Man Is His Own Worst Enemy Essay

Right from the beginning, Man rules supreme over all other life forms. He establishes himself at the top of the food chain, he goes through painstaking experiments to lit up the darkness that comes at night and through decades of scientific progression he is able to pit himself against the unpredictable weather changes. Thus he is able to place himself parallel to cosmic significance. He then proceeds to defeat the onslaught of diseases and the invisible enemies known to us as bacteria and viruses and conquers geographical hurdles. Man sustains his own survival in ways no other life forms can. The sophisticated ways in which Man maintains his existence remain uncontested by any other life forms.  Clearly, humans set themselves apart from the other species because the human body is gifted with impeccable intellectual abilities. At a glance at all the achievements man had single handedly accomplished over the time, one must think what mortal hand or eye could challenge man for his po sition. But one may want to think again. No animals would inflict pain on another of their own kind, or even other kinds, for reasons other than self-defence and food. Yet the intelligent Man would. History of mankind illustrates man’s propensity to achieve his personal greed and glory at the expanse of another of kind. This aspect of Man remains uncontested too. I opened my mail box one morning and received a copy of The Economist. The front cover reads â€Å"A heart-rending but necessary war†. It is rather amazing how man can associate war with the term ‘necessary’. The article speaks of the retaliation of United States against the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001. After the two great wars that threatened to annihilate the entire tapestry of humanity in the twentieth century, Man still has not learned. Man has ironically progressed from an uncivilised state to now where killing each other has become a necessity. Dropping bombs and food supplies at the same time is evidence of the disillusionment that man brings upon himself. The anti-terrorist war in Afghanistan comprises a series of bomb attacks targeted on terrorists’ camps. At the same time food supplies are also being dropped on similar grounds, targeted on innocent civilians. Surely by supplying food to the civilians man must have contemplated initially the repercussions that would follow if a war should begin? Perhaps we should applaud that man has finally found ‘civilised’ way waging a war? Or does it  reinforce that the greatest tragedy lies in the fact that man is aware of the consequences of his own action and still continues with it? War could only mean one thing; civilians from both sides die, guilty and non-guilty alike. Man is torn between what is essentially right and wrong. He chooses to kill some and save some. At the end of the day he realises that it doesn’t have to be that way at all if he had kept to what is essentially necessary, that is peace. But no, man would not hear of that now. He would want to venture into something he does not know and learn things the hard way, bringing down with him innocent lives and p recious natural resources vital for future consumption. Man has now to face the unbeatable monster in him. Consider the nuclear and biochemical weapons that man has invented. Is this another folly of the fallen man? That, we are not sure just as yet but we know nuclear weapons are not built because they happen to be another high-tech devices set in trend. It is because the existence if nuclear weapons also comes with it a newfound power for the owner. A power to kill and to control. Finally, man has found the ultimate killing means that promises high death rates and effective elimination of any party that get in his way with great ease. But the underlying nuances for such creation is scarier, the insinuation that man would destroy each other at some point in time willingly, without actual consideration for the consequences of it. This is quite ironic for man who wielded such supreme intellect, to not to consider his actions. Or is it that Man just does not care? Examine the case of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where the first atomic bombs were dropped and killed more than the actual numbers at that time. The ghost of the event still haunts many today psychologically and physically. The bombs that US are dropping on Afghanistan’s territories are supposed to explode upon reaching the ground but many did not. These bomblets would then maim and kill many like landmines long after the war has ended. Man has set out to kill themselves after centuries of trying to survive? The numbers killed in relative to proportion is explicitly high and man still could not explain himself. World War II saw the physical manifestation of evil in man. Over six million  Jews were expeditiously eradicated for good from the face of the earth. Consider the methodical and efficient ways the Jews are killed tells of man who would inflict torture and pain on another fellow human being maliciously and intentionally for basically no reason at all. Even if the whole war boils down to the one sole lunatic proprietor, Hitler, it gives no reason for the rest below him to carry out such senseless killings simply because it was an order. It still astounds many that such acts that cause such revulsion now did not seem so to the culprits at that time. Man is such complicated creature that his existence is full of conflicts within himself. To defeat your enemy must mean that you understand him, but man is now faced with an enemy that he could not at all comprehend despite the natural intellect ordained from above. A famous philosopher once said that the greed in man sows the seeds of deceit and eventually downfall of the man himself. Adam Smith’s theory of the laissez faire, to put it nicely, is the liberal allowances for man to exploit the resources for his own satisfaction. Karl Marx opposes that theory and put it simply that such freedom of actions in economy would eventually allow the greed of man to multiply itself until it could not contain itself, thus the outburst of despair would mark the end of humanity. In Singapore, we are faced with the worst recession since the 1960s and approximately 30000 to 40000 people are out of job. In the US, more than 400 000 people are laid off in two months and numbers are still expected to rise. What we are seeing here is that the players in the economy have played against themselves. During these times, those who had hands in the stocks investments find themselves literally with nothing. The ‘Notices’ section in the newspapers sees an increase in the number of bankruptcies. Participants in the race for property ownerships in Singapore, particularly during the mid 1990s experienced an exponential plunge in property prices and landed themselves in unending debts. Greed for purchasing power tempted many to subscribe to more than one credit card and now find themselves not able to keep afloat in the interests that tantamount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many do not realise their own folly until they fall flat in their faces. Hence the greed, miscalculation and speculative spirit  becomes what responsible for the downfall of man. In daily ventures, individuals often find themselves entangled in webs of deceit, lies, manipulation, jealousy and spite. Many times, Man is the cause of failed relationships and careers. Over-indulgence and yielding to temptations, it seems like Man’s nature works like the double-edged sword. It could build or destroy oneself. Life progresses from one of blissful existence to one of struggle. In every man lies the green-eyed monster, the inextinguishable greed and within these also is the struggle of conscience. Thus is the nature of man who has become so intricate and practically unfathomable. Until man could finally understand himself, what he wants and what is essentially necessary in life, he remains his own worst enemy.

