Business Ethics in China Essay

Topic 1: How can you as an MBA student apply Prof. Christensen’s ideas to your own life? When your life draws to a close, what traits, goals, achievements, or characteristics do you think you will place most value on? Before I watch the video and article from Prof. Christensen, I place most value on my achievements that are related to money. I have been taught and influenced that money is a valuable resource such that my personality trait will be that of a diligent, hardworking person who spends cautiously. I work hard and achieve success at work; I continue to go to business school because the influences from the past impact my values and beliefs in the ability to perform successfully at work. However, Prof. Christensen is right that this is not the way to measure your success especially when your life draws to a close. Be loving, sympathetic, concerned, respectful are the valuable goals that I will place most value on. It is very difficult in today’s society especially life tends to get so busy to make money that we forget to allocate resources to our most valued relationships such as our parents, wife/husband, children or even our friends. You can gain respects from people base on your achievements or money that you make, but this is only considered as small wins, in order to achieve your big win in your whole life, only morality and virtue count. Ã¥ ° Ã¨ ´ Ã©   Ã¦â„¢ ºÃ¯ ¼Å' Ã¥ ¤ §Ã¨ ´ Ã©   Ã¥ ¾ ·. Topic 2: i) Think about your current or previous employer: what CSR theory did/does that company ascribe to? Please provide examples of why. My current employer ascribe to ethical theories, which focus on ethical requirements between business and society. The business natures are catalogue and home improvement business with 2 brands and offer over 40,000 different types of products to consumers in UK. With over 45,000 containers of products are imported annually, the primarily focus on CSR is the reduction of environmental impacts to the society such as reducing waste, carbon footprints and energy consumption in order to reinforce their corporate reputation. Every year, the business will show how much waste has been reduced in each retail store to increase public awareness. For example last year, over 90% of waste is now recycled, overall waste produced has reduced by a further 10% year on year and overall carbon footprint has decreased by 9%. By showing this, customers can realize how much effort that the business has put in CSR and continue to shop. Topic 2: (ii) Pretend you are starting a new company. What CSR theory would you choose to use for your new company? Why? I would consider ethical theories, which focus on the right thing to achieve a good society. Nowadays, consumers expect companies to consider their impact on society as much as their own business interests. Business could damage their profitability by failing to demonstrate they are genuinely committed to CSR. The four mentioned areas under ethical theories in the article, sustainable development is getting more and more important. By reducing the impact we have on the environment and supporting the society in which we live and work, we can engage with our customers and colleagues and therefore enhance the company’s reputation, which is the most valuable asset. Most importantly, this is not only relating to the company’s grow, but also the company’s culture. It will become a culture that you, your employees and the community genuinely believe in. Therefore, I believe that running a responsible business to society makes good business sense. Topic 3: Which perspective do you think is correct, or are they both wrong? Why? If the law and public opinion were not a factor, would you be willing to employ children at your company, or use a supplier who used child labor? For both of the perspectives, I cannot agree they are reflecting the real situation of the factory workers in China and as well as the Chinese factories. To begin with, people always make judgments on Chinese factories that they should sacrifice some profitability to provide better working environment; however, people focus too much on the upstream of the supply chain but neglect the downstream where the actual demand is coming from. Between 1980s and 1990s, China was criticized by most of the international organizations because of its violations of basic human rights. However, when globalization comes in place, multinational firms from most of the countries that criticizing the China’s violations began to do considerable amount of investments to China in 1990s and 2000s. They started to move their manufacturing activities to China because of valuable opportunities, resources, cheap labor force and most importantly, multinational firms do not have to conduct their business in other countries like China by following the ethical rules when they are conducting the same business in their home country. They continue to practice this action irrespective of Chinese government’s carelessness to its own citizens. In addition, the increasing competition in the global market has led multinational firms to squeeze their suppliers to lower their costs in order to maintain or increase their profit margins and competitiveness. These are very typical cases from Toys â€Å"R† Us, Home Depot and Wal-Mart that they have said they will not tolerate price rises. Chinese factories where most of the products are manufactured from, they have no choice but cut down their costs in the areas of working environment, labor salary and benefits. As a result, not only the Chinese companies should consider lower the profitability to provide better working environment for their workers, multinational companies should consider the same or do additional investment in order to purchase their products with lower costs. Secondly, I counter agree that Chinese workers are willing to work for less money and accept harsher working conditions as a comparative advantage. In the 1980s, migrant workers account for the largest work force in the China’s special economic zones where Western companies set up their businesses. These migrant workers’ main goal is to make enough money and then go back home for a better life. Nowadays, major cultural shifts in China have changed workers’ attitudes. Leslie Chang stated in her speech that the new generation of Chinese workers aged around 17 to 19, they leave their home from thousands miles away and work in the factories not only because of the money but to explore the world. Besides, they continue to work so hard to improve their knowledge and skill set because they believe the job in the factory is the first stepping-stone for them to find a better job and thus, a better life in the future . Furthermore, this generation of Chinese workers starts to build constructive dialogue with managers about their problems, which means they are becoming active participants in the process of change rather than passive recipients. The reason for all the above changes is because they would like to learn, grow and success in their lives. As a result, if multinational companies would like to hire and retain Chinese workers, I believe starting from this generation of Chinese workers, nonmonetary incentives such as training, time off and community building might help multinational companies attract and retain workers in China. As multinational firms start to do investment in China, most of the manufacturing activities have been moved to China for the purpose of cost reduction. China’s economy growth takes off like a rocket and so does China’s child labor issues. Although China government has official regulations banning the employment of teenagers (age under 16) or pre-adolescents from poorer regions of China, there is still an increasing number of juvenile laborers have been drawn to the rapidly developing southern and coastal areas looking for jobs such as in toy production, garments, food production and light mechanical work in the factories. Some people argue that this is extremely unethical because they deserve to go to school for education. But some people counter argue that parents of juvenile workers have little choice but to send their children off to work because they can’t afford school fees. In a sense, it represents a substantial portion of much-needed income to poor families. Without the law and public opinion as a factor, it sounds reasonable that juvenile workers can provide a new workforce to the booming market in China as well as sustaining their poor families; however, apart from the basic human rights violation of the children, this market is risking the children’s lives that they are the future asset of China. From factory owner’s point of view, the true value of juvenile workers is not only about the cost, they are more desirable than adults due to smaller hands and eyesight undamaged. In addition, they learn themselves are often reluctant to complain because they know the critical nature of their financial contributions to their family. Unfortunately, both parents and juvenile workers don’t have a clear idea of the poor working conditions and physical risks inherent in their jobs. I read an article from the Human Rights Watch, the reporter mentioned â€Å"†¦for example, has left children disabled with eye damage, lung disease, stunted growth, and a susceptibility to arthritis as they grow older†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The children are forced to work under these harsh conditions and the deficiency situation can cost them more than their hands and fingers, sometimes their lives as well. Juvenile workers are much less aware of workplace hazards than the adult workers. This low awareness in the public about child safety and protection provides a breeding ground for both exploitation and potential disaster. Sadly, their families are still willing to take this chance because they know they have no other choices to support the family. Other than the hazard-working environments, the reporter from Human Rights Watch discovered the juvenile worker’s living areas. The reporter described â€Å"the cramped 200-square meter workshop was it, and that at night they slept on or under their worktables.† With such living environments, juvenile workers are not able to have a healthy physical and mental development. It’s the cause of destruction for many children’s lives; child labor does not give children a chance to live a normal life. To conclude, child labor is a serious matter that not only affects the children as the future asset of China, it also has a great impact to the long-term economic development in China. Because of its tremendous effect, it’s not something that can be eliminated in one day, or possibly even a decade. However, the first step in helping a problem is to learn about it, to have further studies into the root causes of the problem to be carried out. I believe the fundamental root causes are the growing earning disparity in China and the failure of the Chinese education system to provide adequate and affordable education to all children. Until the root causes have been addressed, the only thing that we can do is to report, ban and penalized all child labor related activities. We shouldn’t allow companies in China or their suppliers to employ juvenile workers.

