Saturday, August 31, 2019

Market Power

Market power allows firms to increase economic profit through strategic tactics such as erecting barriers to entry, reducing rivalry, limiting substitutes, and reducing the power of buyers and suppliers (Brickley, Smith, & Zimmerman, 2009). Furthermore, market power is defined as â€Å"a company's ability to manipulate price by influencing an item's supply, demand or both. A company with market power would be able to affect price to its benefit. Firms with market power are said to be â€Å"price makers† as they are able to set the price for an item while maintaining market share† (Investopedia, 2013).Essentially, companies must control all of the aspects of market power in order to be able to raise prices without losing customers. If a market is easy to enter (lack of entry barriers), then a price increase will allow another firm to erode profits by introducing a lower-cost product. Similarly, if rivalry is not reduced, each price increase will allow for a rival to keep prices the same and gain market share. In addition, substitutes at lower prices will hinder efforts to raise prices. Finally, if a company has few buyers, the buyers have the power. Therefore, price increases will be met with a potential loss of major profit centers.In the NBC Video News Report: How to Raise Prices Without Losing Customers, Bob Prosen alludes to several practices that allow companies to raise customers without losing demand. Essentially, Prosen provides consultation on how to create inelastic demand, where a change in price does not result in a significant change of demand. For example, increasing the value proposition reduces the likelihood of substitute products (substitutes must copy increased value) and decreases rivalry (steps above rivals), resulting in the greater market power needed to raise prices.Prosen states that increasing value makes the customer appreciate the company more, resulting in the ability to raise price (Ramberg, 2012). As another example, Prosen stresses the importance of developing relationships, â€Å"people like to do business with people they like† (Ramberg, 2012). Essentially, Prosen is suggesting erecting barriers to entry by creating friendships and alliances, again resulting in increased market power needed to raise prices. As a capstone example of the need for market power, Research byMark McCabe of the Georgia Institute of Technology demonstrates the market power of academic journal vendors. Essentially, McCabe found that the consolidation of academic journal vendors (libraries) has led to an oligopoly, and therefore the price structure of academic journals is highly inelastic (McCabe, 2000). Because recent mergers had resulted in few suppliers, vendors of academic journals were able to control the market and raise prices through the use of supplier power. The demand for quality research for use in education cannot change; it is required.Therefore, a change in price will not result in a drop in deman d. References Brickley, J. A. , Smith, C. W. , & Zimmerman, J. L. (2009). Managerial Economics and Organizational Architecture. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Investopedia. (2013, March 20). Market Power. Retrieved from Investopedia: http://www. investopedia. com/terms/m/market-power. asp McCabe, M. J. (2000). Academic Journal Pricing and Market Power:. THE AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW, 259-269. JJ Ramberg (Author). MSNBC (Publisher). (07/20/2008). How to Raise Prices Without Losing

Friday, August 30, 2019

Two- Variable Inequalities

In Elementary Algebra we have learned how to solve systems of equations. The solution to a system of linear equations is the point where the graphs of the lines intersect. The solution to a system of linear inequalities is every point in a region of the graph where the inequalities overlap, rather than the point of intersection of the lines (Slavin, 2001).This week assignment required to solve problem 68 on page 539 (Dugopolski, 2012). I will be giving a detailed presentation on math required for the solution to this problem; the accompanying graph shows all of the possibilities for the number of refrigerators and the number of TVs that will fit into an 18-wheeler. The point-slope form of a linear equation to write the equation itself can now be used. These are the steps we take to solve our linear inequality. I will start with the point-slope form. Substitute slope form with (300, 0) for the x and y. Next we are going to use the distributive property and then add 330 to both sides a nd divided both sides by -3 and cancel out like terms.The graph has a solid line rather than a dashed line indicating that points on the line itself are part of the solution set. This will be true anytime the inequality symbol has the equal to bar.a) Write an inequality to describe this region.p = y1-y2 /x1-x2 = 330 – 0 / 0-110 = -3/1 the slope is -3/1 or -3 y – y1 = p(x – x1) y– 330 = – 3 / 1(x-0) y= – 3x/1 + 330 -3x/1 +330 = y expression switch by place the y on the right hand side -3x/-3 = y/-3 – 330/ -3 divide each equation by -3 and cancel out like terms -3y = 1x + 110 -3y + 1x < 110b) Will the truck hold 71 refrigerators and 118 TVs? In this problem I will be substituting 71 where the y is for refrigerators and 118 where the x is for TVs to determine if the truck will hold them.-3 (71) + 1 (118) < 110 -213 + 118 < 110 -95 < 110 Which means that the truck will not hold 71 refrigerators and 118 TVs.c) | Will the truck hold 51 refr igerators and 176 TVs? | This problem is similar to the previous one.-3 (51) + 1 (176) < 110 -153 +176 < 110 23 < 110 yes, the truck will hold at least 51 refrigerators and 176 TVsThe Burbank Buy More store is going to make an order which will include at most 60 refrigerators. What is the maximum number of TVs which could also be delivered on the same 18-wheeler? Describe the restrictions this would add to the existing graph. Solving for y1(60) + -3y < 110 -3y < -60 + 110 add 110 to -60 to get 50 -3y < 50 divide both terms by -3 -3y/-3 > 50/-3 signs flip y > -50/3 or y = 16There will be no added restriction because the maximum numbers of TVs   The next day, the Burbank Buy More decides they will have a television sale so they change their order to include at least 200 TVs. What is the maximum number of refrigerators which could also be delivered in the same truck? Describe the restrictions this would add to the original graph. 1x + -3 (200) < 110x < 600 + 100 x = < 710 If 200 TVs are ship.When graphing linear inequalities and they are greater than or less than you will use a dashed line. When the inequality is greater than or equal to or less than or equal to you will then use a solid line, which indicates that the points on the line are part of the solution set (Slavin, 2001). In this paper I have shown you a linear equation and broke down each step in solving the equation. I used the method of substitution for the variables and explained what the equations represent.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Domestic Violance

