A Boy and Girl’s Relationship in James Joyce’s “Araby”

A Boy and Girl’s Relationship in James Joyce’s â€Å"Araby† A relationship is a connection between two people or more. The relationship could be made up of different types, races, or genders of people. One relationship in the story â€Å"Araby† by James Joyce is on that has to deal with a boy and a girl. The relationship is between the narrator, who by choice of the author remains nameless, and his friend Mangan’s sister. The relationship that the story revolves around is a relationship that is continuously evolving and changes from casual friendship to total obsession.This relationship controls the plot of the story and shows how much a person’s obsession can affect the relationship. As the story goes along, the boy builds feelings for the girl which quickly reach the point of obsession. At the beginning of the story the girl means nothing more to the boy then just a sign that his friend has to go inside, and stop playing with all of his fri ends. As the story continues, the narrator develops feelings for the girl, and instantly her appearance is much more than just the time to go in the house.While playing with the girl’s brother, all the narrator thinks about is when his friend’s sister will come outside and how he can get her attention. He says, â€Å"We waited to see whether she would remain or go in and, if she remained, we left our shadow and walked up to Mangan’s steps resignedly. † This statement shows that, although he is not assertive with his feelings, he still does anything to get the attention of the girl. He would look forward to when she walked down the block just so he could follow her and keep the image in his head.The way he felt while he saw Mangan’s sister was unparallel to any other emotion he had experienced. While looking at his window he said, â€Å"When she came out to the doorstep my heart leaped, I ran to the hall, seized my books and followed her. † H e says, â€Å"I had never spoken to her, except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood. † Although he talks to her very little, the work that he does for it is worth it and makes him happy.She quickly became the center of his attention, and was no longer just a symbol to represent a time of day; rather she was a person who he would do anything to get the attention of. The fact that the boy cannot get the girl off of his mind is just another way to show how he is obsessed with her. This is shown a few places in the story. The main character says, â€Å"Her image accompanied me even in places the most hostile to romance. † James Joyce tells how the narrator will be in places such as the grocery store with his aunt, and he still cannot get the girl off of his mind.In the story it also says how the boy sits by himself and says â€Å"O love! O love! † while thinking about the girl he is obsessed with. The boy seemed to tre at this girl as if he has know her for years now and that there is an established relationship, while in all actuality he has only known this girl for a few days In the story, the narrator shows his distinct obsession with the girl by going to Araby for her. The point that makes this so interesting is that he didn’t plan on going to this bazaar.Yes, he knew that the bazaar would be a enjoyable place to be, but he did not think about attending the event, nor did he want to ask his aunt and uncle for permission to go to it. Conversely, when the girl brought up going to Araby, and how she would not be able to attend, the narrator had no problem offering to go and to get her something while he was there. The reason why this shows the obsession level is because this was the first time that he spoken to the girl.By the end of the first conversation he had ever had with her, he had offered to go down town for her to get her something from a fair that she wanted to go to, seems like a little much considering the situation. The last example that shows the narrator’s level of obsession is how he prepared for the Araby bazaar. The day of the bazaar came slowly, and could not come quick enough for the boy. The days leading up to the bazaar the boy said â€Å"I had hardy any patience with the serious work of life, which now that it stood between me and my desire, seemed to me child’s play, ugly monotonous child’s play. This statement shows how much Araby meant to him, and how much of his attention this event took from his other commitments. The day finally came, and the boy â€Å"went from room to room singing† in his house. IT was evident that he could not wait to leave to go to the bazaar, but at this point he had to wait for his uncle to get home so that he could get some money from him. Around nine o’clock he got home, and although at this time it was a little ridiculous to go down town at his age, with the help of his aunt he was able to talk his uncle into the idea.The story â€Å"Araby† by James Joyce is based on relationship, a relationship which is based upon obsession. The boy who happens to be the victim of obsession learns by the closing lines of the story that he mislead himself, and now can see that traveling to Araby was not worth the attention of his new friend. Although Joyce does not say what exactly happens with the girl and the boy he makes it obvious that the boy was not happy with himself, and his decision to go to Araby, when Araby was

Tin and Nitric Acid

Jarrett Sears Dr. Hummel Chem 121 2/7/13 A Chemical Reaction between Tin and Nitric Acid Introduction: Finding the products made from the components of tin metal and nitric acid is the ultimate objective of this lab; the formula of the products will be found in the CRC handbook thereafter. Procedure: First, obtain a clean crucible, and heat it under a Bunsen burner until it is as hot as possible, about 15 minutes within a fume hood unit. The Bunsen burner will be used under the fume hood for the entire duration of the lab. Place a crucible on a wire gauge, and wait for the crucible and its lid to cool off completely.After cooling, obtain the weight of the crucible and lid by placing it on a petri dish to be placed on an electric balance (petri dish mass must be obtained prior) without using any hands; there will not be any touching of the fingers or hands to or on the crucible and subtract the mass of the petri dish to obtain the mass of crucible. (Mass is noted at 61. 805g with cruc ible and petri dish, crucibles mass: 25. 253g) tin is weighed between 0. 9000g and 1. 0g (for this expirement, . 98g is weighed) and added to the crucible, which is placed back onto the non. ignited Bunsen burner.While the crucible is being held by the Bunsen burner stand, 10M Nitric acid is dropped into the crucible with the tin unitil there is no longer any kind of reaction from it. This takes nearly 100 drops. It will bubble and fumes will arise. When nothing further occurs after ten minutes, the Bunsen burner is lit with the tin and nitric acid inside. Heat for about 15 minutes, let the crucible with the now contained tin oxide, cool on the wire gauze again and measure its mass. Repeat the heating process without adding anything to the crucible for an additional 15 minutes.After finding the mass of the tin oxide, by subtracting the initial weight of the crucible from the weight of the crucible with the tin oxide, we can compare the two measurements. Data: Grams Petri dish36. 552 With Crucible61. 805 Crucible alone with lid25. 253 Tin0. 98 After first run63. 043 Tin oxide:1. 238 Drops of nitric acid:100 Measured Oxygen:0. 258 2nd run of oxygen0. 253 Mass percentage of Tin: Oxygen79. 2%:20. 8% Moles of tin0. 0083 Moles of oxygen0. 01612 Discussion: After the nitric acid is applied to the tin filled crucible, the reaction has already began, after only a few drops, fumes start venting out of the crucible.There is . 98g of tin in the crucible; the nitric acid applied (100 drops: it is not necessary to weigh this for the ultimate objective of finding tin to oxygen ratio) may weigh 3 grams (hypothetically). There would be a net mass of 3. 98 grams, but due to the fumes of the reaction, some of this net mass is lost already before the burner is even turned on. This proves true even further once the burner is lit; brown fumes will be emitted from the crucible that we find later to be nitrogen dioxide in the CRC handbook. After heating and cooling, the crucible is n ow 1. 238g heavier than the empy crucible.After equating the mass of the now tin oxide, 1. 238g, we now find the tin to oxygen ratio. There is . 98 g of tin and . 258g of oxygen in this product, dividing this by their respective quantity of AMU found via the periodic table will give us the number of moles, 0. 0083 moles of tin in 0. 98 grams, or 8. 3 X10(3rd). There are 0. 01612 moles of oxygen in 0. 258 g of oxygen or 1. 612X10(3rd) this is the mass combined to the tin. When we divide these moles by the smaller figure, we then learn the empirical formula; this is our 1:2 ratios are found. Oxygen consists of 20. percent of the final mass, while tin is the remaining 79. 2%. Nitrogen is found by process of elimination, four different oxides of nitrogen are looked up in the CRC handbook: HNO3, NO, N2O, and NO2. NO2 is the only gas that is brown amongst this group. Sources of error would entail heating the crucible for duration of time too short for the reaction to finish, resulting in a heavier compound, and jeopardizing the legitimacy of the entire experiment. It could potentially leave the demonstration with nothing to be learned if there is not a 1:2 ratio after finding the inaccurate molar masses.Conclusion: This is to understand how reactions occur, and sometimes need more than to just be mixed together, heat is needed. Also, the ratio of mass does not infer ratio of atoms, far from it. The 1:2 tin oxide ratio results when one molecule of tin (Sn) combines with 2 nitric acid molecules (2HNO3), and the hydrogen is released as NO2 (byproduct) this is the fume referred to prior, where the value of mass is lost and the remains are the product of tin oxide: SnNO2. The mass of the tin far outweighs that of oxygen by nearly 60%, yet consists of only two thirds of the molecular ratio. Sn +2HNO3 > SnO2+2NO2+H2