Descartes †First Meditation Essay

In the First Meditation, Descartes presents his philosophical project, and he claims that, in order to complete this project, he needs to put into questions the truth of all his beliefs. Descartes shows that we can doubt of the truth of all our beliefs by two main arguments, the Dream Argument and the Evil Genius argument. In the Dream Argument, Descartes discusses the senses and how it can deceive. Descartes then mentions that when he is dreaming he can also sense real objects, or at least feels he can, causing him not be able to distinguish between being asleep and being awake. This is shown in the quote from the First Meditation, â€Å"I see so plainly that there are no definitive signs by which to distinguish being awake from being asleep. As a result, I am becoming quite dizzy, and this dizziness nearly convinces me that I am asleep† – (19, Mediation One). Descartes also discusses the possibility of the universal dream, mentioning that his whole life could in fact be a dream with no actual world that you are awake. Descartes mentions that dream images are images that we already experience in our waking life, they are images that we already know of. The images don’t necessarily have to be something we have seen before because it can be parts of real things we already know that create another image we have not yet seen or experienced. The dream argument that Descartes represents interprets the message that the senses are not always reliable, and we can easily be fooled by them, therefore, we should not rely on our senses to base all of our beliefs on. Now moving on to Descartes second argument, the Evil Genius argument, it implies that everything we think we know is in fact not true and we cannot rely on our senses. In The First Meditation, Descartes presents that God is good, therefore he would not fool the beings he creates into believing false things. If someone were to believe in this suggestion then he would know that he can’t be fooled by anything. This is shown in Descartes quote â€Å"But perhaps God has not willed that I be deceived in this way, for he is said to be supremely good. Nonetheless, if it were repugnant to his goodness to have created me such that I be deceived all the time, it would also seem foreign to that same goodness to permit me to be deceived even occasionally† (21 – Meditation One). On the other hand, Descartes mentions that there are some people who believe there is no God, if this is the point of view to be taken then there would be a very big likelihood in us being deceived. The reason for this theory is due to the argument Descartes presents that if there is no good our senses would not be perfect since it would not have been created by a perfect being, such as God. This is shown in Descartes quote, â€Å"But because being deceived and being mistaken appear to be a certain imperfection, the less powerful they take the author of my origin to be, the more probable it will be that I am so imperfect that I am always deceived† (21 – Mediation One). In the end of the First Meditation, Descartes sees it as impossible to stop from thinking about these theories, he then tries to believe that his opinions are not true. Descartes does this for the reason to be able to keep thinking as normal without disruptions. Descartes mentions this in his quote, â€Å"Hence, it seems to me I would do well to deceive myself by turning my will in completely the opposite directions and pretend for a time that these opinions are wholly false and imaginary† (22 – Meditation One). Descartes then concludes that an evil genius has set out to deceive him so everything he thinks he knows is not true, â€Å"I will not suppose a supremely good God, the source of truth, but rather an evil genius, supremely powerful and clever, who has directed his entire effort at deceiving me† (22 – Mediation One). With Descartes doubting all his beliefs he makes sure that he is not led to believe in what is not real by the so called â€Å"evil genius† he mentions in the First Meditation. In regards to the question, does Descartes appear to be a sceptic? I would have to say no, the reason I say this is although Descartes does appear to be a sceptic in all his arguments, he demonstrates theories to all his doubts. When Descartes represents a reason for his doubt this cannot be viewed a scepticism anymore as scepticism as defined is the philosophical position according to which knowledge is impossible. Descartes represents knowledge on each topic he doubts, as to why it should be doubted and for what reasons. Descartes does not constantly doubt everything for no reason, a sceptic doubts everything around them for no reason whatsoever. To prove this argument I suggested we can look at the First Meditation when Descartes denies the thought that he might be insane, which is shown in his quote, â€Å"Unless perhaps I were to liken myself to the insane, but such people are mad, and I would appear no less mad, were I to take their behavior as an example for myself† (19 – Meditation One). In this quote it proves that all the doubts Descartes is making in the First Meditation are logical, and provide reason. Descartes is not just doubting for the sake of doubting, but for logic that causes this doubt he is experiencing. This concludes that Descartes is not a sceptic, and his arguments in fact to continue to grow, while maintaining logical reason behind them.

History of caribbean Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of caribbean - Essay Example These have had as their main objective the establishment of a viable socioeconomic basis for nationhood and the improvement of the well being of the region’s citizens. The new international context that took shape following the end of the Second World War gave fillip to earlier moves towards decolonization in the Caribbean and other parts of the colonial world. The Depression in the 1930s had spawned Keynesianism in the Industrial world as well as social and political unrest in the Caribbean region. At the end of the 1970s the Caribbean region along with much of the rest of the Third World found itself with problems of an economic and social nature that it was unable to resolve. Some of these had their genesis in the state centered policies that had been pursued over the years, ‘government failure’ as it is referred to in some quarters. Others had their basis in the wider structural problems of the world economy, still not recovered from the effects of the oil crisis of earlier years. In addition to political corruption, stagnant, undiversified economies plagued by fiscal deficit and debt, a weak local productive sector and an inefficient State added to the woe of these societies. These countries were left with no choice but to go to the international financial institutions for aid and assistance and to adopt the Neo-liberalis t structural adjustment policies that they promote. The term Creole was first used in the sixteenth century to identify descendants of French, Spanish, or Portuguese settlers living in the West Indies and Latin America. There is general agreement that the term "Creole" derives from the Portuguese word crioulo, which means a slave born in the masters household. A single definition sufficed in the early days of European colonial expansion, but as Creole populations established divergent social, political, and economic identities, the

