Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie Essay The Characters and short about their experiences: Mr Justice Wargrave Had filled in as a Judge for a long time and had a fine notoriety everywhere throughout the nation. He had slaughtered a few people by giving them capital punishment one of them is Edward Seton. Seton was presumably blameless. Vera Claythorne Worked as a Schoolmistress. Her wrongdoing was slaughtering Cyril Ogilvie Hamilton, by doing whatever it takes not to help him by while he was going to suffocate. She was his caretaker. Philip Lombard Explorer, that has voyage all around the globe. Was known as a man that you can depend on in unpleasant circumstances. He slaughtered 21 men of an East African clan by leaving them when hired soldiers assaulted their town. Miss Emily Brent Was an old pessimistic woman. On account of her a young lady named Beatrice Taylor murdered herself by hopping from a scaffold. She was working with Emily as a house cleaner. What's more, when she got pregnant Emily solidified her out. General Macarthur An old General who sent a man named Arthur Richmond to an unavoidable demise when he discovered that he was engaging in extramarital relations with his better half. Dr Armstrong He possessed a training and was extremely well known in the privileged of England. He coincidentally murdered Louisa Mary Clees. He worked her while he was tanked and she passed on hence. Tony Marston A man in his mid twenties, extremely attractive and mainstream around ladies. He drives recklessly and ran over John and Lucy Combes. The two of them kicked the bucket. Mr Blore A previous examiner at Scotland yard. Due to him James Stephen Landor passed on. He slaughtered himself in the wake of being sent to jail honest. Blore planted the proof against Landor. Mr and Mrs Rogers They filled in as hirelings. Were hitched. They worked for Jennifer Brady. Jennifer was a wiped out old Lady and giving her, her medication, was an aspect of their responsibilities. Once they didnt offer it to her and they acquired a great deal of cash. One day in August, eight individuals got a baffling letter. Eight outsiders, all convey an all around shrouded mystery. They are totally welcome to Nigger Island, an island that was acclaimed for individuals who like to peruse tattle magazines. The Island is found right outside the Devon coast, and is called Nigger Island cause the island is formed like a head with the lips of a Negro. They all show up on schedule yet the climate is horrible and the ladies are somewhat on edge about being on the Island since theres a tempest coming. At the point when they get to the Island, they discover that their host and leader are postponed. They arent alone on the Island. The Owens has recruited two hirelings, Mr and Mrs Rogers. Counting them, they are ten individuals. Mr and Mrs Rogers serve a phenomenal supper, and serve them drinks a short time later. While Mr Rogers serves them the beverages, they hear a secretive voice. The voice blames each one for them of an awful wrongdoing: MURDER! Mrs Rogers swooned of the stun. They attempted to discover where the voice originated from, and found that its a gramophone set in a bad spot in the abutting room. They are altogether exceptionally irritated, and that is the reason nobody thinks its a homicide when Anthony Marston kicks the bucket only a couple of moments later. He stifled of his beverage, said the specialist, at that point he gave Mrs Roger a dozing medication and sent her to bed. That is the manner by which the awful story started. The others sat up late talking about the secret pretty much this. First the extremely obscure greeting, at that point the voice and their missing host and lady. They likewise talk about the letters, and find that there are various senders. The sender is consistently a U. N. Owen = obscure. Furthermore, why the shower draperies were absent. Ahead of schedule next morning Dr Armstrong woke up by somebody thumping on his entryway. It was Mr Rogers, something wasn't right with his significant other. He couldnt wake her. When Dr Armstrong investigates her, he sees that shes dead. Most likely cardiovascular breakdown, he cannot know without a doubt without his clinical instruments. That is the reason no one thinks the subsequent demise is a homicide. Yet, when General Macarthur kicks the bucket from a hard hit in the rear of his head while hes sitting on the sea shore, they begin to ponder. Subsequent to examining the proof, as Judge Wargrave calls it they arrive at the resolution, that Mr obscure is one of them. The climate is awful to the point that nobody might get out to the island. Not even the day by day pontoon with food supplies came. The following up was Mr Rogers. He was out cleaving wood for the chimney when somebody nearly cut his head of with a hatchet. The men discovered him a couple of hours after the fact, when they asked why he hadnt woken them up. Abruptly Vera remembered something: The old nursery jingle. Ten little nigger young men went out to eat; One stifled his little self and afterward there were nine. Nine little nigger young men sat up extremely late; One slept late himself and afterward there were eight. Eight little nigger young men going in Devon; One said hed remain there and afterward there were seven. Seven little nigger young men cleaving up sticks; One hacked himself in equal parts and afterward there were six. Six little nigger young men playing with a hive; A honey bee stung one and afterward there were five. Five little nigger young men going in for law; One got into Chancery and afterward there were four. Four little nigger young men venturing out onto the ocean; A distraction gulped one and afterward there were three. Three little nigger young men strolling in the zoo; A major lovingly squeezed one and afterward there were two. Peruse: The characters of Birling and Goole in An Inspector Calls EssayTwo little nigger young men sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and afterward there was one. One little nigger kid disregarded all; He went and hanged himself and there were none. My God, he was slaughtering by the jingle! Anthony Marston gagged, Mrs Rogers slept late, General Macarthur remained on the shore of Devon and Mr Rogers was slashing up sticks. Another bizarre thing is the plate with the decoration little nigger young men, in the lounge area. After every demise theres one missing. Furthermore, nobody sees until after the subsequent demise. The fifth to be slaughtered was Miss Emily Brent. She was sitting alone in the lounge area, when the executioner struck. She was half-snoozing from a dozing drug, which the executioner had slipped into her espresso, when she was murdered with a cyanide infusion. Vera came to bring her, however when she heard a honey bee humming, she recognized what had occurred. Presently there were just five of them left. I surmise theres no compelling reason to state that the climate was strained and they were all exceptionally alarmed. Vera hit the sack early that night, and nobody needed to advise her to bolt her entryway cautiously. The men stayed ground floor talking. They were attempting to make sense of how they all could be baited into this chaos. Philip Lombard had been approached to come to secure Mrs Unknown gems, he had even brought a weapon. While they were talking Vera went into her room, however unexpectedly she felt a hand on her shoulder. She shouted and in a second or two, the men broke into her room. They turned on the lights, and found that the hand was ocean growth dangling from the roof, yet something different wasn't right. Somebody was feeling the loss of the Judge. At the point when they got to the family room he was sitting in a seat, with an appointed authority wig and robe. It was Emilys missing yarn and the shower window ornament. He was dead, shot in the head, presumably with Mr Lombards firearm. Mr Lombard, was currently a suspect. So they put every deadly weapon and medications into a crate with a lock on it, and afterward put the case in a chest that additionally had a lock on it. They gave one key to Mr Lombard, and the other one to Mr Blore. So on the off chance that somebody needed to open the containers they needed to have the two keys. That night Vera hit the sack feeling somewhat more secure. She figured the vessel would come in the first part of the day, and with every risky weapon bolted up, they would endure the night no uncertainty. Mr Blore was resolved not to nod off. So he lay on his bed trusting that something will occur. Also, his holding up paid of. Around half past two, he heard strides outside his entryway. He sprung to his feet; quiet he opened the entryway, without a moment to spare to see specialist Armstrong exit the front entryway. He went to bring Lombard and together they looked for Dr Armstrong. At the point when the morning came, the two men were certain that Dr Armstrong was the executioner. They woke