Oil and Gas Management Management

Question: Talk about both the attractions and burdens of BP as a potential assume control over objective, and distinguish the most likely bidders for BP. Give a few instances of the issues that face these likely bidders regarding policy driven issues and administrative styles. Talk about whether a continuation of low oil costs, as found in the main quarter of 2015, will quicken any assume control over offer, or would low costs be another hindrance. Answer: Presentation: BP is an Anglo Persian oil organization and was an individual from 'Seven Sisters', went into the market in 1970. In 2010, BP was hit by Gulf of Mexico oil that was a greatest oil slick in the historical backdrop of U.S., and it made money related harm BP worth $42 billion. So BP is experiencing the monetary emergency just as marked down offer costs that influence benefits of many oil-field-specialist co-ops. Such huge numbers of organizations like Exxon, PLC drew nearer BP for a takeover as its offer costs fall in the market, however they face numerous impediments like policy driven issues and administrative issues. Administration of UK needs Oil organization to stay a substance of British and needs to make it major worldwide organization in the locale. BP has a capitalization of the market of more than $130 billion. The primary concern is on the scope of UK organizations and on its prosperity that comes through solid rivalry in the market. But these policy centered issues Exxon, PL C face numerous administrative issues as there is vulnerability with respect to the punishment on BP. When there is a drop in oil value, oil field administrations organizations get pressed as it isn't conservative to separate oil starting from the earliest stage. Penetrating agreements and oil investigation are probably going to be dropped and to be required to be postponed. Because of the lower cost of oil, bankruptcy documenting in the gas and oil part is relied upon to rise. So when oil costs fall because of the Gulf of Mexico, history focuses to mergers and acquisitions of the vitality business (Wilkinson, 2015). Fascination of BP BP takes over by Exxon have some preferred position. The American business by Exxon is littler than the worldwide. And furthermore BP is most grounded in America. The upside of taking over BP is that Exxon has low obtained cost and has a high measure of money. They additionally worked superbly of retaining Mobil. The following fascination of BP is that 20% offer has the best oil organization. In Russia, oil and gas have an enormous market, and BP raked in boatloads of cash from the Russia. BP needs to remain in the market ( Shuen, et al.2014). Likewise, Exxon can take care of any issue in the BP. They manufactured the BP in the high range. BP doesnt spend such a great amount of capital as quick as conceivable that normal. BP keeps up their position and keeps up their rate in the global market. Impediment of BP BP has numerous impediments. In the event that the punishment is made on BP, at that point they will confront the weight of the liabilities. Additionally, the size of the organization is excessively huge than required. This is the wastage of cash. For that place, they give intrigue. Such a significant number of organizations discover offering for BP is hazardous as US government charges punishment to BP. A proceed with drop in the offer cost of BP may carry immense liabilities to the organization and acquire vulnerability future benefits of contenders of BP ( Ingraffea, et al.2014).. They likewise not send out their innovation for that they didn't gain cash. The accompanying burdens are- Mergers cost and securing It is exorbitant for high lawful costs. Additionally the expense of procuring the new organization likewise exceptionally high for the brief timeframe. This mergers and procurement corporate choice is generally mind boggling, and it might make the issue (Andersen, 2015, December). The securing procedure is costly for lawful strategy, the expense of assuming control over the organization, brief timeframe opportunity, and so forth. Buyer and investor disadvantage In a portion of the case securing issue as well as have some issue in investors and buyer moreover. The buyers are not fulfilled monetarily. These disadvantages are expanded the customer cost, decline the presentation in corporate, and so forth share likewise has numerous disservices in the initiative segment. They decrease the takeover movement and them likewise unfit to deliver power impact in the-the corporate segment. The organization likewise experiences the lower cost of the offer. The Lower cost of the offer makes burden in the transient organization (Thurner, and Proskuryakova, 2014). Settlement of wages Another issue is the less wages of the worker. For this case overpay the other worker and increment the wages. This is the disrupt the financial plan of the organization (Saad, et al.2014). There are additionally having a few impediments for assuming control over the organization. That is fine, harm, and remuneration. For this case the expense of BP is finished. It additionally has political hazard. Exxon can assume control over the organization, however it has some political hazard. Significant bidders In the oil business, the significant bidders are Royal Dutch Shell. Likewise, the most organization in UK are bidder of the BP. Likewise chevron corp. The biggest U.S. organization bidders of the BP. Some British organization additionally co-work with the BP. Mexico Oil Company likewise help to the BP. In 2010 BP was hit by Gulf of Mexico oil that was a greatest oil slick in history of U.S. what's more, it made a money related harm BP worth $42 billion. Numerous financial experts estimated about the significant test that that the organization could confront is a takeover by its remote rivals like Shell, Exxon. Exxon Mobil Corporation was relied upon to approach BP in such manner (Watson, et al.2015, July). Political and Managerial Issues: In 2010, BP was hit by Gulf of Mexico oil that was a greatest oil slick in the historical backdrop of U.S., and it made monetary harm BP worth $42 billion. Numerous business analysts hypothesized about the significant test that that the organization could confront a takeover by its remote rivals likes Shell, Exxon. Exxon Mobil Corporation was relied upon to approach BP in such manner (Le and Chang, 2015). Exxon has the monetary ability to take over BP however whether Exxon expects to go further with the takeover is the primary concern (Ritchie, Gill and Picou, 2011). They face numerous obstruction to the takeover of BP like policy centered issues and administrative deterrents. On the off chance that this contender of BP needs to purchase mass sum shares from BP, at that point organizations need to confront a few dangers related with liabilities and requirements from the administration of UK. Legislature of UK needs Oil organization to stay an element of British and needs to make it major worldwide organization in the district. The previous head administrator of UK has invited outside direct venture at a huge pace in this locale. So it is certain that administration of UK would mediate if any outside oil organization like Exxon needs to target BP. This kind of takeover may carry a danger to the money related and national security of any nation so if Government of UK finds any hazard, for this situation, it can mediate and in part gets limitations offering. BP has a capitalization of the market of more than $130 billion, so it is an appealing takeover choice for Exxon, however it has reservation with respect to getting of the UK based organization. Accordingly, it is relied upon to confront a political obstruction in the underlying stage. After the offer of 60 billion pounds by Pfizer Inc. for AstraZeneca plc administration of UK took exacting estimates that caused open, business, and political concerns. The principle concern is on the scope of UK organizations and on its prosperity that comes through sound rivalry in the market. UK government is keen on having British organizations succeeding and contending at both abroad and home. Then again, its rival like Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil Corp, and PLC experience confronted difficulty in picking up benefits on US shale as these organizations battled with greater expenses on costly ventures. BP confronted numerous political issues in Russia and US. Such a large number of organizations discover procurement for BP is dangerous as US government charges the punishment to BP. A proceeded with drop in the offer cost of BP may carry enormous liabilities to the organization and acquire vulnerability future benefits of contenders of BP (Le and Chang, 2015). Another expense related with this takeover is the expense of cleaning the ocean that makes an immense weight on the Exxon, PLC, and so forth. But these policy driven issues Exxon, PLC face numerous administrative issues as there is vulnerability in regards to the punishment on BP. President of Exxon has clarified that converging of these two organizations is confounded on account of the method applied to that organization. Further, he clarified this may prompt the catastrophe that occurred in 2010. Jeff Woodbury, head of speculator relations, said that it is acceptable to seek after with those acquisitions that are accretive to since quite a while ago run returns and have vital qualities. So the benefits of this merger rely upon the connections and cost of pieces of the overall industry and the situation of the portfolio. It was anticipated by certain specialists that Shell attempted to make takeover offer for BP, yet the contention was, BP was in frail budgetary situation with the money related impact of the Deepwater Horizon fiasco was not understood. As BP was prohibited in US advertise so it ought to be mulled over that securing likewise carries liabilities with it. So any organization that needs to purchase portions of BP must consider this productivity angle. Other than this, Exxon confronted numerous social difficulties that influence the takeover choice. Impacts of Lower oil costs: As per London Stock Exchange, an offer cost of BP declined to 365 pence and the organization that is recorded on the London Stock Exchange accentuated an admonition proclaimed by oil and gas UK. The issue isn't to create with the lower oil costs because of the high creation costs (Platformlondon.org, 2015). When there is a drop in oil value, oil field administrations organizations get pressed as it isn't affordable to extricate oil starting from the earliest stage. Oil investigation organizations couldn't meet the expense of creation any longer, and there is no compelling reason to pay an oilfield administration organizations. Subsequently, the oil delivering organizations can feel the impacts of the low oil costs. So creation and exploratio