Angels Demons Chapter 93-97

93 Langdon had no idea where he was going. Reflex was his only compass, driving him away from danger. His elbows and knees burned as he clambered beneath the pews. Still he clawed on. Somewhere a voice was telling him to move left. If you can get to the main aisle, you can dash for the exit. He knew it was impossible. There's a wall of flames blocking the main aisle! His mind hunting for options, Langdon scrambled blindly on. The footsteps closed faster now to his right. When it happened, Langdon was unprepared. He had guessed he had another ten feet of pews until he reached the front of the church. He had guessed wrong. Without warning, the cover above him ran out. He froze for an instant, half exposed at the front of the church. Rising in the recess to his left, gargantuan from this vantage point, was the very thing that had brought him here. He had entirely forgotten. Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Teresa rose up like some sort of pornographic still life†¦ the saint on her back, arched in pleasure, mouth open in a moan, and over her, an angel pointing his spear of fire. A bullet exploded in the pew over Langdon's head. He felt his body rise like a sprinter out of a gate. Fueled only by adrenaline, and barely conscious of his actions, he was suddenly running, hunched, head down, pounding across the front of the church to his right. As the bullets erupted behind him, Langdon dove yet again, sliding out of control across the marble floor before crashing in a heap against the railing of a niche on the right-hand wall. It was then that he saw her. A crumpled heap near the back of the church. Vittoria! Her bare legs were twisted beneath her, but Langdon sensed somehow that she was breathing. He had no time to help her. Immediately, the killer rounded the pews on the far left of the church and bore relentlessly down. Langdon knew in a heartbeat it was over. The killer raised the weapon, and Langdon did the only thing he could do. He rolled his body over the banister into the niche. As he hit the floor on the other side, the marble columns of the balustrade exploded in a storm of bullets. Langdon felt like a cornered animal as he scrambled deeper into the semicircular niche. Rising before him, the niche's sole contents seemed ironically apropos – a single sarcophagus. Mine perhaps, Langdon thought. Even the casket itself seemed fitting. It was a sctola – a small, unadorned, marble box. Burial on a budget. The casket was raised off the floor on two marble blocks, and Langdon eyed the opening beneath it, wondering if he could slide through. Footsteps echoed behind him. With no other option in sight, Langdon pressed himself to the floor and slithered toward the casket. Grabbing the two marble supports, one with each hand, he pulled like a breaststroker, dragging his torso into the opening beneath the tomb. The gun went off. Accompanying the roar of the gun, Langdon felt a sensation he had never felt in his life†¦ a bullet sailing past his flesh. There was a hiss of wind, like the backlash of a whip, as the bullet just missed him and exploded in the marble with a puff of dust. Blood surging, Langdon heaved his body the rest of the way beneath the casket. Scrambling across the marble floor, he pulled himself out from beneath the casket and to the other side. Dead end. Langdon was now face to face with the rear wall of the niche. He had no doubt that this tiny space behind the tomb would become his grave. And soon, he realized, as he saw the barrel of the gun appear in the opening beneath the sarcophagus. The Hassassin held the weapon parallel with the floor, pointing directly at Langdon's midsection. Impossible to miss. Langdon felt a trace of self-preservation grip his unconscious mind. He twisted his body onto his stomach, parallel with the casket. Facedown, he planted his hands flat on the floor, the glass cut from the archives pinching open with a stab. Ignoring the pain, he pushed. Driving his body upward in an awkward push-up, Langdon arched his stomach off the floor just as the gun went off. He could feel the shock wave of the bullets as they sailed beneath him and pulverized the porous travertine behind. Closing his eyes and straining against exhaustion, Langdon prayed for the thunder to stop. And then it did. The roar of gunfire was replaced with the cold click of an empty chamber. Langdon opened his eyes slowly, almost fearful his eyelids would make a sound. Fighting the trembling pain, he held his position, arched like a cat. He didn't even dare breathe. His eardrums numbed by gunfire, Langdon listened for any hint of the killer's departure. Silence. He thought of Vittoria and ached to help her. The sound that followed was deafening. Barely human. A guttural bellow of exertion. The sarcophagus over Langdon's head suddenly seemed to rise on its side. Langdon collapsed on the floor as hundreds of pounds teetered toward him. Gravity overcame friction, and the lid was the first to go, sliding off the tomb and crashing to the floor beside him. The casket came next, rolling off its supports and toppling upside down toward Langdon. As the box rolled, Langdon knew he would either be entombed in the hollow beneath it or crushed by one of the edges. Pulling in his legs and head, Langdon compacted his body and yanked his arms to his sides. Then he closed his eyes and awaited the sickening crush. When it came, the entire floor shook beneath him. The upper rim landed only millimeters from the top of his head, rattling his teeth in their sockets. His right arm, which Langdon had been certain would be crushed, miraculously still felt intact. He opened his eyes to see a shaft of light. The right rim of the casket had not fallen all the way to the floor and was still propped partially on its supports. Directly overhead, though, Langdon found himself staring quite literally into the face of death. The original occupant of the tomb was suspended above him, having adhered, as decaying bodies often did, to the bottom of the casket. The skeleton hovered a moment, like a tentative lover, and then with a sticky crackling, it succumbed to gravity and peeled away. The carcass rushed down to embrace him, raining putrid bones and dust into Langdon's eyes and mouth. Before Langdon could react, a blind arm was slithering through the opening beneath the casket, sifting through the carcass like a hungry python. It groped until it found Langdon's neck and clamped down. Langdon tried to fight back against the iron fist now crushing his larynx, but he found his left sleeve pinched beneath the edge of the coffin. He had only one arm free, and the fight was a losing battle. Langdon's legs bent in the only open space he had, his feet searching for the casket floor above him. He found it. Coiling, he planted his feet. Then, as the hand around his neck squeezed tighter, Langdon closed his eyes and extended his legs like a ram. The casket shifted, ever so slightly, but enough. With a raw grinding, the sarcophagus slid off the supports and landed on the floor. The casket rim crashed onto the killer's arm, and there was a muffled scream of pain. The hand released Langdon's neck, twisting and jerking away into the dark. When the killer finally pulled his arm free, the casket fell with a conclusive thud against the flat marble floor. Complete darkness. Again. And silence. There was no frustrated pounding outside the overturned sarcophagus. No prying to get in. Nothing. As Langdon lay in the dark amidst a pile of bones, he fought the closing darkness and turned his thoughts to her. Vittoria. Are you alive? If Langdon had known the truth – the horror to which Vittoria would soon awake – he would have wished for her sake that she were dead. 94 Sitting in the Sistine Chapel among his stunned colleagues, Cardinal Mortati tried to comprehend the words he was hearing. Before him, lit only by the candlelight, the camerlegno had just told a tale of such hatred and treachery that Mortati found himself trembling. The camerlegno spoke of kidnapped cardinals, branded cardinals, murdered cardinals. He spoke of the ancient Illuminati – a name that dredged up forgotten fears – and of their resurgence and vow of revenge against the church. With pain in his voice, the camerlegno spoke of his late Pope†¦ the victim of an Illuminati poisoning. And finally, his words almost a whisper, he spoke of a deadly new technology, antimatter, which in less than two hours threatened to destroy all of Vatican City. When he was through, it was as if Satan himself had sucked the air from the room. Nobody could move. The camerlegno's words hung in the darkness. The only sound Mortati could now hear was the anomalous hum of a television camera in back – an electronic presence no conclave in history had ever endured – but a presence demanded by the camerlegno. To the utter astonishment of the cardinals, the camerlegno had entered the Sistine Chapel with two BBC reporters – a man and a woman – and announced that they would be transmitting his solemn statement, live to the world. Now, speaking directly to the camera, the camerlegno stepped forward. â€Å"To the Illuminati,† he said, his voice deepening, â€Å"and to those of science, let me say this.† He paused. â€Å"You have won the war.† The silence spread now to the deepest corners of the chapel. Mortati could hear the desperate thumping of his own heart. â€Å"The wheels have been in motion for a long time,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"Your victory has been inevitable. Never before has it been as obvious as it is at this moment. Science is the new God.† What is he saying? Mortati thought. Has he gone mad? The entire world is hearing this! â€Å"Medicine, electronic communications, space travel, genetic manipulation†¦ these are the miracles about which we now tell our children. These are the miracles we herald as proof that science will bring us the answers. The ancient stories of immaculate conceptions, burning bushes, and parting seas are no longer relevant. God has become obsolete. Science has won the battle. We concede.† A rustle of confusion and bewilderment swept through the chapel. â€Å"But science's victory,† the camerlegno added, his voice intensifying, â€Å"has cost every one of us. And it has cost us deeply.† Silence. â€Å"Science may have alleviated the miseries of disease and drudgery and provided an array of gadgetry for our entertainment and convenience, but it has left us in a world without wonder. Our sunsets have been reduced to wavelengths and frequencies. The complexities of the universe have been shredded into mathematical equations. Even our self-worth as human beings has been destroyed. Science proclaims that Planet Earth and its inhabitants are a meaningless speck in the grand scheme. A cosmic accident.† He paused. â€Å"Even the technology that promises to unite us, divides us. Each of us is now electronically connected to the globe, and yet we feel utterly alone. We are bombarded with violence, division, fracture, and betrayal. Skepticism has become a virtue. Cynicism and demand for proof has become enlightened thought. Is it any wonder that humans now feel more depressed and defeated than they have at any point in human history? Does science hold anything sacred? Science l ooks for answers by probing our unborn fetuses. Science even presumes to rearrange our own DNA. It shatters God's world into smaller and smaller pieces in quest of meaning†¦ and all it finds is more questions.† Mortati watched in awe. The camerlegno was almost hypnotic now. He had a physical strength in his movements and voice that Mortati had never witnessed on a Vatican altar. The man's voice was wrought with conviction and sadness. â€Å"The ancient war between science and religion is over,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"You have won. But you have not won fairly. You have not won by providing answers. You have won by so radically reorienting our society that the truths we once saw as signposts now seem inapplicable. Religion cannot keep up. Scientific growth is exponential. It feeds on itself like a virus. Every new breakthrough opens doors for new breakthroughs. Mankind took thousands of years to progress from the wheel to the car. Yet only decades from the car into space. Now we measure scientific progress in weeks. We are spinning out of control. The rift between us grows deeper and deeper, and as religion is left behind, people find themselves in a spiritual void. We cry out for meaning. And believe me, we do cry out. We see UFOs, engage in channeling, spirit contact, out-of-body experiences, mindquests – all these eccentric ideas have a scientific veneer, but they are unashamedly irrational. Th ey are the desperate cry of the modern soul, lonely and tormented, crippled by its own enlightenment and its inability to accept meaning in anything removed from technology.† Mortati could feel himself leaning forward in his seat. He and the other cardinals and people around the world were hanging on this priest's every utterance. The camerlegno spoke with no rhetoric or vitriol. No references to scripture or Jesus Christ. He spoke in modern terms, unadorned and pure. Somehow, as though the words were flowing from God himself, he spoke the modern language†¦ delivering the ancient message. In that moment, Mortati saw one of the reasons the late Pope held this young man so dear. In a world of apathy, cynicism, and technological deification, men like the camerlegno, realists who could speak to our souls like this man just had, were the church's only hope. The camerlegno was talking more forcefully now. â€Å"Science, you say, will save us. Science, I say, has destroyed us. Since the days of Galileo, the church has tried to slow the relentless march of science, sometimes with misguided means, but always with benevolent intention. Even so, the temptations are too great for man to resist. I warn you, look around yourselves. The promises of science have not been kept. Promises of efficiency and simplicity have bred nothing but pollution and chaos. We are a fractured and frantic species†¦ moving down a path of destruction.† The camerlegno paused a long moment and then sharpened his eyes on the camera. â€Å"Who is this God science? Who is the God who offers his people power but no moral framework to tell you how to use that power? What kind of God gives a child fire but does not warn the child of its dangers? The language of science comes with no signposts about good and bad. Science textbooks tell us how to create a nuclear reaction, and yet they contain no chapter asking us if it is a good or a bad idea. â€Å"To science, I say this. The church is tired. We are exhausted from trying to be your signposts. Our resources are drying up from our campaign to be the voice of balance as you plow blindly on in your quest for smaller chips and larger profits. We ask not why you will not govern yourselves, but how can you? Your world moves so fast that if you stop even for an instant to consider the implications of your actions, someone more efficient will whip past you in a blur. So you move on. You proliferate weapons of mass destruction, but it is the Pope who travels the world beseeching leaders to use restraint. You clone living creatures, but it is the church reminding us to consider the moral implications of our actions. You encourage people to interact on phones, video screens, and computers, but it is the church who opens its doors and reminds us to commune in person as we were meant to do. You even murder unborn babies in the name of research that will save lives. Again, it is the ch urch who points out the fallacy of this reasoning. â€Å"And all the while, you proclaim the church is ignorant. But who is more ignorant? The man who cannot define lightning, or the man who does not respect its awesome power? This church is reaching out to you. Reaching out to everyone. And yet the more we reach, the more you push us away. Show me proof there is a God, you say. I say use your telescopes to look to the heavens, and tell me how there could not be a God!