Aim in Life Essay

Most people in the world have some ambitions in life. A petty merchant has an ambition to become a big business man, a clerk to be a high officer, a student to be a doctor or engineer. Some desire for wealth, some desire for fame and reputation. A proper aim in life keeps a person shining and glowing in his future life. My aim in life is neither to collect money this or by that way nor for fame. It is my desire to become a well qualified doctor or a scientist. I do not just wish to be an ordinary doctor who spends his times in his laboratory trying to find out new drugs and medicines to remove the suffering of millions of people. The world remembers with thankfulness the name of the man who gave to the world vaccination. The world will remember forever the man who gave us penicillin. As a doctor it is my real wish to server the badly suffering humanity too. Our country is still under development and it has become necessary for all of us, especially for doctors to acheive sound progress in the field of new drugs and medicines, And for the prosperity and solidarity of pakistan we should work hard with spiritual zeal and zeast. I have an ambition to do something in this world so great as the doctors and the courages founders did in the past. I would like to give the world some new drugs and injections that will cure some of the many disease that people are still suffering from. In my opinion, wealth, fame and any other kind of materialistic gain are hollow and baseless if earned through unfair means. In my ambition, it is great wish to help the suffering people. For lawful earnings it will be my foremost dut to server the humanity, by going to the rural areas of this under developed country in order to help the poor and humble people for their happiness and entire satisfaction.

Gia and Her Life

Gia Marie Carangi is a gorgeous Philadelphia native who arrives in New York City to become a model and immediately makes an impression on a very high profiled agent by the name of Wilhelmina Cooper. In the movie Gia’s sexual identity is not identified by her. She never comes out directly and states I’m a lesbian or bisexual. Even though she never had sex with a man, she never said that she wasn’t attractive to men. Gia was very open minded and was always willing to explore her sexuality. Throughout the movie growing up she was finding herself while meeting a woman by the name of Linda who at the time they met was involved with a man. Gia really loved Linda but in the beginning Linda would always push her away which fueled her drug addiction. Linda was bisexual and in the beginning had issues with it because Gia was the first woman she ever been with but Linda also fell in love with her in time. Gia was feminine but at times could be very aggressive and had some boyish qualities about her to me that stood out. Her looks which made her one of the top female models back in the 70’s had male and females in awe of her beauty. Gia had a uniqueness about her that made her different from everybody else which elevated her into the star she was destined to become. Her beauty was like a gift and a curse because it got her to places she never dreamed of going, yet the curse for some could be that people only looked at the outer beauty and cared less what was on the inside. Gia finally realized that Linda was the only one that was there for her and she thanked her for that while photographers and other people surrounding her just saw her as a face that could make money and could care less if she couldn’t speak because they didn’t want her to open her mouth just look beautiful. Gia was very erotic and adventourous which did capture the interests of others to her and she portrayed that well on camera which the photographer loved! The movie takes place in the late 1970’s and around that time was the term â€Å"sexual liberation† or â€Å"free love† with millions of young people embracing the hippie ethos and preaching the power of love and the beauty of sex as a natural part of life. Sex was experimented openly in and outside of marriage and around the 80’s is when free love ended abruptly because that’s when the public became aware of AIDS. Sex and drugs was one of the main components that surrounded her and by being in the entertainment industry that always came with the territory some did it more than others but in Gias case the drugs took over her life at one point sharing needles which later on is found out how she contracted AIDS.

Managerial Competencies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Managerial Competencies - Essay Example Therefore, the following discussion would encompass the findings and their implications relating to managerial competencies and their implications upon effectively performing different managerial roles along with responsibilities. Communication Competency In accordance with the Experiential Exercise Self-Assessment Inventory, the communication competency can be apparently observed as above average. It has been found from the assessment that the negotiation and the internal communication dimension is above average which facilitated me to effectively transfer as well as exchange valuable information to other individuals. In this regard, it can be affirmed that I should highly focus on improving the formal communication skill in order to efficiently communicate and exchange valuable information to each individual. Planning and Administration Competency The Experiential Exercise of the self-assessment process has clearly depicted that I possess better knowledge in gathering valuable info rmation, analyzing different problems and adopting quick decisions. Therefore, the aforesaid aspects would enable me to effectively monitor the information in accordance with their relevance concerning any ongoing activity. ... imensions in the teamwork competency such as creating supportive environment and managing team dynamics, certain major deficiencies can be a major constraint in enhancing my managerial skill. Therefore, I have to significantly focus on improving my competency based upon the aforesaid critical aspects. Strategic Action Competency According to the observation of self-assessment process, it can be viewed that I m quite weak in this particular characteristic. I have moderate knowledge about the industry along with an average understanding about the actions performed by the strategic partners and rivals within the industry. Therefore, I should need to focus on increasing the knowledge as well as the understanding of the industry which can in turn enable me to obtain effective decisions and identify the competitive position within the respective industry. Multicultural Competency The multicultural competency significantly defines the cultural knowledge and understanding. With regard to the self-assessment process, it can also be stated that significant deficiency of understanding about the impact of global events on the organization and little experience concerning the linguistic knowledge can be regarded as my major weaknesses that might negatively impact in gaining superior competitive position. Therefore, I need to highly focus on increasing the multicultural competency which in turn can enable me to gain substantial knowledge with the growing trend of the global business environment. Self-Management Competency With regard to the self-management competency, it has been viewed that I am above average in this particular characteristic. In accordance with the self-assessment process, it can be viewed that I possess adequate knowledge as well as experience about the integrity

100 Word Each on Student Posts (2 Total) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

100 Word Each on Student Posts (2 Total) - Essay Example You have rightly identified decision-making and problem solving ability as two fundamental traits of effective leadership. From the qualities you have mentioned, I can tell that he is a transformational leader, driving his organization toward positive change and innovation. The organization has chosen 360 degree review as a method of review that must be hard to manage because â€Å"[g]iving 360-degree feedback can be as tough as receiving it† (Fagerhaugh 79). The organizational leader must be sure that he has appointed the right person to do the review for the review to be detailed and thorough and for the judgment thus made, to be rational. Having right people work in the right positions is fundamental to organizational success because their skills and individualistic traits fulfill the demands of those positions. Without the team of right people, management cannot effectively implement its strategies and thus loses control. This imparts the need for the management to establish the positions and recruitment process according to the organizational objectives

Is political analysis a science, an art or some kind of hybrid Essay

Is political analysis a science, an art or some kind of hybrid - Essay Example With the passage of time, the concept of political philosophy was introduced, which supported the view of political sciences being the master of all sciences as forwarded by Aristotle (Stanford University, 2011). Hence, from understanding people’s behavior from a specific point of view of politics and governance, it was expanded to understanding the cultural, ethical and religious needs and behavior of people, which directly affects their outlook and code of life. Thus, political science was evolved, amalgamating some core areas of humanities, religious, cultural psychology, sociology, philosophy, leadership and public administration (Britannica, 2013). This expanded the application of political analysis, and it made a place in the sectors of law, communism and humanities. There are numerous researches and studies on each field mentioned above, and this depicts the richness political sciences carries in itself. Furthermore, with the increasing awareness of leadership roles and responsibilities, a considerable emphasis is been put on how people are governed and by whom (Britannica, 2013). The fact that, the end motive is the same today also, to find ways and methods to attract more people, but the government system now, can not entirely rely on theories and scientific methods for determining human behavior. As the cause and effect theory in science tells that there is a particular effect directed by a particular action, does not solely apply in political sciences. Stating the above facts, the role of science cannot be negated completely (UCLA, 1996). The empirical analysis helping political sciences to understand the emerging trend of globalization and international relations management are all the scientific tools for efficient governance. This makes it difficult to categorize political sciences as a subject of hard- science or simple arts. It can therefore, be taken as a hybrid of these two fields, where some issues are predefined while some still exist s in the grey areas (Singh, Marquette, Alolo, 2007). Understanding Political Analysis Background The implication and use of political analysis in governance and public administration has its roots from the ancient civilization, in the time of Plato and Aristotle (Nederman, 1991). The ideology behind its evolution was related in the determination of features and responsibilities for those desiring power and authority. With the Roman fall nearly thousand years back, the Greek philosophy of social and political behaviors emerges, with which the world entered in a new era of political laws and governing states. The definition of power and the rule was changed, from something that is bestowed upon to something that has to be earned (Adcock & Bevir, 2005). At that point in time, scientific observations and empirical approaches were the only tools involve in forming a government and finding people’s interest in the state government. This was the normative knowledge approach, which d etermines the definite reaction of people upon certain government policy or process. Later, a non-normative approach, based on the grounds of psychology was introduced. It takes into account hypothesis and several assumptions, whose empirical evaluation leads towards a particular finding (Adcock & Bevir, 2005). In the contemporary government system, a Model Based Approach is used, which has fragments of several models combined to make