Best Practices in Corrections Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Best Practices in Corrections - Research Paper Example Correctional substance abuse treatment Correctional substance abuse treatment aims at rehabilitating criminal of substance abuse. There are varieties of programs that aid substance abuse treatment. Federal bureau of prisons is the most effective of the substance abuse programs. This is because of the available facilities in the prison systems, the authority of the officers over the inmates and the long duration of time that the inmates spend within the facilities. One of the features of the bureau of prisons program is its long time existence from which quality ideas have been added to the program. The program has particularly undergone many changes based on legislative measures such as â€Å"Anti Drug abuse act, and violent crime control and law enforcement act† among others (Fagan and Ax, 2003, p. 79). These laws have continually benefited the correctional program that is also being checked by the judicial institution through implementation of law. Similarly, the program ado pts ‘evidence-based’ practice as an approach to ensuring quality services to the inmates. This induces a great advantage with respect to effectiveness of the applied services. With decisions based on experiments, evidence based practice ensures that diagnosis and treatment for every inmate is accurate. The program is therefore characterized by a high level of efficiency for faster recovery of the subjects. Further, the Bureau of prisons is designed to extend their correctional services to the society upon the release of an inmate. This ensures completion of the designed goals of the program for comprehensive rehabilitation. Some of the specific services offered under the Bureau of Prisons includes â€Å"residential drug abuse treatment, non residential drug abuse treatment, drug abuse education, transitional services† among others (Fagan and Ax, 2003, p. 80, 81). The programs are professionally designed to facilitate treatment of the inmates by ensuring a favorab le environment. Residential drug abuse program is for example scheduled to run for about nine months with fixed number of session hours. The long period therefore offers sufficient opportunity for the inmates to respond to the treatments. Another feature of the program that makes it effective is the isolation of the inmates from other prisoners. Once an inmate has submitted to the treatment, he or she is taken to a facility that only hosts participants in the treatment. This plays an important role in protecting the participants from lapsing back during the treatment process. Isolation of the participating inmates is essential in protecting them from negative influence of other inmates who have not regarded the program. If the two groups were allowed to interact, especially at the beginning of the treatment process then participants would be easily influenced from completing their sessions. The residential program also has a laid down procedure for recruitment and treatment that ens ures that the deserving and committed individuals are offered the opportunity. The process that begins from a person’s conviction is followed by evaluation for the necessity of the program before an individual is allowed to subscribe into the program. The voluntary aspect of the program also motivates participation. Inmates would develop a contrary opinion if the program were compulsory because it would be associated with punishment as opposed to treatment. Similarly, the reward upon

Unit 3 ip Introduction to American Court System Essay

Unit 3 ip Introduction to American Court System - Essay Example (Justice, 2009) First is the right to the indictment by Grand Jury granted in Fifth Amendment under which no person is held to answer for a capital or infamous crimes until they are indicted by the Grand Jury? This protection to the people with criminal offences has been given under Fifth Amendment along with other protections given. It is however, important to note that this has not been incorporated for the States and as such offenders at the State level may not be able to enjoy this protection under the Bill of Rights. It is however, critical to note that this right has been held but not fully incorporated for States as per various decisions of Supreme Court. The right to select jury from the residents of the state and district where the actual crime took place has also not been incorporated for States. Under the Vicinage Clause, it was held that this right has not been incorporated under the 14th amendment and that the criminal offenders may not be getting this protection. Protection from excessive bail/fines has also not been incorporated for States therefore criminal offenders enjoying this under the Bill of Rights may not be able to claim privileges under this protection granted in Bill of Rights. Essentially, due process can be divided into two important categories i.e. procedural as well as substantive. Substantive due process actually refers to the rights available to a citizen against the laws which may be biased or discriminatory in nature. These laws can be unfair generally or may favor one group over another group and thus may not allow correct dispensation of justice to all. It is critical to note that courts in the past have terms laws unconstitutional which were discriminating people from one another. Supreme Court, in various cases, have termed the laws which differentiate between people based upon their sexual orientation as illegal as such laws preferred one group over another. Laws on

How does underwater birth affect neonatal health and well being Essay

How does underwater birth affect neonatal health and well being - Essay Example Naturally, this procedure of birth requires a large accumulation of water like a pool or a tub, which can be utilized as an effective receptive medium of labor (Cluett, Burns, 2011, p.2). Water birth represents a unique way of giving birth and marks a departure from the traditional labor procedure. People have been curious to know the effectiveness and success of this new process. For this purpose, there have been numerous studies and researches undertaken to find out the effects of water birth on the pregnant women and also on the newborn infants. For expectant mothers, giving birth in water is considered to a much more gentle process than the conventional labor method lying on a bed. Studies have shown that water birth enhances maternal relaxation, decreases the analgesia requirements and encourages the women to easily adopt a model of care for their newborns. However, the benefits of the water birth process on neonatal health have not yet been so emphatically established. There is still a lot of discussion and research being undertaken on the impact of water birth on the health of the babies born by this method. This literature review has attempted to examine the information available on this topic. Women from across the world often opt for water birth as this eases the process of labor. However, they should also be made aware of the impacts on this method on the health condition of the new born infants. This would help expectant mothers to make an informed decision regarding a suitable procedure of giving birth. The findings of the different reviews are expected to provide conclusive results on the relevant subject. The existing research work will be examined and evaluated to find out whether there exist valid inferences which can help expecting women to make a prudent decision regarding their own health and that of their newborn children. (Ros, 2009, p.36) The

Principles of Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Principles of Microeconomics - Essay Example However, it is observed that the marginal utility tends to diminish as you consume more of the goods (Investopedia ULC). There are two limits observed in the determination of utility; the limit beyond which the marginal utility begins to decline and the other limit shows that beyond which the utility becomes negative. The second limit works like a satiation point for the consumer so that an additional consumption of the product will bring displeasure instead. Generally, this decline in utility is called the "diminishing marginal utility". It is through this law of diminishing marginal utility that the economists were able to understand the law of demand and the negatively sloping demand curve (Investopedia ULC). It basically equates to the understanding that the less you have of a product the higher is your marginal utility that's why the willingness to pay (the price) is also high. On the other end, as the product increases the marginal utility declines, therefore the willingness to pay also diminishes. Answer to #3. Income is generally accepted as a determinant of demand which moves on the same direction. However, there are products which show the opposite response. We call them the inferior good, as opposed to the normal good. The demand for "normal good" increases as income increases, such as clothing and food. On the other hand, we have products in which the demand for such declines as income increases. A classic example of this is a bus ride. This is so because when people get more income, they may opt to buy their own cars. There is also what we call "related goods". Related goods can be "substitutes" or "complements". "Substitutes" are products in which the demand for one increases as the price of the other increases. This is because consumers will shift from the product whose price increases to the product whose price remained. On the other hand, complements are those whose demand for one product decreases as the price of the other increases. This is because as complements they are consumed together. Lastly, "giffen good" is one which people consume more of as price rises, which apparently violates the law of demand (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 2009). This happens due to the absence of substitute, giving way to the dominance of the income effect leading more people to buy more goods even as its price arise (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 2009). Answer to #4. Generally, the supply curve is observed to be upward sloping, adhering to the law of supply stating that as the price of the goods increases, more will be supplied of it. However, in some cases, we see the supply curve come to a point of downward slope rather than continuously sloping upward. There are two cases mentioned when this thing happen. First is the supply of labor with respect to the (real) wage rate. The real wage serves as a price to labor and a cost to leisure. Therefore as the law of supply suggests, an increase in the price of labor should be followed by a greater quantity supplied. This is also supported by the logic that given that the cost of leisure is now higher, the substitution effec