† The camerlegno had tears in his eyes now. â€Å"You ask what does God look like. I say, where did that question come from? The answers are one and the same. Do you not see God in your science? How can you miss Him! You proclaim that even the slightest change in the force of gravity or the weight of an atom would have rendered our universe a lifeless mist rather than our magnificent sea of heavenly bodies, and yet you fail to see God's hand in this? Is it really so much easier to believe that we simply chose the right card from a deck of billions? Have we becom e so spiritually bankrupt that we would rather believe in mathematical impossibility than in a power greater than us? â€Å"Whether or not you believe in God,† the camerlegno said, his voice deepening with deliberation, â€Å"you must believe this. When we as a species abandon our trust in the power greater than us, we abandon our sense of accountability. Faith†¦ all faiths†¦ are admonitions that there is something we cannot understand, something to which we are accountable†¦ With faith we are accountable to each other, to ourselves, and to a higher truth. Religion is flawed, but only because man is flawed. If the outside world could see this church as I do†¦ looking beyond the ritual of these walls†¦ they would see a modern miracle†¦ a brotherhood of imperfect, simple souls wanting only to be a voice of compassion in a world spinning out of control.† The camerlegno motioned out over the College of Cardinals, and the BBC camerawoman instinctively followed, panning the crowd. â€Å"Are we obsolete?† the camerlegno asked. â€Å"Are these men dino-saurs? Am I? Does the world really need a voice for the poor, the weak, the oppressed, the unborn child? Do we really need souls like these who, though imperfect, spend their lives imploring each of us to read the signposts of morality and not lose our way?† Mortati now realized that the camerlegno, whether consciously or not, was making a brilliant move. By showing the cardinals, he was personalizing the church. Vatican City was no longer a building, it was people – people like the camerlegno who had spent their lives in the service of goodness. â€Å"Tonight we are perched on a precipice,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"None of us can afford to be apathetic. Whether you see this evil as Satan, corruption, or immorality†¦ the dark force is alive and growing every day. Do not ignore it.† The camerlegno lowered his voice to a whisper, and the camera moved in. â€Å"The force, though mighty, is not invincible. Goodness can prevail. Listen to your hearts. Listen to God. Together we can step back from this abyss.† Now Mortati understood. This was the reason. Conclave had been violated, but this was the only way. It was a dramatic and desperate plea for help. The camerlegno was speaking to both his enemy and his friends now. He was entreating anyone, friend or foe, to see the light and stop this madness. Certainly someone listening would realize the insanity of this plot and come forward. The camerlegno knelt at the altar. â€Å"Pray with me.† The College of Cardinals dropped to their knees to join him in prayer. Outside in St. Peter's Square and around the globe†¦ a stunned world knelt with them. 95 The Hassassin lay his unconscious trophy in the rear of the van and took a moment to admire her sprawled body. She was not as beautiful as the women he bought, and yet she had an animal strength that excited him. Her body was radiant, dewy with perspiration. She smelled of musk. As the Hassasin stood there savoring his prize, he ignored the throb in his arm. The bruise from the falling sarcophagus, although painful, was insignificant†¦ well worth the compensation that lay before him. He took consolation in knowing the American who had done this to him was probably dead by now. Gazing down at his incapacitated prisoner, the Hassassin visualized what lay ahead. He ran a palm up beneath her shirt. Her breasts felt perfect beneath her bra. Yes, he smiled. You are more than worthy. Fighting the urge to take her right there, he closed the door and drove off into the night. There was no need to alert the press about this killing†¦ the flames would do that for him. At CERN, Sylvie sat stunned by the camerlegno's address. Never before had she felt so proud to be a Catholic and so ashamed to work at CERN. As she left the recreational wing, the mood in every single viewing room was dazed and somber. When she got back to Kohler's office, all seven phone lines were ringing. Media inquiries were never routed to Kohler's office, so the incoming calls could only be one thing. Geld. Money calls. Antimatter technology already had some takers. Inside the Vatican, Gunther Glick was walking on air as he followed the camerlegno from the Sistine Chapel. Glick and Macri had just made the live transmission of the decade. And what a transmission it had been. The camerlegno had been spellbinding. Now out in the hallway, the camerlegno turned to Glick and Macri. â€Å"I have asked the Swiss Guard to assemble photos for you – photos of the branded cardinals as well as one of His late Holiness. I must warn you, these are not pleasant pictures. Ghastly burns. Blackened tongues. But I would like you to broadcast them to the world.† Glick decided it must be perpetual Christmas inside Vatican City. He wants me to broadcast an exclusive photo of the dead Pope? â€Å"Are you sure?† Glick asked, trying to keep the excitement from his voice. The camerlegno nodded. â€Å"The Swiss Guard will also provide you a live video feed of the antimatter canister as it counts down.† Glick stared. Christmas. Christmas. Christmas! â€Å"The Illuminati are about to find out,† the camerlegno declared, â€Å"that they have grossly overplayed their hand.† 96 Like a recurring theme in some demonic symphony, the suffocating darkness had returned. No light. No air. No exit. Langdon lay trapped beneath the overturned sarcophagus and felt his mind careening dangerously close to the brink. Trying to drive his thoughts in any direction other than the crushing space around him, Langdon urged his mind toward some logical process†¦ mathematics, music, anything. But there was no room for calming thoughts. I can't move! I can't breathe! The pinched sleeve of his jacket had thankfully come free when the casket fell, leaving Langdon now with two mobile arms. Even so, as he pressed upward on the ceiling of his tiny cell, he found it immovable. Oddly, he wished his sleeve were still caught. At least it might create a crack for some air. As Langdon pushed against the roof above, his sleeve fell back to reveal the faint glow of an old friend. Mickey. The greenish cartoon face seemed mocking now. Langdon probed the blackness for any other sign of light, but the casket rim was flush against the floor. Goddamn Italian perfectionists, he cursed, now imperiled by the same artistic excellence he taught his students to revere†¦ impeccable edges, faultless parallels, and of course, use only of the most seamless and resilient Carrara marble. Precision can be suffocating. â€Å"Lift the damn thing,† he said aloud, pressing harder through the tangle of bones. The box shifted slightly. Setting his jaw, he heaved again. The box felt like a boulder, but this time it raised a quarter of an inch. A fleeting glimmer of light surrounded him, and then the casket thudded back down. Langdon lay panting in the dark. He tried to use his legs to lift as he had before, but now that the sarcophagus had fallen flat, there was no room even to straighten his knees. As the claustrophobic panic closed in, Langdon was overcome by images of the sarcophagus shrinking around him. Squeezed by delirium, he fought the illusion with every logical shred of intellect he had. â€Å"Sarcophagus,† he stated aloud, with as much academic sterility as he could muster. But even erudition seemed to be his enemy today. Sarcophagus is from the Greek â€Å"sarx† meaning â€Å"flesh,† and â€Å"phagein† meaning â€Å"to eat.† I'm trapped in a box literally designed to â€Å"eat flesh.† Images of flesh eaten from bone only served as a grim reminder that Langdon lay covered in human remains. The notion brought nausea and chills. But it also brought an idea. Fumbling blindly around the coffin, Langdon found a shard of bone. A rib maybe? He didn't care. All he wanted was a wedge. If he could lift the box, even a crack, and slide the bone fragment beneath the rim, then maybe enough air could†¦ Reaching across his body and wedging the tapered end of the bone into the crack between the floor and the coffin, Langdon reached up with his other hand and heaved skyward. The box did not move. Not even slightly. He tried again. For a moment, it seemed to tremble slightly, but that was all. With the fetid stench and lack of oxygen choking the strength from his body, Langdon realized he only had time for one more effort. He also knew he would need both arms. Regrouping, he placed the tapered edge of the bone against the crack, and shifting his body, he wedged the bone against his shoulder, pinning it in place. Careful not to dislodge it, he raised both hands above him. As the stifling confine began to smother him, he felt a welling of intensified panic. It was the second time today he had been trapped with no air. Hollering aloud, Langdon thrust upward in one explosive motion. The casket jostled off the floor for an instant. But long enough. The bone shard he had braced against his shoulder slipped outward into the widening crack. When the casket fell again, the bone shattered. But this time Langdon could see the casket was propped up. A tiny slit of light showed beneath the rim. Exhausted, Langdon collapsed. Hoping the strangling sensation in his throat would pass, he waited. But it only worsened as the seconds passed. Whatever air was coming through the slit seemed imperceptible. Langdon wondered if it would be enough to keep him alive. And if so, for how long? If he passed out, who would know he was even in there? With arms like lead, Langdon raised his watch again: 10:12 P.M. Fighting trembling fingers, he fumbled with the watch and made his final play. He twisted one of the tiny dials and pressed a button. As consciousness faded, and the walls squeezed closer, Langdon felt the old fears sweep over him. He tried to imagine, as he had so many times, that he was in an open field. The image he conjured, however, was no help. The nightmare that had haunted him since his youth came crashing back†¦ The flowers here are like paintings, the child thought, laughing as he ran across the meadow. He wished his parents had come along. But his parents were busy pitching camp. â€Å"Don't explore too far,† his mother had said. He had pretended not to hear as he bounded off into the woods. Now, traversing this glorious field, the boy came across a pile of fieldstones. He figured it must be the foundation of an old homestead. He would not go near it. He knew better. Besides, his eyes had been drawn to something else – a brilliant lady's slipper – the rarest and most beautiful flower in New Hampshire. He had only ever seen them in books. Excited, the boy moved toward the flower. He knelt down. The ground beneath him felt mulchy and hollow. He realized his flower had found an extra-fertile spot. It was growing from a patch of rotting wood. Thrilled by the thought of taking home his prize, the boy reached out†¦ fingers extending toward the stem. He never reached it. With a sickening crack, the earth gave way. In the three seconds of dizzying terror as he fell, the boy knew he would die. Plummeting downward, he braced for the bone-crushing collision. When it came, there was no pain. Only softness. And cold. He hit the deep liquid face first, plunging into a narrow blackness. Spinning disoriented somersaults, he groped the sheer walls thatenclosed him on all sides. Somehow, as if by instinct, he sputtered to the surface. Light. Faint. Above him. Miles above him, it seemed. His arms clawed at the water, searching the walls of the hollow for something to grab onto. Only smooth stone. He had fallen through an abandoned well covering. He screamed for help, but his cries reverberated in the tight shaft. He called out again and again. Above him, the tattered hole grew dim. Night fell. Time seemed to contort in the darkness. Numbness set in as he treaded water in the depths of the chasm, calling, crying out. He was tormented by visions of the walls collapsing in, burying him alive. His arms ached with fatigue. A few times he thought he heard voices. He shouted out, but his own voice was muted†¦ like a dream. As the night wore on, the shaft deepened. The walls inched quietly inward. The boy pressed out against the enclosure, pushing it away. Exhausted, he wanted to give up. And yet he felt the water buoy him, cooling his burning fears until he was numb. When the rescue team arrived, they found the boy barely conscious. He had been treading water for five hours. Two days later, the Boston Globe ran a front-page story called â€Å"The Little Swimmer That Could.† 97 The Hassassin smiled as he pulled his van into the mammoth stone structure overlooking the Tiber River. He carried his prize up and up†¦ spiraling higher in the stone tunnel, grateful his load was slender. He arrived at the door. The Church of Illumination, he gloated. The ancient Illuminati meeting room. Who would have imagined it to be here? Inside, he lay her on a plush divan. Then he expertly bound her arms behind her back and tied her feet. He knew that what he longed for would have to wait until his final task was finished. Water. Still, he thought, he had a moment for indulgence. Kneeling beside her, he ran his hand along her thigh. It was smooth. Higher. His dark fingers snaked beneath the cuff of her shorts. Higher. He stopped. Patience, he told himself, feeling aroused. There is work to be done. He walked for a moment out onto the chamber's high stone balcony. The evening breeze slowly cooled his ardor. Far below the Tiber raged. He raised his eyes to the dome of St. Peter's, three quarters of a mile away, naked under the glare of hundreds of press lights. â€Å"Your final hour,† he said aloud, picturing the thousands of Muslims slaughtered during the Crusades. â€Å"At midnight you will meet your God.† Behind him, the woman stirred. The Hassassin turned. He considered letting her wake up. Seeing terror in a woman's eyes was his ultimate aphrodisiac. He opted for prudence. It would be better if she remained unconscious while he was gone. Although she was tied and would never escape, the Hassassin did not want to return and find her exhausted from struggling. I want your strength preserved†¦ for me. Lifting her head slightly, he placed his palm beneath her neck and found the hollow directly beneath her skull. The crown/meridian pressure point was one he had used countless times. With crushing force, he drove his thumb into the soft cartilage and felt it depress. The woman slumped instantly. Twenty minutes, he thought. She would be a tantalizing end to a perfect day. After she had served him and died doing it, he would stand on the balcony and watch the midnight Vatican fireworks. Leaving his prize unconscious on the couch, the Hassassin went downstairs into a torchlit dungeon. The final task. He walked to the table and revered the sacred, metal forms that had been left there for him. Water. It was his last. Removing a torch from the wall as he had done three times already, he began heating the end. When the end of the object was white hot, he carried it to the cell. Inside, a single man stood in silence. Old and alone. â€Å"Cardinal Baggia,† the killer hissed. â€Å"Have you prayed yet?† The Italian's eyes were fearless. â€Å"Only for your soul.†

