The Storm Essay Research Paper Analysis of free essay sample

The Storm Essay, Research Paper Analysis of? The Storm? In McKnight Malmar? s scaring narrative? The Storm? she weaves a violent storm and slaying together to rise the hideous fright that engulfs Janet Willsom. The storm is a combination of female parent nature, Janet? s emotions and her heartbreaking quandary. The narrative begins with Janet Willsom coming home from a holiday seeing her sister who is really ill. She has come back a hebdomad early trusting her hubby, Ben, would be home so she could surprise him but he? s non. There is a really strong storm blossoming outside and Janet gets concerned with Ben? s whereabouts. She wonders if he is still in the metropolis working tardily. There is a missive addressed to Ben on the tabular array but she destroys it because she knows that this missive is likely no different from the others that have been sent to him in the yesteryear. We will write a custom essay sample on The Storm Essay Research Paper Analysis of or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Throughout this cliff-hanging narrative she is lonely in the stray place far off from the busy urban metropolis. As the storm got worse, she started to hear footfalls and she thought she saw a face at the window in the life room. Be this ghostly face in the window her hubby? Recognizing that possibly it was her imaginativeness, she went to the cellar to acquire wood to do a fire. The cellar was moist and dark and there was a iciness in the air because the cellar door was broad unfastened. Janet wondered if the air current was so strong that it blew it unfastened or if there was an interloper. She grabbed the doorhandle and closed it every bit hard as she could because the air current was so strong. The fire wood was in the corner so she walked towards it. All of a sudden she noticed that her old bole was opened merely a cleft, she walked to over to it and threw it unfastened. Liing in there was a organic structure of a adult female in a ruddy frock with a adult male? s diamond ring on her finger. In panic Janet ran up the cellar stepss, locked the door and reinforced it with a heavy wooden chair. Simutainously she heard glass shattering from the basement window and ran into the life room to quiet her frights. Soon after, Janet? s hubby Ben walked in the forepart door soaking moisture, dirty and picket. She started to state her hubby Thursday vitamin E events that had happened that dark. He found it difficult to believe that there was a sneak skulking around outside and that there was a dead organic structure in the bole. Janet took him to the cellar, they looked in the bole but there was nil in it. She wondered if she was seeing things until she saw the same diamond ring on her hubby? s finger that had been on the adult female? s finger. She realizes that her hubby killed the adult female. With all of the fright and strength in her organic structure she runs up the cellar steps, disregarding Ben shouting her name she runs out of the house and neer looks back. The narrative gave me a feeling that I was at that place out of sight from her but watching her every move. It was besides from a really cliff-hanging third-person point of position. Throughout the narrative she thinks about all the good qualities her hubby has and at the same clip is losing him. The letters that are addressed to him says New York City on the envelope ; he is ever angry about those letters but Janet neer sees the contents of those letters. My theory is that these letters are from his kept woman ; she was blackjacking him to go forth his married woman. There was a batch of accent on the storm itself, She starts to go discerning about the storm because of its increasing power? The air current hammered at the door and the Windowss, and the air was full of the sound of H2O, rushing in the troughs, pouring from the leaders, thumping on the roof. ? ( 244 ) I feel that there is a storm outside but there besides a storm traveling on from within Janet because she has uncertainty about her hubby? s fidelity. As for the apparitional face in the window and the dead adult female in the bole ; her hubby killed his kept woman, heard his married woman walking in the front door, put the dead organic structure in the bole and ran out the cellar door to the exterior. He was the face Janet saw in the window. Once she went to the cellar to acquire fire wood and left, he couldn? T open the cellar door, so he broke the window, took the dead organic structure and disposed of it. Janet yearns for her hubby to protect her from the storm and in the terminal she takes comfort from the storm.

Free Essays on Glass Menagerie and The Great Gatsby, Underlying Themes in The Authors Work

, read between the lines. This statement is true and relevant because the writer’s feelings come out on paper while the they write, expressing more than just the story they are writing. In the play â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† by Tennessee Williams, the author injects a part of himself into his writing. Not only is he telling the story of Wingfield family, but he is also writing about the aspects and feelings of his own family as well. The use of vernacular language in the play aids in allowing the reader to see and feel exactly what is going on. This helps to let one relate to the play and see it as a real-life family, maybe Tennessee Williams’ own family. The use of setting in this play is also critical. The majority of the play taking place in the cramped apartment exudes a small confined place bursting with the emotions of three very different people. Perhaps this is also what Williams’ own home was like: full with clashing emotions. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald also has an underlying message, that one should always aspire to fulfill their dreams. He interwned this message in his text by utilizing theme. The story took place in the twenties, also known as the â€Å"Roaring Twenties.† This was an ideal time period for his book because that was a time of fun and dreams, when nothing couldn’t be accomplished. Young people threw parties and lived life to its full extent, fulfilling their dreams of good times and fun. This was Jay Gatsby’s life, the good life, except he was lacking in one thing that would make his life complete, the heart of Daisy Buchanan. He aimed to make his dream come true. I feel that it is very true that the â€Å"hidden† message ... Free Essays on Glass Menagerie and The Great Gatsby, Underlying Themes in The Authors Work Free Essays on Glass Menagerie and The Great Gatsby, Underlying Themes in The Authors Work â€Å"It is not what an author says, but what he or she whispers that is important.† According to this adapted quote by Logan Pearsall Smith, the underlying message that the author is trying to convey, besides the text, is significant. Or, in other words, read between the lines. This statement is true and relevant because the writer’s feelings come out on paper while the they write, expressing more than just the story they are writing. In the play â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† by Tennessee Williams, the author injects a part of himself into his writing. Not only is he telling the story of Wingfield family, but he is also writing about the aspects and feelings of his own family as well. The use of vernacular language in the play aids in allowing the reader to see and feel exactly what is going on. This helps to let one relate to the play and see it as a real-life family, maybe Tennessee Williams’ own family. The use of setting in this play is also critical. The majority of the play taking place in the cramped apartment exudes a small confined place bursting with the emotions of three very different people. Perhaps this is also what Williams’ own home was like: full with clashing emotions. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald also has an underlying message, that one should always aspire to fulfill their dreams. He interwned this message in his text by utilizing theme. The story took place in the twenties, also known as the â€Å"Roaring Twenties.† This was an ideal time period for his book because that was a time of fun and dreams, when nothing couldn’t be accomplished. Young people threw parties and lived life to its full extent, fulfilling their dreams of good times and fun. This was Jay Gatsby’s life, the good life, except he was lacking in one thing that would make his life complete, the heart of Daisy Buchanan. He aimed to make his dream come true. I feel that it is very true that the â€Å"hidden† message ...

Contemporary social problems questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Contemporary social problems questions - Essay Example The main reason for the high rate of population growth is the poverty and related issues, which could be checked by the increase in the development. Industrial and urban development along with literacy and good standard of living can be of great help in this regard. The rapid growth of population in developing nations can be reduced by the industrialization and its benefits. A. There are various ways in which impoverished nations can be assisted in fighting the problems of malnutrition disease. The underdeveloped and the developing nations struggle due to poverty, hunger, and misery around. Wealthy nations have got much to contribute in this regard. They need to allocate more resources for humanitarian aid, which aim ultimately at the fight against malnutrition and disease in particular. They should also guarantee that the aid reaches its intended targets. Wealthy nations can assist the governments for using these new resources. An international fight against the problems of malnutrition and contaminated diseases and malnutrition can work for the best of such nations. International agencies, supported and funded by the wealthy nations can engage themselves for the betterment of these miserable people.

