Ethical Consumption of Cell Phones Essay Example for Free

Moral Consumption of Cell Phones Essay 1. Presentation In only 30 years, portable communication has developed into a significant worldwide industry, with an expected 5 billion clients around the globe, contrasted and an absolute total populace of around 7 billion individuals. While new supporter development has eased back to some degree as of late, item turnover stays high, with more than 1 billion new cell phones sent in 2009 alone. This paper right off the bat looks at the existence pattern of a wireless, depicting its phases from the extraction of the materials to its removal or re-use prospects. It additionally talked about the moral issues that sway the earth and society. In conclusion, two PDA produces (Apple and Nokia) are being looked at as far as how they manage ecological effects. 2. LIFE CYCLE OF A CELL PHONE Stage One: Extraction of Materials Mobile telephones for the most part include around 40% metals and 40% plastics, with the rest of up of glass, earthenware and different random materials. The pieces of a wireless incorporate the circuit board, the fluid gem show (LCD) and the battery-powered battery. The circuit board, which controls the entirety of the telephones capacities, comprises of copper, gold, silver, lead, nickel, tin, coltan, and zinc. The LCD, which is a level board show where all the data and pictures show up, is made of glass or plastic. Batteries power the phone and, contingent upon the kind of battery, may contain nickel, cobalt, zinc, cadmium and copper. A significant number of these materials are alleged constant toxins† that stay in nature for an extensive stretch of time, considerably after removal. Besides, a significant life cycle thought is the vitality required to remove metals from their particular minerals. From a vitality point of view, valuable meta ls gold and silver and surpass the effect of copper. What's more, the vitality substance of glass additionally has a noteworthy vitality impression, because of the high soften temperatures that are required during assembling. Stage Two: Materials Processing Raw materials that go into making PDAs should initially be handled before makers can utilize them. For instance, to make the plastic packaging, raw petroleum should be joined with gaseous petrol and synthetic compounds. The copper used to make the circuit board and batteries must be mined starting from the earliest stage, and rewarded with synthetic concoctions and power before it very well may be shaped into wires and sheets. Stage Three: Manufacturing The individual pieces of a wireless each experience an assembling procedure. The circuit board is molded utilizing plastics and fiberglass and afterward covered with gold plating. The circuits and wires of the circuit board are patched, stuck and covered. The LCD is made with fluid precious stones layered between glass or plastic. These layers incorporate two enraptured boards, with a fluid precious stone arrangement between them. Light is anticipated through the layer of fluid gems and is colorized, which creates the noticeable picture. Batteries have two terminals (both produced using an alternate metal) and every cathode is moved by a fluid material called electrolytes. At the point when an outlet or another outside electrical source is applied, a compound response between the cathodes and the electrolytes makes an electric flow stream and powers the battery. Stage Four: Packaging and Transportation The transportation procedure and bundling of PDAs is viewed as hurtful to the earth. Moving mobile phones for dispersion requires the utilization of petroleum derivatives for vitality, which can add to worldwide environmental change. While bundling shields items from harm, recognizes substance, and gives data, over the top or brightening bundling adds to the waste that we produce. Bundling expends important characteristic assets, for example, paper (from trees), plastic (from raw petroleum in the earth), aluminum (from mineral), or different materials, all of which use vitality to deliver and can bring about waste. Some bundling, be that as it may, can be produced using reused materials. Stage Five: Useful Life You can expand the utilization of your wireless by accepting great consideration of it as in shielding it from harm by putting away it for a situation, abstaining from dropping it, and keeping it out of outrageous warmth and cold and away from water and different fluids. Nonetheless, the materials that are utilized to make PDAs can possibly harm the earth and mischief individuals. Thusly, it is essential to reuse, reuse or appropriately arrange mobile phones. Reuse: Many associations, including recyclers, noble cause, and hardware producers, acknowledge working mobile phones and offer them to schools, network associations, and people out of luck. Reuse gives individuals, who couldn't in any case bear the cost of them, free or diminished cost access to new telephones and this likewise broadens the valuable lifetime of a telephone. Reuse: Nowadays, numerous stores, producers, and reusing focuses acknowledge mobile phones for reusing. Some PDAs can be fixed and sold as repaired telephones, or parts can be utilized to fix telephones. Some battery-powered batteries can likewise be reused, as along these lines the recouped materials can be utilized to make new batteries and tempered steel items. Removal: However, about 40% of PDAs cannot be sold as restored PDAs. These phones are destroyed just as purified at a copper purifier. Numerous metals really return to their common state. This procedure renews some normal assets and it is called over the ground mining. All things considered, numerous mobile phones are essentially tossed in the rubbish and end up in landfills (covered in the ground) or incinerators (consumed). Since phones contain metals, plastics, synthetic concoctions, and other possibly perilous substances, they ought to consistently be reused or appropriately arranged. Telephones that are discarded squander vitality and result in the loss of significant assets. This figure shows the phone reusing rate from 2007 to 2010 in the United Stated. Despite the fact that deals were the most elevated in 2010, the reusing rate didn't compare to the deals. 3. Moral ISSUES 1. Vitality Conservation The amount of cell phone utilization expands any natural effect of this item. Life-cycle examination directed by the European Commission shows that vitality utilization is the best effect, both during production of parts and during their use. Nokia evaluated that if 10% of overall supporters would unplug their chargers once their telephone is completely energized, the vitality spared could to gracefully 60,000 European homes for one year. Issues like wastage of vitality due to cheating as well as mobiles left unplugged significantly subsequent to being completely energized should be tended to additional. 2. Misuse Illegal Trading The material utilized in the assembling of the cell phones is coltan, a warmth safe material found in the Republic of Congo. In the Coltan, mines there are youngsters that need to work as opposed to going to class and numerous respectable organizations purchase this mineral. Organizations need to fall back on material gave by dubious conditions. What is Coltan? Coltan, short for columbite-tantalite is a metallic metal involving niobium and tantalum. The niobium-predominant mineral in coltan is columbite, and the tantalum-prevailing mineral is tantalite. Niobium, whose driving maker in Brazil, is generally found in the mineral pyrochlore while tantalum is separated from the metal, tantalite and is made by refining and tin mining in certain spots. Tantalum mineral is for the most part mined in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, China, Ethiopia, Mozambique and other focal African nations. Coltan is significant for assembling mobile phones since it is in the capacitors that control current stream in the PDAs circuit board. At the point when refined, coltan turns into a warmth safe powder, metallic tantalum which has novel properties for putting away electrical charge. Mining Coltan In the Coltan is mined by turn in the Congo by gatherings of men diving bowls in streams by rejecting off the surface mud. They at that point slosh the water around the hole, which makes the Coltan metal settle at the base of the cavity where it is recovered by the diggers. A group can mine one kilo of Coltan for each day. The greater part of these diggers are youngsters which are exposed to outrageous conditions. Consequently, mindfulness must be brought to these horrible working conditions by which these kid laborers are influenced. Coltan financing war An ongoing report by the UN hosts asserted that all the gatherings engaged with the neighborhood common war have been associated with the mining and offer of Coltan. One report proposed that the neighboring Rwandan armed force made US$250 million from selling Coltan in under year and a half, regardless of there being no Coltan in Rwanda to mine. The military powers of Uganda and Burundi are additionally embroiled in sneaking Coltan out of Congo for resale in Belgium. A report to the United Nations Security Council has required a ban on buy and import of assets from the Democratic Republic of Congo, because of the continuous common war that has hauled in the encompassing nations. 3. Toxics Waste removal Environmental Impact Persevering Bio aggregate poisons Persistent Bio collective poisons (PBTs) PBTs are especially perilous in light of the fact that they don't debase over significant stretches of time, and can without much of a stretch spread and move between air, water, and soil, bringing about the amassing of poisons a long way from the first point wellspring of contamination. Since PBTs amass in greasy issue of people and creatures, the poisons are step by step focused and are of incredible hazard. Mobile phone batteries Battery-powered batteries are quickly changing as mechanical advances improve new force sources. Effectively 60% of battery-powered Batteries sold overall are utilized in mobile phones. In any case, battery-powered right now have poisonous constituents, for example, cadmium, just as brominated fire retardants. The complete ecological effect from wireless batteries relies upon a batteries material piece just as on the time mobile phones are utilized bef