Eths Week Diversity

You may need additional resources from the University Library to complete this aactivity. Write a 750 to 1,050- word paper answering the following questions: The status of women in the United States tthroughout history one of the first things that you will see was that women had much fewer rights and they were not accepted in job places as the men were. Women were known as the mother of children who stayed home and also being the house wife that took care of all the household needs such as cleaning, cooking, and taking care of all the bills and finances that the husband brought home from long days of work.Women always made sure that everything was in place and token care of. Men were thought of as the superior ones and the women were less of them, they were not able to work in the same positions as the men in work places, or have card night with a few drinks with their friends. The women’s role was to take care of all the chores within the home such as the laundry,ironing,clea ning of the home including dusting, taking care of the children and the mearns responsibility was all the labor chores of the outside such as the yard faintness, plowing the snow, they would be the ones to go hunt and fish.Many things have changed from the history of women that is present in the U. S. today once the 20th contrary came around women were given the right to vote as well as the right to be treated equally to men in the work environment. The women today have all the rights as everyone else of the opposite sex and have learned how to be dependent on them now instead of on their spouse. The wages for women are not any less of the men and are able to receive positions anywhere as a man would be in.You see women in politics trying to stand up for what could be good for our nations and is allowed to voice their own opinions on issues and problems that we are facing within our nation. You also now see women being police officers, firefighters and other law enforcement jobs. So me examples of concepts or constructions of masculinity and feminine that we see in the society and in the media are everywhere in today’s life. I will start when it all starts and this is in children. We know that pink is for girls and blue is for boys.The girls toys are dolls, play make up and princess outfits while the boys toys are cars and trucks, guns, super heroes figuring’s and outfits. The teenage life we see the girls are about makeup, their hair styles, brawls, and making sure that they have the top of the line outfits that looks just right. The boy’s are into sports, and cars, and what cologne will make the girls want them. As adults we see how the mother is taking care of the children and what will help them with this and we see that for men it is about vehicle, sports, and sex appeal.Following its passage by the United States Congress. (www. gsaday. org) Some of the social and political issues relevant to women and GLBT people in the U. S. are the respect that they get from others and the dincriminating ways others put on them just because they are women or apart of the GLBT community. I feel that there are many people that are out in this world that will live their lives just to make the lives of women and GLBT people harder for no reason other than to make them feel better.We are finally seeing both in politics and earning their respect that is needed but it is still harder for them to get where they are just because of what they are. I feel that one day will be better than what it is today and it is up to all of us to find the ways to get us all there are do it. It a big team job but it is possible to see the stereotyping, discrimination, and racism become little to nothing in our Nation. This is why I will have faith forever to see a change soon.