Vera up and mentioned to her what had occurred during the night. The Island was exceptionally little and exposed, so theres no spot to cover up aside from or the house. They figured that there was nothing left to do, so they went down to the scaffold and hung tight for the pontoon. They knew who the executioner was, they had looked through the entire island the previous evening without discovering him and Lombard had his weapon with him. It was at long last over they thought. In accordance with some basic honesty, Mr Blore went up to the house to make them something to eat. Sooner or later Vera and Lombard pondered were he were, and went up to the house to search for him. They discovered him dead, hit in the head by a stone sculpture shaped as a bear. The sculpture had tumbled from the window above. Presently they knew who the executioner was. It was Dr Armstrong and this demonstrated he was as yet alive. Vera and Lombard took a stroll on the bluffs, they figured they would be more secure there. Since there they could se him coming some time before he could get to them. Out of nowhere Vera saw something in the water. It was stuck between two rocks. They went down to take a gander at it and when they drew nearer they understood it was a human body. They pulled up the body and when they saw whom it was Lombard threatened to use his weapon. It was Dr Armstrong! With just two individuals alive on the island they realized that it must be one of them. Vera demanded that they should lay Armstrongs body over the elevated tide mark. The body was substantial, and keeping in mind that Lombard was occupied with the body Vera took his firearm. They battled with the firearm for a couple of moments and out of nowhere the weapon went off. Lombard fell dead to the ground. Vera went up to the house. In each guestroom she saw a dead body on the bed: first Anthony Marston, at that point Mrs Rogers, General Macarthur, Mr Rogers, Miss Brent and Judge Wargrave. She felt tired, however she hadnt eaten anything everything she could consider was to rest. She went into her room. In the room there was a noose swinging from the ro

102 Week 4 Journal Response Professor Ramos Blog

102 Week 4 Journal Response Find an article, news report, or online networking post to react to. You can likewise react to any of the articles or points talked about in the class. In the first place, sum up what the post is stating and what you comprehend them to be contending. Second, react to the article with what we have been realizing in class. Point out misrepresentations in the event that you see them. Assess the contention they are making. Clarify any inclination you find in the post. Point out unsupported cases. On the off chance that you concur, assist them with bettering help their contention. On the off chance that you deviate, clarify why. Notice the utilization of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos Ensure your diary reaction is in any event 250 words in length. Remark underneath with a connection and your reaction.

How to Make a Job Offer (Step-by-Step Guide)

How to Make a Job Offer (Step-by-Step Guide) The concept sounds simple enough. A candidate is qualified for a job, â€" more than qualified, even â€" so all that is required is to tell the employer about the skills possessed, and make the offer, stating the compensation and benefits that he or she expects to receive. That’s all there is to it, right? Wrong!A job offer is just like the recruitment process itself. It involves several salient points and many details that must be taken care of. It also demands a lot of attention on the part of the employer or the recruiter (if the employer outsourced the recruiting process).Making a job offer is also a process. If not done properly, the results may not be what the employer expects (such as getting the desired candidate to accept the offer and the job). You will also be able to save on the resources â€" time, money and manpower â€" if you do it systematically, instead of being haphazard about it. © Shutterstock.com | PressmasterThis article will show you 1) a step-by-step guide on making a job offer and 2) best practices when making a job offer.STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON MAKING A JOB OFFERAs mentioned earlier, making a job offer is a process, which means there are phases and steps to be followed. Whether the recruitment was conducted in-house (by a company’s own human resources department) or outsourced to independent headhunters and recruiting companies, there are certain important steps that must not be overlooked, if you want your job offer to be accepted.Phase #1: Understanding the candidate and the role to be playedEarly on, when you set out to fill a vacant position in the organization, you already have an idea what the position entails, and what type of person would be perfect for it. But it is not enough to “just have an idea”. You have to possess a clear understanding of the position or the job and, after the candidates have expressed their interest to fill the pos ition, you have to know them, not just know of them.Be familiar with the job profile to be filled.What position or job are you supposed to fill in the organization? This is the first thing that you should be aware of, so you will know which direction to take (what to look for) when going through the list of candidates.You can start by going over the job description: the responsibilities, duties and functions, location and working conditions, compensation and benefits, and various other aspects.Conduct a job interview.It is said that the job offer is an extension of the job interview process. You can only tell so much about a person from reading documents they have submitted. Job interviews are conducted so that potential employers can get the measure â€" face-to-face â€" of the candidates. Here, they will be able to ask questions that are not answered in their CV or resume.Chances are, at this point, the choice has already been made. Or maybe the shortlist has been whittled to two o r three candidates. The job interview will aid the recruiter to make the final decision. In other cases, the choice has been made, but there is a need for that final assurance that they are making the right decision. Hence, a job interview.Perform reference checks.Many job applicants overlook the part where they have to provide character references and, even if they do provide references, they do not take it seriously, and just provide the first names that come to mind. Here’s a news flash: recruiters and companies that are hiring do make reference checks.Recruiters will get in touch with the reference checks and ask the appropriate questions that will back up the information provided by the candidate.Understand the candidate’s expectations and requirements.An employer-employee relationship is a two-way one. It’s not just the employer that has expectations and requirements; the candidate, too, which is why you have to know and understand what they are.During the job interview, you would have already discussed salient points about the job to be filled, such as the salaries and benefits and the duties and responsibilities. You have to know what the candidate thinks about these, so you could negotiate terms better later, if it comes to that.It is a good idea to, early on, lay all your cards on the table. This is so that, in the event that the candidate accepts the job offer and becomes a part of the organization, both parties are aware of what is expected of them in the relationship.Negotiate terms and start date.It is the negotiation phase that takes the most time in this whole process. It may not be so much for entry-level positions, but for highly technical or managerial positions, the negotiation could go on for days and even weeks. You should also have an idea how much time and resources you are willing to spend on the negotiations. Otherwise, you may end up spending weeks when you can do it in less than a week.Before you make the offer, you have to kn ow which points you are willing to negotiate with the candidate, and which ones you cannot budge on. This will save you both a lot of time during the actual negotiation process.Once you present it to the candidate, and he refuses to budge, much less consider budging on that matter, then it is safe to say that he is turning down the job, so you can step back before making a formal offer.Hiring managers approach negotiations differently. Some are tough about it, others are more flexible. Leading recruiters, however, suggest that you should not be too tough. Be tough, yes, but up to a point. You might be turning the candidate away because of how strict you are.Make sure you avoid the following hiring mistakes.