Theory of knowledge Free Essays

What are the strategies for the history specialists and how would they contrast and different procedures: Above all else, we need to realize what is the meaning of history: It is a part of information managing past occasions, political, social, financial, of a nation, landmass, or the world. It is a methodical depiction of past occasions. It is likewise a train of occasions associated with someone or something. We will compose a custom article test on Hypothesis of information or then again any comparative theme just for you Request Now Furthermore I will characterize what is a strategy. It is 1) a framework, precision, 2) it is a method of accomplishing something 3) getting things done with 4) it is a science or investigation of something. The contrasts between the realities of the past and authentic realities: We as a whole know, or think we know, what a reality is: a solid snippet of data, something we know to be, in the presence of mind importance of the word â€Å"true†. We additionally know, or think we know, what an authentic certainty is. Give models. These are realities, distinct bits of authentic information, close maybe to the characteristic logical information the nineteenth century students of history needed to use as their model of information. However, these realities are just the beginning of history, just the establishment on which history is constructed. History isn't the realities of the past alone yet the handling of these realities into a sound, significant translation of the past with which these realities are concerned. â€Å"History is the translation of these realities, the handling of them into a story with causes and effects.† These realities, these snippets of data about the past are essential to students of history. Antiquarians must be sure of their exactness, must believe in their trustworthiness before they can unquestionably decipher them for their counterparts. Students of history gather their realities from at whatever point they can. Certain verifiable realities, for the most part those acquired from documents, might be gathered straightforwardly by students of history themselves. Students of history can visit open records workplaces or holy places and look at chronicled reports legitimately. Epigraphy is a fascinating case of such a control. It is the investigation of old engravings: letters and words and images, etched, shaped or emblazoned on stones. E.g.: the Rosetta stone: it is a recorded stone found close Rosetta in northern Egypt in 1799. History is a choice: Antiquarians leave a mark on the world by choosing realities and preparing them and the handling makes history. History has been portrayed as a tremendous dance saw with heaps of bits missing. Students of history attempt to make the missing pieces. They can just do this by choosing from all the data accessible to them. What proof we have for this comes, obviously, from the individuals in the medieval times who expounded on their own lives and times. Furthermore, the individuals who expounded on their own lives and times in the medieval times in Europe were priests and ministers. Inventive comprehension is a significant piece of a historian’s expertise, yet creative comprehension fluctuates from history specialist to antiquarian. They need to inventively comprehend the brains of the more established individuals. The main way they can do this is by utilizing their own points of view. Antiquarians perceive that to depict history is outlandish. They can't generally make certain of the intentions of the essayists of the chronicle records. â€Å"The past must be seen through the eyes of the present†. History specialist should introduce their records of the past. Ranke and his kindred nineteenth century students of history accepted that in addition to the fact that it was conceivable to introduce the past â€Å"How it truly was† yet they likewise accepted they were doing precisely that when they composed their history books. The historian’s work was to gather together a demonstrated assortment of realities and present them to the perusers. Is history an extraordinary subject matter? We have seen that normal sciences, arithmetic and rationale, and the sociologies have particular subject matters. Could a comparable case be made for history? Indeed obviously it very well may be made!!!!. One method of responding to this inquiry is to take a gander at crafted by history specialists. As we do this, we ought to ask ourselves the inquiry † What do students of history do that researchers, mathematicians and social researchers don't do?†!!!!!. Four distinct stages exists: 1) Recording: Some researchers gather records and save proof from an earlier time. In the event that we adhere to our meaning of antiquarians as mediators of realities these researchers are not history specialists in our feeling of the word. They are filers and custodians, authorities and preservers. E.G: Nothing is moved until photos are taken, estimations made and careful records gathered of everything that is there and precisely where it is. That is crafted by the verifiable analysts who record and protect proof from an earlier time. Each article is recorded and, quite far recognized. The recorded information these Historians have is the same as the information on characteristic science: it is observational and obviously objective. Give case of the titanic. 2) Assessment: These history specialists asses the proof they have, contrast it with other comparable confirmations that may be accessible and reached the resolution that Holden’s room are for sure a novel recorded occasion. 3) Reconstructing the past: Having evaluated the proof and acknowledged its significance, students of history currently need to utilize it, to induce from it and to remake the past. They use confirmations. History specialists additionally are keen on remaking past the self-evident. They endeavor to recreate the estimations of an affluent youth 100 years back. 4) Interpreting: Historians ask themselves inquiries. They may contrast the ancient rarities and different atifacts for instance†¦ Historians’ methods of knowing are unmistakable. They record, survey, reproduce and decipher such that others researchers don't. History specialists constantly reevaluate the occasions of the past and reappraise them for each new age. Authentic sources: Essential and optional sources: The issue with the past is that it has passed. It has gone. The possibility ever past, and present, running equal is interesting yet until we have the innovation to investigate different occasions as a general rule, we need to investigate the past through what the past has left us, through the huge number of ancient rarities getting by from times past. History specialists use what they term PRIMARY SOURCES as their principle access to the past. Optional sources are likewise accessible: these are wellsprings of data gave by different history specialists. Essential sources are the bedrock of history. They incorporate each possible kind of reports: maps, bargains, places of worship and sanctuary records, royal chronicle archives, letters, legitimate records, journals, papers, indexes and even transport tickets. They can be formal or casual, private or open, genuine or negligible. Essential sources likewise incorporate ancient rarities. In contrast to science, say, history is regularly condemned for filling no need. We can't gain from history, it is contended, either in light of the fact that exactly indistinguishable conditions from in the past can't emerge again in future, or in such a case that adequately comparable conditions arose, we would not have the option to act in an unexpected way. In the regular sciences we have the two explanations of quick perceptions, detailing for example the result of an examination, and general laws from which we can determine expectations. These two sorts of proclamations are legitimized in very various manners: observational articulations by discernment. The proof, not really composed, which verifiable research depends on are the ‘sources’. Sources need not be things that return to the time in history which is being contemplated, yet can be writings composed from that point forward about that time: the previous are called essential, and the last optional sources. There are two principle addresses that must be asked with respect to essential sources. The first of these worries their credibility, or validity. Assume that we have, for example, a work of art of a specific recorded occasion; at that point the painter may have added or discarded certain subtleties to satisfy his client, or to make it a superior artwork, he might not have been there himself and have utilized inadequate records, the artistic creation could even be a later phony, etc. The other inquiry concerns their fulfillment. We should remember that the material accessible to us has just been deliberately chosen, in an assortment of ways: we will in general find out about the high societies of the social orders we study, since it is to a great extent their doings that were recorded, while we find numerous vestiges in certain pieces of the world, little survives from the wooden structures that were progressively normal somewhere else, etc. On one side there are the individuals who hold that chronicled clarification must resemble the logical clarification of an occasion: to comprehend an authentic occasion, we should have a general, or ‘covering’ law, so that from this law and a portrayal of the recorded circumstance we can reason that the occasion would occur. For even where history is equipped for being objective, there are issues with the ‘evidence’ it depends on, as we have seen: the sources accessible may not be bona fide, and they will unquestionably be inadequate. What's more, to the degree that history is (essentially) emotional, for example a matter of the situation from which it is composed, authentic records or clarifications are at risk to the issue of predisposition, for example favoritism, partisanship or even bias. The student of history can't be objective about the period, which is his subject. In this he varies (to further his scholarly potential benefit) from its most common ideologists, who accepted that the advancement of innovation, ‘positive science’ and society made it conceivable to see their present with the unanswerable unbiasedness of the characteristic researcher, whose techniques they trusted themselves (erroneously) to comprehend. For a significant part of the time that history has been composed, crafted by the student of history was not t