Jurisprudence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Jurisprudence - Essay Example Consequently, keeping in accordance with such traits law and the institutions that aim at implement legal systems in a social context are required to transform them so that the basic issues of individual liberty and equality can be attained or maintained. However, understanding nature of such social change is not an easy method; rather it requires substantial empathetic or farsighted observation so that pulse of such change can be perceived accurately and in this context, relevance of Jurisprudence can be realized. If an attempt is made to analyze the term â€Å"Jurisprudence†, it will be found that the word is a fusion of two words â€Å"Jurist† and â€Å"prudence†: leading a student of law to the realization that scholarly opinion or prudence of jurists is actually known as jurisprudence. According to the legal scholars like Roscoe Pound, jurisprudence is actually â€Å"the science of law† and they have contradicted opinion of legal philosophers like Austin who suggested that jurisprudence is actually â€Å"a philosophy of law† (Pound, 2002, p. 7-11). The historical development of jurisprudence, starting from ancient Greek civilization to modern time is clearly suggestive of the fact that a lot of changes have occurred in the arena of jurisprudential observation regarding society, its transformation and the scope of implementing legal principles within the ever changing scope of social domain. There are several ways that the term â€Å"law† is used i n social context. One of the major ways is that â€Å"It is used to mean the regime of ordering human activities and adjusting human relations through the systematic application of the force of a politically organized society† (Pound, 2000, p. 13). The changing nature of society and scope of legal application alter considerably mainly due to mutual interaction of people, inhabiting within a social domain. According to natural

My Leadership Style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My Leadership Style - Essay Example According to the textbook Generalist Practice with Organization and Communities, written by Karen Ashman and Grafton Hull, leading entails â€Å"working with other systems, whether individuals, families, groups, organizations, or communities†(K., & H., 2008). In terms of the workplace, leadership is a key component in ensuring an organization’s success. A part of ensuring this success is a leader’s ability to communicate effectively. Within the article, â€Å"Ingredients of a Good Leader, communication has several purposes. If a leader is a good communicator, they will be able to keep a positive environment for their team(Andolsen, 2008). This is due to the fact that effective communication will eliminate confusion. In my own experience, I have dealt with projects where nobody knew what their role was or what they were supposed to be doing. As a leader, I sat everyone down and clearly spelled out what their own individual task was and how it would interconnect t o the overall project. The ability to supervise can be a rather tedious and difficult task. It is not easy to know how hands on to be or how hands off to be. A careful balance must be struck and a good leader will be able to identify that balance. There are a few key areas that a leader must be adept at when supervising others. Andolsen reveals that being able to recognize a person’s abilities, delegating tasks, and the ability to set standards and discipline are important factors in being successful at supervising(Andolsen, 2008). Delegation is where the leader hands out tasks that must be accomplished. Delegation goes hand in hand with recognizing someone’s abilities. If a person is particularly strong in one area, the leader should try to delegate tasks to this person that will play on those same strengths. In my own experience, I have been in charge of a few projects, both academic and professional, where I needed to hand over the reigns to another person and super vise their progress. It is difficult to do because if they mess up, the fault remains with the supervisor. Finally, a good leader needs to be able to work as a team. This is similar to the idea of leading by example in that the team needs to be able to see the leader in a more equal position. Team work is another way to do this. The first step in this process is to create a â€Å"spirit of team work. Andolsen defines this as â€Å"the belief that there is value in the work being done and that it can only be accomplished by a cooperative synergy among team members†(Andolsen, 2008). In a spirit of team work, everyone on the team must feel that they are an important asset and are of value. Team work and the spirit of team work can also determine how well the leader and their team will work together. In the article entitled, â€Å"Generosity and the Moral Imagination in the Practice of Teamwork† the importance of team work is discussed. â€Å"We should think carefully ab out the discourses within which we work and how needs are assessed and represented because these effect†¦ trust, interpersonal relationships, and†¦ultimately meeting staff needs†(Arber, 2009). When a leader is able to successfully incorporate a spirit of team work, they are likely going to strengthen their team in terms of being able to meet goals and also to instill a collaborative feeling for their team. In order to motivate other people to complete their goals, it is important to lead by example. Within the article enti

Homework policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homework policy - Essay Example Positive social interaction encourages learners to communicate with one another. The homework policy adopted by Mr. Collet encourages positive social interaction in numerous ways. Some of those ways include preparation of students in advance by encouraging them to buy student’s planner. The use of planners assists in proper time management for students as well as enabling them to have an effective balanced study in all their subjects (Pandey, 2005). Second grade students are very interactive and feel appreciated when their teacher identifies any effort they make. Using a planner Mr. Collet will be able to track all activities done by each student. Mr. collet will use the planner to gauge the attentiveness of the student by checking on how the student updates his/her planner. In case the planner has not been well updated, the teacher continuously monitors the activities of the student. Through the monitoring, the performance of the student will enhance since he will not like th e teacher to keep monitoring him. The planner will also act as a reminder to the students on the take-home assignment. Students following the information in the planners will enhance their social interaction with Mr. Collet. Explaining assignment to a second grade student verbally creates conducive environment for Mr. Collet and the students. The students will ask for clarification in case, the instructions are not clear. By so doing the teacher and students develop a strong bond towards each other.

Prescriptive and Emergent Strategic Planning Essay

Prescriptive and Emergent Strategic Planning - Essay Example The paper throws light on strategic planning process as part of strategic management that has been applied by business managers over the years. The process involves a formal analysis of the market forces and developing an operational plan to be adopted by the organization in terms of resource allocation and the control mechanism. Strategic management will involve formulating the mission, vision, values, roles, responsibilities, goals, and objectives of the organization and developing policies to be implemented to achieve these objectives. Strategic planning is one of the management tools. It involves making principles, decisions, and steps to define what an organization will do and how it will be done in relation to the expected future trends in a given market. Planners often use economic theories to formulate the operational strategies to be adopted by the organizations. Nonetheless, the future may not fit these economic models and the intended patterns according to these strategies may not be realized finally by the organization. The traditional approach to strategic planning did not consider the dynamics in the business operations. In theory, the operations of an organization can be fully planned whereas in practice it is not possible. Essentially a strategic planning process should involve developing a mechanism to respond to the circumstances that will be encountered in a business environment regardless of whether or not the conditions were known to the planners during the planning process. (Management FAQs, n.d). Since the contemporary market is dynamic and the strategic models that are developed based on economic theories may not apply, alternative approaches to strategic planning are often used by organizations. Business organizations operating in the dynamic business environment may often encounter situations that require quick responses that cannot be made through the formal strategic planning processes (The Open University, 2012). An emergent strateg y is a situation where the realized pattern is different from the pattern that was expressly intended by the planners (Mintzberg, 1994). The essence of the emergent strategic planning approaches is to manage the dynamics that is observed. The emergent strategic planning does not originate fully from the minds of the planner. Much of it is determined by the factors that are prevailing at a given time that may not favor the realization of the intended objectives and goals. This paper provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of the traditional prescriptive strategic planning in relation to the current economic climate. Another category of alternative strategic planning approaches are also considered with an emphasis on the emergent strategic planning. Prescriptive strategic planning Strategic planning is one of the tough managerial tasks in business operations since it is at times complex and very challenging. It has been pointed out that planning is ‘a formalized procedure to produce an articulated result in the form of an integrated system of decisions’ (Mintzberg, 1994, p.12). The organizations are faced by a series of decisions to make. The organizations have several needs to be accomplished, and which may not be accomplished at the same time owing to the limited resources that these organizations have. The strategic planning will involve making decisions and actions that are more significant towards helping the organization achieve some if not all of the objectives (Management FAQs, n.d). Planning involves bringing mediation and some kind of compromise/agreement between the business and the environment. It involves forecasting into the future and meditating what should be done long before the situation is realized. The prescriptive thoughts to strategic pla

Buying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Buying - Essay Example The company emphasizes the need for sustainable business practices such as the use of organic materials and saving energy. A lot of profit is driven by the company’s proposition of being committed to environmental awareness, and observing the rights of animals. When it comes to prices, Stella McCartney markets itself as understanding even the customer’s pocket. As such the company’s prices are relatively lower as compared to the competition and this presents another competitive edge. In terms of segmentation the company has directed a lot of its focus on women offering accessories, clothing, beauty products and lingerie. it also has products for kids of either sex and has partnered with Adidas to avail a new line of sports performance collection for women. The company’s customer range from women especially young adults who love luxury brands to sports persons and even families with newborns. Stella McCartney has greatly diversified and portrayed herself as a company doing responsible business and as such the customer base is wide. Almost every person today will visit Stella McCartney for products that range from footwear, eyewear, and ready to wear clothes, bags and other accessories and even

MPH502 - Introduction to Public Health Module 1 - Case Essay

MPH502 - Introduction to Public Health Module 1 - Case - Essay Example d consequences on public whereas, personal health weighs the consequences and significance of health activities and effects of interventions as they impact an individual’s life and health conditions. The health awareness programs are of great significance for public health stability. The health interventions and awareness programs are making life of people healthier and better since knowledge about disease and epidemics empower them to abstain from health risking habits and attitudes. The awareness programs further work and benefit for a longer time period as the knowledge once gain profits people for an extensive time period. The information, education and awareness about health issues is being publicized by a number of programs including Safe and drug-free School programs, Let’s Move (obesity awareness program), Sex and HIV educational programs and so on. These programs help people realize the impact of certain dietary, intake and routine habits on their health and life. The information about the devastating effects of certain activities, stop them from repeating such habits and enable them to adopt healthier life style. Hence educational and awareness programs are of g reat importance in controlling and stabilizing the public health. The greatest reduction in morbidity and mortality is resulted as a decline in deaths from coronary disease. The reduction in coronary disease is accompanied by a reduced smoking population, a decline in blood pressure levels, improved medical care facilities and better dietary habits. Reduced smoking, better dietary habits and enhanced health care facilities did not only reduce the mortality rate by coronary disease but have also helped in stabilizing the worsening health conditions of public. However, alcoholism, obesity and stress are increasing the risk of coronary disease (AHA). Increasing trend of fast food, unavailability of healthy food and increasing stress level due to competition in the society and industry lead to