Economics †Supply and Demand of Beef in the United States Essay

Envision an existence with no burger or milk. How might this cause you to feel? Do you figure you would have the option to endure? I know I wouldn’t have the option to. Both milk and red meat are significant in a day by day diet. These two things originate from steers. Steers and meat all in all are a need to regular living. â€Å"The significance of meat dairy cattle in the horticulture of this nation rests mainly upon their capacity to change over coarse scrounge, corn, grass, and different results of the land, shrivel unfit or not needed for human utilization, into an important and much-wanted food. Let's be honest, we aren’t going to eat grass or grain pellets at any point in the near future. Dairy cattle eat grain pellets, grass, scavenge, and other stuff that people don’t devour. The dairy animals has a considerably more alluring flavor inside. Would you be able to picture presently eating a delicious prime rib sandwich? This is only one of the numerous th ings a bovine produces. Nearby ranchers in provincial networks are striving to create the levels of popularity for meat. â€Å"Hamburger meat from one cow would approach 720 quarter-pound burgers, enough for a group of four to appreciate cheeseburgers every day for almost a half year. They are looking approaches to create better meat. The steers makers are currently misleadingly inseminating the steers with better hereditary qualities to help make the nature of hamburger higher. As indicated by Present and Future Applications of DNA Technologies to Improve Beef Production, considerable enhancements underway proficiency and nature of hamburger and dairy items have been made conceivable through control of ox-like hereditary qualities. Milk originates from cows and that’s what gives you solid bones and lower starches which are basic for everyone’s day by day diet. Likewise meat is the main wellspring of zinc in the human eating regimen. The meat is loaded up with supplements that help your body get what it needs to remain solid. It is a magnificent method to prop your safe framework up securely and not feeling debilitated, feeble, or tired constantly. Being solid not just makes you look better outwardly, yet in addition within. Being sound assists with discouragement, and eating red meat and getting the basic supplements assists with the entirety of this. Being a cows raiser myself, I realize that there are numerous components to consider while delivering the steers that produce the meat. Numerous individuals state that cows are squandering the land and that their waste is occupying the land space and making the compost annihilate the land. This is bogus. The compost that the dairy animals lets out is incredibly imperative to the field. It is an incredible compost and gives the supplements that land needs most. This assists with developing yields just as blossoms and plants.

Personal Reflection on My Dressing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Individual Reflection on My Dressing - Essay Example Accordingly, I don't wear tight garments, uncovering garments, or any garments that ignore my social morals. In reality, my social convictions and regard for my conventions characterize my dressing and body enhancement. My own convictions and qualities disallow me from wearing garments that will uncover my manliness. Additionally, I dress to fulfill my feelings and to stay stylish. I likewise think about my situation in the general public and the need to regard others while dressing. As I look to keep up my nobility, I don't begrudge body decorations like tattoos since they belittle individual convictions and social qualities, which restrict men from body embellishments. I have faith in time the board and henceforth I wear watches and pick sharp dressing to stay up with the cutting edge styles. Without a doubt, I dress to satisfy myself and stay moral in the different society. The fundamental factor that characterizes my decision of attire is to communicate my emotions and speak to m y own convictions and qualities. Additionally, the need to stay moral and show polished skill impacts my dressing choices and decisions. What's more, my social qualities and parental direction impact my decision of dressing as I look to regard my folks and custom through my dressing. Strikingly, my folks are the caretakers of my social dressing convictions. All things considered, the need to grasp innovation and stay popular powers me to adjust among societies and design in my dressing. The climate likewise impacts my dressing decisions as I look to adjust to changed atmospheres and stay solid. In addition, my donning needs and fairness prerequisites characterize my dressing. The need to visit various scenes additionally characterizes my dressing decisions since the work environment and going to talks will require explicit attire. I additionally pick my dressing concerning the regard, morals, and ethical quality that I look to present to the general public.

Terms Defined :: essays papers

Terms Defined Before plunging into the profundity of this paper, a few expressions and terms should be explained. While talking about PCs they ought to be thought of as â€Å"devices that take care of issues by tolerating data, performing endorsed tasks, and providing the outcomes obtained.† Computer use alludes to using the bit of innovation to take care of issues. Another significant actuality to recollect is that PC games are played on the machine for either guidance or diversion. For lucidity, PC projects and PC games are utilized conversely and considered as interchangeable expressions inside this paper. The PC unrest alludes to the fuse of PCs into ordinary use. Having away from of these expressions will enable the peruser to all the more likely understand the affirmations being introduced (â€Å"Ebsco,† 2004). Sexual orientation Bias in Computer Games and Programs One of the main elements thought to add to this developing issue introduced above is the way that PC games and projects are seldom produced in light of females. The manner by which games and projects are structured can be an immense central factor in whether the young lady will set aside the effort to investigate a specific program or not. As per an investigation supported by the much acclaimed American Association of University Women, â€Å"The commission noticed that most PC games today are structured by men for men. They regularly have topic important to young men, or highlight styles of connection known to be agreeable for boys† (â€Å"Tech Savvy,† 2000, p.29). In her book entitled Does Jane Compute, Roberta Furger (1998) met a multi year old, self-announced conossuier of PCs named Rachel. This gifted multi year old has her own page and likes to make cards and solicitations on her own special Macintosh. Unfortunately, Rachel has encountered direct the error speciali sts have been cautioning about. She also clarifies how there are not many games for young ladies when she expressed, â€Å"There are just men in a great deal of games-and there are not brilliant hues. It’s all droopy† (1998, p.44). Kids Now, an association working for the advancement of kids all over the place, as of late expressed that numerous PC games well known among young men have been showcased to young ladies by essentially transforming one part of the game’s general plan or feel. Take for instance, Pac-Man. The makers of this game essentially put a pink bow on the first animal to attempt to bait in the female populace (â€Å"Girls and Gaming,† 2000).