Nursing- breast cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Nursing- breast cancer - Essay Example Table 1 represent estimated breast cancer cases and deaths worldwide (see appendix). About three fourths of all women with cancer cases will be diagnosed invasive breast cancer (Stages I-IV). The chance of developing invasive breast cancer during a womans lifetime is approximately 1 in 7 (13.4%). Another one fourth will be diagnosed with in situ breast cancer, a very early form of the disease. Though much less common, breast cancer also occurs in men /National Breast Cancer Centre, 2005/. The incidence rate of breast cancer (number of new breast cancers per 100,000 women) increased by approximately 4% during the 1980s but levelled off a bit in the 1990s /National Breast Cancer Centre, 2005/.The death rates from breast cancer also declined significantly between 1992 and 1996, with the largest decreases among younger women. Medical experts impute the decline in breast cancer deaths to earlier detection and more efficient treatments. Let’s investigate and sum up the causes of breast cancer. Although, there are a number of researches devoted to the causes of this severe disease and the ways of reducing its chances, it’s obvious that we still can’t prevent it. However, these researches worked out the list of factors that affect our health and may cause the development of the breast cancer. All these factors belong either to â€Å"external† or â€Å"internal† environments /Breast Health, 2006/. â€Å"Internal environment† includes a number of things inside our bodies that influence our health, for example, genetics, hormones, illnesses, and feelings and thoughts. â€Å"External environment† relates to the things of the outer world that influence people’s health, such as air, water, food, danger, noise, people, and stress. Some of the above mentioned factors, such as genetic makeup and the medicines taken, have a very direct effect on the breast health. The impact of other, indirect factors, such as

Is the Quality Old Design Methods Better than Today's Essay

Is the Quality Old Design Methods Better than Today's - Essay Example This is because; the problems experienced today are by far too complex such that they can neither be solved by intuition nor can they be solved using traditional wisdom (Brand, 2005). Since design involves different tasks, it is necessary that different methods be incorporated. In earlier days before technology was incorporated in architectural design field, the industry practitioners used some elementary methods to facilitate the design process. As technology was adopted, these methods slowly faded away and as time went by, every practitioner became conversant with the new methods and from there henceforth, the new technological methods started dominating over the old methods (Brand, 2005). However, from the recent developments attributable to the new technological methods in design, a question tends to arise. Are they better in quality as compared to the preceding old methods? Therefore, this paper will aim at trying to answer the question concerning the quality of the old methods in design as compared to the current design methods, which have a technological aspect. Despite the fact the technology is ideal in every aspect of life if adopted, the older design methods, which did not entail technology, were meaningful and as such, they can be said to be of good quality than the contemporary methods (Brand, 2005). ... This method can be said of great quality as compared to the new technological design methods because, the knowledge obtained in such methods of design were practical (Hillis, 2008). Most of the contemporary design methods are largely theoretical and employ the practical notion very limitedly. For instance, in great cathedrals, the drawings therein were full size and as such, large sets of dividers used in older days design were widely used in setting out the masonry. Moreover, forms as well as shapes were psychologically developed in the minds of the craftsmen in a gradual way. Later, just before technology took reign, older designers were also making use small scale drawing. All these practical aspects of older design methods are used less in the contemporary design and this proves that the older methods are of more quality than the new (Hillis, 2008). In regard to the master as well as the apprentice system, the decisions concerning the design methods were based on the traditional grounds. As such, the design process was therefore done in special ways. The most precise reason for this is because; the processes had always been done within such ways. This is indeed absent in the new technological design methods. The older design methods such as apprenticeship could be used for anything, from building to ships. Today, there is a range of design methods and each method is used for a particular product (Hillis, 2008). Even today, admiration for the traditional products attributable to the old methods used in design can still be depicted from the people and as such, the admiration continues growing. This therefore is supposed to mean that the quality attributable to

Five Forces Analysis Of The Gresham Hotel Dublin Tourism Essay

Five Forces Analysis Of The Gresham Hotel Dublin Tourism Essay The Gresham Hotel, Dublin, is a four star quality accommodation and service hotel, located on OConnell Street in the heart of city center. At these days are employed 183 employees in the Gresham hotel Dublin, which is included all part time, casual and senior staff, all over the departments. The Gresham Hotel Dublin is part with other 4 hotels of Gresham Group located across Europe; they are situated on the city center of Hamburg, London, Brussels, Cork and Dublin. Type of business The Gresham Hotel is a Public Limited Company, means that all the debs of the business are cleared by the business and money is not taken out of the owners ´ personal funds. The Gresham Hotel is a separate legal entity from the owners. The company is permitted to offer shares to the public and must include the words Plc as part of company name. The Gresham Hotel, OConnell Street, is a four star hotel and this kind of business is based in service. They provide a wide range of facilities where all customers are well welcome with four star services. They also organize events such as weddings, parties and type of business nature. In each department of this organization is a Wide Span of Sontrol, the Manager/Supervisor is in charge of a large number of employees. It is also a Tall structure as the company has many levels of hierarchy. My duties in this company has the same standard as an employee which any reporting has to be made to the manager/supervisor ,following the manager/supervisor reporting to Duty Manager and this one reporting to Human Resources and finally the Human Resources to Director. This company is divided in many departments which are; Toddys bar-food and beverage, where I am present doing my work experience, my duties is mainly customer care. This department works fourteen people which two of them are supervisor. Writers bar-the main bar of the hotel which also serve food Kitchen department- this department runs all department involving food. Catering and Banqueting department- this department is responsible for all events Accountancy department Gallery restaurant- where at present is used for breakfast as this restaurant have been closest. External influence on organisation PEST The PEST analysis is a useful tool for understanding market growth or decline, this method is used to scan for the external, macro environment, factors that influences on any company. PEST analysis stands for; Political factors- include government regulations Economic factors affect the purchasing power of potential customers and the firms cost capital Social factors- include the demographic and cultural aspects Technological technology is vital for competitive advantage, and is a major driver of globalization. On The Gresham Hotel analysis, the external factors that may affect the company are; Political Opening and closing times this regulation set up the opening and closing hours in a business. Smoking ban -it is forbidden smoking indoors by law and affects the company in certain way. Economic Interest rate- due the economic situation nowadays, the interest rates defines people of spending or saving money. Unemployment levels- due the economic situation turndown, a number of customers decrease derived to increased of unemployment levels. Sociological Lifestyle change- nowadays the people pay more attention to product/service ´s price (cheaper option), drinking at home and also they start going later and spending less time in pub. Cultural- Drinking alcohol is an everyday part of adult life in Ireland. Nowadays customers spend less on drinks, drinking more at home. Technological Nowadays the technology more than ever is vital for competitive advantage. The technology has an impact on any company, such as tillà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Provide a quicker a efficient service to a customer Some duties as stocktaking can be changed by technology, saving time and money Technology offer to customer other facility ways such as booking a room, purchase vouchers, etc. The labor can be switched by technology PORTER FIVE FORCES Five Forces Analysis assumes that there are five important forces that determine competitive power in a situation.These are: Competitive Rivalry Majority of competitors have the similar strategies , indicating high competitive rivalry Differentiation between their main products/service is low, indicating high competitive rivalry. There are no substitute products available to customers, indicating high competitive rivalry. Many competitors have more or less the same size. Bargaining power of suppliers We realize, the fewer suppliers choices we have, more power they are over the company, and how easy it is to drive their prices up. Uniqueness product-The Guinness is an example of a powerful brand; the Guinness is supplied by a unique supplier, Some product based on food is supplied for a few choices companies where provide a unique service to a company. Bargaining power of customers Here we can see how easy it is customers to drive the prices down. The customer may have bargaining power when; When there is no substitute or a little differentiation over the product/service food and beverage is similar to those of someone else. switching to another product/service is not costly Price sensitive at this days, more than ever the customers are more sensitive to a product/service prices. Threats of new entrants A threat of new entrants is high if; Low barriers to entry economies of scale government legislations to encourage them to enter the industry differentiations on their product/service capital Threat of substitute products The treat of substitute is high when the product/service substitutes offer benefits similar and also when it is ease at customers can switch with low or no cost. Product/Service when a substitute product/service falls Cost of change no cost/low cost of switching a product/service Internal External influence on organisation SWOT The SWOT analysis is very important tool for carrying out a good strategic planning, and it is a powerful tool of the marketing. When it is a matter of companies that compete in a same market target, it is important that they detect the threats and opportunities in the company, by studying the external environment. It is also of fundamental importance that they evaluate the weaknesses and strengths points of the company, studying of its internal environment. During the analysis, when a strong point is realized, they must be emphasized to the utmost, and when a weak point is realized, the organization must act to control it or, at least, to minimize its effect. This technique is interesting, that means change, which very often contributes to the growth or not, it would be depended on the performance to correspond to the objectives of the organization. Strength Brand name this brand is well know national and international Location- located in city center 4 star hotel- this hotel provides a 4 star service and accommodation Wide range of facilities- Writers Bar, Toddy ´s Bar , fitness studio, SPA and restaurant 23 Business facilities Complimentary WIFI access in all conference rooms, Quadriga interactive TV systems in all rooms provides PPV movies, internet, music. 288 tasteful bedrooms, containing everything the discerning traveller would need, including spacious work desk Dedicated butler service for the meeting rooms Registration Lobby Fully air conditioned A range of audio visual equipment for hire Secreterial services www.gresham-hotels.com/dublin-city-hotels/business_facilities.asp Weaknesses Restaurant 23 remain closest, as the only restaurant available and considering a 4 star hotel, it creates a high impact on customers expectations. High cost product/service- nowadays, customers are more sensible to product/service prices, discontentment has been expressed by customers relating to product/service price to high. Poor employee ´s motivation- employee are unhappy with the management style, consequently will have impact on their organization Technology no updated- it causes a slower service and sometimes misunderstands between employees and customers because of it. Lack of marketing expertise ´s Opportunities New technology arrivals- nowadays there is a need of new technology, it means modernization to make the company more efficient. Marketing department- would be a great opportunity for growth and profit. Restaurant -reopen the restaurant in the hotel. New ways of advertising and promoting (radio, TV,Internet)- would let the people know about their offers and promotions for short and long term. Threats New regulations/tax- there is a threat of more regulations and higher taxes. World economy recession- would affect directly the hospitality economy and consequently the competition becomes higher between competitors. Price wars with competitors-the hospitality ´s competition is very high and price wars may become a huge threat. Strikes- the Gresham Hotel like other companies are minimizing their spending, changing their behavior with employees, consequently would be a threat for this organization. The Swot analysis above may help The Gresham Hotel growth by capitalizing on opportunities using their strengths and eliminating their weaknesses and threats. CONCLUSION This Environment Analysis was based on the Gresham Hotel, overall the company in many aspects has competitive advantage over their competitors. At the end of environment analysis where was scanned internally and externally by Swot, Pest and Porter Five Forces analysis we can understand better the Gresham Hotel ´s position facing to its competitors. Some disadvantages such as no restaurant available, heavy environment between managements and employees are in my opinion huge weak provoking a high impact on their company. The company has a good reputation among their customers and it has resources and vantages to face to its competitors if they capitalize on opportunities using their strength and eliminating their weaknesses and threats it would contribute for company ´s growing. RECOMMENDATIONS I would recommend more investment on marketing resources and also in technologies, which I truly believe they are main keys for company growth. It is essential that there is a good team spirit at work, therefore I believe that the management should reach an agreement between staff and managements interests.