Evaluation of the Long-term Strategy of Starbucks Company in China Essay

Evaluation of the Long-term Strategy of Starbucks Company in China - Essay Example This essay delivers critical assessment of the plans of Starbucks company to strengthen its China operations with the help of the PESTEL analysis utilization. Globalisation of production and investment in recent years has led to a situation where long-term capital inflows from advanced economies to developing economies is taking place at a rapid pace. No doubt this has contributed immensely to the economic growth and development of these nations. In this process while on the one hand global knowledge is being used locally, at the same time local societies too are moving towards a knowledge society with an increased level of locally produced knowledge. It is still widely believed about the developing world that most of the knowledge and the transition societies are produced outside the region. The later half of the 20th Century saw dramatic growth in industrial production and in the mass consumption in developing nations. The Starbucks company was found in 1971 in Seattle’s Pike Place Market today it has its presence in 36 countries outside United States. It is offering more than 30 blends and single origin coffees, hand-crafted espresso and blended beverages. Company’s mission statement says, â€Å"Establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow.† Having established itself as the world’ leading brand, the company now wants to strengthen its market in China, a big consumer market, the land of billions and vast opportunities. ... Growth of industrial output in countries like China and India during this period was robust and to some extent the process of catching-up also began in the technological field (Linsu Kim, 1997). The process is thus called "imitation to innovation" approach. Well Starbucks, the coffee can only be enjoyed in the cool company of a friend, while relaxing after a days' work, or while preparing oneself for the day full of assignments. It's not like any other product or service, which we can order on its e-business website. But nonetheless, the company has an attractive presence on the net with http://www.starbucks.com/ which informs the coffee lovers about the varieties and processes available with Starbucks. The website basically has the following sections; Our Coffees: This section tells about the range of Starbucks coffees and company's expertise on the subject. With a details menu of its varieties available in Latin America, Africa, Arabia, Asia and some multi regional blends, the site encourages the visitor to at least have a look at it in any one of its locations. Our Stores: This tab spills the beans about different locations where the patrons of coffee can have a go at it. Starbucks Card: The Company also issues 'Starbucks card' to its customers, which serves as a means of rewarding the loyal customer. This is a co-branded card with Visa and calls on the consumers to earn more and more Starbucks "Duetto Dollars" with every Visa purchase through this card. At Home: Here the site gives us information about how we can enjoy Starbucks at home with little help from our nearby store. For Business: This section calls for business opportunities with other corporate clients and how one can open a Starbucks coffee outlet with the

Third assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Third assignment - Essay Example He does this through combining discussions of ape behavior, ethnographies, cognitive studies, mental research, hormonal and neurological studies. He clearly points out the difference between sexual love and nurturing love. To him these two have different evolutionary origins and creates opposite psychological demands. To Goldschmidt, affect hunger is a biological instrument for cultivation affection, for instance he explains that affect hunger make infants to comply with orders from their guardians so as to be taught their language and regulations. Goldschmidt goes ahead and states that much as affect hunger provides an incentive scheme for language learning and other institutions of culture it is a motivation for societal manners all through life of a human being in the society. Goldschmidt,( 2006:13), Abraham Maslow selected love and liking and belongingness desires less important only than continued existence and physiological requirements. With the significance of support to huma n endurance and wellbeing, Goldschmidt poses an argument that evolutionary push on human being is not mere cutthroat but human child need to encourage their mothers to care for them. According to research it is revealed that affect for hunger is evident in infants especially when infants have bodily contact and proximity to their mothers affects their sleep patterns and even in regulating their bodies through protection. Due to the need for contact human infants have sociophilic qualities that appear to have no other function but to encourage, make possible and reward social interaction such as laughing, smiling, imitating and facial expressions. Goldschmidt,(2005,29)these traits can be traced back to the neonatal trick and keep mothers’ attention to their infants. Goldschmidt provides a perfect weighted knowledge to understanding of the origins and importance of affect in human beings. For instance the focus on the mother-child links as the origin of human being socially, ap art from social interactions among grownups. This is the most interesting suggestions that Goldschmidt. More often than not evolution significance of social behaviors is premise on mating activities. This appears much less plausible since the two bonding between the male and the female is much less vital compared to the mother-infant bonding. Bonding pair in human beings is universal. For instance, it must be contended with the painful evidence experiences that human are not the best at making two bonding, Goldschmidt,( 2006:123). And that male does not stick around to assist in raising their young ones. He further outlines the cultural variations in child upbringing, processes of learning and evolution of culture. Goldschmidt discusses on affect of hunger and its significance on an account of evolution and the increase of altruism and social among others. To him pressures of natural selection can be favorable to a particular gene only if the gene displays an attribute that makes on es relatives more certain to exist since that relative has the tendency to carry several of the particular one gene. From this we suppose there is a mean selective way to altruism and this is an advantage simply because it creates that genes more likely to survive in those assist to survive even if their replica in our bodies reduce.. I this case therefore to ones advantage to be selfish on altruism.