Decisions, Decisions

Decisions, Decisions In yesterdays entry, I wrote, With 5 days [now 4 days] until the May 2 postmark deadline, is anyone still making a decision? If so, what are your remaining questions? What factors are you considering? I got a couple responses, including from estelphoenix, who wrote: I have five questions: On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest and 1 being the lowest How happy are students? How stressed out do students feel? How well do students cope with stress? What is the general mental health of students? In addition, does MITs tough grading system hurt students when they apply to med school or law school? Thank you very much! Also, a comment from struggling, who wrote: yes i am still undecided. i am leaning towards MIT but am also choosing from brown, harvard and stanford. I want to do engineering, so MIT seems obvious. however, i dont want only a hardcore engineering education and want to be able to have a little fun and explore some other courses. Also, i am worried about the MIT workload. Im sure I could get it done, but would it be at the expense of my social life/sanity? Also, how much do students tend to go out in boston? A lot of things about MIT seem really cool but also a bit intimidating. oh yeah i forgot to addno offense intended but I am from california, go to a public school, and generally hang out with a wide variety of people many of which arent really serious about academics like I am. thus, i dont really think I will fit in to a nerd culture (again no offense, that is just not how I am). what are peoples opinions on the types of people at MIT I know there are a lot of different things going on but it would be cool to hear peoples thoughts about the personalities of the students. thanks for any help anyone can give. estelphoenix and struggling have basically enumerated concerns (stereotypes?) voiced by generations of students trying to decide whether or not to attend MIT. These, interestingly, were also my concerns. Ill summarize the concerns, at least as I saw them back in the spring of 1996: Will I have a good college social experience? Is MIT so difficult that I will be constantly stressed out, perhaps to the point of depression? Will I like the people at MIT, or will they be the antisocial nerd stereotype? I had these same fears, until I finally visited the campus (more on that in a few paragraphs). I think that visiting the schools youre considering is a crucial step. For many students, CPW is the first time they experienced campus. Of course, CPW isnt completely representative of the MIT experience, but I believe that it does give you a drink-from-the-firehose look at MIT life. After CPW, I asked what students thought of it, and got some potentially helpful responses. Jim Elephunk wrote, MIT was way better than I expected. I have a lot of options for college (harvard, brown, stanford, tufts, etc) but CPW definitely put MIT up on top of my list. I always knew MIT had the best academics, but after CPW I can see that the social scene is awesome too. Everyone was really nice and only about 10% of the people I met fit the classic MIT nerd stereotype. Most people were amazingly fun and outgoing, just way smarter than the average person haha. And Pia wrote, I really feel much better about MIT now because before the ambiguity was kind of making me eh-ish about it. I was actually considering staying in CA and going to berkeley or something (silly, misguided Pia)I also really loved the people at the place I stayed (Random) so it made it even better for me because I never actually stopped having fun. I also felt better because I realized that MIT was really a very good fit for me..it has a lot of opportunities that I very much wanted in a college. Also, in my most recent entrys comments, Anonymous wrote, Im someone who was also worried about the social environment at MIT, but after attending CPW and checking out the parties and people there, I realized that there wasnt anything to worry about. There were tons of social people who love to party, etc. They were all really nice and im sure that they have more than enough fun to compensate for having to do rigorous psets. yep. so i just sent in my reply form to mit and i hope to see you guys there. In the same comments section, Fiona wrote: Struggling I dont know if you attended CPW, but there I discovered that there are all kinds of people at MIT, even those that you would never expect to find there. For example, while hanging out with some random people I heard one say I HATE math and science. I am just terrible at them, I am so glad I finished the core, etc. Also, I went into Boston twice (well, one of the times I just walked across the bridge and looked around, it doesnt really count) in the three days I was there. Since the Harvard Bridge is so close, and many people actually live in Boston (ie frats, independent living groups, people in apartments), people visit frequently. This is just my theory, I dont really have much experience at MIT, but it seems to me that you can find pretty much every type of person there. You have jocks, musicians, cheerleaders, nerds, political activists, lazy people, quiet people, whatever you can think of. But, they are some of the smartest people in whatever category they happen to fall into (or if they refuse to be categorized). Of course, these are just my impressionsand luckily you are choosing between 4 awesome schools. Anyways, good luck! For some more really good perspectives on MIT student life, I highly recommend Mitras blog. Her posts very well represent the MIT I experienced (I sometimes get a little verklempt reading it). If you want a wider range of MIT perspectives, maybe you could also check out the Xanga MIT blogring. As for me, when I was deciding where to go to college, I figured I was likely to choose one of the Ivy League schools, as I considered myself a social, well-rounded person. I spent most of the month of April thinking about these Ivy League schools. But ultimately, I realized that I hadnt found the right fit for me. Enter MIT. I recognized that I had to visit MIT, to see whether or not all those preconceived notions I had about the place were true. So with only a few days remaining until May 1 (perhaps 9 years ago today?), my parents and I got in the car to check out MIT. The first thing I remember doing was checking out the dormitories. I first stopped at McCormick Hall, though I quickly left as I was informed that it was an all-female dorm. Next was Baker House, which several months later would become my home of 4 years. Finally, I made it to Burton-Conner (Mitras dorm), another place I really liked. Along the way, I chatted with the students. People really seemed to care about who I was as a person, not about my IQ, or the clothes I wore, or my country club status, or whatever other silly and irrelevant stuff. I remember being impressed that it was the first place where no one asked my SAT score. I took a serious look at the course catalog and realized that there were more great non-science/engineering courses than I could ever hope to take. I loved the quirky, unique culture, which was very different than the standard culture I experienced at other colleges. And ultimately, I liked the energy and enthusiasm I sensed from MIT, that it seemed like something exciting was happening, that the campus was always abuzz with activity, and that the students were really passionate. I had a great four years at MIT. I made many great friends, and had some amazing and inspirational professors (Lander, Rota, Ketterle, Billey, Krugman, Hubbard, Prelec, Wernerfelt, Rogers, Dussart, Tapscott). I ultimately received a very liberal education from MIT, in the sense that I took by choice courses in many different areas, including architecture, engineering, social sciences, science, math, management and humanities. And when I needed help with those difficult problem sets, I found my professors, TAs, and especially the upperclassmen and my classmates very willing to lend a hand (or a brain?). Ultimately, youll have to make the decision for yourself as to whether MIT or some other school is the right match for you. Im very glad that in MIT I found my right match. Another admitted/undecided student, Just Curious, wrote, Where can I find MIT alums average starting salaries by major? I was just wondering how many years it would take to pay my parents back the $200,000 that Ill owe them after I graduate! Id really like to compare the return with Harvard and Stanfords. Before I directly answer the question, some brief discussion/advice. I would not recommend basing your choice of major on potential starting salary. You should choose a major that you will enjoy and that will fulfill you intellectually. Also, you may want to talk to your parents about a pay it forward strategy, which is what I have with my parents, and many of my friends have the same. That is, my parents paid the EFC for me, and in turn the expectation is that I will pay for my childrens education when that time comes. To answer your question about salary: MIT provides this information at the Careers Office website. Specifically, you probably want to look at the 2004 graduating student survey [pdf]. For those of you who dont want to open a PDF, heres a quick summary of what youd read: the survey, taken during graduation week, received a 74% response rate. At that time, future plans of the 2004 graduates were: 52% would attend grad school immediately after MIT, 43% would work, and 5% were undecided. Of those 43% who were entering the workforce, $62,862 was the average starting salary. Remember that this number is just an average (I dont know the distribution, though you can get a sense of it from the survey), and includes everyone from teachers (who, in my opinion, are underpaid in this country) to those ridiculously well-paid software engineers. Decisions, decisions Congratulations! You have finally been accepted to college! 4(+) years of hard work in the classroom, and months of filling out applications and studying for APs/SATs, have finally paid off. At Campus Preview Weekend (CPW), you will have the opportunity to experience what life at MIT is really like. You’ll get to stay in a college dorm, go to college classes, and (best of all?) go to college parties! You will roam the Infinite corridor with the satisfaction that you could return to the campus in 4 months as a real, live MIT student. As a high school senior, I was already pretty convinced that MIT was the place for me. I was assigned to Next House (I still run into my host, and I ended up living in Next for my first two years) and I tried to do as much as possible during my short 3-day stay. I already knew a bunch of people and hung out with them for most of the weekend. (Pictures are at the bottom of the entry…awww, we were so young!) I also still have the notes that I took when I followed a friend to attend a 2.006 (Thermal Fluids Engineering II) lecture. They’re pretty cute, since I had absolutely no idea what was going on, or even how to write the Greek letters that filled the board. Let’s say that you’re not completely sold on MIT yet. Perhaps a friend of a friend told you that MIT is filled with nerds who are ultra-competitive and just study all the time. Maybe your friends are all going to school X and want you to go there, too. Or maybe, you just don’t think you’re smart enough to survive at a place like MIT. I’ll try to resolves these common problems/misconceptions one by one: Misconception #1: MIT is filled with nerds (yuck!) To be fair, this depends on your definition of nerd. Everyone I have met at MIT is extremely passionate about something. If you think that makes a person nerdy, then, yes, we’re all a bunch of nerds. Don’t despair, you honestly do not have to go out and buy a “Nerd Kit” (pictured on the right) to fit in. The Admissions folks spend months crafting a class that is diverse in their interests and backgrounds. Yes, there are people who appear to fit the stereotypical definition of “nerd” because they own binary clocks and have memorized the first 100+ digits of pi. But, if you take a second or two to talk to them, you’ll find out that they have applied their knowledge to do awesome things like building a wooden roller coaster and designing nifty electrical circuits, and their hobbies include dropping pianos and pumpkins off of roofs. Best of all, they probably would be willing to teach you how to do those things, too. It’s a very collaborative environment with seemingly en dless opportunities. Just like any school, we have students who could fit into the classifications of jocks, geeks, fraternity boys, drama queens, etc… Misconception #2: Your best friend or boy/girlfriend or mom or dad or sister or brother or grandma want you to go to X University, so while you may think MIT is cool, you’ll go to X because it will