Solar cells Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Solar cells - Research Paper Example Most of the energy sources we are using at present are nonrenewable in nature. Fossil fuel energy and nuclear energy are the popular energy sources at present; however, these energy sources are not only getting exhausted but also causing problems to the environment. Moreover these energy sources are non-renewable in nature. On the other hand, solar energy is a renewable energy source. But the technologies available to exploit solar energy is not developed properly yet. Whatever the solar energy exploitation technologies available now are expensive compared to the other energy sources and hence still we are relying on conventional energy sources such as coal, fossil fuel, nuclear energy etc. However, solar energy seems to be the most important renewable energy source which may help us to solve our energy crisis in future. â€Å"Solar energy systems consisting of solar collectors, sensible energy storage and a closed loop flow circuit† (Garg & Garg, p.75). Solar panels represent solar collectors and sensible energy storage means photovoltaic cells or sola r cells. Solar is cell is an equipment which converts solar energy into electrical energy. Photovoltaic cells are currently used to operate solar devices. Photovoltaic cells contain certain chemicals which may undergo chemical reactions (Photovoltaic effect) in the presence of solar energy to produce electricity. Solar panels collect energy from solar radiations and transmit it to the solar cells which convert this energy into chemical energy first and then to electrical energy when required. An inverter helps the transmission of electrical energy from solar cells to the electrical circuits when needed. It is believed that solar energy can solve the energy crisis up to certain extent if utilized properly. It should be forgotten than the solar energy exploitation technology is highly expensive. However, sunny cities and wealthy rural areas can think about the

Science Trivias Essay Example for Free

Science Trivias Essay There are 62,000 miles of blood vessels in the human body – laid end to end they would circle the earth 2.5 times A thimbleful of a neutron star would weigh over 100 million tons A typical hurricane produces the energy equivalent of 8,000 one megaton bombs Blood sucking hookworms inhabit 700 million people worldwide The interstellar gas cloud Sagittarius B contains a billion, billion, billion liters of alcohol Polar Bears can run at 25 miles an hour and jump over 6 feet in the air And they are nearly undetectable by infrared cameras, due to their transparent fur The selfish giant The giant had a beautiful garden. It had lovely green grass, peach trees and rich fruits. Birds sang there and children played. The giant was away staying at his friends place. When he came back he scared the children away from the garden. Now the children had no place to play and were sad. That year spring came all over the country but not in the giant’s garden. It remained covered with snow frost and hail. No flowers bloomed neither did the birds sing. One morning he found flowers in the garden, the birds singing and found children on the branches of the trees. But there was still winter in one corner of the garden. There was a little boy in that corner who could not climb the trees. The giant came out and helped him to climb the tree. He also played with the children. The little child kissed the giant. This melted the giant’s heart. The children played everyday in the garden after school. One afternoon the little child was missing. The giant looked for him daily but couldn’t find him. Years passed. The giant grew old and weak. One winter morning that very child was again seen in the garden. The giant ran to him and found that the child had prints of nails on his palms and feet. The child said that they were the wounds of love. He said he wanted to take him to his garden, which is the Paradise. That afternoon the children found the giant lying dead and covered with flowers in the garden. film review: the sound of music: This classic musical continues to have wide appeal despite, or perhaps even because of, its cringe factor. Like that other widely-popular sing-a-long extravaganza, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Sound Of Music draws loyal and enthusiastic audiences as well as newcomers who wonder what all the fuss is about. The mostly-happy Cinderella tale of nun-turned-governess-turned-wife, however, aims straight for the family market. Maria (a smiley Julie Andrews) does her best as governess to the seven wealthy but unruly von Trapp children. It wont spoil the movie to reveal that she wins over not only the children, but their stern naval-officer father (Christopher Plummer in fine form) with her musical talents and upbeat view on life. For those of us who grew up watching it every year on TV at Christmas, the nostalgia it evokes contributes to a strange bond with people from around the world, so that someone from Canada might find themselves laughing, and yes, even cringing, with a South African who knows all the songs from the film. There is more than nostalgia and family values, however, to this movie. The true story of the von Trapps takes place during the Nazi occupation of Austria, following which the family is forced to make a daring escape through the Alps. Mostly, however, this is a tale about looking on the sunny side of life, accompanied by such classic songs as My Favourite Things and Do-Re-Mi. Anyone who appreciates the power of music cant deny the strange uplifting charm of this admittedly sappy movie.

Qwertyui Essay Example for Free

Qwertyui Essay PROPERTIES OF LASER First, lets discuss the properties of laser light and then we will go into how is is created. Laser light is monochromatic, directional, and coherent. Monochromatic The light emitted from a laser is monochromatic, that is, it is of one wavelength (color). In contrast, ordinary white light is a combination of many different wavelengths (colors). Directional Lasers emit light that is highly directional. Laser light is emitted as a relatively narrow beam in a specific direction. Ordinary light, such as coming from the sun, a light bulb, or a candle, is emitted in many directions away from the source. Coherent The light from a laser is said to be coherent, which means the wavelengths of the laser light are in phase in space and time. These three properties of laser light are what make it more of a hazard than ordinary light. Laser light can deposit a great deal of energy within a very small area as James Bond nearly found out in Goldfinger! BENEFITS OF LASER Nuclear fusion Some of the worlds most powerful and complex arrangements of multiple lasers and optical amplifiers are used to produce extremely high intensity pulses of light of extremely short duration. These pulses are arranged such that they impact pellets of tritium-deuterium simultaneously from all directions, hoping that the squeezing effect of the impacts will induce atomic fusion in the pellets. This technique, known as inertial confinement fusion, so far has not been able to achieve breakeven, that is, so far the fusion reaction generates less power than is used to power the lasers, but research continues. Microscopy Confocal laser scanning microscopy and Two-photon excitation microscopy make use of lasers to obtain blur-free images of thick specimens at various depths. Laser capture microdissection use lasers to procure specific cell populations from a tissue section under microscopic visualization. Additional laser microscopy techniques include harmonic microscopy, four-wave mixing microscopy and interferometric microscopy. Military Military uses of lasers include applications such as target designation and ranging, defensive countermeasures, communications and directed energy weapons. Directly as an energy weapon Directed energy weapons are being developed, such as Boeing’s Airborne Laser which was constructed inside a Boeing 747. Designated the YAL-1, it is intended to kill short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their boost phase. Defensive countermeasures Defensive countermeasure applications can range from compact, low power infrared countermeasures to high power, airborne laser systems. IR countermeasure systems use lasers to confuse the seeker heads on heat-seeking anti-aircraft missiles. High power boost-phase intercept laser systems use a complex system of lasers to find, track and destroy intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). In this type of system a chemical laser, one in which the laser operation is powered by an energetic chemical reaction, is used as the main weapon beam (see Airborne Laser). The Mobile Tactical High-Energy Laser (MTHEL) is another defensive laser system under development; this is envisioned as a field-deployable weapon system able to track incoming artilleryprojectiles and cruise missiles by radar and destroy them with a powerful deuterium fluoride laser. Another example of direct use of a laser as a defensive weapon was researched for the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, nicknamed Star Wars), and i ts successor programs. This project would use ground-based or  space-based laser systems to destroy incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The practical problems of using and aiming these systems were many; particularly the problem of destroying ICBMs at the most opportune moment, the boost phase just after launch. This would involve directing a laser through a large distance in the atmosphere, which, due to optical scattering and refraction, would bend and distort the laser beam, complicating the aiming of the laser and reducing its efficiency. Another idea from the SDI project was the nuclear-pumped X-ray laser. This was essentially an orbiting atomic bomb, surrounded by laser media in the form of glass rods; when the bomb exploded, the rods would be bombarded with highly-energetic gamma-ray photons, causing spontaneous and stimulated emission of X-ray photons in the atoms making up the rods. This would lead to optical amplification of the X-ray photons, producing an X-ray laser beam tha t would be minimally affected by atmospheric distortion and capable of destroying ICBMs in flight. The X-ray laser would be a strictly one-shot device, destroying itself on activation. Some initial tests of this concept were performed with underground nuclear testing; however, the results were not encouraging. Research into this approach to missile defense was discontinued after the SDI program was cancelled. Disorientation Some weapons simply use a laser to disorient a person. One such weapon is the Thales Green Laser Optical Warner. Medical * Cosmetic surgery (removing tattoos, scars, stretch marks, sunspots, wrinkles, birthmarks, and hairs): see laser hair removal. Laser types used indermatology include ruby (694 nm), alexandrite (755 nm), pulsed diode array (810 nm), Nd:YAG (1064 nm), Ho:YAG (2090 nm), and Er:YAG (2940 nm). * Eye surgery and refractive surgery * Soft tissue surgery: CO2, Er:YAG laser * Laser scalpel (General surgery, gynecological, urology, laparoscopic) * Photobiomodulation (i.e. laser therapy) * No-Touch removal of tumors, especially of the brain and spinal cord. * In dentistry for caries removal, endodontic/periodontic procedures, tooth whitening, and oral surgery