William Carlos Williams The Rose - A Symbol of Love :: Williams Rose Essays

William Carlos Williams' The Rose - A Symbol of Love William Carlos Williams was a poet and writer who defied norms and constrictions in order to achieve new perspective and enlightenment, especially when it involved the tried and true. He sought to bring new life to old concepts through allowing imagination to shape the form, instead of allowing old ideas to influence our understanding of the subject. This is especially true in the poem "The Rose", which approaches a subject that may induce thoughts of significant others and prom-night disasters, and instead elaborates on the roots of the age-old symbol for love. To be honest, I have absolutely no idea what this poem is about, so hopefully something will make sense by the end of this paper. The poem starts out as a description of the flower that we all have either received, given, longed for, or been cut by. Instantly, there is the feel of conflict in the language that is being used. Abrasive, heavy words that could be used to describe a murder are mixed with other words that seem to convey a sense of hope and spacial energy. The clusters of thought that somehow constitute a complete sentence make the reading somewhat difficult from the very beginning, but it seems to take on a multi-layered personality as the poem plays itself out. Although there is no mention of the thorny stem, words such as 'sharper', 'cutting', and 'edge', instead describe the flower itself. The constant reference to materials that possess qualities different from any rose such as 'metal', 'copper', 'broken plate", and 'steel', serve to indicate that this flower is being seen through a set of eyes that have perhaps been cast and hardened by the capacity for love. In contrast to the Nine-Inch Nails words, there are several phrases that become rather ethereal in their incantation. "Grooved columns of air", "But if it ends the start has begun", and "penetrates the Milky Way without contact" all seem to place this flower at the very center of nothingness. This contrast brings to mind high quality photography, which can make an image seem to have sharp edges and contrast greatly with its background.

