The Superstitious Life

Superstitions are Bored Superstitions are like a bad lie depends on you if you believe in it, superstitions depends on â€Å"good look† that is a different and more joyful word to say destiny, the begging of superstitions are more like the cause of the problems and the consequences aren’t â€Å"bad luck† the real consequences are â€Å"you brake it you pay it†. The consequences are the same in the superstitions and in the â€Å"real life† because if you pass under a ladder something can fall in your head and I think that could the â€Å"bad luck† for passing under a ladder.The â€Å"good luck† consequences, are also completely false because one time I hit my elbow, my mom told me don’t rub yourself and you will get good luck, I follow the advice of my mother and nothing happened, so is kind of fool to believe in superstitions. For many people the superstitions are like part of their life and let’s be intelligent you donâ €™t depend on your â€Å"luck†, life depends on your attitude. Also the â€Å"superstitions â€Å"are different around the world because in some place the action you make here means something and maybe in china means another.Traditions are also like â€Å"superstitions† because you decide the way things’ sense let’s say an example in some parts of the world if you burp at the table you don’t have education, but in India if you don’t burp means that you didn’t like the food, so is completely contradictory. But this is my personal opinion and you don’t have to follow my thoughts, everyone can have different ideas and believe whatever you want. Be yourself and have a pleasant and good life. By Ricardo Linares Hernandez 3rd A

Capital structure

A review of capital structure theories 1. 0 Introduction One of the most contentious flnancial issues that have provoked intense academic research during the last decades is the theory of capital structure. Capital structure can be defined as a ‘Mix of different securities issued by a firm' (Brealey and Myers, 2003). Simply speaking, capital structure mainly contains two elements, debt and equity.In 1958, through combining tax and debt factors in a simple model to price the value of a company, Modigliani and Miller firstly begin to explore a modern capital structure theory, and their work inspired this area study. However, the MM theory has no practical use because It lacks of direct guidance for companies to determine capital structure In real Ilfe (Baxter, 1967; Sarlg and Warga, 1989; Vernimmen et al, 2005).During the past years, researchers strived to establish a more reasonable capital structure theory that can be put into practices efficiently, and they attempted to expand debt ratio and tax advantage factors Into a new area. Myers (1984) states that only practical capital structure theories, which Introducing adjustment cost that includes agency cost and information asymmetry problems, ould provide a useful guidance for firms to determine their capital structure.However, from recent studies, Myers (2001) believes that how information differences and agency costs Influence the capital structure Is still an open question. From this perspective, it is very important to review the development of these two factors which make theoretical research having a strong relationship with reality. Thus, this project will summarize the capital structure theories orientated by agency cost and asymmetric Information from extant literature. Also some gaps and conflicts among heories of capital structure will be found and discussed In order to further Improve this area study.The rest of this project is arranged as follows. Section 2 will present the theories based on a gency costs that causes the conflicts between equity holders and debt holders or managers. Section 3 will Illustrate from two areas, Interplay of capital structure and Investment, followed by signal effect of debt ratio, to show the theories based on asymmetric information. In conclusion, Section 4 will summarize the entire essay and suggest further research direction of capital structure theory. 0 Capital structure theories based on agency costs Although Berry and Means (1931, cited in Myers, 2001) state an adverse relationship between the separated ownership and corporate control status, it commonly admits that Jensen and Meckling (1976) firstly conducted the research in how agency costs determine capital structure (Harris and Ravlv, 1991 Over the past decades, researchers have tried to add agency costs to capital structure models (Harris and Raviv, 1991). The perfect alignment between firm investors and firm agencies, such as managers, does not exist (Myers, 2001 ).According to J ensen and Meckling (1976), company agents, the managers, always emphasize on their own interests, such as high salary and reputation. Also these company agents use ‘entrenching investments', which make the asset and capital structure orientated by the 1 OF3 company holders (Chen and Kensinger, 1992). However, Myers (2001) believes that the firm holders can reduce such transferred value through using different kinds of methods of control and supervising, but he further points out the weakness that these methods are expensive and reduce returns.As a result, the perfect monitoring system is out of work, and agency costs are produced from these conflicts. According to Jensen and Meckling (1976), the conflicts between investors and agencies are generally divided into two types. The first conflict occurs between debt holders and equity holders, and the second conflict is from between equity holders and managers. Consequently, all the capital structure theories based on agency costs can be also classified based on these two conflicts. In the rest of this section, each individual conflict will be separately discussed. 1 Conflicts between Debt holders and Equity holders Jensen and Meckling (1976) point out that agency costs problems happen in determining the structure of a firms' capital when the conflict between debt holders and equity holders is caused by debt contracts. Similar to Jensen and Meckling's conclusion, Myers (1977) observes that since equity holders bear the whole cost of the investment and debt holders get the main part of the profits from the investment, equity holders may have no interest in investing in value-increasing businesses when ompanies are likely to face bankruptcy in the short term future.Thus, if debt occupies a large part of firms' capital, it will lead to the rejection of investing in more value-increased business projects. However, in 1991, Harris and Raviv cast a contrasting opinion to adjust the capital structure theory based on this conflict. They point out that most debt contracts give equity holders a push power to invest sub- optimally investment project. If the investment fails, due to limited liability, debt holders bear the consequences of a decline of the debt value, but equity holders get ost of yields if the investment could generate returns above the debt par value.In order to prevent debt holders from receiving unfair treatment, equity holders normally get less for the debt than original expectation from debt holders. Thus, the agency costs are created by equity holders who issue the debt rather than debt holders' reason (Harris and Raviv, 1991). Tradeoff capital structure theory has a basic and strong relationship with this type of agency costs. However, different researchers hold various explanations of the relationship.Myers (1977) points out the debt cost eason, Green (1984) announces that convertible bonds can reduce the asset substitution problem which comes from the tradeoff theory, Stul z and Johnson (1985) consider about collateral effect. In the end, only Diamond model (1989) is widely accepted. If Equity holders do not consider reputational reason, they are willing to trade relatively safe projects, but this activity will lead to less debt financing (Diamond, 1989; Mike et al, 1997). Diamond model (1989) assumes two tradeoffs, risky and risk-free, to show that the debt repayment should consider both possible nvestment plans.Furthermore, Mike et al (1997) use empirical evidence to indicate how to use debt to trade off these two optional investment plans. Moreover, in 1991, Harris and Raviv expanded Diamond's model to three investment choices. They point out that one choice of investment can only contain the risk-free project, one option In fact, since the reputation factor is vital for a manager, managers are willing to choose risk-free investment projects that have more possibility of success. Consequently, the amount of debt is often reduced by managers. Capital Structure CAPITAL STRUCTUREQ1. Which of the following statements is/are correct? (MRQ)The cost of equity is higher than the cost of debtWACC is inversely proportional to the market valueAn increase in the cost of equity leads to an increase in share price Debt is less risky as interest is always received but paid at last in an event of liquidation (2 marks) Q2. Which of the following statements is not a part of the traditional theory of capital structure? (MCQ)There must be no taxes as it's a perfect capital market As the gearing level increases it's an indication of an increase in the cost of debt When the cost of equity increases the effect is translated on to the gearing level of the company resulting in its decreaseThe WACC will be at optimum when the market value of the company is at its lowest (2 marks) Q3. The Manager of Alpha believes that there is an optimal balance of debt and equity. The Manager of Zeta believes that the gearing decisions have no effect on the business value. Which theories are the managers relating to? (P&D)Manager Alpha Manager Zeta MM THEORY(with Tax) MM THEORY(without Tax) TRADITIONAL THEORY(2 marks) Q4. Select the appropriate option in relation to the capital market. (HA)Taxes are inapplicable PERFECT MARKET IMPERFECT MARKETHigh chances of bankruptcy PERFECT MARKET IMPERFECT MARKETBorrowing is up to a limited level PERFECT MARKET IMPERFECT MARKET(2 marks) Q5. Which of the following relates to the high level of gearing? (MRQ)Agency CostTax ExhaustionDifferences in risk tolerance levels between shareholders and directorsNo borrowing limits are specified(2 marks) Q6. Bache Co. leaves its operating risk unchanged after including the increased debt finance in its capital structure. Which of the following correctly describes the effect on the company's cost of capital and market value assuming perfect capital market with corporation tax? (HA)WACC INCREASE DECREASE UNAFFECTEDCost of Equity INCREASE DECREASE UNAFFECTEDTotal market value INCREASE DECREASE UNAFFECTED(2 marks) Q7. Rearrange the hierarchy of sources of finance for Pecking Order Theory? (P;D) Preference Shares 1Equity Finance 2Straight Debt 3Retained Earning 4Convertible Debt 5(2 marks) Q8. Quarto Co is considering acquiring Datum Co. Quarto Co wants to use its own cost of capital but is confused as in which circumstances their weighted average cost capital will remain unchanged. Which of the following is/are appropriate circumstances? (MRQ)Historic proportions of debt and equity are not to be changedOperating Risk of the company remains unchangedThe acquired company is small that any changes are insignificantProjects are financed from a pool of funds(2 marks) Q9. Eduardo Co is an all-equity financed company which wishes to invest in the new project in a new business area. Its existing equity beta is 1.4. The debt to equity ratio is 35% and 65% respectively ; the average equity beta for the new business area is 1.9. The government security in the market gives a return of 4% and market risk premium is 3%. If the tax is ignored, what is the risk-adjusted cost of equity for the new project using the capital asset pricing model? (MCQ) 6.73%7.71%8.2%9.7%(2 marks) Q10. Identify the weaknesses of risk-adjusted the weighted average cost of capital? (MCQ)It is difficult to identify similar operating characteristics of other firms Estimates of beta are wholly accurate Betas may differ due to debt capital being risk-free It ignores earning a potential of the company (2 marks)Q11. Arco Co has an equity beta of 0.89 and it is being considered to be acquiring by Draco Co. Arco Co is financed by 79% equity and Draco Co is financed by 80% equity. Calculate the Risk-adjusted beta if the tax rate in the market is 30% up to two decimal places? (FIB)4521202667000Be (2 marks) Q12. What is the correct procedure for calculating risks adjusted the weighted average cost of capital? (P;D)Converting proxy asset beta into risk-adjusted beta using investing company capital structure 1Calculate the risk-adjusted weighted average cost of capital 2Converting proxy equity beta into asset beta 3Calculate the risk-adjusted cost of equity 4(2 marks) Q13. Tito ; Toto are identical in every respect apart from their capital structure. Tito has a debt: equity ratio of 1:4 and an equity beta of 1.6. Toto has a debt: equity ratio of 2:6. Corporation tax is 30%. What is an appropriate equity beta for Toto? (MCQ)2.563.934.224.51(2 marks)CAPITAL STRUCTURE (ANSWERS)Q1. The cost of equity is higher than the cost of debt ; WACC is inversely proportional to the market value are correct statements.An increase in the cost of equity leads to a decrease in share price rather than increasing the share price as WACC increases market value decreases, hence incorrect Debt is less risky as interest is always received but paid at last in an event of liquidation. In the event of liquidation banks are paid first as they are creditors with fixed charges, hence statement is incorrect. Q2. DThere must be no taxes as it's a perfect capital market (Correct)As the gearing level increases it's an indication of an increase in the cost of debt (Correct) When the cost of equity increases the effect is translated on to the gearing level of the company resulting in its decrease (Correct) The WACC will be at optimum when the market value of the company is at its lowest. The market value should be at its highest to make WACC at the optimum level which it is at the lowest, hence the statement is incorrect Q3. Manager Alpha TRADITIONAL THEORYManager Zeta MM THEORY(without Tax)Traditional theory states that WACC will be optimum when it's at the lowest pointMM (with Tax) states there is no need for a balance of equity and debt assuming 100% gearing is optimal MM (without Tax) states WACC is unaffected as the benefit received from debt cancels with the cost of equity Q4.Taxes are inapplicable PERFECT MARKET High chances of bankruptcy IMPERFECT MARKETBorrowing is up to a limited level IMPERFECT MARKET Q5.Agency Cost: Providers of debt finance are likely to impose restrictive covenants hence is a problem due to high gearing (Correct) Tax Exhaustion: As companies increase their gearing they may reach a certain point where there are not enough profits from which to obtain all available tax benefits hence is a problem due to high gearing (Correct)Differences in risk tolerance levels between shareholders and directors: The directors have high risk in the company rather than shareholders as they have well-diversified portfolios hence is a problem due to high gearing (Correct)No borrowing limits are specified: Restrictions are specified in the articles of association for company's ability to borrow hence the statement is not related to high gearing (Incorrect) Q6. WACC DECREASE Cost of Equity INCREASE Total market value INCREASE In a perfect capital market, the theories of Modigliani ; Miller on gearing apply Q7.Retained Earning 1Straight Debt 2Convertible Debt 3Preference Shares 4Equity Financing 5 Q8. All options are correct as under all circumstances the company can use its own weighted average cost of capital. Q9. B(A) De-gearing the equity beta of Eduardo Co Ba= 1.4 Ãâ€" 0.65 = 0.91Ke= 4 + (3 Ãâ€" 0.91) = 6.73%(B) De-gearing the equity beta of the new business gives Ba= [0.65 à · (0.65+0.35)] Ãâ€"1.9 = 1.235Ke= 4 + (3 Ãâ€" 1.235) = 7.71% (C) Using equity beta of Eduardo Co. Ke= 4 + (3 Ãâ€" 1.4) = 8.2%(D) Using the de-geared average equity beta Ke= 4 + (3 Ãâ€" 1.9) = 9.7% This means the new average equity beta for the new business area was not de-geared Q10. AIt is difficult to identify similar operating characteristics of other firms (Weakness) Estimates of beta are wholly inaccurate Betas may differ due to debt capital not being risk free It ignores earning potential of the company (Disadvantage of DVM) Q11. Be = 0.88Ba = [79 à · (79 + (21 Ãâ€" {1-30%})] Ãâ€" 0.89 = 0.750.75 = [80 à · (80 + (20 Ãâ€" {1-30%})] Ãâ€" Be Be = 0.88 Q12. Converting proxy equity beta into asset beta 1Converting proxy asset beta into risk-adjusted beta using investing company capital structure 2Calculate the risk-adjusted cost of equity 3Calculate risk-adjusted weighted average cost of capital 4 Q13. CBa = [4 à · (4 + (1 Ãâ€" {1-30%})] Ãâ€" 1.6 = 1.361.36 = [2 à · (2 + (6 Ãâ€" {1-30%})] Ãâ€" Be Be = 4.22

Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm Essay

1. At the end of the case if you were Palmer, how would you respond? It was clear from the beginning everyone involved could have handled things more professionally in order to maximize time, and resources while maintaining a healthy and productive work environment for all employees. From the start of the project it was evident that Olds knowledge and skills were definitely in demand. Because his expertise was so in demand, when met with an organizational structure that had an obvious weak matrix structure, it caused great adversity. In this case we learn Ruby Sands had the role of functional manager and therefore ultimately made a decision that affected Palmer’s account. As soon as Palmer recognized the problems he should have addressed the issue then and presented the possible risk, moving forward the best option for Palmer is to find a suitable replacement for Olds. And accept the fact that valuable employees leave projects all the time for one reason or another. Also, Palmer should address his concerns regarding the situation on a whole to include Crosby’s unwillingness to be a team player as a way to avoid similar situations happening in the firm’s future. In conclusion, Palmer is the project manager; it is his responsibility to handle all aspects of the project to include communication. Effective communication would have lead to a better outcome. 2. Discuss what Palmer could do, if anything, to avoid losing Olds: Project managers are ultimately responsible for performance. Therefore it is Palmer’s responsibility to ensure that appropriate protocol is made between the time, cost and performance requirements of the project. In addition, the project manager is also responsible for the aspects of Leadership, such as problem solving, teamwork, negative politics and customer expectations. To avoid losing Olds, Palmer should have realized the struggles Olds was faced with, such as working extra hours to accommodate both projects and accounts, as a result the impact that it had on work-life balance took its toll on Olds and put him in a difficult position.

Place-names (linguistics) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Place-names (linguistics) - Essay Example Particularly in the case of England, the power of naming becomes a key insight into the history of conquest from foreign powers that the island has experienced in its long life. These conquerors understood the act of naming as the linguistic equivalent of driving a flag into the soil of the vanquished foe’s garden – a means of solidifying and extending the message of their invasion and subsequent occupation throughout time. Such is the power expressed through names and naming processes. As Rose-Redwood, Alderman and Azaryahu (2010, p. 454) note, â€Å"the naming of places is one of the primary means of attempting to construct clearly demarcated spatial identities†. For the purpose of the following essay, these spatial identities are to be thought of as political identities as well. â€Å"As a place-name becomes opaque and the original meaning is lost over time, the name comes to feel like a word, in that it feels like an arbitrary combination of sounds used to r efer to a certain item or idea† (Radding & Western 2010, p. 396). The same is true of a conquering force, as this essay will demonstrate. This essay argues that the study of place-names requires â€Å"a critical analysis of the social and political struggles over spatial inscription and related toponymic practices† (Rose-Redwood et al. 2010, p. 455). As such, the study of place-names becomes more informative about the past – about the role that naming played in the military, social and cultural history of England. However, what this essay will also demonstrate is that the social and political act of spatial inscription and place-naming still occurs in the present day, and still functions as a highly effective method for a conquering power to secure its presence over the emotional and psychological space of the invaded populace. This essay will compare the Norman Invasion of England of 1066 with the United States invasion of Iraq in 2003 to illustrate how the topo nymic practices continue to serve key political functions. Despite the thousand year gap between these two military campaigns, the core activity remains the same – rename the conquered space using conqueror language in order to cement physical power with linguistic power. This essay will also show how place-naming served a crucial political function even after the use of maps as a means of demarking political territory became widespread. Linguistic and toponymic practices have been used by invaders not only to stake a claim in the conquered lands and to demonstrate their ownership literally, the power of naming extends that power across the centuries, simply because the town or village will adopt the name, people will continue to use the name over and over, and as time passes, the name becomes part of the cultural vernacular and assimilates into the new order. As Radding & Western (2010, p. 395) explain, â€Å"names are given intentionally, to impart a certain meaning. They can be the converse of arbitrary. Yet, over time, people can fail to remember the original, specifically intended meaning and attribute other ones†. In addition, the act of saying the name repeatedly, over many centuries, continues to assert the dominance of the original source of the name. Thus the individual or group that claims the place via the name also lays claim to the psychological, social and cultural space of the invaded peoples, by leveraging the insidious and viral nature of language itself. As Rose-Redwood et al. (2010 p. 454) note, â€Å"

STUDENT RESPONSE 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

STUDENT RESPONSE 3 - Assignment Example Successful recovery in economic vitality for local communities is known to synchronize local goals to larger market forces as it was before the disaster happened. Economic vitality brings with it opportunities to transform businesses and have pre-disaster planning. A disaster disorients a community and disrupts its running. To maintain its continuity and smooth recovery, it is important to formulate short term strategies for survival to manage the crisis while long term recovery is planned slowly (Haddow, Bullock, & Coppola, 2007). Introducing and implementing emergency legislation is connected to crisis management as it helps to achieve a balance in achieving sustainability. In hurricane Katrina for example, the trucks that were delayed to provide papers would not have been necessary if the people had pertinent knowledge from pre event and post event planning (Canton, 2007). After a disaster, there is pressure to act fast and almost furiously to return to normal. This may result in redevelopment processes being pursued without much attention to the environment and social equity (Claire, Saperstein, & Barbee, 1985). If so, the same unsustainable situation that was the cause of the disaster will be recreated. During crisis management, it is imp ortant to demonstrate long-term economic benefit and at the same time support short term activities geared towards economic improvement. Infusion of policies, programs, and legislation is a necessity to achieve this balance and to ensure a holistic recovery of the

Trade and labour standards Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Trade and labour standards - Thesis Example Bringing about this issue within the framework of WTO would indicate the enhancement of working conditions around the world. The proposed working group would be responsible for studying the trade and core labour standards. Many developing as well as some developed countries however argue against this proposition because such core labour standards should technically not be a part of the WTO. Developing countries’ representatives argue that such policies might subjugate the comparative advantage of the lower wage in developing nations. In fact the improved working conditions according to the essential labour standards require high scale improvements in the infrastructure of the workplace which is often not conducive to a developing nation. In a developing nation with relatively lower economic growth such enforcements of standards would bring about poverty and some lapse of time in improving working standards. The compulsion to stick to the labour standards and the need towards l abour market flexibility work together to bring out protests and non-cooperative approach of the workers especially in nations where political structures favored some voice to the workers.

Why starting a franchise is better than starting a new business Essay

Why starting a franchise is better than starting a new business - Essay Example As a matter of fact, there is a vast array of different available alternatives and opportunities such that it is often difficult to decide on the best plan to follow. After choosing the best path, one would require help starting the business, hence the need to appreciate the differences between starting a business and franchising opportunities, as well as choosing which plan is the most applicable (Bradach 99). Although franchising is similar to starting one’s own business in various aspects, these business initiatives are inherently quite dissimilar. This paper will examine the reasons why it is better to start a franchise rather than a new business. Broadly speaking, franchising refers to the means of operating a commercial operation through the use of certain elements or aspects of other businesses, for instance, its products, brand and name. Previously, this entailed licensing agreements where business operators had the right to sell certain products in certain markers, di stribution deals that work on the same basis or other form of agency agreement in which one runs part of a greater business. However, today, franchising refers to the granting of licenses to trade under similar names as the parent companies and to make use of all or most of the aspects, which make these businesses successful to enable one’s venture to strive. ... Such support, however, runs for the duration of the franchise agreement. The contract entails the franchisee agreeing to pay the franchisor for the privilege to use such support and business tools. In most instances, such payment is made upfront although the franchisee has to pay numerous staged payments as the business develops (Libava 81). However, it is evident that certain franchise agreements stipulate that franchisees have to make additional payments if the business grows to be exceedingly successful, but, in most cases, this amount is a regular flat rate. Although in most cases the startup cost of starting a franchise is quite large, this cost is substantially lower than the cost of starting the same business from scratch. Some of the most notable franchises include, among others, Subway, Hampton Hotels, 7-Eleven Inc, Anytime Fitness, Supercuts and McDonald’s and Pizza Hut Inc. These businesses are quite profitable and their brands are widely acclaimed all over the worl d. Starting such a business from scratch can cost quite a lot. However, franchising allows business owners to pay low costs in order to start these businesses. For instance, in order to start franchises such as McDonald’s, one only requires between $1.07 million and $1.89 million, to start a Subway franchise one needs between $85,200 and $260,350. On the other hand, in order to start a Hampton Hotel franchise, one must pay the franchisor between $3.7 million and $13.52 million. These figures go to show that starting a franchise is way cheaper than establishing such a massive company. Perhaps one of the most attractive aspects of franchising is the reduction of risk. The business is not essentially a new

Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse as Rivals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse as Rivals - Essay Example The essay "Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse as Rivals" highlights the rivalry of two of the twentieth century’s renowned artists Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. Matisse Picasso is the first exhibition that was dedicated to the enduring dialogue of the two artists. They were impressed by the artistic prowess of each other from the time they met in 1906. Matisse Picasso tells a story of two artists who were driven to great accomplishments despite their personal differences. Matisse and Picasso’s subject stories captured nursing as a significant topic in their artworks. A model for Matisse, one of the most intriguing stories on Matisse follows the story of a nun called Jacques-Marie. She was hired as a nurse for Matisse in 1941 when he was sick. While attending to his medical needs, she became close to him, a model, spiritual guide and an inspiration for Matisse’s art. Jacques-Marie also known as Monique Bourgeois responded to an advertisement placed by Henri Matiss e. He was in search of a young, beautiful night nurse. As their friendship got stronger Matisse’s work also got better. He created a work that he considered as his greatest life achievement. He called it The Chapel of the Rosary in Venice. Matisse referred to Marie as The True Initiator of the Chapel. When Matisse asked Marie about his work, she told Matisse that she likes the colors but not the drawings. This made Matisse repeat his works to the desired perfection. This was after he discovered that Marie was an amateur artist. (Matisse, Cowling and Picasso 13). Picasso, on the other hand, did a painting that depicted a mother nursing an infant. He dated a young woman called Eva who died shortly after. He moved on to date and later marry Olga, a Russian woman. They had a boy child together before their relationship deteriorated. Picasso had an affair with a nurse called Marie-Therese Walter. These events influenced his later works including his painting of a mother breastfeed ing an infant (Matisse, Cowling and Picasso 34). In the artistic exchange of the two artists, Matisse wanted to articulate an assenting vision of the world. Picasso, on the other hand, wanted everything. Matisse was generous in his artwork and expressions. Picasso had a panache for the new, the unanticipated issues in his work. He created new pieces of work. Matisse strengthened the interaction of color in his pieces of work, while Picasso’s work emphasized on the structure and form. The polarity that existed between them was strong. Thus, they needed each other’s comparison and contrast to keep their artistic work at their best. The works of these two artists can be likened to the nursing profession (Matisse, Cowling and Picasso 263). Nurses are professionals who must always attend to their patients with care. They must always be closer to their patients, know what they need and understand their entire medical concerns. They need to be gentle and respectful. They work with other professionals in their places of work based on work interests, as opposed to friendship. Picasso and Matisse present narrative subjects that can be applied to the nursing profession. They two artists had a relationship such as that shared by a nurse and a doctor. Nurses and doctors are not brought together by friendship but need. A doctor needs a nurse to help in delivering his work. The nurse must help the doctor perform minor responsibilities at the place of work. However, their needs force them to work together for the benefit of the two. Picasso and Matisse’s relationship was based on their needs rather than friendship. Picasso worked with a certain form of eruptive and emotional need while Matisse worked with function