Children of Alcoholics Have Difficulty Having Fun

Children of Alcoholics Have Difficulty Having Fun Addiction Alcohol Use Children of Alcoholics Print Children of Alcoholics Have Difficulty Having Fun Real Stories From Children of Alcoholics By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on July 11, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on February 17, 2018 Children of Alcoholics Face Many Challenges. © Getty Images More in Addiction Alcohol Use Children of Alcoholics Binge Drinking Withdrawal and Relapse Drunk Driving Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery One of the characteristics that many children who had an alcoholic parent report is difficulty having fun. Because they carry around so much anger, or because they have had so many events and holidays sabotaged by the alcoholic parent, they dont even expect to have fun. Many children who grow up in an alcoholic home seem to have many common characteristics, and one of them is not being able to let loose and just have fun. Visitors to the Verywell.com Alcoholism site who answered the question, How Do You Feel Growing Up With an Alcoholic Parent Has Changed You? describe what its like: Never Able to Let LooseIve always felt different from other people, never able to let loose and have fun at social events, and always feeling alone. Everything is a competition to me; I feel like I always need to be the best, or Im a failure. I struggle with my identity and I still dont have an answer to that who am I question. Im trying my best to make sense of everything Ive discovered about myself, but its been trying and very painful. -- J.B. Happiness Feels FakeMy happiness when present feels fake because I know it will always be overshadowed by some horrible incident. There are times when I feel as though I do not want to live because the pain is too great. How sad. -- Love The Anger Is Still ThereAs a teenager, I felt alone and angry and always took this out on people closest to me. I would say to myself, I will be happier when this happens, when I get this job or move out. But over the years I have realized the anger and sadness are still there. -- Hailey I Cannot Go Have FunI grew up never feeling like I was normal, never feeling like I was good enough. Now I have such low self-esteem its crippling. I can not go out and have fun like normal adults. -- Taylor Stunted My EmotionsI think growing up with an alcoholic step-father has stunted my emotions, seems I get saddened easily, but the happy emotions are very low. Things people are normally jumping up and down about dont give me the same amount of excitement. Dont get me wrong, I still feel happiness, but not to the extent most people do. -- Biggie Affected by Parental Alcoholism If you grew up in a home where there was a lot of drinking, you may want to take this quiz to determine to what extent you may have been affected by the experience. If your life has been affected, you might want to seek help through professional counseling or find support in either Al-Anon Family Groups or the support group Adult Children of Alcoholics. If you have a drinking problem and you have children in the home, they are being affected by your drinking and your behavior psychologically and emotionally more than you may realize. You may want to try to find help to quit or cut back on the amount of alcohol that you consume. How Growing up Around Drinking Can Impact Kids Into Adulthood

Life Worth Living By William James - 994 Words

Term Paper There are many philosophers who have views supporting or like William James’. However, there are other concepts holding positions that are in opposition to what James has to say. In this paper, I will answer James’ question in his essay, Is Life Worth Living, by arguing affirmatively that life is worth living. Premises The main argument that William James provides in his essay is that life is worth living. The main supports for this argument are religion, belief, and faith. Another defense James offers is optimism, although he knows this cannot be true for everyone. According to James, optimism is the way of approaching his question. He states that there would be no need to ask questions such as this one if optimism were true†¦show more content†¦The first principle is that when people make decisions they are to be ethical and to consider both the consequences and the intentions of our actions. With Kant, the take away is that individuals are to be concerned with the right intentions as well as the right principles. Kant also describes that â€Å"Everything in nature works according to laws† (Twenty Questions, page 595). The Utilitarian Argument poses that there are for steps: â€Å"recognize the problem, consider options and consequences, and select the outcome† (TJ Consequ ences Outline, 2017). In Kant’s Utilitarian View individuals are to add up the good and bad consequences and subtract the bad consequences from the good consequences. This will then lead to an overall choice. After reading the article â€Å"Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals,† I find that Immanuel Kant suggests that people should be treated as â€Å"ends† rather than â€Å"means.† People deserve respect and everyone has value therefore life is worth living. Kant’s prospective is widely based on practical reason rather than the focus of feelings. From what I understand from Kant, life is worth living but it is widely based on the aspect that everything is based on a fundamental law. Objections Some individuals believe that there is more meaning and promise in their death than the life that they are currently living on earth. Many religions, Christianity included, believe in eternal life. No one except for Christ (i.e. God) knowsShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of William James829 Words   |  4 Pages William James was an American philosopher and psychologist who specialized in Pragmatism and philosophy related to such. He led a philosophical revolution in the USA and would make the philosophy known as  ¨Pragmatism very well known. In his book  ¨The Will to Believe and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy, William explains different philosophical beliefs while also challenging them and supporting the right to believe in a religion or even life itself. 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Becoming A World Class Engineering Student Essay - 1118 Words

Introduction A world-class engineering student, also known as a â€Å"master of learning,† is distinguished by the ability to take command of their learning process, engagement in the learning, with constant drive and discipline while always keeping a goal set for the future. The life of an engineer is inherently mentally arduous due to the sheer amount of knowledge that must be learned from generations of knowledge building in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. The life of an engineer can be one of the most rewarding as a pupil gains knowledge from the work of people like Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, etc., changing the world in their own way. This process of learning can become bearable, manageable, and can to become effortless by taking the time to first learn how to become a world-class engineering student. To become a world-class engineer takes large sums of time and consistency. 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Nelson Mandela Essay Free Essays

The world leader I have chosen to write about is Nelson Mandela:  Nelson Mandela’s rise in the political arena can be traced back to his years as one of the leading members of the African National Congress, otherwise known as the ANC, beginning in 1944 (Mandela, 2009). The ANC was one of the oldest South African civil rights unions. The union’s primary purpose, the freedom and equal rights of all black citizens from the practice of apartheid–South Africa’s then legalized form of racism–was a natural draw for Mandela. We will write a custom essay sample on Nelson Mandela Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Mr. Mandela describes in his own words the deciding moment when he joined the ANC: I had no epiphany, no singular revelation, no moment of truth, but a steady accumulation of a thousand slights, a thousand indignities, a thousand unremembered moments, [that] produced in me an anger, a rebelliousness, a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people (Mandela, 2009). Mandela’s desire and drive helped sustain him in the difficult years ahead. After joining the ANC and creating its first youth league (Mandela, 2009). Mandela went on to organize many nonviolent protests and civil disobedience demonstrations throughout much of the country. Growing in popularity, these campaigns were eventually deemed illegal by the National Party–the white supremacist government in power at the time–and ultimately led to the imprisonment of Mandela in 1962 (Mandela, 2009). Although many people advocated for his release throughout the years, it was from his own prison cell twenty years later when Nelson Mandela finally negotiated his own freedom and began the long, tedious, yet peaceful process of creating a new government for the South African people. Working together with South Africa’s new president, F.W. de Klerk, Mandela negotiated heroically in the creation of a new and non-discriminatory government. The two men made history on September 26, 1992 when they signed the Record of Understanding, a document formalizing their agreement to create a new, non-racial, democratic government freely elected by the people (Mandela, 2009). Nelson Mandela went on to become the first freely elected President of South Africa and continued the hard work of rebuilding his country. He served his presidency for five years, stepping down from politics in 1999. Although removed from public office, Mandela continued to  advocate for issues important to his country; issues such as AIDS, poverty, and human rights. Again, Nelson Mandela worked tirelessly on behalf of his people, receiving numerous rewards throughout the years, until he formally retired from public life in 2004 (Mandela, 2009). As a result of his life’s work, Nelson Mandela forever changed the social view and practice of apartheid in his country. Politically, his efforts resulted in the first non-discriminatory, democratic (majority rule) government for South Africa. Therefore, I find these to be the two most significant social and political changes that occurred as a result of Nelson Mandela. Task B.The individual I have chosen to write about is Martin Luther King, Jr.:  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was known as a religious reformer and civil rights activist who rose to greatness during the civil rights movements of the United States. Dr. King began his career as a civil rights activist in 1956 (About Dr. King, n.d.) when he was hired as a spokesman for the Montgomery Bus Boycott; a campaign organized and fully supported by the black community of Montgomery in protest of the segregation of the city bus lines. This boycott, which lasted for 381 days, ended successfully with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling declaring racial segregation in public transportation unconstitutional (About Dr. King, n.d.). This landmark protest would prove to be but one of the many successful campaigns Dr. King would lead throughout his lifetime. In 1958, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) elected Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as their president (About Dr. King, n.d.). The SCLC’s mission of providing guidance to the growing civil rights movement (occurring throughout much of the south) served as the perfect platform for Dr. King’s message. From here, Dr. King would go on to organize many campaigns, most of them occurring in Birmingham, Alabama, then described â€Å"as the most segregated city in America† (About Dr. King, n.d.). Drawing from the nonviolent teachings of Mohandas Gandhi, Dr. King’s peaceful protests and civil disobedience demonstrations were televised in stark contrast to the brutality of Birmingham’s police force. The televised beatings of young black protesters proved too much for the nation to bear, prompting congress  to begin legislation on behalf of the civil rights movement in 1962 (About Dr. King, n.d.). Although the Birmingham demonstrations led to the writing of his open and now famous â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail;† an articulate, well written manifesto of Dr. King’s beliefs and actions (About Dr. King, n.d.), time would show that Martin Luther King, Jr.’s greatest moments were still to come. In 1963 Dr. King gathered more than a quarter-million people to Washington D.C.’s National Mall for the â€Å"March for Jobs and Freedom,† now commonly referred to as the â€Å"March on Washington† (About Dr. King, n.d.) It was here that Dr. King delivered his legendary â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech, firmly placing himself on the world stage as a social and political leader, as well as becoming the youngest man–30 years of age– to receive the Nobel Peace. As a result of all the publicity Dr. King drew to the civil rights movement, congress soon passed the historical 1964 Civil Rights Act, and soon after the 1965 Voting Rights Act (About Dr. King, n.d.); sweeping legislation declaring it illegal to discriminate against blacks or any other minority people, and removing any obstacles obscuring blacks of their right to vote. After the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Dr. King carried on with his work, choosing to focus on economic justice and international peace. Tragically, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated while visiting a motel in Memphis on April 4, 1968 (About Dr. King, n.d.). Through his work, Dr. King introduced our country to the practice of â€Å"nonviolent† demonstrations, socially changing the way many people participate in protests even today. Due in part to his nonviolent campaigns, Dr. King’s efforts resulted in the passing of the Civil Rights Acts, one of the most significant political changes occurring in the history of our country. Therefore, I find these to be the two most significant social and political changes resulting from the actions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. How to cite Nelson Mandela Essay, Essays