[slideshare id=51779070doc=lindasss-131127150204-phpapp01-150818185943-lva1-app6891w=640h=330]Phase #2: Making the offerRun the approval process for making the final hiring decision.Depending on the organizational structure or setup, there is an approval process when it comes to f inalizing hiring decisions. It is not just a matter of the head of the Human Resources or the CEO of the company picking a candidate. There may be lengthy discussions, and other details that must be ironed out before the final hiring decision is made.Make the first contact.The initial contact is often done over the phone, with the recruiter calling the candidate and congratulating him for meeting all the qualifications of the job to be filled. The offer will then be made verbally.This is the preferred option because the hiring manager can immediately detect whether the candidate is enthusiastic about the news or he is hesitant, which means one of two things: he has another offer or option on the table, or he has changed his mind about wanting to work in your company.Making the initial offer this way will also save the hiring manager or recruiter from writing a formal job offer letter and going through the motions of preparing all the required documentation, only for the candidate to turn it down in the end.Phase #3: Making it officialMake the job offer official by putting it in writing.Draft the written job offer. There is nothing wrong with making an informal letter to make your job offer, but it certainly does not hurt to take a more formal approach, either. This is to make it more professional, considering that you are entering into a professional relationship with the candidate.The contents of the job offer letter include the following:The company culture and work environment, and how they align with the goals of the candidateCompensation and benefits that come with the jobOther important personnel policies, which may be included in the form of a copy of an employee manual or handbook, if availableTerms and conditions on which the job is being offered, including any conditions attached to itStarting date and time of work of the candidateThe location (division or department) that the candidate should report to on his first day of work, and thereafterThe nam e of the candidate’s immediate supervisor/s and trainor/s (if any)What the candidate should expect on his first day at work, so he would come better preparedThese are no longer new information for the candidate, but putting them down in writing will serve as a reminder, which will aid them in making that decision whether to accept or not.On the letter, you must explicitly indicate a deadline for the candidate to communicate whether he accepts the job or not. The length of time that will be given will depend on the decision of the hiring manager, or what is deemed to be reasonable for both parties.Send the job offer letter to the candidate.There are only two possibilities after you have sent the letter to the candidate. It is either he signs it, signifying acceptance of the offer, and return it to you, or he could return it to you unsigned, which means he is rejecting it. If the deadline lapses without the candidate responding to the offer, then it also means that he is turning it down.One thing you should remember is that the job offer letter is already final. This means that everything written on it have already been agreed upon between the company and the candidate.If the candidate decides to reopen the negotiations and make a counter offer after he has received the letter, this calls his integrity into question. And this will also warn you early on that he is not an employee you would want in your company.This is how you write a job offer letter in less than 5 minutes. BEST PRACTICES WHEN MAKING A JOB OFFERMake the offer attractive, and make it attractive from the outset.You can do this by checking out the competition, and what they offer to their candidates. If the company can afford it, make the salaries and wages higher. Throw in additional benefits. A signing bonus is often offered by large companies. Of course, if you are a small enterprise, this may not be fiscally feasible, but you can look for other options. Maybe the promise of an increase in sal ary after one or two years?When you make the offer, you have to highlight the good points that will appeal to the candidate from the beginning. Do not hold out when you first make the offer. It is possible that the candidate is considering multiple companies at once, and he is likely to snap up the most attractive offer.Lay your best cards on the table the first time, and see if the others can top it. This will give you an opportunity to up your offer later on, if needed.Act quickly.Recruitment, especially recruitment of top talents, is very competitive. If you are going to make a job offer, do it immediately. Right away. Putting it off for tomorrow will run the risk of some other company making an offer to the candidate and, when you finally make your offer, the candidate has already made his choice, and it’s not you.Be courteous and respectful.You may be the one offering a job, and you may be the employer or the boss once the candidate accepts it and joins the organization. But that does not give you the right to take a high-handed stance. There is also the possibility that the candidate may reject the offer because he is turned off by how less than polite you are.Aside from using polite language in your communications â€" both verbal and written â€" with the candidate, the act of giving the candidate room to negotiate certain terms and conditions is also one way of showing that you respect them.Do not just focus on the dollar signs.While it is true that candidates often look first at the part of the offer with the dollar signs on it, more of them are more concerned with other benefits, such as long-term opportunities and career advancement in the company once they accept the job. Highlight these in your job offer letter.Depending on the information you gathered about the candidate, you will be able to tell what is important to them. For example, a family man, with three kids, is more likely to be attracted to a job that comes with healthcare benefits. A s ingle mother, on the other hand, may be more attracted when the job offers flexible working hours, even if it pays less than another company offering a higher salary, but with fixed working hours.This is why most recruiters talk first about the benefits of the job, and tackle the compensation or the base salary later.Be prepared for counter offers.This is especially true if we are filling an executive or managerial position, or one that is currently in-demand that the candidate is the one being sought after by companies, not the other way around. You have to be prepared for the possibility that the candidate will make a counter offer, like adding a few more zeroes on the compensation area, or adding some perks or benefits, like a company car or being granted housing when he or she has to relocate.Anticipating this will put the company in a better position to negotiate. Also, the company would have to decide whether giving in to the demands of the candidate will be worth it, or if th ey should consider another candidate for the job.Do not drag the negotiation period too long.Expect candidates for senior positions to have more demands than candidates for entry-level or junior positions. They tend to expect more and want more, so they will definitely ask for more. We mentioned that this could take weeks, especially for senior positions. It is up to your judgment whether you will let it drag on for weeks on end, or if you want to specify a certain period of time for the negotiation to be completed.Just keep in mind that, the longer you take in filling up the position, the more time you are wasting. You could have had the candidate (or another candidate) working and contributing to the organization, instead of waiting for the current candidate you are negotiating with make up his minds about what he or she wants or expects from the company.Time to hire is one of the key recruiting metrics.[slideshare id=11804844doc=feb232012skillsurveymetricsfinal-120229160703-phpap p01w=640h=330]Be honest.Do not sugarcoat things when making your offer. This is tantamount to lying. It will also come back to you in the end since you are entering into a contract and, if you fail to deliver what you promised in the beginning, you will be liable for breach of contract.Provide facts and do not snatch random ideas out of thin air just so your job offer will come across as more attractive or appealing to the candidate.Besides, candidates are smarter now. They know that if something is too good to be true, it probably is. This will also put your company in a bad light, as your recruitment process will be put into question.Stay connected with your candidates throughout the process.You want to be available anytime, anywhere, just in case your candidate has questions, or in the event that you have to follow up on your offer. Stay in touch with them, and they will feel that you truly want them to join your team.

Patient Satisfaction Is A Driving Force Of Todays Health...

