Å"Do you suspect another Joranumite Conspiracy, Dad? There aren't any Joranumites around anymore.† â€Å"It wasn't long ago that your mother asked me if I thought that the Joranumites were still active and I told her that any odd belief always retained a certain cadre, sometimes for centuries. They're usually not very important, just splinter groups that simply don't count. Still, what if the Joranumites have kept up an organization, what if they have retained a certain strength, what if they are capable of killing someone they consider a traitor in their ranks, and what if they are producing these breakdowns as a preliminary to seizing control?† â€Å"That's an awful lot of ‘what if ‘s,' Dad.† â€Å"I know that. And I might be totally wrong. The murder happened in Wye and, as it so happens, there have been no infrastructure breakdowns in Wye.† â€Å"What does that prove?† â€Å"It might prove that the center of the conspiracy is in Wye and that the conspirators don't want to make themselves uncomfortable, only the rest of Trantor. It also might mean that it's not the Joranumites at all but members of the old Wyan family who still dream of ruling the Empire once again.† â€Å"Oh boy, Dad. You're building all this on very little.† â€Å"I know. Now suppose it is another Joranumite Conspiracy. Joranum had, as his right-hand man, Gambol Deen Namarti. We have no record of Namarti's death, no record of his having left Trantor, no record of his life over the last decade or so. That's not terribly surprising. After all, it's easy to lose one person among forty billion. There was a time in my life when I tried to do just that. Of course, Namarti may be dead. That would be the easiest explanation, but he may not be.† â€Å"What do we do about it?† Seldon sighed. â€Å"The logical thing would be to turn to the security establishment, but I can't. I don't have Demerzel's presence. He could cow people; I can't. He had a powerful personality; I'm just a-mathematician. I shouldn't be First Minister at all; I'm not cut out for it. And I wouldn't be-if the Emperor weren't fixated on psychohistory to a far greater extent than it deserves.† â€Å"You're kinda whipping yourself, ain't you, Dad?† â€Å"Yes. I suppose I am, but I have a picture of myself going to the security establishment, for instance, with what I have just shown you on the map†-he pointed to the now-empty tabletop-â€Å"and arguing that we were in great danger of some conspiracy of unknown consequence and nature. They would listen solemnly and, after I had left, they would laugh among themselves about ‘the crazy mathematician'-and then do nothing.† â€Å"Then what do we do about it?† said Raych, returning to the point. â€Å"It's what you will do about it, Raych. I need more evidence and I want you to find it for me. I would send your mother, but she won't leave me under any circumstances. I myself can't leave the Palace grounds at this time. Next to Dors and myself, I trust you. More than Dors and myself, in fact. You're still quite young, you're strong, you're a better Heliconian Twister than I ever was, and you're smart. â€Å"Mind you, now, I don't want you to risk your life. No heroism, no derring-do. I couldn't face your mother if anything happened to you. Just find out what you can. Perhaps you'll find that Namarti is alive and operating-or dead. Perhaps you'll find out that the Joranumites are an active group-or moribund. Perhaps you'll find out that the Wyan ruling family is active-or not. Any of that would be interesting-but not vital. What I want you to find out is whether the infrastructure breakdowns are of human manufacture, as I think they are, and, far more important still, if they are deliberately caused, what else the conspirators plan to do. It seems to me they must have plans for some major coup and, if so, I must know what that will be.† Raych said cautiously, â€Å"Do you have some kinda plan to get me started?† â€Å"Yes indeed, Raych. I want you to go down to the area of Wye where Kaspalov was killed. Find out if you can if he was an active Joranumite and see if you can't join a Joranumite cell yourself.† â€Å"Maybe that's possible. I can always pretend to be an old Joranumite. It's true that I was pretty young when Jo-Jo was sounding off, but I was very impressed by his ideas. It's even sorta true.† â€Å"Well yes, but there's one important catch. You might be recognized. After all, you're the son of the First Minister. You have appeared on holovision now and then and you have been interviewed concerning your views on sector equality.† â€Å"Sure, but-â€Å" â€Å"No buts, Raych. You'll wear elevated shoes to add three centimeters to your height and we'll have someone show you how to change the shape of your eyebrows and make your face fuller and change the timbre of your voice.† Raych shrugged. â€Å"A lotta trouble for nothing.† â€Å"And,† said Seldon with a distinct quaver, â€Å"you will shave off your mustache.† Raych's eyes widened and for a moment he sat there in appalled silence. Finally he said in a hoarse whisper, â€Å"Shave my mustache?† â€Å"Clean as a whistle. No one would recognize you without it.† â€Å"But it can't be done. Like cutting off your-Like castration.† Seldon shook his head. â€Å"It's just a cultural curiosity. Yugo Amaryl is as Dahlite as you are and he wears no mustache.† â€Å"Yugo is a nut. I don't think he's alive at all, except for his mathematics.† â€Å"He's a great mathematician and the absence of a mustache does not alter that fact. Besides, it's not castration. Your mustache will grow back in two weeks.† â€Å"Two weeks! It'll take two years to reach this-this-â€Å" He put his hand up, as though to cover and protect it. Seldon said inexorably, â€Å"Raych, you have to do it. It's a sacrifice you must make. If you act as my spy with your mustache, you may-come to harm. I can't take that chance.† â€Å"I'd rather die,† said Raych violently. â€Å"Don't be melodramatic,† said Seldon severely. â€Å"You would not rather die and this is something you must do. However†-and here he hesitated-â€Å"don't say anything about it to your mother. I will take care of that.† Raych stared at his father in frustration and then said in a low and despairing tone, â€Å"All right, Dad.† Seldon said, â€Å"I will get someone to supervise your disguise and then you will go to Wye by air-jet. Buck up, Raych, it's not the end of the world.† Raych smiled wanly and Seldon watched him leave, a deeply troubled look on his face. A mustache could easily be regrown, but a son could not. Seldon knew perfectly well that he was sending Raych into danger.