Time Reflection Essay Example for Free

Time Reflection Essay Time and time again, the old adage, ‘time is gold’, is validated by experiences.   Take the case of the fictional time machine.   We see them in movies, a device that allows a person to travel through time and space; a machine that allows a person to traverse different time dimensions.   But, however amazing the concept of time machine is, it is never true.   This only reinforces the conviction that time is so essential that whenever lost, can no longer be regained.    With men’s aim to discover this new dimension of time, technology has brought about changes that affected how people view time.   This is discussed in Anwar Accawi’s essay entitled, ‘The Telephone’.   In his essay, Accawi showed how technology changed and intruded into the timeless culture of the villagers in the village of Magdaluna.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the early times, life has been so simple.   People rarely care about the time.   Water clocks were used to track time merely for purposes of counting the days and nights.   In Anwar Accawi’s essay, â€Å"The Telephone†, it can be observed that the traditional villages were so simple that they never realized the need for such technologies as clocks and calendars to measure time.   People then were contented for what they have. They merely recall time by the events natural to human existence like birth and death. However, when the telephone was introduced, the villagers were amazed by such new device and the changes that come with it.   This started all the complexities that can now be reflected in the present day societies.   Time has become a commercial term instead of a natural cycle of human existence.   The measure of time has become so important that time already dictated what, how and when people should do things.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With the new technology, people’s lives revolved around it.   Ã‚  In Magdaluna, the new technology brought about occasion and the people rejoiced for how much telephone injected new values in the community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In today’s American society, a typical American adult would complain that they do not have much time to complete the pile of work lined up for each day.   One reason for this perception about the lack of time is how people view time as an integral part of human existence.   How people value time and their perceived sense of time can be reflected on how they make use of such limited resource.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With people complaining of having not enough time, they have resorted to certain practices and adopted specific values in order to maximize the use of time.   For example, in the work place, many employees would prefer flexible time and part –time work set ups.   In addition, some are torn by long travels, which is time consuming (Robinson Godbey 18). Some opted to put on retirement homes aged relatives and parents and rely on care givers so that their time can be freed to do other things they believe to be more important. Moreover, time use, according to Godbey’s earlier article, can be affected by new technologies.   As a result, people tend to customize time by using customized products (Robinson Godbey 18).   Technologies taught people to be dependent on machines and new devices just to save on what is believed as ‘more precious time’.   This sense of time reveals of how people can be so insensitive and how poor family ties could be.   Quantity time and quality has become a passà ©.   With societies become more industrialized, more advanced, there has become a variety of activities that people can choose from.   People tend to allocate time to aspects like work, business and commerce; discounting the more important human aspects like leisure; quality and quantity time with family; and personal relationships. Works Cited Robinson, John, and Geoffrey Godbey. Time in Our Hands: Most People in Industrialized Societies Feel Time-Pressured. the Problem Isnt How Much Time We Have, but Rather How We Use It. The Futurist Sept.-Oct. 2005: 18+. Questia. 20 Sept. 2007 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5010862325.

Global Warming Past Present And Our Future Environmental Sciences Essay

Global Warming Past Present And Our Future Environmental Sciences Essay Global warming is progressing, and the possible outcome for the future of humans, plants and animals is not clear. Climate change is a problem that is affecting people and the environment. Climate change is the direct result of global warming. Climate change affects all: people, plants, and animals. We as people need to display and teach the next generation the choices we all have, to live cleaner, healthier, and longer by keeping our environment and atmosphere clean. Global warming is undeniably an ethical issue, and we must face it as such. That means asking hard questions about responsibility, accountability, and the differences between actions; whether political, economic, or personal; questions that are right versus those that are wrong. Greenhouse gases are an important part of life, however the growing concentrate of these gases are causing our life to become extinct. The burning of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, and the removal of trees over the past 200 years, has caused heat-trapping greenhouse gases to increase in our atmosphere. Carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere, like a thickening blanket, trapping the suns heat and causing the planet to warm up. Greenhouse gases prevent heat from escaping the atmosphere into space, much like the purpose of the glass panels that construct a greenhouse. Tightening efforts to stop global warming will improve lives. Cleaning up air pollution and empower in clean energy, going green and smart energy solutions that get the U.S. economy moving again. In our world today, and the technology that is evolving, we all have choices to act ethically. As of today we have choices, choices to use smart cars, go green with energy efficient offices and homes, and focus on building better communities and transportation networks that are nonpolluting. All human beings need to work together to reduce the emission of toxic gases that are killing our atmosphere. The prospect that humanity will find it harder to grow enough food for the 9 billion humans who are likely to be alive in fifty years time ought perhaps more than any other prediction to cause developed and developing countries alike to seek strenuously to reduce their production of greenhouse gases in order to mitigate the likelihood of dangerous climate change (Northcott, 2007). Greenhouse gases are an important part to life as we know it, because they keep the planets surface warmer than it otherwise would be. However, as these gases continue to increase in our atmosphere, the Earths temperature is climbing to all-time highs. Human activities are the cause of the changing composition of the atmosphere, and that increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases will change the planets climate. They are still not certain by how much the climate will change, the speed of the change, or the end results of the effects. Countries in the North, especially the United States, are some of the biggest carbon dioxide polluters, but the burden of disease resulting from climate change is likely to be felt by the worlds poorest people, mostly in the South. Never do to others what you would not like them to do to you. (Chinese Ancient Ought). The United States make up just 4 percent of the worlds population. The U.S. produces 25 percent of the carbon dioxide pollution from fossil-fuel burning. It is the largest of any country. The United States releases more carbon dioxide than China, India and Japan, combined. (Natural Resources Defense Council, 2010). More than half the energy-related emissions come from large stationary sources such as power plants, while about a third comes from transportation. Industrial processes, agriculture, forestry, other land use, and waste management are also contributors in greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. (PlanUSA, 2010) The latest greenhouse gas inventory shows that in 2008 the U.S. emitted slightly less than 7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases, a million metric tons of CO2 equivalents (MMTCO2e) is roughly equal to the annual GHG emissions of an average U.S. power plant (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). According to NOAA and NASA data, the Earths average surface temperature has increased by about 1.2 to 1.4Â °F in the last 100 years (2010). The eight warmest years on record (since 1850) have all occurred since 1998, with the warmest year being 2005. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). If greenhouse gases continue to increase, climate models predict that the average temperature at the Earths surface could increase from 3.2 to 7.2Â °F above 1990 levels by the end of this century (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). Man induced global warming is not just hurting the human culture. The result of climate change affects innocent animals and agriculture as well. Sea ice is decreasing, sea levels are rising, and the growth of essential food for sea life creatures is diminishing throughout the Arctic range due to climate change. Increasing global temperatures are expected to disrupt ecosystems, pushing to extinction those species that cannot adapt. The first comprehensive assessment of the extinction risk from global warming found that more than 1 million species could be obliterated by 2050 if the current trajectory continues. Recent studies indicate that increased frequency of heat stress, droughts and floods negatively affect crop production and livestock. (Carbon Blueprints, 2010) This is especially the case for life sectors at low latitudes. Climate inconsistencies the change in weather patterns vary the risks of fires, pest and pathogen outbreak, negatively affecting food, fiber and forestry. Cl imate change is a problem that is affecting people and the environment. Climate change affects all: people, plants, and animals. Human health can be affected directly and indirectly by climate change through extreme periods of heat and cold, storms, and climate-sensitive diseases such as malaria, and smog episodes. Most agricultural impact studies have measured the effects of one or two aspects of climate change on a particular farming activity. However, only few have considered the full set of predictable shifts and their impact on agricultural production across the country. An increase in average temperature can lengthen the growing season in regions with a relatively cool spring and fall. In regions where summer heat already limits production of crops, the temperature increase can unfavorably affect the crops production also increase soil evaporation rates, and increase the chances of severe droughts. (Carbon Blueprints, 2010) The Federal government has established voluntary and incentive programs to reduce emissions and has created other programs to promote climate technology and science. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plays a significant role in helping the Federal government reduce greenhouse gas emissions and greenhouse gas intensity. Greater energy efficiency and new technologies hold promise for reducing greenhouse gases.(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010) Scientists are trying to acquire a better understanding for future climate change and how the effects will vary by region. Climate change is already occurring, recorded changes are sea level rise, shrinking glaciers, changes in the range and distribution of plants and animals, trees blooming earlier, lengthening of growing seasons, ice on rivers and lakes freezing later and breaking up earlier. Another question being studied is how will societies and the environment become accustomed to or survive with climate change. Scientists in the U.S. believe most areas will continue to warm, and some will warm more than others. It is difficult to determine the regions that will become wetter or drier. Scientists expect increased precipitation and evaporations, and drier soil in the middle parts of the country; Alaska and Northern regions expect to experience the most warming. Current rates of sea-level rise are expected to increase as a result both of thermal growth of the oceans and melting of most mountain glaciers and partial melting of the West Antarctic and Greenland ice caps. Consequences of this melting include the loss of coastal wetlands and barrier islands, and a greater risk of flooding in coastal communities. Low-lying areas, such as the coastal region along the Gulf of Mexico and estuaries (section of a river meeting the sea) like the Chesapeake Bay, are especially vulnerable. Arctic sea ice level set an all-time record low in September 2007, with almost half a million square miles less ice tha n the previous record set in September 2005, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (2010). Over the past 3 decades, more than a million square miles of perennial sea ice an area the size of Norway, Denmark and Sweden combined has disappeared (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). We as humans sharing this planet need to share in the responsibility of keeping it healthy, we all have choices to choose. The government has and is still keeping it possible for us to act ethically and save our environment. Technologies exist today, making cleaner running cars that burn less gas, modernize power plants and generate electricity from sources that are nonpolluting. Other acts that are simple and easy to demonstrate are: changing the light bulbs in home or office to energy efficient light bulbs, properly inflating tires, cut down energy use by having heating and cooling devices serviced annually, also seal and insulate your home. Global warming is not just going to go away. We need to make everyone aware of the harmful effects of global warming. If action is not taken the results of global warming will be catastrophic. All humans are the cause of global warming and we can be the solution of turn the effects of global warming around. Decisions, of course, are not matters of science, but of ethics. To decide, we consider the harms and benefits of our actions, understanding in this case that our actions will restrict the choices of our young: carbon dioxide lasts a long time in the atmosphere, climate change takes a long time to occur, and loss of species diversity is permanent on human time scales.