A. Process or Procedure Patient satisfaction is a driving force in today’s health care system. Incorporating the patient in their care will help with the patients healing process as well as encouraging the patient to be more compliant with their prescribed care. Bedside reporting is a practice that some organizations have incorporated in their standards of care. The patients care does not stop when the nurse’s shift ends. Therefore, it is important for the patient’s information to be conveyed accurately to the oncoming nurse. Conducting shift reports at the bedside allows the oncoming nurse to both visualize and interact with the patient much sooner than if the nurse had received report in another manner. Furthermore, bedside reporting allows the patient to interact with both nurses; and allows them to see that their care is being properly managed. This type of reporting also allows the oncoming nurse to ask questions, as other methods of shift reporting l imits the oncoming nurse from interacting and asking questions of the off going nurse. Patient satisfaction as well as accurate transfer of information and patient safety is a crucial part in providing quality patient care. A1. Discussion of Process or Procedure Audio recorded shift reporting has been the standard for a shift-to-shift report for some time now. This recording is prepared by the off going nurse and includes demographics of the patient such as history, reason for admission, test results, andShow MoreRelatedPersonal Statement : Personal Nursing Journey1463 Words   |  6 Pagesthe distinct privilege and honor of practicing the art of nursing since 2000. Throughout this time, I have seen the profession evolve through technology, practice and theory. 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Employee Compensation A Company - 2085 Words

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The Da Vinci Code Chapter 60-62 Free Essays

CHAPTER 60 Sangreal†¦ Sang Real†¦ San Greal†¦ Royal Blood†¦ Holy Grail. It was all intertwined. The Holy Grail is Mary Magdalene†¦the mother of the royal bloodline of Jesus Christ. We will write a custom essay sample on The Da Vinci Code Chapter 60-62 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Sophie felt a new wave of disorientation as she stood in the silence of the ballroom and stared at Robert Langdon. The more pieces Langdon and Teabing laid on the table tonight, the more unpredictable this puzzle became. â€Å"As you can see, my dear,† Teabing said, hobbling toward a bookshelf,† Leonardo is not the only one who has been trying to tell the world the truth about the Holy Grail. The royal bloodline of Jesus Christ has been chronicled in exhaustive detail by scores of historians.† He ran a finger down a row of several dozen books. Sophie tilted her head and scanned the list of titles: THE TEMPLAR REVELATION:Secret Guardians of the True Identity of Christ THE WOMAN WITH THE ALABASTER JAR: Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail THE GODDESS IN THE GOSPELS Reclaiming the Sacred Feminine â€Å"Here is perhaps the best-known tome,† Teabing said, pulling a tattered hardcover from the stack and handing it to her. The cover read: HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL The Acclaimed International Bestseller Sophie glanced up. â€Å"An international bestseller? I’ve never heard of it.† â€Å"You were young. This caused quite a stir back in the nineteen eighties. To my taste, the authors made some dubious leaps of faith in their analysis, but their fundamental premise is sound, and to their credit, they finally brought the idea of Christ’s bloodline into the mainstream.† â€Å"What was the Church’s reaction to the book?† â€Å"Outrage, of course. But that was to be expected. After all, this was a secret the Vatican had tried to bury in the fourth century. That’s part of what the Crusades were about. Gathering and destroying information. The threat Mary Magdalene posed to the men of the early Church was potentially ruinous. Not only was she the woman to whom Jesus had assigned the task of founding the Church, but she also had physical proof that the Church’s newly proclaimed deity had spawned a mortal bloodline. The Church, in order to defend itself against the Magdalene’s power, perpetuated her image as a whore and buried evidence of Christ’s marriage to her, thereby defusing any potential claims that Christ had a surviving bloodline and was a mortal prophet.† Sophie glanced at Langdon, who nodded. â€Å"Sophie, the historical evidence supporting this is substantial.† â€Å"I admit,† Teabing said,† the assertions are dire, but you must understand the Church’s powerful motivations to conduct such a cover-up. They could never have survived public knowledge of a bloodline. A child of Jesus would undermine the critical notion of Christ’s divinity and therefore the Christian Church, which declared itself the sole vessel through which humanity could access the divine and gain entrance to the kingdom of heaven.† â€Å"The five-petal rose,† Sophie said, pointing suddenly to the spine of one of Teabing’s books. The same exact design inlaid on the rosewood box. Teabing glanced at Langdon and grinned. â€Å"She has a good eye.† He turned back to Sophie. â€Å"That is the Priory symbol for the Grail. Mary Magdalene. Because her name was forbidden by the Church, Mary Magdalene became secretly known by many pseudonyms – the Chalice, the Holy Grail, and the Rose.† He paused. â€Å"The Rose has ties to the five-pointed pentacle of Venus and the guiding Compass Rose. By the way, the word rose is identical in English, French, German, and many other languages.† â€Å"Rose,† Langdon added,† is also an anagram of Eros, the Greek god of sexual love.† Sophie gave him a surprised look as Teabing plowed on.† The Rose has always been the premiere symbol of female sexuality. In primitive goddess cults, the five petals represented the five stations of female life – birth, menstruation, motherhood, menopause, and death. And in modern times, the flowering rose’s ties to womanhood are considered more visual.† He glanced at Robert. â€Å"Perhaps the symbologist could explain?† Robert hesitated. A moment too long. â€Å"Oh, heavens!† Teabing huffed. â€Å"You Americans are such prudes.† He looked back at Sophie. â€Å"What Robert is fumbling with is the fact that the blossoming flower resembles the female genitalia, the sublime blossom from which all mankind enters the world. And if you’ve ever seen any paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe, you’ll know exactly what I mean.† â€Å"The point here,† Langdon said, motioning back to the bookshelf,† is that all of these books substantiate the same historical claim.† â€Å"That Jesus was a father.† Sophie was still uncertain. â€Å"Yes,† Teabing said. â€Å"And that Mary Magdalene was the womb that carried His royal lineage. The Priory of Sion, to this day, still worships Mary Magdalene as the Goddess, the Holy Grail, the Rose, and the Divine Mother.† Sophie again flashed on the ritual in the basement. â€Å"According to the Priory,† Teabing continued,† Mary Magdalene was pregnant at the time of the crucifixion. For the safety of Christ’s unborn child, she had no choice but to flee the Holy Land. With the help of Jesus’ trusted uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, Mary Magdalene secretly traveled to France, then known as Gaul. There she found safe refuge in the Jewish community. It was here in France that she gave birth to a daughter. Her name was Sarah.† Sophie glanced up. â€Å"They actually know the child’s name?† â€Å"Far more than that. Magdalene’s and Sarah’s lives were scrutinously chronicled by their Jewish protectors. Remember that Magdalene’s child belonged to the lineage of Jewish kings – David and Solomon. For this reason, the Jews in France considered Magdalene sacred royalty and revered her as the progenitor of the royal line of kings. Countless scholars of that era chronicled Mary Magdalene’s days in France, including the birth of Sarah and the subsequent family tree.† Sophie was startled. â€Å"There exists a family tree of Jesus Christ?† â€Å"Indeed. And it is purportedly one of the cornerstones of the Sangreal documents. A complete genealogy of the early descendants of Christ.† â€Å"But what good is a documented genealogy of Christ’s bloodline?† Sophie asked. â€Å"It’s not proof. Historians could not possibly confirm its authenticity.† Teabing chuckled. â€Å"No more so than they can confirm the authenticity of the Bible.† â€Å"Meaning?† â€Å"Meaning that history is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books – books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. As Napoleon once said, ‘What is history, but a fable agreed upon?'†He smiled. â€Å"By its very nature, history is always a one-sided account.† Sophie had never thought of it that way.