make them happy. Ah, if I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard this happen, I could at least buy a candy bar. You are the person who will have to spend four years at X University, and if it’s not a good fit, those four years are going to be miserable! It’s absolutely possible to maintain relationships with friends who go to other universities. The magic of the Internet, cheap airfare, and school vacations make it possible. I also know plenty of people who are into their third or fourth year of MIT and they are still going out with their high school sweetheart who lives halfway across the country. Similarly, I know even more people who followed their significant other to a school, broke up after a few months, realized how much they hated the school, and transferred out. Bottom line is, don’t let other people make your college decision for you. It’s supposed to be the best four years of your life, and you deserve to be happy! Misconception #3: You got into MIT, but you don’t think you’re smart enough to actually survive here. Perhaps this ties to misconception #1. The MIT admissions process is incredibly competitive and you were accepted because the people in 3-108 (Admissions Office) thought that you would be a perfect fit. Your acceptance is not a mistake; do not doubt yourself! Everyone at MIT did not get a 1600 and 4.0 GPA. But, as I said before, everyone is talented in their own special way (am I starting to sound like Barney now?) Since you’re special, you have nothing to worry about. MIT is hard, but as long as you ask for help and work hard, you will graduate with an MIT diploma and the confidence that you have learned “how to think.” With that in mind, enjoy CPW! It’s in a week, hurray! Come with an open mind. Meet new people, soak up the MIT vibes, and ask us questions. If something is bugging you, ask a student for their opinion, and they’ll tell it like it is. Hopefully you will leave on Sunday head-over-heels in love. If not, thats ok too, but try to figure out what went wrong and maybe we could help you out (e.g. was the dorm that you were housed in totally incompatible with your preferences? did you not get along with your host?) Also, if you want to meet all the Bloggers, please come to the Meet the Bloggers event on Friday (the 13th!) from 8:30-10 pm in the Student Center’s Mezzanine Lounge. Without you guys, it’ll just be me and Mitra sulking awkwardly in the corner while the ice cream melts and Sam entertains everyone with funny anecdotes… There will be food, I think, and we would love to meet you all! Pictures from my CPW: Decisions, decisions Yikes! Its been a month since I last wrote to you guys. In the intervening time, I have accumulated like 5 entries worth of photos and stories- which will be coming soon, I promise. But its silly to plow ahead with that when there are more pressing issues at hand- like the fact that decisions were just recently released. First of all, congratulations to all of you who were admitted! I remember getting my decision- the old fashioned way, like a letter showed up in my actual mailbox outside my house, if you can imagine- and how freaking awesome it was. Seriously guys, go celebrate, get that energy out. You deserve it. =) For waitlisted applicants, I know how frustrating that can be. (Funny story- NJ has about 5 or 6 summer programs called the Governors Schools, and theres one for each of a variety of different subjects. Because of the small size of my school, we were only allowed to send one applicant to each of the programs. My high school puts out a newsletter to the parents with all kinds of information about recent accomplishments by the students, and they had this section saying Congratulations to our Governors School Applicants! We had a great success rate this year: Jane Doe: accepted at the School of Science, John Smith: accepted at the School of Engineering, Someone Else: accepted at the School of International Studies, That OtherOne: accepted at the School of Math, and Laura Nicholson: waitlisted at the School of Public Policy. I was like wow, thanks guys, for announcing to the entire student body AND THEIR PARENTS that I was the only one not accepted. I was later rejected from the waitlist , and then called at home three days after the program started because someone dropped out unexpectedly. See? Happy ending!) Anyway, the best advice I have for you is to get really excited about your other options (because really, college is exciting no matter where you go) and to keep your eye on Matts and Bens blog for more info about the process from this point. For those of you who were rejected, I dont want to preach at you. I dont want to give some whole speech about how its not so bad getting rejected from your first choice school, because how the hell should I know? I got in to my first choice school, and Id be a huge, hypocritical, condescending jerk if I were to tell you about how its probably all for the best this way. That said, please try to keep in mind the excellent advice that has been popping up on these blogs. There have been some remarkable, mature, sincere comments from students who have managed to keep their perspective as well as their sanity depite their disappointments. Be inspired by them- getting into MIT (or not getting in) is not the defining moment of your life. Youre only 18 years old, I certainly hope this isnt the most important thing to ever happen to you. Trust me, as someone who is only 2 years removed from the time I opened my big envelope, there are many moments I cherish far more than that one. That said, I know you guys are really disappointed, and you have a right to be. Sometime life really sucks. So take a few days to sit on your couch eating ice cream straight out of the carton watching cheesy movies. (I was going to suggest chick flicks, but I suppose not many guys would relate to that, and as for me, I always watch horror movies when Im having a bad day. They cheer me right up. No, Im actually serious.) Then get back out there and get excited about all of the awesome things that are ahead of you. I know, easier said than done. Just like last year, Ive been really impressed with the level of maturity you have all managed to bring to the table despite your disappointment and frustration. Of course, there are always a few people who arent able to pull that off, and Ill refrain from commenting on them. However, there was one comment I noticed which I feel really needs a response. Rejectee said: Yeah Whatever. My credentials exceeded MITs average admissions statistics, and I got rejected. I guess its because my Dads not a billionaire or a rich aristocrat. If I learned anything, its that things are not what they seem, and you will be judged not by your merit, but by your background and ability to pay (why else would I get bullied in to sending in my parents tax forms). To sum it up, dont be too hard on yourselves. Chances are, you have what it takes, but just arent a part of the establishment. To get in, you must either be the next Newton, or filthy rich. Good luck to all of you who did not get accepted, and remember, MIT isnt the sole shining pillar of education it implies it is. Just another rich geek school. Rejectee: I know youre disappointed, but please know that the assumptions and conclusions you jumped to in this comment are completely, absolutely, 100% FALSE. I honestly cant off the top of my head think of a single person that I know here who I would categorize as filthy rich. And I would know- unfortunately, in high school I could rattle off a long list that fit that description. I went to a magnet high school which admitted students based on merit, but unlike MIT they didnt do context- so my class was mostly filled with the richest kids whose professional parents lived in the nicest towns with best schools and who knew how to prepare their children for high school applications, nevermind college. Im happy to report that MIT is nothing like that. Some of my closest friends are first generation citizens whose parents came to this country with next to nothing. Some of the brightest kids I know here are from the MiddleofNowhere, USA and had never heard of the science olympiads. And here is an important fact that I feel the need to clarify: MIT Admissions is 100% need-blind. This means that your application is considered without any information about your financial situation- so that your ability to pay for college in no way affects your admission decision. (Although, just to be clear, while I am not sure if this applies to international applicants, it certainly applies to domestic applicants.) Were grateful to have a lot of successful alumni who donate money to help current students afford the privelege of going here. There are some fascinating statistics on the Financial Aid website, and one of the most impressive is this: 58% of MIT undergraduates are awarded a need-based MIT scholarship that doesn’t have to be repaid, and the average award is $23,300. Seriously, thats a lot of financial aid. I know several people from less advantaged backgrounds whose financial aid package is so good, they are paying next to nothing to go here. Thats not to say that everyone gets a lot of financial aid, or that there are no rich kids at MIT. What I am trying to say is that MIT is all about opportunity- and were very proud of the fact that admissions is need-blind. The Institutes attitude towards first generation college students, students from less advantaged backgrounds, and the accessibility of education are all very progessive, and were extremely proud of that. So please, dont assume otherwise. And if you did, I hope Ive managed to convince you that your assumptions were wrong. Also, to those of you who seem to be utterly convinced that MIT plays some elaborate game with your hopes and dreams to maximize profit or diversity or public opinion and that these blogs are some big sham to make us only look like nice people who care, youre also dead wrong. Im just an undergrad here- all I do for admissions is take ridiculous pictures of myself and post them on the Internet. Its Matt and Ben and some of the other guest bloggers you might have read about who do all the hard work of deciding which small percentage of the huge number of incredible people get to come here. I know those guys pretty well, and let me tell you- they really, really care. When they say they read your applications with care, they mean it. When they say it breaks their hearts to put your application into the larger pile, they mean it. I had the privelege of sitting with Macgregor (one of the admissions counselors) at the CPW help desk for a few hours last year, and I was honestly blown away ab out the obvious level of care and concern he had for the students whose applications he had read. I have no idea how, but its like he remembers every single application he read, cover to cover. Every few minutes a student would come by to introduce themselves and say hi (because he had been in touch with them via email previously and wanted to meet). And as soon as the student walked away, he would turn to me and tell me 3 different awesome things that student had accomplished, or 3 staggering obstacles he or she had overcome, and how thrilled he was that they were able to afford to come here despite their financial situation, etc etc etc. Now if MIT is all about promoting some elitist society of rich kids and admitting an appropriately diverse class, how can you explain that behavior? And if its all about the appearance of concern, how can you explain the compassion that I saw that admissions counselor express behind closed doors? I know Im just giving you an anecdote, and Im sure some of you are closed-minded enough to completely disregard it. But if youre willing to take my word for it, trust me. I know these guys. In real life. They say they care. And they really do. (And if youre one of those who still thinks that Im saying this just for the sake of appearances, then you need a serious reality check.) One last thing. Mandah said: I dont exactly live in the Philippines. However, my mother and sister were both born in Manila. :) I am a born and bred Jersey girl. And no, I dont say Joisey. Hahahahaha. Amen. NO ONE from Jersey calls it that. Ever. (This is actually the very first claim I ever made on this blog.) Go Jersey. =) On that note, to the admitted students: please, take a minute to leave a note introducing yourselves! That way when I meet you at CPW I can be all oh yes, Ryan, from Kansas, I remember you! and make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside (like Ben did to me when I said, Hi Im Laura and he said, wait, the Laura? No joke, just ask him) instead of being like ummhuh? No, seriously, we love getting to know you guys. Im totally good friends with blog commentors in the Class of 2010. So dont be shy, introduce yourselves!