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 52-55

CHAPTER 52 The Sprawling 185-acre estate of Chateau Villette was located twenty-five minutes northwest of Paris in the environs of Versailles. Designed by Franà §ois Mansart in 1668 for the Count of Aufflay, it was one of Paris's most significant historical chateaux. Complete with two rectangular lakes and gardens designed by Le N;tre, Chateau Villette was more of a modest castle than a mansion. The estate fondly had become known as la Petite Versailles. Langdon brought the armored truck to a shuddering stop at the foot of the mile-long driveway. Beyond the imposing security gate, Sir Leigh Teabing's residence rose on a meadow in the distance. The sign on the gate was in English: PRIVATE PROPERTY. NO TRESPASSING. As if to proclaim his home a British Isle unto itself, Teabing had not only posted his signs in English, but he had installed his gate's intercom entry system on the right-hand side of the truck – the passenger's side everywhere in Europe except England. Sophie gave the misplaced intercom an odd look. â€Å"And if someone arrives without a passenger?† â€Å"Don't ask.† Langdon had already been through that with Teabing. â€Å"He prefers things the way they are at home.† Sophie rolled down her window. â€Å"Robert, you'd better do the talking.† Langdon shifted his position, leaning out across Sophie to press the intercom button. As he did, an alluring whiff of Sophie's perfume filled his nostrils, and he realized how close they were. He waited there, awkwardly prone, while a telephone began ringing over the small speaker. Finally, the intercom crackled and an irritated French accent spoke. â€Å"Chateau Villette. Who is calling?† â€Å"This is Robert Langdon,† Langdon called out, sprawled across Sophie's lap. â€Å"I'm a friend of Sir Leigh Teabing. I need his help.† â€Å"My master is sleeping. As was I. What is your business with him?† â€Å"It is a private matter. One of great interest to him.† â€Å"Then I'm sure he will be pleased to receive you in the morning.† Langdon shifted his weight. â€Å"It's quite important.† â€Å"As is Sir Leigh's sleep. If you are a friend, then you are aware he is in poor health.† Sir Leigh Teabing had suffered from polio as a child and now wore leg braces and walked with crutches, but Langdon had found him such a lively and colorful man on his last visit that it hardly seemed an infirmity. â€Å"If you would, please tell him I have uncovered new information about the Grail. Information that cannot wait until morning.† There was a long pause. Langdon and Sophie waited, the truck idling loudly. A full minute passed. Finally, someone spoke. â€Å"My good man, I daresay you are still on Harvard Standard Time.† The voice was crisp and light. Langdon grinned, recognizing the thick British accent. â€Å"Leigh, my apologies for waking you at this obscene hour.† â€Å"My manservant tells me that not only are you in Paris, but you speak of the Grail.† â€Å"I thought that might get you out of bed.† â€Å"And so it has.† â€Å"Any chance you'd open the gate for an old friend?† â€Å"Those who seek the truth are more than friends. They are brothers.† Langdon rolled his eyes at Sophie, well accustomed to Teabing's predilection for dramatic antics. â€Å"Indeed I will open the gate,† Teabing proclaimed,† but first I must confirm your heart is true. A test of your honor. You will answer three questions.† Langdon groaned, whispering at Sophie. â€Å"Bear with me here. As I mentioned, he's something of a character.† â€Å"Your first question,† Teabing declared, his tone Herculean. â€Å"Shall I serve you coffee, or tea?† Langdon knew Teabing's feelings about the American phenomenon of coffee. â€Å"Tea,† he replied.† Earl Grey.† â€Å"Excellent. Your second question. Milk or sugar?† Langdon hesitated.† Milk,†Sophie whispered in his ear. â€Å"I think the British take milk.† â€Å"Milk,† Langdon said. Silence. â€Å"Sugar?† Teabing made no reply. Wait! Langdon now recalled the bitter beverage he had been served on his last visit and realized this question was a trick. â€Å"Lemon!† he declared. â€Å"Earl Grey with lemon† â€Å"Indeed.† Teabing sounded deeply amused now. â€Å"And finally, I must make the most grave of inquiries.† Teabing paused and then spoke in a solemn tone. â€Å"In which year did a Harvard sculler last outrow an Oxford man at Henley?† Langdon had no idea, but he could imagine only one reason the question had been asked. â€Å"Surely such a travesty has never occurred.† The gate clicked open. â€Å"Your heart is true, my friend. You may pass.† CHAPTER 53 â€Å"Monsieur Vernet!† The night manager of the Depository Bank of Zurich felt relieved to hear the bank president's voice on the phone. â€Å"Where did you go, sir? The police are here, everyone is waiting for you!† â€Å"I have a little problem,† the bank president said, sounding distressed. â€Å"I need your help right away.† You have more than a little problem, the manager thought. The police had entirely surrounded the bank and were threatening to have the DCPJ captain himself show up with the warrant the bank had demanded. â€Å"How can I help you, sir?† â€Å"Armored truck number three. I need to find it.† Puzzled, the manager checked his delivery schedule. â€Å"It's here. Downstairs at the loading dock.† â€Å"Actually, no. The truck was stolen by the two individuals the police are tracking.† â€Å"What? How did they drive out?† â€Å"I can't go into the specifics on the phone, but we have a situation here that could potentially be extremely unfortunate for the bank.† â€Å"What do you need me to do, sir?† â€Å"I'd like you to activate the truck's emergency transponder.† The night manager's eyes moved to the LoJack control box across the room. Like many armored cars, each of the bank's trucks had been equipped with a radio-controlled homing device, which could be activated remotely from the bank. The manager had only used the emergency system once, after a hijacking, and it had worked flawlessly – locating the truck and transmitting the coordinates to the authorities automatically. Tonight, however, the manager had the impression the president was hoping for a bit more prudence. â€Å"Sir, you are aware that if I activate the LoJack system, the transponder will simultaneously inform the authorities that we have a problem.† Vernet was silent for several seconds. â€Å"Yes, I know. Do it anyway. Truck number three. I'll hold. I need the exact location of that truck the instant you have it.† â€Å"Right away, sir.† Thirty seconds later, forty kilometers away, hidden in the undercarriage of the armored truck, a tiny transponder blinked to life. CHAPTER 54 As Langdon and Sophie drove the armored truck up the winding, poplar-lined driveway toward the house, Sophie could already feel her muscles relaxing. It was a relief to be off the road, and she could think of few safer places to get their feet under them than this private, gated estate owned by a good-natured foreigner. They turned into the sweeping circular driveway, and Chateau Villette came into view on their right. Three stories tall and at least sixty meters long, the edifice had gray stone facing illuminated by outside spotlights. The coarse facade stood in stark juxtaposition to the immaculately landscaped gardens and glassy pond. The inside lights were just now coming on. Rather than driving to the front door, Langdon pulled into a parking area nestled in the evergreens. â€Å"No reason to risk being spotted from the road,† he said. â€Å"Or having Leigh wonder why we arrived in a wrecked armored truck.† Sophie nodded. â€Å"What do we do with the cryptex? We probably shouldn't leave it out here, but if Leigh sees it, he'll certainly want to know what it is.† â€Å"Not to worry,† Langdon said, removing his jacket as he stepped out of the car. He wrapped the tweed coat around the box and held the bundle in his arms like a baby. Sophie looked dubious. â€Å"Subtle.† â€Å"Teabing never answers his own door; he prefers to make an entrance. I'll find somewhere inside to stash this before he joins us.† Langdon paused. â€Å"Actually, I should probably warn you before you meet him. Sir Leigh has a sense of humor that people often find a bit†¦ strange.† Sophie doubted anything tonight would strike her as strange anymore. The pathway to the main entrance was hand-laid cobblestone. It curved to a door of carved oak and cherry with a brass knocker the size of a grapefruit. Before Sophie could grasp the knocker, the door swung open from within. A prim and elegant butler stood before them, making final adjustments on the white tie and tuxedo he had apparently just donned. He looked to be about fifty, with refined features and an austere expression that left little doubt he was unamused by their presence here. â€Å"Sir Leigh will be down presently,† he declared, his accent thick French. â€Å"He is dressing. He prefers not to greet visitors while wearing only a nightshirt. May I take your coat?† He scowled at the bunched-up tweed in Langdon's arms. â€Å"Thank you, I'm fine.† â€Å"Of course you are. Right this way, please.† The butler guided them through a lush marble foyer into an exquisitely adorned drawing room, softly lit by tassel-draped Victorian lamps. The air inside smelled antediluvian, regal somehow, with traces of pipe tobacco, tea leaves, cooking sherry, and the earthen aroma of stone architecture. Against the far wall, flanked between two glistening suits of chain mail armor, was a rough-hewn fireplace large enough to roast an ox. Walking to the hearth, the butler knelt and touched a match to a pre-laid arrangement of oak logs and kindling. A fire quickly crackled to life. The man stood, straightening his jacket. â€Å"His master requests that you make yourselves at home.