Risk management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Risk management - Assignment Example These are banks, insurance businesses, mutual funds, securities firms, investment banks and finance companies. A financial institution collects funds from private as well as public investors to use them in financial assets. Financial institutions play the role of mediators in share markets and debt security markets. Financial activities may include bonds, debentures, stocks, loans, risk diversification, insurance, hedging, retirement planning, investment, portfolio management, and many other related functions. Through these functions, funds get transferred to different tiers of economy for positively performing a business function (Babbel & Santomero 1997). When financial companies such as banks and insurance companies sell their products, they cover the risks which could be short-term or long-term risks. There are other companies called â€Å"Reinsurance companies† that sell policies to insurance companies to cover risk factors and save from big losses. Generally, reinsurance companies are big players and can write insurance risks directly. There is another type ‘captive insurance company’ that serves the limited aim of financing the risks of a parent company (Wikipedia 2010). Financial activities are risky business. From management perspective, some financial risks can be such that can be removed by following standard business practices, some risks can be shifted to other participant , and some financial risks must be managed proactively by the institution itself. Financial companies have their own financial risk management systems involving risk management techniques (Babbel & Santomero 1997). Generally, financial institutions, being the principal functionaries, use their own balance sheets to realise a transaction and mitigate the risks involved. Thus, most of the risks are for on-balance-sheet businesses. Financial institutions estimate

Research Proposal PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Research Proposal - PowerPoint Presentation Example A nurse practitioner is a qualified nurse who has additional education and specialization in some particular area. In the USA, NPs must have a master’s degree minimum and 500 to 1,000 hours of training; the education of NPs is guided by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (Rough, 2009). Traditionally, NPs work as doctor supplements providing services which extend services provided by GPs. Now more and more NPs start working as doctor substitutes, having rights to independently provide a wide range of services, usually provided by GPs. The aim of such shift of the NPs role mainly is to address current GPs shortage and to reduce cost of health care services (Dierick-van Daele et al., 2008). The doctor-nurse substitution is much debated in professional literature and in the press; a number of important problems related to permissibility, practicability and efficiency of this innovation have been studied during the last decade. This document presents a proposal for a p iece of research which is aimed to explore the differences between patients’ satisfaction with services provided by NPs in comparison with patients’ satisfaction with services provided by GPs in primary care. In addition, we intend to explore factors influencing on the differences in patients’ satisfaction. We hope that our study will promote an effective process of NPs’ and GPs’ skill mix and substitution and make a contribution in positive changes in the US health system at a whole. Problem Statement The tendency to hire nurse practitioners as a substitute for doctors has intensified during last years. Rough (2009, para.4) cites the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), which estimated that from 2004 to 2009 the number of NPs in the United States has increased by about 40 per cent, amounting to 125,000. Dierick-van Daele et al. (2008) consider four main reasons of the current demand for NPs: â€Å"(1) to overcome a shortage of doctors in particular settings; (2) to improve the quality of care; (3) to advance the career of nurses; and (4) to lower health care costs by employing the ‘lowest cost provider’† (p.481). Many experts agree that today’s nurses may work well not only as doctor supplements, but also as doctor substitutes, in particular in primary care. According to the recent research, from 25% to 70% of GP’s work might be successfully fulfilled by nurses (Laurant, Reeves, Hermens, Braspenning, Grol and Sibbald, 2007). This includes a wide range of activity from diagnosing, testing and prescribing medication to health promotion and routine management of chronic diseases. In several countries and the US states the shift in NPs’ status is supported by legislation, allowing NPs to work independently in various health care fields, including such specific ones as family practice, psychiatry, women health, pediatrics etc. However, there is a certain controversy in the medic al community, as some experts argue about significant risks related to the independent work of NPs in primary care, such as misdiagnosis or inappropriate treatment. For example, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American Medical Association hold the opinion that NPs should work only in collaboration with GPs (Rough, 2009). Young

Verification vs Validation Essay Example for Free

Verification vs Validation Essay Verification ensures that the system (software, hardware, documentation, and personnel) complies with an organization’s standards and processes, relying on review of non-executable methods. Validation physically ensures that the system operates according to plan by executing the system functions through a series of tests that can be observed and evaluated. Verification answers the question, â€Å"Did we build the right system?† while validation addresses, â€Å"Did we build the system right?† Verification requires several types of reviews, including requirements reviews, design reviews, code walkthroughs, code inspections, and test reviews. The system user should be involved in these reviews to find defects before they are built into the system. In the case of purchased systems, user input is needed to assure that the supplier makes the appropriate tests to eliminate defects. Validation is accomplished simply by executing a real-life function. This includes unit testing, integration testing, system testing and user acceptance testing. In this rigorous testing is conducted to validate if the system meets the functional requirement. The three most important skills that a system analysis should have are the same for any company. They should first and foremost have people skills. You have to be able to work with a variety of people and be able to work in teams. You should be an assertive person also. A good systems analysis should be able to take initiative and do things without being told. Also this person should have good reasoning and problem solving skills. These are all things that should be within the person naturally along with the actual computer skills necessary to analyze systems for a client. -are ability to work well with others, -good communication skills, -the ability to ask the right questions Bidder Responsibility Determination: To be determined responsible, a bidder must be successfully evaluated against the 7 following criteria: 1. Financial Resources. The bidder must have adequate financial resources to perform the contract, or the ability to obtain them (see FAR 9.104-3(a)—Ability to Obtain Resources). 2. Performance Schedule. The bidder must be able to comply with the performance schedule, required or proposed delivery, taking into consideration all existing commercial and governmental business commitments. 3. Performance Record. The bidder must have have a satisfactory performance history, if any (see FAR 9.104-3(b)—Satisfactory Performance Record and Experience Certificate). Nevertheless, a prospective contractor shall not be determined responsible or non-responsible solely because of a lack of relevant performance history, except when specified in a standard for special acquisitions. 4. Integrity and Ethics. The bidder must have a satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics including satisfactory compliance with laws related to taxes, labor and employment, environment, antitrust, and consumer protection (see FAR 9.406-2—Causes for debarment and FAR 9.407-2—Causes for suspension). 5. Organization and Skills. The bidder must have the necessary organization and skills, experience, accounting and operational controls, and technical skills, or the ability to obtain them (see FAR 9.104-3(a)—Ability to Obtain Resources). 6. Equipment and Facilities. The bidder must have the necessary technical equipment and facilities for production or construction, or ability to obtain them (see FAR 9.104-3(a)—Ability to Obtain Resources); and 7. Other Qualification. The bidder must be otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations. Systems Engineering V Model The system life cycle The system life cycle has seven phases: (1) discovering system requirements, (2) investigating alternatives, (3) full-scale engineering design, (4) implementation, (5) integration and test, (6) operation, maintenance and evaluation and (7) retirement, disposal and replacement. However, the system life cycle is different for different industries, products and customers. State the problem The problem statement starts with a description of the top-level function that the system must perform or the deficiency that must be ameliorated. It includes system requirements stated in terms of what must be done, not how to do it. It might be composed in words or as a model. Inputs come from end users, operators, bill payers, owners, regulatory agencies, victims, sponsors, Marketing, Manufacturing, etc. These are called stakeholders. In a modern business environment, the problem statement starts with a reason for change followed by vision and mission statements for the company. Understand customer needs Customers seldom know what they want or need. Systems Engineers must enter the customers environment and find out how the customer will use the system. Talking to your customers customer and your suppliers supplier can be very useful. Frameworks, such as the Zachman framework or the DoDAF, are useful for seeing how the system fits into the customers enterprise. Discover system requirements There are two types of system requirements: mandatory and tradeoff Mandatory requirements insure that the system satisfies the customers operational need, and must be passed or failed, there is no middle ground. The tradeoff requirements are evaluated to determine the preferred designs, and should state conditions that would make the customer happier. Verify and validate requirements Investigate alternatives Alternative designs are evaluated based on performance, cost, schedule and risk criteria. This analysis should be redone whenever more data are available. Define quantitative measures Performance and cost criteria show how well the system satisfies its requirements, e.g., In this test the car accelerated from 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds. Technical performance measures (TPMs) are made during the design and manufacturing process to evaluate the likelihood of satisfying the system requirements. Model the system Models will be developed for most alternative designs. Many types of system models are used, such as block diagrams, functional flow diagrams, object-oriented models, computer simulations. Design the system The overall system must be partitioned into subsystems, subsystems must be partitioned into assemblies, etc. Reusability should be considered in creating subsystems. For new designs, subsystems should be created so that they can be reused in future products. For redesign, subsystems should be created to maximize the use of existing, particularly commercially available, products. Systems engineers must also decide whether to make or buy the subsystems, first trying to use commercially available subsystems. If nothing satisfies all the requirements, then modification of an existing subsystem should be considered. If this proves unsatisfactory, then some subsystems will have to be designed in-house. Flexibility is more important than optimality. Hardware, software and bioware must be considered. Bioware (or wetware) means humans and other biological organisms that are a part of the system. For example, in designing a race track the horses or dogs are a part of the bioware. Create sequence diagrams Define system architecture Some choices that have to be made: (1) object-oriented design, structured analysis, or functional decomposition, (2) distributed or centralized computing, (3) commercial off the shelf (CoTS) or custom designed. Functional analysis Systems engineers do functional analysis on new systems (1) to map functions to physical components, thereby ensuring that each function has an acknowledged owner, (2) to map functions to system requirements, and (3) to ensure that all necessary tasks are listed and that no unnecessary tasks are requested. This list becomes the basis for the work breakdown structure. A work breakdown structure (WBS) breaks a project into smaller, more manageable components. Sensitivity analyses Sensitivity analyses can be used to point out the requirements and parameters that have the biggest effects on cost, schedule and performance. They are used to help allocate resources. Assess and manage risk There are two types of risk: risk of project failure (due to cost overruns, time overruns or failure to meet performance specifications) and risk of harm (usually called personnel safety). A failure modes and effects analysis and risk mitigation must be performed. Project risk can be reduced by supervising quality and timely delivery of purchased items. Reliability analysis Major failure modes must be analyzed for probability of occurrence and severity of occurrence. Integrate system components Integration means bringing things together so they work as a whole. System integration means bringing subsystems together to produce the desired result and ensure that the subsystems will interact to satisfy the customers needs. End users and engineers need to be taught to use the system with courses, manuals and training on the prototypes. Design and manage interfaces Interfaces between subsystems and interfaces between the main system and the external world must be designed. Well-designed subsystems send finished products to other subsystems. When designing subsystems and their interfaces be sure to consider reuse. Launch the system Launching the system means doing what the system was intended to do, e.g. running the system and producing outputs. Configuration management Configuration management (also called modification management) ensures that any changes in requirements, design or implementation are controlled, carefully identified, and accurately recorded. All stakeholders should have an opportunity to comment on proposed changes. Decisions to adopt a change must be captured in a baseline database. Baselines can only be changed at specified points in the life cycle. The phrase requirements tracking is now being used for an important subset of configuration management. Project management Project management is the planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of company resources to meet specific goals and objectives within time, within cost and at the desired performance level. Project management creates the work breakdown structure, which provides structure for guiding team assignments and cost and tracking control. Documentation All of these Systems Engineering activities must be documented in a common repository, often called the Engineering Notebook. The stored information should be location, platform, and display independent: which means any person on any computer using any tool should be able to operate on the fundamental data. Assumptions, results of tradeoff studies and the reasons for making critical decisions should be recorded. These documents should be alive and growing. For example, at the end of the system life cycle there should be an accurate model of the existing system to help with retirement. Lead teams Complex systems cannot be designed by one person. Consequently engineers work on Integrated Product Development Teams (IPDTs). These teams are interdisciplinary with members from Business, Engineering, Manufacturing, Testing, etc. IPDTs are often led by Systems Engineers. Assess Performance During the operation and maintenance phase of the system life cycle the performance of the system must be measured. Initially these measurements will be used to verify that the system is in compliance with its requirements. Later they will be used to detect deterioration and initiate maintenance. Prescribe tests Early in the system life cycle Systems Engineering should describe the tests that will be used to prove compliance of the final system with its requirements. However, most testing should be performed by built-in self-test equipment. These self-tests should be used for initial testing, post-installation testing, power-up diagnostics, field service and depot repair. The recipient of each test result and the action to be taken if the system passes or fails each test must be stated. Conduct reviews Systems Engineering should ensure that the appropriate reviews are conducted and documented. The following set is common: Mission Concept Review, System Requirements Review (SRR), System Definition Review, Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Critical Design Review (CDR), Production Readiness Review (PRR), and System Test. Full-scale engineering design begins after the Preliminary Design Review. Manufacturing begins after the Critical Design Review. Total system test The system that is finally built must be tested to see (1) that it satisfies the mandatory requirements, and (2) how well it satisfies the tradeoff requirements. Re-evaluation Re-evaluation is arguably the most important task of Systems Engineering. For centuries engineers have used feedback to control systems and improve performance. It is one of the most fundamental engineering tools. Re-evaluation means observing outputs and using this information to modify the system inputs, the product or the process. Re-evaluation should be a continual process with many parallel loops. Everyone should continually re-evaluate the system looking for ways to improve quality. Tools used in this process include basic systems engineering, and the quality engineering techniques presented by, for example, Deming and Taguchi. Deming (1982); Bicknell and Bicknell (1994); Latzko and Saunders (1995). Near the end of the project, engineers should write a Lessons Learned document. These lessons learned should not be edited by management, because management could trivialize what they do not understand or omit management mistakes. Categories of Systems Engineers Many companies divide their Systems Engineers into three categories according to their major workflows: requirements definition, architectural design and testing and verification. Creating Systems Engineers The traditional method of creating Systems Engineers was to select well-organized engineers with lots of common sense and let them acquire 30 years of diverse engineering experience. But recently these traditional Systems Engineers have written books and standards that explain what they do and how they do it. So now that the tools, concepts and procedures have been formalized, in four years of undergraduate education we can teach Systems Engineers who will have performance levels 50% that of traditional Senior Systems Engineers. Ten years of systems engineering experience will improve performance to 80% and another ten years will increase it to 100%.