Baroque Art Paper - 825 Words

Baroque Art (Research Paper Sample) Content: Running Head: BAROQUE ARTBaroque ArtNameInstitutionTutorCourseDateBaroque ArtLorenzo BerniniGian is one of the artists who defined the Baraque Style of art. He was born on December 7th 1598 in Rome and died in 1680. He was a great Italian painter and sculptor who used marble, and eventually became a prominent designer and architect at a tender age. As well, Bernini painted, designed and also wrote plays, and therefore becoming a great figure in the new kind of art (Wittkower, 1997). One of his outstanding statutes is that of David known used by many people to study and design the Baraque style. On the other hand, Michelangelo Simoni di Lodovico is another artist who has been associated greatly with the Renaissance style. Michelangelo was a famous Italian sculptor, a painter, designer, poet, and an architect. His new style known as Mannerism made him prominent during the time. His work has been greatly studied and referred to whenever analyzing the Renaissance style. H e was born in the year 1475 and died at the age of eighty-eight years in 1564.The statute of David created by Bernini is known to represent the Baraque style while Michelangelos statute of David is representative of the Renaissance style. After observing these two statutes, it will be noted that there exists several differences between the two styles. From Berninis statute of David, it is notable that it strikes a rhythmic balance between the pose and the movement. This has been achieved by representation of Davids movement whereby he has leapt to aim his sling towards the giant Goliath (Wittkower, 1997). The body motion shows power while the facial expression on the statute is representative of intelligent and control.Berninis statute, it presents David as a young man who was able to defeat a giant. This kind of power was appropriate for the Baraque style. We should thus observe that the style was reflective of dynamism, self rhetoric and overt emotion. The Catholic Church in Rome was a great encourager of the Baraque style and art, and the aim was to respond intelligently to the ongoing Protestant Movement during the 16th Century. It was also used to impress the visitors as a sign of full control and intense power. This is why the statutes were placed around palaces, court houses, and even in reception rooms. This was done to increase opulence. The major theme of the style of the Baraque style was power and control. The need to show superiority and overt emotion was the subject of the style. Religious and societal values were also incorporated as an integral element of this form of art. The above discussions are thus depictive of the major characteristics defining the Baraque style of art (Wittkower, 1997).Looking at the Renaissance style of art, it is notable that it applied mannerism style thus making it different from the new form of art which represented a totally new concept of individuality and absolutism. The baroque stylebecame a dynamicform artwhich was capable of reflecting the growth of monarchies. This kind of art is therefore known to have been used as a way of manifesting power. Michelangelos statute which represents the Renaissance art and style differs from the Berninis statute in terms of motion and facial expression (Wittkower, 1997). Looking at Michelangelos statute, we see that it has no motion or movement. This is because the art of the time was interested in decoration and emotion. The main aim of this art was to impress and by so doing known to have offered a rebirth to the traditional practices. The facial expression is representing philosophical impressions. This has also been achieved by use of posture and theme in the statute. From the statute, we note that David is represented as a man of great intelligence and who is capable of overcoming whatever came his way. The presentation of facial expression and movement therefore presents the defining differences between the two styles of art. We can therefore obser ve that this style of art had been influenced by the philosophies of the society, architectural movements, theology and also the government...

My Scholarship and Life Abraod - 844 Words

Growing up in Japan as a child born into an US Air Force family I felt like life was a field trip. The DODEA schools I attended frequently visited Japanese schools to observe how they learned. It was really different and I loved being able to learn from fellow students of the same age, but from a different culture. When my parents decided to settle down in Colorado during my high school years there was no more visiting museums, going to national parks and doing other field trips to immerse myself educationally and recreationally like I did growing up. A lot of my education in high school was stuck in classrooms reading books and listening to lectures about the world. I felt like my education was going backwards because I did a lot less moving and lot more sitting. Growing up I started in DODEA schools where going on field trips was a common occurrence rather than a seldom event. Presently I am nearing college graduation and have yet to study abroad since leaving Japan and would love a summer aboard in Australia to renew my sense of adventure and curiosity. For personal and education reasons I want this summer internship in Australia to reconcile my stagnation and eventually become a Peace Corps volunteer to once again be in a whole different culture teaching and learning. That is why this is the ideal time for me to do an internship with TEAN during this upcoming summer 2014. Although there are many programs that offer Australia as an option to go abroad, it fit my personal

An Effective Modern Human Resource Management - 2277 Words

From the personnel to Human Resource Management requires re-thinking of traditional approaches of changing nature of work, workers and organizations. Efficiency and productivity and also demand fairness and equity for an organization, Human resource gives their vital contributions and is unique. The overall productivity of an organization can give a blow by equity. In the organization, to give a proper balance an effective modern Human Resource Policies is required. The functioning of the organization can disrupt with any disparity factors like job satisfaction or job description training programme or appraisal system. The performance of employees is the base of the foundation of organization. The best performance can only be given by the employees if they are fully aware of their duties and responsibilities. The organization defines all the duties and responsibilities. Organizations are building to achieve some goals or objectives. And thus, achieving those goals requires efforts of number of people, so they are collective rather than individual. A job is called when the worker and work comes together and the role of worker is played properly. Through job analysis information about jobs are obtained. This helps in forming a sound PMS as job analysis helps in securing all sorts of job data. Through this report the reader will get to know about the organization following old traditions of Human Resource deals with Performance Management System. My Dissertation is aShow MoreRelatedHuman Resource Management And Its Importance1517 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction In the 21st century, human society has undergone tremendous changes, it began to change from the industrial economy to a knowledge economy era. Economic globalization and improve the level of global competition, organizations have had to make full use of all their resources to ensure its survival and development. 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As mentioned by Ruane and Cerulo in Second Thoughts, harsh...

As mentioned by Ruane and Cerulo in Second Thoughts, harsh realities of poverty affect children’s lives in profound ways. Children lack any power in improving their circumstances and depend on adults to gain access to basic necessities. Access to proper healthcare, education, and basic nutrition continues to be an obstacle for children. Poverty impedes children’s aptitude to learn and contributes to poor overall health and mental health. Perhaps most important, poverty becomes a cyclical nature that is difficult to overcome. Children who experience poverty when they are young tend to experience persistent poverty over the course of their entire lives. According to the Child Welfare League of America, the national poverty rate for children†¦show more content†¦All child poverty and federal benefits statistics from the Child Welfare League of America site were collected from 2008 (CWLA, 2010). Since these figures may not include the effects of the 2008 financial crisis, I wanted to find if the crisis might be more severe. Within a year of the economic downturn of 2008 roughly 1.1 million bankruptcy petitions were filed, a 32 percent over the corresponding year. Home foreclosures were up 81 percent and the unemployment rate rose to 7.2 percent. The unemployment rate reached its highest level since the early 1980s (Bureau of Labor Statistics). The Census Bureau found that poverty increased in 2011 for the most populous areas in the country. Yet despite a general uptick in those in need of welfare, some states have been less successful in distributing welfare than others. In terms of access to healthcare, 46 states set the income eligibility limit for Medicaid/State CHIP at or above 200% of the federal poverty level for children up to 5. For mothers and children who do qualify, there are oftentimes a waitlist for up to five years. 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Looking At The Late Antique World - 963 Words

â€Å"Looking at the Late Antique world,† writes Peter Brown in his seminal work The World of Late Antiquity, â€Å"we are caught between the regretful contemplation of ancient ruins and the excited acclamation of new growth.† Brown’s work covers the years 150-750 AD a period of time too often – and mistakenly – labeled as the â€Å"dark ages.† Brown does not make this mistake. Instead, he challenges what seemed to be a grounded notion that the study of Late Antiquity was one of â€Å"decline and fall.† This was a time of transformation and continuity. Moreover, he moves beyond the narratives of the â€Å"barbarian invasions† that brought about the end of the Roman Empire. There were no barbarian invasions, as they were already gradually becoming Roman. That is, the barbarians had already started to assimilate to Roman culture and, crucially, the Roman Empire did not end with the â€Å"fall of Rome† as its capitol moved East. This is a constant theme running through the works of Brown. 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Due to Fermis excellent achievement