† With that, he departed, leaving Langdon and Sophie alone. Sophie wondered which of the fireside antiques she was supposed to sit on – the Renaissance velvet divan, the rustic eagle-claw rocker, or the pair of stone pews that looked like they'd been lifted from some Byzantine temple. Langdon unwrapped the cryptex from his coat, walked to the velvet divan, and slid the wooden box deep underneath it, well out of sight. Then, shaking out his jacket, he put it back on, smoothed the lapels, and smiled at Sophie as he sat down directly over the stashed treasure. The divan it is, Sophie thought, taking a seat beside him. As she stared into the growing fire, enjoying the warmth, Sophie had the sensation that her grandfather would have loved this room. The dark wood paneling was bedecked with Old Master paintings, one of which Sophie recognized as a Poussin, her grandfather's second-favorite painter. On the mantel above the fireplace, an alabaster bust of Isis watched over the room. Beneath the Egyptian goddess, inside the fireplace, two stone gargoyles served as andirons, their mouths gaping to reveal their menacing hollow throats. Gargoyles had always terrified Sophie as a child; that was, until her grandfather cured her of the fear by taking her atop Notre Dame Cathedral in a rainstorm. â€Å"Princess, look at these silly creatures,† he had told her, pointing to the gargoyle rainspouts with their mouths gushing water. â€Å"Do you hear that funny sound in their throats?† Sophie nodded, having to smile at the burping sound of the water gurgling through their throats. â€Å"They're gargling,†her grandfather told her. â€Å"Gargariser! And that's where they get the silly name â€Å"gargoyles†.† Sophie had never again been afraid. The fond memory caused Sophie a pang of sadness as the harsh reality of the murder gripped her again. Grand-pere is gone.She pictured the cryptex under the divan and wondered if Leigh Teabing would have any idea how to open it. Or if we even should ask him.Sophie's grandfather's final words had instructed her to find Robert Langdon. He had said nothing about involving anyone else. We needed somewhere to hide, Sophie said, deciding to trust Robert's judgment. â€Å"Sir Robert!† a voice bellowed somewhere behind them. â€Å"I see you travel with a maiden.† Langdon stood up. Sophie jumped to her feet as well. The voice had come from the top of a curled staircase that snaked up to the shadows of the second floor. At the top of the stairs, a form moved in the shadows, only his silhouette visible. â€Å"Good evening,† Langdon called up. â€Å"Sir Leigh, may I present Sophie Neveu.† â€Å"An honor.† Teabing moved into the light.† Thank you for having us,† Sophie said, now seeing the man wore metal leg braces and used crutches. He was coming down one stair at a time. â€Å"I realize it's quite late.† â€Å"It is so late, my dear, it's early.† He laughed. â€Å"Vous n'etes pas Americaine?† Sophie shook her head. â€Å"Parisienne.† â€Å"Your English is superb.† â€Å"Thank you. I studied at the Royal Holloway.† â€Å"So then, that explains it.† Teabing hobbled lower through the shadows. â€Å"Perhaps Robert told you I schooled just down the road at Oxford.† Teabing fixed Langdon with a devilish smile. â€Å"Of course, I also applied to Harvard as my safety school.† Their host arrived at the bottom of the stairs, appearing to Sophie no more like a knight than Sir Elton John. Portly and ruby-faced, Sir Leigh Teabing had bushy red hair and jovial hazel eyes that seemed to twinkle as he spoke. He wore pleated pants and a roomy silk shirt under a paisley vest. Despite the aluminum braces on his legs, he carried himself with a resilient, vertical dignity that seemed more a by-product of noble ancestry than any kind of conscious effort. Teabing arrived and extended a hand to Langdon. â€Å"Robert, you've lost weight.† Langdon grinned. â€Å"And you've found some.† Teabing laughed heartily, patting his rotund belly. â€Å"Touche. My only carnal pleasures these days seem to be culinary.† Turning now to Sophie, he gently took her hand, bowing his head slightly, breathing lightly on her fingers, and diverting his eyes. â€Å"M'lady.† Sophie glanced at Langdon, uncertain whether she'd stepped back in time or into a nuthouse. The butler who had answered the door now entered carrying a tea service, which he arranged on a table in front of the fireplace. â€Å"This is Remy Legaludec,† Teabing said,† my manservant.† The slender butler gave a stiff nod and disappeared yet again. â€Å"Remy is Lyonais,†Teabing whispered, as if it were an unfortunate disease. â€Å"But he does sauces quite nicely.† Langdon looked amused. â€Å"I would have thought you'd import an English staff?† â€Å"Good heavens, no! I would not wish a British chef on anyone except the French tax collectors.† He glanced over at Sophie. â€Å"Pardonnez-moi, Mademoiselle Neveu. Please be assured that my distaste for the French extends only to politics and the soccer pitch. Your government steals my money, and your football squad recently humiliated us.† Sophie offered an easy smile. Teabing eyed her a moment and then looked at Langdon. â€Å"Something has happened. You both look shaken.† Langdon nodded. â€Å"We've had an interesting night, Leigh.† â€Å"No doubt. You arrive on my doorstep unannounced in the middle of the night speaking of the Grail. Tell me, is this indeed about the Grail, or did you simply say that because you know it is the lone topic for which I would rouse myself in the middle of the night?† A little of both, Sophie thought, picturing the cryptex hidden beneath the couch. â€Å"Leigh,† Langdon said,† we'd like to talk to you about the Priory of Sion.† Teabing's bushy eyebrows arched with intrigue. â€Å"The keepers. So this is indeed about the Grail. You say you come with information? Something new, Robert?† â€Å"Perhaps. We're not quite sure. We might have a better idea if we could get some information from you first.† Teabing wagged his finger. â€Å"Ever the wily American. A game of quid pro quo. Very well. I am at your service. What is it I can tell you?† Langdon sighed. â€Å"I was hoping you would be kind enough to explain to Ms. Neveu the true nature of the Holy Grail.† Teabing looked stunned. â€Å"She doesn't know?† Langdon shook his head. The smile that grew on Teabing's face was almost obscene. â€Å"Robert, you've brought me a virgin?† Langdon winced, glancing at Sophie. â€Å"Virgin is the term Grail enthusiasts use to describe anyone who has never heard the true Grail story.† Teabing turned eagerly to Sophie. â€Å"How much do you know, my dear?† Sophie quickly outlined what Langdon had explained earlier – the Priory of Sion, the Knights Templar, the Sangreal documents, and the Holy Grail, which many claimed was not a cup†¦ but rather something far more powerful. â€Å"That's all?† Teabing fired Langdon a scandalous look. â€Å"Robert, I thought you were a gentleman. You've robbed her of the climax!† â€Å"I know, I thought perhaps you and I could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Langdon apparently decided the unseemly metaphor had gone far enough. Teabing already had Sophie locked in his twinkling gaze. â€Å"You are a Grail virgin, my dear. And trust me, you will never forget your first time.† CHAPTER 55 Seated on the divan beside Langdon, Sophie drank her tea and ate a scone, feeling the welcome effects of caffeine and food. Sir Leigh Teabing was beaming as he awkwardly paced before the open fire, his leg braces clicking on the stone hearth. â€Å"The Holy Grail,† Teabing said, his voice sermonic. â€Å"Most people ask me only where it is. I fear that is a question I may never answer.† He turned and looked directly at Sophie. â€Å"However†¦ the far more relevant question is this: What is the Holy Grail?† Sophie sensed a rising air of academic anticipation now in both of her male companions. â€Å"To fully understand the Grail,† Teabing continued,† we must first understand the Bible. How well do you know the New Testament?† Sophie shrugged. â€Å"Not at all, really. I was raised by a man who worshipped Leonardo Da Vinci.† Teabing looked both startled and pleased. â€Å"An enlightened soul. Superb! Then you must be aware that Leonardo was one of the keepers of the secret of the Holy Grail. And he hid clues in his art.† â€Å"Robert told me as much, yes.† â€Å"And Da Vinci's views on the New Testament?† â€Å"I have no idea.† Teabing's eyes turned mirthful as he motioned to the bookshelf across the room. â€Å"Robert, would you mind? On the bottom shelf. La Storia di Leonardo.† Langdon went across the room, found a large art book, and brought it back, setting it down on the table between them. Twisting the book to face Sophie, Teabing flipped open the heavy cover and pointed inside the rear cover to a series of quotations. â€Å"From Da Vinci's notebook on polemics and speculation,† Teabing said, indicating one quote in particular. â€Å"I think you'll find this relevant to our discussion.† Sophie read the words. Many have made a trade of delusions and false miracles, deceiving the stupid multitude. – LEONARDO DA VINCI â€Å"Here's another,† Teabing said, pointing to a different quote. Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes! – LEONARDO DA VINCI Sophie felt a little chill. â€Å"Da Vinci is talking about the Bible?† Teabing nodded. â€Å"Leonardo's feelings about the Bible relate directly to the Holy Grail. In fact, Da Vinci painted the true Grail, which I will show you momentarily, but first we must speak of the Bible.† Teabing smiled. â€Å"And everything you need to know about the Bible can be summed up by the great canon doctor Martyn Percy.† Teabing cleared his throat and declared,† The Bible did not arrive by fax from heaven.† â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"The Bible is a product of man, my dear. Not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved through countless translations, additions, and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"Jesus Christ was a historical figure of staggering influence, perhaps the most enigmatic and inspirational leader the world has ever seen. As the prophesied Messiah, Jesus toppled kings, inspired millions, and founded new philosophies. As a descendant of the lines of King Solomon and King David, Jesus possessed a rightful claim to the throne of the King of the Jews. Understandably, His life was recorded by thousands of followers across the land.† Teabing paused to sip his tea and then placed the cup back on the mantel. â€Å"More than eighty gospels were considered for the New Testament, and yet only a relative few were chosen for inclusion – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John among them. â€Å"Who chose which gospels to include?† Sophie asked. â€Å"Aha!† Teabing burst in with enthusiasm. â€Å"The fundamental irony of Christianity! The Bible, as we know it today, was collated by the pagan Roman emperor Constantine the Great.