What is the status of ethics in management This i Essay Example For Students

What is the status of ethics in management? This i Essay s a very hard question to address in a two to three page paper because there is no definite answer. As with many society-wide concerns, ethics runs the entire spectrum of behaviors; from Wal-Mart being very customer oriented and a friend of charity to those fly-by-night repair scams that tend to prey on the elderly. When does a business cross the line from making a profit to stealing a profit? That is a hard line to gauge. Laws are designed to make that line a little clearer but laws cant out think the mind of man. If a way can be thought of to make money it already has been or is being thought of. Its where people are taken advantage of that we need to worry. There are many business in place that simply prey on the people who dont know any better. Whether its the feature on Prime-Time that shows elderly people tricked into phony home repairs or the local business that offered a friend of mine a computer at an inflated price with an outrageous financing plan, some business practices are unethical. What I will focus on today is not the clearly right or the clearly wrong but that vast amount of items that are in the middle. We will write a custom essay on What is the status of ethics in management? This i specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Looking at more of a gray area, Wal-Mart is generally viewed as an ethically company but even they have a reputation for unfair competition. Wal-Mart has a marketing plan that targets smaller cities with large-volume discount stores. While this may not appear to be unfair on its face, many people have felt its negative effect. When Wal-Mart moves into a market, many of its smaller competitors go out of business. Small business in small towns cant compete with the prices, availability, or selection of a huge conglomerate like Wal-Mart. People in the towns dont have much of a choice. Pay more for less or pay less for more? Not are hard decision. But the ultimate effect is that many small business cant survive the competition. Is that ethically wrong? That is a very hard call to make. I recently had an experience of buying a new car. I shopped around Altus and also in Florida while on a recent trip. I was in the market to buy a Ford Explorer. The prices seemed to be about the same in these two markets. My wife and I decided to drive to Oklahoma City to look further. When we got there, the first dealership that we saw had over thirty Explorers on the front lot with a recent shipment of more in the back. Compared to the Altus dealership which had two. Immediately, I noticed that the price at that dealership was $1,300 less than the same model with the same package in Altus. Both stickers said the price quoted was the manufacturers suggested retail price. Already over $1,000 to the good, we decided to look further. We found four Explorers that had an additional mark down of $2,000. This was because of an engine style in the process of being phased out that had an additional rebate. Looking at the two different model from Oklahoma City and Altus, we!would save $3,300 by buying here. We decided to look no further. We selected the color and bought our car. Overall, we had a very pleasant experience but what about the people who buy from the Altus dealership and spend over $3,000 more? Are they being unethically taken advantage of? Thats a hard call to make. I teach an equal opportunity class on base and during that class someone inevitably brings up car prices in Altus as being unfair. Are these prices unfair or is it just the law of supply and demand? Two thousand dollars that I saved in Oklahoma City were because that model car wasnt available to the dealership in Altus. That difference can be easily excusable. The other $1,300, I have a harder time with. I took detailed notes and both stickers were basically identical with the exception of price. Each indicated a different manufacturers suggested retail price. Ethically, I think the line has been crossed. There cant be two different manufacturers suggested retail prices for the same car. One ha s to be wrong. I had a good experience buying this car but not ever!yone will. Ive been to the dealerships in the past that have used those high pressure tactics to coerce people into buying or spending more than they can afford. Those are the kind of ethical issues that cant be legislated. .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 , .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 .postImageUrl , .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 , .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768:hover , .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768:visited , .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768:active { border:0!important; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768:active , .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768 .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1490c9017443b5f54dc1e95575c9f768:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: England Romantic Poets EssayReading through the ethics cases reminded me of my car buying experience because just like in the cases, there is no clear cut answer. In ethics, one would think that there is right and wrong but in real life cases of ethics in business there is not. There is no black and white answer only millions of shades of gray. Given the case of junk faxes, what is so wrong about sending an unsolicited advertisement to someone. I get them almost every day in my mailbox. It seems like a reasonable response but the differences are great. The junk fax ties up an important communication tool of the company and the costs are split between the sender and the rec ipient without the recipients permission. The cost to the sender is simply the cost of a telephone call. While the cost to the recipient is the cost of paper, ink, and power to receive the call in addition to the loss of use of the machine during reception. I wouldnt want to get junk mail in my mailbox, if I had to pay for it!. I dont like it much even when I dont have to pay for it. But is this practice of junk faxing wrong? I say no. Ethically, I feel that its not wrong if the faxes are reasonable in length and company has a process to quit sending faxes if a recipient requests. I was the recipient of one junk fax. It came into my squadron office here on Altus Air Force Base. It was an advertisement to buy office supplies. Now there is no law, either civil or military, that prohibits this but I realized this isnt something that the Air Force should pay for. I took the fax to the legal office and they drafted a letter to request that it be stopped. They stated that if any more faxe s were received, Altus AFB would no longer do business with this company. This was motivation enough for them not to do it. We never received another fax. With business, that is how the system must work. If the pursuit of the bottom line goes to far, then the bottom line must be threatened. I dont think there is anything ethically wrong with many business practices. Its all a matter of people being satisfied with the product that they are getting. If they are satisfied, the business will flourish. If not, it will suffer. That is probably the best way to measure ethics in management. Overall, I think the status of ethics is management needs some work. There are very good companies out there that charge a fair price to make a reasonable profit but there are many business in place that prey on the weak and poor.

Atlantic Cod Information and Facts

Atlantic Cod Information and Facts The Atlantic cod was called by author Mark Kurlansky, the fish that changed the world. Certainly, no other fish was as formative in the settlement of the eastern coast of North America, and in forming the booming fishing towns of New England and Canada. Learn more about the biology and history of this fish below. Atlantic Cod Descriptive Features Cod are greenish-brown to gray on their sides and back, with a lighter underside. They have a light line that runs along their side, called the lateral line. They have an obvious barbel, or whisker-like projection, from their chin, giving them a catfish-like appearance. They have three dorsal fins and two anal fins, all of which are prominent. There have been reports of cod that were as long as 6 1/2 feet and as heavy as 211 pounds, although the cod typically caught by fishermen today are much smaller. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ActinopterygiiOrder: GadiformesFamily: GadidaeGenus: GadusSpecies: morhua Cod are related to haddock and Pollock, which also belong to the family Gadidae. According to FishBase, the Gadidae family contains 22 species. Habitat and Distribution The Atlantic cod ranges from Greenland to North Carolina. Atlantic cod prefer waters close to the ocean bottom. They are most commonly found relatively shallow waters less than 500 feet deep. Feeding Cod feed on fish and invertebrates. They are top predators and used to dominate the ecosystem of the North Atlantic Ocean. But overfishing has caused huge changes in this ecosystem, resulting in an expansion of cod prey such as urchins (which have since been overfished), lobsters and shrimp, leading to a system out of balance. Reproduction Female cod are sexually mature at 2-3 years, and spawn in winter and spring, releasing 3-9 million eggs along the ocean bottom. With this reproductive potential, it may seem that cod should be abundant forever, but the eggs are vulnerable to wind, waves and often become prey to other marine species. Cod may live to over 20 years. Temperature dictates a young cods rate of growth, with cod growing more quickly in warmer water. Because of the cods dependence on a certain range of water temperature for spawning and growth, studies on cod have focused on how cod will respond to global warming. History Cod attracted Europeans to North America for short-term fishing trips and eventually enticed them to stay as fishermen profited from this fish that had flaky white flesh, a high protein content and low fat content.  As Europeans explored North America looking for passage to Asia, they discovered an abundance of huge cod and started fishing along the coast of what is now New England, using temporary fishing camps. Along the rocks of the New England coast, settlers perfected the technique of preserving cod through drying and salting so it could be transported back to Europe and fuel trade and business for the new colonies. As put by Kurlansky, cod had lifted New England from a distant colony of starving settlers to an international commercial power. Fishing for Cod Traditionally, cod was caught using handlines, with larger vessels sailing out to fishing grounds and then sending men in small dories to drop a line in the water and pull in cod. Eventually, more sophisticated and effective methods, such as gill nets and draggers were used. Fish processing techniques also expanded. Freezing techniques and filleting machinery eventually led to the development of fish sticks, marketed as a healthy convenience food. Factory ships started catching fish and freezing it out at sea. Overfishing caused cod stocks to collapse in many areas. Status Atlantic cod are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Despite overfishing, cod are still fished commercially and recreationally. Some stocks, such as the Gulf of Maine stock, are no longer considered overfished. Sources Kurlansky, Mark. Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World. Walker and Company, 1997, New York.Gadus morhua, Atlantic Cod. MarineBio, 2009.NMFS. Atlantic Cod. FishWatch - U.S. Seafood Facts, 2009.Brief History of the Groundfishing Industry of New England. Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