Digital Fortress Chapter 85-87 Free Essays

string(79) " an NSA back door again would make Greg Hale famous beyond his wildest dreams\." Chapter 85 Greg Hale lay curled on the Node 3 floor. Strathmore and Susan had just dragged him across Crypto and bound his hands and feet with twelve-gauge printer cable from the Node 3 laser-printers. Susan couldn’t get over the artful maneuver the commander had just executed. We will write a custom essay sample on Digital Fortress Chapter 85-87 or any similar topic only for you Order Now He faked the call! Somehow Strathmore had captured Hale, saved Susan, and bought himself the time needed to rewrite Digital Fortress. Susan eyed the bound cryptographer uneasily. Hale was breathing heavily. Strathmore sat on the couch with the Berretta propped awkwardly in his lap. Susan returned her attention to Hale’s terminal and continued her random-string search. Her fourth string search ran its course and came up empty. â€Å"Still no luck.† She sighed. â€Å"We may need to wait for David to find Tankado’s copy.† Strathmore gave her a disapproving look. â€Å"If David fails, and Tankado’s key falls into the wrong hands†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Strathmore didn’t need to finish. Susan understood. Until the Digital Fortress file on the Internet had been replaced with Strathmore’s modified version, Tankado’s pass-key was dangerous. â€Å"After we make the switch,† Strathmore added, â€Å"I don’t care how many pass-keys are floating around; the more the merrier.† He motioned for her to continue searching. â€Å"But until then, we’re playing beat-the-clock.† Susan opened her mouth to acknowledge, but her words were drowned out by a sudden deafening blare. The silence of Crypto was shattered by a warning horn from the sublevels. Susan and Strathmore exchanged startled looks. â€Å"What’s that?† Susan yelled, timing her question between the intermittent bursts. â€Å"TRANSLTR!† Strathmore called back, looking troubled. â€Å"It’s too hot! Maybe Hale was right about the aux power not pulling enough freon.† â€Å"What about the auto-abort?† Strathmore thought a moment, then yelled, â€Å"Something must have shorted.† A yellow siren light spun above the Crypto floor and swept a pulsating glare across his face. â€Å"You better abort!† Susan called. Strathmore nodded. There was no telling what would happen if three million silicon processors overheated and decided to ignite. Strathmore needed to get upstairs to his terminal and abort the Digital Fortress run-particularly before anyone outside of Crypto noticed the trouble and decided to send in the cavalry. Strathmore shot a glance at the still-unconscious Hale. He laid the Berretta on a table near Susan and yelled over the sirens, â€Å"Be right back!† As he disappeared through the hole in the Node 3 wall, Strathmore called over his shoulder, â€Å"And find me that pass-key!† Susan eyed the results of her unproductive pass-key search and hoped Strathmore would hurry up and abort. The noise and lights in Crypto felt like a missile launch. On the floor, Hale began to stir. With each blast of the horn, he winced. Susan surprised herself by grabbing the Berretta. Hale opened his eyes to Susan Fletcher standing over him with the gun leveled at his crotch. â€Å"Where’s the pass-key?† Susan demanded. Hale was having trouble getting his bearings. â€Å"Wh-what happened?† â€Å"You blew it, that’s what happened. Now, where’s the passkey?† Hale tried to move his arms but realized he was tied. His face became taut with panic. â€Å"Let me go!† â€Å"I need the pass-key,† Susan repeated. â€Å"I don’t have it! Let me go!† Hale tried to getup. He could barely roll over. Susan yelled between blasts of the horn. â€Å"You’re North Dakota, and Ensei Tankado gave you a copy of his key. I need it now!† â€Å"You’re crazy!† Hale gasped. â€Å"I’m not North Dakota!† He struggled unsuccessfully to free himself. Susan charged angrily. â€Å"Don’t lie to me. Why the hell is all of North Dakota’s mail in your account?† â€Å"I told you before!† Hale pleaded as the horns blared on. â€Å"I snooped Strathmore! That E-mail in my account was mail I copied out of Strathmore’s account-E-mail COMINT stole from Tankado!† â€Å"Bull! You could never snoop the commander’s account!† â€Å"You don’t understand!† Hale yelled. â€Å"There was already a tap on Strathmore’s account!† Hale delivered his words in short bursts between the sirens. â€Å"Someone else put the tap there. I think it was Director Fontaine! I just piggybacked! You’ve got to believe me! That’s how I found out about his plan to rewrite Digital Fortress! I’ve been reading Strathmore’s brainstorms!† Brain Storms? Susan paused. Strathmore had undoubtedly outlined his plans for Digital Fortress using his BrainStorm software. If anyone had snooped the commander’s account, all the information would have been available†¦ â€Å"Rewriting Digital Fortress is sick!† Hale cried. â€Å"You know damn well what it implies-total NSA access!† The sirens blasted, drowning him out, but Hale was possessed. â€Å"You think we’re ready for that responsibility? You think anyone is? It’s fucking shortsighted! You say our government has the people’s best interests at heart? Great! But what happens when some future government doesn’t have our best interests at heart! This technology is forever!† Susan could barely hear him; the noise in Crypto was deafening. Hale struggled to get free. He looked Susan in the eye and kept yelling. â€Å"How the hell do civilians defend themselves against a police state when the guy at the top has access to all their lines of communication? How do they plan a revolt?† Susan had heard this argument many times. The future-governments argument was a stock EFF complaint. â€Å"Strathmore had to be stopped!† Hale screamed as the sirens blasted. â€Å"I swore I’d do it. That’s what I’ve been doing here all day-watching his account, waiting for him to make his move so I could record the switch in progress. I needed proof-evidence that he’d written in a back door. That’s why I copied all his E-mail into my account. It was evidence that he’d been watching Digital Fortress. I planned to go to the press with the information.† Susan’s heart skipped. Had she heard correctly? Suddenly this did sound like Greg Hale. Was it possible? If Hale had known about Strathmore’s plan to release a tainted version of Digital Fortress, he could wait until the whole world was using it and then drop his bombshell-complete with proof! Susan imagined the headlines: Cryptographer Greg Hale unveils secret U.S. plan to control global information! Was it Skipjack all over? Uncovering an NSA back door again would make Greg Hale famous beyond his wildest dreams. You read "Digital Fortress Chapter 85-87" in category "Essay examples" It would also sink the NSA. She suddenly found herself wondering if maybe Hale was telling the truth. No! she decided. Of course not! Hale continued to plead. â€Å"I aborted your tracer because I thought you were looking for me! I thought you suspected Strathmore was being snooped! I didn’t want you to find the leak and trace it back to me!† It was plausible but unlikely. â€Å"Then why’d you kill Chartrukian?† Susan snapped. â€Å"I didn’t!† Hale screamed over the noise. â€Å"Strathmore was the one who pushed him! I saw the whole thing from downstairs! Chartrukian was about to call the Sys-Secs and ruin Strathmore’s plans for the back door!† Hale’s good, Susan thought. He’s got an angle for everything. â€Å"Let me go!† Hale begged. â€Å"I didn’t do anything!† â€Å"Didn’t do anything?† Susan shouted, wondering what was taking Strathmore so long. â€Å"You and Tankado were holding the NSA hostage. At least until you double-crossed him. Tell me,† she pressed, â€Å"did Tankado really die of a heart attack, or did you have one of your buddies take him out?† â€Å"You’re so blind!† Hale yelled. â€Å"Can’t you see I’m not involved? Untie me! Before Security gets here!† â€Å"Security’s not coming,† she snapped flatly. Hale turned white. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Strathmore faked the phone call.† Hale’s eyes went wide. He seemed momentarily paralyzed. Then he began writhing fiercely. â€Å"Strathmore’ll kill me! I know he will! I know too much!† â€Å"Easy, Greg.† The sirens blared as Hale yelled out, â€Å"But I’m innocent!† â€Å"You’re lying! And I have proof!† Susan strode around the ring of terminals. â€Å"Remember that tracer you aborted?† she asked, arriving at her own terminal. â€Å"I sent it again! Shall we see if it’s back yet?† Sure enough, on Susan’s screen, a blinking icon alerted her that her tracer had returned. She palmed her mouse and opened the message. This data will seal Hale’s fate, she thought. Hale is North Dakota. The databox opened. Hale is – Susan stopped. The tracer materialized, and Susan stood in stunned silence. There had to be some mistake; the tracer had fingered someone else-a most unlikely person. Susan steadied herself on the terminal and reread the databox before her. It was the same information Strathmore said he’d received when he ran the tracer! Susan had figured Strathmore had made a mistake, but she knew she’d configured the tracer perfectly. And yet the information on the screen was unthinkable: NDAKOTA = [email protected] â€Å"ET?