News Media Comparison Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

News Media Comparison - Assignment Example o curb the effects of these chemicals on the environment, companies involved in these mining prospects have created lakes where this water is collected and recycled (Bisset, n. p.). Recycling requires extra time and resources, which these companies try to minimize by storing the waste chemicals in lakes. Most of the flow back is pumped into exhausted wells, but it is mostly liked to leach to aquifers and surface waters. Fracking might disrupt radioactive elements and gases that might leach up to the surface and harm people and environment (Dembicki, n. p.). Corporate media like the CTV News’ report that the benefits of natural gas shale mining through the Fracking method’s advantages outweigh the disadvantages. This is in terms of job creation, consistent and steady supply of natural gas for next 100 years, and the income it will generate in terms of savings accrued from expenditure on fuel imports (Bisset, n. p.). The minister, for energy and mines, is quoted advocatin g for natural gas mining using the Fracking process, saying that all it requires is gradual integration of both conservative and avant-garde approaches to both environmental protection and the economic potential of natural gas shale mining (Bisset, n. p.). The framing of the news lays emphasis on the positive impact of the proposed and continued natural gas mining prospects are going to have a long lasting effect on the economies and lives of the people (Krugel, n. p.). This brings to fore the argument that is forwarded by those who are advocating for the continued exploration and mining of natural gas. Their arguments are focused on improving the livelihoods through the creation and acquisition of jobs, and how these mining ventures help in improving the ailing economies of towns and provinces where... This essay approves that alternative media provides complimentary information to that provided by the mainstream media or corporate media. It does this by being different in their delivery of information through varying dimensions of content, models of production, distribution, dynamic artistry and target audience integration. Alternative media’s main objective is to mitigate the effects of existing authorities, like governments and corporations that run the mainstream media, by representing the plight of the marginalized, in society. Although both types of media are bias, alternative media claims that its bias is different from that of corporate media because of their values and overall objective of agitating for the common man’s well being. This paper aims at comparing these two types of media by analysing how they handle a specific current issue in Canada. This report makes a conclusion that the focus on the negative environmental impacts of Fracking, in Canada, is not highlighted as much as it should, but the only mention of the environment is what the government will do, and measures it intends put, in place. There is no mention of what people should do to protect themselves against the harmful effects associated with frack mining. The sources used, in their reporting on this issue, are those that are benefitting from the ongoing mining operations because all their expositions, on the matter, are focused on the positives associated with continued mining activities without focusing on the effects of mining on the environment. Sources from the ministry of environment that would have highlighted the plight of sensitive ecosystems at risk of destruction and its contribution to global warming are not included in their articles.

Australian supermarket Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Australian supermarket - Essay Example The objective of the paper is to market analysis of an Australian supermarket. The paper will delve on all the economic and business aspects of the supermarket industry. The paper contains a detailed review of the current market structure in this sector of business, encompassing a study about the pricing power policies and the demand, supply factors. The paper will include a report of the chosen business with data and statistics about the industry’s growth and competitors in the business. The purpose of the paper is to work on a detailed business review report touching on topics like price, income and cross elasticity, Input prices and cost of production, substitute services available in the market, products and services that complement this service, and a complete SWOT analysis.Industry Overview and Market structure.The paper under all subheadings will explain the microeconomic theory behind the heading in correlation to the supermarket industry. The Australian supermarket an d the grocery store industry accounted for $69.5b as industry revenue in the year 2008. With an annual industry growth of 4.7%, the industry has 4300 establishments providing employment to 259,200 people. The two major players in the Australian market are the Woolworths and the Wesfarmers formerly known as the Coles. The Woolworths and Coles feature in the 22nd and 29th place respectively in the list of top 50 retailers around the world. In a report by Blake Dawson named 'Rising Grocery Prices and Australia's Anti-trust laws', Woolworths leads the supermarket industry with 750 stores holding a market share of 44% and Coles with 500 stores holding a market share of 34%. The New entry Germany's Aldi has 300 stores holding a market share of 4%. The supermarket industry like all other industries is under heavy pressure due to the current global turmoil and Dr. Ira Kalish, Deloitte Research's Director of Consumer Business, advised, "We are seeing this already with consumers shifting to m ore price focused retailers. For all retailers, this environment will require added attention to keeping costs under control." The paper will report a detailed analysis on the Wesfarmers Super Market. Find below and in the forthcoming pages the History, market share , pricing , competitors, costs, market forces and a SWOT analysis of the Coles the now Wesfarmers Supermarket. Body: The Coles opened its first store in the year 1914 by George Coles. Over years the company has grown and spread its wings far and wide and today Coles has over 740 stores in both New Zealand and Australia. The Supermarket caters to a whole range of customers and stands out remarkably for its services and is the number two chain of supermarket in Australia next to Woolworths. Employing more than 92000 people the Coles has specialized departments for Health, baby food, Health and Beauty Department, Meat Department Fruits and Vegetables Department, Deli (Pizza Bar) and the international and specialty Department. The Coles was acquired by Wesfarmers Ltd in the end of the year 2007. Pricing Power and Policies: The pricing power or market power of a firm is the power exerted by the firm to determine or influence the price of the products sold or the services provided. In other words, the freedom of Coles to set prices for their own products. Pricing power of a firm largely depends on the demand for its goods and services. A firm enjoys the maximum pricing power depending upon the price elasticity if its product or service. Price Elasticity according to Mulhearn and Vane in the book 'Economics' is "measures the responsiveness of the quantity demanded of a particular good or service to changes in its price ." Coles being the second largest supermarket chain in Australia to a certain extent does dictate prices and enjoys an edge over smaller retail stores. However in a Public submission report to the ACCA (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) Coles has stated "Coles is committed to delivering value to customers every day.

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Assignment - Essay Example The company’s management is not market oriented and lagging behind market changes is dangerous for any particular company. The paper attempts to look at basic management concepts and their effective application in the daily running of a company. The basic definition of management is getting work done by others. Comprehensively management can be described as a set of functions that are directed at the efficient and effective utilization of resources for the achievement of set organizational goals. The difference thus arises in the management of the Royal Store that violates the definition of management, as its management does not adhere to any set functions. Effectiveness in the running of a business organization refers to the making of right decisions and successfully implementing them. It also means the accomplishing of tasks that are helpful in achieving organizational objectives. On the other hand, efficiency in a business entity refers to getting work done with the use of minimum effort, expense, or waste. Efficiency entails the use of resources available to an organization in the most cost-effective way. Effectiveness and efficiency in any business organization contribute to productivity.... The difference thus arises in the management of the Royal Store that violates the definition of management, as its management does not adhere to any set functions. a) Relationship Between Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Productivity Effectiveness in the running of a business organization refers to the making of right decisions and successfully implementing them. It also means the accomplishing of tasks that are helpful in achieving organizational objectives. On the other hand, efficiency in a business entity refers to getting work done with the use of minimum effort, expense, or waste. Efficiency entails the use of resources available to an organization in the most cost-effective way. Effectiveness and efficiency in any business organization contribute to productivity. This forms one of the major arguments of Taylor on the issue of productivity. Productivity entails the performing of assigned duties in the manner that is required. In any company, the measurement of productivity is imp ortant in relation to the resources employed, which include labor, time, and monetary resources against the total output. Effectiveness and efficiency establish a base in measuring productivity in any organization. The Royal Store in its business activities exhibited lack of efficiency and effectiveness in its management leading to the productivity falling below the owner’s expectations. The company in its efforts to boost productivity should employ several of Fayol’s principles on successful management. The first principle they can inculcate is the unity of command. The principle means that any organization no matter how large it is should

First assist surgical study Case Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

First assist surgical - Case Study Example It involves cutting the linking parts and then conducting a usual vaginal surgery to take away specimen from the body. 1. Organ Structure function: The ovaries are two glands that are a constituent of the female reproductive system and are responsible for production of ova. Each of them is oval in shape and almost equal to the almond in size. They are found near the fallopian tubes in the tangential wall of the pelvis in an enclosure referred to as ovarian fossa. Each of the ovaries is connected to the fimbria of the fallopian tube. Three incisions will be made. These can be seen by the patient. The first one is to accommodate the telescope and is within or close to the navel. The other cuts are done in the lower part of the abdomen. These are 5mm long while the first is 1 cm in length (Petri et al. 170). Another slit is done at the top of the vagina to remove the needed material for analysis. The patient will wake up in the recovery room after the procedure and after the effects of the anaesthetic diminish. Some patients might require an oxygen mask to assist in the inhalation of oxygen ((Querleu, Leblanc and Castelain 580). Lukanovic, A; Drazic, K (2010). "Risk factors for vaginal prolapse after hysterectomy". International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 110 (1): 27–30. Petri Nahà ¡s, E.; Pontes, A.; Nahas-Neto, J.; Borges, V.; Dias, R.; Traiman, P. (2005). "Effect of total abdominal hysterectomy on ovarian blood supply in women of reproductive age". Journal of ultrasound in medicine  : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine 24 (2):

Discussion Board Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Discussion Board - Assignment Example By investigating and considering the diets of a suspect, psychiatrists, who always help establish the mental stability of suspects, readily establish the motives of the suspects thereby influence the entire judicial process. The phrase â€Å"Twinkie defense† portrays the importance of behavior analysis in court cases. In the trial of Dan White, a former police officer in San Francisco in 1979, the psychiatrist observe that the police officer killed the two victims involuntarily an was suffering from depression. Such determinations arose from the fact that White fed on junks a feature that portrayed his emotional and mental instability. The junks were therefore a symptom of the suspect’s psychological stability. The explanation changed the justice system as the judge later fund White guilty of manslaughter but not murder (Weiss, 2010). Briefly, observing diets among other external factors is vital process of psychoanalysis that helps determine the mental stability of people. In judicial processes, such observations are important since they prove the motives of the various actions. Observing such features is therefore vital inclusion in court proceedings that influence the effectiveness of the entire