Anna Pavlova Quotes on Happiness, Success,Dance, Life

Anna Pavlova Quotes on Happiness, Success,Dance, Life Anna Pavlova was trained in classic ballet, and while she helped transform the classical ballet by her lighter, more natural style, she did not go outside the classic forms as did her contemporary, Isadore Duncan. Anna Pavlova is especially remembered for her portrayal of a swan in The Dying Swan and Swan Lake. Selected Anna Pavlova Quotations The right to happiness is fundamental. When a small child, I thought that success spelled happiness. I was wrong, happiness is like a butterfly which appears and delights us for one brief moment, but soon flits away. To follow without halt, one aim; there is the secret of success. And success? What is it? I do not find it in the applause of the theater. It lies rather in the satisfaction of accomplishment. What exactly is success? For me it is to be found not in applause, but in the satisfaction of feeling that one is realizing ones ideal. Master technique and then forget about it and be natural. As is the case in all branches of art, success depends in a very large measure upon individual initiative and exertion, and cannot be achieved except by dint of hard work. No one can arrive from being talented alone, work transforms talent into genius. God gives talent. Work transforms talent into genius. Although one may fail to find happiness in theatrical life, one never wishes to give it up after having once tasted its fruits. [Last words of Anna Pavlova] Get my swan costume ready. Then Play that last measure softly. More About Anna Pavlova Anna Pavlova BiographyBiographies: Women in Dance About These Quotes Quote collection assembled by Jone Johnson Lewis. Each quotation page in this collection and the entire collection  © Jone Johnson Lewis. This is an informal collection assembled over many years. I regret that I am not be able to provide the original source if it is not listed with the quote.

Case Study Analysis Google Inc. in China Term Paper

Case Study Analysis Google Inc. in China - Term Paper Example Compliance to Chinese law conflicts the process of conducting a successful business model for companies such as Google. When attempting to circumvent various govern-ment-sanctioned filters, consumer freedoms are at risk from authorities charged with Web surveillance. Concurrently, defying sanctions that are not aligned or considered appropriate for Western nations such as the United States can lead to significant business disruption if (or when) the government demands complete deconstruction of Internet services such as Google. Thus, personally speaking, the regulatory environment in China creates a conflict of interest within the business model as it pertains to providing excellence in service and maintaining a filtered Web presence that does not sustain revenue growth or even brand reputation. B. State what you are bracketing:5 Â ¶ Personal values associated with a firm belief in the democratic process and consumer independence must be removed to avoid bias when analyzing the case study. The socialist doctrine that has replaced long-standing communist values would, according to various theories, be associated with promoting liberties for consumers and giving them more ownership over business and personal lifestyle. An enduring and genuine distaste for oppressive regimes must be bracketed to avoid incorporation of personal values associated with analysis of the case study. II. The Situation6: A. List the facts7 relevant to the issue(s) identified: Â ¶ Deciding whether to defy regulatory authorities to provide a richer and more liberal Internet experience is conflicted by the high volume of policing officials dispersed throughout China. The sophistication of Chinese filtering poses many risks to a business model that is designed to extend breadth of knowledge to consumers, having built this capacity in a free nation where such issues are not a business risk. From human capital to technologies, non-compliance to regulatory demands is going to be noticed by gov ernment regulatory forces and, thus, businesses providing Internet content cannot avoid these filtering obligations if the business is to remain sustainable in a foreign nation. B. List the facts that comprise the historical context relevant to the issue(s) identified: Â ¶ The physical structure of the Internet in China that was developed since allowing Internet services in 1999 provides ample opportunities for enforcement of laws associated with content sanctions. Furthermore, recruitment of private citizens in the enforcement and reporting processes seriously conflict attempting to avoid establishing government-mandated controls and filtrations and expanded the reach of enforcement against these laws. The totalitarian regime in China is long-standing, developed under previous communist-oriented government frameworks. The Chinese government also was not forthcoming in establishing clear and concise frameworks to define compliance to Internet censoring. Lack of clear language made the process of complying with laws, while also attempting to improve profitability in China, created a need for innovation at Google to satisfy

Companys Business Foundation and Deliberate Threats to Information Sy Assignment - 8

Companys Business Foundation and Deliberate Threats to Information Systems - Assignment Example These two threats to the foundation of a company are specific in threatening the company’s survival as both a sustainable entity and a competitive rival to other companies as well. In a revelation of these threats, CSOs should be aware that rival companies and/or private groups can use espionage as a means to acquire the company information illegally. While the issue of espionage may be addressed as an external threat, in most cases, CIOs should be aware that internal activities exposing critical information to employees can lead to espionage. This means that through an illegal acquisition of that information, employees in firms can facilitate the damaging of the business foundation of the company by selling the information to rivals. Additionally, information extortion is another area where CSOs should be aware of when it comes to business foundation. In order to secure a company’s business foundation, the CSO should be aware that illegal access to information can lead to corporate blackmail. This process involves a hacker or a holder of sensitive information who agrees to give up information or not to disclose it for a fee. The motive of information extortion is to create value by pointing out the possible losses that would be incurred if the information was accessed by rival companies Information (Security, pp. 103-104). CSOs must be equipped with the information regarding the value of the company data and how such information can be harmful if it was lost or accessed by unauthorized personnel. When CSOs are aware of the information value, two primary corporate cyber threats are considered. Firstly, the CSO should be aware that information loss can result from sabotage and vandalism. Although companies do not have social enemies, they have financial rivals who thrive to push as many of their competitors out of business. By damaging or rendering a company’s information database unusable, a company is unable to move on as it has to accommodate all direct losses, lawsuits, and possible closures (Information Security, pp. 104-105).

The Rehearsal On Stage by Edgar Degas Essay -- impressionist movement,

Impressionism can easily be viewed as a captivating and revolutionary art movement, which took place during the Nineteenth century in Europe. Artists of this era began to contend with newer technologies, like the camera, for it possessed the capability to seize a spontaneous moment in time. Impressionists wanted to do the same; they strived to paint the picture of a genuine moment happening in front of them. One famous artist of this time period was Edgar Degas . Degas’ The Rehearsal On Stage, created in1874, reflects the characteristics of the impressionism period style of art as well as Degas’ own personal artistic style. By combining these two influences, Degas was able to produce a painting, which could be used to evoke a feeling of physical, sexual, and moral tension while also depicting modern-day life. Degas’ particular work, The Rehearsal Onstage, was created using pastels over a brush and ink drawing on a thin woven paper canvas. In fact, there is the second painting of Degas’, nearly identical to the one mentioned previously. However, it is instead known as The Rehearsal of the Ballet Onstage. Both variants of the composition are owned by the Metropolitan Museum in New York City . In addition to these two works, Degas seemed to be particularly interested in the subject of ballet across many of his other works as well. He focused on elements such as its elegant scenery, costumes, and movements made by the dancers themselves. He was fascinated by the spontaneity of the performance and yet the amount of restraint that must be exercised by its participants at the same time. More often than not, Degas chose to recreate the ballerinas who were off guard. For example he chose to depicting them as they stood backstage in an ... ...stern perspective. Fourteenth ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2014. "Grover Art Online Degas, Edgar." Oxford Art Online. http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T021805?q=degas&search=quick&pos=1&_start=1#firsthit (accessed April 21, 2014). "Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Edgar Degas: The Rehearsal Onstage (29.100.39). http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/29.100.39 (accessed April 23, 2014). "History of Art:The Impressionism - Edgar Degas." History of Art:The Impressionism - Edgar Degas. http://www.all-art.org/history480-5.html (accessed April 23, 2014). "Impressionism artists." Impressionism. http://www.artinthepicture.com/styles/Impressionism/ (accessed April 23, 2014). "Read a Brooke!." : Formal Analysis of Degas. http://babblingbrook3.blogspot.com/2012/04/formal-analysis-of-degas.html (accessed April 23, 2014).