Outline and comment on the two schools Essay Example for Free

Outline and comment on the two schools Essay Outline and comment on the two schools of thought involved in the study of the nature-nurture debate in development. Explain, using examples, why this debate gives rise to so much controversy.  The debate concerning the two schools of thought involved in the study of the nature versus nurture is one of the most controversial and long-lasting debates in psychology. Psychologists disagree whether a particular part of behaviour had taken place through genetic and heredity factors or through experience in their environment and learning. Psychologists are trying to answer, What makes us who we are? and consider two main influences. Firstly nature which is involved in genes and heredity, and their influences on our development, and secondly nurture which is involved in external influences on our development such as the environment and nurturing. Psychologists were divided into two schools of thought, firstly the nativists, who are concerned with the nature side of the debate. In 1943 Gesell argued that genes and chromosomes that are inherited are the main influence in child development (Hayes and Orrell 1996, pg 2). For example: Gesell found that the development of physical coordination in a baby seemed to follow an orderly sequence, beginning with its head, and gradually moved down the body. Gesell regarded these sequences of development as being fixed and genetically determined (Hayes N 1993, pg 31). See more: what is essay format Genes are lengths of DNA, which carry instructions that control everything that happens inside a cell. They are passed onto the next generation in order to avoid extinction. Each body cell contains two sets of 23 chromosomes and each chromosome contains up to 4000 genes. (Barber M et al 2000, pg 480). Every newborn baby has around 60,000 genes; they have two copies of each gene and inherit one set from the mother and one set from the father. (Barber M et al 2000,pg 504). We portray some of these genes in our similarities in appearance to our parents or other members of our immediate family, or when generations have been skipped. For example our eye and hair colour is similar or our height, build and weight is similar to our parents. Genes can be recessive or dominant. For example: The gene that gives the colour in brown eyes is a dominant gene and the blue gene that results in blue eyes is a recessive gene. A child will have brown eyes if one of its parents had brown eyes even if the other parent had blue eyes. That child will still have the blue-eyed gene and may pass it on to the next generation (Hayes and Orrell 1996, pg 5). Some diseases are inherited mainly because of faulty genes. For example: Huntingdon disease is caused by a faulty gene and causes premature degeneration of the brain (Barber M et al 2000,pg 504). Downs syndrome is another example of a genetic disorder, which has resulted from the presence of an extra chromosome and causes physical and mental handicaps to different degrees of severity (Hayes and Orrell 1996, pg 4).  As well as inherited characteristics and features there is also evidence of inherited behaviour. This was shown in 1938 in Lorenz and Tinbergens 4 characteristics in animal behaviour: Stereotyped this behaviour happens the same way every time.  Species specific this behaviour is specific to a certain type of animal.  Isolation this behaviour is the same as others of their species, even if they have been isolated.  No practice this behaviour appears as a complete unit even if the animal has had no chance to practice it. (Hayes and Orrell 1996 pg 9 Class notes)  Imprinting is a type of behaviour that can form rapid attachments and is also believed to be genetically influenced. For example: Ducklings had become imprinted on a human being. Lorenz found that ducklings would adopt him if he were the first moving thing they saw. He believed this would only take place in the critical period, up to 25 hours after hatching. This was questioned by, (W Slucking in 1964.) After his own study of the same experiment, he found the period was extended if the ducklings were isolated from one another, and hadnt been able to imprint on each other (Hayes N 1993, pg 39). Behaviours we inherit dont show up all at once. Certain forms of behaviour emerge when the individual is mature enough. This is known as maturation, for example, the physiological changes that take place in puberty (Hayes Orrell 1996 pg 7). There are disagreements between the nativists and behaviourists about whether or not maturation is purely genetic. (Hayes N 1993, pg 32).  This brings the debate to the other side of the disagreement and behaviourists also known, as empiricists, believe nurture is the main influence in development. In 1913, J.B. Watson attempted to make psychology `Scientific`. Previously psychology had concentrated on the study of the mind, Watson argued that the mind was not suitable for valid scientific research, so instead he studied behaviour (Hayes N 1995, pg 3). Watson was a total empiricist believing the environment was the only important factor in an individuals development. He considered that a child was born as tabula rasa a blank slate, which experience would write upon to produce the person (Hayes Orrell 1996, pg 2.

Vitabiotics Marketing Analysis And Future Strategy Marketing Essay

Vitabiotics Marketing Analysis And Future Strategy Marketing Essay Vitabiotics LTD is a UK-founded but globally prominent nutraceutical corporation and describes its business as nutrient-technology based healthcare. The first product to market was a mouth ulcer treatment called Oralcer in 1971 followed later that year by Omega-H, a multivitamin which has since seen huge success in various countries worldwide, often becoming the number 1 selling nutritional supplement. Since then, Vitabiotics invested heavily in research and development and began to increase their product range, creating international manufacturing facilities and landing increased distribution into large UK retailers such as Boots, Superdrug and several of the largest supermarkets. During this expansion Vitabiotics gained UK brand leader status with various products (Pregnacare, Menopace, Perfectil, Osteocare) and now export to over 100 countries. At the current day, Vitabiotics is the second largest branded multivitamin manufacturer (behind Seven Seas) and has a very wide product ra nge: Aquamarine Cardioace Diabetone Dietrim Feroglobin Goldcare Immunace Jointace Liverel Menopace Nerozan Omega-H3 Osteocare Perfectil Premence Pregnacare Tricologic Ultra-D3 Visionace Wellkid WellTeen Wellman Wellwoman (For the full list of products within each of these categories see appendix 1) The fundamental factor behind Vitabiotics success to date has been effective research and development of new products to remain at the forefront of new scientific developments in vitamins and nutrients with respect to health. In the past 30 years, the supplements market increased massively in accordance with the increase in the health food market and the populations increase in disposable income to spend on daily health products. The multivitamin market quickly become very competitive which induced the development of a myriad of more specific supplements by Vitabiotics, most of which were more expensive than the generic multivitamin. These specific supplements were developed on the basis of scientific research and the speed at which the science was developed into useable, marketable products was reflected in terms of growth, profits, brand awareness and brand loyalty. It is often the case that businesses are built upon an idea or a new product/service without the thought and investme nt into creating a brand. In these cases, the product/service can often be replicated or a similar service can be created, thus taking custom away from the original idea. The creation of a brand along with the product/service can protect their future by creating loyal customers. In addition to the brand creation, especially in the health/supplements markets, innovation and new product development is needed in order to keep or increase any market share. Vitabiotics have succeeded in this, both in the development of new products by being at the forefront of scientific research and in brand creation, which are the primary factors behind its exports expansion and its brand UK brand leader status in many of its products. Current SWOT analysis Creating a SWOT analysis is an effective way to assess a companies current market position along with its future prospects, the table below gives a summary SWOT and a much more detailed discussion and analysis follows; Strengths Weaknesses Continued growth during economic difficulties Strong brand image several recent awards Lack of knowledge towards supplements Opportunities Threats Emerging markets in developing countries Diversification into a broader product base health foods and beauty products Recent Product recall could damage brand image A change in consumer behaviour towards eating healthy foods as opposed to taking supplements could erode Vitabiotics growth Strengths Despite a 16% drop in single and multivitamin sales in the UK between 2004-2009 (Mintel), Vitabiotics continue to show growth and therefore future promise; this is in-part due to the expansion and diversification of its product base. Also, its expansion into over 100 countries has shown that globalisation of the brand is not only possible, but is currently being achieved. Another strength is Vitabiotics positive brand image with consumers, this is shown not only in increased sales but also in the recent awards that It has won; Boots Vitamin supplier of the year (for the fourth year running) Boots are the largest European pharmacy chain and this award is often advertised within Boots stores. When customers see an award from a very trusted and successful business such as Boots, this strongly encourages brand trust and greatly reinforces the brand image. BT Vision 100 award Given to the most visionary companies. This further establishes the image of Vitabiotics as a strong British company, a factor which consumers will most likely find appealing. The Queens award for enterprise. Prestigious export award Weaknesses The general consumer still has a lack of knowledge about supplements and it is very difficult to communicate benefits underpinned by science. Also, despite Vitabiotics relative success during the current worldwide economic crises, it isnt going to be ending soon and consumers are getting more conservative with their spending. Opportunities Vitabiotics have recently opened headquarters in Egypt, USA, Iran and Russia (ref) to complement the globalisation strategy. This will allow for greater expansion and possibly increased market share within the respective regions as it will enable more specific and coherent marketing strategies depending upon the region. Even though exports are currently to over 100 countries, there is still much opportunity in emerging markets as consumers have more money to spend on health related products. Threats A very recent FSA (food standards agency) recall of 9 different batches of products in the UK will damage both UK profits and may damage the brand image Vitabiotics have worked so hard to achieve, however this was only due to a labelling issue but any negative media needs to be handled appropriately. Another threat is regarding consumer opinion and behaviour towards taking supplements and multi-vitamins wherein there is an increasing preference towards eating healthy foods as opposed to taking pills. Perceptual Map Below is a simple perceptual map describing Vitabiotics current product diversity and market positioning, the first diagram shows a selection of its products, and places them on the map relative to the particular market segment that they occupy. The promotion strategies of the specific products are also segregated and tailored to where these fall on the map; Omega-H3 promotion spending has reduced drastically and the specific Wellman/teen/kid/woman multivitamins have all received lots of investments, with promotion in gender specific magazines. Perfectil, a skincare multivitamin is advertised separately in more beauty-orientated media. The second diagram represents Vitabiotics product diversification strategy which is reacting to current consumer trends, products are moving away from traditional multivitamins and towards the beauty, specific and medicinal markets. Despite the diversification, segregation and separate promotion strategies, product branding remains similar and noticeable to reinforce the Vitabiotics image: A consumer can easily associate any of the Vitabiotics products with each other. In addition the ecommerce store that Vitabiotics have launched brings these products together excellently, to give the consumer a broad choice when selecting what product is right for them. Future strategy and recommendations For Vitabiotics to continue to grow and attempt to gain more market share from seven seas and chainstore-branded products

freeaw The Awakening as a Story of Independence and Freedom :: Chopin Awakening Essays

The Awakening as a Story of Independence and Freedom Kate Chopin's The Awakening is a work of fiction that tells the story of Edna Pontellier, Southern wife and mother. This book presents the reader with many tough questions and few answers. It is not hard to imagine why this book was banished for decades not long after its initial publication in 1899. At that time in history, women did just what they were expected to do. They were expected to be good daughters, good wives, and good mothers. A woman was expected to move from the protection of her father's roof to the protection of her husband. Edna didn't fit this mold, and that eventually leads her husband to send for a doctor. It is here that Edna Pontellier says words that define The Awakening, "I don't want anything but my own way. That is wanting a good deal, of course, when you have to trample upon the lives, the hearts, the prejudices of others - but no matter_" As the book begins, Edna is a married woman who seems vaguely satisfied with her life. However, she cannot find true happiness. Her "awakening" begins when a persistent young man named Robert begins courting her. Edna begins to respond to him with a passion she hasn't felt before. She begins to realize that she can play roles other than wife and mother. Throughout the book Edna takes many steps to increase her independence. She sends her children away, she refuses to stay at home on Tuesdays (as was the social convention of the time), she frequents races and parties. Unfortunately, her independence proves to be her downfall. Edna stays married because divorce was unheard of in those days. She wants to marry Robert, but he will not because it will disgrace her to leave her husband. No matter how much Edna exceeds social boundaries, she is held down by the will of others, despite what she wants. In today's world divorce, sadly, is almost commonplace, but in her time she would have been an outcast of her society. By the end of The Awakening, Edna feels like a possession - of her husband, of her children, and of her society. The only solution she sees is to end her life, which she does by swimming out into the sea until her strength gives out. This is a very symbolic death. I feel the theme of The Awakening is deeper than the obvious themes of independence and women's rights. The Awakening presents suicide as a valid solution to problems that do not offer many choices.