Marketing Promotional Mix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Promotional Mix - Essay Example The message must be comprehensible, concise, enlightening and communicative, because this will help to make certain that mothers understand your offering. 1.2 Defining a need the product or service can fulfill Underlying the importance of the Heart Monitor in the best possible manner would create a need in the minds of the customers. Persuasive messages would help more in the cause. The goal would be to convince mothers that the product will provide the best value to them, compared to the competitors. This can be supported by giving competitive pricing and other customer oriented benefits. You may also want to create an urgent demand by proffering limited time offers and other attractive offers. 1.3 Encouraging action from the target: Once you have created an awareness of the product and persuaded the target market, now it is the time to compel them to purchase the product. All the efforts to persuade the customers and to create awareness would go in vain if the customer does not mak e a purchase. It is very important to inform the customers about the product so that they patronise your brand and become a core buyer and make a repurchase. (Alyn, 2009) 2. Promotional Mix 2.1 Advertising Advertising is defined as any paid form of non-personal promotion of products and services by a sponsor. The Heart monitor can be advertised on print and broad media. Although, it can be very expensive, it allows the company to dramatise its products through the artful use of print, sound and color. By placing the ad in different medium the company would get a chance to unleash the product whole heartedly into the market. The customers would get to view the product and would see the various attributes, features and benefits of it. Advertising would enable Mothercare to recur a message numerous times, and would let the buyer receive and evaluate the ad and the underlying messages of various competitors. The ad should be clearly planned out and should be a breakthrough ad; it should be the one which would successfully break the clutter. For this purpose, most organisations take the services of a creative agency which aims at bring the advertising message strategy to life in a distinctive and memorable way. A creative ad would help to build a long-term image for Baby Heart Monitor. It would also trigger quick sales as a result. 2.2 Public Relations Public Relations is defined as building excellent relations with the company's assorted publics or stakeholders by acquiring constructive and positive publicity, strengthening a high-quality communal representation and managing and resolving inauspicious hearsays, anecdotes and events. The Public Relations (PR) department at Mothercare can use many different tools to promote the Baby Heart Monitor; Mothercare can call press and media before launching their product by creating and placing interesting information in the news medium to catch the attention of attention to a person, product or service. Product Publicity i s a free form of promotion and it takes the goodwill of the brand coupled with its image to get publicised. Mothercare can use its goodwill to allow various TV channels into publicising specific products via documentaries and infotainment news. Mothercare can make full use of its positive image, and the goodwill to build and maintain local, national and international relations. Mothercare can also build and maintain relations with legislators and government officials to influence legislation

The effect of social media on Arab spring Research Proposal

The effect of social media on Arab spring - Research Proposal Example Social media diffuse social, economic, political, and cultural barriers within the society (Qualman 8). The speedy propagation and adoption of technology has fueled the use of social media as a tool for activism. The Arab Spring in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Syria, and Yemen demonstrate this potential. During the Arab Spring, social media played a critical role in spreading information and unifying the protesters. Social media can be defined as online media content created and shared by individuals on the cyberspace using freely and easily accessible websites. The websites employ interfaces that enable people to generate and post images, videos, as well as chat and text information. The created information can be shared with a select group of friends or the entire public domain. Social media incorporate blogs, wikis, forums, content communities, micro blogs, social networking sites, and podcasts. Social media detail characteristics such as participation, whereby individuals make contributions and receive feedback from the target groups. Similarly, it also incorporates openness, whereby social media encourage participation and feedback from all through voting, commenting, and sharing of information. Thirdly, it involves conversation, whereby social media is two-way contrasting broadcast oriented traditional media. The community aspect arises from allowing people to mutually share universal interests such as art and politics. Lastly, social media enhance connectedness by linking people, sites, locations, and resources. To a large extent, social media enhance democratization of information; transforming users from content readers to content publishers (Al-Deen & Hendricks 205). Social media effects can be classified into behavioural, attitudinal, cognitive, and emotional. Social media play a key role in the learning and social

Human Growth and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Human Growth and Development - Essay Example Freud described child development as a range of psychosexual stages. Freud outlined these psychosexual stages of development as â€Å"oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital† (Cherry, 2013). The pleasure-seeking energies get focused upon certain erogenous areas. This libido serves drives the individual’s behavior. Sigmund Freud considered that the personality of an individual is established mostly as he/she reaches the age of five years. Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development theory is also a very popular theory of personality in the field of psychology. According to Erikson, personality of an individual develops in stages. While Freud’s theory throws light upon the psychosexual aspects and experiences, Erikson’s theory highlights the significance of social experiences that an individual has at different stages in life. Both theories are commonly based on the assumption that the experiences that an individual has during the early stages of develop ment influences his/her life in the later stages (Davis and Clifton, 1995). The first unfortunate thing that happened in the life of Eridanus was the hospitalization of Philadelphia for several weeks. The first year of life is the stage of infancy during which the individual learns most of the things in life in general and develops a fair understanding of the relationships and their importance in particular. However, in order for an infant to achieve this successfully, it is imperative that he/she is given due attention and love of both parents and other relatives. Eridanus was too unfortunate to have the attention of his parents during infancy as a result of which, he was frustrated. This reflects from the fact that Eridanus became clingy with Philadelphia and her absence easily distressed him but Philadelphia had to struggle very hard to give her husband and son the attention that each of the two