† The Sangreal documents simply tell the other side of the Christ story. In the end, which side of the story you believe becomes a matter of faith and personal exploration, but at least the information has survived. The Sangreal documents include tens of thousands of pages of information. Eyewitness accounts of the Sangreal treasure describe it as being carried in four enormous trunks. In those trunks are reputed to be the Purist Docum ents – thousands of pages of unaltered, pre- Constantine documents, written by the early followers of Jesus, revering Him as a wholly human teacher and prophet. Also rumored to be part of the treasure is the legendary† Q† Document – a manuscript that even the Vatican admits they believe exists. Allegedly, it is a book of Jesus’ teachings, possibly written in His own hand.† â€Å"Writings by Christ Himself?† â€Å"Of course,† Teabing said. â€Å"Why wouldn’t Jesus have kept a chronicle of His ministry? Most people did in those days. Another explosive document believed to be in the treasure is a manuscript called The Magdalene Diaries – Mary Magdalene’s personal account of her relationship with Christ, His crucifixion, and her time in France.† Sophie was silent for a long moment. â€Å"And these four chests of documents were the treasure that the Knights Templar found under Solomon’s Temple?† â€Å"Exactly. The documents that made the Knights so powerful. The documents that have been the object of countless Grail quests throughout history.† â€Å"But you said the Holy Grail was Mary Magdalene.If people are searching for documents, why would you call it a search for the Holy Grail?† Teabing eyed her, his expression softening. â€Å"Because the hiding place of the Holy Grail includes a sarcophagus.† Outside, the wind howled in the trees. Teabing spoke more quietly now. â€Å"The quest for the Holy Grail is literally the quest to kneel before the bones of Mary Magdalene. A journey to pray at the feet of the outcast one, the lost sacred feminine.† Sophie felt an unexpected wonder. â€Å"The hiding place of the Holy Grail is actually†¦ a tomb?† Teabing’s hazel eyes got misty. â€Å"It is. A tomb containing the body of Mary Magdalene and the documents that tell the true story of her life. At its heart, the quest for the Holy Grail has always been a quest for the Magdalene – the wronged Queen, entombed with proof of her family’s rightful claim to power.† Sophie waited a moment as Teabing gathered himself. So much about her grandfather was still not making sense. â€Å"Members of the Priory,† she finally said,† all these years have answered the charge of protecting the Sangreal documents and the tomb of Mary Magdalene?† â€Å"Yes, but the brotherhood had another, more important duty as well – to protect the bloodline itself. Christ’s lineage was in perpetual danger. The early Church feared that if the lineage were permitted to grow, the secret of Jesus and Magdalene would eventually surface and challenge the fundamental Catholic doctrine – that of a divine Messiah who did not consort with women or engage in sexual union.† He paused. â€Å"Nonetheless, Christ’s line grew quietly under cover in France until making a bold move in the fifth century, when it intermarried with French royal blood and created a lineage known as the Merovingian bloodline.† This news surprised Sophie. Merovingian was a term learned by every student in France. â€Å"The Merovingians founded Paris.† â€Å"Yes. That’s one of the reasons the Grail legend is so rich in France. Many of the Vatican’s Grail quests here were in fact stealth missions to erase members of the royal bloodline. Have you heard of King Dagobert?† Sophie vaguely recalled the name from a grisly tale in history class. â€Å"Dagobert was a Merovingian king, wasn’t he? Stabbed in the eye while sleeping?† â€Å"Exactly. Assassinated by the Vatican in collusion with Pepin d’Heristal. Late seventh century. With Dagobert’s murder, the Merovingian bloodline was almost exterminated. Fortunately, Dagobert’s son, Sigisbert, secretly escaped the attack and carried on the lineage, which later included Godefroi de Bouillon – founder of the Priory of Sion.† â€Å"The same man,† Langdon said,† who ordered the Knights Templar to recover the Sangreal documents from beneath Solomon’s Temple and thus provide the Merovingians proof of their hereditary ties to Jesus Christ.† Teabing nodded, heaving a ponderous sigh. â€Å"The modern Priory of Sion has a momentous duty. Theirs is a threefold charge. The brotherhood must protect the Sangreal documents. They must protect the tomb of Mary Magdalene. And, of course, they must nurture and protect the bloodline of Christ – those few members of the royal Merovingian bloodline who have survived into modern times.† The words hung in the huge space, and Sophie felt an odd vibration, as if her bones were reverberating with some new kind of truth. Descendants of Jesus who survived into modern times. Her grandfather’s voice again was whispering in her ear. Princess, I must tell you the truth about your family. A chill raked her flesh. Royal blood. She could not imagine. Princess Sophie. â€Å"Sir Leigh?† The manservant’s words crackled through the intercom on the wall, and Sophie jumped. â€Å"If you could join me in the kitchen a moment?† Teabing scowled at the ill-timed intrusion. He went over to the intercom and pressed the button. â€Å"Remy, as you know, I am busy with my guests. If we need anything else from the kitchen tonight, we will help ourselves. Thank you and good night.† â€Å"A word with you before I retire, sir. If you would.† Teabing grunted and pressed the button. â€Å"Make it quick, Remy.† â€Å"It is a household matter, sir, hardly fare for guests to endure.† Teabing looked incredulous. â€Å"And it cannot wait until morning?† â€Å"No, sir. My question won’t take a minute.† Teabing rolled his eyes and looked at Langdon and Sophie. â€Å"Sometimes I wonder who is serving whom?† He pressed the button again. â€Å"I’ll be right there, Remy. Can I bring you anything when I come?† â€Å"Only freedom from oppression, sir.† â€Å"Remy, you realize your steak au poivre is the only reason you still work for me.† â€Å"So you tell me, sir. So you tell me.† CHAPTER 61 Princess Sophie. Sophie felt hollow as she listened to the clicking of Teabing’s crutches fade down the hallway. Numb, she turned and faced Langdon in the deserted ballroom. He was already shaking his head as if reading her mind. â€Å"No, Sophie,† he whispered, his eyes reassuring. â€Å"The same thought crossed my mind when I realized your grandfather was in the Priory, and you said he wanted to tell you a secret about your family. But it’s impossible.† Langdon paused. â€Å"Sauniere is not a Merovingian name.† Sophie wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed. Earlier, Langdon had asked an unusual passing question about Sophie’s mother’s maiden name. Chauvel. The question now made sense.† And Chauvel?† she asked, anxious. Again he shook his head. â€Å"I’m sorry. I know that would have answered some questions for you. Only two direct lines of Merovingians remain. Their family names are Plantard and Saint-Clair. Both families live in hiding, probably protected by the Priory.† Sophie repeated the names silently in her mind and then shook her head. There was no one in her family named Plantard or Saint-Clair. A weary undertow was pulling at her now. She realized she was no closer than she had been at the Louvre to understanding what truth her grandfather had wanted to reveal to her. Sophie wished her grandfather had never mentioned her family this afternoon. He had torn open old wounds that felt as painful now as ever. They are dead, Sophie.They are not coming back.She thought of her mother singing her to sleep at night, of her father giving her rides on his shoulders, and of her grandmother and younger brother smiling at her with their fervent green eyes. All that was stolen. And all she had left was her grandfather. And now he is gone too. I am alone. Sophie turned quietly back to The Last Supper and gazed at Mary Magdalene’s long red hair and quiet eyes. There was something in the woman’s expression that echoed the loss of a loved one. Sophie could feel it too. â€Å"Robert?† she said softly. He stepped closer.† I know Leigh said the Grail story is all around us, but tonight is the first time I’ve ever heard any of this.† Langdon looked as if he wanted to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but he refrained.† You’ve heard her story before, Sophie. Everyone has. We just don’t realize it when we hear it.† â€Å"I don’t understand.† â€Å"The Grail story is everywhere, but it is hidden. When the Church outlawed speaking of the shunned Mary Magdalene, her story and importance had to be passed on through more discreet channels†¦ channels that supported metaphor and symbolism.† â€Å"Of course. The arts.† Langdon motioned to The Last Supper. â€Å"A perfect example. Some of today’s most enduring art, literature, and music secretly tell the history of Mary Magdalene and Jesus.† Langdon quickly told her about works by Da Vinci, Botticelli, Poussin, Bernini, Mozart, and Victor Hugo that all whispered of the quest to restore the banished sacred feminine. Enduring legends like Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, King Arthur, and Sleeping Beauty were Grail allegories. Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame and Mozart’s Magic Flute were filled with Masonic symbolism and Grail secrets. â€Å"Once you open your eyes to the Holy Grail,† Langdon said,† you see her everywhere. Paintings. Music. Books. Even in cartoons, theme parks, and popular movies.† Langdon held up his Mickey Mouse watch and told her that Walt Disney had made it his quiet life’s work to pass on the Grail story to future generations. Throughout his entire life, Disney had been hailed as† the Modern-Day Leonardo Da Vinci.† Both men were generations ahead of their times, uniquely gifted artists, members of secret societies, and, most notably, avid pranksters. Like Leonardo, Walt Disney loved infusing hidden messages and symbolism in his art. For the trained symbologist, watching an early Disney movie was like being barraged by an avalanche of allusion and metaphor. Most of Disney’s hidden messages dealt with religion, pagan myth, and stories of the subjugated goddess. It was no mistake that Disney retold tales like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White – all of which dealt with the incarceration of the sacred feminine. Nor did one need a background in symbolism to understand that Snow White – a princess who fell from grace after partaking of a poisoned apple – was a clear allusion to the downfall of Eve in the Garden of Eden. Or that Sleeping Beauty’s Princess Aurora – code-named† Rose† and hidden deep in the forest to protect her from the clutches of the evil witch – was the Grail story for children. Despite its corporate image, Disney still had a savvy, playful element among its employees, and their artists still amused themselves by inserting hidden symbolism in Disney products. Langdon would never forget one of his students bringing in a DVD of The Lion King and pausing the film to reveal a freeze-frame in which the word SEX was clearly visible, spelled out by floating dust particles over Simba’s head. Although Langdon suspected this was more of a cartoonist’s sophomoric prank than any kind of enlightened allusion to pagan human sexuality, he had learned not to underestimate Disney’s grasp of symbolism. The Little Mermaid was a spellbinding tapestry of spiritual symbols so specifically goddess-related that they could not be coincidence. When Langdon had first seen The Little Mermaid, he had actually gasped aloud when he noticed that the painting in Ariel’s underwater home was none other than seventeenth-century artist Georges de la Tour’s The Penitent Magdalene – a famous homage to the banished Mary Magdalene – fitting decor considering the movie turned out to be a ninety-minute collage of blatant symbolic references to the lost sanctity of Isis, Eve, Pisces the fish goddess, and, repeatedly, Mary Magdalene. The Little Mermaid’s name, Ariel, possessed powerful ties to the sacred feminine and, in the Book of Isaiah, was synonymous with† the Holy City besieged.† Of course, the Little Mermaid’s flowing red hair was certainly no coincidence either. The clicking of Teabing’s crutches approached in the hallway, his pace unusually brisk. When their host entered the study, his expression was stern. â€Å"You’d better explain yourself, Robert,† he said coldly. â€Å"You have not been honest with me.† CHAPTER 62 â€Å"I’m being framed, Leigh,† Langdon said, trying to stay calm. You know me.I wouldn’t kill anyone. Teabing’s tone did not soften. â€Å"Robert, you’re on television, for Christ’s sake. Did you know you were wanted by the authorities?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Then you abused my trust. I’m astonished you would put me at risk by coming here and asking me to ramble on about the Grail so you could hide out in my home.† â€Å"I didn’t kill anyone.† â€Å"Jacques Sauniere is dead, and the police say you did it.† Teabing looked saddened. â€Å"Such a contributor to the arts†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Sir?† The manservant had appeared now, standing behind Teabing in the study doorway, his arms crossed. â€Å"Shall I show them out?† â€Å"Allow me.† Teabing hobbled across the study, unlocked a set of wide glass doors, and swung them open onto a side lawn. â€Å"Please find your car, and leave.† Sophie did not move. â€Å"We have information about the clef de voute.The Priory keystone.† Teabing stared at her for several seconds and scoffed derisively. â€Å"A desperate ploy. Robert knows how I’ve sought it.† â€Å"She’s telling the truth,† Langdon said. â€Å"That’s why we came to you tonight. To talk to you about the keystone.† The manservant intervened now. â€Å"Leave, or I shall call the authorities.† â€Å"Leigh,† Langdon whispered,† we know where it is.† Teabing’s balance seemed to falter a bit. Remy now marched stiffly across the room. â€Å"Leave at once! Or I will forcibly – â€Å"Remy!† Teabing spun, snapping at his servant. â€Å"Excuse us for a moment.† The servant’s jaw dropped. â€Å"Sir? I must protest. These people are – â€Å"I’ll handle this.† Teabing pointed to the hallway. After a moment of stunned silence, Remy skulked out like a banished dog. In the cool night breeze coming through the open doors, Teabing turned back to Sophie and Langdon, his expression still wary. â€Å"This better be good. What do you know of the keystone?† In the thick brush outside Teabing’s study, Silas clutched his pistol and gazed through the glass doors. Only moments ago, he had circled the house and seen Langdon and the woman talking in the large study. Before he could move in, a man on crutches entered, yelled at Langdon, threw open the doors, and demanded his guests leave. Then the woman mentioned the keystone, and everything changed.Shouts turned to whispers. Moods softened. And the glass doors were quickly closed. Now, as he huddled in the shadows, Silas peered through the glass. The keystone is somewhere inside the house.Silas could feel it. Staying in the shadows, he inched closer to the glass, eager to hear what was being said. He would give them five minutes. If they did not reveal where they had placed the keystone, Silas would have to enter and persuade them with force. Inside the study, Langdon could sense their host’s bewilderment. â€Å"Grand Master?† Teabing choked, eyeing Sophie. â€Å"Jacques Sauniere?† Sophie nodded, seeing the shock in his eyes.† But you could not possibly know that!† â€Å"Jacques Sauniere was my grandfather.† Teabing staggered back on his crutches, shooting a glance at Langdon, who nodded. Teabing turned back to Sophie. â€Å"Miss Neveu, I am speechless. If this is true, then I am truly sorry for your loss. I should admit, for my research, I have kept lists of men in Paris whom I thought might be good candidates for involvement in the Priory. Jacques Sauniere was on that list along with many others. But Grand Master, you say? It’s hard to fathom.† Teabing was silent a moment and then shook his head. â€Å"But it still makes no sense. Even if your grandfather were the Priory Grand Master and created the keystone himself, he would never tell you how to find it. The keystone reveals the pathway to the brotherhood’s ultimate treasure. G randdaughter or not, you are not eligible to receive such knowledge.† â€Å"Mr. Sauniere was dying when he passed on the information,† Langdon said. â€Å"He had limited options.† â€Å"He didn’t need options,† Teabing argued. â€Å"There exist three senechaux who also know the secret. That is the beauty of their system. One will rise to Grand Master and they will induct a new senechal and share the secret of the keystone.† â€Å"I guess you didn’t see the entire news broadcast,† Sophie said. â€Å"In addition to my grandfather, three other prominent Parisians were murdered today. All in similar ways. All looked like they had been interrogated.† Teabing’s jaw fell. â€Å"And you think they were†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"The senechaux,†Langdon said.† But how? A murderer could not possibly learn the identities of all four top members of the Priory of Sion! Look at me, I have been researching them for decades, and I can’t even name one Priory member. It seems inconceivable that all three senechaux and the Grand Master could be discovered and killed in one day.† â€Å"I doubt the information was gathered in a single day,† Sophie said. â€Å"It sounds like a well-planned decapiter.It’s a technique we use to fight organized crime syndicates. If DCPJ wants to move on a certain group, they will silently listen and watch for months, identify all the main players, and then move in and take them all at the same moment. Decapitation. With no leadership, the group falls into chaos and divulges other information. It’s possible someone patiently watched the Priory and then attacked, hoping the top people would reveal the location of the keystone.† Teabing looked unconvinced. â€Å"But the brothers would never talk. They are sworn to secrecy. Even in the face of death.† â€Å"Exactly,† Langdon said. â€Å"Meaning, if they never divulged the secret, and they were killed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Teabing gasped. â€Å"Then the location of the keystone would be lost forever!† â€Å"And with it,† Langdon said,† the location of the Holy Grail.