The Applicability of Death Penalty Essay Example for Free

The Applicability of Death Penalty Essay The question of death penalty being a part of the judicial system of the American nation and of most countries in the world has remained a huge debate from the very beginning it was raised. Religious and secular groups have rallied toward the complete abolition of this kind of punishment, and others who did not actively participate also agreed that the act is a form of cruelty. In 1972 during the case of Furman versus Georgia, the Supreme Court declared that indeed the act violated the â€Å"cruel and unusual† punishment provision of the eight amendment. This court ruling has lead to the lifting of more than 600 death sentences, complete abolition of the sentence to some states and illegalization of mandatory death penalty (Longley, 1997).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The illegalization of mandatory death sentences involves the thorough investigation of any case in which the defendant has already been sentenced to death or is about to be sentenced to death. This states that everything must be taken into account before a person is declared to be deserving of death penalty. Pieces of evidence must point to the said judgment as well as the attitude of the defendant (Death Penalty Information Center, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A state which plans to have death penalty as part of their justice system may consider murder as a crime punishable by death for this crime involves taking the life of another person. This may be said to be most applicable especially when the victim is an innocent civilian or a child and the criminal is not regretful of the act. By deliberately taking another person’s life, the murderer deprives the victim of the right to live. For the child-victims, murder takes away the right to be protected and be taken care of. It also deprives the young of all the opportunities that may have been encountered through years of existence. Also, without any form of regret on the part of the proven perpetrator of the crime, sympathy should not be extended and as such death sentence becomes most appropriate (Holmes and Holmes, 1998).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The punishment by death should also include any type of multicide like mass murder, spree murder and serial murder. Criminals who commit such murders should be sentenced to death for they have taken what could have been meaningful and prosperous lives. This may be said to be also the case in infanticide or the killing of a child not more than three months old. The innocent victim deserves justice. As all murders are believed to be pre-meditated or carefully planned, proven murderers deserve the treatment they have given to their victims and as such, if there is not any form of regret or apology extended to the remaining relatives of victims, death penalty is but righteous (Holmes and Holmes, 1998).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another crime that should be penalized by death is statutory rape or the rape of a child. Since a child is innocent and in the stage of discovery, even a single incident of violence may alter his entire perception of life. An incident of rape may bring about not only unforgettable physical damage but also mental trauma. Its effects on a child’s perception may ultimately decide the child’s future (Rape Victim Advocates, 2008). According to the Michigan Family Impact seminars, 90 percent of teen prostitutes have been sexually abused when they were younger. (Rape Victim Advocates, 2008). This clearly shows how much sexual abuse or rape can destroy an innocent’s life. Even without actually taking the life of the child, it deprives the child of what would have been a better future. This also shows that anyone who was proven a rapist through empirical analysis and investigation deserves to be sentenced to death. In cases where the proven criminal apologizes or shows signs of regret, the opinion of the relatives should be taken to account and the decision should be as according to the desired justice of the offended party. Another crime that deserves penalty by death is the crime of rape with murder against a child.   As this crime not only tortured the child through the sexual abuse, it also took away an innocent life.   It has also incurred great pain to people surrounding the victim, especially if the child-victim was a stranger and the parents had taken care of the child to the utmost. Other than the crimes mentioned above, it would be disproportional to sentence a criminal to death. Only very explicit crimes and life-changing offenses should be sentenced to death, for a life that is altered may already be considered as a life taken away. It should be considered that murder is not merely killing and incurring death of the physical body, rather, the death of the spirit and self-worth is worse than physical death. This is the death incurred to a rape victim, and it is worse than murder. As such, not only murderers but also rapists should be sentenced to death. However, since mandatory death sentence is not allowed, empirical data should be thoroughly checked and taken to account as well as the attitude of the suspect towards his crime before the verdict is given and implemented. In this way, justice shall be served for both the offending and the offended parties. References Death Penalty Information Center. (2008). Death penalty for Offenses Other than Murder. Retrieved January 14, 2009, from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/death-penalty-offenses-other-murder Holmes, R.M. and Holmes, S.T. (1998). Serial Murder. United States: SAGE Publications. Longley, R. (1997). Recent Legal History of the Death Penalty in America. US Government Info.   Retrieved January 14, 2009, from http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/bldeathpenalty.htm Rape Victim Advocates. (2008). Children Sexual Violence. Retrieved January 14, 2009, from http://www.rapevictimadvocates.org/children.asp

Should Juvenile Offenders Be Tried As Adults Criminology Essay

Should Juvenile Offenders Be Tried As Adults Criminology Essay In todays society, there are many crimes going on. Adults are not the only ones that commit crimes. One issue today is that juvenile offenses and whether juvenile offenders should be tried as adults in criminal court. A common phrase that is often used in this case of young juveniles committing crimes is Old enough to do the crime, old enough to do the time. This phrase should be cleared to people that juveniles are not adults, and with this being said it will not make them one. It has redefined juvenile offenses by treating most of them as delinquent acts to be adjudicated within a separate juvenile justice system that is theoretically designed to recognize the special needs and immature status of young people and emphasize rehabilitation over punishment (Steinberg). While juveniles should be responsible for their actions, and should be held accountable for the crime, then the juvenile justice system is design to determine the consequences. Youths are still minors and are less matur e. They often face a lot of negative peer pressure. Therefore, juveniles should not be tried in courts as adults. Even though the justice system knows perfectly well that most juveniles offenders are too young to truly understand the consequences of their actions, many juveniles are still transferred to adult courts for case hearing. A juvenile offender is someone who is too young to be tried as an adult. For instance, if a eighteen year old boy is charged as an adult with a killing of another boy, then he will be condemn to serve his sentence in an adult jail. This boy could have the mind of a younger person but he still will be placed with the adults because by law he is an adult. Just because someone is eighteen years old that does not make them an adult. An adult is considered to be someone who has reached eighteen years old by law, but some people do not have the quality that makes an adult. Adults know how to accept responsibility, have plans for the future and is financially independent. Adults generally know right from wrong just like how children do, but they know what can cause them to go to jail and what cannot. Jewish youth are declared adults in the eyes of their religion when they turn thirteen (New York Times Upfront). The age that someone is considered an adult can vary from city and based on their religion. Being considered an adult can be pretty harsh. When juvenile is sent to adult jails where he/she has an adult cell mate, then they could be badly influence. Juveniles and adults being cellmates can cause the juvenile to get into more trouble. Adults will take advantage of them and put the youth up to do things they are not suppose to do. Juveniles will not be able to mature properly because the cell mate is not on his/her age group. Rather than the juveniles being sent to a rehabilitation center where he/she would have had the companion of other children who care in similar position, and could thus be educated in interest. The purpose juveniles should go to the juvenile court because it is a treatment and guidance rather than punishment (Cliff Notes). By placing juveniles offenders in a place that was made for adults can take a toile on them. Although juveniles may know right from wrong, immaturity should be a reason for them not to be tried as adults. With that being said juveniles being charged with minor crimes should not have to go to a rehabilitation center nor jail. Criminal crime by juveniles should still be taken to juvenile justice system because they young children may be going through the stage of immaturity or negative peer pressure. Despite the severity of the crime juveniles are still children and are not developed with maturity quit yet. Holding teenagers responsible for themselves is not unique to our justice system (New York Times Upfront). Also, a rehabilitation institution has an advantage to adults prison in terms of their effect on the juvenile. When a juvenile is sent to juvenile court the main focus is what they may be able to do to rehabilitate the teen. Being that it is a teen committing a crime they called it a delinquent act rather than a criminal offense. A criminal offense can make things worse than compared to delinquent act. Although most juveniles go to rehabilitation centers they do have juvenile prisons in many states and other places they can be sent instead of a rehabilitation center. It has been found that changing the social environment in which juveniles live is a more effective way to reduce violence than punishing juvenile offenders in adult courts( CliffNotes). If the youth has been to the adult criminal court instead of the juvenile court, then they will not have the right to go to a rehabilitation institution. Juveniles who commit serious crimes are being punished for their actions, but the possible solution to juveniles crime would be rehabilitation. By them going to this institution it can help them become more of a positive person inside and out. It is cleared that older adults and children are totally not similar, so they should be treated accordingly. If they are at a rehabilitated institution they are more successful in willing to learn. As said in the article by Cliff Notes , While the denial of full constitution rights for juveniles is sometime a problem, the juvenile courts mission is benevolence- serve the best interest of children ( CliffNotes, ). So by the juveniles going to a rehabilitation institution it can be better for them. It can help better them in so many ways. Ways they can better themselves: having the right of still being able to get an education, they could possibly have a job, they will not be influence by people if so then it would be peer pressure, be around people thats around their age group so they can better relate. Being that they are teenagers they are still getting used to the surrounding so they will make mistakes regardless. When they make mistakes and are sent to a rehabilitation institution they will not have to deal with a whole lot of bullying by peers. There is something that is called a waiver. A waiver is something for juveniles who have committed serious offenses and the court waived them from a juvenile court to an adult court (Aaron Larson). Sometimes juveniles have to get mandatory waivers where they will be tried as adults. Some people may say a certain juvenile victim may need to go to the adult jail because of the crime committed and the adults can tortured them, but not too harshly. They may say this because if the child is that bad off then they could bring a lot of negative behavior in the rehabilitation institution. It should not be that way because every teenager has their times of displaying terrible behavior. Although they may not act accordingly at times they are still children. So therefore the rehabilitation will be the right place for them. The rehab is designed the help the juveniles become better positive young people. If they give the juvenile a chance then maybe it will work for them instead of just wanting to send them to the adult jail. Every household should have morals for their family. Just because a family has morals it does not mean that when teens get around their peers that they will not act a different way from home. Some families do not raise their children with morals. A lack of human morals cannot be treated or cured in rehabilitation centers. Some things have to start from home to help guide children the right way. If children do not have no guidance when they get around their peers it will be very easy to influence them, they will often find themselves following the crowd, and even doing bad things to get attention. If a teen does something and they have to go to court and end up at a rehabilitation center but does not display morals then it is a possible change that, that child will always be out of control. New York Times Upfront states trying juveniles as adults sends a clear message that crimes such as murder, rape, and assault will not be tolerated and that perpetrators must accept the consequences of their actions. Agreeing with this because if a juvenile commits one of these crimes and just have to attend a rehabilitation center for a couple of months or years, then if they are more of a rough neck juvenile with no morals they can come home and continue to do the same things. So that then makes courts systems wonder if it is a good idea to have juveniles go to a rehabilitation center with crimes like these. Some teens have the maturity and judgment to make reasoned decisions. All juvenile are not mature and can make wise decisions just as well make bad ones. Many young people get drivers licenses before they turn eighteen (New York Times). The way youths use their thinking skills to drive a vehicle they could do the same before getting involved in criminal behavior. When juveniles commit crimes it does not guarantee when they become an adult their records will be sealed. These just vary from state to state. It can also be based upon the crime committed. If a juvenile has a sex offender charger then they would have to register as a sex offender, no matter what age they are for the rest of their life. Stated by Aaron Larson In some states which automatically seal a juveniles record once he/ she passes a certain age, that record may remain unsealed if the defendant is convicted of an adult offenses before he reaches that age.