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 18-20

CHAPTER 18 Fache sprinted down the Grand Gallery as Collet's radio blared over the distant sound of the alarm. â€Å"He jumped!† Collet was yelling. â€Å"I'm showing the signal out on Place du Carrousel! Outside the bathroom window! And it's not moving at all! Jesus, I think Langdon has just committed suicide!† Fache heard the words, but they made no sense. He kept running. The hallway seemed never-ending. As he sprinted past Sauniere's body, he set his sights on the partitions at the far end of the Denon Wing. The alarm was getting louder now. â€Å"Wait!† Collet's voice blared again over the radio. â€Å"He's moving! My God, he's alive. Langdon's moving!† Fache kept running, cursing the length of the hallway with every step. â€Å"Langdon's moving faster!† Collet was still yelling on the radio. â€Å"He's running down Carrousel. Wait†¦ he's picking up speed. He's moving too fast!† Arriving at the partitions, Fache snaked his way through them, saw the rest room door, and ran for it. The walkie-talkie was barely audible now over the alarm. â€Å"He must be in a car! I think he's in a car! I can't – â€Å" Collet's words were swallowed by the alarm as Fache finally burst into the men's room with his gun drawn. Wincing against the piercing shrill, he scanned the area. The stalls were empty. The bathroom deserted. Fache's eyes moved immediately to the shattered window at the far end of the room. He ran to the opening and looked over the edge. Langdon was nowhere to be seen. Fache could not imagine anyone risking a stunt like this. Certainly if he had dropped that far, he would be badly injured. The alarm cut off finally, and Collet's voice became audible again over the walkie-talkie. â€Å"†¦ moving south†¦ faster†¦ crossing the Seine on Pont du Carrousel!† Fache turned to his left. The only vehicle on Pont du Carrousel was an enormous twin-bed Trailor delivery truck moving southward away from the Louvre. The truck's open-air bed was covered with a vinyl tarp, roughly resembling a giant hammock. Fache felt a shiver of apprehension. That truck, only moments ago, had probably been stopped at a red light directly beneath the rest room window. An insane risk, Fache told himself. Langdon had no way of knowing what the truck was carrying beneath that tarp. What if the truck were carrying steel? Or cement? Or even garbage? A forty-foot leap? It was madness. â€Å"The dot is turning!† Collet called. â€Å"He's turning right on Pont des Saints-Peres!† Sure enough, the Trailor truck that had crossed the bridge was slowing down and making a right turn onto Pont des Saints-Peres. So be it, Fache thought. Amazed, he watched the truck disappear around the corner. Collet was already radioing the agents outside, pulling them off the Louvre perimeter and sending them to their patrol cars in pursuit, all the while broadcasting the truck's changing location like some kind of bizarre play-by-play. It's over, Fache knew. His men would have the truck surrounded within minutes. Langdon was not going anywhere. Stowing his weapon, Fache exited the rest room and radioed Collet. â€Å"Bring my car around. I want to be there when we make the arrest.† As Fache jogged back down the length of the Grand Gallery, he wondered if Langdon had even survived the fall. Not that it mattered. Langdon ran. Guilty as charged. Only fifteen yards from the rest room, Langdon and Sophie stood in the darkness of the Grand Gallery, their backs pressed to one of the large partitions that hid the bathrooms from the gallery. They had barely managed to hide themselves before Fache had darted past them, gun drawn, and disappeared into the bathroom. The last sixty seconds had been a blur. Langdon had been standing inside the men's room refusing to run from a crime he didn't commit, when Sophie began eyeing the plate-glass window and examining the alarm mesh running through it. Then she peered downward into the street, as if measuring the drop. â€Å"With a little aim, you can get out of here,† she said. Aim? Uneasy, he peered out the rest room window. Up the street, an enormous twin-bed eighteen-wheeler was headed for the stoplight beneath the window. Stretched across the truck's massive cargo bay was a blue vinyl tarp, loosely covering the truck's load. Langdon hoped Sophie was not thinking what she seemed to be thinking. â€Å"Sophie, there's no way I'm jump – â€Å"Take out the tracking dot.† Bewildered, Langdon fumbled in his pocket until he found the tiny metallic disk. Sophie took it from him and strode immediately to the sink. She grabbed a thick bar of soap, placed the tracking dot on top of it, and used her thumb to push the disk down hard into the bar. As the disk sank into the soft surface, she pinched the hole closed, firmly embedding the device in the bar. Handing the bar to Langdon, Sophie retrieved a heavy, cylindrical trash can from under the sinks. Before Langdon could protest, Sophie ran at the window, holding the can before her like a battering ram. Driving the bottom of the trash can into the center of the window, she shattered the glass. Alarms erupted overhead at earsplitting decibel levels. â€Å"Give me the soap!† Sophie yelled, barely audible over the alarm. Langdon thrust the bar into her hand. Palming the soap, she peered out the shattered window at the eighteen-wheeler idling below. The target was plenty big – an expansive, stationary tarp – and it was less than ten feet from the side of the building. As the traffic lights prepared to change, Sophie took a deep breath and lobbed the bar of soap out into the night. The soap plummeted downward toward the truck, landing on the edge of the tarp, and sliding downward into the cargo bay just as the traffic light turned green. â€Å"Congratulations,† Sophie said, dragging him toward the door. â€Å"You just escaped from the Louvre.† Fleeing the men's room, they moved into the shadows just as Fache rushed past. Now, with the fire alarm silenced, Langdon could hear the sounds of DCPJ sirens tearing away from the Louvre. A police exodus.Fache had hurried off as well, leaving the Grand Gallery deserted. â€Å"There's an emergency stairwell about fifty meters back into the Grand Gallery,† Sophie said. â€Å"Now that the guards are leaving the perimeter, we can get out of here.† Langdon decided not to say another word all evening. Sophie Neveu was clearly a hell of a lot smarter than he was. CHAPTER 19 The Church of Saint-Sulpice, it is said, has the most eccentric history of any building in Paris. Built over the ruins of an ancient temple to the Egyptian goddess Isis, the church possesses an architectural footprint matching that of Notre Dame to within inches. The sanctuary has played host to the baptisms of the Marquis de Sade and Baudelaire, as well as the marriage of Victor Hugo. The attached seminary has a well-documented history of unorthodoxy and was once the clandestine meeting hall for numerous secret societies. Tonight, the cavernous nave of Saint-Sulpice was as silent as a tomb, the only hint of life the faint smell of incense from mass earlier that evening. Silas sensed an uneasiness in Sister Sandrine's demeanor as she led him into the sanctuary. He was not surprised by this. Silas was accustomed to people being uncomfortable with his appearance. â€Å"You're an American,† she said. â€Å"French by birth,† Silas responded. â€Å"I had my calling in Spain, and I now study in the United States.† Sister Sandrine nodded. She was a small woman with quiet eyes. â€Å"And you have never seen Saint- Sulpice?† â€Å"I realize this is almost a sin in itself.† â€Å"She is more beautiful by day.† â€Å"I am certain. Nonetheless, I am grateful that you would provide me this opportunity tonight.† â€Å"The abbe requested it. You obviously have powerful friends.† You have no idea, Silas thought. As he followed Sister Sandrine down the main aisle, Silas was surprised by the austerity of the sanctuary. Unlike Notre Dame with its colorful frescoes, gilded altar-work, and warm wood, Saint- Sulpice was stark and cold, conveying an almost barren quality reminiscent of the ascetic cathedrals of Spain. The lack of decor made the interior look even more expansive, and as Silasgazed up into the soaring ribbed vault of the ceiling, he imagined he was standing beneath the hull of an enormous overturned ship. A fitting image, he thought. The brotherhood's ship was about to be capsized forever. Feeling eager to get to work, Silas wished Sister Sandrine would leave him. She was a small woman whom Silas could incapacitate easily, but he had vowed not to use force unless absolutely necessary. She is a woman of the cloth, and it is not her fault the brotherhood chose her church as a hiding place for their keystone.She should not be punished for the sins of others. â€Å"I am embarrassed, Sister, that you were awoken on my behalf.† â€Å"Not at all. You are in Paris a short time. You should not miss Saint-Sulpice. Are your interests in the church more architectural or historical?