Criteria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Criteria - Essay Example No two individuals are alike either physically or mentally in this world and hence their learning abilities also might be different. This paper briefly explains my experiences as a learner. The learning theory of constructivism argues that knowledge is actively constructed and not received passively from the environment (Constructivism: a theory of learning, n. d). It is easy to know things, but it is difficult to learn things. Acquisition of knowledge is the initial step of learning. But the knowledge we receive from the environment may not be perfect. In order to construct this knowledge to a perfect shape, we should analyse the knowledge more deeply. For example, during my high school days, one of my science teachers asked me what electricity is. I replied that it is the flow of electrons. Then the teacher asked me in which direction the electron is flowing. I replied it is from cathode to anode. Then he asked me if the electron is flowing from cathode to anode, then why electricity is represented from anode to cathode. I became answerless and the teacher explained that our learning will never be a perfect one if we fail to go deep into the roots of the topic. From then onwards, I have changed my learning style and started to analyse things more deeply. I have realized that knowledge is useless if we fail to do something with that. Nickerson et al, (1985) have mentioned that understanding requires the connecting of facts, the relating of newly acquired information to what is already known and the weaving of bits of knowledge into an integrated and cohesive whole (Nickerson et al, 1985, p.234). Analogy in learning is the process of identifying similarities between two concepts (Teaching approaches: analogies, n. d, p. 2). Complicated topics can be learned properly if we are able to establish some analogies. For example, solar system and the distribution, rotation, revolutions etc of the planets are

Reflection paper on a five-hour kindergarten observation Essay

Reflection paper on a five-hour kindergarten observation - Essay Example Reflection paper on a five-hour kindergarten observation My visits transpired on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, staying for the duration of five hours in total, which is the required number of hours for the activity. During the first day, I read to the class a story of three children of various ethnicities. One is John, a British, Chi, Japanese, and Alex, an African. It was a story about friendship and sharing. I flipped pictures from time to time in order to make the story-telling more interesting. This strategy is in synergy with considerations for pluralistic perspective in education, which takes into account the concept of multicultural education. The strategy I used to encourage children to appreciate each individuality and diversity of one another through exposing them to readings about cultural diversity is attuned to the concept of multicultural education, which fosters the understanding of diversify (Fu, [please enter the year]). On the same day, we conducted a group activity with the children where they would build a castle out of cubes and triangles. Each team had three members, making a total of five teams. The composition of each team is diverse, since it is a diverse class. Each team showed their finished products and each one explained what they contributed in the building of the castle. They were happy and laughing while doing their castles, making sure that theirs was the most beautiful one. It seemed like a pleasant experience for them. This activity is attuned to the concept of multicultural education.

Historical Museum Marketing Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Historical Museum Marketing Plan - Assignment Example This plan includes the following sections: Analysis, where both an information audit and marketing audit inform the mission statement; Planning, where the key issues and market position applicable to the company are compiled into a strategic development structure; Implementation, where the aforementioned analysis is distilled into specific recommendations regarding product, placement, price, and promotion; and Control, where specific systems for monitoring and evaluation are framed within the context of the relevant organizational implications in terms of budget, staffing, and organizational structure. Appropriate use of the recommendations included herein will position the management of LEHM to guide the marketing of the company's products and services so as to maximize operational revenue, profitability, and funding of future growth. To assist with analyzing the company's market potential, I will perform an information audit designed to determine what needed information is lacking. I will perform a marketing audit to determine how well any current marketing resources are being used and then formulate a mission statement that management can use to help make employee's investment in the company's objectives undemanding. An information audit will provide me with the necessary parameters for developing the plan. Management has supplied me with extensive operational and historical data of good quality. There is sufficient information to understand the operations of the company, the environment in which it functions, and some of the organizational objectives it seeks to attain. Unfortunately, there is scant information in terms of marketing. The organization does not have a formal marketing strategy. Accordingly, the supplied information is helpful for general awareness but useless in terms of marketing. Complicating the process, the company does not have any procedures in place for collecting information relative to its market. As set forth in the information plan below, management will need to focus on obtaining several key elements before a successful marketing plan can be put in place. Specifically, we need several sets of data: Demographic, Competitive, Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, and Tec hnological. This information will allow the formation of an effective plan. Management should attain the necessary information by accepting the following objectives and implementing the specific procedures recommended. The information plan is charted, rated, and explained below: Information Requirements Information Availability Predicted Accuracy Timeframe to Complete Methodology Demographic Good Empirical Immediate Create Data Card Competitive Good High Immediate On-site Visitation Collect demographic data. As soon as practicable, management should utilize a simple data card to determine specific data on who is using the museum so that they can know their customers and identify any major market segments that could be targeted for marketing, i.e., their place in the market. This can be achieved by having visitors fill out a registration form upon entry to the museum, and staff completing the same form for school