† â€Å"I thought Constantine was a Christian,† Sophie said. â€Å"Hardly,† Teabing scoffed. â€Å"He was a lifelong pagan who was baptized on his deathbed, too weak to protest. In Constantine's day, Rome's official religion was sun worship – the cult of Sol Invictus, or the Invincible Sun – and Constantine was its head priest. Unfortunately for him, a growing religious turmoil was gripping Rome. Three centuries after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Christ's followers had multiplied exponentially. Christians and pagans began warring, and the conflict grew to such proportions that it threatened to rend Rome in two. Constantine decided something had to be done. In 325 A. D. , he decided to unify Rome under a single religion. Christianity.† Sophie was surprised. â€Å"Why would a pagan emperor choose Christianity as the official religion?† Teabing chuckled. â€Å"Constantine was a very good businessman. He could see that Christianity was on the rise, and he simply backed the winning horse. Historians still mar vel at the brilliance with which Constantine converted the sun-worshipping pagans to Christianity. By fusing pagan symbols, dates, and rituals into the growing Christian tradition, he created a kind of hybrid religion that was acceptable to both parties.† â€Å"Transmogrification,† Langdon said. â€Å"The vestiges of pagan religion in Christian symbology are undeniable. Egyptian sun disks became the halos of Catholic saints. Pictograms of Isis nursing her miraculously conceived son Horus became the blueprint for our modern images of the Virgin Mary nursing Baby Jesus. And virtually all the elements of the Catholic ritual – the miter, the altar, the doxology, and communion, the act of† God-eating† – were taken directly from earlier pagan mystery religions.† Teabing groaned. â€Å"Don't get a symbologist started on Christian icons. Nothing in Christianity is original. The pre-Christian God Mithras – called the Son of God and the Light of the World – was born on December 25, died, was buried in a rock tomb, and then resurrected in three days. By the way, December 25 is also the birthday of Osiris, Adonis, and Dionysus. The newborn Krishna was presented with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Even Christianity's weekly holy day was stolen from the pagans.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Originally,† Langdon said,† Christianity honored the Jewish Sabbath of Saturday, but Constantine shifted it to coincide with the pagan's veneration day of the sun.† He paused, grinning. â€Å"To this day, most churchgoers attend services on Sunday morning with no idea that they are there on account of the pagan sun god's weekly tribute – Sunday.† Sophie's head was spinning. â€Å"And all of this relates to the Grail?† â€Å"Indeed,† Teabing said. â€Å"Stay with me. During this fusion of religions, Constantine needed to strengthen the new Christian tradition, and held a famous ecumenical gathering known as the Council of Nicaea.† Sophie had heard of it only insofar as its being the birthplace of the Nicene Creed. â€Å"At this gathering,† Teabing said,† many aspects of Christianity were debated and voted upon – the date of Easter, the role of the bishops, the administration of sacraments, and, of course, the divinityof Jesus.† â€Å"I don't follow. His divinity?† â€Å"My dear,† Teabing declared,† until that moment in history, Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet†¦ a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless. A mortal.† â€Å"Not the Son of God?† â€Å"Right,† Teabing said. â€Å"Jesus' establishment as ‘the Son of God' was officially proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea.† â€Å"Hold on. You're saying Jesus' divinity was the result of a vote?† â€Å"A relatively close vote at that,† Teabing added. â€Å"Nonetheless, establishing Christ's divinity was critical to the further unification of the Roman empire and to the new Vatican power base. By officially endorsing Jesus as the Son of God, Constantine turned Jesus into a deity who existed beyond the scope of the human world, an entity whose power was unchallengeable. This not only precluded further pagan challenges to Christianity, but now the followers of Christ were able to redeem themselves only via the established sacred channel – the Roman Catholic Church.† Sophie glanced at Langdon, and he gave her a soft nod of concurrence. â€Å"It was all about power,† Teabing continued. â€Å"Christ as Messiah was critical to the functioning of Church and state. Many scholars claim that the early Church literally stole Jesus from His original followers, hijacking His human message, shrouding it in an impenetrable cloak of divinity, and using it to expand their own power. I've written several books on the topic.† â€Å"And I assume devout Christians send you hate mail on a daily basis?† â€Å"Why would they?† Teabing countered. â€Å"The vast majority of educated Christians know the history of their faith. Jesus was indeed a great and powerful man. Constantine's underhanded political maneuvers don't diminish the majesty of Christ's life. Nobody is saying Christ was a fraud, or denying that He walked the earth and inspired millions to better lives. All we are saying is that Constantine took advantage of Christ's substantial influence and importance. And in doing so, he shaped the face of Ch ristianity as we know it today.† Sophie glanced at the art book before her, eager to move on and see the Da Vinci painting of the Holy Grail. â€Å"The twist is this,† Teabing said, talking faster now. â€Å"Because Constantine upgraded Jesus' status almost four centuries after Jesus' death, thousands of documents already existed chronicling His life as a mortal man. To rewrite the history books, Constantine knew he would need a bold stroke. From this sprang the most profound moment in Christian history.† Teabing paused, eyeing Sophie. â€Å"Constantine commissioned and financed a new Bible, which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ's human traits and embellished those gospels that made Him godlike. The earlier gospels were outlawed, gathered up, and burned.† â€Å"An interesting note,† Langdon added. â€Å"Anyone who chose the forbidden gospels over Constantine's version was deemed a heretic. The word heretic derives from that moment in history. The Latin word haereticus means ‘choice.' Those who ‘chose' the original history of Christ were the world's first heretics.† â€Å"Fortunately for historians,† Teabing said,† some of the gospels that Constantine attempted to eradicate managed to survive. The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the 1950s hidden in a cave near Qumran in the Judean desert. And, of course, the Coptic Scrolls in 1945 at Nag Hammadi. In addition to telling the true Grail story, these documents speak of Christ's ministry in very human terms. Of course, the Vatican, in keeping with their tradition of misinformation, tried very hard to suppress the release of these scrolls. And why wouldn't they? The scrolls highlight glaring historical discrepancies and fabrications, clearly confirming that the modern Bible was compiled and edited by men who possessed a political agenda – to promote the divinity of the man Jesus Christ and use His influence to solidify their own power base.† â€Å"And yet,† Langdon countered,† it's important to remember that the modern Church's desire to suppress these documents comes from a sincere belief in their established view of Christ. The Vatican is made up of deeply pious men who truly believe these contrary documents could only be false testimony.† Teabing chuckled as he eased himself into a chair opposite Sophie. â€Å"As you can see, our professor has a far softer heart for Rome than I do. Nonetheless, he is correct about the modern clergy believing these opposing documents are false testimony. That's understandable. Constantine's Bible has been their truth for ages. Nobody is more indoctrinated than the indoctrinator.† â€Å"What he means,† Langdon said,† is that we worship the gods of our fathers.† â€Å"What I mean,† Teabing countered,† is that almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false.As are the stories about the Holy Grail.† Sophie looked again at the Da Vinci quote before her. Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes! Teabing reached for the book and flipped toward the center. â€Å"And finally, before I show you Da Vinci's paintings of the Holy Grail, I'd like you to take a quick look at this.† He opened the book to a colorful graphic that spanned both full pages. â€Å"I assume you recognize this fresco?† He's kidding, right? Sophie was staring at the most famous fresco of all time – The Last Supper – Da Vinci's legendary painting from the wall of Santa Maria delle Grazie near Milan. The decaying fresco portrayed Jesus and His disciples at the moment that Jesus announced one of them would betray Him. â€Å"I know the fresco, yes.† â€Å"Then perhaps you would indulge me this little game? Close your eyes if you would.† Uncertain, Sophie closed her eyes.† Where is Jesus sitting?† Teabing asked. â€Å"In the center.† â€Å"Good. And what food are He and His disciples breaking and eating?† â€Å"Bread.† Obviously.† Superb. And what drink?† â€Å"Wine. They drank wine.† â€Å"Great. And one final question. How many wineglasses are on the table?† Sophie paused, realizing it was the trick question. And after dinner, Jesus took the cup of wine, sharing it with His disciples. â€Å"One cup,† she said. â€Å"The chalice.† The Cup of Christ.The Holy Grail. â€Å"Jesus passed a single chalice of wine, just as modern Christians do at communion.† Teabing sighed. â€Å"Open your eyes.† She did. Teabing was grinning smugly. Sophie looked down at the painting, seeing to her astonishment that everyone at the table had a glass of wine, including Christ. Thirteen cups. Moreover, the cups were tiny, stemless, and made of glass. There was no chalice in the painting. No Holy Grail. Teabing's eyes twinkled. â€Å"A bit strange, don't you think, considering that both the Bible and our standard Grail legend celebrate this moment as the definitive arrival of the Holy Grail. Oddly, Da Vinci appears to have forgotten to paint the Cup of Christ.† â€Å"Surely art scholars must have noted that.† â€Å"You will be shocked to learn what anomalies Da Vinci included here that most scholars either do not see or simply choose to ignore. This fresco, in fact, is the entire key to the Holy Grail mystery. Da Vinci lays it all out in the open in The Last Supper† Sophie scanned the work eagerly. â€Å"Does this fresco tell us what the Grail really is?† â€Å"Not what it is,† Teabing whispered. â€Å"But rather who it is. The Holy Grail is not a thing. It is, in fact†¦ a person†