Essay preview UNIVERSITY DEGREE CRIMINOLOGY Research Proposal The purpose of this research proposal is to address the area of domestic violence in heterosexual relationships and why women find it difficult to leave abusive relationships. The proposal will start with a title which basically indicates what the report is about. There will be a literature review which covers the key literature used for the study; research questions for victims of domestic violence will also be formulated to aid the study.The proposal will address the research design to be used as well as the methods of data collection and at the same time emphasis will also be placed on the appropriateness of the method chosen. As expected with every research the proposal will deal with possible problems that could be faced and how they will be addressed including ethical issues. The proposal will also address the timescale for this project outlining the research schedule and that should be concluded with a bibliography. Title: Women's silence to domestic violence: why some do no leave abusive relationships. Hypothesis: People hold the view that women who choose not to leave those abusive relationships are passive. Aims of the investigation * To explore a range of social explanations for the causes of intimate partner violence. * To find out why women find it difficult to leave abusive relationships. * To develop an informative framework to victims of domestic violence and enlighten them on the policies of domestic violence. Context of study This proposed study is focusing on the data generated by social theorist on violence against women such as Bandura 19731who outline the reasons why some women find it difficult to leave abusive husbands. Hamilton ; Coates (1993)2 rightly stated that women who do not leave abusive relationships are often pathologized and blamed for their victimization. This is what generally happens and therefore the focus of attention is shifted from the wrongs perpetrated by t he abuser to people viewing the abused as passive.Several theories have been put forward to try and explain why abused women do not leave their relationships for example that women tend not leave because they are economically dependant on the abuser3. Also Abbott, Johnson, Koziol and Lowenstein (1995)4 suggested that characteristics of the abuser such as charm may stop the woman from leaving the relationship. This research will pay particular attention to the current social assumption of women who do not leave abusive relationships are masochistic and are to blame for their situations5 and test out whether the theories put forward are still applicable in the modern day times.The research will address this issue and help correct this grounded view of victims of abuse and provide useful information on domestic violence policies and laws that could rescue victims. Literature Review Literature review is integral to this research; this will therefore focus on the research question and i ts importance. Attention will also be paid to where there are gaps in this field of research and how they will be addressed. It is also necessary to consider whether it is beneficial to fill these gaps and identify who has made an attempt to fill them. The importance of the research question is that it addresses the issue of intimate partner violence and how the violence is learned in the socialization of family life6 and why women tend not leave those abusive relationships. There has not been much focus on the type research that I am carrying out recently. Most of the theoretical data that I managed to get hold of was on information gathered in the early 1980s to mid 90s. Changes within the society as well as technology means that the above factors might not be as accurate as to why women do not leave their abusive husbands.Therefore my research is important in that fresh data from the twenty first century will be compiled and will give a clearer view of why modern day women still stay in violent relationships. It will also provide a change in the negative social assumptions society holds of women who stay in abusive relationships and provide a shift from these assumptions. Similar research has been carried out by Dunn, 19897 , he found that the main reason why women stay is due to lack of options to responding to violent partners as well as the lack of support from family members.Newman, 19938 also found that women see no point in leaving their relationships due to the lack of support by the very institutions that are supposed to provide assistance. The research aims to test this area and see whether it is still applicable. Carlson 19979 found that a history of violence tags along future emotional aspects which entrap women thus complicating the process of leaving an abusive partner. When combined the above factors have implications on how domestic violence is interpreted and the perceptions held on women in abusive relationships.Lastly the research aims to raise awareness on domestic violence, 2007-2008 statistics by the British Crime Survey found that domestic violence cases had increased compared to statistics from 199510. Methodology and research design Research design is used to refer to the stages and processes which connect research questions to data (Punch, 1998)11 therefore the design aims to connect the research with the data. I am going to use the triangulation method for this research12, and this is whereby more than one method is used to gather data.According to (Brannen, 1992)13 the use of more than one method is regarded as a complementary technique which means that problems associated with strategy may be compensated for by the strengths of the other. The other reason why I am using the triangulation method is that different methods are appropriate in different research settings and for collecting different types of data. Because my research is quite complex I found this to be the best way to get accurate research after which the results will be combines to give one conclusion to the hypothesis.The qualitative component of the research will employ semi-structured interviews and the quantitative component will use a postal self completion questionnaire. The complementary use of these methods is a professional and tried and tested methodology14. To start off the research the quantitative method I am going to use for is a postal self completion questionnaire. This is whereby the respondents answer questions by completing the questionnaire themselves. The questions will be closed questions and require the respondent to circle yes, no and don't know (sample of questions attached).The purpose of this is to obtain a representative sample of women who will be of interest to the research who will then be called in for a semi-structured interview. The main reason for using the self-completion questionnaire is that they are considered as a way of recording values, attitudes and behaviours of the targeted po pulation and the data is generated in a systematic manner by providing the respondents with the same questions and recording their responses in a methodical manner15 .Also they are reliable in that they eliminate the differences in the way the questions are phrased and how they are presented to the respondents. The questionnaire will record the respondent's experiences of intimate partner domestic violence and find out basic background information on why women stay in abusive relationships. At this stage particular attention will be paid to ethical and safety issues that come with intimate domestic partner violence. The questionnaire will contain a statement assuring the respondents of confidentiality alongside a secret code number to ensure anonymity. ? I am aware of the drawbacks that come with this type of quantitative method which may include non response by some respondents. The questionnaire will include a covering letter explaining the aims of the research, its importance and why the recipient has been selected and most importantly it will feature guarantees of confidentiality. The questionnaire will be accompanied by a reply stamped addressed envelope and there will be a follow up on individuals who do not respond approximately three weeks after the first mailing16.This should improve the response rate and from then respondents will be called in for an in depth interview. For the qualitative component I am going to conduct semi structured interviews. The main advantage of using qualitative methods of research is that this type of research is concerned with understanding how people behave the way they do therefore it allows the subjects to give â€Å"detailed, richer† answers. This type of research also acts as a forerunner to other types of research for example quantitative research which may leave out valuable areas of research.I chose this type of method for the research because as highlighted it gives me a chance to exploit very detailed data which cannot be covered by quantitative analysis. It also uses subjective information therefore it is more representative of the women being studied. The interviews will be designed to have the pace be detected by the interviewee; the majority of the questions will be formulated in the interview which means that the interviewee is able to choose to talk about a subject that he/she feels emotionally comfortable with.The interviews will operate in an open framework and there will be two way communication between the interviewer and interviewee which paves way for the use of emotions, the interviewer can relate to what the interviewee has been through to some extent. At the same time since this is a sensitive subject procedures of ethics will be observed to ensure that the interviewees' confidentiality is not breached. Ethical considerations Ethics are a set of moral standards by which people regulate their behaviour17 therefore it is the responsibility of the researcher to ensure th at the research is carried out in an ethical manner.The British Sociological Association 2005 (BSA)18 set out guidelines which were to be followed by researchers when carrying out research. It is essential for my research that it is clearly stated to the interviewees that they are free to withdraw from the research process anytime and at the same time it is my responsibility that the interviewees are informed about what the research process entails and what the findings will be used for.As my research will be about the sensitive topic of domestic violence it is essential that I observe these guidelines, this benefits me as the researcher as well as the interviewees' safety. Ellsberg ; Heise (2002)19 highlighted that the main ethical concern related to researching violence against women is the potential to inadvertently cause distress therefore to avoid causing distress the interviews will be structured in a way that the interviewee controls the subjects to be discussed therefore wil l be able to discuss issues they emotionally capable to. ? It is my ethical responsibility to ensure confidentiality of the participants is preserved, I will ensure that participants will not use their real names but instead they will choose a unique code which identifies them and if there is a need to pass on details to other researchers this will ensure that their identity is protected, this also extends to data that is electronically stored.I am also aware that due to the nature of qualitative research methods interviewees might find themselves divulging information that they might regret later (Lee, 2003)20 so to ensure confidentiality I will break the link between information provided and the interviewees, this way anonymity is retained. There will also be a consent form to come with the research; this will outline the interviewee's rights to withdrawal at any time and assurances of anonymity as per BSA 2005. After the interviews take place, any information on relevant agencies and organisations will be passed on to the interviewees so that they get help when and if needed. 1 Bars to performance As with all research there will be obstructions to the ways in which the research is carried out as well as the way in which the data is accessed. A major problem might be that some women will not be willing to discuss issues of domestic violence for fear of retaliation by the perpetrator; the use of a confidentiality guarantee is aimed at assuring the interviewees. The use of triangulation means that the targets will be harder to achieve due to time constraints, therefore to combat this I will ensure that the research is carried out on a small scale and at the same time not putting accuracy in jeopardy.Time scale of research The research will take 6-9months to complete. Sending out of questionnaires will take place within the first fortnight of funding approval. The interviews are expected to take place after the data from the survey has been processed and thi s should be by the fifth month leaving time for results from the interviews to be processed. In conclusion what this research proposal has achieved is to do is highlight the elements of the research and the difficulties that are likely to be faced in the process. 1 Bandura, A. (1973), Aggression: A social learning analysis. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Hamilton, B. , & Coates, J. (1993): Perceived helpfulness and use of professional services by abused women. Journal of family violence, 8, 313-324 3 Sullivan, C. , Tan, C. , Basta, J. , Rumptz, M. , & Davidson, W. (1992). An advocacy intervention program for women with abusive partners: Initial evaluation. American Journal of Community Psychology, 20 309-332 4 Abbott, J. , Johnson, R. , Koziol-McLain, J. , & Lowenstein, S. R. (1995). Domestic violence against women: Incidence and prevalence in an emergency department population. Journal of the American Medical Association, 273(22), 1763-1767 Walker, L. E. (1984), The battered woman syndrome, New York: Springer 6 Kalmuss, D. (1984). The intergenerational transmission of marital aggression. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 46, 11-19 7 Dunn, L. L. (1989). The lived experience of fear in battered women. Unpublished Doctoral dissertation, University of Alabama at Birmingham 8 Newman, K. (1993). Giving up: Shelter experiences of battered women. Public Health Nursing, 10(2), 108-113 9 Carlson, B. E. (1997). A Stress and coping approach to intervention with abused women. Family Relations, 46, 291-298 10 Home office statistics, http://www. omeoffice. gov. uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb0708summ. pdf 11 Punch, K. F. (1998) Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. London: Sage. 12 Jupp, V. (1989) Methods of Criminological Research. London 13 Brannen, J. (1992) Mixing Methods: Quantitative and Qualitative Research. Aldershot: Avebury 14 Sayer, A. (1992) Method in Social Science: A Realist Approach. London: Routledge 15 Crow, I. , & Semmens, N (2008) Chapter 5: Research by Reading In Researching Criminology, ed. Crow, I. , & Semmens, N Maidenhead, Open University Press, pp. 81-99 16 Bryman, A. (2004) Social Research Methods, Second Edition: Oxford University Press, New York 17 Lee-Treweek, G. (2000). Danger in the field: risk and ethics in social research. London: Routledge 18 British Sociological Association, Statement of Ethical Practice: www. britsoc. org. uk/about/ethic. htm 19 Ellsberg, M and Haise,L(2000), Bearing Witness: Ethics in domestic violence research, LanceT,Vol 359:1599-1604 20 Lee, R. M. (1993) Doing research on sensitive topics. SAGE. 21 Arksey, H. , & Knight, P. (1999). Interviewing for social scientists: An introductory resource with examples. London: Sage

Attitudes to students misbehavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Attitudes to students misbehavior - Essay Example The report would investigate the students’ increasing behavioral problems through literature review and interviews of parents, teachers, pre-service teachers and non teaching friends. The interviewees broadly comprised of a father (P), a high school teacher (HT), two pre-service teachers (PT1 & PT2) and two non teaching friends (NF1 & NF2). The interviews were conducted under neutral environment where they were asked to respond on two questions: 1) Why students misbehave in classroom and outside of classroom and 2) what can teachers and school do to address students’ misbehaviour? The questions generated wide ranging themes encompassing parenting, home life, class management, discipline, boredom in classroom, lack of understanding across cross cultural segment of students etc. ADHD, learning disability etc were also issues that were raised. The report would be evaluating the findings of the interviews and efforts would be made to analyze the same with inputs from the literature reviews. The report would be adhering to the wider implications of students-teachers relationship and the teaching tools that could be used to address students’ behavioral pro blems. Parenting and home life have emerged as one of the major factors for the misbehavior of the students. All the six interviewees have reiterated that parents have little control over their children and bad parenting allows the children to misbehave with impunity inside and outside the school. As P says ‘Parents make less clear boundaries about what kids are allowed to do and what not allowed to do.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Idea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Idea - Essay Example ss corporations alive and successful today is innovation, though this innovation needs to be successful the first time around if the company wants to see positive results with it. The innovation of products does not only depend on the proper research but also on the creativity and imagination that helps a business to continue to grow (Cooper & Edgett, 2007). A list of possible new product ideas from our brainstorming session is as follows: 1. Eyeglasses with 3-D capabilities - The successful 3-D movie â€Å"Avatar† is proof as to how popular 3-D is, and how people are willing to pay extra money to see a film in 3-D. Unfortunately, movies take away the glasses once the movie is over and reuse them for the next showing of the film. This can be potentially dangerous to other people, as their are diseases that can be passed on from glasses that were already used by somebody. The proposed 3-D device will consist of just an attachable piece that can easily be attached to eyeglasses with a grade, similar to the eye glare attachments that are available today, making it easy to take the pieces on and off. After people are done using them, they can take them off and keep them until they need them again. 2. Kindle with Braille reading capabilities - Kindle has already released a product with special sound capabilities, like the text-to-speech, for people that have hearing or seeing problems. What Kindle needs to do next is make their devices friendly for those who cannot see at all and need to read with braille. Indeed, four South Korean researchers have already done a prototype on this product (Wright, 2009). 3. Cigarettes with Champix (anti-smoking drug produced by Pfizer) - Although it may seem like an oxymoron that a tobacco company would be offering a product that would essentially stop people from smoking. However, to prove that they really want to help people to quit smoking, decreasing the amount of smokers, tobacco companies can start making their cigarettes with