† Susan demanded, her head swimming. â€Å"Ensei Tankado is North Dakota?† It was inconceivable. If the data was correct, Tankado and his partner were the same person. Susan’s thoughts were suddenly disconnected. She wished the blaring horn would stop. Why doesn’t Strathmore turn that damn thing off? Hale twisted on the floor, straining to see Susan. â€Å"What does it say? Tell me!† Susan blocked out Hale and the chaos around her. Ensei Tankado is North Dakota†¦. She reshuffled the pieces trying to make them fit. If Tankado was North Dakota, then he was sending E-mail to himself†¦ which meant North Dakota didn’t exist. Tankado’s partner was a hoax. North Dakota is a ghost, she said to herself. Smoke and mirrors. The ploy was a brilliant one. Apparently Strathmore had been watching only one side of a tennis match. Since the ball kept coming back, he assumed there was someone on the other side of the net. But Tankado had been playing against a wall. He had been proclaiming the virtues of Digital Fortress in E-mail he’d sent to himself. He had written letters, sent them to an anonymous remailer, and a few hours later, the remailer had sent them right back to him. Now, Susan realized, it was all so obvious. Tankado had wanted the commander to snoop him†¦ he’d wanted him to read the E-mail. Ensei Tankado had created an imaginary insurance policy without ever having to trust another soul with his pass-key. Of course, to make the whole farce seem authentic, Tankado had used a secret account†¦ just secret enough to allay any suspicions that the whole thing was a setup. Tankado was his own partner. North Dakota did not exist. Ensei Tankado was a one-man show. A one-man show. A terrifying thought gripped Susan. Tankado could have used his fake correspondence to convince Strathmore of just about anything. She remembered her first reaction when Strathmore told her about the unbreakable algorithm. She’d sworn it was impossible. The unsettling potential of the situation settled hard in Susan’s stomach. What proof did they actually have that Tankado had really created Digital Fortress? Only a lot of hype in his E-mail. And of course†¦ TRANSLTR. The computer had been locked in an endless loop for almost twenty hours. Susan knew, however, that there were other programs that could keep TRANSLTR busy that long, programs far easier to create than an unbreakable algorithm. Viruses. The chill swept across her body. But how could a virus get into TRANSLTR? Like a voice from the grave, Phil Chartrukian gave the answer. Strathmore bypassed Gauntlet! In a sickening revelation, Susan grasped the truth. Strathmore had downloaded Tankado’s Digital Fortress file and tried to send it into TRANSLTR to break it. But Gauntlet had rejected the file because it contained dangerous mutation strings. Normally Strathmore would have been concerned, but he had seen Tankado’s E-mail-Mutation strings are the trick! Convinced Digital Fortress was safe to load, Strathmore bypassed Gauntlet’s filters and sent the file into TRANSLTR. Susan could barely speak. â€Å"There is no Digital Fortress,† she choked as the sirens blared on. Slowly, weakly, she leaned against her terminal. Tankado had gone fishing for fools†¦ and the NSA had taken the bait. Then, from upstairs, came a long cry of anguish. It was Strathmore. Chapter 86 Trevor Strathmore was hunched at his desk when Susan arrived breathless at his door. His head was down, his sweaty head glistening in the light of his monitor. The horns on the sublevels blared. Susan raced over to his desk. â€Å"Commander?† Strathmore didn’t move. â€Å"Commander! We’ve got to shut down TRANSLTR! We’ve got a-â€Å" â€Å"He got us,† Strathmore said without looking up. â€Å"Tankado fooled us all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She could tell by the tone of his voice he understood. All of Tankado’s hype about the unbreakable algorithm†¦ auctioning off the pass-key-it was all an act, a charade. Tankado had tricked the NSA into snooping his mail, tricked them into believing he had a partner, and tricked them into downloading a very dangerous file. â€Å"The mutation strings-† Strathmore faltered. â€Å"I know.† The commander looked up slowly. â€Å"The file I downloaded off the Internet†¦ it was a†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Susan tried to stay calm. All the pieces in the game had shifted. There had never been any unbreakable algorithm-never any Digital Fortress. The file Tankado had posted on the Internet was an encrypted virus, probably sealed with some generic, mass-market encryption algorithm, strong enough to keep everyone out of harm’s way-everyone except the NSA. TRANSLTR had cracked the protective seal and released the virus. â€Å"The mutation strings,† the commander croaked. â€Å"Tankado said they were just part of the algorithm.† Strathmore collapsed back onto his desk. Susan understood the commander’s pain. He had been completely taken in. Tankado had never intended to let any computer company buy his algorithm. There was no algorithm. The whole thing was a charade. Digital Fortress was a ghost, a farce, a piece of bait created to tempt the NSA. Every move Strathmore had made, Tankado had been behind the scenes, pulling the strings. â€Å"I bypassed Gauntlet.† The commander groaned. â€Å"You didn’t know.† Strathmore pounded his fist on his desk. â€Å"I should have known! His screen name, for Christ’s sake! NDAKOTA! Look at it!† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"He’s laughing at us! It’s a goddamn anagram!† Susan puzzled a moment. NDAKOTA is an anagram? She pictured the letters and began reshuffling them in her mind. Ndakota†¦ Kadotan†¦ Oktadan†¦ Tandoka†¦ Her knees went weak. Strathmore was right. It was as plain as day. How could they have missed it? North Dakota wasn’t a reference to the U.S. state at all-it was Tankado rubbing salt in the wound! He’d even sent the NSA a warning, a blatant clue that he himself was NDAKOTA. The letters spelled TANKADO. But the best code-breakers in the world had missed it, just as he had planned. â€Å"Tankado was mocking us,† Strathmore said. â€Å"You’ve got to abort TRANSLTR,† Susan declared. Strathmore stared blankly at the wall. â€Å"Commander. Shut it down! God only knows what’s going on in there!† â€Å"I tried,† Strathmore whispered, sounding as faint as she’d ever heard him. â€Å"What do you mean you tried?† Strathmore rotated his screen toward her. His monitor had dimmed to a strange shade of maroon. At the bottom, the dialogue box showed numerous attempts to shut down TRANSLTR. They were all followed by the same response: SORRY. UNABLE TO ABORT. SORRY. UNABLE TO ABORT. SORRY. UNABLE TO ABORT. Susan felt a chill. Unable to abort? But why? She feared she already knew the answer. So this is Tankado’s revenge? Destroying TRANSLTR! For years Ensei Tankado had wanted the world to know about TRANSLTR, but no one had believed him. So he’d decided to destroy the great beast himself. He’d fought to the death for what he believed-the individual’s right to privacy. Downstairs the sirens blared. â€Å"We’ve got to kill all power,† Susan demanded. â€Å"Now!† Susan knew that if they hurried, they could save the great parallel processing machine. Every computer in the world-from Radio Shack PCs to NASA’s satellite control systems-had a built-in fail-safe for situations like this. It wasn’t a glamorous fix, but it always worked. It was known as â€Å"pulling the plug.† By shutting off the remaining power in Crypto, they could force TRANSLTR to shut down. They could remove the virus later. It would be a simple matter of reformatting TRANSLTR’s hard drives. Reformatting would completely erase the computer’s memory-data, programming, virus, everything. In most cases, reformatting resulted in the loss of thousands of files, sometimes years of work. But TRANSLTR was different-it could be reformatted with virtually no loss at all. Parallel processing machines were designed to think, not to remember. Nothing was actually stored inside TRANSLTR. Once it broke a code, it sent the results to the NSA’s main databank in order to – Susan froze. In a stark instant of realization, she brought her hand to her mouth and muffled a scream. â€Å"The main databank!† Strathmore stared into the darkness, his voice disembodied. He’d apparently already made this realization. â€Å"Yes, Susan. The main databank†¦.† Susan nodded blankly. Tankado used TRANSLTR to put a virus in our main databank. Strathmore motioned sickly to his monitor. Susan returned her gaze to the screen in front of her and looked beneath the dialogue box. Across the bottom of the screen were the words: TELL THE WORLD ABOUT TRANSLTR ONLY THE TRUTH WILL SAVE YOU NOW†¦ Susan felt cold. The nation’s most classified information was stored at the NSA: military communication protocols, SIGINT confirmation codes, identities of foreign spies, blueprints for advanced weaponry, digitized documents, trade agreements-the list was unending. â€Å"Tankado wouldn’t dare!