Report on Organisational Change and Multiculturalism in IKEA

Report on Organisational Change and Multiculturalism in IKEA The following is an integrative report on organisational change brought about by multiculturalism in organisations with specific emphasis on the concept of diversity management in relation to organisational culture. With the help of a study on IKEA, the international chain of home and office furniture stores, the report will attempt to analyse the challenges faced by international managers in the process of keeping up with the demands of multiculturalism, a direct consequence of globalisation. Although the values and practices of IKEAs corporate culture will be discussed in general, in order to narrow the geographic area of research, the report will focus more on IKEAs franchise in Dubai, UAE. The report will make extensive use of relevant literature in order to understand the issues in question by applying the literature to the organisation and by doing so, will attempt to make further recommendations and meaningful conclusions. I.1 IKEA Background: IKEA prides itself to be the most successful and largest furniture retailer in the world, and boasts provision of everything and anything for a home, having products suited for people of all ages, and all this at low prices. The company promises excellent value for money spent with all of their products designed with an emphasis on natural colours to bring a light and airy atmosphere within a home. This concept is based purely on IKEAs Swedish origins, where people pride themselves in living in harmony with nature with simple home designs which offer maximum efficiency in all weathers (http://www.iamaceo.com/marketing/ikea-brand-success-strategy/). IKEAs vision, to create a better everyday life for the many people is reportedly largely aimed at the global middleclass which is also evident from their business idea, to offer a wide range of well designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford the m (http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_GB/about_ikea/press_room/student_info.html). With 265 stores worldwide, where 235 are owned by the IKEA group while the remaining 30 by franchisees outside the group, the extent of IKEAs expansion is obvious (IKEA, 2007). IKEAs corporate culture is based on the concept of shared values, some of which, as the organisation proclaims, are togetherness, cost-consciousness, respect, and simplicity. These values project a very democratic form of leadership where considerable freedom is given to employees to contribute to the companys success. IKEA claims to treat all employees, no matter what rank they carry, as partners in the business. The company also boasts no restrictions upon employees in using their own initiatives and offers full support to meet each individuals needs, ambitions and capabilities. I.2 IKEA Dubai and Al Futtaim Trading: The IKEA franchise in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) was first initiated in 1991 with the local Al Futtaim Trading Company taking ownership. This collaboration has been, since its inception, a major success story in the UAE and other parts of the Middle East, as many new IKEA outlets have been strategically opened over the years by the group and have achieved great competitive advantages and overall productivity. The Al Futtaim group was first established in the 1930s as a trading company. Headquartered in Dubai, the group has seen a rapid progress in its operations not only within the UAE but in more than 65 countries across the Middle East, and in various sectors of business. The group attributes its success to its ability to respond to the changing needs of customers and the societies in which it operates through an entrepreneurial and customer focused approach. Employees of the group enjoy a democratic culture made possible through clearly defined objectives and values, enabled through clear flow of information via a decentralised structure. Al Futtaim also prides itself for the ability to proactively manage change whilst upholding the values of integrity, service and social responsibility. (http://www.al-futtaim.ae/content/groupProfile.asp; http://www.ikeadubai.com/content/aboutUs.asp) Apart from managing many of IKEAs retail operations in the UAE, the Al Futtaim group carry the sole responsibility of recruiting personnel for the franchise, and also providing valuable information about changes in the local political scene, culture, economy and other issues like new technologies, threats of competitors, legal issues etc, effectively conducting internal and external analyses (SWOT and PESTEL) for IKEA. This contribution has greatly helped the IKEA group over the years to align their regional operations according to changing environments, effectively creating a strategic fit between the organisation and the environment (http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/16374.html). I.3 The Culture Change Problem: For an organisation that boasted fairness in employment and empowerment to employees through a democratic leadership and structure, and flexible organisational culture, IKEA had initially employed an ethnocentric approach of management where only Swedes were recruited for management positions so as to ensure the original Swedishness of the organisation. But this approach eventually met with criticism and a temporary setback in IKEAs overseas operations, where the organisation was faced with the task of revising its overseas recruitment policies in order to meet the demands of local cultures and employment laws (Kling and Goteman, 2003; Kochan et al, 2002). According to Bjork (1998), every time IKEA was faced with a struggle due to internationalisation, new cultural management policies would be implemented, the latest being Diversity Management. IKEA is well known for having a rapid internationalisation process from its Swedish origins as a result of globalisation and its rapid expansion into countries with cultures very different from its original Swedish national culture (Hollensen, 2007). Although owned by franchisees in some countries, like the UAE, the IKEA concept and trademark are solely owned by Inter IKEA Systems B.V in Netherlands, giving the group considerable authority over franchises. This means Inter IKEA Systems B.V is the franchiser for all IKEA stores within or outside of the IKEA group, ensuring uniformity of corporate values, and the IKEA concept of self assembled furniture right from the centre (IKEA, 2007). IKEA has had to rapidly transform itself from an ethnocentric corporate culture to an organisation that embraces people of all backgrounds, and has in many communiquà ©s expressed the importance of having a culturally diverse workforce in order to obtain competitive advantage on the global scene. This is evident from the organisations recruitment websites in various countries, where emphasis is given for potential employees to be themselves, but at the same time adhere to shared corporate values such as simplicity, cost-consciousness, hard work etc, but almost all of the websites show a picture of a man and woman of Scandinavian origin (Bjork, 1998). This has created a paradox within the IKEA Groups core values, where there is still a strong emphasis on the companys Scandinavian background. Setting up operations in multicultural societies like Dubai meant the IKEA group has had to go through a rapid process of internal culture-change. This means a complete internationalisation of organisational culture, where key positions are not restricted to Swedish nationals, and communication systems had to be introduced to break geographical and cultural barriers. The partnership with Al Futtaim has played a major role for IKEA in achieving this change. In the following sections literature related to organisational culture-change, international recruitment processes and the inevitable resistance to culture will be studied and analysed. II. LITERATURE REVIEW: The purpose of this section is to acquire a deeper understanding of culture and its characteristics by means of metaphorical representation of organizations with the help of relevant literature. This may help us understand the significance of culture change, not just to gain competitive advantage, but for the very survival of an organization in an ever-changing environment. II.1. Organization and Society: Drawing the Parallels Within the process of cultural evolution there is a significant amount of similarity in the manner in which culture is manifested in business organizations and in society in general (Rollinson, 2005; Morgan, 1998). To understand cultural diversity in organizations, it would be helpful to understand its roots at a sociological level. Cultural diversity at the workplace is a direct result of multiculturalism in the society. A multicultural society simply denotes a society in which there exist several cultures (Watson, 2002). Culture is defined as, A pattern of shared assumptions a group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way you think, perceive, and feel in relation to those problems (Schein, 2004). The above definition suggests that culture is a shared activity of overcoming external and internal factors through methods that have been taught down to the group as acceptable and functional. A general view of cultural differences is that they affect intercultural encounters, usually by leading to misunderstanding or conflict, at both the individual and group levels (Larkey, 1996). Larkey explains that at the individual level, as different values, beliefs or worldviews are manifested in communication behaviours and as culture creates differing expectations and differing styles or patterns of speech, interpersonal misunderstanding and conflict can arise. At the group level, inter-group processes can be triggered by, for instance, an individuals non-verbal behaviour or ways of speaking which stereotypically represent a group (1996). It then becomes the responsibility of the leadership of the core society to introduce a culture and/or change its existing core culture to accommodate th e various differences brought in by the subcultures in an integrated manner, where these differences are acknowledged and valued (Neuliep, 2008). When the above sociological aspects of culture are compared to a business organization, the organization is the core society, and its culture, the core culture. We all refer to this as organizational culture. Analogically speaking, the organizational (core) culture should be designed in such a way that the employees of the company share a basic set of values and assumptions, which tie them to that particular organization. But, on the individual or group levels, each employee has his/her own cultural norms and practices beyond those they share with other members of the company, which can be safely termed as the subcultures within the organization (Bate, 1995). II.2 Cross-Cultural Communication: We all have an internal list of those we still dont understand, let alone appreciate. We all have biases, even prejudices, toward specific groups (Lantieri Patti, 1996). The above phrase sums up the main challenge in cross-cultural communication, the fact that we still dont understand the people we talk to on a daily basis. Communication is an intrinsic part of our daily lives, whether it is at our homes, at the workplace, in the groups we belong to, or in the community, and we can identify that its hard (DuPraw Axner, 1997). According to DuPraw and Axner (1997), culture is often at the root of communication challenges, and our culture influences how we approach problems and participate in groups and in communities. Anthropologists Avruch and Black expand the above views and argue that Ones own culture provides the lens through which we view the world; the logic by which we order it; and the grammar by which it makes sense (1993). DuPraw and Axner (1997) suggest that, becoming more aware of our cultural differences, as well as, exploring our similarities, can help us communicate with each other more effectively, and that cultural differences do not necessarily have to divide us from each other (1997). In an organisational context, the similarities lie in the core organisational culture that is common at the group level. Morgan (1998) explains the significance of effective communication and concludes that every organization is composed of individuals with different cultural traits and individual personalities, and these people are organised in some way or the other through these traits in order to achieve set objectives. Thus individuals are the basic building blocks around which an organization functions, and communication is the effective cement which holds the organization together. This puts forward the importance of an organisational culture that employs clear communication channels to all levels of its structure. II.3 Organization as a Living Being: Adapting to Change, by Aligning with the Environment It can be inferred from the preceding sections that change is necessary in order to promote peaceful existence between different culture groups, in the societal realm. Considering this, it may be safe to assume that similar changes need to be implemented in the organizational realm as well (Robbins and Judge, 2009; Pettinger, 1996). The question that may arise, however, is whether changing the existing culture means changing the entire organization. Culture is such an intrinsic quality of a human being at the individual level, and of a group at the societal level, that even though it may take time to change, it may end up changing more than just a few characteristics (Bate, 1995; Hofstede, 1997). This means that changing an organizations culture implies changing the very behaviour in which it expresses itself. Morgan (1998) interestingly likens an organization to an organism, and explains that, The image of an organism seeking to adapt and survive in a changing environment offers a powerful perspective for managers who want to help their organizations flow with change. (Pg 35) He argues that this analogy encourages us to learn the art of corporate survival by developing active organic systems that remain open to new challenges. In other words, as Brooks (2003) says, it helps us form a more proactive organization with a prospector philosophy of operation. Prospectors, he explains, see their environment as ever changing and seek continual strategic and structural adjustments to cope with those changes. These organizations are continually searching for new opportunities and in the process they may create change and uncertainty for others in their competitive environment. The opposite of prospectors, known as defenders, are more reactive in nature, as they act only when environmental changes force them to do so. This kind always sees stability and continuity all around (2003). Research shows that reactors are more prone to misperceptions of their environment than are prospectors. According to Morgan (1998), this is because different environments favour differe nt species of organisations based on different methods of organising and that congruence with the environment is the key to success. So it is evident that organisations are facing the enormous challenge of changing their internal environments in accordance with the external. II.4 The International Human Resources Function: the International Organisation will be called on to operate across a wide variety of competitive environments and yet somehow balance these diverse social, political and economic contexts with the requirements of the original home context. (Dowling et al, 2008, pg25) The above statement re-iterates all the topics discussed in this report so far, namely, the task of the organisation to be able to operate in different environments whilst staying true to its original corporate objectives. The international human resources management (IHRM) function, a recent extension to the normal HRM function in an organisation, aims to achieve this global competitive advantage by employing innovative recruitment strategies. The three main issues for IHRM are: the management and development of expatriates; the internationalisation of management throughout the organisation; and, creating a new corporate culture that would reflect on internationalising the whole organisation, by focusing on increasing the international experience of staff, to be able to effectively counter the frequency of cross-cultural interactions as a result of investing abroad (Hendry, 1994). As a result, IHRM covers a much wider spectrum of worldwide management of people (Dowling et al, 1999, 2008), and is concerned with how MNCs manage their geographically dispersed workforce by being able to dispose their resources to obtain and maintain local and global competitive advantage (Schuler et al, 2002). This clearly indicates IHRM as a means of strategic importance for MNCs, as it is a key element in achieving a balance between the need for control and coordination of foreign subsidiaries, and the need to adapt to local environments (Adler and Ghadar, 1990 Milliman et al., 1991, cited in Scullion, 2001, pg5). In other words, the need is for the organisation to implement common practices, like structure and technology that transcend national differences and form a commonality as to how the business operates across cultures (Kerr et al, 1973 Hickson et al, 1979 cited in Mullins, 1999), whilst not ignoring the essential differences in how these practices are communicated and applied to the local workforce of a given foreign subsidiary (Hofstede, 1997; Keeley, 2003). II.5 Resistance to Change: When a group seeks change in the way they do things, as with culture, there is the inevitability of resistance to this change. Researchers like have identified a few reasons for such resistance: fear of the unknown, referring to peoples natural tendency to keep away from uncertainty that creates anxiety. Resisting change is one way to reduce the anxiety; fear of failure, referring to peoples fear of whether or not they are up to the challenges being brought in by the change; disagreement with the need for change, where people genuinely believe that change is not necessary; losing something of value, where people fear either losing their dominant positions and/or jobs as a result of the change; leaving a comfort zone, in that people are happy where they are and would not want unnecessary disruption of current state; false beliefs, where people unrealistically believe change is not needed and everything will turn out fine; misunderstanding and lack of trust, where people do not understand the changes being made and/or do not trust the person(s) initiating the changes; and the fact that change may require more time and energy from individuals (Robbins, 1999; Mullins, 2003). Many ways to overcome resistance have been suggested, which include: effective communication and education including training programmes for staff to make them understand the need for change, and its implications; getting people to get involved in implementing the change process, where they can not oppose it later as they were partly responsible for it; negotiating with people certain requirements they may have to get the change underway; and in many cases imposing the change by force whether the people like it or not, as resistance may mean loss of positions/ jobs etc (Robbins, 2009; Mullins, 2003). III. APPLICATION TO IKEA In light of the above discussions, the company headed in the right direction in terms of its emphasis on multiculturalism at the workplace, especially amongst its independent franchisees. IKEA in Dubai working along with Al Futtaim has been successful in achieving this objective by recruiting local, talented individuals reflecting the diverse cultural demographics of the United Arab Emirates. This is in line with earlier literature discussion of societal and organisational cultures where the core culture needs to be designed to accommodate individual personal differences, but should also give employees a common framework. III.1 Changing the Organisational Culture, a Project: IKEAs efforts to change its internal culture to align with external factors in Dubai have been a major project management undertaking. This is because the company has had to effectively integrate its centralised and extremely complex organisational structure (although argued otherwise by the group) with the more decentralised and flexible structure of Al Futtaim. This required giving considerable power to the latter group in making decisions regarding changes to the way IKEA operated in the Middle East. Reduction of organisational levels to form a flatter structure itself is a project with time constraints. Due to the ever changing nature of external cultural factors, and due to the fact that internal cultural change is a slow and gradual process, the project management methodology that IKEA and Al Futtaim may have employed would have been the Adaptive Project Framework. The adaptive project framework works on the basis that the scope for change is variable, but within specified cost and time constraints. This gives the company significant flexibility by setting up periodic milestones, where progress is reviewed at each milestone until the ultimate objective is met. The company has full authority in deciding best business value and has the opportunity to change directions at any milestone if it thinks objectives are not being met by the project. The adaptive framework also works because it is based on the assumption that change is inevitable, and is designed to allow for changes accordingly. This is especially vital when seeking culture change (Billingham, 2008). III.2 Resistance within IKEA: The initial resistance to the changes in IKEAs culture may have come mainly from the fact that the company has had to tone down its emphasis on Swedish culture at the operational level in Dubai. Changing the organisational structure would have meant losing some key positions along the structure to enable integration with Al Futtaims structure. Focusing on recruiting local personnel would have meant redundancy and/or repatriation for existing Swedish international managers. This would have also meant that existing personnel would have had to adapt to working alongside with local personnel, which may have caused communication problems, friction between personnel etc. The best methods used for overcoming above problems would have been to educate existing IKEA personnel regarding local issues like culture, governance etc, educate and train local personnel in return about IKEAs core values and its Swedish roots, and the importance the company places in carrying out the legacy of its founder, provide clear communication between levels, and reducing barriers through effective information infrastructure. IV. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, change management can now be safely coined as a field in itself in modern businesses, especially in multinational organisations. Considering the study, more and more organisations would benefit from being prospectors rather than defenders, as this would prepare them to stay in tune with their market environments. It seems the group has lived up to their own professed comments when they say, We see the diversity issue as a matter of creating a more challenging business atmosphere and of course expanding the recruitment base including everyone and not just Swedish men. It also gives us a diverse workforce with a lot of positive business possibilities (Kling and Goteman, 2003). As far as the project of changing IKEAs culture is concerned, the company has successfully reached its goal of reaching the global middle class with its products. Whether it is through the IKEA group directly, or through franchises like Al Futtaim, IKEA has realised the importance of culture change and has subsequently implemented this change within its infrastructure. The companys extraordinary success, even with a narrow product range, but a range that has been constantly diversified according to the demands of the regions of operation, is testament to the success of the project. Through Al Futtaim, IKEA is now a household name all over the Middle East, thus expanding the range of its brand through undertaking a change in organisational culture.