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Course reveiw Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Course reveiw - Coursework Example The three objectives are, to increase brand loyalty, this targets customer’s interests in the produced product, and can increase customer’s reliability where they are able to purchase the same product over and over. For branding to be successful, it must assist in promotion, by conducting adverts, personal selling, this works like sales and marketing, they are all done by the use of the brand name. The two mentioned objectives help increase status and prestige of the producer, distributors to the customers and this flourishes the business. Introduction Stage  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ a company or business comes up with ways of attracting customers either through adverts or sales and must be committed so as to outdo their competitors. Growth Stage  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ this stage targets expansion of sales and pricing with an aim of making profits, with time, the businesses invest more money in the promotion activities to increase the potential of this stage. Maturity Stage  Ã¢â‚¬â€œthis is the most competitive time for most products and businesses need to invest in any marketing they undertake. There is need to consider any product modifications or improvements to the production process that might give bring a competitive advantage. Decline Stage  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ this stage is inevitable to any type of business and reflects shrinking due to the market becoming saturated or because the consumers are changing to different types of products, but it is possible that companies will make profits by lowering their prices (Mohr, Sengupta & Slater, 2010 ). Bundle pricing common in supermarkets, where promotions are given, if one buys something, they are given another for free. Competition pricing some firms offers a price services that resembles service to what their competitors are offering so as to beat the competition in terms of customers. Skimming pricing a company tends to reduce the price for over 5 years,

Monday, August 26, 2019

Prime Minister's Question Time Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Prime Minister's Question Time - Essay Example he tasked the prime minister to respond to whether his government will remain on record from 1920 as the only government that left the economic conditions of the citizens worse than he found them. In his response, he refuted the claims that the economic levels of the overall citizens were deteriorating rather citing the record from International Monetary Fund (IMF) that signifies that Britains economic growth was on the rise. the records from IMF also signified that employment levels were on the increase again according to the response by the prime minister. from the 2010 manifestation of providing better life conditions. growth, jobs, and wages are increasing despite inflation. he refuted the issue of failing to attain economic growth through arguing that women employment and the youths employment levels are on the increase. From the Prime Ministers point of view, the energy policy and minimum wage policy are dangerous and will preset negative shifts of the within the economy. tax c uts that the government is providing is not only ensuring life is fair for the low income earners but also reducing the government reduction. Reduction of public spending and ensuring appropriate tax reports remain among the significant achievements leading to economic growth. He dismissed the idea of increasing minimum wage arguing that it will influence inflation and that focusing on overall economic growth is the essential factor. He disagreed with the idea of reducing the amount spent on defense to 2% of GDP arguing defense was a crucial factor within the growth of an economy. after the establishment of the inquiry committee six years the opposition accused the government of failing to table a report or focus on means of delivering the inquiry report of UKs involvement in the war in Iran. Cameron accused the opposition for voting

Sunday, August 25, 2019

What were the political, strategic, and economic implications of the Essay

What were the political, strategic, and economic implications of the U.S. winning the Spanish-American War - Essay Example One political implication is that â€Å"when the balance of power in an international system is shifting, war becomes more likely when leaders’ domestic political outcomes depend on a favorable national outcome in the international system†.2 Note that the Americans, due to yellow journalism, had felt perturbed due to the atrocities that reportedly happened from the Spanish Occupation in Cuba. In return, the state leaders were seized to follow the demands of their voting public to avoid defeat in elections even though they wished for more peaceful settlement. Moreover, winning a war implies better chances in winning the masses’ heart. This move was a form of the traditional politics of forming public image and pleasing the public. Because of the Cuban War of Independence from Spain, the economy of the United States led to a downturn due to its heavy involvement in the Cuban economy. As the Cubans were freed, â€Å"the rise of the United States as a world power derived from its gains in the world economy. The U.S. share of world manufacturing production climbed...making it by far the supreme industrial nation.† 3 Winning the war against Spain may imply that the US had a hidden desire to either set Cuba free to improve the health of their economy or to emerge as a dominant world power to manipulate economic conditions for national benefits. American’s derived the main strategy of attacking Spain’s other colonies through naval bombing. â€Å"Although the war was ostensibly over Cuba, U.S. forces attacked Spain’s other colonies. This might be excused as strategically necessary — had not the United States subsequently absorbed these  ­territories† 4 In July, after Santiago had fallen and Spain had already sued for peace, U.S. forces invaded the Spanish colony of Puerto Rico. In the Pacific, a U.S. cruiser began shelling Guam and then seized

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment 1 - Essay Example Experts predict that technology in the next 25 years will revolutionize the world to something never seen before. They predict that quantum technology will be possible such that the computers will be able to harness the power of the atom to help in performing computational tasks. The current computers are electronic and therefore they only store information in 1’s or 0’s but with this technology it will be possible to store both and this will increase processing capability (The Observer). Another prediction that is made is that our smart phones that we use today will have the power of a super computer at that time surpassing the capabilities of the servers that we have today. The phones will also have increased memory and the capability to connect to a high powered network that it will be easy for anyone to access massive kinds of information. It will also be possible to store all your information in a back-up cloud so that in case it is lost you only need to identify yourself and you have all your information (Gates). Another prediction is that I will be possible to speak to your computer such that there will be no need for a key board or a mouse, you will talk to the computer and tell it to perform a given operation with ease. It will be possible to use natural language on computers as they will be able to learn and recognize their errors and mistakes. For example the Watson system developed by IBM that interacts with humans is one such example of what to expect in the future (Marsan). It is also predicted that everything will be digitized and accessible over the internet from personal information to corporate information, to history and education. All these will be scanned and stored on the internet and they will be searchable. The content will also be personalized so that an individual will receive the article, books, music or even movies that march their interest. This storage on the internet will mark the death of certain kinds

Friday, August 23, 2019

Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11

Reflection Paper - Essay Example In my final media project, I have selected human sensory organs as the tools to convey the theme of my project. These tools are human eyes, nose, mouth and hands. These images are all paper cutting from different magazines. The participant is asked to paste these images on a blank canvas having blindfolded eyes. The reason for blocking the sight of the participant was actually to make a clear distinction between sight and feeling. Having blindfolded eyes the participant would feel these image cuttings without the help of eyes. The basic reason for putting all the image cuttings on one canvas is to give a brief concept of new media. These days the media is also playing the same role of putting all things at one place. For this reason I have selected this theme to truly present the picture of media. This may include social websites also. These websites, which actually called as the social networking sites are now used for any purpose. Businesses are using them to advertise their products. People use them to expand their social relationships. All the activity has been done blindfolded. Therefore I can assure my viewers that the outcome of this project is the true depiction of the participant’s feelings about the image cuttings. The essence of the project was to feel the image and then paste it on the canvas as they want to see it. I must say that I am successful to achieve my expected outcomes as the resultant canvas is the perfect picture as I expected. There is no regularity in the pasting of the image cuttings of the sensory organs and that is what I want to show that Media is playing the same role. Sometimes there is no connection between content of different programs but still people follow them in a blindfolded manner. The reason for using magazine cuttings as the tool in my media project is that I want to depict media in the form of the magazine. The technique of appropriation says that using one object to convey the message of other and in my

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Alternative Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alternative Assessment - Assignment Example Research has demonstrated that both the curriculum and performance based assessments played key roles in the development of individual skills among learners with the latter use, known to create awareness among the students and teachers thereby offering an avenue for more lessons. This also creates a system of consistent follow-ups as a track tool for the performance and academic development (Shinn, 1989). Performance assessment is a system in which students demonstrate that they have acquired mastery of specific skills and that they have competencies in a specified field by way of performing certain tasks (Espin, 2012). In view of this, students are gauged based on their achievements on a rather unconstrained response to a significantly rich stimulus resource material. This kind of assessment gained favor from a number of high profile individuals in the united state in the late 1980s with some advocating for a replacement of the traditional multiple choice assessments (Espin, 2012). Despite the extensive campaigns to have the system adopted by institutions of learning, it dealt a blow as efforts to have it installed were marred as it failed to capture an imminent role in so far as achievements of tests in schools is concerned. This was attributed to the fact that it failed to meet the threshold of standard-based accountability. Curriculum- based assessments on the other hand is a system of continuous monitoring of students’ daily progress in an academic setting through direct evaluation of their academic skills. This can be used to measure the student’s progress and achievements in written expression, spelling, reading and arithmetic (Lee & Owens, 2004). While conducting this kind of assessment, the instructor administers certain timed samples and academic materials that are taken from the curriculum based measurement. When such probes are given to students, they are subject

Convenience Store and Causeway Bay Essay Example for Free

Convenience Store and Causeway Bay Essay My favourite shopping centre is Times Square. It’s in Causeway Bay. I usually go there with my family on the weekends. I like to go with my family because I like to spend time with them, so we can know each other even better, make our love and care deeper too. Weekends are the best time to go because we don’t have to go to school and neither does our father need to go to work. It has a lot of facilities like a cinema, 4 floors of restaurants and photo sticker machines to remember that beautiful moment!! It also has shops with the newest and trendy brands like clothes, jeans, mobile phones and even toys. The also have some jewellery and bag shops which I like to buy. They have some convenience stores, like 7-eleven and circle k. Where we can find snacks after shopping because you do get tired holding those bags. I usually take the 8P bus because it’s convenient and cheap. They also hold some concerts or parties for special occasions like: Halloween, Christmas or Easter. I think it opens around 8 or 9 in the morning and closes at about 12 or 1 at night. I like it because it’s fun to shop although it could be expensive! Or just come to watch the movies and have dinner with your family or friends. I remember I was around 3 years old when I first went there, because at that time I lived in Causeway Bay, just next to the Times Square!