† â€Å"Actually, Sister, my interests are spiritual.† She gave a pleasant laugh. â€Å"That goes without saying. I simply wondered where to begin your tour.† Silas felt his eyes focus on the altar. â€Å"A tour is unnecessary. You have been more than kind. I can show myself around.† â€Å"It is no trouble,† she said. â€Å"After all, I am awake.† Silas stopped walking. They had reached the front pew now, and the altar was only fifteen yards away. He turned his massive body fully toward the small woman, and he could sense her recoil as she gazed up into his red eyes. â€Å"If it does not seem too rude, Sister, I am not accustomed to simply walking into a house of God and taking a tour. Would you mind if I took some time alone to pray before I look around?† Sister Sandrine hesitated. â€Å"Oh, of course. I shall wait in the rear of the church for you.† Silas put a soft but heavy hand on her shoulder and peered down. â€Å"Sister, I feel guilty already for having awoken you. To ask you to stay awake is too much. Please, you should return to bed. I can enjoy your sanctuary and then let myself out.† She looked uneasy. â€Å"Are you sure you won't feel abandoned?† â€Å"Not at all. Prayer is a solitary joy.† â€Å"As you wish.† Silas took his hand from her shoulder. â€Å"Sleep well, Sister. May the peace of the Lord be with you.† â€Å"And also with you.† Sister Sandrine headed for the stairs. â€Å"Please be sure the door closes tightly on your way out.† â€Å"I will be sure of it.† Silas watched her climb out of sight. Then he turned and knelt in the front pew, feeling the cilice cut into his leg. Dear God, I offer up to you this work I do today†¦ . Crouching in the shadows of the choir balcony high above the altar, Sister Sandrine peered silently through the balustrade at the cloaked monk kneeling alone. The sudden dread in her soul made it hard to stay still. For a fleeting instant, she wondered if this mysterious visitor could be the enemy they had warned her about, and if tonight she would have to carry out the orders she had been holding all these years. She decided to stay there in the darkness and watch his every move. CHAPTER 20 Emerging from the shadows, Langdon and Sophie moved stealthily up the deserted Grand Gallery corridor toward the emergency exit stairwell. As he moved, Langdon felt like he was trying to assemble a jigsaw puzzle in the dark. The newest aspect of this mystery was a deeply troubling one: The captain of the Judicial Police is trying to frame me for murder â€Å"Do you think,† he whispered,† that maybe Fache wrote that message on the floor?† Sophie didn't even turn. â€Å"Impossible.† Langdon wasn't so sure. â€Å"He seems pretty intent on making me look guilty. Maybe he thought writing my name on the floor would help his case?† â€Å"The Fibonacci sequence? The P. S. ? All the Da Vinci and goddess symbolism? That had to be my grandfather.† Langdon knew she was right. The symbolism of the clues meshed too perfectly – the pentacle, TheVitruvian Man, Da Vinci, the goddess, and even the Fibonacci sequence. A coherent symbolic set, as iconographers would call it. All inextricably tied. â€Å"And his phone call to me this afternoon,† Sophie added. â€Å"He said he had to tell me something. I'm certain his message at the Louvre was his final effort to tell me something important, something he thought you could help me understand.† Langdon frowned. O, Draconian devil! Oh, lame saint! He wished he could comprehend the message, both for Sophie's well-being and for his own. Things had definitely gotten worse since he first laid eyes on the cryptic words. His fake leap out the bathroom window was not going to help Langdon's popularity with Fache one bit. Somehow he doubted the captain of the French police would see the humor in chasing down and arresting a bar of soap. â€Å"The doorway isn't much farther,† Sophie said.† Do you think there's a possibility that the numbers in your grandfather's message hold the key to understanding the other lines?† Langdon had once worked on a series of Baconian manuscripts that contained epigraphical ciphers in which certain lines of code were clues as to how to decipher the other lines. â€Å"I've been thinking about the numbers all night. Sums, quotients, products. I don't see anything. Mathematically, they're arranged at random. Cryptographic gibberish.† â€Å"And yet they're all part of the Fibonacci sequence. That can't be coincidence.† â€Å"It's not. Using Fibonacci numbers was my grandfather's way of waving another flag at me – like writing the message in English, or arranging himself like my favorite piece of art, or drawing a pentacle on himself. All of it was to catch my attention.† â€Å"The pentacle has meaning to you?† â€Å"Yes. I didn't get a chance to tell you, but the pentacle was a special symbol between my grandfather and me when I was growing up. We used to play Tarot cards for fun, and my indicator card always turned out to be from the suit of pentacles. I'm sure he stacked the deck, but pentacles got to be our little joke.† Langdon felt a chill. They played Tarot? The medieval Italian card game was so replete with hidden heretical symbolism that Langdon had dedicated an entire chapter in his new manuscript to the Tarot. The game's twenty-two cards bore names like The Female Pope, The Empress, and The Star.Originally, Tarot had been devised as a secret means to pass along ideologies banned by the Church. Now, Tarot's mystical qualities were passed on by modern fortune-tellers. The Tarot indicator suit for feminine divinity is pentacles, Langdon thought, realizing that if Sauniere had been stacking his granddaughter's deck for fun, pentacles was an apropos inside joke. They arrived at the emergency stairwell, and Sophie carefully pulled open the door. No alarm sounded. Only the doors to the outside were wired. Sophie led Langdon down a tight set of switchback stairs toward the ground level, picking up speed as they went. â€Å"Your grandfather,† Langdon said, hurrying behind her,† when he told you about the pentacle, did he mention goddess worship or any resentment of the Catholic Church?† Sophie shook her head. â€Å"I was more interested in the mathematics of it – the Divine Proportion, PHI, Fibonacci sequences, that sort of thing.† Langdon was surprised. â€Å"Your grandfather taught you about the number PHI?† â€Å"Of course. The Divine Proportion.† Her expression turned sheepish. â€Å"In fact, he used to joke that I was half divine†¦ you know, because of the letters in my name.† Langdon considered it a moment and then groaned. s-o-PHI-e. Still descending, Langdon refocused on PHI.He was starting to realize that Sauniere's clues were even more consistent than he had first imagined. Da Vinci†¦ Fibonacci numbers†¦ the pentacle. Incredibly, all of these things were connected by a single concept so fundamental to art history that Langdon often spent several class periods on the topic. PHI. He felt himself suddenly reeling back to Harvard, standing in front of his† Symbolism in Art† class, writing his favorite number on the chalkboard. 1. 618 Langdon turned to face his sea of eager students. â€Å"Who can tell me what this number is?† A long-legged math major in back raised his hand. â€Å"That's the number PHI.† He pronounced it fee. â€Å"Nice job, Stettner,† Langdon said. â€Å"Everyone, meet PHI.† â€Å"Not to be confused with PI,† Stettner added, grinning. â€Å"As we mathematicians like to say: PHI is one H of a lot cooler than PI!† Langdon laughed, but nobody else seemed to get the joke. Stettner slumped.† This number PHI,† Langdon continued,† one-point-six-one-eight, is a very important number in art. Who can tell me why?† Stettner tried to redeem himself. â€Å"Because it's so pretty?† Everyone laughed.† Actually,† Langdon said,† Stettner's right again. PHI is generally considered the most beautiful number in the universe.† The laughter abruptly stopped, and Stettner gloated. As Langdon loaded his slide projector, he explained that the number PHI was derived from the Fibonacci sequence – a progression famous not only because the sum of adjacent terms equaled the next term, but because the quotients of adjacent terms possessed the astonishing property of approaching the number 1. 618 – PHI! Despite PHI's seemingly mystical mathematical origins, Langdon explained, the truly mind-boggling aspect of PHI was its role as a fundamental building block in nature. Plants, animals, and even human beings all possessed dimensional properties that adhered with eerie exactitude to the ratio of PHI to 1. â€Å"PHI's ubiquity in nature,† Langdon said, killing the lights,† clearly exceeds coincidence, and so the ancients assumed the number PHI must have been preordained by the Creator of the universe. Early scientists heralded one-point-six-one-eight as the Divine Proportion.† â€Å"Hold on,† said a young woman in the front row. â€Å"I'm a bio major and I've never seen this Divine Proportion in nature.