Clinical supervision and reflections on practice Essay

Clinical supervision and reflections on practice - Essay Example Reflections and Supervision: Caring for the sick and elderly Conclusion References Introduction Reflective strategies are used to enhance professional observation of the work experience with others and it enhances clinical supervision. Reflection is a process of generating meaning from experiences by considering actions taken with the aim of improving upon future decision-making (Jasper, 2003). Reflective strategies help in identifying gaps in knowledge, skills and learning needs. Reflective strategies also help in analysing communication and relationships with colleagues. Reflective strategies examine decisions taken and are essential in order to identify errors made during decision-making and steps to be avoided when making future decisions. One strategy which the author has used herself for reflection in her work place is clinical supervision. In the future, she would like to consider the use a reflective diary as well. The following discussion will be contextualized both in terms of relevant literature and postings in the MOODLE Discussion Forum by this author and various contributors commenting on the usefulness of a â€Å"reflective diary† and the value of â€Å"management and supervision† of the nursing practice. As the MOODLE postings show, practice may be perceived as benefiting from reflection and supervision. Not everyone agrees, however. Nevertheless, postings on this and the issue of supervision are a very useful way of entering on a discussion of their benefits. Reflections and Supervision: Caring for the sick and elderly â€Å"Reflective practice is associated with learning from experience and is viewed as an important strategy for health professionals who embrace life-long learning† (NHS Guidelines, 2006). Reflecting upon one’s work or practise as a nurse is thus essential (Nursing Standard, 2011; Jasper, 2003). When finding oneself in a difficult situation, one may benefit from stopping and taking time to reflect on what just transpired with the goal to learn from a past mistake in order to make amendments and adjustments to be able to do things differently next time (Johns, 1995). Reflecting upon one’s own position in a certain work process that typically involves a team that has to interact to produce a beneficial outcome, scrutinizing one’s own emotions and the way one often â€Å"balances† between the demands of biology and medicine and the needs of the sick one cares for as a nurse is fundamental to ensure â€Å"best practices† (Bowling, 2009). Keeping a â€Å"reflective journal† or a â€Å"reflective diary† are effective reflective techniques (Heath, 1998, pp. 592-598). Other useful reflective strategies include mentoring, clinical supervision, appraisals, handovers, meetings, group supervision. These means imply an evaluation of skills and enhance learning. The author of this essay has herself benefited from reflecting on her practice and various factual events when she was a student nurse, recording her private experiences, emotions, thoughts and views in a â€Å"reflective diary†. Once a qualified nurse, she abandoned the use of this important tool but has again come to realize its great benefit for nurses in always attending to the above-mentioned distinction and the uniqueness and humanity of each patient. â€Å"I have overlooked the reflective diary in my experience as a qualified nurse at junior level, even as a unit manager. I felt limited by it, and if one loses the diary all the data are lost. After doing the APEL module, my focus is totally different. From the 1st of Feb 20011 till my retirement I am determined to reflect on my practise, use a reflective diary and make a secure electronic copy of it† (â€Å"Reflective Diary†, this author, MOODLE Discussion Forum, 24 January 2011). There is wide agreement on the Forum on the usefulness of the diary (cf. Rolfe et al., 2001). One contributor note s that she qualified as a nurse a long while ago and not until

Is the Use of Animals in Research Ethical Essay

Is the Use of Animals in Research Ethical - Essay Example These arguments are true in some cases. However, it is almost impossible to stop using such animals because their use is of great importance for the survival of man and animals as well. This paper analyses the ethics of using animals during research, the anticipated audience being animal health experts. Animals are often used as substitutes for human volunteers and are important specimens through whom scientists can monitor reaction to various stimuli and other significant variables in complex organs and tissues. They are therefore important for the development of medicine or testing medicine before use in the large human and animal population. If this is not done, a large population of human beings and animals would have died from diseases or affected by certain drugs that were not tested before being released and this would have been more unethical. Basing on this evidence and facts, I hold to the position that the use of animals in research is ethical. This research is important b ecause it will help to bring to an end or minimize the strife that exists between scientists and groups that argue that the use of animals in research is unethical. ... Â  Evidence supporting the use of animals in research According to the British Royal Society (2004), virtually all achievements in the field of medicine during the 20th century are credited to the use of animals. Through their use, there have been great breakthroughs in the development of vaccines, antibiotics, anesthesia and numerous medicines for treating various diseases. Biomedical research would have required the use of human volunteers for testing. However, it should be noted that some of the experiments are very risky and the subjects could die and this could lead many legal issues. Therefore, animals provide a good alternative that allows scientists to observe reactions and do experimental manipulations on them in order to investigate mechanisms of normal functions and disease. This is the rationale behind the use of animals used in research. Apart from the risky nature of some experiments, there are also some other reasons that make the use of animals in research inevitable . The idea of shifting to the use of non-animal subjects in scientific experiments is very attractive and agreeable. However, there are some types of experiments that cannot be performed through the use of such alternatives. According to the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (2004), even the most sophisticated type of computers are not able to model the interactions between cells, tissues, organs, molecules and organisms, and the environment. There are many types of researchers in which animals have been used. These are toxicology testing, pure research, basic or pure research, applied research, drug testing, education, defence, and breeding. Basic/pure research is used to investigate how organisms function, develop and behave.

Napoleon and Snowball (Animal Farm) Essay Example for Free

Napoleon and Snowball (Animal Farm) Essay George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an allegorical novel that reflects events such as the Bolshevik revolution, the economic reform by Trotsky the Russian famine in 1921 and during the Stalin era before the Second World War. The pigs represent the communist leadership, and the rest of the animals on the farm symbolize the different parts of Russian society and how the communist takeover of Russia affected them. Two main characters, Snowball and Napoleon (who symbolize Trotsky and Stalin), engages in a political struggle, as both of them wanted to have the power to lead all of the animals. Although Napoleon wins the struggle in the end, Snowball’s political strategy is better than the corrupted leadership of Napoleon. Snowball cares more about the living condition of the animals. Compared to Napoleon, Snowball knows the meaning of â€Å"Animalism†, which is animals are equal and it should lead the animals to a better life. Snowball is interested in reading all kinds of books to enrich his scope of knowledge to make the animals work easier. For example, he declares the windmill idea from a book of the Jones. Also Snowball is very brave; he has studied the book of Julian Caesar and successfully led through the Battle of the Cowshed while Napoleon was hiding himself in the barn. Snowball has an intelligent and friendly character. Unlike Napoleon, Snowball never forces someone to agree with his ideas. Instead, he is good at explaining how his ideas work and persuades all the animals to believe and trust his ideas. Unlike Napoleon, Snowball does not need Squealer’s help, he can do the explaining part all by himself. Napoleon has his own ways to control other animals such as the dogs and Squealer but Snowball has different way which is the committees. Snowball seems to work better within the political system. Napoleon goes around it. Napoleon, for instance, he understands the role of force in political control and uses his attack dogs to expel Snowball from the farm. Napoleon seems to have a powerful, self-centered desire for control, while Snowball seems to think of himself as a genius who should be the one to guide the farm toward success. Snowball is the only one who knows the real meaning of â€Å"Animalism†, and he is putting out true effort to make the living standard of the animals better than before, and insists everyone is equal. After the expel of Mr. Jones, the Animal Farm is supposed to be democracy, all of the animals should decide how to do things together, any one animal to rise to greater power than any other would violate that ideal, and make Animal Farm indistinguishable from a human farm. On the other hand the only thing that Napoleon thinks about is how to gain more power and personal benefit from the farm. Snowball always comes up with some long-term plans and on the other hand Napoleon can only come up with some short-term plans. In conclusion, Snowball’s political strategy is better then the corrupted leadership of Napoleon.