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The Inheritance Of Sins In Sophocles Antigone English Literature Essay

The Inheritance Of Sins In Sophocles Antigone English Literature Essay Inheritance plays a very dominant role in the peoples lives. In both the books, Antigone written by Sophocles in the late 5th century in ancient Greece and The House Of Spirits written by Isabel Allende in the late 20th century, inheritance of sins form one of the major themes. Antigone is the protagonist of Sophocles Antigone. This play takes place in a society where the gods were highly worshipped. To understand this, it is important to know about Oedipus. Oedipus was a man of quick action and extraordinary insight. But, this habit of his eventually turns against him.He saved Thebes from the curse of the Sphinx and became the king overnight,he murders his own father without knowing it, He marries his own mother Jacosta without realizing it, he stabs his own eyes, and then he himself demands to be exiled. He does all of this without knowing that one day, his curse will also befall on his family. The Greeks believed, that the entire family would be destroyed because of some crime committed by their forefathers because the god send them pain and suffering on order to avenge them. This is brought out in the very opening of the play when Antigone says:My own dear sister, Ismene, of all the sufferings bequeathed by Oedipus, can you think of one that Zeus has not given the two of us in our lifetime?  [1]  .. Antigone is very similar to Oedipus. She begins the play with almost the same characteristics that Oedipus did. But Antigone had one thing Oedipus didnt, she knew her past very well. She was not afraid of the approaching fate of the her life.When a house has been shaken by the gods, The ruin never leaves them, but creeps on Through generations of the family2., The chorus sing of the curse, the sins committed by the forefathers, which can brutally destroy a family, generation by generation.. One generation does not free the next, But a god strikes them down3., Antigones lif e revolves around the sins committed by her father due to which she lost her mother, brothers and finally she is going to lose herself. She is continuously haunted by the distortion that has destroyed her family. But she is aware of the fate that has been fixed for her and she feels that she has nothing to lose. The thrice told doom of my father, the entire destiny has come to us, to the famous children of Labdacus4., this quote signifies the reflection of Antigone on her family curse again. She keeps talking about the many grieves that Oedipus handed down to his children. In her emotional confusion, she sees herself doomed because of the crimes committed by her father that has brought ruin to their family. By the thrice told doom she keeps repeating her future. Through this we come to know that even though the Greeks believed in that the supernatural power will destroy the families, they also believe on the fact that even the humans are responsible for the choice they make. Antigo ne, though not afraid, moans her awaited destiny and is continually haunted by her family past. The girl is the violent child of a violent father5. At this point of the story, Antigone is being irrational and being impulsive. She does not know what she is saying or doing. Now, she is in the same position as her father, Oedipus, was except for the fact that Antigone is in complete control of her fate which Oedipus wasnt . Unlike Antigone, where there was the society that believed in supernatural powers and beliefs, The House of Spirits takes place in a modern society where the ancient beliefs are not mentioned, still . Yet, the inheritance of the sins completely changes the course of the life of Alba.Alba is the granddaughter of Estaban Trueba. Estaban Garcia is the grandson of Estaban Trueba and Pancha Garcia. He pours all his hatred into Alba to take revenge.. This is so because Estaban Garcia wants to take revenge on his grandfatherby torturing his granddaughter. Hehates his grandfather for not acknowledging him as. In the epilogue of this book, we also find out that Alba becomes the narrator  [i]  of the story. The epilogue of the story plays a major role as it is spoken by Alba herself and it helps her realize the reason behind these painful incidents. In The House of the Spirits, Alba suffers significantly because of her past..Estaban Trueba is the most prominent character in this book and he is the only character who stays from the beginning to the very end of the book. From the very beginning of the story, he makes a lots of mistakes without realising that one day it will bounce back at him through Alba. He forbade anyone to talk to him and could not tolerate opposition; he viewed the slightest disagreement as a provocationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the peasants hid their daughters and clenched their fists helplessly because they could not confront him6.. The peasants hated the ways Estaban treated them. He considered the workers and the peasants inferior to himself, so he did not give any importance to them. He was a representative of the conservative attitude. He believed that the peasants do not deserve a share in the wealth of the upper class. Estaban is a person who craves for power, and because of his attitude and the state of the gov ernment at that period of time, he became one of the richest person in the region. He treated the peasants and the lower class people with disrespect without understanding that these mistakes will affect his family too.I am beginning to suspect that nothing that happens is fortuitous, that it all corresponds to a faith laid down before my birth7, realization dawns on Alba that she is not going through all of this because of her fault, in fact she is suffering this pain because of the sins and misdeeds committed by people in her previous generations, especially by her grandfather.Because my revenge would be another part of the same inexorable rite8, Alba decides not to seek for revenge because, the sins committed by her in avenging herself will affect not only her, but also the future generations. She also realizes that this is a chain of events and if it does not stop, will continue forever. Estaban Trueba raped Pancha. And now the same sin is being committed by Estaban Garcia to th e granddaughter of the rapist. Alba has a burning desire to stop this circle of sinful incidents that will cause the future generations to suffer. Due to the suffering she had undergone in the hands of Estaban Garcia, Alba andher grandfather to write their familt story in order to , reclaim the past and overcome the terrors of my own9. By writing this story, both Estaban Trueba and Alba are able to let go of their anger and their yearning to take revenge. In both these books, it is seen that the course of the lives of the characters is determined through the sins committed by their forefathers. In Sophocles Antigone, it is brought out through Antigone. In The House of the Spirits, it is brought out through the youngest living character, Alba. In both these books, these characters realize that their life is shadowed by the sins that their ancestors committed in a very painful way. Antigone is tortured to death while Alba is physically and mentally tortured by Estaban Garcia. In Antigone, it was believed that Antigone suffered because the gods bring ruin to the family that has committed sins whereas in The House of the Spirits, Estaban Garcias desire for avenge became the consequence for the sins committed by the Estaban Trueba.In The House of the Spirits, we also see that the government and the political situation also plays an extremely important role in Albas life. It is because of her grandfathers power than gave rise to so many riv als and it was because of the political situation that Alba was tortured. We see that unlike Antigone, Alba realised that the mistakes she does today will affect her upcoming generations. This is what changes her life forever. Antigone dies whereas Alba lives. Though both these books have different places of origin and different timelines, they depict the same theme through these books. Mans life is truly determined by the sins committed by their ancestors in their previous generations.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Good, the Bad, and the Apathetic Essay -- Voting Election Voter Vo

The Good, the Bad, and the Apathetic Another presidential election year rolls around for America and what will the vote decide? Sometimes equally debated and foretold, another issue exists that does not appear on the ballot. How many people will turnout at the polls to cast their vote for their governmental representatives? The patterns of American history would say that not very many will show up. â€Å"Indeed, voter turnout has fallen from its peak of 63 percent in 1960 to just below half during the last presidential election, in 1996. As a result, the world's leading democracy ranks 140th in voter turnout among democratically elected governments (Cooper).† They make this point at what seems like every election in recent years and the problem has existed off and on for the entire history of the United States. No easy solution exists to lead more people to the polls without enacting a law requiring the vote, but a few things could help in a small way. Some of the influence for addressing this problem stems from my own personal experience with trying to register for voting in my first presidential election. Complicating my situation is the fact that I go to school in Pennsylvania, but am an Ohio resident. I found it very difficult to complete my registration forms. My first trouble encountered appeared when I found out that no matter what I looked up on the internet, I still had to send away for a registration form and then send it back in. It said that I could print out a form, but that it required me to print the form on number 40 cardstock. What a hassle? This seemed like a lot of effort for such a simple form. Secondly, I have to vote by absentee ballot and thus am required to let the el... ...ection." Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. 2004. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online. 22 Mar. 2004 <http://search.eb.com/eb/article?eu=115182>. Hobby, Bill. â€Å"So maybe low voter turnout isn't always a bad thing?† The Houston Chronicle. (7 Dec. 1997). 22 March 2004 < http://www.swt.edu/cpm/hobbyscorner/voter.html>. Removing obstacles to voting. (2001). In Moore J. L., Preimesberger J. P., & Tarr D. R. (Eds.), Guide to U.S. elections (Vol. 1). Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved March 31, 2004, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection: gusel1-152-7218-392799. Shesgreen, Deirdre. â€Å"Internet Could Upend Michigan Race.† St. Louis Post – Dispatch. 9 Nov. 2003, pg. A.7. Utley, Garrick. â€Å"Low voter turnout expected on Election Day.† CNN.com. (3 Nov. 2000). 22 March 2004 < http://www.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/11/02/voter.turnout/>.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Arnold Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction There was no way of knowing it at the time, but a baby boy born in Graz, Austria, was pre-destined for greatness. His father strongly encouraged him to become involved in athletics in order to develop a strong sense of determination trait that evolved into nothing short of a dogged pursuit of excellence in every aspect of his life. He participated in the sport of soccer and competed in track and field events before discovering his true passion for weight lifting at the age of 15. Three years later, he trained as a professional bodybuilder and by the age of 20, he became none other than Mr. Universe. That baby boy grew up to be ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER. Early life Arnold was born July 30 1947, in the little town Thal in Austria, four miles from Graz. The name Schwarzenegger means "black plowman". His father Gustav was a former military officer who later became a policeman and his mother was a house wife. They all lived above the police station, where Gustav worked. Arnold had a one year older brother, Meinhard, who died in a car accident when he was in his twenties. They were both raised in a very strict catholic home. One day after seeing the Olympic swimchampion Johnny Weissmà ¼ller in Graz, Arnold was so inspired by Johnny's physique that he decided he wanted to become a champion athlete and started training. In the early years Arnold and his brother practiced a lot of different sports such as skating, skiing, hiking, swimming and table-tennis. Because of the interest in sports the school came in second place and did not get much attention. The brothers were always competing against each other both in sports and in school. Gustav wanted Arnold to become a world-class soccer player, but at the age of thirteen Arnold dropped out of the soccer team. He was looking for a role model and found one on the silver screen, Hercules. He watched all the Hercules movies over and over. He started to collect muscle magazines and was so impressed by the strength and the muscles in the magazine that he had just one goal clear in his mind. So he started to train. Bodybuilding Just about everyone who walks the face of the earth has heard of the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger. The man is an inspiration to millions of men around the world, both in success and fitness. Even though times have changed -- today's bodybuilders are far bigger than in Ar... ...Bodybuilder as well as two volumes of the Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. Governor On August 6th, 2003, the audience attending the Tonight Show received a direct witnessing of an historic, jaw-dropping occasion: the announcement of candidacy for the California governorship. Arnie smiled for the camera, waved a massive American flag, and gave a full-on political speech, while adding catchphrases from his blockbuster hits. Then on the 17th of October 2003 Arnie Was elected, by a wide margin, to be the Californian Governor. Throughout his lifetime so far, Arnold Schwarzenegger has provided the world with so many significant contributions and achievements of work ranging from acting, directing and producing to athletic competitions, business ventures and community service and now even Governor of California. From his early days as Mr. Universe to a well-respected patron of the arts to reigning box office champion he expects the best from himself and inspires the best in others. All the while Schwarzenegger puts his family first as husband of fifteen years to broadcast journalist Maria Shriver and father to their four children Katherine, Christina, Patrick and Christopher. Arnold Essay -- essays research papers Introduction There was no way of knowing it at the time, but a baby boy born in Graz, Austria, was pre-destined for greatness. His father strongly encouraged him to become involved in athletics in order to develop a strong sense of determination trait that evolved into nothing short of a dogged pursuit of excellence in every aspect of his life. He participated in the sport of soccer and competed in track and field events before discovering his true passion for weight lifting at the age of 15. Three years later, he trained as a professional bodybuilder and by the age of 20, he became none other than Mr. Universe. That baby boy grew up to be ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER. Early life Arnold was born July 30 1947, in the little town Thal in Austria, four miles from Graz. The name Schwarzenegger means "black plowman". His father Gustav was a former military officer who later became a policeman and his mother was a house wife. They all lived above the police station, where Gustav worked. Arnold had a one year older brother, Meinhard, who died in a car accident when he was in his twenties. They were both raised in a very strict catholic home. One day after seeing the Olympic swimchampion Johnny Weissmà ¼ller in Graz, Arnold was so inspired by Johnny's physique that he decided he wanted to become a champion athlete and started training. In the early years Arnold and his brother practiced a lot of different sports such as skating, skiing, hiking, swimming and table-tennis. Because of the interest in sports the school came in second place and did not get much attention. The brothers were always competing against each other both in sports and in school. Gustav wanted Arnold to become a world-class soccer player, but at the age of thirteen Arnold dropped out of the soccer team. He was looking for a role model and found one on the silver screen, Hercules. He watched all the Hercules movies over and over. He started to collect muscle magazines and was so impressed by the strength and the muscles in the magazine that he had just one goal clear in his mind. So he started to train. Bodybuilding Just about everyone who walks the face of the earth has heard of the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger. The man is an inspiration to millions of men around the world, both in success and fitness. Even though times have changed -- today's bodybuilders are far bigger than in Ar... ...Bodybuilder as well as two volumes of the Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. Governor On August 6th, 2003, the audience attending the Tonight Show received a direct witnessing of an historic, jaw-dropping occasion: the announcement of candidacy for the California governorship. Arnie smiled for the camera, waved a massive American flag, and gave a full-on political speech, while adding catchphrases from his blockbuster hits. Then on the 17th of October 2003 Arnie Was elected, by a wide margin, to be the Californian Governor. Throughout his lifetime so far, Arnold Schwarzenegger has provided the world with so many significant contributions and achievements of work ranging from acting, directing and producing to athletic competitions, business ventures and community service and now even Governor of California. From his early days as Mr. Universe to a well-respected patron of the arts to reigning box office champion he expects the best from himself and inspires the best in others. All the while Schwarzenegger puts his family first as husband of fifteen years to broadcast journalist Maria Shriver and father to their four children Katherine, Christina, Patrick and Christopher.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Innovation :: essays research papers