The Hero’s Journey in Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now Essay

The Hero’s Journey in Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now The hero’s journey in Francis Ford Coppola’s â€Å"Apocalypse Now† begins in the known natural world. The hero in Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece is Captain Willard. A call to adventure arouses when Willard is sent for to report to the general in command to receive his mission. Willard is informed of a renegade Colonel by the name of Kurtz, who has assembled his own followers and army. Kurtz left and disappeared from the Army and is killing American soldiers that come into his turf. Willard’s mission is to travel up river by boat deep into Cambodia, find Colonel Kurtz, and eliminate him by any means necessary. After Willard receives this call to adventure, he sometimes recalls in his head how silly his choice is to go throu...

Disease and Native American Demise During the European Conquest of the

Disease and Native American Demise During the European Conquest of the New World The European conquest of the new world was most commonly attributed to the superiority of the Europeans in all the facets of their confrontation. They had the superior weaponry, and were thought to have a superior intellect. After all, they were just bringing "civilization" to the new world, right? It sounds nice when you are learning about Columbus in grade school, but the traditional story is pretty far from the truth. The truth is that the Europeans, when they discovered this was a brand new world and not the spice islands, sought to rape the land for its gold and natural resources and enslave the Amerindians (native Americans), who were regarded to be less than human. One has to wonder why it was so easy for the Europeans to impose their will on the Amerindians. Was it solely because the Europeans were superior technologically and intellectually? Unfortunately the answer is not that simple. The Europeans were superior in those areas, but the bulk of the disaster they imposed was not what they knew, but what they brought with them, disease. Disease, on the epidemic level, is thought to be the major factor in the decline of the Amerindians during the age of discovery. Before I go any further, I feel that I should clarify the difference between the terms epidemic and endemic disease. An epidemic disease is a disease that enters into a population and completely ravages it. Epidemics are particularly destructive because they are usually diseases that have never been introduced into that specific population. A good example of an epidemic is the bubonic plague, or smallpox. Smallpox uncontrollably ravaged Europe for more than two hundred years.... ... the disease that accompanied an average race of people that made the difference in the conquest of the Americas Bibliography Crosby, Alfred W. Ecological Imperialism The Biological Expansion of Europe 900-1900. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1986. ---. The Columbian Exchange. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Company, 1972. McNeil, William H. Plagues and People. Garden City: Anchor Press, 1976. Verano, John, and Douglas Ubelaker. Disease and Demography in the Americas. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1992. Cowley, Geoffery. "The Great Disease Migration." Newsweek Fall/Winter 1991: 54-56. Snow, Dean, and Kim Lanphear. "European Contact and Depopulation in the Northeast: The Timing of the First Epidemics." Ethnohistory Winter 1988: 15-33. Diamond, Jared. "The Arrow of Disease." Discover October 1992: 64-73.

Biguine French Movie Review

Title-Biguine Director- Jacques Boumedil Year- 2005 Type- Drama Main actors: Micheline Mona and Max Telephe 1) The main characters granddaughter narrates the story over the radio. Hermansia and Tiquitaque travel to St-Pierre with a group of other plantation workers looking for a new life and they come to a cliff and see the volcano and the harbor. They walk around the city amazed by urban the atmosphere. They are particularly interested in the jewelry and other material goods that are sold in the city center. 2) Hermansia – Hermansia is a black plantation worker who moves to St-Pierre to pursue her passion to be a singer.At first she is reluctant to embrace the city but eventually her music becomes popular and up lifts her community. Her lyrics capture her desire to live life to the fullest and rise up from the oppression the black community faces from that French and Europeans on the island. Tiquitaque- Tiquitaque is Hermansia’s husband and is also a musician. He is ex cited to be in a new city but disappointed that wealthy individuals will not hire him and his wife to perform at their social functions. The upper class does not like the rural black music that the two play, especially the drums which were popular among the slaves in the plantations.However, Tiquitaqu learns to play the clarinet and develops his own style of music that is popular among the upper class and lower class alike. The Creole music is high tempo and inspires movement and dance. 3) The film takes place in St-Pierre, Martinique. 4) At first Hermansia and Tiquitaque are not successful as musicians so Hermansia works as a maid and Tiquitaque works on the docks. Hermansia buys Tiquitaque a clarinet and he develops his own style of music and is hired play at parties. At these parties he normally would play the waltz and polka and other European style music.Tiquitaque starts to play a style of Creole on his clarinet that inspires people around the town and unites their communities . Their Creole music, he and his wife perform at cabarets, which symbolizes freedom for the repressed lower class people. People start to enjoy the music and whites and blacks come together to dance. Their music becomes extremely popular in the city. At the end of the movie, the volcano next to the city erupts and symbolizes the new culture that is developing in Martinique in the ninetieth century. 5) Overall, I did not enjoy this film because the plot was not well developed and the movie didn’t have any action.The majority of the movie was listening to the couple sing. Although, the music was beautiful the movie did not have much substance. Therefore, I would not recommend this movie to anyone. 6) I learned a lot about Martinique’s culture while watching this movie. I saw many landmarks in the city of St-Pierre including the volcano. I also listened to Creole music for the first time and I enjoyed its upbeat rhythm. Additionally, Martinique was French colony in the ni netieth century and its main export was sugar. Thus, many slaves where brought from Africa to work on the plantations, which resulted in a large black community on the island.

Annotated Bibliography: Arts Education

Arts Education in America: An Annotated Bibliography Statement of Scope: The purpose of this bibliography is to attain information from credible sources on arts programs in schools. The goal is to provide enough information so that the reader is then able to form their own opinions on the benefits, problems, and policies on arts programs at varying levels of education. Those looking to find detailed information will find this bibliography to be a good starting point. Parsad, B. , and Spiegelman, M. 2012.Arts Education in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools: 1999–2000 and 2009–10 (NCES 2012–014). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U. S. Department of Education. Washington, DC. Web. 24 Jan. 2013 This source is a presentation of unbiased information about both the overall arts education programs and specific sections including: visual arts, music, dance, and theater/drama. The report utilizes a plethora of charts, graphs, and other visual aids to help organize and present the information.Parsad and Spiegelman first present their findings on overall arts education programs including the percentages of schools offering visual arts, music, dance and theater classes. They then dedicate ten to fifteen pages discussing the particulars of each section of the arts listed above. There is so much information in this article that it would be great for someone looking for a broad spectrum understanding of arts education programs. The visual aids complement the information presented and would be easy to incorporate into a variety of works.For someone who is looking to get very specific information about a specific program then this would be a good source to start with, the way the report is divided makes it very easy to find information on a specific sections of an arts program, i. e. music or drama. It would provide the reader with enough information that they could ask their own questions and be able to look fu rther into a specific topic. Catterall, Dumais, and Hampden-Thompson. March 2012. The arts and achievement in at-risk youth : findings from four longitudinal studies. National Endowment for the Arts. Research Report #55). Web. 24 Jan. 2013. This research report is a presentation of years of studies conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts and similar organizations, most being government funded. The authors arrange the report in such a way that the bulk of the report is given through the use of visual graphs and charts, which are accompanied by conclusive statements like â€Å"Teenagers and young adults of low socioeconomic status (SES) who have a history of in-depth arts involvement show better academic outcomes than do low-SES youth who have less arts involvement.They earn better grades and demonstrate higher rates of college enrollment and attainment. † (12) Most of the graphs simply relate percentages of students with low and high levels of art engagement to achiev e certain things like high school graduation, entering a bachelors program, and attaining a steady professional level career. For every study and graph presented or reviewed there is clearly cited sources, if any confusion remains the appendix and cited pages are very clear about how to find more information. Being that this is a report of findings from a national organization it is not biased to or for support of arts programs.For anyone looking for specific statistics to use in a presentation or report of their own, this research report could be very helpful. As previously stated the bulk of the information is presented through graphs and charts that utilize percentages, and is therefore very easy to take and use in a presentation without having to do much work yourself. For someone looking for a more scholarly breakdown of the benefits of arts education on high-risk students this report will not be as helpful, as it would be time consuming to trace the information presented back to the original sources. Dwyer, M.Christine. 2011. Reinvesting in Arts Education: Winning America's Future through Creative Schools. President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. The reports emphasizes the essential role that arts education programs play in improving student engagement and building creativity. Dwyer discusses, in a lengthy and wordy overview, the current Arts Education programs and policies shortcomings. â€Å"It is widely agreed that the U. S. public education system is not adequately serving a significant portion of our nation’s children and that public K-12 schools must change dramatically o achieve the Administration’s goal that the United States become a global leader in postsecondary attainment by 2020†¦ School leaders and teachers will need to step up to the challenge of finding new ways to engage many more students in meaningful learning†¦ † (27) More importantly, this report discusses possible soluti ons such as reinvesting in arts education, and argues for creating arts-rich schools that can engage students in ways that complement the study of the arts and other traditional subjects such as literature, history, science, and mathematics.Another key takeaway from this report is it shows readers the link between arts education and achievement in other subjects. Being that this source is a report by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, it attempts to present evidence to support the positions of the president and his corresponding political party. As political and wordy as this report is it would most likely benefit someone looking into the politics side of arts education, it would not be as helpful for someone looking for developmental and long term benefits of art involvement in schools.Rabkin, Hedberg. 2011. Arts Education in America: What the Declines Mean for Arts Participation. Based on the 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts. National E ndowment for the Arts. (Research Report #52). Web. 24 Jan. 2013. This report presents its findings after researching important question related to arts education in America. Questions like: Has participation in arts programs declined? What does it mean for teachers and students? How has this affected participation in other extracurricular activities?How does this affect support for programs? The article presents the questions to the reader and then follows up with information that supports both positive and negative claims about the answer. Charts are used when needed to simplify information into an easily digestible visual aid. There are numerous sources used as evidence for the information presented, as well as suggestions for further investigation into the questions presented. This report has a very neutral stance towards the information presented.There is good information presented for varying arguments and the ultimate decision is left to the reader. This source would be a fair report to use in a work, especially if in an argumentative essay you need information for the view that opposes yours. However for someone looking for highly specific information this report will only be useful for an introduction into the questions being asked about the national education programs. Oxtoby, David W. 2012. The Place of Arts in Liberal Education. Liberal Education, v98 n2 p36-41 Spr 2012.Oxtoby uses a great deal of logic to explain his opinion on the place of arts in liberal education and he uses statistics to support his views. In his article, he states that diversity in the curriculum is a keystone to success in any liberal education program. He also claims that part of that diversity needs to include a program where students can express their creativity. Being able to express their creativity and the stimulation provided by arts programs lead to more successful students, both in academics, community involvement, and professional work environments.This article is a good source of simple and sound logic in support of arts programs being included in all liberal education. Oxtoby’s statements and presentation of the information is biased towards supports arts programs, but he always includes evidence to support his ideas. Also, while he does not approve of excluding arts in liberal education there is never any negativity in his statements, only more supporting evidence for his ideas. Some readers will find this article to be dry and uninteresting unless they already have some knowledge and opinions on the place of arts in education programs.