Fraternity Violence in Higher Education

Fraternity Violence in Higher Education Fraternity-Related Violence and Deaths Statistics of deaths in U.S. school campuses suggest that there are more than 60 fraternity-related deaths since 2005. The common causes of deaths are fraternity hazing and pledge-related activities, clashes between fraternities, and gang rape. Moreover, these deadly fraternal activities occurred in fraternity houses on college campuses around the world. In Istanbul for instance, members of rival fraternity brutally stabbed a student of Ege University who later died in the hospital. Neophytes of school fraternity have to undergo physically demanding rites and rituals to become a full member of the group. However, some initiation rites are so violent and deadly such as the hazing incident that killed Michael Davis, a junior journalism student at Missouri State University in 1994. VIOLENCE AGAINST FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS The hallmark of all hazing deaths according to one study is the failure of fraternity members to recognize the severity of hazing situation while the common cause of student death is severe injuries from brutal beatings. Other fraternity-related injuries and deaths include clashes between rival fraternities, fires in fraternity houses, and binge drinking. Fraternity violence is a campus safety issue and poses ethical problems which violate  rules and honor codes. Why fraternities still exist? Fraternity and Academic Institutions’ Civil and Criminal Liability In defense of fraternities, fraternity leaders argue that they are student organization symbolizing the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity in school. Moreover, although they did cause some serious problems in the past, they did a number of good things like charity and community service. In other words, the â€Å"good outweighs the harms†. Under the law, schools have duties of care to keep students safe and therefore legally liable for injuries and deaths caused by fraternity violence. For instance, in Furek v. The university of Delaware, the trial court awarded Jeffrey Furek damages for fraternity hazing injuries. The University provided 93% of this damage award while the remaining 7% came from Joseph Donchez, the fraternity member directly responsible for the injuries. The national fraternity, on the other hand, was free of any liability. The court announced that the duty of reasonable care was breached when the university, despite its knowledge of ongoing hazing activities inside the campus, failed to protect Furek from harm. VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES AND SCHOOL VIOLENCE There is clearly a good reason why some universities banned and refused to recognize any fraternity. In 1983 for instance, Princeton University, after banning three fraternities for over a century, announced that it would continue to deny fraternities and sororities of school’s recognition. Similarly, responding to fraternity violence and incident of gang rape on campus, the University of Pennsylvania successfully disbanded a fraternity through a court order. In reality, fraternities can have unrecognized chapters in any school thus colleges and universities must be ready to defend themselves against potential liability associated with a duty of care. Since liability is highly dependent on school officials’ reaction to knowledge of hazing activities and performance of their duty to care, the best defense probably is to create and enforced an anti-hazing policy. The reason is the fact that school officials primarily need to convince the court that they are against hazing. Second, the court cannot use the reaction to knowledge of hazing as infringement, as hazing activities outside school premises is difficult to detect and clearly outside an officials’ assumed duty of care.