What Is Critical Reflection Education Essay

What Is Critical Reflection Education Essay In the report first of all to study what is critical reflection, define what is reflection, through to compulsion or voluntarism, employer or individual responsibility, personal and values research the reflection of the role and value. Research how to realize the critical reflection, define what are CPD and PDP. People in certain work environment how to accurately use critical reflection, make critical reflection and CPD, PDP together, through the leadership skills, communication skills and problem solving skills, critical reflection and other aspects of the in-depth analysis. The last, write down my own personal development plan, through the strengths, weakness, opportunity and threats analyze my future development. From the report draw a conclusion. 2.0 Introduction Critical reflection has great value in the areas of personal and professional development. Continuing professional development is a means by which one can maintain a competitive edge in their professional lives (Bourgeois 2011). This should be accompanied by personal development which will include the improvement of ones skill set in order to add value to ones own life as well as their professional life. Reflection involves analyzing our knowledge and experiences critically. Reflective practice is the practical application of the results of reflection. It entails the individual identifying the patterns of thought that have been applied to our previous actions and how they will affect our growth and development going forward (Guralnik 2009). The difference between the two lies in the aim of reflective practice to improve the manner in which you work rather than just understanding it, which is what reflection aims to do. The purpose of reflection and reflective practice is self-understanding and improvement. An individual reflects upon their thoughts and subsequent actions in the workplace with an aim to improve upon them (Welich 2007). By taking part in this process, an individual is then able to understand their own shortcomings and improve them by applying new strategies. These are valuable to both an individual and the organization in which he/she is based. When an individual is able to improve their own actions through reflective practice, it benefits both themselves and their organization (Mintzberg 2009). Self-improvement of individual workers leads them to be more productive and efficient in the work place. This in turn leads to a more productive work place, especially if all the employees within an organization are encouraged to use reflective practice (Baidu 2010). 3.0 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Continuing professional development can be seen as a direct result of critical reflection. Once one reflects critically on their professional capabilities and goals, then they are able to start the process of CPD. It is important to understand several concepts involved with CPD. There are four stages in the CPD cycle: reflection on practice, planning, action, and evaluation. These four stages take place in a cyclic manner (Slack 2001). Reflection on practice involves an individuals identification of what he or she needs to learn or be able to do in the professional environment. An individual critically reflects on his/her own professional practice (Pyme Administrate Hoy 2010). This will include what is being done right and what requires improvement. Depending on the individuals profession, this may include certain techniques and procedures that have come up within their area of expertise. Planning involves the specific actions that are taken by the individual to learn the things which he or she has identified in the reflection on practice stage. After the specific areas of focus have been identified, then the individual comes up with the best way for him/her to learn. This may be through personal endeavors or by seeking professional assistance e.g. through seminars (.Jummal 1999) At this point, the areas of improvement have been identified and the necessary knowledge acquired. The next stage is action. This involves the implementation of the new knowledge in a professional setting. An individual acquires knowledge that will help improve their professional lives and the application of this knowledge in the work place is important to CPD (Lewis and Green 1998). If what was learned is not applied, then the two aforementioned stages will have been for nothing. The fourth stage is evaluation. This is a reflection on what has been learned as well as its application. The individual can now evaluate what benefits, if any the learned and applied knowledge is benefitting his/her professional practice. They are then able to gauge the success of the effort that they have put towards CPD. The cyclic nature of CPD means that after a while, it will be necessary to begin the process again by reflecting on current practice (Porter 2000). This may overlap with the fourth stage of evaluation. 3.1 CPD paradoxes and dilemmas There are several paradoxes that have been identified in CPD. Have explored these paradoxical concepts through their review of the work as follows: 3.1.1 Compulsion or Voluntarism This applies to whether the pursuit of CPD is voluntary or by compulsion. The reason for CPD is an important factor that contributes towards ones dedication to it (Garner and Boulton 2011). 3.1.2 Employer or Individual Responsibility There is both an individual responsibility as well as one for the employer when it comes to CPD. The employer needs to create an environment that is conducive to CPD (Scales 2011). The individuals responsibility in this case is to pursue CPD within the tenets provided by the employer. Without dedication from both the employer and the individual, CPD cannot successfully occur. 3.1.3 Teaching or Learning When an individual is taught something, they need to be able not only to learn it in theory, but also to apply it in practice. There needs to be a connection between the experiences on the ground and what is taught to the learner, which may not always happen (Megginson and Whitaker 2003) . 3.1.4 Life Purpose or Life Experience Life experience in CPD requires the individual to reflect on the path that has led them to the present position. Life purpose involves reflection on the purpose of ones life, both professionally and personally to intensify the effects of CPD (Pickering 2011). 3.1.5 Personal Development or Organizational Learning An organization is incapable of learning. Only the people working within that organization are able to learn and improve (Headley 2010). CPD must therefore begin with personal development of individuals that will later lend itself to organizational improvement. 3.1.6 Values Driven or Pragmatic Development Within an organization, development can either be driven by pragmatic concerns or those of the values held by the organization. Those developments based on the organizations values are consistent and can hold true over time. On the other hand, those driven by immediate pragmatic concerns such as profit tend to change from time to time and employees might find them hard to adhere to (Mauborgne 2009). They may even at times be contrary to the individuals CPD and the organizations values. 3.1.7 Journey or Exploration CPD can either be based on preset achievements or goals or can seek improvement without necessarily setting out the final goal. The type applied depends on an individuals preference, time constraints, and the flexibility of the organization in which he/she is based. 4.0 Learning Theories There are several theories related to the manner in which individuals learn. It is important for an individual to understand these theories and relate them to his/her own way of learning (Williamson2011) . Understanding ones learning style preferences is important to personal and professional development because it will assist in the planning stage of the CPD, as well as PDP. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs: According to Maslows hierarchy of needs, there is a certain order in which ones needs must be met. These needs are arranged in a pyramid, with the most necessary needs at the bottom of the pyramid and the least necessary needs at the top. CPD and PDP are related to the final two needs described in Maslows hierarchy. More specifically, CPD can be likened to a pursuit of ones responsibilities in the workplace while PDP can be associated with personal growth and fulfillment. In keeping with Maslows hierarchy, it is therefore important to pay attention to the needs that come before esteem and self-actualization in order to be able to pursue PDP and CPD. Dunn and Dunns learning Styles: According to Dunn and Dunn, there are certain stimuli that should be used to stimulate learners (Slack 2011). A further classification provided by Dunn and Dunn divide these stimuli into five segments i.e. environmental, emotional, sociological, psychological, and physiological (Dunn and Dunn 2003). The rate of learning and retention is influenced by more than just an individuals level of intelligence. When the vark styles are taken into consideration, then it is clear that some teaching methods are better suited for specific learners. Visual learners find teaching methods that include visual aids favorable to learning. Auditory learners prefer to listen (Administrate Hoy 2010). Reader or writer learners like to refer to books and take down notes. Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. They rely mostly on their sense of touch. There are instances where a learners preferred mode consists of two or more of those described above. Experiential Learning: Experiential learning can either involve learning through experience or applying what one has learned instantly to a pertinent setting. According to Kolb and Fry (1976), learning involves a cycle that includes experience, observation and experience, forming abstract concepts, and testing new situations. The cycle can begin at any one of these four points. Just because experience is mentioned first does not mean that it is always the first step in the cycle. 5.0 Personal Development Plan (PDP) Through reflection and reflective practice, it is then possible to come up with a personal development plan. A personal development plan is not necessarily completely independent of CPD. One may view some areas of PDP such as pursuing education to be in line with certain goals within PDP. Learning is a continuous life event (Mathews and Seott 2002). There is not a single time in the course of ones lifetime that one can stop learning. This is especially due to the fact that human beings learn through life experiences. The starting point in examining my own learning cycle would begin with experience and knowledge up to the present. This includes educational background and professional experience (Porter 2011). There are certain experiences that have great value in teaching of new skills, or perhaps pointing out flaws in my own preferred process. 5.1 My Own Personal Development Plan (PDP) It is important for an individual to have a PDP that reflects their own knowledge, experiences, and aspirations. There are two major things involved in my PDP. These include personal skill development and professional advancement. These two are interrelated because in pursuing personal skill development through learning and education (Willianmson 2010), I will at the same time increase my chances for professional advancement. My PDP will reflect the interrelated nature of PDP and CPD, and as such involve milestones in the PDP that will contribute towards CPD and professional advancement. The future includes continuous learning. This will be facilitated through seeking educational opportunities such as seminars (Crawford 2008). It will also involve a personal dedication to continuous learning through constant reading of relevant informative websites and blogs. A great advantage of this avenue is that it is up to date with many websites and blogs being updated at least once a week if not more (Anna 2000). Blogs and websites also provide a more relaxed and interactive learning atmosphere than seminars and other formal learning environments. 5.2 My Future Plan In the future, I want to be a hotel manager in China. Using the SWOT analysis method, developing my knowledge and skills, I will be able to apply this newly acquired expertise in my professional life (Secord 2010). In keeping with Maslows hierarchy, pursuing self-actualization needs will by extension also help me meet my esteem needs at the professional level. PDP takes precedence over CPD because personal development. Strengths: As a hotel manager, my biggest advantage is good at communicating with others. Hotel service industry is the biggest characteristic of regular and customer communication, understanding of customer ideas, better service to customers. As a hotel manager, and customer communication is important, but it is more important to know how to communicate with staff. Concerned about the staffs daily life, on the staff of the outstanding performance to give praise, when employees have errors, should not blindly criticize, but education and help employees. In the usual to allow employees to feel they are valued. Through the staff and guests communication, better management of the hotel. Weakness: Doing all the things before, I will first think of all possible scenarios, and to make corresponding arrangement. Hotel service industries, this weakness causes my usual workload is too big, spending too much time, effort and employees in a little thing. Often this is not conducive to the normal operation of the hotel. Opportunity: In China, tourism industry is very developed, in recent years, the tourism industry is on a new level, and the development of tourism industry will promote the development of hotel industry. But I have practical experience, to Chinas hotel industry has some understanding, for newly graduated students, I have to quickly adapt to the hotel service work. A lot of the hotel catering and housekeeping departments just hire some nonprofessional staff training after work, a lack of professional personnel. I as a hotel management graduate students, to the hotel service industry has deep understanding, can quickly into the work. Threats: Although the hotel management in China is a new type of occupation, but as China Tourism and hotel service industry development, more and more technical talents, but the hotel management job is really limited, for me it is a great threat to. So Im supposed to work at the same time many self-promotion, pay attention to the development of personal skills, at the same time the accumulation of experience and knowledge, in the remain invincible in the work. 6.0 Conclusion Reflective practice is the starting point of both PDP and CPD. Through critically analyzing ones knowledge and experiences, it is then possible to come up with a valid plan that will lead to self-improvement (Bourgeois 2010). It is important to note that PDP and CPD are not mutually exclusive. Both involve critical reflection on past experience and coming up with a plan for improvement (Sarasvathy 2012). At times, pursuing ones personal development goals such as seeking education can advance CPD in an individuals career. It is therefore important to pay close attention to both PDP and CPD.