Directress

Montessori is not simply a method of teaching children to read; it is a philosophy of life! Montessori Method for education is fundamentally based on an educational approach towards a model of human development. By human development we mean the development psychology of a human being, that is, the innate quality of any human to learn through their experiences. Montessori’s education method called for free activity within a â€Å"prepared environment†, meaning an educational environment tailored to basic human characteristics and to the specific characteristics of children at different ages.Since the Montessori Method is so unlike other educational methods, it follows that the Montessori teacher is in fact not a teacher at all, Dr. Maria Montessori called her a DIRECTRESS. In her years of observations, Dr. Montessori used the word ‘DIRETTORESSA’ taken from the Italian word ‘DIRETTORE’ which when looking into the meaning of the word is less about telling people what to do but more about steering people in the right direction. According to Dr. Montessori a directress’ role is to be an ardent observer with the goal to intervene the least as the child develops. Related article: Montessori Practical Life EssayThe directress creates an environment of calm, order and joy in the classroom and is there to help and encourage the children in all their efforts, allowing them to develop self-confidence and inner-discipline. With the younger students at each level, the teacher is more active, demonstrating the use of materials and presenting activities based on an assessment of child’s requirements. Knowing how to observe constructively and when and how much, to intervene, is one of the most important talents a directress acquires. A directress has to be very careful in praising a child.She should respond to a child’s enthusiastic approach of working at the same time she should praise the child in a way that it gets motivated through her interest rather than seeking her merit or approval. In short a directress should channelize the child’s capabilities in the right direction order to make them a self-understanding, knowledgeable, independent and a developed adult. The role of a directress with respect to teaching the child is an inactive one, the active learning must come from the child and it’s the duty of the directress to bring the child’s activeness in learning and exploring new things.They are constantly experimenting, modifying the environment to meet their perception of each child’s needs and interests and objectively noting the results. The directress’ work is to ‘guide’ the child, be like a second parent to all the children in her class. In most cases Montessori teachers are the first motherly figure that a child meets outside their homes. That’s why it is compulsory for the teacher to take on, not only the role of a teacher, but a second mother- like position too. She explains the child, in an understanding and calm manner.She is patient with them when they do something wrong. She allows the child to choose his own activity rather than force him into something in which he had no interest and also motivating them to keep the material back in place, so that the child respects his environment. If the child is afraid, she handles the child in a calm-composed manner to ease the child’s fear. The directress also makes it a point to make all the children comfortable with each other to maintain a positive environment in the class and to build a positive attitude in the child and encourage social interaction.She handles disputes, without being bias. She offers support when a child lacks confidence. â€Å"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed. † â€Å"Free the child’s potential and you will transform him into the world. † The directress acts as an active-link between the child and the â€Å"prepared environment† in a sense that all the materials and apparatus are kept in their accurate places in the class. The intellectual ability of a child that is revealed during the tender a ge of the child should be respected in all its aspects. It is like a flower that has just started to bloom.The Montessori teacher’s work in preparing the classroom together with her interactions among the children enables her to provide the children the most positive means by which they can absorb the environment. The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to exclaim, â€Å"The children are now working as if I do not exist†. Montessori uses the term ‘normalization’ to describe this unique process a child experiences in the classroom. A normalized child is â€Å"one who has overcome himself and lives in peace and harmony with the environment preferring disciplined tasks to futile idealness. She believed that children are born with innate capacities for self-governance which should develop freely. She also said that the greatest barriers to development of these natural instincts in children are adults. Thus the classroom must provide activities and motiv es for Normalization to occur. This is due to the fact that Normalization emerges as a result of deep concentration. The materials chosen by the children will emerge the, and lead them to self-discovery and awareness. Ultimately, it is the directress’ role as the ‘dynamic link’ which allows the process of normalization to occur.One must not forget, however, that it cannot occur immediately. The teacher must also prepare herself for a period of practice which may take many years. The ‘spiritually prepared’ teacher will recognize this critical factor, and through her practice as an observer of children, can further observe the spiritual growth within herself. The role of the directress is therefore, â€Å"to watch with humble reverence, day by day, the spontaneous unfolding of the children’s lives; seeking always to remove obstacles, both internal and external from their path, whilst she guides with science and sympathy the irrepressible energi es of life†.The spiritually prepared teacher will do so with a joyous heart. Only then can the most important factor in her role can be established, that is, to see the child for who he really is. The reason a Montessori teacher is called a directress is that she directs her children to a path where they want to go rather than simply teaching them the basic rules of living or transfer knowledge to them.The children are independent of the directress and explore the world according to their wish. They need the directress only in case they get stuck somewhere or they have problem in understanding anything rather than having a teacher who imparts knowledge to the child just because he have to know that. School teachers have a formal outlook towards their career whereas a directress can survive in this place only if she puts her heart filled with love into her career.

Jonson and Donne’s Influence on the Cavalier Poets: A Critical Analysis Essay

Poetry is never divorced from the contexts within which the poet himself is necessarily part of. This is to say that poetry is a product of the poets’ political, economic, historical, cultural and intellectual contexts. Such being the case, one may say that it is through the aforementioned contexts that poetry captures the spirit of the times. The first half of the 17th Century witnessed both the flourishing of the English poetic tradition and science. Such flourishing however, did not come easily for the tension existing between different frameworks; metaphysical and scientific. See more: how to write a critical analysis outline This essay seeks to explicate Ben Jonson and John Donne’s similarities and differences and how they shaped the English poetic tradition as manifested in the works of their successors. Ben Jonson is considered as the earliest theoretician and practitioner of neoclassicism. Such an undertaking is made possible by Jonson’s attempt to fuse together classical themes like civility and public morality within the realm of critical realism which heavily characterized post-Medieval thought. This is to say that the value of Jonson’s work lies in its capacity to incorporate the traditions of the past with the rapidly changing world and the differing worldviews that emerged in the success of the scientific enterprise. Jonson’s neoclassicism makes itself manifest in his pursuance of the classical principle of the ethical and didactic function of poetry. In Jonson’s epigram called To My Mere English Censurer, he writes: â€Å"To thee my way in epigrams seems new/ When both it is the old way and the new†¦/Prithee believe still, and not judge so fast;/Thy faith is all the knowledge that thou hast†. The foregoing passage strengthens the claim that Jonson pursues the classical principle of the ethical and didactic function of poetry. Jonson’s emphasis on civility and public morality may be seen as an attempt on his part to save that which is good and valuable in itself in the past which, as he reckons, should be assimilated into the present. On the other hand, John Donne seems to be more interested in the individual rather than the public. Metaphysical poetry, as it figures in Donne’s works are more ‘personal, more private. As one may have observed in the development of Donne’s poetry, he is more concerned with the individual and the philosophical questions which preoccupy the individual as he finds himself shattered, torn between the seemingly collapsing grasp of Medieval thought and the seemingly promising future of scientific thinking. Such philosophical questions may vary among individuals but in the case of Donne, his concern seems to be the internal conflicts within an individual in his attempt to understand his relation to other human beings and more importantly, his relation to the Divine. That Donne is torn between Medieval thought and scientific thinking makes itself manifest when he writes in the Holy Sonnets (1-4): â€Å"Batter my heart, three person’d God; for, you/As yet but knocke, breathe, shine and seek to mend;/That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow mee,’ and bend/Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new. † Although Jonson and Donne differs significantly on the focus of their poetry, which are, the public or the individual, cavalry or metaphysical, both poets’ style and underlying theoretical commitments influenced the Cavalier of poets; their successors. Naturally enough, much of the influences of the Cavalier poets are derived from the master himself, that is, Jonson rather than Donne. In a real sense, the cavalier poets’ lyricist orientation in terms of their profundity is simpler than that of the Metaphysicals like Donne. Consider Robert Herrick’s To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time (1648). He writes: â€Å"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, /Old time is still a-flying; /And this same flower that smiles today, /Tomorrow will be dying. There is, however, a certain fusion of both traditions (that is, the Cavalier and the Metaphysical) in the poems of other Cavalier poets; exhibiting the characteristics of both. In To Althea, From Prison, Richard Lovelace, a prominent cavalier poet writes: â€Å"Stone walls do not a prison make, /Nor iron bars a cage;†¦/If I have freedom in my love, and in my soul am free, /Angels alone that soar above/Enjoy such liberty. Although Lovelace’s opening lines talk about the usual object of affection of the cavalier poets, the quoted passage near the end of the poem (that is, ‘stone walls do not a prison make’) presents a kind of profundity which, for the most part, characterizes metaphysical poetry. In the final analysis, although there are certain differences in the poetry of Ben Jonson and John Donne as they represent two different poetic traditions, it is plausible to maintain that both poets, in their own right, opened new pathways for the flourishing of the English poetic tradition.