† Teabing’s body seemed to sway with the weight of Langdon’s words. Then, as if too tired to stand another moment, he flopped in a chair and stared out the window. Sophie walked over, her voice soft. â€Å"Considering my grandfather’s predicament, it seems possible that in total desperation he tried to pass the secret on to someone outside the brotherhood. Someone he thought he could trust. Someone in his family.† Teabing was pale. â€Å"But someone capable of such an attack†¦ of discovering so much about the brotherhood†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused, radiating a new fear. â€Å"It could only be one force. This kind of infiltration could only have come from the Priory’s oldest enemy.† Langdon glanced up. â€Å"The Church.† â€Å"Who else? Rome has been seeking the Grail for centuries.† Sophie was skeptical. â€Å"You think the Church killed my grandfather?† Teabing replied,† It would not be the first time in history the Church has killed to protect itself. The documents that accompany the Holy Grail are explosive, and the Church has wanted to destroy them for years.† Langdon was having trouble buying Teabing’s premise that the Church would blatantly murder people to obtain these documents. Having met the new Pope and many of the cardinals, Langdon knew they were deeply spiritual men who would never condone assassination. Regardless of the stakes. Sophie seemed to be having similar thoughts. â€Å"Isn’t it possible that these Priory members were murdered by someone outside the Church? Someone who didn’t understand what the Grail really is? The Cup of Christ, after all, would be quite an enticing treasure. Certainly treasure hunters have killed for less.† â€Å"In my experience,† Teabing said,† men go to far greater lengths to avoid what they fear than to obtain what they desire. I sense a desperation in this assault on the Priory.† â€Å"Leigh,† Langdon said,† the argument is paradoxical. Why would members of the Catholic clergy murder Priory members in an effort to find and destroy documents they believe are false testimony anyway?† Teabing chuckled. â€Å"The ivory towers of Harvard have made you soft, Robert. Yes, the clergy in Rome are blessed with potent faith, and because of this, their beliefs can weather any storm, including documents that contradict everything they hold dear. But what about the rest of the world? What about those who are not blessed with absolute certainty? What about those who look at the cruelty in the world and say, where is God today? Those who look at Church scandals and ask, who are these men who claim to speak the truth about Christ and yet lie to cover up the sexual abuse of children by their own priests?† Teabing paused. â€Å"What happens to those people, Robert, if persuasive scientific evidence comes out that the Church’s version of the Christ story is inaccurate, and that the greatest story ever told is, in fact, the greatest story ever sold† Langdon did not respond. â€Å"I’ll tell you what happens if the documents get out,† Teabing said. â€Å"The Vatican faces a crisis of faith unprecedented in its two-millennia history.† After a long silence, Sophie said,† But if it is the Church who is responsible for this attack, why would they act now? After all these years? The Priory keeps the Sangreal documents hidden. They pose no immediate threat to the Church.† Teabing heaved an ominous sigh and glanced at Langdon. â€Å"Robert, I assume you are familiar with the Priory’s final charge?† Langdon felt his breath catch at the thought. â€Å"I am.† â€Å"Miss Neveu,† Teabing said,† the Church and the Priory have had a tacit understanding for years. That is, the Church does not attack the Priory, and the Priory keeps the Sangreal documents hidden.† He paused. â€Å"However, part of the Priory history has always included a plan to unveil the secret. With the arrival of a specific date in history, the brotherhood plans to break the silence and carry out its ultimate triumph by unveiling the Sangreal documents to the world and shouting the true story of Jesus Christ from the mountaintops.† Sophie stared at Teabing in silence. Finally, she too sat down. â€Å"And you think that date is approaching? And the Church knows it?† â€Å"A speculation,† Teabing said,† but it would certainly provide the Church motivation for an all-out attack to find the documents before it was too late.† Langdon had the uneasy feeling that Teabing was making good sense. â€Å"Do you think the Church would actually be capable of uncovering hard evidence of the Priory’s date?† â€Å"Why not – if we’re assuming the Church was able to uncover the identities of the Priory members, then certainly they could have learned of their plans. And even if they don’t have the exact date, their superstitions may be getting the best of them.† â€Å"Superstitions?† Sophie asked.† In terms of prophecy,† Teabing said,† we are currently in an epoch of enormous change. The millennium has recently passed, and with it has ended the two-thousand-year-long astrological Age of Pisces – the fish, which is also the sign of Jesus. As any astrological symbologist will tell you, the Piscean ideal believes that man must be told what to do by higher powers because man is incapable of thinking for himself. Hence it has been a time of fervent religion. Now, however, we are entering the Age of Aquarius – the water bearer – whose ideals claim that man will learn the truth and be able to think for himself. The ideologic al shift is enormous, and it is occurring right now.† Langdon felt a shiver. Astrological prophecy never held much interest or credibility for him, but he knew there were those in the Church who followed it very closely. â€Å"The Church calls this transitional period the End of Days.† Sophie looked skeptical. â€Å"As in the end of the world? The Apocalypse?† â€Å"No.† Langdon replied. â€Å"That’s a common misconception. Many religions speak of the End of Days. It refers not to the end of the world, but rather the end of our current age – Pisces, which began at the time of Christ’s birth, spanned two thousand years, and waned with the passing of the millennium. Now that we’ve passed into the Age of Aquarius, the End of Days has arrived.† â€Å"Many Grail historians,† Teabing added,† believe that if the Priory is indeed planning to release this truth, this point in history would be a symbolically apt time. Most Priory academics, myself included, anticipated the brotherhood’s release would coincide precisely with the millennium. Obviously, it did not. Admittedly, the Roman calendar does not mesh perfectly with astrological markers, so there is some gray area in the prediction. Whether the Church now has inside information that an exact date is looming, or whether they are just getting nervous on account of astrological prophecy, I don’t know. Anyway, it’s immaterial. Either scenario explains how the Church might be motivated to launch a preemptive attack against the Priory.† Teabing frowned. â€Å"And believe me, if the Church finds the Holy Grail, they will destroy it. The documents and the relics of the blessed Mary Magdalene as well.† His eyes grew heavy. â€Å"Then, m y dear, with the Sangreal documents gone, all evidence will be lost. The Church will have won their age-old war to rewrite history. The past will be erased forever.† Slowly, Sophie pulled the cruciform key from her sweater pocket and held it out to Teabing. Teabing took the key and studied it. â€Å"My goodness. The Priory seal. Where did you get this?† â€Å"My grandfather gave it to me tonight before he died.† Teabing ran his fingers across the cruciform. â€Å"A key to a church?† She drew a deep breath. â€Å"This key provides access to the keystone.† Teabing’s head snapped up, his face wild with disbelief. â€Å"Impossible! What church did I miss? I’ve searched every church in France!† â€Å"It’s not in a church,† Sophie said. â€Å"It’s in a Swiss depository bank.† Teabing’s look of excitement waned. â€Å"The keystone is in a bank?† â€Å"A vault,† Langdon offered. â€Å"A bank vault?† Teabing shook his head violently. â€Å"That’s impossible. The keystone is supposed to be hidden beneath the sign of the Rose.† â€Å"It is,† Langdon said. â€Å"It was stored in a rosewood box inlaid with a five-petal Rose.† Teabing looked thunderstruck. â€Å"You’ve seen the keystone?† Sophie nodded. â€Å"We visited the bank.† Teabing came over to them, his eyes wild with fear. â€Å"My friends, we must do something. The keystone is in danger! We have a duty to protect it. What if there are other keys? Perhaps stolen from the murdered senechaux? If the Church can gain access to the bank as you have – â€Å" â€Å"Then they will be too late,† Sophie said. â€Å"We removed the keystone.† â€Å"What! You removed the keystone from its hiding place?† â€Å"Don’t worry,† Langdon said. â€Å"The keystone is well hidden.† â€Å"Extremely well hidden, I hope!† â€Å"Actually,† Langdon said, unable to hide his grin,† that depends on how often you dust under your couch.† The wind outside Chateau Villette had picked up, and Silas’s robe danced in the breeze as he crouched near the window. Although he had been unable to hear much of the conversation, the word keystone had sifted through the glass on numerous occasions. It is inside. The Teacher’s words were fresh in his mind. Enter Chateau Villette. Take the keystone. Hun no one. Now, Langdon and the others had adjourned suddenly to another room, extinguishing the study lights as they went. Feeling like a panther stalking prey, Silas crept to the glass doors. Finding them unlocked, he slipped inside and closed the doors silently behind him. He could hear muffled voices from another room. Silas pulled the pistol from his pocket, turned off the safety, and inched down the hallway. How to cite The Da Vinci Code Chapter 60-62, Essay examples