Biography of Martin Luther :: Protestant Reformation World History Essays

Biography of Martin Luther Martin Luther , who was born in 1483,remains in history known as on of the few unique forces that changed the world fundamentally by force of will and by his ideas. The people who support him call him the â€Å"Protestant hero, a freedom fighter, and a wise insightful church leader.† But there are many people who do not like and the names they call him are a â€Å"heretic, an apostate, and a profane ecclesiastical terrorist.† Often Luther called himself a simple monk or a simple Christian. He was glad that a straight-forward stand of sense of right and wrong had turned him into one of the most talked about people of his time. Little did he know that, that simple Christian and that simple stand for what is right and what is wrong changed the course of World History. I will explain Martin Luther in four main parts of his life. First, his early years; second, Luther’s struggle to find peace and his discovery of grace; third, his problems with the sell of indulg ences; and finally, Luther’s death and legacy. First of all, Martin Luther’s early years of his life. Martin Luther was born to Hans and Margaretta Luther on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben, Germany. He was baptized on the feast day of St. Martin of Tours , of which he was named of. His father owned and worked a copper mine in the nearby town of Mansfeld. Having come from peasantry, his father was determined to see his son rise up to civil service and bring more honor to the family. To achieve this goal Hans sent Martin Luther to schools in Mansfeld, Magdeburg, and Eisenach. When he was seventeen, in 1501, he entered the University of Erfurt. There he received a Bachelors degree in 1502 and a masters degree in 1505. Trying to fulfill his fathers wishes he enrolled in the law school of that university. Little did he know that all that was about to change. While riding a horse during a thunderstorm in the summer of 1505 a lightning bolt struck near him while returning to school. Being in a terrified state he cried out, â €Å"Help, St. Anne I’ll become a monk † Luther was spared his life and so he kept his promise and entered the monastery at his law school.