Angels Demons Chapter 6263

Suddenly someone grabbed him from behind. It was Vittoria. She was breathless and tugging at his arm. From the look of terror on her face, Langdon could only imagine one thing. She found a body. He felt an upswelling of dread. â€Å"Ah, your wife!† the docent exclaimed, clearly thrilled to have another guest. He motioned to her short pants and hiking boots. â€Å"Now you I can tell are American!† Vittoria’s eyes narrowed. â€Å"I’m Italian.† The guide’s smile dimmed. â€Å"Oh, dear.† â€Å"Robert,† Vittoria whispered, trying to turn her back on the guide. â€Å"Galileo’s Diagramma. I need to see it.† â€Å"Diagramma?† the docent said, wheedling back in. â€Å"My! You two certainly know your history! Unfortunately that document is not viewable. It is under secret preservation in the Vatican Arc – â€Å" â€Å"Could you excuse us?† Langdon said. He was confused by Vittoria’s panic. He took her aside and reached in his pocket, carefully extracting the Diagramma folio. â€Å"What’s going on?† â€Å"What’s the date on this thing?† Vittoria demanded, scanning the sheet. The docent was on them again, staring at the folio, mouth agape. â€Å"That’s not†¦ really†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Tourist reproduction,† Langdon quipped. â€Å"Thank you for your help. Please, my wife and I would like a moment alone.† The docent backed off, eyes never leaving the paper. â€Å"Date,† Vittoria repeated to Langdon. â€Å"When did Galileo publish†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Langdon pointed to the Roman numeral in the lower liner. â€Å"That’s the pub date. What’s going on?† Vittoria deciphered the number. â€Å"1639?† â€Å"Yes. What’s wrong?† Vittoria’s eyes filled with foreboding. â€Å"We’re in trouble, Robert. Big trouble. The dates don’t match.† â€Å"What dates don’t match?† â€Å"Raphael’s tomb. He wasn’t buried here until 1759. A century after Diagramma was published.† Langdon stared at her, trying to make sense of the words. â€Å"No,† he replied. â€Å"Raphael died in 1520, long before Diagramma.† â€Å"Yes, but he wasn’t buried here until much later.† Langdon was lost. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"I just read it. Raphael’s body was relocated to the Pantheon in 1758. It was part of some historic tribute to eminent Italians.† As the words settled in, Langdon felt like a rug had just been yanked out from under him. â€Å"When that poem was written,† Vittoria declared, â€Å"Raphael’s tomb was somewhere else. Back then, the Pantheon had nothing at all to do with Raphael!† Langdon could not breathe. â€Å"But that†¦ means†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes! It means we’re in the wrong place!† Langdon felt himself sway. Impossible†¦ I was certain†¦ Vittoria ran over and grabbed the docent, pulling him back. â€Å"Signore, excuse us. Where was Raphael’s body in the 1600s?† â€Å"Urb†¦ Urbino,† he stammered, now looking bewildered. â€Å"His birthplace.† â€Å"Impossible!† Langdon cursed to himself. â€Å"The Illuminati altars of science were here in Rome. I’m certain of it!† â€Å"Illuminati?† The docent gasped, looking again at the document in Langdon’s hand. â€Å"Who are you people?† Vittoria took charge. â€Å"We’re looking for something called Santi’s earthly tomb. In Rome. Can you tell us what that might be?† The docent looked unsettled. â€Å"This was Raphael’s only tomb in Rome.† Langdon tried to think, but his mind refused to engage. If Raphael’s tomb wasn’t in Rome in 1655, then what was the poem referring to? Santi’s earthly tomb with demon’s hole? What the hell is it? Think! â€Å"Was there another artist called Santi?† Vittoria asked. The docent shrugged. â€Å"Not that I know of.† â€Å"How about anyone famous at all? Maybe a scientist or a poet or an astronomer named Santi?† The docent now looked like he wanted to leave. â€Å"No, ma’am. The only Santi I’ve ever heard of is Raphael the architect.† â€Å"Architect?† Vittoria said. â€Å"I thought he was a painter!† â€Å"He was both, of course. They all were. Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael.† Langdon didn’t know whether it was the docent’s words or the ornate tombs around them that brought the revelation to mind, but it didn’t matter. The thought occurred. Santi was an architect. From there the progression of thoughts fell like dominoes. Renaissance architects lived for only two reasons – to glorify God with big churches, and to glorify dignitaries with lavish tombs. Santi’s tomb. Could it be? The images came faster now†¦ da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Monet’s Water Lilies. Michelangelo’s David. Santi’s earthly tomb†¦ â€Å"Santi designed the tomb,† Langdon said. Vittoria turned. â€Å"What?† â€Å"It’s not a reference to where Raphael is buried, it’s referring to a tomb he designed.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"I misunderstood the clue. It’s not Raphael’s burial site we’re looking for, it’s a tomb Raphael designed for someone else. I can’t believe I missed it. Half of the sculpting done in Renaissance and Baroque Rome was for the funeraries.† Langdon smiled with the revelation. â€Å"Raphael must have designed hundreds of tombs!† Vittoria did not look happy. â€Å"Hundreds?† Langdon’s smile faded. â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"Any of them earthly, professor?† Langdon felt suddenly inadequate. He knew embarrassingly little about Raphael’s work. Michelangelo he could have helped with, but Raphael’s work had never captivated him. Langdon could only name a couple of Raphael’s more famous tombs, but he wasn’t sure what they looked like. Apparently sensing Langdon’s stymie, Vittoria turned to the docent, who was now inching away. She grabbed his arm and reeled him in. â€Å"I need a tomb. Designed by Raphael. A tomb that could be considered earthly.† The docent now looked distressed. â€Å"A tomb of Raphael’s? I don’t know. He designed so many. And you probably would mean a chapel by Raphael, not a tomb. Architects always designed the chapels in conjunction with the tomb.† Langdon realized the man was right. â€Å"Are any of Raphael’s tombs or chapels considered earthly?† The man shrugged. â€Å"I’m sorry. I don’t know what you mean. Earthly really doesn’t describe anything I know of. I should be going.† Vittoria held his arm and read from the top line of the folio. â€Å"From Santi’s earthly tomb with demon’s hole. Does that mean anything to you?† â€Å"Not a thing.† Langdon looked up suddenly. He had momentarily forgotten the second part of the line. Demon’s hole? â€Å"Yes!† he said to the docent. â€Å"That’s it! Do any of Raphael’s chapels have an oculus in them?† The docent shook his head. â€Å"To my knowledge the Pantheon is unique.† He paused. â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But what!† Vittoria and Langdon said in unison. Now the docent cocked his head, stepping toward them again. â€Å"A demon’s hole?† He muttered to himself and picked at his teeth. â€Å"Demon’s hole†¦ that is†¦ buco divolo?† Vittoria nodded. â€Å"Literally, yes.† The docent smiled faintly. â€Å"Now there’s a term I have not heard in a while. If I’m not mistaken, a buco divolo refers to an undercroft.† â€Å"An undercroft?† Langdon asked. â€Å"As in a crypt?† â€Å"Yes, but a specific kind of crypt. I believe a demon’s hole is an ancient term for a massive burial cavity located in a chapel†¦ underneath another tomb.† â€Å"An ossuary annex?† Langdon demanded, immediately recognizing what the man was describing. The docent looked impressed. â€Å"Yes! That is the term I was looking for!† Langdon considered it. Ossuary annexes were a cheap ecclesiastic fix to an awkward dilemma. When churches honored their most distinguished members with ornate tombs inside the sanctuary, surviving family members often demanded the family be buried together†¦ thus ensuring they too would have a coveted burial spot inside the church. However, if the church did not have space or funds to create tombs for an entire family, they sometimes dug an ossuary annex – a hole in the floor near the tomb where they buried the less worthy family members. The hole was then covered with the Renaissance equivalent of a manhole cover. Although convenient, the ossuary annex went out of style quickly because of the stench that often wafted up into the cathedral. Demon’s hole, Langdon thought. He had never heard the term. It seemed eerily fitting. Langdon’s heart was now pounding fiercely. From Santi’s earthly tomb with demon’s hole. There seemed to be only one question left to ask. â€Å"Did Raphael design any tombs that had one of these demon’s holes?† The docent scratched his head. â€Å"Actually. I’m sorry†¦ I can only think of one.† Only one? Langdon could not have dreamed of a better response. â€Å"Where!† Vittoria almost shouted. The docent eyed them strangely. â€Å"It’s called the Chigi Chapel. Tomb of Agostino Chigi and his brother, wealthy patrons of the arts and sciences.† â€Å"Sciences?† Langdon said, exchanging looks with Vittoria. â€Å"Where?† Vittoria asked again. The docent ignored the question, seeming enthusiastic again to be of service. â€Å"As for whether or not the tomb is earthly, I don’t know, but certainly it is†¦ shall we say differente.† â€Å"Different?† Langdon said. â€Å"How?† â€Å"Incoherent with the architecture. Raphael was only the architect. Some other sculptor did the interior adornments. I can’t remember who.† Langdon was now all ears. The anonymous Illuminati master, perhaps? â€Å"Whoever did the interior monuments lacked taste,† the docent said. â€Å"Dio mio! Atrocits! Who would want to be buried beneath piramides?† Langdon could scarcely believe his ears. â€Å"Pyramids? The chapel contains pyramids?† â€Å"I know,† the docent scoffed. â€Å"Terrible, isn’t it?† Vittoria grabbed the docent’s arm. â€Å"Signore, where is this Chigi Chapel?† â€Å"About a mile north. In the church of Santa Maria del Popolo.† Vittoria exhaled. â€Å"Thank you. Let’s – â€Å" â€Å"Hey,† the docent said, â€Å"I just thought of something. What a fool I am.† Vittoria stopped short. â€Å"Please don’t tell me you made a mistake.† He shook his head. â€Å"No, but it should have dawned on me earlier. The Chigi Chapel was not always known as the Chigi. It used to be called Capella della Terra.† â€Å"Chapel of the Land?† Langdon asked. â€Å"No,† Vittoria said, heading for the door. â€Å"Chapel of the Earth.† Vittoria Vetra whipped out her cell phone as she dashed into Piazza della Rotunda. â€Å"Commander Olivetti,† she said. â€Å"This is the wrong place!† Olivetti sounded bewildered. â€Å"Wrong? What do you mean?† â€Å"The first altar of science is at the Chigi Chapel!† â€Å"Where?† Now Olivetti sounded angry. â€Å"But Mr. Langdon said – â€Å" â€Å"Santa Maria del Popolo! One mile north. Get your men over there now! We’ve got four minutes!† â€Å"But my men are in position here! I can’t possibly – â€Å" â€Å"Move!† Vittoria snapped the phone shut. Behind her, Langdon emerged from the Pantheon, dazed. She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the queue of seemingly driverless taxis waiting by the curb. She pounded on the hood of the first car in line. The sleeping driver bolted upright with a startled yelp. Vittoria yanked open the rear door and pushed Langdon inside. Then she jumped in behind him. â€Å"Santa Maria del Popolo,† she ordered. â€Å"Presto!† Looking delirious and half terrified, the driver hit the accelerator, peeling out down the street. 63 Gunther Glick had assumed control of the computer from Chinita Macri, who now stood hunched in the back of the cramped BBC van staring in confusion over Glick’s shoulder. â€Å"I told you,† Glick said, typing some more keys. â€Å"The British Tattler isn’t the only paper that runs stories on these guys.† Macri peered closer. Glick was right. The BBC database showed their distinguished network as having picked up and run six stories in the past ten years on the brotherhood called the Illuminati. Well, paint me purple, she thought. â€Å"Who are the journalists who ran the stories,† Macri asked. â€Å"Schlock jocks?† â€Å"BBC doesn’t hire schlock jocks.† â€Å"They hired you.† Glick scowled. â€Å"I don’t know why you’re such a skeptic. The Illuminati are well documented throughout history.† â€Å"So are witches, UFOs, and the Loch Ness Monster.† Glick read the list of stories. â€Å"You ever heard of a guy called Winston Churchill?† â€Å"Rings a bell.† â€Å"BBC did a historical a while back on Churchill’s life. Staunch Catholic by the way. Did you know that in 1920 Churchill published a statement condemning the Illuminati and warning Brits of a worldwide conspiracy against morality?† Macri was dubious. â€Å"Where did it run? In the British Tattler?† Glick smiled. â€Å"London Herald. February 8, 1920.† â€Å"No way.† â€Å"Feast your eyes.† Macri looked closer at the clip. London Herald. Feb. 8, 1920. I had no idea. â€Å"Well, Churchill was a paranoid.† â€Å"He wasn’t alone,† Glick said, reading further. â€Å"Looks like Woodrow Wilson gave three radio broadcasts in 1921 warning of growing Illuminati control over the U.S. banking system. You want a direct quote from the radio transcript?† â€Å"Not really.† Glick gave her one anyway. â€Å"He said, ‘There is a power so organized, so subtle, so complete, so pervasive, that none had better speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.’ â€Å" â€Å"I’ve never heard anything about this.† â€Å"Maybe because in 1921 you were just a kid.† â€Å"Charming.† Macri took the jab in stride. She knew her years were showing. At forty-three, her bushy black curls were streaked with gray. She was too proud for dye. Her mom, a Southern Baptist, had taught Chinita contentedness and self-respect. When you’re a black woman, her mother said, ain’t no hiding what you are. Day you try, is the day you die. Stand tall, smile bright, and let ’em wonder what secret’s making you laugh. â€Å"Ever heard of Cecil Rhodes?† Glick asked. Macri looked up. â€Å"The British financier?† â€Å"Yeah. Founded the Rhodes Scholarships.† â€Å"Don’t tell me – â€Å" â€Å"Illuminatus.† â€Å"BS.† â€Å"BBC, actually. November 16, 1984.† â€Å"We wrote that Cecil Rhodes was Illuminati?† â€Å"Sure did. And according to our network, the Rhodes Scholarships were funds set up centuries ago to recruit the world’s brightest young minds into the Illuminati.† â€Å"That’s ridiculous! My uncle was a Rhodes Scholar!† Glick winked. â€Å"So was Bill Clinton.† Macri was getting mad now. She had never had tolerance for shoddy, alarmist reporting. Still, she knew enough about the BBC to know that every story they ran was carefully researched and confirmed. â€Å"Here’s one you’ll remember,† Glick said. â€Å"BBC, March 5, 1998. Parliament Committee Chair, Chris Mullin, required all members of British Parliament who were Masons to declare their affiliation.† Macri remembered it. The decree had eventually extended to include policemen and judges as well. â€Å"Why was it again?† Glick read. â€Å"†¦ concern that secret factions within the Masons exerted considerable control over political and financial systems.† â€Å"That’s right.† â€Å"Caused quite a bustle. The Masons in parliament were furious. Had a right to be. The vast majority turned out to be innocent men who joined the Masons for networking and charity work. They had no clue about the brotherhood’s past affiliations.† â€Å"Alleged affiliations.† â€Å"Whatever.† Glick scanned the articles. â€Å"Look at this stuff. Accounts tracing the Illuminati back to Galileo, the Guerenets of France, the Alumbrados of Spain. Even Karl Marx and the Russian Revolution.† â€Å"History has a way of rewriting itself.† â€Å"Fine, you want something current? Have a look at this. Here’s an Illuminati reference from a recent Wall Street Journal.† This caught Macri’s ear. â€Å"The Journal?† â€Å"Guess what the most popular Internet computer game in America is right now?† â€Å"Pin the tail on Pamela Anderson.† â€Å"Close. It’s called, Illuminati: New World Order.† Macri looked over his shoulder at the blurb. â€Å"Steve Jackson Games has a runaway hit†¦ a quasi-historical adventure in which an ancient satanic brotherhood from Bavaria sets out to take over the world. You can find them on-line at†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Macri looked up, feeling ill. â€Å"What do these Illuminati guys have against Christianity?† â€Å"Not just Christianity,† Glick said. â€Å"Religion in general.† Glick cocked his head and grinned. â€Å"Although from the phone call we just got, it appears they do have a special spot in their hearts for the Vatican.† â€Å"Oh, come on. You don’t really think that guy who called is who he claims to be, do you?† â€Å"A messenger of the Illuminati? Preparing to kill four cardinals?† Glick smiled. â€Å"I sure hope so.