† she declared. â€Å"Corrupting a country’s classified records?† Susan couldn’t believe even Ensei Tankado would dare attack the NSA databank. She stared at his message. ONLY THE TRUTH WILL SAVE YOU NOW â€Å"The truth?† she asked. â€Å"The truth about what?† Strathmore was breathing heavily. â€Å"TRANSLTR,† he croaked. â€Å"The truth about TRANSLTR.† Susan nodded. It made perfect sense. Tankado was forcing the NSA to tell the world about TRANSLTR. It was blackmail after all. He was giving the NSA a choice-either tell the world about TRANSLTR or lose your databank. She stared in awe at the text before her. At the bottom of the screen, a single line was blinked menacingly. ENTER PASS-KEY Staring at the pulsating words, Susan understood-the virus, the pass-key, Tankado’s ring, the ingenious blackmail plot. The pass-key had nothing to do with unlocking an algorithm; it was an antidote. The pass-key stopped the virus. Susan had read a lot about viruses like this-deadly programs that included a built-in cure, a secret key that could be used to deactivate them. Tankado never planned to destroy the NSA databank-he just wanted us go public with TRANSLTR! Then he would give us the pass-key, so we could stop the virus! It was now clear to Susan that Tankado’s plan had gone terribly wrong. He had not planned on dying. He’d planned on sitting in a Spanish bar and listening to the CNN press conference about America’s top-secret code-breaking computer. Then he’d planned on calling Strathmore, reading the pass-key off the ring, and saving the databank in the nick of time. After a good laugh, he’d disappear into oblivion, an EFF hero. Susan pounded her fist on the desk. â€Å"We need that ring! It’s the only pass-key!† She now understood-there was no North Dakota, no second pass-key. Even if the NSA went public with TRANSLTR, Tankado was no longer around to save the day. Strathmore was silent. The situation was more serious than Susan had ever imagined. The most shocking thing of all was that Tankado had allowed it to go this far. He had obviously known what would happen if the NSA didn’t get the ring-and yet, in his final seconds of life, he’d given the ring away. He had deliberately tried to keep it from them. Then again, Susan realized, what could she expect Tankado to do-save the ring for them, when he thought the NSA had killed him? Still, Susan couldn’t believe that Tankado would have allowed this to happen. He was a pacifist. He didn’t want to wreak destruction; all he wanted was to set the record straight. This was about TRANSLTR. This was about everyone’s right to keep a secret. This was about letting the world know that the NSA was listening. Deleting the NSA’s databank was an act of aggression Susan could not imagine Ensei Tankado committing. The sirens pulled her back to reality. Susan eyed the debilitated commander and knew what he was thinking. Not only were his plans for a back door in Digital Fortress shot, but his carelessness had put the NSA on the brink of what could turn out to be the worst security disaster in U.S. history. â€Å"Commander, this is not your fault!† she insisted over the blare of the horns. â€Å"If Tankado hadn’t died, we’d have bargaining power-we’d have options!† But Commander Strathmore heard nothing. His life was over. He’d spent thirty years serving his country. This was supposed to be his moment of glory, his piece de resistance-aback door in the world encryption standard. But instead, he had sent a virus into the main databank of the National Security Agency. There was no way to stop it-not without killing power and erasing every last one of the billions of bytes of irretrievable data. Only the ring could save them, and if David hadn’t found the ring by now†¦ â€Å"I need to shut down TRANSLTR!† Susan took control. â€Å"I’m going down to the sublevels to throw the circuit breaker.† Strathmore turned slowly to face her. He was a broken man. â€Å"I’ll do it,† he croaked. He stood up, stumbling as he tried to slide out from behind his desk. Susan sat him back down. â€Å"No,† she barked. â€Å"I’m going.† Her tone left no room for debate. Strathmore put his face in his hands. â€Å"Okay. Bottom floor. Beside the freon pumps.† Susan spun and headed for the door. Halfway there, she turned and looked back. â€Å"Commander,† she yelled. â€Å"This is not over. We’re not beaten yet. If David finds the ring in time, we can save the databank!† Strathmore said nothing. â€Å"Call the databank!† Susan ordered. â€Å"Warn them about the virus! You’re the deputy director of the NSA. You’re a survivor!† In slow motion, Strathmore looked up. Like a man making the decision of a lifetime, he gave her a tragic nod. Determined, Susan tore into the darkness. Chapter 87 The Vespa lurched into the slow lane of the Carretera de Huelva. It was almost dawn, but there was plenty of traffic-young Sevillians returning from their all-night beach verbenas. A van of teenagers laid on its horn and flew by. Becker’s motorcycle felt like a toy out there on the freeway. A quarter of a mile back, a demolished taxi swerved out onto the freeway in a shower of sparks. As it accelerated, it sideswiped a Peugeot 504 and sent it careening onto the grassy median. Becker passed a freeway marker: SEVILLA CENTRO-2 KM. If he could just reach the cover of downtown, he knew he might have a chance. His speedometer read 60 kilometers per hour. Two minutes to the exit. He knew he didn’t have that long. Somewhere behind him, the taxi was gaining. Becker gazed out at the nearing lights of downtown Seville and prayed he would reach them alive. He was only halfway to the exit when the sound of scraping metal loomed up behind him. He hunched on his bike, wrenching the throttle as far as it would go. There was a muffled gunshot, and a bullet sailed by. Becker cut left, weaving back and forth across the lanes in hopes of buying more time. It was no use. The exit ramp was still three hundred yards when the taxi roared to within a few car lengths behind him. Becker knew that in a matter of seconds he would be either shot or run down. He scanned ahead for any possible escape, but the highway was bounded on both sides by steep gravel slopes. Another shot rang out. Becker made his decision. In a scream of rubber and sparks, he leaned violently to his right and swerved off the road. The bike’s tires hit the bottom of the embankment. Becker strained to keep his balance as the Vespa threw up a cloud of gravel and began fish-tailing its way up the slope. The wheels spun wildly, clawing at the loose earth. The little engine whimpered pathetically as it tried to dig in. Becker urged it on, hoping it wouldn’t stall. He didn’t dare look behind him, certain at any moment the taxi would be skidding to a stop, bullets flying. The bullets never came. Becker’s bike broke over the crest of the hill, and he saw it-the centro. The downtown lights spread out before him like a star-filled sky. He gunned his way through some underbrush and out over the curb. His Vespa suddenly felt faster. The Avenue Luis Montoto seemed to race beneath his tires. The soccer stadium zipped past on the left. He was in the clear. It was then that Becker heard the familiar screech of metal on concrete. He looked up. A hundred yards ahead of him, the taxi came roaring up the exit ramp. It skidded out onto Luis Montoto and accelerated directly toward him. Becker knew he should have felt a surge of panic. But he did not. He knew exactly where he was going. He swerved left on Menendez Pelayo and opened the throttle. The bike lurched across a small park and into the cobblestoned corridor of Mateus Gago-the narrow one-way street that led to the portal of Barrio Santa Cruz. Just a little farther, he thought. The taxi followed, thundering closer. It trailed Becker through the gateway of Santa Cruz, ripping off its side mirror on the narrow archway. Becker knew he had won. Santa Cruz was the oldest section of Seville. It had no roads between the buildings, only mazes of narrow walkways built in Roman times. They were only wide enough for pedestrians and the occasional Moped. Becker had once been lost for hours in the narrow caverns. As Becker accelerated down the final stretch of Mateus Gago, Seville’s eleventh-century Gothic cathedral rose like a mountain before him. Directly beside it, the Giralda tower shot 419 feet skyward into the breaking dawn. This was Santa Cruz, home to the second largest cathedral in the world as well as Seville’s oldest, most pious Catholic families. Becker sped across the stone square. There was a single shot, but it was too late. Becker and his motorcycle disappeared down a tiny passageway-Callita de la Virgen. How to cite Digital Fortress Chapter 85-87, Essay examples