ABSTRACT Innovation is not always successful everywhere unless it meets the requirements of the objectives of learning and teaching at a particular place. Each environment is different from the other. It is not always successful to apply a good innovation from one place to another. In the requirements of all kinds of tests in Viet Nam nowadays which are so much focused on grammar, the needs and interests of learners in learning grammar are very high. Also, there are so many different kinds of learners coming to language centers in Viet Nam to study English for their own purposes. Many of them could take their time to study English intensively while many others take it extensively. They only come to the English classes two or three evenings a week. However, their needs of learning grammar to pass the tests of National Certificates are great. Also, most of learners from high school and secondary schools need grammar background to do well their schoolwork. Therefore, the researcher would like to make an innovation of Grammar Textbooks to meet the requirements of learners’ needs and interests at the 4th Division of Nong Lam University – Center for Foreign Studies in Bien Hoa city. The researcher applied the problem-solving model to do this action rese arch. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study was to see if the grammar innovation worked well with students at Nong Lam University – Center for Foreign Studies, at the division 4, at Bien Hoa city, and to see if the traditional methods in teaching grammar were still effective in such a place with particular students in this area in Viet Nam. All the grammar courses were designed for the intensive students at Nong Lam University – Center for Foreign Studies. Most students here are university students. They study English for their graduation and for their job interviews. These students take 20 periods each week for their English studies. They spend 12 weeks each course with 240 periods on learning intensive English. Most of the materials are designed for communicative approach. These students have to take 2 courses in order to complete their elementary level of English in order to have enough background to learn TOEFL. During each course, they have 36 periods to work with grammar. In other words, they have totally 72 periods to finish their Basic English Grammar (two courses). The Center has been using the grammar book â€Å"Fundamentals of English Grammar† of Betty Schrampfer Azar.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Resume template

Ability to communicate effectively in the workplace Licenses Forklift license Binomial license Driving license Over head crane license Traffic control license Excavator license skid steer license white card Skills Good technical knowledge Ability to diagnose faults Ability to work unsupervisedExperience in the repair and maintenance of mobile equipment heavy vehicles Experience with American and Japanese drivels Trailer servicing and repairs experience Diagnostic skills Own tools Able to work in a team environment and independently. Flexible with hours. Attention to detail. Ability to demonstrate safe work practices Full understanding of operation and maintenance procedures of all site equipment Maintaining the workshop to a high standard Liaise with other staff members and suppliers Work well in a team, show initiative and be responsibleAccurate record keeping Able to travel when required Personal Qualities Ability to work independently Punctual Motivated Organized Education 2004 â €“ 2007 Year 11 Subjects: English Mathematics Religious Education Catholic Regional College College Completed Systems Technology Visual Communications & Design Wood Technology 2008 – 2012 Trade School Certificate Ill in Automotive Mechanical Technology and Automotive Mechanic Heavy Vehicle Mobile Equipment TAFT: Kananga Batman Safety basic procedures Apply emergencies procedures Charge and test batteriesComplete repairs to circuit wiring Repair instruments and warning system Test components and identify faults Apply correct lubricants fluids handling technique Carry out serving operations Test cooling system and analyze results Prepare to service diesel fuel system components Prepare equipment/engine for use and storage Service manual transmissions Inspect semi automatic transmissions Test hydraulic system and analyze results 2007 – 2008 Certificate II Engineering Studies TAFT Apply principles of OH&S in work environmentPlan to undertake a routine task Use power to ols/hand held operations Develop individual career plan Use hand tools Perform basic machining processes Use computer for engineering work acts Perform basic computational principles Employment History 2012 – 2013 Operator mobile equipment & mechanic Full time Duties: Central Bobcat Hire Operate machinery Traffic control Excavating Labouringly Workshop duties Fully serviced & repaired machinery 2008 – 2012 Diesel Mechanic Mobile Equipment Service and repair all site mobile equipment