Global Poverty Trends and Global Trade Challenges The WritePass Journal

Global Poverty Trends and Global Trade Challenges Introduction Global Poverty Trends and Global Trade Challenges ) defines poverty as a deprivation of basic human needs. These comprise of material and non-material needs that are required to facilitate a comfortable life. High levels of poverty lead to social exclusion, which limits the capability of individuals or groups to actively contribute towards community or national development as a result of limited resources (Nolan Whelan, 2010). Several efforts have been made to increase the income of people across the globe to enable them afford basic needs. Most of the people that have affected by poverty are from developing countries in Africa, Asia, and South America (World Bank, 2013). There have also been efforts aimed at increasing the affordability of these basic items. Such efforts include placing subsidies on basic commodities, which have been successfully implemented in countries like Egypt   (Reuters, 2013). Even with these efforts in place, there are several other factors that limit the success of these efforts, especially in developin g countries (Alkire Foster, 2011). Some of these factors include corruption, brain drain of educated professionals and unequal price distribution, which often creates a wide gap between the rich and poor. According to statistics from the World Bank, a total population of 1.22 billion across the globe lived under the poverty line (spending $1.25 per day). Comparing this to 1990 where the statistics were at 1.91 billion living under the poverty line, an improvement has been made (World Bank, 2013). This is a clear indication of the effectiveness of strategies that have been implemented to fight poverty. This paper intends to present an in-depth discussion of poverty and transformations that have taken place within the past four decades. It also seeks to examine the social, political and economic challenges that result from global trade and inequality. Poverty and its Causes As mentioned in the previous section of this report, poverty is the deprivation of basic material and non-material needs. It is classified into absolute and relative poverty. The present-day absolute poverty line has been set by the Word Bank at $1.5 and $2.5 a day (Couch et al., 2010). Relative poverty is referred to as an estimate of inequalities in income. It is usually calculated as the percentage of people that live below a certain income median (Couch et al., 2010). Given that economic conditions vary from one country to another, the causes of poverty in different countries also differ. Pointers of poverty include unemployment, homelessness, famine, poor sanitation, high infant mortality rates and illiteracy (Gilder, 2012). With reference to developing countries, one of the key causes is the rapid increase in population. A good example of this is India, where the annual population increase for the last 45 years has been at an average of 2.2% (Karuna, 2012). This translates to a n addition of 17 million people annually, which causes a strain on the available resources, making it difficult to sufficiently cater for their basic needs.   Governments have the responsibility of ensuring that the livelihoods of their citizens are improved. However, vices, such as corruption, limit the possibility of attaining the poverty reduction objectives. According to (Johnston, 2009), corruption diverts, distorts and delays growth in economy. As a result of corruption, the elite or wealthy in the country continue progressing while the poor or less privileged plunge deeper into poverty.   The poor are also denied access to health, education and other social services that are needed to empower them to effectively contribute towards national building (Fisman Miguel, 2008). Illiteracy also contributes towards an increase in poverty because it limits the capability of individuals to be innovative or entrepreneurial, resulting in an overdependence on natural resources or fore ign aid (Teal, 2011). Other factors that contribute to the poverty statistics include unemployment, inflation, lack of capital to support entrepreneurship and a general lack effective policies that are meant to eliminate poverty. Khan and Bashir (2012) argue that poverty is a complicated phenomenon, which makes it quite challenging to exhaustively explain its causes. Some of the theorists in this field, such as Furnham   and Gunter (1984) are of the view that people who are prone to poverty are those who have little or no regard for the future. Instead, they use up their resources to â€Å"live for the moment† (Andersen Taylor, 2007). Other theorists argue that the poor have feelings of inferiority, hopelessness and powerlessness, which are passed on from generation to generation. As a result, it becomes difficult for their economic predicaments to be solved. Whilst these views are based on the notion that the poor have themselves to blame for their situations, other are of the view that among the poor, there are those who have the will to work hard if they are given the chance. However, they are limited by their inability to access education that is a prerequisite for obtaining well-paying jobs (Gi lder, 2012). Poverty Trends over the last 40 years Even though it is challenging to get accurate statistics on the actual changes that have taken place in poverty statistics over the last ten decades, a general improvement has been recorded in poverty eradication efforts (World Bank, 2013). In a report by the UN that explored poverty trends between 1981 and 2005, the findings indicated that even though the developing world still has the highest poverty levels, there has been a significant reduction in the severity and depth of extreme poverty, 0.5 billion less people living under the poverty line in 2005 than in 1981 (United Nations, 2010). This is arguably a positive move, given that these are the regions that record the highest levels of population growth. One of the factors that are responsible for these trends is expansion in the global economy, which has resulted in higher average per capita income levels, both in developing ad developed nations (Collier Dollar, 2002). Comparing the current income with the 1960s, there has been an average growth in GDP levels at an average annual rate of 4.1%, while the high and middle income countries have had their GDPs increase by averages of 3.2% and 4.2% per annum respectively. The chart below represents the global poverty trends between 1981 and 2005 (United Nations, 2010). Despite the improvements indicated in Fig. 1 above, a projected increase in populations of developing countries points out the necessity of their governing bodies to ensure that they formulate appropriate policies that will ensure sustenance in economic growth (World Bank, 2012). This is a prerequisite for poverty eradication. Even though it is a general view of the majority that poverty affects developing countries, developed nations are also directly affected by it. For instance, the United States of America has a total population of 46 million living in poverty (Povertyusa.org, 2013). Unlike the general poverty line that is set for the global statistics, a family of four with an annual income of less than the set threshold of $23,050 can be referred to as living in poverty (HHS, 2012). In the UK, the threshold is at  £100 per week for an adult,  £183 per week for a household with two adults and  £268 for a household of four, which comprises of two adults and two children (Cl ay et al., 2012). Poverty trends within the past few decades also indicate the notable differences in economic growth in different countries. For instance, between 1999 and 2005, there was a significant general decline in the population living on under $1.25 a day (United Nations, 2010). However, the highest decline occurred in the Pacific and East Asia, which were then characterized by explosive growths in the economy and improved living standards, especially in China. The chart below represents the trends of people living under $1.25 a day in different world regions (United Nations, 2010). From the trends on the chart above, it is evident that while the overall number of people living below $1.25 a day is reducing, Sub-Saharan African countries are among those facing challenges in attaining this poverty reduction goal. On the other hand, countries from East Asia and the Pacific are among those that have managed to register a significant reduction of the number of people living below this poverty line (United Nations, 2010).The Effects of Poverty on Business There are several effects that poverty has on the business environment. The most direct impact of poverty on business is that there is a minimal potential of growth. This is especially the case for businesses that deal in products or services that are not basic. The reason for this is that the majority of the target market lacks the disposable income to purchase products out of their basic needs. This explains the concentration of businesses in urban centres, where the average income is usually the highest. One of the main outcomes of poverty is crime, where the poor engage in different criminal activities to get themselves out of poverty. Some of the main crimes include robbery and corruption. According to kipo, any crime that results from poverty has a significantly adverse impact on business. For instance, violent robbery scares potential clients and a result, limits the levels sales. In addition to the potential reduction of business sales, businesses are also at a risk of losing their revenue to insecurity. From the findings presented in fig. 2 above that indicate a drop in the levels of poverty, it can be inferred that the consequences for the business environment is also positive. This is exhibited by the overall growth in the number of businesses across the world. Challenges Arising from International Trade and Global Inequality As globalization gradually increases in the present-day business environment, there are different opportunities and challenges that are presented as a result of this (Bigman, 2002). Some of the opportunities that globalization has presented include elimination of national barriers to facilitate trade between nations and increased foreign direct investments in developing and emerging economies to capture the available market opportunities (Foskett Maringe, 2010). This has also contributed to an overall increase in the average per-capita income across the world. However, with these opportunities come underlying challenges that mainly result from global inequalities and international trade (Apple, 2013). The implications that the international trade and global inequality have on business are discussed in this section. Social Challenges As the effects of globalization continue to be felt across the world, one of the key challenges that occur as a result of this is brain drain. Often referred to as capital flight, this is the movement or immigration or people with high levels of skills, knowledge and intelligence from a particular country to another (Agrawal et al., 2011). This mainly affects developing countries, where their academic elite immigrate to developing nations in pursuance of better opportunities. Even though it can be argued as a positive move for the individuals who are moving out, the cumulative impact on the home nation is adverse (Docquier Rapoport, 2012).   The World Bank estimates that by 1990, the human capital that had moved from Africa to other developed countries could be equated to 40% of its wealth (approximately $360 billion) (Ndulu, 2004). Developing countries are usually characterized by capital scarcity and therefore, further loss of this scarce resource to developed countries undermin es the sustainability and development potentials of these developing nations. Professionals that move to developed countries could otherwise positively contribute towards the long-term improvement of the business and socio-economic statuses of these countries. However, their moves can be justified because of the limited opportunities presented in the developing countries (Agrawal et al., 2011).   Another challenge lies in the diversity of cultures, religions and other social frameworks (Collier Dollar, 2002). Globalization has been characterized by increased diversities that have brought about tensions in several business aspects, especially human resource management (Docquier Rapoport, 2012). Currently, one of the most sensitive challenges in human resource management is cultural diversity. Thus, it is vital for human resource managers to ensure that the business environment is balanced enough to accommodate people from different economic backgrounds (Crane Matten, 2004). Othe r social challenges include racial discrimination, human trafficking and threatening of family units as members move into other nations in search of better lives. Global inequality can also refer to the unequal distribution of professional or entrepreneurial skills across the globe. The effect of this on business is that it makes it difficult for businesses operating in some regions to get employees with the desired skills locally. As a result of this, companies spend more money either training employees or hiring expatriates from other countries. Economic Challenges The inequalities that exist in different nations also pose economic challenges on the countries, their citizens and companies that invest in those countries (Nolan Whelan, 2010). One of the economic challenges is because of the different currencies that are used in different countries across the world. Fluctuations in these currency exchange rates have a wide range of repercussions on the company revenues (Bigman, 2002). Global trade has also resulted in the rise of new international powers, commonly referred to as emerging economies. These include Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRICS) (Collier Dollar, 2002). Whilst this can be considered as a move in the right direction for these economies, the fact that they are recording faster economic growth rates that other economies has an effect on the international trade structures, the flow of human capital and natural resource-consumption patterns (Bigman, 2002). Another economic challenge is brought about by the inequalities in income levels of different countries, which may cause multinationals to take advantage of this to pay workers in developing countries poorly and overwork them as they seek cheap labour (Collier Dollar, 2002). An example of this was highlighted by (Chamberlain, 2011) that   in South China, workers at Apple work for excessive hours to meet the international demands of the company’s   products. Foxconn   is also another example of companies that provide workers, especially in developing countries with draconian working conditions, which occasionally lead to employee suicides (Chamberlain, 2011). Political Challenges Political challenges that affect global trade comprise of those that are outside the control of governments and those perpetrated by the government or the political elite (Henry Springborg, 2010). One of the challenges is created by governments is corruption, especially in developing countries. Countries that are known to be corrupt often have political leaders who require favours from companies in form of bribes or job positions before being allowed to operate smoothly (Reuters, 2013). One key disadvantage of this is that companies that stick to their ethical codes of conduct may either be denied investment opportunities or may have their operations disrupted by rogue government officials. This results into an imbalanced competitive environment in favour of corrupt businesses. Some of the most corrupt countries in the world are North Korea, Libya, Iraq, Syria and Somalia, which are all developing countries (Reuters, 2013). High tax tariffs and interest rates on loans are also polit ical challenges that increase capital expenditures of investors and a result, reduce their profit margins (McGrew, 2000). Political challenges that are caused by factors out of the government’s influence include revolutions, wars, strikes and terrorism (Campante Chor, 2012). One of the most recent events that paused challenges to businesses in Arab countries was the Arab spring that started in 2010, which affected many Arab countries in Northern Africa and the Middle East (Willis, 2012). Others include constant terrorism activities that take place, perpetrated by extremist movements. For instance, Nigeria is among the countries that, regardless of the rich oil reserves that they have, are accustomed to high levels of corruption, and terrorism. As a result if this, large oil companies like Agip, Shell and Mobil have had challenges operating in the country (Shah, 2014). Conclusion There are several definitions of poverty that have been given by different researchers. However, as earlier presented in the paper, it is a complicated issue whose causes cannot be exhaustively established. This paper has provided an overview of the global poverty by providing an in-depth definition of absolute and relative poverty. It has also outlined some of the key causes of poverty across the globe. Global poverty trends over the past few decades have also been discussed in this paper. Even though the trend indicates a reasonable decline in global poverty levels, some countries have not managed to eliminate poverty as much as others. Some of the countries that have effectively managed to reduce poverty significantly include those in East Asia and the Pacific. On the other hand, poverty still remains a challenge in several countries in regions like Sub Sahara Africa. With a high anticipated population growth by 2050 that is likely to increase the strain on available resources, go vernments ought to implement strategies that will contribute towards economic growth so as to sustain these growing populations. Whereas globalization has provided several opportunities for global business, it has also posed several social, political and economic challenges, especially due to the existent global inequality. Some of these challenges have also been discussed in this paper. Aspects that should be addressed in future research include the possible future global trends of poverty. References Agrawal, A., Kapur, D., McHale, J. Oettl, A., 2011. Brain drain or brain bank? The impact of skilled emigration on poor-country innovation. Journal of Urban Economics, 69(1), pp. 43-55. Alkire, S. Foster, J., 2011. Counting and multidimensional poverty measurement. Journal of Public Economics, 95(7), pp.476-87. Andersen, M.L. Taylor, ‎H.F., 2007. Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society, Updated: Understanding a Diverse Society. Mason: Cengage Learning. Apple, M.W., 2013. Thinking Internationally and Paying Our Debts: Critical Thoughts on Diversity, Globalization, and Education. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 49(3), pp.118-20. Bigman, D., 2002. Globalization and the Developing Countries: Emerging Strategies for Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation. Cambridge: CABI. Campante, F.R. Chor, D., 2012. Why was the Arab World Poised for Revolution? Schooling, Economic Opportunities, and the Arab Spring. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 26(2), pp.167-87. Chamberlain, G., 2011. Apples Chinese workers treated inhumanely, like machines. The Guardian, 30 April. Clay, S. et al., 2012. Family Resources Survey. London, UK: Office of National Statistics Department of Work and Pensions. Collier, P. Dollar, D‎., 2002. Globalization, Growth, and Poverty: Building an Inclusive World Economy. Washington, DC: World Bank. Couch, K., Smeeding, T.M. Waldfogel, J., 2010. Fighting poverty: Attentive policy can make a huge difference. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 29(2), pp.401-07. Crane, A. Matten, D., 2004. Business ethics, a European perspective: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Docquier, F. Rapoport, H., 2012. Globalization, brain drain, and development. Journal of Economic Literature, 50(3), pp.681-730. 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Working with Others Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Working with Others - Essay Example As I progressed, another strategy I used was to be supportive. I ensured that I offer support to those who are in need of help. My exhibition of generosity helped me develop a number of important relationships at work. Another vital point in my work was that I adopted the habit of speaking positively about others. The benefit was that as I spoke about others in a positive way, others who heard me counted me as a good personality. As a result, I have found that the number of people who were ready to help me increases day by day. Another important strategy in building positive relationships at work was to present my skills and knowledge in front of others. I ensured that I exhibit my skills and proficiency in all the office meetings. It became clear that as I presented things in an interesting way, all my colleagues were happy listening to me and appreciating me. Thus, I learnt the fact that showing my abilities is very necessary to make other people approach me. In addition, I ensured that I encourage collaboration. For that purpose, I invited others to share my works and offered them to share their works. This way I ensure that other people around me are felt valued. Moreover, I have to mention here that I ensure that I keep the people around me happy through adopting a pleasing personality and a sense of humour. Furthermore, it is my strategy to behave in a polite way to everyone in the organisation. I ensure that a degree of politeness is kept while interacting with everyone from any position.

Norman Rockwells Paintings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Norman Rockwells Paintings - Essay Example The paper "Norman Rockwell’s Paintings" explores the artworks of Norman Rockwell. Rockwell believes that although one of the student stares outside the window as a sign of individualism, they will be attentive and focussed children. The drawing is all inspiring because it communicates idealism. The painting portrays a learning experience for students, teachers, and adult learners. The artist had an insightful observation of Russian classroom experience of school children in the 1960s (Marina Forbes. Russian education system). The artist reflects what he observed during his visit and his amusement with what he saw in the Soviet Union. This encouraged him to think about the events and inspired other students in all classes. It is also an inspiration to teachers and parents on how children can on their own stay focused.Hall believes that the painting is a portrait of the problems we daily live with and has been embraced as a civil rights’ important symbol. It acted as a re membrance when the United States Supreme Court declared the racial segregation unconstitutional. The painting has a young determined black girl who is going to school under escort. This symbolizes victory on the black race following the court verdict that it is unconstitutional for a state law to establish separate public schools for blacks and whites. This brings out Norman as a supporter of equality and tolerance. The painting shows the declaration by Norman that the federal Supreme Court stated firmly that segregation is illegal.