The strings take up a gentle rhythmic pulse that, with many variations, remains prominent throughout the rest of the piece.

WSJ: Henryk G��recki | Symphony of Sorrowful Songs | A Lament for Lost Children | Masterpiece by Ian Marcus Corbin

Close the feedback loop and take action: After a few initial pulse check meetings with different groups, a CEO should review with his feedback resource what he has learned.

FORBES: Every CEO Needs an Executive Listener

With this in mind, my recent participation in the SAP Telco Executive Advisory Council, held this September in Zurich, was the perfect occasion to take the pulse of some key decision makers in the industry and get a better sense of where they stand on this particular topic.

FORBES: In-memory Computing and the Wisdom of the Telco Crowd

To really take the area's pulse, head to its liveliest commercial street, medieval rue Mouffetard, a colourful jumble of student bars, cheap eateries, market stalls and inexpensive clothing and homewares shops.

BBC: A perfect day in Paris

"If this election is to take the political pulse of our nation, then I want every beat and every vote to show a nation that looks with hope and generosity and courage to the future, not with regret or hurt, and bitterness of the past, " he said in the final hours of the race.

BBC: Irish parties pull out the stops on last day of race