Covenant and Promise Essays -- essays research papers

COVENANT AND PROMISE †¢ BERITH = Hebrew word for covenant †¢ Berith is found in the earliest records in the Bible and is fundamental to Hebrew religion. In Latin it is Testamentum. †¢ The Old Testament and the New Testaments means the old and the new covenants. A covenant is a promise. †¢ Chesed = Hebrew word for the attitude of loyalty and faithfulness which both parties should observe towards one another in a covenant relationship. †¢ The covenant ‘chesed’ of God is so strong that it can never pass away. The Covenant with Abraham †¢ The records of ancient Israel were not written down until the time of King David, who had a court and a scribe. This was the time when Israel possessed the land of Canaan. †¢ The records were then redacted at later dates, significantly in the period of the exile (597BCE) †¢ There are two covenants recorded in Genesis made with Abraham. †¢ Genesis 15. Abraham is told to kill a selection of animals and is then put into a deep sleep. A flaming pot passes through. This is a ceremony to seal the covenant. The covenant was one sided, God made promises, Abraham received them. The Covenant with Abraham †¢ Covenant 2 †¢ Genesis 17 records the outward sign of the covenant, circumcision. This is still an important practise today. †¢ 17:9 God also said to Abraham: "On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you that you must keep: every male among you shall be circumcised. Circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and that shall be the mark of the covenant between you and me. †¢ 17:12 Throughout the ages, every male among you, when he is eight days old, shall be circumcised†¦ Thus my covenant shall be in your flesh as an everlasting pact. †¢ Scholars believe this is a later covenant influenced by the experiences of the exile. The Promises of the Covenant with Abraham †¢ Abraham is promised that he will be the father of... ...en the The Kingdom of God reigns once more on earth. Second Isaiah †¢ Another prophet of the exile. †¢ Absolute monotheism emerged during the period of the exile. †¢ If there is only one God, then he is also the God of the nations. †¢ Isaiah pictures a renewal of the covenant on return from exile at Jerusalem. †¢ Significantly all nations will come to worship Israel’s God. ISAIAH 40:1 Comfort, give comfort to my people, Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins. 40:3 A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! 40:4 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; The rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. 40:5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all mankind shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Peter Vardy â€Å"Covenant and Promise† 2000

Physics of Snowmachine Clutches :: sport physics snowmobile clutch

* A snowmachine clutch actually consists of two separate clutches connected together by a rubber belt. o The primary clutch is connected to the engine's crankshaft o The secondary clutch is mounted on the end of the jackshaft (which connects to the drive shaft via a chain and gears). * The primary purpose of the clutch is to smoothly transmit power from the engine to the jackshaft and to remove the connection when the engine is idling so that the machine is not always rolling. * This type of system is also referred to as a continuously variable transmission. It is called this because as the engine speed increases the final drive ratio increases. That is, the difference between the engine speed and track speed decreases. It is equivalent to an automatic transmission on a car with an infinite number of gears that you never felt shift. Let's take a look at how this "infinite gearing" process works: 1. At idle the primary clutch just spins and does not "grab" onto the belt. As engine RPM (revolutions per minute) increases to engagement speed (the RPM where the snowmachine starts moving), the primary clutch begins to pull together and start squeezing the belt. 2. Now the belt is turning. This makes the secondary clutch turn, which causes the track to turn and the snowmachine to move forward. 3. As engine speed increases above engagement, the primary clutch squeezes together some more and pushes the belt so that it moves to a larger radius on the primary. Because the two clutches rotate about fixed points, the belt gets pulled into the secondary, spreading it farther apart and moving the belt to a smaller radius. * Note that the primary clutch (on the left) never stops spinning, but the secondary (right) does stop spinning at idle speeds. * In case you are curious, the engine rpm got up to about 7000 rpm and the track speed got up to about 60 mph or more during this clip. I supported the track with a stand and ran the throttle while an observer ran the camera.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 48-51