Friday, August 16, 2019

Trip to Tadoba Tiger Reserve

CITY TIGERS MEETING THEIR COUNTRY COUSIN This meet began with me and my brother proceeding to Mumbai airport for our first flight to the orange city Nagpur. Soon after checking into the flight we caught with team bhpian and participant in the workshop (sachin. sri) Sachin Shrivastava. He was already in the city on official work and we caught up with our specific interests on the forum. We had a smooth flight and as guided by Dr. Abheek over the phone we met our cab come to pick us up from the airport. We found that it was drizzling in Nagpur and this dampened our spirits a bit thinking that wildlife spotting would be difficult in incessant rain. We proceeded to the starting point where we were to meet other participants from Nagpur. The point was Hotel Turning Point at Laxmi Chowk. Here Wild Cats member Mr. Sachet and the owner of Turning Point Mr. Amol greeted us warmly. Mr. Amol treated us to a sumptuous breakfast and some interesting tales of wildlife in the outskirts of Nagpur. Very soon another Wild Cat member Mr. Chinmay Deshpande joined us. Interestingly he was an active snake rescuer for Nagpur and he had a bagful of snakes to be released in the wild during our trip. Sachin was startled and a bit alarmed by the presence of so many venomous and non-venomous snakes around. We were amazed and excited and try to reassure Sachin. We had for the first time such a close encounter with snakes. Under the close guidance of Chinmay we were even able to handle a non-venomous snake the trinket snake easily. It was so beautiful to hold the snake. In our hands the snake seemed like a velvet rope. It is very sad that even before knowing much about snakes I had a preconceived fear of such beautiful creatures. Chinmay rightly explained that snakes have no emotion and if we humans maintain our distance and exercise caution and adequate precaution while interacting with them there is no reason why we cannot co-exist with the most venomous of snakes. Having said that he also explained that the most experienced of handlers have been bitten only by either their carelessness or overconfidence. In no time Doc. (Dr. Abheek Ghosh) popped in. As expected he was a bundle of energy and charged up the already excited bunch. Meeting him for the first time I have to say the moustache suits him well, like the whiskers of a wildcat. He had some news. The team from Hyderabad had missed their overnight train and had since proceeded by car. They would be meeting us directly at Tadoba. Another of the coordinator Mr. Akash Kothe also joined us. All of us wrapped up the breakfast meet and proceeded to our coach, which was with us for the entire trip. The coach had a banner of Wild Cats in the front, which was looking very apt for the occasion. As we were getting into the coach we could see our host Amol also getting into the mood and wanting to join us for the trip. However as had some unavoidable work in the city he could not join us. We bade him good-bye and proceeded to Tadoba. Sachin was getting nervous with so many snakes joining us in the coach although secure in their respective jars. We all joked this would be â€Å"SNAKES IN THE COACH† Indian version of the famous Hollywood movie† SNAKES IN THE PLANE†. This made Sachin all the more jittery and he tried to make himself comfortable as far away from the snakes as possible. But at every jerk and every pothole he would plead Chinmay to check if all the snakes were secure. The entire journey of about 5 hours due to bad roads after Jam was hardly felt due the non-stop banter amongst all of us. It was remarkable that inspite of our varying backgrounds and ages we all gelled in no time. This goes to shows that enthusiasm is infectious and knows no barrier. In the coach Doc treated us to a Audio Video documentary by Vidya Atreya on animal human conflict in Western Maharashtra and how it was affecting the leopard in particular. I had already read up some material on her work and research as mailed to us earlier by Doc. Doc also enlighted us on the work done by her on conservation and human leopard conflict management. We were so engrossed in our discussions and running short of time that we had skipped halting for lunch anywhere enroute. As we neared crossed Chandrapur we were saddened to see quarries for coal mining all around with massive heaps of spent mud lying all around like small hills. Doc informed us that although Chandrapur was one of the most polluted areas of our country due to the coalmines and thermal plants the tigers were thriving in the forests of Tadoba. We reached the Moharli Gate of Tadoba sanctuary at the stroke of four, which was also the closing time for entry into the sanctuary. At the gate the gypsies were ready waiting for us as arranged by Doc. Here we also met another of Doc's close friends Mr. Indraneel Pal and his friend Gaurav. Indraneel Pal was by profession a contractor for the Cement Mills around but by heart he was an avid animal lover. His in depth knowledge of animal behavior in general and the tiger in particular was astounding. We learnt that he was a regular visitor to Tadoba, sometimes 2-3 times a week. He was to Tadoba what Doc is to Pench. Doc had an excellent rapport with him and he too welcomed us with open arms. I was struck by his humility and passion towards the forest and its inhabitants. It was a great pleasure and privilege to spend two days in his company. By this time we also learnt that the Hyderabad group had run into heavy rains and bad weather leading to slow progress. Enroute a section of the highway was washed away and they were facing a roadblock in the detour due to some vehicle breakdown. At this rate they would not be able to make it to Tadoba before nightfall. The rest of us decide to proceed for the evening Safari. The sights and sounds of the forest pleasantly surprised city dwellers like us. Tadoba is known to all, for the healthy population of tigers within it but it was also very interesting to observe the wide variety of birds and insects within the reserve. Photos will tell the story here. We immediately spotted a small herd of sambar deer and a solitary wild boar. In some time we reached the middle (hattori) gate. As required entry formalities were being done, Doc asked his man Friday (Sanjay) to serve poha packets to all of us. By now our stomachs had begun rumbling due go hunger having skipped lunch earlier. The poha was delicious and warm in the foil pack. Apparently doc had made some phone calls from the coach as we were nearing Tadoba. Indraneel happened to tell us that in the morning just as he entered the reserve he spotted a leopard very close to the entrance gate. This heightened the excitement for us. He and doc explained to us that large predators like the tiger regularly mark the boundaries of their territory to highlight their presence to their rivals and reassure the females. And during monsoon due to washing away of their scent markings by the rain, they have to keep marking more frequently and as a result of which the chances of spotting the tiger is better. Both he and doc were very tuned to the various sounds of the jungle and could immediately alert us to calls made by the sambar and some birds as they communicated to convey the movement of the tiger/leopard. This gave us some indication of the movement of these predators at a distance. It also gave us an idea as to how difficult it was for these predators to hunt when their presence could be easily given away by the alarm call of the langur, a bird or some deer. In these surroundings we easily lost sense of time. Very soon it was getting dark and the guide informed us that it was time to head back to the exit. We were beginning to enjoy the experience and started to head back with a heavy heart. At that moment the gypsy we were traveling suddenly broke down. We got delighted thinking that this gave us a perfect excuse to justify our delay to the exit gate and experience the dusk in the forest. But this happiness did not last long as very soon another gypsy of our group that came along gave us a lift to the middle (Hattori) gate. At this point Doc â€Å"insisted† on staying with the broken down gypsy and it's driver till it could be brought till the exit point. All of us wished to take Doc's place so that we could also experience some part of the night in the jungle, but it was not to be. We wished Doc luck and proceeded to the Hattori Gate. There the officials were miffed with us for the delay. On learning of the breakdown they offered a makeshift towrope and sent this gypsy back to tow our broken down gypsy. Doc must have cursed his luck to see help coming so fast. As soon as the gypsy was towed into the Hattori gate we proceeded to the Moharli exit gate. Enroute we were hoping that the towrope snaps and we get delayed further. But alas none of that happened. In some time we reached the exit gate. The officials here were very upset, as we had arrived way beyond the closing time. Luckily Doc and Indraneel being regulars there somehow managed to pacify them, but had to offer some written explanation and pay some fine. We went to the MTDC resort with so many stories to tell each other. On the way Chinmay told us that once we settle into our rooms we need to feed the cobra on a frog, which could be easily seen croaking around, as it might be hungry. We settled in our rooms freshened up and soon got out to catch a frog using our flashlights. Sachin as expected refused to have anything to do with the snakes. Understanding his fear we left him alone. Luckily we managed to catch one very close to our room. Chinmay carefully opened the lid of the jar holding the cobra and swiftly dropped the frog down the jar and closed the lid. All this was a different experience for us. Stuff we had been seeing on Animal Planet and Discovery channels on TV back home was unfolding live in front of our eyes. Within the confines of the jar the frog started puffing itself and avoiding the cobra. The cobra was seeming to be dazed and not striking at the frog. Suddenly Bhanu observed that the snake was badly infected with maggots, which was not easily visible in the plastic jar earlier. It had raised its hood but not was striking the frog. Chinmay explained that this cobra had been rescued from a grain godown in Nagpur and the labourers might have attacked and injured the snake before calling him for the rescue. After a long time the cobra finally struck the frog and injected venom, but was not showing any signs of eating it. Chinmay immediately stated that we need to release the cobra in some safe area outside. By now Doc joined all of us. He had been meeting up with the Hyderabad group who had just arrived. He informed us that two members of they group Mel and Shiv were avid snake lovers and handlers and we could take their opinion on this subject. On seeing the condition of the cobra and in the absence of any facility to treat the snake they also suggested immediate release of the snake from captivity. They too joined us in our short walk outside the resort boundary to release the cobra. As soon as the cobra was brought out of the jar into the open it became very alert and agile and started moving swiftly to the foliage around. Before releasing the snake Mel gave us a short talk on various types of cobra found and mechanism to handle them. We all felt glad to be releasing the snake into its natural habitat. We went back to the rooms along with the Hyderabad group comprising of Rashmi, Alex, Mel and Shiv. They briefly related their ordeal to get here encountering washed away roads, roadblocks, bad roads and all. We had our brief introductions and learnt that all of them were avid trekkers and â€Å"fanatic† nature lovers. Here I wish to thank Doc again, as without his initiative we would never have met such an ensemble of participants. Over the days we were stunned with their knowledge of birds, insects and reptiles given their relatively young age. During our trip we could not find any insect or bird that they could not identify. Once back the room Mel was shocked to find the snakes stored in plastic containers. He sadly remarked that inspite of noble intentions many a times † SNAKES NEED RESCUING FROM RESCUERS â€Å". He asked Chinmay to keep some cloth bags handy whenever he proceeds for a rescue. Chinmay informed Mel that there have been some cases of snakes biting some handlers through the bags however he was not sure whether they were jute bags or the plastic woven cement bags. Mel suggested him to use canvas-lined bags. Mel was also not happy with the type of stick with the semicircle hook used for snake handling. He insisted on a lighter stick with a hook flattened and smoothened near the tip while handling snakes especially while going for the head catch. Mel offered to send a snake handling stick as described above within the next two weeks through somebody travelling to Nagpur. Chinmay was very receptive to all their ideas. He explained that inspite of all his efforts he was unable to get any formal training on handling snakes in NAGPUR. Whatever he learnt had been by watching some other handlers rescuing snakes and learning on the job while rescuing snakes because of his love for snakes. Mel opened the jar having the trinket snake and explained that the snake was molting (shedding its skin). This could be seen by the cloudy nature of its eyes. We had seen it many nature channels on TV but seeing this so close was an altogether different experience. He explained that the peculiar ornamental pattern (like a necklace) on its scales gave it the name of trinket snake. It was a fast snake but non venomous. The next snake he removed was the sand boa. He explained that it was a constrictor similar to the python which kill they prey by constriction and are non venomous. It was closely related to the red sand boa, which is also called, a two-headed snake as its tail also resembles it head in shape and texture. Sadly these are being hunted by poachers for their skin, which commands a price of nearly a lac of rupees in the black market. The next snake was the checkered keel back which Mel explained spends most of its time in or near fresh water lakes or rivers and feeds mainly on small fishes and water frogs. It is a non venomous but very aggressive snake and will not hesitate to strike at the slightest