salaries in pro sports :: essays research papers

Salaries in Professional Sports Back in 1965 if you were playing professional baseball for the richest team in the league you would be earning approximately 35 000$ a year, being the case you’re a standout type player, a â€Å"franchise player† as there also referred to. Thirty-five years later, if you were to hand 35 000$ to a super star, they would turn and laugh. For in today’s game, 35 000$ would not even come close to covering the signing bonus. Somehow over the last thirty-five years or so professional sports has turned from a loveable pastime into a greedy business. The majority of players play no longer for the love of the game; they play only to fatten their wallets. Players in professional sports have somehow lost what brought them to play the game that they loved so much as little children, passion! Players in today’s modern era have traded their passion for glory. Back in the early day of pro sports players would work hard day in day out just to earn enough to support there family, and even then, many athletes had to work outside of there sport just to earn enough money. So you knew that those man played not for the glory nor for the money but for the love of the game. But today, well sadly you really have to wonder sometimes. Can you really say that a man who would turn down 150 million to play pro ball just because he feels he can make 200 million is playing for the right reasons? So now your really only left with one question, what can we do about it? Well you know what, as bad as it is, the problem could be fixed in the blink of an eye. The reason the problem is so simple to fix is because players, even though they might think they do, have absolutely no control what so ever. All the power lies in the hands of the owners. If the owners would decide enough is enough, you would never ever hear about an athlete signing a contract worth 250 million dollars again. You see what truthfully separates the men from the boys in pro sports teams, is talent, and the team with the most talent will win. And the only way to get talent is by handing over the big dollars to the most talented players. That’s why teams like the New York Yankees, and the Detroit Red Wings, and the Los Angeles Lackers rise above the rest, there owners are willing to hand out more of the big bucks to players in order to assure a winning team.

Pressures Of Industry On Education :: essays research papers

With the high rate of adolescent unemployment an economic reality, the secondary education system needs to concern itself with the occupational future of the youth of America. Vocational education provides students with an alternative to a college degree. When vocational education is used in conjunction with local industries, a unique relationship is formed in which both institutions can benefit. These benefits include the following: 1. Educational institutions offer quick and ready access to facilities and trained personnel. 2. An exchange of goods for services rendered allows for savings to industry and an opportunity for the institution to provide important community service. 3. A cooperative effort between education and industry is time efficient and cost effective. 4. Community, educational, and industrial interchange are enhanced and appreciated. 5. Opportunities for expanded cooperation between education and industry on future occasions are enhanced. 6. Opportunities for more active counseling roles in industry are expanded. Furthermore, the United States Office of Education 1975 policy paper states the following: †¦while initial implementation of career education†¦ will be relatively inexpensive, total educational reform is going to be expensive†¦ the days of educational isolationism are past. It is time that our formal education system join forces with all other segments of the total society†¦ to meet the varied and continuing educational needs of both youth and adults†¦ all must collaborate in providing appropriate educational opportunities for all citizens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During times of slow economic growth and high technological change, many industrial firms find themselves needing fewer employees or are forced to replace their workforce with individuals who have updated technological skills. With this in mind, the education system should find ways to adapt to the current employment needs of the society. Of the several kinds of process-oriented approaches to educational change (e.g. year round education or acquiring a higher counselor-student ratio), career education represents the most logical and certainly the most available approach for consideration by career guidance professionals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By joining forces, schools and industries can find ways to benefit one another. Teaching job-specific skills in the classroom can provide students with the necessary background for participating in summer internships. These internships will provide students with valuable work experience that will make them much more marketable upon graduation, not to mention give them extra money to save for college if they so desire. Summer work programs can also benefit the instructors so that they can keep up-to-date with the current advances in technology that influence the industries which they support.