International Legal Position on Software Patents

International Legal Position on Software Patents Title ‘Discuss critically the current international legal position on the patentability of software and business method inventions’. Introduction As a general proposition, the speed at which a true global economy has been assembled over the past 20 years has been the dominant element in the re-ordering of international legal regulations concerning software and business method patents. The central premise of this paper is the that ability to regulate by patent the speed of scientific progress is akin to attempting to score a direct hit on a moving target. This paper will examine the relationship between global economic forces and patentability, first from the United Kingdom perspective as an example of a national intellectual property protection system. The analysis will then be directed to the European Patent Convention and its regulatory framework, with a comparison drawn between the EPC and other regimes. The supranational patent enforcement structure provided by way of the World Trade Organisation is the final international aspect of the review. These selected legal frameworks are not intended as an exhaustive summary of international patent law; they establish a useful basis against which the present question may be considered from commercial and public perspectives. As the following review illustrates, international software and business method patent law is a mixture of legal theory, economic factors, and philosophical preferences regarding the control of ideas and related technologies. The international intellectual property legal order is not so much a finite system as it is a still-evolving organism where certainty of result and clarity of legal purpose are not settled. Patents, software and business method inventions generally The term ‘business method invention’ is a very broad and circumstance driven notion; it is often defined by what it is not, as opposed to what in fact it represents. As a general rule, business method inventions are any design that encompasses economic activities such as buying and selling items, marketing techniques, financial schemes (e.g. pension plan organisations) and gaming strategies.[1] In the European Union, the historical distinction between patentable and non-patentable inventions was the presence of a technical component in the design or system; business method inventions were therefore inherently non-patentable concepts in Europe.[2] Software is a similarly broad term that is capable of bearing several meanings. For the purpose of the present review, system software is any software required to support the production or execution of application programs but which is not specific to any particular application[3]. Examples of system software would include a computer operating system[4]. By contrast, application programs include Microsoft Excel © or computer assisted drawing (CAD) programmes; this software includes source code written by humans and executable machine code[5]. Software does not usually include the data processed by programs unless the desired format depends on the use of computers for its presentation, such as multimedia[6]. Patents and intellectual property protection turns on two fundamental principles, the territorial nature of the protection, and the extent to which a patent holder may permit others through licenses or other agreements to use the protected property. Given that patent law is not harmonised to any significant degree, patent protection is at best a variable and imperfect tool to promote rights associated with software and business inventions. [7] As this analysis progresses, it is important to distinguish between the characteristics of patents and those of copyright. Copyright is the protection afforded to intellectual property regarding how an idea may be expressed or controlled. While copyright does not safeguard the idea itself, software copyright usually extends its coverage to the reproduction of software source codes. Patents are the legal protection granted by a country over an invention, its underlying methodology, or its function. Patent law provides more comprehension protection that that available by copyright, licensing, or other any other safeguards that may be created by a contract over intellectual property. A patent is commercially desirable because as it establishes a legal monopoly over the protected property for the patent holder, adding value to the protected concept. The American influence A critical discussion of international software patent law that does not touch upon the American legal position is akin to not mentioning the proverbial white elephant seated at one’s dinner table. The United States Patent Office historically has been the busiest such institution in the world; American based companies initiate more patents world wide that any other business sector. The United States Supreme Court was the first to legalise software patents[8] and the first major jurisdiction to give explicit recognition to the concept of the business method patent.[9] American influence has been important but not determinative in these areas; however, the American test for a business method invention patent as whether the subject concept leads to a ‘useful, concrete and tangible result’ is very influential.[10] The American approach may be borne in mind as the UK, European, and World Trade Organisation positions are considered. UK patents Reflecting the biases of the first English patent law[11], there was a long held reluctance in the UK to permit computer innovation patents. In the 1970s, as computer technology experienced incredible global growth, UK patents were restricted to industrial innovations, machinery, manufactured products, and tangible items. Patents were not granted in the UK where the subject involved the mathematical expression of a scientific truth such as an algorithm. Three recent UK patent law decisions are instructive in this regard. The most current and arguably the most important articulation of UK software patent law principles is Aerotel Ltd. v Telco Holdings Ltd.[12] The Court of Appeal considered the deficiencies of both UK and European patent legislation in light of modern global commercial developments. The Court, through Jacobs LJ stated that it had no concern for the intense current political debates concerning software patents[13], a statement that is difficult to accept at face value given the multinational nature of the case. However, the Court described the fundamental purpose for modern patent protection in clear and unambiguous language: The patent system is there to provide a research and investment incentive but it has a price. That price (what economists call transaction costs) is paid in a host of ways: the costs of patenting, the impediment to competition, the compliance cost of ensuring non-infringement, the cost of uncertainty, litigation costs and so on. There is, so far as we know, no really hard empirical data showing that the liberalisation of what is patentable in the USA has resulted in a greater rate of innovation or investment in the excluded categories. Innovation in computer programs, for instance, proceeded at an immense speed for years before anyone thought of granting patents for them as such[14]. The Court held that all (emphasis added) potential UK patents should be validated by a two part test expressed in the following terms: First, determine what the inventor has contributed to the art over and above a computer operating in a new way as a matter of substance and, second, determine whether this contribution lies in excluded matter or, on the contrary, whether it consists in a technical contribution or effect.[15] Menashe Business Mercantile Ltd v. Hill [16]is an equally instructive 2002 decision of the Court of Appeal, as the reasons for judgement underscore the fluidity of modern computer based commercial applications and the difficulty to apply traditional enforcement methods, in the context of the relationship between UK and European community patent law. The plaintiff Menashe commenced an action seeking UK enforcement of a patent issued by the European Patent Office regarding his interactive gambling software. The defendant Hill claimed that as the host computer required to operate the software system was located outside of the UK, there could be no breach of the Menache patent. The Court held that in this case, jurisdiction over the patent ‘lay with the punter’[17] – where gambling activities occurred by means of UK computer access, Hill violated the patent and the UK courts could enforce the patent. The decision referenced as CFPHs Applications, 2005[18] is a useful summary of how the UK and European Patent offices approach both software patents and business inventions; the Court strikes a blow for pragmatism in its conclusion that there will likely never to be a comprehensive definition of ‘invention’.