provocation. As it was an extremely fast moving snake Mel wisely did not open it within the room. The next snake was the Russells Viper. This too was handled from within the jar as it was one of the most deadly and fast striking snake found in India, with a strike speed of two bites per second and which along with the saw scaled viper was responsible for most of the snake bite related deaths in India. We were glad that this too was observed from the confines of the jar and not in the open. The next were the three rat snakes which were confined in a 20 lit. Bisleri jar. Struggling to get them out Mel explained that it was not advisable to store them in plastic containers as they were not suitable for the snakes and snakes at times inadvertently hurt themselves while struggling in them. Using a swiss knife he cut open the neck of the jar and got one of them out. The rat snake though non-venomous was visibly irritated and started swinging wildly. Shiv and Chinmay were helping Mel all through. They asked the resort staff to get some gunny bags for these snakes. The resort staff managed to get some bags but they were torn in places. Mel and Chinmay selected one of the bags, which appeared reasonably better than the rest and slowly got the rat snake into the bag. For the second snake Mel demonstrated the technique of placing the bag with a round PVC pipe at the neck close to the snake. The snake immediately darted into this opening believing it to be a dark hole or burrow. When all the three rat snakes were securely bagged Alex and Chinmay decided to release the snakes the next day during daylight further away from the resort near the buffer zone. After this the Hyderabad group took leave to freshen up and relax for a short while before meeting up for dinner at 10:00. Rest of us assembled at the other room, where Doc requested Akash to set up the projector and laptop for the audiovisual presentation on photography. Akash who is also a professor in an engineering college in Nagpur handled this session. His command over the subject and the simplicity in explanation of various terms used in photography had us bowled over. Every basic terminology right from Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO to Advanced image processing techniques was explained to us with live examples. Photos clicked by him and others were discussed and flaws analyzed and remedies discussed. Just as a doctor goes through an X-ray or Ecg report, Akash explained on how to study a photo through its histogram. The basics like composition of image and focusing of the image were explained in detail. Akash then went on to explain further how the processing of images is done using advanced software like photoshop elements and lightroom. â€Å"Cloning† of a different kind for image correction especially backgrounds was shown by live examples by Akash working on his laptop on images as he was giving the presentation. Akash made an important remark that only after clicking thousands of photographs does a photographer realize his shortcomings as he goes through them. He asked us to develop strong basic concepts and hone and polish our skills by clicking many pictures and analyzing them with above points in mind. We all mentally made up our minds to save up for a decent camera and gradually invest in good lenses to help us pursue this hobby in earnest. All those of us who have followed Doc's threads in various forums know him to be an excellent photographer and he too interspersed this session with his valuable insights from time to time. I would not be wrong if I said that this one session opened my eyes to photography more than ever before. Again thanks to Doc we were able to experience the â€Å"Akash Effect. † Here again we wanted to continue forever but were getting repeated calls from the restaurant staff calling us for dinner. We reluctantly took a break for Dinner with Akash promising to continue the next day after the morning Safari. We all assembled in the dining area for dinner. Dinner obviously was of limited variety but excellent quality. With our bellies full we lazily ambled to our rooms. Sachet lazily unlocked the door to the room and gave a sudden gasp. Akash who was blindly following him was startled and started rubbing his eyes. The snakes, which were so securely kept a little while back, were roaming freely in the room. Chinmay immediately took charge and grabbed one of the rat snakes and observed that the gunny bag was not very strong and that the rat snakes had made a way out through them. By now Alex and Shiv also joined Chinmay to locate the missing snakes. They found the second one in the bathroom with no signs of the third. The third one was missing. This made all of nervous and Sachin who was at a distance all this while became all the more jittery. Alex, Shiv and Chinmay made a thorough search of the entire room and declared it to be â€Å"snake free†. The two snakes were placed in the relatively clean and empty dustbin provided in the room with some weight on the lid to prevent them getting away again. The third rat snake was a juvenile and Chinmay and Alex opined that it might have slipped through the narrow opening below the door and the floor or slid out as Sachet nonchalantly opened the door. Doc asked us to wind up and go to bed, as we were booked for any early morning 6 am Safari and we would have to get up at 5 am to be at the gate on time. Doc also informed us three more WildCat members Sanket, Rahul and our host Amol at Turning Point had left Nagpur for Tadoba in Doc’s gypsy and they too would be joining us for the morning Safari. All of us had our own theories on the missing snake and Akash and Sachet were not comfortable to sleep in the room with the missing snake. So Akash, Chinmay and Sachet trooped into our room. With a snake loose Sachin declared that he would not be sleeping on the floor. We laughingly conceded and made ourselves comfortable on the extra beds and were fast asleep in no time. As soon as the alarm bell went off at 5 am Sachin started calling out to all to get up. After a light banter of â€Å"Pehle Aap† we quickly got to our feet and freshened up quickly. By now we caught up with Amol, Rahul and Sanket who had reached at 1:30 in the night with the gypsy giving some problem on the way and continuous rain all through the route. They couldn’t believe it when they learnt they learnt that they had been sleeping in the room with the missing snake. On seeing the video of the recapture of the escaped snakes shot by Akash and seeing the two rat snakes in the dustbin they started rubbing their eyes in disbelief. They were shocked that they had slept so peacefully in the room with a missing snake and two snakes lying the dustbin. Pulling their legs we walked to the resort gate where Indraneel Pal and his friend Gaurav were waiting for us. Here we got to the gypsy being tastefully rebuilt by Doc with sound advice from forum members. The middle and last row of seats were adequately pushed back giving ample legroom and maneuverability to people seated in them with their cameras. Doc informed that some work on providing proper vibration free camera mounts was still to be done. Once completed no doubt this would be an ideal vehicle for the jungle photographer. In the steady drizzle we got into the gypsies and proceeded to the Moharli gate. Due to the rains our cameras were packed up and we were wary to expose them to moisture. We entered the gates to be once again greeted by the early morning sights and smell of rain soil foliage and forest floor. As the gypsy drove into the forest the rain and the cold wind was beating against our faces. It was an experience to look out for sightings in these circumstances. As we were driving past at a steady speed our guide suddenly motioned to the driver to stop and head back for a few metres. On coming back a few metres he pointed to his right about 50 yards away and all we could see was a brown termite mound or anthill. But the guide insisted that he has never observed a mound at this place all these days. So to clear matters Doc and Indraneel took out their cameras with high power lenses to zoom and get a sharper view. They both softly remarked that it was a â€Å"tiger†. They motioned us to be dead calm and we quietly removed our cameras and focused on the tiger. On zooming it was clear that we were privileged to witness a tiger so well camouflaged in the Indian forest. In a few moments the tiger raised its head and started licking its hind legs. By this time the second gypsy in our group joined us and they too enjoyed the spectacle. The third vehicle had gone ahead and due to no mobile network we were unable to inform them of the sighting. Indraneel informed us that this tiger was the â€Å"Baghdo Male† who was very active in this part of the reserve. Indraneel was also the first person to have photographically captured this particular tiger some time back. Indraneel recounted the incident of having clicked this particular after it had a heavy meal of a gaur. In Indraneel’s words as the tiger got up after a heavy meal its belly was so full that it was almost scraping the floor as it walked. We were in awe as he spoke of the experience. In the meantime the tiger got up and reversed its position and nonchalantly surveyed the clearing around it. In a short while the tiger got up once again and started walking diagonally behind us towards the road. In no time we lost sight of the tiger as it disappeared into the thick foliage. We backed up our vehicles a couple of metres behind hoping to catch the tiger as it steps onto the road. We waited at that spot trying to gauge the movement of the tiger, looking anxiously in all directions in perfect silence. Suddenly Indraneel spotted the tiger about thirty feet behind emerging out of the bushes. Due to the rain we had packed the cameras and scrambled to get them in position. But Doc and Indraneel managed to capture some amazing photographs of the tiger looking directly at us. This sight of the tiger turning to look towards us will remain with me forever. The majestic head on broad shoulders was a sight to behold. At this very moment the driver of the second gypsy eager to give its occupants at better shot with the camera backed up suddenly and with a loud roar of the engine. This sudden noise and movement disturbed the tiger, which swiftly crossed the road behind us and entered into the foliage on the other side. We reprimanded the driver for his stupidity but it was too late. Doc and Indraneel remarked that they were pretty sure that if the tiger was not disturbed so abruptly it would have calmly walked down the road for some distance before slipping back into the forest giving us ample opportunity to observe and photograph this magnificent animal. We waited at this spot for some time reminiscing on the events that had unfolded some moments before us. Soon we heard the sambar call at some distance indicating that the tiger was steadily moving deeper into the forest. Doc informed us that during the monsoon only central tarred road was open for the safari and the mud roads going into the forest at intermittent distances were closed for the safari. This was done to minimize disturbance to animals and prevent vehicles getting stuck in the slush on these mud roads inside the forest. We backed up further across a small bridge over a stream in the forest hoping to catch some signs of the tiger if it returned back to the road. As there was no indications whatsoever we proceeded ahead to observe the rest of the forest. As we were on our way Bhanu suddenly exclaimed â€Å"tiger†. Out driver quickly backed up again but Bhanu just managed to see the tiger slip into the dense forest before the rest of us could spot it. We learnt that unless the tiger is in the open or moving in the forest along the road it was next to impossible to spot a tiger lying motionless in the bamboo clusters for an untrained eye. The tiger can spot you as you pass through its territory but there is no guarantee that you can spot it if it does not want its presence to be felt. With this lesson learnt we proceeded to explore the remainder of the forest enjoying the other flora and fauna. At the hattori gate Doc and Indraneel were mobbed by other tourists visiting the forest asking for the glimpse of the elusive king of the jungle captured by their lenses. We were basking in the adulation and envy of other tourists for having such a close sighting of the tiger, while the real hero had disappeared deep in to the jungle oblivious to the excitement caused by his sighting. We slowly observed the rest of the forest spotting some birds on the way. The snaps shared here will tell the rest of the story. But for me the sighting of the tiger overshadowed everything else. Even now if I close my eyes I can see the tiger looking right at me. I envied Doc and Indraneel for having so many sightings of the tiger. I for one can only marvel at its being and cannot imagine how another human can think of poaching the tiger. Do their hands not tremble as they perpetrate this dastardly act. During this trip Bhanu remarked that the human being is the most dangerous animal on the planet. This short sentence summed up everything that needs to be done for conservation. With this experience we headed back to the resort. While exiting we learnt that in the evenings we could opt for a one hour Safari over elephant back in the evening. However there was place for only 3 on the elephant back. Doc explained that no bookings for evening jeep safari had been made owing to the interactive session on tiger conservation planned in the schedule and so some of us opt for this. To make matters interesting Doc suggested drawing of lots after lunch to decide on the lucky three. Suddenly Amol remarked that if chicken was made available and if he were given access to the kitchen he would love prepare the main dish for the evening. All those who had tasted food at his hands began vouching on his skill and we all were enthused by his offer. Luckily Doc informed that another of his friend Monali from Nagpur joining us for a day. And as we spoke a vehicle was on its way to Chandrapur bus stand where she would be reaching from Nagpur anytime. Doc immediately arranged for the driver to get the required quantity of chicken from Chandrapur. After a light breakfast and tea we headed back to the rooms. We shared