Loyalty Shown In The Odyssey Essay example -- essays research papers

Loyalty to family, community, and the gods is an important quality in the lives of ancient Greek citizens. These qualities are clear demonstrated in The Odyssey through Penelope, Telemakhos, and Odysseus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Penelope shows her loyalty in several ways. She shows loyalty to Odysseus by waiting for his return for twenty long years. She did not choose a suitor until she knew for sure that Odysseus was dead. To delay the decision of choosing a suitor, Penelope said she would marry a suitor after she had finished weaving her shroud. She showed that she was weaving the shroud during the day, but at night, when it got dark she secretly unwove it. That is how Penelope shows her loyalty to her family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Telemakhos also shows loyalty to his f...

Microbiology Study Guide Unit 2

Define metabolism: The sum of all biological chemical reactions inside a cell or organism Differences in catabolism and anabolism: Catabolism is an enzyme-regulated chemical reaction that releases energy. Complex organic compounds such as glucose, amino acids, glycerol and fatty acids are broken down into simpler ones. The energy of catabolic reactions is used to drive the anabolic reactions. Anabolism is also enzyme regulated but requires energy for taking the simpler broken down components from the catabolism phase and building them into complex molecules such as starch, proteins and lipids What is the role of ATP?ATP is the driving force for catabolic and anabolic reactions. ATP stores energy that is produced from the catabolic reactions which is later released to drive the anabolic reaction and other cellular work. ATP is stored energy in cells (phosphate groups held together by high energy reacting bonds) ATP is required for synthesis and some of the energy is given off as heat What are enzymes and their components? Enzymes are biological catalysts (substances that speed up a chemical reaction without themselves being permanently altered) Components:Apoenzyme is the protein portion of an enzyme. Inactive by themselves, must be activated by cofactors Cofactor- non protein portion (IE: ions of iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium) ****If the cofactor is an organic molecule, it is called a coenzyme Holoenzyme- The apoenzyme+cofactor forms the holoenzyme. It is the active enzyme. If you remove the cofactor, the apoenzyme will not function. **Cofactors may assist the enzyme by accepting atoms removed from the substrate or by donating atoms required by the substrate. Substrate=the specific substance that an enzyme will act on) **The crucial function of enzymes is to speed up biochemical reactions at temperatures that are compatible with the normal functioning of the cell. What are metabolic pathways? The sequence of enzyme catalyzed chemical reactions within a cell . What is the Kreb’s cycle? A pathway that converts two-carbon compounds to CO2, transferring electrons to NAD+ and other carriers; also called tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle or citric acid cycle A series of biochemical reactions in which a large amount of potential chemical energy stored in acetyl CoA is released step by step.In the cycle, a series of oxidations and reductions transfer that potential energy in the form of electrons to electron carrier coenzymes (mostly NAD+). The pyruvic acid derivatives are oxidized and the coenzymes are produced. Kreb’s cycle is for lipid catabolism. Glycerol is converted into dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and catabolized via glycolysis and the Kreb’s cycle. Fatty acids undergo beta-oxidation, in which carbon fragments are spit off two at a time to form acetyl CoA which is catabolized by Kreb’s cycle.What is glycolysis? **Glycolysis creates to ATP molecules The main pathway for oxidation of glucose to pyruvic acid: Glycolysis is usually the first stage in carbohydrate catabolism. This occurs from the oxidation of glucose to pyruvic acid. Most microorganisms use this pathway and it occurs in most living cells. The term â€Å"glycolysis† means the splitting of sugar. The sugars are oxidized, release energy and then their atoms are rearranged to form 2 molecules of pyruvic acid. **Glycolysis does not require oxygen!Explanation of cellular respiration: Cellular respiration takes place after the glucose is broken down in pyruvic acid which is then channeled into the next step of either fermentation or cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is defined as the ATP-generating process in which most molecules are oxidized and the final electron acceptor is (almost always) an inorganic molecule. **operates via an electron transport chain * Aerobic respiration the final electron acceptor is O2 Anaerobic respiration the final electron acceptor is an inorganic molecule other than O2 What is an el ectron transport chain and why is it important? It is a system in which electrons pass through a series of different electron carriers to molecules or oxygen or other oxidized inorganic and organic molecules. The process occurs in the plasma membrane of the prokaryotes and in the mitochondrial membrane of eukaryotes. What is microbial growth? It is the growth in numbers of populations or an increase in the number of cellsWhat are three physical requirements of microbial growth? PH, temperature and moisture Define psychotrophs: Are cold loving microbes, will usually be found growing in the refrigerator such as listeria (20-25oC) How does PH affect growth? Certain bacteria thrive in a specific PH environment. Acidophiles like a PH of 5. 4 or below whereas Neutrophiles (most human pathogens) prefer a more neutral environment (5. 5-7. 5 PH) Define halophiles: Extreme halophiles (obligate halophiles) are microbes that require a high salt concentration that is required for growth.Facculta tive halophiles (most common) are microbes that do not require high salt concentrations for growth but can tolerate high salt solutions. How does osmotic pressure effect microbial growth? Microorganisms obtain most of all their nutrients in solutions surrounding water; therefore water is required for growth. They are composed of 80-90% water. High osmotic pressures have the effect of removing vital water from a cell. If a microbe is in a solution in which the concentration of solutes is higher than in the cell, the microbe is in a hypertonic environment which will create pressure on the cell.It will crush the cell causing the cells water to push out through the plasma membrane into the high solute concentration. What are some chemical requirements for microbes? Carbon- one of the most important for microbes next to water because it is the structural backbone Nitrogen- it is required for protein synthesis (requires some sulfur), also needed for DNA or RNA synthesis (needs some phosph orous) Vitamins and minerals- needed for essential function of enzymes, usually as co-factors. What are some organic growth factors?Essential organic compounds an organism is unable to synthesize are known as organic growth factors. They must be directly obtained by the environment. One group of organic growth factors is vitamins for human. What is a media? A media is a nutrient prepared for the growth of microorganisms. In the lab we use nutrient broths and nutrient agars. What are canophiles? Canophiles (aerobic bacteria) are microbes that grow better at high CO2 concentrations. Low oxygen high CO2 conditions resemble those found in the intestinal tract, digestive tract and other body tissues where pathogens grow.Why is a selective media desireable? Because a selective media will suppress the growth of unwanted bacteria while encouraging the growth of the desired microbes. How do prokaryotes reproduce? Reproduce by binary fission (most common) while others may go through a â€Å" budding† process 2 Categories used to control microbes (physical and chemical) Physical: Heat (dry heat such as flame or in hot ovens) heat will denature the protein causing the proteins shape to change making it no longer usable by the organism.Or (moist heat) such as with an autoclave which will force steam inside of the organism very quickly and cause it to break down Chemical: surfactants such as soaps which will work as a binding agen to the microorganism causing it to break off and be rinsed off or phenols which will disrupt the cell membrane or denature the protein therefore disrupting protein synthesis What are physical methods to control microbes? * Heat (dry and moist heat) * Cold * Radiation * Membrane filtration * Drying * Osmotic pressure What are the most common and effective ways of controlling microbes?An autoclave machine that utilizes heat, steam and pressure to kill microbes and their endospores in about 15 minutes (prions are not killed) Is it more effectiv e to control or kill microbes? It is more effective to control the microbes because we can study live bacteria, but not if they are dead Why would we want to control microbial growth? Controlling microbes can prevent infections and food spoilage Compare and contrast chromosomes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes: Prokaryotes have 1 chromosome (only one allele)Eukaryotes have 2 chromosomes (2 alleles) DNA is not always the genetic material. What are the exceptions? How could mutations give rise to new alleles of a gene? How does translation differ from transcription? Transcription in the synthesis of a complementary strand of RNA from a DNA template Translation is the protein synthesis that involves decoding of nucleic acid and converting the information into the language of the proteins What are the differences between the leading and lagging strand?Leading strand gets replicated sequentially and gets filled first. The lagging is the strand that gets replicated sporadically based off of what is left. What are three types of RNA and what do they do? Messenger RNA (mRNA): carries genetic information from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Transfer RNA (tRNA): transfers the necessary sequence by carrying the code. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA): helps in synthesis of proteins. Explain mutations: A mutation is the change in the base sequence of DNA. Some mutations are bad such as when the gene for an enzyme mutates.The enzyme encoded by the gene may become inactive or less active because its amino acid sequence has changed. But a mutation can also be beneficial such as when an altered enzyme encoded by the mutant gene suddenly has new or enhanced activity that will benefit the cell. List and discuss common mutagens: Define genetic engineering: Manufacturing and manipulating genetic material in vitro also called recombinant DNA (rDNA ) What is recombinant DNA? A DNA molecule produced by combining DNA from two different sources. Exchange of genes between two DNA molecules) **Contribute s to a populations genetic diversity (source of variation in evolution) What are three processes involved in making recombinant DNA? Transformation in Bacteria Conjugation in bacteria Transduction in bacteria What is a restriction enzyme? An enzyme that cuts double stranded DNA at specific sites between nucleotides Pg. 249 What is conjugation? The transfer of genetic material from one to another involving cell to cell contact What is a plasmid? A small circular DNA molecule that replicates independently of the chromosome