CHAPTER 48 In the heat of the moment, Capitol police officer Nunez had seen no option but to help the Capitol Architect and Robert Langdon escape. Now, however, back in the basement police headquarters, Nunez could see the storm clouds gathering fast. Chief Trent Anderson was holding an ice pack to his head while another officer was tending to Sato's bruises. Both of them were standing with the video surveillance team, reviewing digital playback files in an attempt to locate Langdon and Bellamy. â€Å"Check the playback on every hallway and exit,† Sato demanded. â€Å"I want to know where they went!† Nunez felt ill as he looked on. He knew it would be only a matter of minutes before they found the right video clip and learned the truth. I helped them escape. Making matters worse was the arrival of a four-man CIA field team that was now staging nearby, prepping to go after Langdon and Bellamy. These guys looked nothing like the Capitol Police. These guys were dead-serious soldiers . . . black camouflage, night vision, futuristic-looking handguns. Nunez felt like he would throw up. Making up his mind, he motioned discreetly to Chief Anderson. â€Å"A word, Chief?† â€Å"What is it?† Anderson followed Nunez into the hall. â€Å"Chief, I made a bad mistake,† Nunez said, breaking a sweat. â€Å"I'm sorry, and I'm resigning.† You'll fire me in a few minutes anyway. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† Nunez swallowed hard. â€Å"Earlier, I saw Langdon and Architect Bellamy in the visitor center on their way out of the building.† â€Å"What?!† Anderson bellowed. â€Å"Why didn't you say something?!† â€Å"The Architect told me not to say a word.† â€Å"You work for me, goddamm it!† Anderson's voice echoed down the corridor. â€Å"Bellamy smashed my head into a wall, for Christ's sake!† Nunez handed Anderson the key that the Architect had given him. â€Å"What is this?† Anderson demanded. â€Å"A key to the new tunnel under Independence Avenue. Architect Bellamy had it. That's how they escaped.† Anderson stared down at the key, speechless. Sato poked her head out into the hallway, eyes probing. â€Å"What's going on out here?† Nunez felt himself go pale. Anderson was still holding the key, and Sato clearly had seen it. As the hideous little woman drew near, Nunez improvised as best as he could, hoping to protect his chief. â€Å"I found a key on the floor in the subbasement. I was just asking Chief Anderson if he knew what it might go to.† Sato arrived, eyeing the key. â€Å"And does the chief know?† Nunez glanced up at Anderson, who was clearly weighing all his options before speaking. Finally, the chief shook his head. â€Å"Not offhand. I'd have to check the–â€Å" â€Å"Don't bother,† Sato said. â€Å"This key unlocks a tunnel off the visitor center.† â€Å"Really?† Anderson said. â€Å"How do you know that?† â€Å"We just found the surveillance clip. Officer Nunez here helped Langdon and Bellamy escape and then relocked that tunnel door behind them. Bellamy gave Nunez that key.† Anderson turned to Nunez with a flare of anger. â€Å"Is this true?!† Nunez nodded vigorously, doing his best to play along. â€Å"I'm sorry, sir. The Architect told me not to tell a soul!† â€Å"I don't give a damn what the Architect told you!† Anderson yelled. â€Å"I expect–â€Å" â€Å"Shut up, Trent,† Sato snapped. â€Å"You're both lousy liars. Save it for your CIA inquisition.† She snatched the Architect's tunnel key from Anderson. â€Å"You're done here.† CHAPTER 49 Robert Langdon hung up his cell phone, feeling increasingly worried. Katherine's not answering her cell? Katherine had promised to call him as soon as she was safely out of the lab and on her way to meet him here, but she had never done so. Bellamy sat beside Langdon at the reading-room desk. He, too, had just made a call, his to an individual he claimed could offer them sanctuary–a safe place to hide. Unfortunately, this person was not answering either, and so Bellamy had left an urgent message, telling him to call Langdon's cell phone right away. â€Å"I'll keep trying,† he said to Langdon, â€Å"but for the moment, we're on our own. And we need to discuss a plan for this pyramid.† The pyramid. For Langdon, the spectacular backdrop of the reading room had all but disappeared, his world constricting now to include only what was directly in front of him–a stone pyramid, a sealed package containing a capstone, and an elegant African American man who had materialized out of the darkness and rescued him from the certainty of a CIA interrogation. Langdon had expected a modicum of sanity from the Architect of the Capitol, but now it seemed Warren Bellamy was no more rational than the madman claiming Peter was in purgatory. Bellamy was insisting this stone pyramid was, in fact, the Masonic Pyramid of legend. An ancient map? That guides us to powerful wisdom? â€Å"Mr. Bellamy,† Langdon said politely, â€Å"this idea that there exists some kind of ancient knowledge that can imbue men with great power . . . I simply can't take it seriously.† Bellamy's eyes looked both disappointed and earnest, making Langdon's skepticism all the more awkward. â€Å"Yes, Professor, I had imagined you might feel this way, but I suppose I should not be surprised. You are an outsider looking in. There exist certain Masonic realities that you will perceive as myth because you are not properly initiated and prepared to understand them.† Now Langdon felt patronized. I wasn't a member of Odysseus's crew, but I'm certain the Cyclops is a myth. â€Å"Mr. Bellamy, even if the legend is true . . . this pyramid cannot possibly be the Masonic Pyramid.† â€Å"No?† Bellamy ran a finger across the Masonic cipher on the stone. â€Å"It looks to me like it fits the description perfectly. A stone pyramid with a shining metal capstone, which, according to Sato's X-ray, is exactly what Peter entrusted to you.† Bellamy picked up the little cube-shaped package, weighing it in his hand. â€Å"This stone pyramid is less than a foot tall,† Langdon countered. â€Å"Every version of the story I've ever heard describes the Masonic Pyramid as enormous.† Bellamy had clearly anticipated this point. â€Å"As you know, the legend speaks of a pyramid rising so high that God Himself can reach out and touch it.† â€Å"Exactly.† â€Å"I can see your dilemma, Professor. However, both the Ancient Mysteries and Masonic philosophy celebrate the potentiality of God within each of us. Symbolically speaking, one could claim that anything within reach of an enlightened man . . . is within reach of God.† Langdon felt unswayed by the wordplay. â€Å"Even the Bible concurs,† Bellamy said. â€Å"If we accept, as Genesis tells us, that `God created man in his own image,' then we also must accept what this implies–that mankind was not created inferior to God. In Luke 17:20 we are told, `The kingdom of God is within you.' â€Å" â€Å"I'm sorry, but I don't know any Christians who consider themselves God's equal.† â€Å"Of course not,† Bellamy said, his tone hardening. â€Å"Because most Christians want it both ways. They want to be able to proudly declare they are believers in the Bible and yet simply ignore those parts they find too difficult or too inconvenient to believe.† Langdon made no response. â€Å"Anyhow,† Bellamy said, â€Å"the Masonic Pyramid's age-old description as being tall enough to be touched by God . . . this has long led to misinterpretations about its size. Conveniently, it keeps academics like yourself insisting the pyramid is a legend, and nobody searches for it.† Langdon looked down at the stone pyramid. â€Å"I apologize that I'm frustrating you,† he said. â€Å"I've simply always thought of the Masonic Pyramid as a myth.† â€Å"Does it not seem perfectly fitting to you that a map created by stonemasons would be carved in stone? Throughout history, our most important guideposts have always been carved in stone– including the tablets God gave Moses–Ten Commandments to guide our human conduct.† â€Å"I understand, and yet it is always referred to as the Legend of the Masonic Pyramid. Legend implies it is mythical.† â€Å"Yes, legend.† Bellamy chuckled. â€Å"I'm afraid you're suffering from the same problem Moses had.† â€Å"I'm sorry?† Bellamy looked almost amused as he turned in his seat, glancing up at the second-tier balcony, where sixteen bronze statues peered down at them. â€Å"Do you see Moses?† Langdon gazed up at the library's celebrated statue of Moses. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"He has horns.† â€Å"I'm aware of that.† â€Å"But do you know why he has horns?† Like most teachers, Langdon did not enjoy being lectured to. The Moses above them had horns for the same reason thousands of Christian images of Moses had horns–a mistranslation of the book of Exodus. The original Hebrew text described Moses as having â€Å"karan ‘ohr panav†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ â€Å"facial skin that glowed with rays of light†Ã¢â‚¬â€œbut when the Roman Catholic Church created the official Latin translation of the Bible, the translator bungled Moses's description, rendering it as â€Å"cornuta esset facies sua,† meaning â€Å"his face was horned.† From that moment on, artists and sculptors, fearing reprisals if they were not true to the Gospels, began depicting Moses with horns. â€Å"It was a simple mistake,† Langdon replied. â€Å"A mistranslation by Saint Jerome around four hundred A.D.† Bellamy looked impressed. â€Å"Exactly. A mistranslation. And the result is . . . poor Moses is now misshapen for all history.† â€Å"Misshapen† was a nice way to put it. Langdon, as a child, had been terrified when he saw Michelangelo's diabolical â€Å"horned Moses†Ã¢â‚¬â€œthe centerpiece of Rome's Basilica of St. Peter in Chains. â€Å"I mention the horned Moses,† Bellamy now said, â€Å"to illustrate how a single word, misunderstood, can rewrite history.† You're preaching to the choir, Langdon thought, having learned the lesson firsthand in Paris a number of years back. SanGreal: Holy Grail. SangReal: Royal Blood. â€Å"In the case of the Masonic Pyramid,† Bellamy continued, â€Å"people heard whispers about a `legend.' And the idea stuck. The Legend of the Masonic Pyramid sounded like a myth. But the word legend was referring to something else. It had been misconstrued. Much like the word talisman.† He smiled. â€Å"Language can be very adept at hiding the truth.† â€Å"That's true, but you're losing me here.† â€Å"Robert, the Masonic Pyramid is a map. And like every map, it has a legend–a key that tells you how to read it.† Bellamy took the cube-shaped package and held it up. â€Å"Don't you see? This capstone is the legend to the pyramid. It is the key that tells you how to read the most powerful artifact on earth . . . a map that unveils the hiding place of mankind's greatest treasure–the lost wisdom of the ages.† Langdon fell silent. â€Å"I humbly submit,† Bellamy said, â€Å"that your towering Masonic Pyramid is only this . . . a modest stone whose golden capstone reaches high enough to be touched by God. High enough that an enlightened man can reach down and touch it.† Silence hung between the two men for several seconds. Langdon felt an unexpected pulse of excitement as he looked down at the pyramid, seeing it in a new light. His eyes moved again to the Masonic cipher. â€Å"But this code . . . it seems so . . .† â€Å"Simple?† Langdon nodded. â€Å"Almost anyone could decipher this.† Bellamy smiled and retrieved a pencil and paper for Langdon. â€Å"Then perhaps you should enlighten us?† Langdon felt uneasy about reading the code, and yet considering the circumstances, it seemed a minor betrayal of Peter's trust. Moreover, whatever the engraving said, he could not imagine that it unveiled a secret hiding place of anything at all . . . much less that of one of history's greatest treasures. Langdon accepted the pencil from Bellamy and tapped it on his chin as he studied the cipher. The code was so simple that he barely needed pencil and paper. Even so, he wanted to ensure he made no mistakes, and so he dutifully put pencil to paper and wrote down the most common decryption key for a Masonic cipher. The key consisted of four grids–two plain and two dotted–with the alphabet running through them in order. Each letter of the alphabet was now positioned inside a uniquely shaped â€Å"enclosure† or â€Å"pen.† The shape of each letter's enclosure became the symbol for that letter. The scheme was so simple, it was almost infantile. Langdon double-checked his handiwork. Feeling confident the decryption key was correct, he now turned his attention back to the code inscribed on the pyramid. To decipher it, all he had to do was to find the matching shape on his decryption key and write down the letter inside it. The first character on the pyramid looked like a down arrow or a chalice. Langdon quickly found the chalice-shaped segment on the decryption key. It was located in the lower left-hand corner and enclosed the letter S. Langdon wrote down S. The next symbol on the pyramid was a dotted square missing its right side. That shape on the decryption grid enclosed the letter O. He wrote down O. The third symbol was a simple square, which enclosed the letter E. Langdon wrote down E. SOE†¦ He continued, picking up speed until he had completed the entire grid. Now, as he gazed down at his finished translation, Langdon let out a puzzled sigh. Hardly what I'd call a eureka moment. Bellamy's face showed the hint of a smile. â€Å"As you know, Professor, the Ancient Mysteries are reserved only for the truly enlightened.† â€Å"Right,† Langdon said, frowning. Apparently, I don't qualify. CHAPTER 50 In a basement office deep inside CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, the same sixteen- character Masonic cipher glowed brightly on a high-definition computer monitor. Senior OS analyst Nola Kaye sat alone and studied the image that had been e-mailed to her ten minutes ago by her boss, Director Inoue Sato. Is this some kind of joke? Nola knew it was not, of course; Director Sato had no sense of humor, and the events of tonight were anything but a joking matter. Nola's high-level clearance within the CIA's all-seeing Office of Security had opened her eyes to the shadow worlds of power. But what Nola had witnessed in the last twenty-four hours had changed her impressions forever of the secrets that powerful men kept. â€Å"Yes, Director,† Nola now said, cradling the phone on her shoulder as she talked to Sato. â€Å"The engraving is indeed the Masonic cipher. However, the cleartext is meaningless. It appears to be a grid of random letters.