our experiences and relaxed for a while. In some time we proceeded for lunch and decided to release the snakes with us a little while later. While having lunch we all met up with Monali who had just reached some time back. But she was looking fresh and enthusiastic. We had our round of introductions once again and she joined us for lunch. After lunch some of us had a light nap. While leaving Nagpur we noticed that Doc had loaded some Solar Lamps into the coach. Doc had explained that these solar lamps were to be distributed to the villagers living inside the reserve. While we had a nap, Doc distributed these lamps and returned. Fresh after a short nap we assembled for the next agenda â€Å"release of snakes† into the wild. We were looking forward to this once in a lifetime experience with great excitement. In a group we trooped towards the buffer area of the forest to release these snakes. The interesting part was that Shiv, Chinmay and Mel delicately handled these snakes and practically showed us how to handle these snakes. One by one we gained confidence and started handling the non-venomous snakes like the trinket, rat snake and the sand boa. In the daylight we could easily observe and marvel at the distinct patterns and colorations of the snakes. Though visually the snakes appeared to be slimy and greasy it was the texture of their skin/scales that gave that effect. On the contrary these snakes were very smooth to hold. Mel, Chinmay and Shiv demonstrated on how to handle the snake so that it does not feel threatened or alarmed. Most of us used the time available to click snaps and videos of this entire exercise. These snakes were released into the trees and tall grasses around. In no time these snakes vanished out of our eyesight. Next Mel got the checkered keel back out of the jar. No wonder he called it fast snake. This snake sped away in literally leaps and bounds. Mel, who tried to hold it momentarily to show us the snake before letting it free, got bitten in the little finger. No danger as the snake was non venomous. We all were amazed at the speed of this snake. Finally we all stepped back as Chinmay cautiously got the most dreaded russel’s viper out. Mel explained that luckily for us the viper was in a docile mood and was not agitated at all. The head of this viper was flattened, triangular and distinct from the neck. The snout was blunt, rounded and raised. The body was stout, the cross-section of which was rounded to cylindrical. Mel explained that this was a snake to be really fearful of due to its unusually large fangs that deliver copious amounts of venom leading to extreme swelling at the site of the bite, terrible damage to the tissue and severe internal bleeding within minutes of the bite. It was one of the species responsible for causing the most snakebite cases and deaths in the India due to various factors such as its frequent occurrence in places where humans are occupied and the potency of its venom. Chinmay further explained that the Russel’s viper was generally very slow and sluggish unless pushed beyond a certain limit, after which they become aggressive and when threatened they form a series of S-loops, raise the first third of the body and produce a hiss that is supposedly louder than that of any other snake resembling the sound of the pressure cooker. This particular snake was moving very slowly and gave ample time for all of us to click snaps and videos. After satisfying our curiosity and anxiety Chinmay carefully released the snake into some thick bushes. After completing this exercise we proceeded back to the room. Before proceeding with the draw of lots for the elephant safari Doc suggested we have the interactive session on tiger-human conflict areas and forest conservation in general. The session began with the audio-visual presentation on tiger conservation in India. The documentary was very well made and all of us were glued to this presentation. After the sighting the grandeur of the tiger roaming freely in the forest in the morning we were really pained to see the plight of the tiger in the various forests of the country. The efforts being made towards conservation were feeble in the face of rapid deforestation and rampant habitat destruction by us humans. Whatever was left thereafter was being wiped out by sustained pressure of influential poachers. While Akash was handling the presentation Doc used to interject whenever he recollected a related incident or had something relevant to add to the presentation. As an attentive audience we too had our share of questions and remarks. Doc informed that very recently even in Tadoba the forest officials had found metal clamps and wire traps carefully laid out by poachers to trap the tiger. He also remarked that the tourist movement in the monsoon however restricted was a deterrent to these poachers who would otherwise have had a free run in the forest. He cited the recent case of the mysterious death of a popular tiger named circuit in the Moharli area of the reserve. Akash sadly remarked that during his earlier visit to Tadoba he had happened to spot Circuit active and healthy close to the buffer area just one day prior to his mysterious death. Doc informed us that wildlife enthusiasts like him were trying to use the RTI tool to find the actual cause of death of Circuit. They were trying to keep up sustained pressure so that any more tigers do not meet the same fate. Doc informed us that very recently the local DFO who was an avid wildlife enthusiast and photographer was abruptly transferred due to pressures from his superiors. Slowly we could understand the trying circumstances in which Doc and his friends were operating. Shiv and Mel also highlighted the plight of the Srisailam tiger reserve in Andhra Pradesh with a total area of 3,600 sq. ms. In 1983 there were 40 tigers and the habitat suffered severely thereafter due to high frequency of poaching, grazing, fires, tree and bamboo exploitation. Today they remarked that the tiger is almost extinct from this reserve. The presence of armed extremists in this forest is a serious problem to the effective management of this area and the tigers. The subordinate staffs are scare d to move freely in the interior and little communication exists. Doc also highlighted the frequent disregard and violations of the forest act by officials under pressure from superiors and politicians. Doc cited having himself sighted such instances in Pench when politicians with their red beacon official vehicles entering the reserve in the dead of the night in gross violation of the wildlife act. When Doc tried to investigate the matter further he received an official letter from the forest officials of Pench threatening his entry into the reserve in future on flimsy grounds. Further he cited the case of the accidental death of the jhurjhura tigress in the famous Bandhavgarh reserve in Madhya Pradesh. The tigress was a resident, breeding animal at ‘Jhurjhura’ (Tala Range), which forms part of the core/ critical tiger habitat. The tigress, alongwith its 3 cubs (around 6 months old) had been intensively photographed/ seen/ monitored by the park management and visitors. The research team from the Wildlife Institute of India in its data collection process using camera traps has also captured the said tigress. According to preliminary reports from the tiger reserve, a vehicle belonging to the state’s PWD minister Nagendra Singh’s son hit the tigress. But as always with such incidents in our country cover-up had begun at a frantic case. However Doc was hopeful of some justice as wildlife activists from around the country were actively following the case. Notable among them was activist Shehla Masood from Bhopal who had filed numerous RTI applications against top forest officers, senior police officials and influential politicians involved in the cover-up. Very sadly today as I write this barely two days after our meet I read the morning papers that this very lady has been shot dead outside her house as she got into the car. As there have been no eye-witnesses so far the local police have been so callous to even consider it to be a case of suicide. This incident really brought a lump in my throat just imagining the value of human life to such individuals and we are expecting them to conserve wildlife in the forests. Coming back to our session. Doc then asked us to spread awareness of conservation amongst our friends, relatives and acquaintances. An important idea suggested by him was to ask anyone visiting such reserves to click frontal and side profiles of the tiger whenever possible as seen the picture. Each tiger has a distinct pattern of stripes and they help in identification of the tiger. If a visitor shares such pictures with dedicated tiger conservationists like Doc in Pench and Tadoba then an accurate database of tigers and their movement could be maintained more effectively rather than just relying on unreliable pug-marks of the tigers. Doc informed that he had helped to provide a computer with facility of reading memory cards at Pench to the forest officials at the main gate so that they could collect similar data from the tourists’ cameras. After the presentation was over Doc informed us that he had got made some T-shirts for sale with the image of the tiger printed and he was using the proceeds of the sale towards procuring essentials like solar lamps for the villagers in the forest. Appreciating the noble cause we gladly picked up these t-shirts as a souvenir of the trip for our family back home. By now it was already dinnertime. Interestingly in the heat of the presentation and our involvement in the subject everyone forgot the draw of lots for the elephant safari in the evening. We were so involved in the presentation that none of us missed the elephant safari that evening. We also did not realize that somewhere in between Amol had quietly slipped away to the kitchen to get the dinner ready as promised. As the main course was getting ready he had swiftly managed to get the some starters ready also. Just as the presentation on conservation got over Amol entered the room with starters in hand. Akash started with the balance of the earlier days photography session. As we were munching on the starters our eyes and mind were imbibing the tips on photography. By the time the photography session was over we were satiated. Doc once again reminded us on the early morning safari the next day. We quickly proceeded for dinner. The dinner prepared by Amol was truly relishing. All of us were left licking our fingers and smacking our lips. We all thanked Amol profusely for this unexpected treat and retreated back to the rooms. With our bellies full we were fast asleep as soon as we hit the beds and snoring away. We were up again at the crack of dawn and quickly assembled into the gypsies at the gate. Although we were attracted to this programme with the prospect of seeing the tiger there is truly so much more to be seen in the forest. Even some of the trees seen inside the reserve are not regularly seen outside. Although we could not spot the tiger for ourselves this time we learnt that another vehicle entering the forest after us sighted a tiger. We were pleased on the healthy population of tiger in the reserve. The guide with us also informed us that even the buffer area had a healthy population of tiger. Doc told us that there was a proposal to declare the area we were presently wandering about as the core and declare out of bounds for tourists and allow the tourists only in the buffer area after proper relocation of villagers was done. We were glad for the animals provided adequate precautions were taken to keep the poachers also at bay. Today we also spotted a troop of langur monkeys and a solitary deer. On our way back we spotted a dead serpent eagle lying by the side of the road with its wings spread out as though just about to fly. There was a small wound by the side of its neck but we were clueless. We managed to spot the mahouts rounding up the elephants let loose in the forest at night to graze. As Sachin had to leave early Doc had requested us to wind up the morning safari early so that we could all proceed to Nagpur earlier than scheduled. Although not excited with the prospect we grudgingly agreed. Casting our last glances at the expanses of the Tadoba forest for this trip we exited the Moharli gate. Thereafter we wrapped up our breakfast and proceeded to pack our bags for the return to Nagpur. We bid goodbye to our four friends Rashmi, Alex, Shiv and Mel and hoped to keep in touch with them in future. They were also leaving for Hyderabad by noon. We got into our coaches for the ride back to Nagpur. Bye now the gelling of the group was complete and there was non stop banter right through. Akash the master photographer was compiling a database of all the images to be consolidated and shared later on. By the time we reached Nagpur our cheeks and stomachs were aching by the nonstop laughter. We dropped Sachin at the airport and bid him bye. The rest of us proceeded to doc’s residence. We all said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch and went our respective ways. Amol and Rahul had their bikes parked there and left after goodbyes. Doc also changed gear from a nature lover to a cardiologist and proceeded to the hospital with Akash and Monali. As we had some time Sanket offered to accompany us to Nagpur city (market area) where we could spend couple of hours till our flight time. Doc had transferred our bags to his car and asked us to collect the same on the way to the airport. Thanks to Doc we were able to explore Nagpur â€Å"handsfree†. At the city centre we bid goodbye to Sanket. He too was a budding photographer and had shared many tips with us. After spending some time in the city centre we noticed that we hadn’t had a shave in the last 2 days so decided to have a decent shave and head massage. In no time we were done and we proceeded to Doc’s hospital. We collected our luggage, bid our final goodbyes and proceeded to the airport. As the flight took off we carried with us the sweet smell of the jungle, remarkable sights of the wildlife and fond memories of the people we had met and bonded so well with over the past 3 days. This write-up is dedicated to all these wonderful people and the unforgettable Baghdo.

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