Child Health Patterns Essay

1)Compare and contrast identified similarities as well as differences in expected assessment across the childhood age groups. In the health perception category parents are responsible for their child’s perceived level of health and well-being, and on practices for maintaining health. In the school age years the children are beginning to incorporate their own health practices like good hygiene in their daily lives. The nutrition and metabolic pattern continues with help of the parents. Toddlers and preschoolers rely on their parents to make sure that they are eating the right foods. School age kids are in the stage where they can pick out their own foods and have been taught what the best sources of good nutrition are. In the toddler age group, parents are beginning to initiate toileting training. By the school age years this age groups has elimination patterns similar to adults. With the exception of those who have elimination problems like enuresis. Throughout the three age groups, activity and exercise levels continue to increase with the learning of new fine and gross motor skills. Once again parents continue to play a big role by promoting healthy levels of physical activity with their child. As the child begins to age so does their ability to comprehend and use information. Each age group the child continues to add another cognitive function. The biggest difference between sleep patterns is that as the child ages naps are no longer needed. All of the age groups tend to need at least 8 hours of sleep. The differences between the age groups in the roles and relationship pattern is that in the toddler and preschool age they try to identify with their parents or care givers whereas school age children begin to focus or identify with their peers. The value and belief pattern is instilled in the child when they are born. Parents or caregivers teach their children what values are important to them. 2)Summarize how a nurse would handle physical assessments, examinations, education, and communication differently with children versus adults. Consider spirituality and cultural differences in your answer. Adults and children are in two different stages of life. Children are in the stages were they are still learning and understanding how the healthcare world works. Most adults on the other hand are used to going to the doctor and they kind of understand the routine during the assessment process. â€Å"Many assessment techniques for the child are similar to those of the adults. Techniques for approaching the pediatric patient vary from one age group to the next. A basic principle during the physical assessment is building a trusting relationship; this can be done in a variety of ways† (Estes, 2006, pg 848). When assessing the child the nurse must establish a game plan based on the child’s age. Children are already frightened about the idea of receiving an exam but the nurse can use techniques to reduce anxiety. Parents or caregivers must be available for support. According to Estes, 2006 nurses can use game playing and they can demonstrate procedures on a doll, stuff toy or on the parent to increase patient cooperativeness. The writer remembers learning in nursing school about when taking the blood of a younger child. Never say â€Å"I’m going to take your blood pressure† but say something like â€Å"I going to see how strong your muscles are with this cuff†. When educating the child try to involve their parents but use materials that are on the child’s level. This can consists of materials that use colorful pictures and graphics. Individuals have to understand their own beliefs and traditions especially nurses who are with always dealing with the public. Each day more nurses are providing care to patients that are from different cultures. With such a diverse population challenges will be faced. â€Å"As American society shifts in demographics and attitudes about diversity, there is a growing recognition that health and illness care occurs in dynamic interactions situated within complex cultural contexts for both patients and providers† (Benkert, Borse, Doorenbos,Schim,2005, pg324). Nurse have to be more culturally sensitive when assessing and educating patients. If the nurse is unfamiliar with ethnicity or race then research should be done before the assessment if time allows. References Benkert, R. Borse,N. Doorenbos, A. & Schim, S.2005. Psychometric Evaluation of the Cultural Competence Assessment Instrument Among Healthcare Providers. Nursing Research.54(5)324-331. Edleman,C. & Mandle C.(2010). Health Promotion Throughout the Life Span. Missouri: Mosby Elsevier. Estes M. (2006). Health Assessment & Physical Examination.Canada: Thompson Delmar Learning.

Angels Demons Chapter 93-97

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