The Case Against Microsoft Is Based Not Just On Bad Economics, But On Essay Example For Students

The Case Against Microsoft Is Based Not Just On Bad Economics, But On Essay a fundamental misunderstanding of governments decision-making role when it comes to market operations. This misunderstanding has led to an attack on one of the USs most successful firms. It is difficult to measure consumer harms, much less harms that may only occur in the future. A common misconception about antitrust law is that its purpose is to ensure fair competition. Thats not true; antitrust laws purpose is to protect consumers. If fair competition maximizes their welfare, so be it; if monopoly maximizes their welfare thats what the antitrust laws provide for. Its not clear that Microsoft has a monopoly in the first place. Past Microsoft customers are not a captive market, as the Department of Justice portrays them. Rather, Microsoft must continue to add features and functionality to its products to get its Windows 95 consumers to become Windows 98 (and beyond) consumers. Consumers are free to change operating systems at any time. There are such alternatives as Linux with the graphic interface, the Mac OS but the point is that even if there were none Microsofts ability to raise prices is strictly limited by the mere possibility of such an alternatives emergence into the market. We will write a custom essay on The Case Against Microsoft Is Based Not Just On Bad Economics, But On specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Predatory pricing that is, the practice of lowering prices to drive out competition, thus enabling massive price increases later? Well, maybe. There are compelling academic theories that question the possibility of predatory pricing in a free market, but economists universally agree that one component of predatory pricing must be high entry/exit costs. If the competition can enter and exit the market at very low cost, driving them out serves very little purpose, since as soon as you, the monopolist, get around to raising your prices, theyll come right back in and compete those profits away. The purpose of this discussion of pricing strategy is to show that Microsoft, despite its size, still fears its competitors both the ones it sees now and the ones that dont exist yet. That is because they arent quite confident that they have kept up with consumers preferences about how an important tradeoff is to be made. Microsoft products are similar they represent a certain level of standardization and innovation. This is the source of all the nonsense being bandied about regarding network effects that is, the advantage that Microsoft allegedly enjoys because its systems interact more efficiently with one another than with other firms applications. It is just a side effect of Microsofts choosing standardization over innovation a corporate strategy they should be free to pursue. It is perfectly legitimate for consumers to express their preferences about the best way to make this tradeoff; indeed, they do so every day, with their money. It is inappropriate, however, for the government to substitute its judgment of how the standardization-innovation tradeoff should be made for that of the market. Why? Because the market is simply better equipped to make such decisions. Basic economics tells us that prices convey information to firms more efficiently than any other information mechanism. Joel Klein and the other attorneys at the Department of Justice cannot, practically by definition, make informed choices about how to make the various tradeoffs in the software industry. For them to try to do so demonstrates not just hubris but ignorance. And that, at bottom, is the issue in the Microsoft trial. It is not about whether Microsoft is a nice company or whether Bill Gates is a nice person. It is about whom gets to make decisions on how software is made and sold. Do firms get to make those decisions, informed by consumer preferences? Or does the government do so with its well-documented susceptibility to private interests? I think the answer is clear. .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b , .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b .postImageUrl , .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b , .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b:hover , .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b:visited , .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b:active { border:0!important; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b:active , .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u22ce3b2e7efc1b7bd955b6db9dd1350b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Big Foot EssayBibliographyThe case against Microsoft is based not just on bad economics, but on a fundamental misunderstanding of governments decision-making role when it comes to market operations. This misunderstanding has led to an attack on one of the USs most successful firms. It is difficult to measure consumer harms, much less harms that may only occur in the future. A common misconception about antitrust law is that its purpose is to ensure fair competition. Thats not true; antitrust laws purpose is to protect consumers. If fair competition maximizes their welfare, so be it; if monopoly maximizes their welfare thats what the antitrust laws provide for. Its not clear that Microsoft has a monopoly in the first place. Past Microsoft customers are not a captive market, as the Department of Justice portrays them. Rather, Microsoft must continue to add features and functionality to its products to get its Windows 95 consumers to become Windows 98 (and beyond) consumers. Consumers are free to change operating systems at any time. There are such alternatives as Linux with the graphic interface, the Mac OS but the point is that even if there were none Microsofts ability to raise prices is strictly limited by the mere possibility of such an alternatives emergence into the market. Predatory pricing that is, the practice of lowering prices to drive out competition, thus enabling massive price increases later? Well, maybe. There are compelling academic theories that question the possibility of predatory pricing in a free market, but economists universally agree that one component of predatory pricing must be high entry/exit costs. If the competition can enter and exit the market at very low cost, driving them out serves very little purpose, since as soon as you, the monopolist, get around to raising your prices, theyll come right back in and compete those profits away. The purpose of this discussion of pricing strategy is to show that Microsoft, despite its size, still fears its competitors both the ones it sees now and the ones that dont exist yet. That is because they arent quite confident that they have kept up with consumers preferences about how an important tradeoff is to be made. Microsoft products are similar they represent a certain level of standardization and innovation. This is the source of all the nonsense being bandied about regarding network effects that is, the advantage that Microsoft allegedly enjoys because its systems interact more efficiently with one another than with other firms applications. It is just a side effect of Microsofts choosing standardization over innovation a corporate strategy they should be free to pursue. It is perfectly legitimate for consumers to express their preferences about the best way to make this tradeoff; indeed, they do so every day, with their money. It is inappropriate, however, for the government to substitute its judgment of how the standardization-innovation tradeoff should be made for that of the market. Why? Because the market is simply better equipped to make such decisions. Basic economics tells us that prices convey information to firms more efficiently than any other information mechanism. Joel Klein and the other attorneys at the Department of Justice cannot, practically by definition, make informed choices about how to make the various tradeoffs in the software industry. For them to try to do so demonstrates not just hubris but ignorance. And that, at bottom, is the issue in the Microsoft trial. It is not about whether Microsoft is a nice company or whether Bill Gates is a nice person. It is about whom gets to make decisions on how software is made and sold. Do firms get to make those decisions, informed by consumer preferences? Or does the government do so with its well-documented susceptibility to private interests? I think the answer is clear.