The introduction of clinical governance and high standards

The introduction of clinical governance and high standards The impetus to achieve high standards of care was endorsed by the introduction of clinical governance and according to Upton and Upton (2005) combines the paired concepts of clinical effectiveness and evidence-based practice. Clinical governance accentuates the importance of providing first class care to patients by appropriate professionals, in a secure environment and in accordance with the needs of individual patients, which is central to quality improvement (Palfrey et al, 2004). It is a framework designed to assist nurses, by means of accountability and responsibility, consider the quality of the care they give and encourages a proactive approach to improve through best practice (Tait, 2004). This has contributed to the increasing value assigned to reflective practice. Matthews (2004) defined reflection as a process that encourages experiential learning which enhances knowledge to inform and improve nursing practice. A nurse has a responsibility to engage in reflection which enc ourages critical thinking and problem solving to advance and support their clinical competence and continued professional development (Wilding, 2008). Schon (1987) identified two different types of reflection; reflection-in-action where the nurse reflects on the practice as it occurs; and reflection-on-action which occurs following the event and allows the nurse to explore and learn from practice. Reflection-on-action is frequently used as a foundation of formal assessment and transforms experience into knowledge (Jasper, 2006). According to Benner (1984) reflection is key to experiential learning leading to positive changes in practice and facilitates the progression from novice to expert. Nurses can utilise reflection as a means of continuous development and Gustafsson and Fagerberg (2004) suggests that there are many theoretical models available. Models of reflection including Gibbs (1988), Mezirow (1991) and Johns (2000) enable nurses to consider and reflect on their practice effectively and focus attention on relevant issues within their practice (Freshwater et al, 2008). There are benefits and limitations to each of these models according to Duffy (2007) and nurses can choose the one that is most appropriate for their needs. As Mezirow (1991) model lacks consideration of interpersonal aspects of learning and Gibbs (1988) models descriptive design and lack of focus on practice they will not be used for this assignment. This assignment will provide an in-depth analysis of an experience in practice using Johns model of structured reflection which has been adapted to suit the situation. Johns (2000) model for structured reflection primarily adopts a humanistic approach which focuses on emotions and feelings, where the nurse and patient are considered as equal partners during the encounter; The model offers a systematic structure of simple questions that encourages a consideration of patients individual needs and is appropriate when reflecting on the interpersonal relationship between the nurse and patient (Woods, 2003). Seminal work by Carper (1978) prov ides the foundation for Johns (2000) model and focuses on aesthetics, personal knowing, ethics, empirics and reflexivity which encourages the nurse to adopt reflection as a means to examine and improve their practice. This reflective assignment will be presented in the first person and describes an experience in practice of administering an intramuscular injection which relates to the module 9 outcome of drug administration. To maintain confidentiality as identified by Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008), the patient will be identified as Jane. Description of Event Jane was admitted to the ward as an emergency admission following an episode of severe abdominal pain. She was evidently in pain and was very distressed on admission. Following Janes thorough assessment and examination by the Senior House Officer a morphine based pain medication was prescribed, which was required to be administered via the intramuscular route. I introduced myself to Jane and proceeded to prepare the prescribed pain medication. I was given the opportunity to administer the injection by my placement mentor, as this was one of my competencies that I needed to achieve before the end of my placement. I was made aware that Jane was a nurse, and this forced me to express some concern to my mentor. I had previously had a negative experience in a previous placement whilst administering an intramuscular injection. This initiated a short discussion with my mentor and although she was able to empathise to some degree with my dilemma she encouraged me to proceed as I needed to co mbat my fear and also complete the competency in a positive and efficient manner. To allay my fears my mentor explained she would guide me and provide positive, constructive feedback following the event. I organised the equipment onto a trolley and the medication was prepared allowing consideration for Janes age, physical build and her pre-existing conditions. A full explanation of the procedure and outcomes was given to Jane at the bedside. Following this informed consent was obtained. Jane expressed her approval that I administered the injection as she appreciated the need for student nurses to learn through practice. Prior to the drug administration Janes name, address, date of birth, medication chart and any known allergies were checked. I commenced the injection and whilst administering I reassured Jane throughout to comfort and reduce any anxiety that might have consequentially increased her pain. Once the procedure was completed I disposed of the sharps safely and ensured that Jane was comfortable. During the private conversation with my mentor I was given positive feedback about my management and administration and then my mentor provided me with the opportunity to discuss my thoughts and feelings, and in particular, my initial reticence to give the injection. Aesthetics The definitive aim of performing the intervention was to achieve one of my competency outcomes for the management placement. Competence assessment according to Gustafsson and Fagerberg (2004) is characteristic of nurse training in the UK and accounts for 50% of the Fitness for Practice (National Assembly for Wales, 2002), allowing mentors to judge the students capabilities. It was important that I accomplished this learning outcome as in previous placements there had been limited opportunities to administer intramuscular injections. Whilst it is important to perform the intervention safely and competently Mantzoukas and Jasper (2004) believe that it is also essential that the invasive impact of such an activity on a patients anxiety and discomfort is recognised. Although the practice of giving intramuscular injections is routine for nurses, it is one of the few invasive practices which has the potential to inflict pain in an attempt to provide relief to patients (Wynaden et al, 2006) . In addition to achieving a competence outcome the administration of the injection would also relieve Jane from her pain and anxiety. Nurses have a considerable part to play in pain management and according to Duke (2006) effective communication between the patient and the nurse, together with successful utilisation of analgesia improves patient outcomes. Jane expressed verbally her distress and need for pain relief however I also identified non-verbal cues of facial grimacing and restlessness, which often reveals more about how a patient is feeling and what they are thinking (Kozier et al, 2008). This was reinforced in a study by Manias et al (2005) which revealed that an inadequate awareness of non-verbal communication resulted in poor pain management. Jane received an explanation of the procedure and had constant assurance and reassurance during the consultation in order to demonstrate learned communication skills, which helped to ensure the successful and professional nurse-patien t relationship. The reluctance to administer the intramuscular injection originated from a negative experience during the first year of training. I was asked to give an intramuscular injection to a patient prior to a surgical procedure. The nurse explained the procedure to me and asked the patient for their consent prior to the administration of the injection. The patient was quite emaciated and I believed that the green needle which was normally used for the procedure was too long. I expressed my concerns to the nurse but was told that it would be acceptable to proceed with the green needle. During the administration of the injection contact was made with the patients thigh bone. I rebounded with repulsion as I believed that I had harmed and hurt the patient. I was too naÃÆ'Â ¯ve to express my concerns to the nurse and on reflection following the incident I questioned my own competence and ability. This negative experience had a significant impact on my confidence and initiated feelings of fear, anger and insecurity. Nursing according to Higginson (2006) is a very complex career and the training presents unique situations that stimulate feelings of fear and anxieties. The negative experience, together with the fact that Jane was a nurse, made me question my capabilities as a nurse. Although Jane seemed unaware of my anxieties I assumed that she and my mentor would doubt my ability. The reluctance to perform the intervention made me feel incompetent and negligent of my duties however support and encouragement from my mentor helped to allay my fears. The Royal College of Nursing (2005) highlights the importance that students are adequately supported and given opportunities to learn during their practice placements. By encouraging me to administer the injection the mentor adopted an ethos of learning rather than teaching which promotes independence and active contribution to care (Ireland, 2008). Following the injection Jane expressed her gratitude at being relieved from her pain which increased my confidence and instilled a belief in my competence and abilities as a student nurse. Personal This situation generated many emotions within me of which frustration, fear, disappointment and then relief were the dominant feelings. When my mentor initiated that I was to give the injection my initial feeling was that of fear. Although I attempted to convince myself that I had the confidence to perform the task, the recollection of the previous negative experience emerged and caused increased anxiety. Moscaritolo (2009) believes that high levels of anxiety can affect students clinical performance. However guidance from a placement mentor can facilitate learning, empower students and ensures they are competent in safe and effective practice (Gopee, 2008). Although I was worried about appearing incompetent due to my lack of confidence, especially in front of Jane who was a nurse, my mentor encouraged and supported me throughout the experience. With this encouragement I believed I behaved professionally and competently, ensuring that Jane would be unaware of my anxieties. This incre ased my confidence in my clinical abilities and developed a trusting relationship with my mentor. Whilst the previous negative experience in practice established a fear within of administering intramuscular injections, the fact that Jane was a nurse also generated a preconception that she would review my practice and have an opinion on my abilities as a student nurse. However, on reflection Jane would have been more concerned and preoccupied with her pain and impending diagnosis rather than being focused on the fact that I was a student nurse. As Craven and Himle (2008) believes that appreciating and understanding that patients are individuals is a fundamental part of nursing practice I believed that Jane deserved compassion regardless of my own fears. Her pain and distress would have persisted if immediate treatment was not given therefore it was a moral and professional duty to provide the pain relief (Tan, 2009). I hoped that by giving Jane the medication safely and competently to relieve pain it would establish a trusting relationship between us, which according to Rushton et al (2007) is imperative. Displaying clinical competence ensures that patients are cared for and their needs identified (Iacono, 2007). Sellman (2006) maintains that trust is an essential component of nursing practice and highlights the fragility of it under conditions of immense vulnerability, such as chronic pain or acute illness. I was aware of Janes distress and wanted to provide care based on best evidence and in her best interests which is a prerequisite of good practice. It is crucial that nurses demonstrate clinical competence, display benevolent qualities towards the patient and appreciate the risk involved for the patient, as the equilibrium of power in the nurse-patient relationship is uneven which places the patient in a vulnerable position (Bell Duffy, 2009). Ethics My motivation to pursue a career in nursing was driven by the desire to care for patients whilst appreciating their needs, individuality and autonomous right to excellent care. In pain management, the duty to prevent or relieve suffering is fundamental and as advocates for patients, it is the nurses responsibility to address the current issues (Vaartio et al, 2008). Nurses are committed to the ethical principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence according to Tuckett (2004) and have the best interests of the patients at the centre of their practice which includes achieving optimal pain assessment and management. My action advocated the need for adequate pain relief, ensured that the administration of the injection was safe and I believe that Jane was cared for in a caring and empathetic manner which matched my beliefs of doing what is right and good in a clinical situation, which Carper (1978) described as ethical knowing. The importance of reflecting on previous negative experiences is highlighted by Bulman and Schutz (2004) who encourages nurses to explore their actions, identify problems and develop their future practice. My previous negative experience when administering an intramuscular injection was a traumatic experience however was a powerful catalyst for learning. In health care there is an accepted and elemental predilection for learning from failure which then is used to inform improved practice. The establishment of the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) in July 2001 in the UK aimed to improve the safety and quality of care through reporting, scrutinising and learning from adverse incidents in the NHS. I have learned from my negative experience and believe that this demonstrates an ethical consideration to a situation which improves the safety of my patients (Ghaye, 2005). Empirics Carper (1978) describes empirics as scientific knowledge that provides factual evidence that explains, informs and underpins nursing practice. Kozier et al (2008) believes that it is imperative that nurses understand the physiology of pain and have a duty to relieve their patients from this pain where possible. Jane was admitted to the ward for investigations and pain relief however when I observed that Jane was emaciated the feelings that I sensed with my previous experience came flooding back. The situation was a replica of the negative experience and the anxiety, fear and apprehension clouded my judgement. I perceived myself as too inexperienced to administer the injection. Hemsworth (2000) believes that limited opportunities for students to perform injections in practice are associated with restricted knowledge and skills. However this experience helped to inform my practice and provided me with the confidence to choose the needle and the site of administration appropriate for Ja ne. In addition to providing comfort and support through effective communication it was important that I also performed the procedure safely and competently. Student nurses should repeatedly utilise opportunities to participate in learning activities to progress and maintain clinical competence and practice (Wilding, 2008). Following my assessment of Jane I believed that the injection should be administered into the ventrogluteal site using the shorter blue needle. The fact that the ventrogluteal site is the safest and the least painful site for delivering injections and that a shorter needle is advisable for patients who are emaciated provided with me with the rationale for my decisions (Craven Himle, 2008). The administration of intramuscular injections according to Hunter (2008) requires the nurse to possess the knowledge and rationale of the guiding principles that underpin the clinical skill. Bandolier (2003) believes that educating student nurses on injection techniques can lead t o improved and safer practice as the National Patient Safety Agency (2007) states that poor practice can create adverse risks for patients and nurses. Reflexivity During the negative incident I had identified that the patient involved was emaciated and raised my concerns with the choice of needle with the nurse. However as a first year student I lacked confidence to assert my choice to refuse to perform the procedure. This experience damaged my confidence in my abilities and had a negative effect on my future involvement with intramuscular injections. Retrospectively I should have asserted myself further and examined both my actions and the nurses immediately following the incident to address the issues. Nurses according to Baxter and Rideout (2006) have a powerful influence in the development of the students perceptions of themselves and their abilities. I approached this recent experience with an open mind and minimal reference to my previous experience nevertheless my mentor should have been informed at the beginning of the placement of my apprehension of intramuscular injections. Allison-Jones and Hirt (2004) believe that a good communicative relationship between a mentor and a student is an important part of learning with the mentors expertise, competency, approach and communication skills playing a central role (Stuart, 2007). Accepting that every situation is different and adopting an approach of clarity and transparency would improve my outlook and confidence for future practice. Saveman et al (2005) maintains that a good interpersonal and communicative relationship, professional approach, and a caring manner are all essential to build a successful nurse-patient relationship. With the refusal to administer the injection the prospect of building a caring and trusting nurse-patient relationship with Jane would have been unattainable. I am disturbed and frustrated that a negative experience influenced my confidence and could have been avoided if it had been addressed at the time by means of reflection and clinical supervision. Reflection according to Ashby (2006) can encourage nurses examine their practice, increase their self-awareness and uncover implicit knowledge. I am pleased however that I was now able to adopt a spirited and willing approach to combat my fears and carried out the procedure in a considerate and professional manner. The administration of pain medication to Jane demonstrated effective pain and distress management which according to Hall-Lord and Larsson (2006) is central to the prerequisite of first class delivery of nursing car e. Conclusion Johns and Freshwater (2005) define reflection as a process that encourages nurses to examine their actions and learn from experience which enhances and informs their practice. Whether the reflection occurs prior, during or following clinical practice it is a process that nurses can apply to understand and appreciate positive or negative experiences (Schon, 1987). The use of Johns (2000) model supports the need for the student to work with the mentor and has enabled me to explore and make sense of this reflective experience. The model offered a systematic structure of simple questions that encouraged a consideration of Janes individual needs and was appropriate when reflecting on the interpersonal relationship between my mentor, myself, and Jane. It has allowed me to understand how the negative experience in the first year had an effect on my confidence when faced with a similar situation. As Jasper (2006) suggested it has helped explain and resolve my original feelings of incompetenc e and failure. By reflecting on my previous negative experience it proved a catalyst for learning and it informed my knowledge and rationale for deciding on the site of administration and needle size for this practice experience. This experience has highlighted the implications of not reflecting adequately and addressing any issues arising from a negative experience in practice. Stein-Parbury (2005) believes that clinical supervision is an ideal opportunity for nurses to share their knowledge and experiences, improving competence in a supportive environment. I believe that this experience has facilitated the appreciation of the significance of aesthetic, ethical, and personal ways of knowing and has developed empirical knowledge (Carper, 1978). Although I administered the injection competently the initial reservations that I had would not have existed if I had had more confidence in my own abilities and addressed past issues. My mentor empathised with my fear and lack of confidence but imparted her knowledge to guide and support me. Johns (1995) believes that the combination of diverse sources of knowledge and personal knowledge is needed to inform a clinical intervention. Following guidance from my mentor an d personal experience from clinical placements I am now more aware of the improvements that I need to make to become a competent student nurse.