[19] Accordingly, the court suggested that difference in the approaches of the UK and European patent offices should have little effect on how patents are enforced in most cases.[20] The complexity of each of the noted cases underscores an important barrier to enforcement the current patent system serves only those who can afford to litigate a patent claim. European Patent Convention (EPC) The European Union is the second most active patent registration regime in the world. EPC Article 52(1) sets out the general rule: European patents will be granted for any inventions that include a ‘technical character’.[21] Conversely, the patentability exclusions described in Article 52(2) include traditional business methods that have no invention or technical component. However, a number of concepts that combine technical and non-technical components have been approved for European patent, including an x-ray machine with a software component[22] and other computer related devices.[23] The language of EPC Articles 52 and 53 when taken together has resulted in significant confusion with respect to the availability of software patents.[24] The articles stated that ‘as such’ computer programmes are excluded from patentability, yet as of 2005 over 40,000 software –related patents had been granted by the EPO in a host of technology fields. When coupled with differing rules enacted in each of the EU member nations, software patent laws in Europe are decidedly ambiguous.[25] Europe has been an ideological battleground pitting commercial software developers against the advocates of Open Source Software (OSS)[26] over the question of whether software should be patented at all. The OSS proponents (a world wide constituency) regard software patent laws as an inhibition to true technological progress. In July, 2005 the European Parliament rejected a legislative proposal that would have expanded the ability of software developers to obtain patent protection for their inventions. Given the size and influence of the European market, the European rejection of tighter software patents may be an indicator of a larger global trend to make software generally more accessible and conversely, less amenable to patent protection.. Since 1977, patents issued by the European Patent Office have enforceable through the patent legislation of member countries; Menashe[27] is an example. EPC Article 64 provides that the national law is the only enforcement mechanism for an alleged patent violation. It is submitted that without harmonised European enforcement, a truly effective patent system is impossible; given the importance of software development, the persistence of the present system suggests that the software industry is not entirely troubled by the patchwork European law in this regard. This European legislative deficiency mirrors those of the global software and business method patent arena. World Trade Organisation (WTO) With more than 150 member countries and a host of trade agreements and protocols that touch upon wide areas of international commerce, the WTO occupies a position of apparent importance in international software patent regulation. The foundation WTO initiative is TRIPS[28], the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, ratified January 1, 1995. TRIPS is an initiative that represents the culmination of a series of multi-lateral intellectual property agreements concluded by the WTO membership. TRIPS has been heralded as the blueprint for handling international intellectual property disputes. In light of the European developments noted above, coupled with the resounding failure of earlier WTO initiatives[29], it is exceedingly doubtful that TRIPS will become an accepted software patent legislation standard. The ability of the WTO to enforce TRIPS must also be considered in light of how modern international commercial forces are often transnational entities and not the traditional nation state.[30] No significant enforcement action has been successfully undertaken pursuant to the TRIPS protocols since its enactment. What the future holds It is submitted that the current state of international software and business method patents is a natural consequence of the speed that underlies both the function of the global economy and technological development. A coherent and enforceable international patent structure may be laudable, but the speed and inherent flexibility of innovation operating independent of any government restriction appears to have spawned a new world order where rules exist as guidelines only. As Europe and the WTO struggle to resolve the patentability of â€Å"simple† computer software applications, science is relentlessly forged ahead with biotechnical and genetic software questions[31] that will pose even more perplexing regulatory issues. Bibliography Beresford, Keith â€Å"Patenting Software under the European Patent Convention† (London: Sweet Maxwell, 2003) Boyle, James â€Å"Fencing off ideas: enclosure the disappearance of the public domain† (2002) Daedalus Vol. 131, Cahill, Lisa Sowle â€Å"Biotech Justice: Catching up with the New World Order† (2003) The Hastings Center Report Vol. 33, 1 Caulder, Isis E. â€Å"Patenting Software – The Standards in U.S., Europe, Japan and Canada† http://www.bereskinparr.com/English/publications/pdf/Patent-Six-Minute-IP.pdf (Accessed January 28, 2007) FOLDOC (Free On-Line Dictionary of Computers), Imperial College http://foldoc.org/index.cgi?query=software (Accessed January 28, 2007) Guadamusz, Andres â€Å"Open Science: Open Source Software Licenses and Scientific Research† BILETA April, 2005 Ius Mentis http://www.iusmentis.com/patents/businessmethods/epc/ (Accessed January 28, 2007) Lerner, Paul and Alexander Poltorak â€Å"Essentials of Intellectual Property† (New York: Wiley, 2002) Raymond, Eric â€Å"The New Hackers Dictionary† (Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 1991) World Trade Organisation / Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/trips_e.htm (accessed January 28, 2007) Table of Cases Aerotel Ltd. v Telco Holdings Ltd. [2006] EWCA Civ 1371 CFPHs Appns [2005] EWHC 1589 (Pat) Commissioner of Patents v. Harvard College [2002] SCC 77 (S.C.C.), Computer-Related Invention/Vicom, Decision T 208/84 EPO (OJ 1987, 14) Diamind v Diehr (1981) 450 U.S. 175 Koch Sterzel, Decision T 26/86 EPO (OJ 1988, 19) Menashe Business Mercantile Ltd v Hill [2002] EWCA Civ 1702 State Street Bank and Trust v Signature Financial Group (1998)149 F.3d 1368 (Fed. C. A.) Table of Statutes European Patent Convention UK Patent Rules, 1995 UK Patent Act, 1977 WTO / Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property 1 [1] Ius Mentis http://www.iusmentis.com/patents/businessmethods/epc/, 1 [2] See the European Patent Convention Art. 52, 53, infra [3] Software definition by FOLDOC, http://foldoc.org/index.cgi?query=software [4] FOLDOC, ibid [5] FOLDOC (Free On-Line Dictionary of Computers), supported by Imperial College (Department of Computing), London [6] FOLDOC, ibid [7] See Pt. 5 (EPC) and Pt. 6 (WTO), infra [8] Diamind v Diehr (1981) 450 U.S. 175 [9] State Street Bank and Trust v Signature Financial Group (1998)149 F.3d 1368 (Fed. C. A.) [10] Caulder, Isis E. â€Å"Patenting Software – The Standards in U.S., Europe, Japan and Canada†, 4, 5 [11] Statute of Monopolies, 1623 [12] [2006] EWCA Civ 1371 [13] Aerotel, supra, 7 [14] Ibid, 8 [15] Ibid, 9 [16] [2002] EWCA Civ 1702 [17] Ibid, 1707 [18] [2005] EWHC 1589 (Pat). [19] ibid [20] ibid [21] See also Rule 27, European Patent rules [22] Koch Sterzel, Decision T 26/86 EPO (OJ 1988, 19 [23] Computer-Related Invention/Vicom, Decision T 208/84 EPO (OJ 1987, 14) [24] Beresford, Keith â€Å"Patenting Software under the European Patent Convention† (London: Sweet Maxwell, 2003), c 3,4 [25] Caulder, 5 [26] The Open Source debate is one beyond the scope of this paper. See Raymond, Eric The New Hackers Dictionary (Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 1991); also Guadamusz, Andres ‘Open Science: Open Source Software Licenses and Scientific Research’ BILETA April, 2005 [27] (n 14) [28] World Trade Organization http://www.wto.org> [29] E.g. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade [30] E.g. Microsoft; Cahill, Lisa Sowle â€Å"Biotech Justice: Catching up with the New World Order† (2003) The Hastings Center Report Vol. 33, 1 [31] Commissioner of Patents v. Harvard College [2002] SCC 77 (S.C.C.)