† â€Å"No?† Langdon grinned. â€Å"Ever study the relationship between females and males in a honeybee community?† â€Å"Sure. The female bees always outnumber the male bees.† â€Å"Correct. And did you know that if you divide the number of female bees by the number of male bees in any beehive in the world, you always get the same number?† â€Å"You do?† â€Å"Yup. PHI.† The girl gaped. â€Å"NO WAY!† â€Å"Way!† Langdon fired back, smiling as he projected a slide of a spiral seashell. â€Å"Recognize this?† â€Å"It's a nautilus,† the bio major said. â€Å"A cephalopod mollusk that pumps gas into its chambered shell to adjust its buoyancy.† â€Å"Correct. And can you guess what the ratio is of each spiral's diameter to the next?† The girl looked uncertain as she eyed the concentric arcs of the nautilus spiral. Langdon nodded. â€Å"PHI. The Divine Proportion. One-point-six-one-eight to one.† The girl looked amazed. Langdon advanced to the next slide – a close-up of a sunflower's seed head. â€Å"Sunflower seeds grow in opposing spirals. Can you guess the ratio of each rotation's diameter to the next?† â€Å"PHI?† everyone said.† Bingo.† Langdon began racing through slides now – spiraled pinecone petals, leaf arrangement on plant stalks, insect segmentation – all displaying astonishing obedience to the Divine Proportion. â€Å"This is amazing!† someone cried out. â€Å"Yeah,† someone else said,† but what does it have to do with art?† â€Å"Aha!† Langdon said. â€Å"Glad you asked.† He pulled up another slide – a pale yellow parchment displaying Leonardo Da Vinci's famous male nude – The Vitruvian Man – named for Marcus Vitruvius, the brilliant Roman architect who praised the Divine Proportion in his text De Architectura. â€Å"Nobody understood better than Da Vinci the divine structure of the human body. Da Vinci actually exhumed corpses to measure the exact proportions of human bone structure. He was the first to show that the human body is literally made of building blocks whose proportional ratios always equal PHI.† Everyone in class gave him a dubious look. â€Å"Don't believe me?† Langdon challenged. â€Å"Next time you're in the shower, take a tape measure.† A couple of football players snickered. â€Å"Not just you insecure jocks,† Langdon prompted. â€Å"All of you. Guys and girls. Try it. Measure the distance from the tip of your head to the floor. Then divide that by the distance from your bellybutton to the floor. Guess what number you get.† â€Å"Not PHI!† one of the jocks blurted out in disbelief. â€Å"Yes, PHI,† Langdon replied. â€Å"One-point-six-one-eight. Want another example? Measure the distance from your shoulder to your fingertips, and then divide it by the distance from your elbow to your fingertips. PHI again. Another? Hip to floor divided by knee to floor. PHI again. Finger joints. Toes. Spinal divisions. PHI. PHI. PHI. My friends, each of you is a walking tribute to the Divine Proportion.† Even in the darkness, Langdon could see they were all astounded. He felt a familiar warmth inside. This is why he taught. â€Å"My friends, as you can see, the chaos of the world has an underlying order. When the ancients discovered PHI, they were certain they had stumbled across God's building block for the world, and they worshipped Nature because of that. And one can understand why. God's hand is evident in Nature, and even to this day there exist pagan, Mother Earth-revering religions. Many of us celebrate nature the way the pagans did, and don't even know it. May Day is a perfect example, the celebration of spring†¦ the earth coming back to life to produce her bounty. The mysterious magic inherent in the Divine Proportion was written at the beginning of time. Man is simply playing by Nature's rules, and because art is man's attempt to imitate the beauty of the Creator's hand, you can imagine we might be seeing a lot of instances of the Divine Proportion in art this semeste r.† Over the next half hour, Langdon showed them slides of artwork by Michelangelo, Albrecht Durer, Da Vinci, and many others, demonstrating each artist's intentional and rigorous adherence to the Divine Proportion in the layout of his compositions. Langdon unveiled PHI in the architectural dimensions of the Greek Parthenon, the pyramids of Egypt, and even the United Nations Building in New York. PHI appeared in the organizational structures of Mozart's sonatas, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, as well as the works of Bartok, Debussy, and Schubert. The number PHI, Langdon told them, was even used by Stradivarius to calculate the exact placement of the f-holes in the construction of his famous violins. â€Å"In closing,† Langdon said, walking to the chalkboard,† we return to symbols† He drew five intersecting lines that formed a five-pointed star. â€Å"This symbol is one of the most powerful images you will see this term. Formally known as a pentagram – or pentacle, as the ancients called it – this symbol is considered both divine and magical by many cultures. Can anyone tell me why that might be?† Stettner, the math major, raised his hand. â€Å"Because if you draw a pentagram, the lines automatically divide themselves into segments according to the Divine Proportion.† Langdon gave the kid a proud nod. â€Å"Nice job. Yes, the ratios of line segments in a pentacle allequal PHI, making this symbol the ultimate expression of the Divine Proportion. For this reason, the five-pointed star has always been the symbol for beauty and perfection associated with the goddess and the sacred feminine.† The girls in class beamed. â€Å"One note, folks. We've only touched on Da Vinci today, but we'll be seeing a lot more of him this semester. Leonardo was a well-documented devotee of the ancient ways of the goddess. Tomorrow, I'll show you his fresco The Last Supper, which is one of the most astonishing tributes to the sacred feminine you will ever see.† â€Å"You're kidding, right?† somebody said. â€Å"I thought The Last Supper was about Jesus!† Langdon winked. â€Å"There are symbols hidden in places you would never imagine.† â€Å"Come on,† Sophie whispered. â€Å"What's wrong? We're almost there. Hurry!† Langdon glanced up, feeling himself return from faraway thoughts. He realized he was standing at a dead stop on the stairs, paralyzed by sudden revelation. O, Draconian devil! Oh, lame saint! Sophie was looking back at him. It can't be that simple, Langdon thought. But he knew of course that it was. There in the bowels of the Louvre†¦ with images of PHI and Da Vinci swirling through his mind, Robert Langdon suddenly and unexpectedly deciphered Sauniere's code. â€Å"O, Draconian devil!† he said. â€Å"Oh, lame saint! It's the simplest kind of code!† Sophie was stopped on the stairs below him, staring up in confusion. A code? She had been pondering the words all night and had not seen a code. Especially a simple one. â€Å"You said it yourself.† Langdon's voice reverberated with excitement. â€Å"Fibonacci numbers only have meaning in their proper order. Otherwise they're mathematical gibberish.† Sophie had no idea what he was talking about. The Fibonacci numbers? She was certain they had been intended as nothing more than a means to get the Cryptography Department involved tonight. They have another purpose? She plunged her hand into her pocket and pulled out the printout, studying her grandfather's message again. 13-3-2-21-1-1-8-5 O, Draconian devil! Oh, lame saint! What about the numbers? â€Å"The scrambled Fibonacci sequence is a clue,† Langdon said, taking the printout. â€Å"The numbers area hint as to how to decipher the rest of the message. He wrote the sequence out of order to tell us to apply the same concept to the text. O, Draconian devil? Oh, lame saint? Those lines mean nothing. They are simply letters written out of order.† Sophie needed only an instant to process Langdon's implication, and it seemed laughably simple. â€Å"You think this message is†¦ une anagramme?† She stared at him. â€Å"Like a word jumble from a newspaper?† Langdon could see the skepticism on Sophie's face and certainly understood. Few people realized that anagrams, despite being a trite modern amusement, had a rich history of sacred symbolism. The mystical teachings of the Kabbala drew heavily on anagrams – rearranging the letters of Hebrew words to derive new meanings. French kings throughout the Renaissance were so convinced that anagrams held magic power that they appointed royal anagrammatists to help them make better decisions by analyzing words in important documents. The Romans actually referred to the study of anagrams as ars magna – â€Å"the great art.† Langdon looked up at Sophie, locking eyes with her now. â€Å"Your grandfather's meaning was right in front of us all along, and he left us more than enough clues to see it.† Without another word, Langdon pulled a pen from his jacket pocket and rearranged the letters in each line. O, Draconian devil! Oh, lame saint! was a perfect anagram of†¦ Leonardo Da Vinci! The Mona Lisa!