Clinical dentistry :: essays research papers

Fundamentals of Clinical Dentistry: Intro to Indices and Charting Specific Objectives: 1) Define the purpose of dental indices, such as DMF-T, DMF-S, Gingival Inflammation Index and Plaque Index. Dental indices are important tools used in examinations to provide a numeric score that quantifies the magnitude of the disease measured. DMF-T: The number of teeth that are decayed, missing, or filled, the DMFT index, is a total score of all affected teeth and provides a caries experience score for an individual. DMF-S: A count of tooth surfaces that are decayed, missing, or filled and provides a greater precision about the caries history of an individual or a population group when mean scores are derived. Gingival Inflammation Index: Provides an assessment of gingival inflammatory status that can be used in practice to compare gingival health before and after dental visits and or treatments. Plaque Index: Same as Gingival Inflammation Index but deals with plaque. 2) Differentiate between the terms prevalence and incidence of a disease. Disease Prevalence: The number of decayed, missing, and filled surfaces that exist in the mouth at any one time. Only one examination is required to determine prevalence. (Prevalence is what is present at one point in time!) Disease Incidence: The number of decayed, missing, and filled surfaces that occur over a given period of time. Two different examinations are required to determine incidence- one before, and one at the end of a selected time period. (Incidence is what happens over a period of time!) 3) Describe the rationale and demonstrate how to chart existing restorations (amalgam, composite, gold, crowns, bridges, other), missing teeth, incipient caries and caries. Rationale- Well I think this is pretty common sense. Charting the information listed above will give you a record of your patient. This record can be reviewed upon future visits to note and record any changes. If you want me to explain how to wipe the fog off a mirror against the inside of your patient’s cheek, let me know. I also think I could get the point of a modified pen grasp across if someone really needs the help. Code for Dental Charting Existing Restorations: Fixed bridge (3 units)- Outline tooth crowns and place an X through tooth root to indicate which tooth is the pontic. Crown- Outline tooth crown and use diagonal lines to indicate gold. Non-metallic restoration (e.g. composite)- outline margins of the restoration. Metallic restoration (e.g. amalgam)- fill in the shape of the restoration with blue pencil. â€Å"Cracked† or â€Å"chipped† restorations- use red pencil to outline the existing restoration.

The Sacrilege: Caesar A Political Mastermind :: essays research papers

The Sacrilege: Caesar A Political Mastermind Throughout the book "The Sacrilege," Caesar evolved from a political nothing, to a political mastermind. It is easy to see his progress through the eyes of a character by the name of Decius. He helps use to realize that Caesar wanted three main things in this scheme. He desired money, some military men, and finally a consulship. To get what he wanted, Caesar had to be smart, powerful, and a little sneaky. Decius changes his views on how he views Caesar through a series of events throughout the story. Decius gains respect for Caesar and so does every else who has seen Caesar in action. At first, Decius doesn't believe that Caesar will amount to much in his lifetime. He believes that Caesar would rather live a luxurious and relaxed life. Although Caesar didn't think so. Burra, who thought that Caesar would be brilliant if he enlisted and controlled a legion, was exactly correct. Caesar, as history as shown, is a brilliant leader. Caesar believed that by leading you must not just make a plan, you must carry it out with his own manpower. He was always on his horse leading his pack through the bloodshed, not like many other leaders. When Decius was talking to Milo towards the beginning of the story he says that Caesar is known for being "reckless." He recounts the story of the pirates that captured him. Also in that conversation, Decius puts down Caesar because he says that Caesar has no money and that even as Pontifex Maximus, he still doesn't have any money. So he thinks less of Caesar when Milo tells him about a huge loan from Crassus to Caesar because he couldn't pay off his debts. Decius starts to gain respect for Caesar when he makes the announcement, as Pontifex Maximus, to label the "heinous" crime a "sacrilege." Caesar walks so seriously and confidently people "lose their stony faces" when Caesar arrives. Although when Caesar makes the remark of "Caesar's wife must be above suspicion," Decius is the first person to burst out laughing. He loses some of the respect for Caesar that he will later notice. Then Decius comes to a point where is gains full respect for Caesar. When Clodius is chasing him down, and they end up fighting each other in hand to hand combat, Caesar breaks in. At that point Decius says that he realizes how Caesar is able the manipulate people and break up crowds like "the parting of the sea." Caesar holds a very powerful position, Pontifex Maximus, which means