† She gazed down at her decryption. â€Å"It must say something,† Sato insisted. â€Å"Not unless it has a second layer of encryption that I'm not aware of.† â€Å"Any guesses?† Sato asked. â€Å"It's a grid-based matrix, so I could run the usual–Vigenre, grilles, trellises, and so forth–but no promises, especially if it's a onetime pad.† â€Å"Do what you can. And do it fast. How about the X-ray?† Nola swiveled her chair to a second system, which displayed a standard security X-ray of someone's bag. Sato had requested information on what appeared to be a small pyramid inside a cube-shaped box. Normally, a two-inch-tall object would not be an issue of national security unless it was made of enriched plutonium. This one was not. It was made of something almost equally startling. â€Å"Image-density analysis was conclusive,† Nola said. â€Å"Nineteen-point-three grams per cubic centimeter. It's pure gold. Very, very valuable.† â€Å"Anything else?† â€Å"Actually, yes. The density scan picked up minor irregularities on the surface of the gold pyramid. It turns out the gold is engraved with text.† â€Å"Really?† Sato sounded hopeful. â€Å"What does it say?† â€Å"I can't tell yet. The inscription is extremely faint. I'm trying to enhance with filters, but the resolution on the X-ray is not great.† â€Å"Okay, keep trying. Call me when you have something.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"And, Nola?† Sato's tone turned ominous. â€Å"As with everything you have learned in the last twenty-four hours, the images of the stone pyramid and gold capstone are classified at the highest levels of security. You are to consult no one. You report to me directly. I want to make sure that is clear.† â€Å"Of course, ma'am.† â€Å"Good. Keep me posted.† Sato hung up. Nola rubbed her eyes and looked blearily back at her computer screens. She had not slept in over thirty-six hours, and she knew damn well she would not sleep again until this crisis had reached its conclusion. Whatever that may be. Back at the Capitol Visitor Center, four black-clad CIA field-op specialists stood at the entrance to the tunnel, peering hungrily down the dimly lit shaft like a pack of dogs eager for the hunt. Sato approached, having just hung up from a call. â€Å"Gentlemen,† she said, still holding the Architect's key, â€Å"are your mission parameters clear?† â€Å"Affirmative,† the lead agent replied. â€Å"We have two targets. The first is an engraved stone pyramid, approximately one foot tall. The second is a smaller, cube-shaped package, approximately two inches tall. Both were last seen in Robert Langdon's shoulder bag.† â€Å"Correct,† Sato said. â€Å"These two items must be retrieved quickly and intact. Do you have any questions?† â€Å"Parameters for use of force?† Sato's shoulder was still throbbing from where Bellamy had struck her with a bone. â€Å"As I said, it is of critical importance that these items be retrieved.† â€Å"Understood.† The four men turned and headed into the darkness of the tunnel. Sato lit a cigarette and watched them disappear. CHAPTER 51 Katherine Solomon had always been a prudent driver, but now she was pushing her Volvo at over ninety as she fled blindly up the Suitland Parkway. Her trembling foot had been lodged on the accelerator for a full mile before her panic began to lift. She now realized her uncontrollable shivering was no longer solely from fear. I'm freezing. The wintry night air was gushing through her shattered window, buffeting her body like an arctic wind. Her stockinged feet were numb, and she reached down for her spare pair of shoes, which she kept beneath the passenger seat. As she did, she felt a stab of pain from the bruise on her throat, where the powerful hand had latched on to her neck. The man who had smashed through her window bore no resemblance to the blond-haired gentleman whom Katherine knew as Dr. Christopher Abaddon. His thick hair and smooth, tanned complexion had disappeared. His shaved head, bare chest, and makeup-smeared face had been unveiled as a terrifying tapestry of tattoos. She heard his voice again, whispering to her in the howl of wind outside her broken window. Katherine, I should have killed you years ago . . . the night I killed your mother. Katherine shivered, feeling no doubt. That was him. She had never forgotten the look of fiendish violence in his eyes. Nor had she ever forgotten the sound of her brother's single gunshot, which had killed this man, propelling him off a high ledge into the frozen river below, where he plummeted through the ice and never resurfaced. Investigators had searched for weeks, never finding his body, and finally decided it had been washed away by the current out to the Chesapeake Bay. They were wrong, she now knew. He is still alive. And he's back. Katherine felt angst-ridden as the memories flooded back. It was almost exactly ten years ago. Christmas Day. Katherine, Peter, and their mother–her entire family–were gathered at their sprawling stone mansion in Potomac, nestled on a two-hundred-acre wooded estate with its own river running through it. As was tradition, their mother worked diligently in the kitchen, rejoicing in the holiday custom of cooking for her two children. Even at seventy-five years of age, Isabel Solomon was an exuberant cook, and tonight the mouthwatering smells of roast venison, parsnip gravy, and garlic mashed potatoes wafted through the house. While Mother prepared the feast, Katherine and her brother relaxed in the conservatory, discussing Katherine's latest fascination–a new field called Noetic Science. An unlikely fusion of modern particle physics and ancient mysticism, Noetics had absolutely captivated Katherine's imagination. Physics meets philosophy. Katherine told Peter about some of the experiments she was dreaming up, and she could see in his eyes that he was intrigued. Katherine felt particularly pleased to give her brother something positive to think about this Christmas, since the holiday had also become a painful reminder of a terrible tragedy. Peter's son, Zachary. Katherine's nephew's twenty-first birthday had been his last. The family had been through a nightmare, and it seemed that her brother was only now finally learning how to laugh again. Zachary had been a late bloomer, frail and awkward, a rebellious and angry teenager. Despite his deeply loving and privileged upbringing, the boy seemed determined to detach himself from the Solomon â€Å"establishment.† He was kicked out of prep school, partied hard with the â€Å"celebrati,† and shunned his parents' exhaustive attempts to provide him firm and loving guidance. He broke Peter's heart. Shortly before Zachary's eighteenth birthday, Katherine had sat down with her mother and brother and listened to them debating whether or not to withhold Zachary's inheritance until he was more mature. The Solomon inheritance–a centuries-old tradition in the family–bequeathed a staggeringly generous piece of the Solomon wealth to every Solomon child on his or her eighteenth birthday. The Solomons believed that an inheritance was more helpful at the beginning of someone's life than at the end. Moreover, placing large pieces of the Solomon fortune in the hands of eager young descendants had been the key to growing the family's dynastic wealth. In this case, however, Katherine's mother argued that it was dangerous to give Peter's troubled son such a large sum of money. Peter disagreed. â€Å"The Solomon inheritance,† her brother had said, â€Å"is a family tradition that should not be broken. This money may well force Zachary to be more responsible.† Sadly, her brother had been wrong. The moment Zachary received the money, he broke from the family, disappearing from the house without taking any of his belongings. He surfaced a few months later in the tabloids: TRUST FUND PLAYBOY LIVING EUROPEAN HIGH LIFE. The tabloids took joy in documenting Zachary's spoiled life of debauchery. The photos of wild parties on yachts and drunken disco stupors were hard for the Solomons to take, but the photos of their wayward teen turned from tragic to frightening when the papers reported Zachary had been caught carrying cocaine across a border in Eastern Europe: SOLOMON MILLIONAIRE IN TURKISH PRISON. The prison, they learned, was called Soganlik–a brutal F-class detention center located in the Kartal district outside of Istanbul. Peter Solomon, fearing for his son's safety, flew to Turkey to retrieve him. Katherine's distraught brother returned empty-handed, having been forbidden even to visit with Zachary. The only promising news was that Solomon's influential contacts at the U.S. State Department were working on getting him extradited as quickly as possible. Two days later, however, Peter received a horrifying international phone call. The next morning, headlines blared: SOLOMON HEIR MURDERED IN PRISON. The prison photos were horrific, and the media callously aired them all, even long after the Solomons' private burial ceremony. Peter's wife never forgave him for failing to free Zachary, and their marriage came to an end six months later. Peter had been alone ever since. It was years later that Katherine, Peter, and their mother, Isabel, were gathered quietly for Christmas. The pain was still a presence in their family, but mercifully it was fading with each passing year. The pleasant rattle of pots and pans now echoed from the kitchen as their mother prepared the traditional feast. Out in the conservatory, Peter and Katherine were enjoying a baked Brie and relaxed holiday conversation. Then came an utterly unexpected sound. â€Å"Hello, Solomons,† an airy voice said behind them. Startled, Katherine and her brother spun to see an enormous muscular figure stepping into the conservatory. He wore a black ski mask that covered all of his face except his eyes, which shone with feral ferocity. Peter was on his feet in an instant. â€Å"Who are you?! How did you get in here?!† â€Å"I knew your little boy, Zachary, in prison. He told me where this key was hidden.† The stranger held up an old key and grinned like a beast. â€Å"Right before I bludgeoned him to death.† Peter's mouth fell open. A pistol appeared, aimed directly at Peter's chest. â€Å"Sit.† Peter fell back into his chair. As the man moved into the room, Katherine was frozen in place. Behind his mask, the man's eyes were wild like those of a rabid animal. â€Å"Hey!† Peter yelled, as if trying to warn their mother in the kitchen. â€Å"Whoever you are, take what you want, and get out!† The man leveled his gun at Peter's chest. â€Å"And what is it you think I want?† â€Å"Just tell me how much,† Solomon said. â€Å"We don't have money in the house, but I can–â€Å" The monster laughed. â€Å"Do not insult me. I have not come for money. I have come tonight for Zachary's other birthright.† He grinned. â€Å"He told me about the pyramid.† Pyramid? Katherine thought in bewildered terror. What pyramid? Her brother was defiant. â€Å"I don't know what you're talking about.† â€Å"Don't play dumb with me! Zachary told me what you keep in your study vault. I want it. Now.† â€Å"Whatever Zachary told you, he was confused,† Peter said. â€Å"I don't know what you're talking about!† â€Å"No?† The intruder turned and aimed the gun at Katherine's face. â€Å"How about now?† Peter's eyes filled with terror. â€Å"You must believe me! I don't know what it is you want!† â€Å"Lie to me one more time,† he said, still aiming at Katherine, â€Å"and I swear I will take her from you.† He smiled. â€Å"And from what Zachary said, your little sister is more precious to you than all your–â€Å" â€Å"What's going on?!† Katherine's mother shouted, marching into the room with Peter's Browning Citori shotgun–which she aimed directly at the man's chest. The intruder spun toward her, and the feisty seventy-five-year-old woman wasted no time. She fired a deafening blast of pellets. The intruder staggered backward, firing his handgun wildly in all directions, shattering windows as he fell and crashed through the glass doorway, dropping the pistol as he fell. Peter was instantly in motion, diving on the loose handgun. Katherine had fallen, and Mrs. Solomon hurried to her side, kneeling beside her. â€Å"My God, are you hurt?!† Katherine shook her head, mute with shock. Outside the shattered glass door, the masked man had clambered to his feet and was running into the woods, clutching his side as he ran. Peter Solomon glanced back to make sure his mother and sister were safe, and seeing they were fine, he held the pistol and raced out the door after the intruder. Katherine's mother held her hand, trembling. â€Å"Thank heavens you're okay.† Then suddenly her mother pulled away. â€Å"Katherine? You're bleeding! There's blood! You're hurt!† Katherine saw the blood. A lot of blood. It was all over her. But she felt no pain. Her mother frantically searched Katherine's body for a wound. â€Å"Where does it hurt!† â€Å"Mom, I don't know, I don't feel anything!† Then Katherine saw the source of the blood, and she went cold. â€Å"Mom, it's not me . . .† She pointed to the side of her mother's white satin blouse, where blood was running freely, and a small tattered hole was visible. Her mother glanced down, looking more confused than anything else. She winced and shrank back, as if the pain had just hit her. â€Å"Katherine?† Her voice was calm, but suddenly it carried the weight of her seventy-five years. â€Å"I need you to call an ambulance.† Katherine ran to the hall phone and called for help. When she got back to the conservatory, she found her mother lying motionless in a pool of blood. She ran to her, crouching down, cradling her mother's body in her arms. Katherine had no idea how much time had passed when she heard the distant gunshot in the woods. Finally, the conservatory door burst open, and her brother, Peter, rushed in, eyes wild, gun still in his hand. When he saw Katherine sobbing, holding their lifeless mother in her arms, his face contorted in anguish. The scream that echoed through the conservatory was a sound Katherine Solomon would never forget.