† Angels Demons Chapter 6263 Suddenly someone grabbed him from behind. It was Vittoria. She was breathless and tugging at his arm. From the look of terror on her face, Langdon could only imagine one thing. She found a body. He felt an upswelling of dread. â€Å"Ah, your wife!† the docent exclaimed, clearly thrilled to have another guest. He motioned to her short pants and hiking boots. â€Å"Now you I can tell are American!† Vittoria’s eyes narrowed. â€Å"I’m Italian.† The guide’s smile dimmed. â€Å"Oh, dear.† â€Å"Robert,† Vittoria whispered, trying to turn her back on the guide. â€Å"Galileo’s Diagramma. I need to see it.† â€Å"Diagramma?† the docent said, wheedling back in. â€Å"My! You two certainly know your history! Unfortunately that document is not viewable. It is under secret preservation in the Vatican Arc – â€Å" â€Å"Could you excuse us?† Langdon said. He was confused by Vittoria’s panic. He took her aside and reached in his pocket, carefully extracting the Diagramma folio. â€Å"What’s going on?† â€Å"What’s the date on this thing?† Vittoria demanded, scanning the sheet. The docent was on them again, staring at the folio, mouth agape. â€Å"That’s not†¦ really†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Tourist reproduction,† Langdon quipped. â€Å"Thank you for your help. Please, my wife and I would like a moment alone.† The docent backed off, eyes never leaving the paper. â€Å"Date,† Vittoria repeated to Langdon. â€Å"When did Galileo publish†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Langdon pointed to the Roman numeral in the lower liner. â€Å"That’s the pub date. What’s going on?† Vittoria deciphered the number. â€Å"1639?† â€Å"Yes. What’s wrong?† Vittoria’s eyes filled with foreboding. â€Å"We’re in trouble, Robert. Big trouble. The dates don’t match.† â€Å"What dates don’t match?† â€Å"Raphael’s tomb. He wasn’t buried here until 1759. A century after Diagramma was published.† Langdon stared at her, trying to make sense of the words. â€Å"No,† he replied. â€Å"Raphael died in 1520, long before Diagramma.† â€Å"Yes, but he wasn’t buried here until much later.† Langdon was lost. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"I just read it. Raphael’s body was relocated to the Pantheon in 1758. It was part of some historic tribute to eminent Italians.† As the words settled in, Langdon felt like a rug had just been yanked out from under him. â€Å"When that poem was written,† Vittoria declared, â€Å"Raphael’s tomb was somewhere else. Back then, the Pantheon had nothing at all to do with Raphael!† Langdon could not breathe. â€Å"But that†¦ means†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes! It means we’re in the wrong place!† Langdon felt himself sway. Impossible†¦ I was certain†¦ Vittoria ran over and grabbed the docent, pulling him back. â€Å"Signore, excuse us. Where was Raphael’s body in the 1600s?† â€Å"Urb†¦ Urbino,† he stammered, now looking bewildered. â€Å"His birthplace.† â€Å"Impossible!† Langdon cursed to himself. â€Å"The Illuminati altars of science were here in Rome. I’m certain of it!† â€Å"Illuminati?† The docent gasped, looking again at the document in Langdon’s hand. â€Å"Who are you people?† Vittoria took charge. â€Å"We’re looking for something called Santi’s earthly tomb. In Rome. Can you tell us what that might be?† The docent looked unsettled. â€Å"This was Raphael’s only tomb in Rome.† Langdon tried to think, but his mind refused to engage. If Raphael’s tomb wasn’t in Rome in 1655, then what was the poem referring to? Santi’s earthly tomb with demon’s hole? What the hell is it? Think! â€Å"Was there another artist called Santi?† Vittoria asked. The docent shrugged. â€Å"Not that I know of.† â€Å"How about anyone famous at all? Maybe a scientist or a poet or an astronomer named Santi?† The docent now looked like he wanted to leave. â€Å"No, ma’am. The only Santi I’ve ever heard of is Raphael the architect.† â€Å"Architect?† Vittoria said. â€Å"I thought he was a painter!† â€Å"He was both, of course. They all were. Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael.† Langdon didn’t know whether it was the docent’s words or the ornate tombs around them that brought the revelation to mind, but it didn’t matter. The thought occurred. Santi was an architect. From there the progression of thoughts fell like dominoes. Renaissance architects lived for only two reasons – to glorify God with big churches, and to glorify dignitaries with lavish tombs. Santi’s tomb. Could it be? The images came faster now†¦ da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Monet’s Water Lilies. Michelangelo’s David. Santi’s earthly tomb†¦ â€Å"Santi designed the tomb,† Langdon said. Vittoria turned. â€Å"What?† â€Å"It’s not a reference to where Raphael is buried, it’s referring to a tomb he designed.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"I misunderstood the clue. It’s not Raphael’s burial site we’re looking for, it’s a tomb Raphael designed for someone else. I can’t believe I missed it. Half of the sculpting done in Renaissance and Baroque Rome was for the funeraries.† Langdon smiled with the revelation. â€Å"Raphael must have designed hundreds of tombs!† Vittoria did not look happy. â€Å"Hundreds?† Langdon’s smile faded. â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"Any of them earthly, professor?† Langdon felt suddenly inadequate. He knew embarrassingly little about Raphael’s work. Michelangelo he could have helped with, but Raphael’s work had never captivated him. Langdon could only name a couple of Raphael’s more famous tombs, but he wasn’t sure what they looked like. Apparently sensing Langdon’s stymie, Vittoria turned to the docent, who was now inching away. She grabbed his arm and reeled him in. â€Å"I need a tomb. Designed by Raphael. A tomb that could be considered earthly.† The docent now looked distressed. â€Å"A tomb of Raphael’s? I don’t know. He designed so many. And you probably would mean a chapel by Raphael, not a tomb. Architects always designed the chapels in conjunction with the tomb.† Langdon realized the man was right. â€Å"Are any of Raphael’s tombs or chapels considered earthly?† The man shrugged. â€Å"I’m sorry. I don’t know what you mean. Earthly really doesn’t describe anything I know of. I should be going.† Vittoria held his arm and read from the top line of the folio. â€Å"From Santi’s earthly tomb with demon’s hole. Does that mean anything to you?† â€Å"Not a thing.† Langdon looked up suddenly. He had momentarily forgotten the second part of the line. Demon’s hole? â€Å"Yes!† he said to the docent. â€Å"That’s it! Do any of Raphael’s chapels have an oculus in them?† The docent shook his head. â€Å"To my knowledge the Pantheon is unique.† He paused. â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But what!† Vittoria and Langdon said in unison. Now the docent cocked his head, stepping toward them again. â€Å"A demon’s hole?† He muttered to himself and picked at his teeth. â€Å"Demon’s hole†¦ that is†¦ buco divolo?† Vittoria nodded. â€Å"Literally, yes.† The docent smiled faintly. â€Å"Now there’s a term I have not heard in a while. If I’m not mistaken, a buco divolo refers to an undercroft.† â€Å"An undercroft?† Langdon asked. â€Å"As in a crypt?† â€Å"Yes, but a specific kind of crypt. I believe a demon’s hole is an ancient term for a massive burial cavity located in a chapel†¦ underneath another tomb.† â€Å"An ossuary annex?† Langdon demanded, immediately recognizing what the man was describing. The docent looked impressed. â€Å"Yes! That is the term I was looking for!† Langdon considered it. Ossuary annexes were a cheap ecclesiastic fix to an awkward dilemma. When churches honored their most distinguished members with ornate tombs inside the sanctuary, surviving family members often demanded the family be buried together†¦ thus ensuring they too would have a coveted burial spot inside the church. However, if the church did not have space or funds to create tombs for an entire family, they sometimes dug an ossuary annex – a hole in the floor near the tomb where they buried the less worthy family members. The hole was then covered with the Renaissance equivalent of a manhole cover. Although convenient, the ossuary annex went out of style quickly because of the stench that often wafted up into the cathedral. Demon’s hole, Langdon thought. He had never heard the term. It seemed eerily fitting. Langdon’s heart was now pounding fiercely. From Santi’s earthly tomb with demon’s hole. There seemed to be only one question left to ask. â€Å"Did Raphael design any tombs that had one of these demon’s holes?† The docent scratched his head. â€Å"Actually. I’m sorry†¦ I can only think of one.† Only one? Langdon could not have dreamed of a better response. â€Å"Where!† Vittoria almost shouted. The docent eyed them strangely. â€Å"It’s called the Chigi Chapel. Tomb of Agostino Chigi and his brother, wealthy patrons of the arts and sciences.† â€Å"Sciences?† Langdon said, exchanging looks with Vittoria. â€Å"Where?† Vittoria asked again. The docent ignored the question, seeming enthusiastic again to be of service. â€Å"As for whether or not the tomb is earthly, I don’t know, but certainly it is†¦ shall we say differente.† â€Å"Different?† Langdon said. â€Å"How?† â€Å"Incoherent with the architecture. Raphael was only the architect. Some other sculptor did the interior adornments. I can’t remember who.† Langdon was now all ears. The anonymous Illuminati master, perhaps? â€Å"Whoever did the interior monuments lacked taste,† the docent said. â€Å"Dio mio! Atrocits! Who would want to be buried beneath piramides?† Langdon could scarcely believe his ears. â€Å"Pyramids? The chapel contains pyramids?† â€Å"I know,† the docent scoffed. â€Å"Terrible, isn’t it?† Vittoria grabbed the docent’s arm. â€Å"Signore, where is this Chigi Chapel?† â€Å"About a mile north. In the church of Santa Maria del Popolo.† Vittoria exhaled. â€Å"Thank you. Let’s – â€Å" â€Å"Hey,† the docent said, â€Å"I just thought of something. What a fool I am.† Vittoria stopped short. â€Å"Please don’t tell me you made a mistake.† He shook his head. â€Å"No, but it should have dawned on me earlier. The Chigi Chapel was not always known as the Chigi. It used to be called Capella della Terra.† â€Å"Chapel of the Land?† Langdon asked. â€Å"No,† Vittoria said, heading for the door. â€Å"Chapel of the Earth.† Vittoria Vetra whipped out her cell phone as she dashed into Piazza della Rotunda. â€Å"Commander Olivetti,† she said. â€Å"This is the wrong place!† Olivetti sounded bewildered. â€Å"Wrong? What do you mean?† â€Å"The first altar of science is at the Chigi Chapel!† â€Å"Where?† Now Olivetti sounded angry. â€Å"But Mr. Langdon said – â€Å" â€Å"Santa Maria del Popolo! One mile north. Get your men over there now! We’ve got four minutes!† â€Å"But my men are in position here! I can’t possibly – â€Å" â€Å"Move!† Vittoria snapped the phone shut. Behind her, Langdon emerged from the Pantheon, dazed. She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the queue of seemingly driverless taxis waiting by the curb. She pounded on the hood of the first car in line. The sleeping driver bolted upright with a startled yelp. Vittoria yanked open the rear door and pushed Langdon inside. Then she jumped in behind him. â€Å"Santa Maria del Popolo,† she ordered. â€Å"Presto!† Looking delirious and half terrified, the driver hit the accelerator, peeling out down the street. 63 Gunther Glick had assumed control of the computer from Chinita Macri, who now stood hunched in the back of the cramped BBC van staring in confusion over Glick’s shoulder. â€Å"I told you,† Glick said, typing some more keys. â€Å"The British Tattler isn’t the only paper that runs stories on these guys.† Macri peered closer. Glick was right. The BBC database showed their distinguished network as having picked up and run six stories in the past ten years on the brotherhood called the Illuminati. Well, paint me purple, she thought. â€Å"Who are the journalists who ran the stories,† Macri asked. â€Å"Schlock jocks?† â€Å"BBC doesn’t hire schlock jocks.† â€Å"They hired you.† Glick scowled. â€Å"I don’t know why you’re such a skeptic. The Illuminati are well documented throughout history.† â€Å"So are witches, UFOs, and the Loch Ness Monster.† Glick read the list of stories. â€Å"You ever heard of a guy called Winston Churchill?† â€Å"Rings a bell.† â€Å"BBC did a historical a while back on Churchill’s life. Staunch Catholic by the way. Did you know that in 1920 Churchill published a statement condemning the Illuminati and warning Brits of a worldwide conspiracy against morality?† Macri was dubious. â€Å"Where did it run? In the British Tattler?† Glick smiled. â€Å"London Herald. February 8, 1920.† â€Å"No way.† â€Å"Feast your eyes.† Macri looked closer at the clip. London Herald. Feb. 8, 1920. I had no idea. â€Å"Well, Churchill was a paranoid.† â€Å"He wasn’t alone,† Glick said, reading further. â€Å"Looks like Woodrow Wilson gave three radio broadcasts in 1921 warning of growing Illuminati control over the U.S. banking system. You want a direct quote from the radio transcript?† â€Å"Not really.† Glick gave her one anyway. â€Å"He said, ‘There is a power so organized, so subtle, so complete, so pervasive, that none had better speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.’ â€Å" â€Å"I’ve never heard anything about this.† â€Å"Maybe because in 1921 you were just a kid.† â€Å"Charming.† Macri took the jab in stride. She knew her years were showing. At forty-three, her bushy black curls were streaked with gray. She was too proud for dye. Her mom, a Southern Baptist, had taught Chinita contentedness and self-respect. When you’re a black woman, her mother said, ain’t no hiding what you are. Day you try, is the day you die. Stand tall, smile bright, and let ’em wonder what secret’s making you laugh. â€Å"Ever heard of Cecil Rhodes?† Glick asked. Macri looked up. â€Å"The British financier?† â€Å"Yeah. Founded the Rhodes Scholarships.† â€Å"Don’t tell me – â€Å" â€Å"Illuminatus.† â€Å"BS.† â€Å"BBC, actually. November 16, 1984.† â€Å"We wrote that Cecil Rhodes was Illuminati?† â€Å"Sure did. And according to our network, the Rhodes Scholarships were funds set up centuries ago to recruit the world’s brightest young minds into the Illuminati.† â€Å"That’s ridiculous! My uncle was a Rhodes Scholar!† Glick winked. â€Å"So was Bill Clinton.† Macri was getting mad now. She had never had tolerance for shoddy, alarmist reporting. Still, she knew enough about the BBC to know that every story they ran was carefully researched and confirmed. â€Å"Here’s one you’ll remember,† Glick said. â€Å"BBC, March 5, 1998. Parliament Committee Chair, Chris Mullin, required all members of British Parliament who were Masons to declare their affiliation.† Macri remembered it. The decree had eventually extended to include policemen and judges as well. â€Å"Why was it again?† Glick read. â€Å"†¦ concern that secret factions within the Masons exerted considerable control over political and financial systems.† â€Å"That’s right.† â€Å"Caused quite a bustle. The Masons in parliament were furious. Had a right to be. The vast majority turned out to be innocent men who joined the Masons for networking and charity work. They had no clue about the brotherhood’s past affiliations.† â€Å"Alleged affiliations.† â€Å"Whatever.† Glick scanned the articles. â€Å"Look at this stuff. Accounts tracing the Illuminati back to Galileo, the Guerenets of France, the Alumbrados of Spain. Even Karl Marx and the Russian Revolution.† â€Å"History has a way of rewriting itself.† â€Å"Fine, you want something current? Have a look at this. Here’s an Illuminati reference from a recent Wall Street Journal.† This caught Macri’s ear. â€Å"The Journal?† â€Å"Guess what the most popular Internet computer game in America is right now?† â€Å"Pin the tail on Pamela Anderson.† â€Å"Close. It’s called, Illuminati: New World Order.† Macri looked over his shoulder at the blurb. â€Å"Steve Jackson Games has a runaway hit†¦ a quasi-historical adventure in which an ancient satanic brotherhood from Bavaria sets out to take over the world. You can find them on-line at†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Macri looked up, feeling ill. â€Å"What do these Illuminati guys have against Christianity?† â€Å"Not just Christianity,† Glick said. â€Å"Religion in general.† Glick cocked his head and grinned. â€Å"Although from the phone call we just got, it appears they do have a special spot in their hearts for the Vatican.† â€Å"Oh, come on. You don’t really think that guy who called is who he claims to be, do you?† â€Å"A messenger of the Illuminati? Preparing to kill four cardinals?† Glick smiled. â€Å"I sure hope so.†