The Role of Faith and the Nechung Oracle in Tibetan Culture :: Religion

The Role of Faith and the Nechung Oracle in Tibetan Culture In the United States, we pride ourselves on our objectiveness, our ability not to get caught up in religious fervor. We often think that people who believe deeply in their religion and involve it in all aspects of their lives are "fanatics"—that they are somehow beneath us, less deserving of our respect. We are taught almost from birth that the scientific method is the only way to look at the world. We learn the steps of the scientific method (observation, hypothesis, test, and theory) in elementary school. This philosophy then colors how we think of everything after that. Faith is seen as an undesirable quality and has no place in our culture. Nothing is real unless it can be proven. In Tibet, on the other hand, the Tibetan people have a profound respect for their religion. Buddhism permeates every aspect of their lives. As Harrer says in Seven Years in Tibet, The daily life of Tibetans is ordered by religious belief. Pious texts are constantly on their lips; prayer wheels turn without ceasing; prayer flags wave on the roofs of houses and the summits of mountain passes; the rain, the win, all the phenomena of nature, the lonely peaks of the snow-clad mountains bear witness to the universal presence of the gods whose anger is manifested by the hailstorm, and whose benevolence is displayed by the fruitfulness and fertility of the land. (Harrer, 1953 p 187) Religion had a part in everything from politics to when they were allowed to change clothing for the season. One day the summer season was officially declared to have begun, and summer clothes might be worn. One had no right to leave off one’s furs when one wanted to. Every year, after considerations of the omens, a day was fixed on which the nobles and monks put on summer dress†¦Summer dress must be worn from that date only. (Harrer, 1953 p182) Because religion is such an integral part of their lives, Buddhism unites the Tibetan people. I propose that the State

King Lear :: essays research papers

King Lear is widely regarded as Shakespeare's crowning artistic achievement. The scenes in which a mad Lear rages naked on a stormy heath against his deceitful daughters and nature itself are considered by many scholars to be the finest example of tragic lyricism in the English language. Shakespeare took his main plot line of an aged monarch abused by his children from a folk tale that appeared first in written form in the 12th century and was based on spoken stories that originated much further into the Middle Ages. In several written versions of "Lear," the king does not go mad, his "good" daughter does not die, and the tale has a happy ending. This is not the case with Shakespeare's Lear, a tragedy of such consuming force that audiences and readers are left to wonder whether there is any meaning to the physical and moral carnage with which King Lear concludes. Like the noble Kent, seeing a mad, pathetic Lear with the murdered Cordelia in his arms, the profound brutality of the tale compels us to wonder, "Is this the promised end?" (V.iii.264). That very question stands at the divide between traditional critics of King Lear who find a heroic pattern in the story and modern readers who see no redeeming or purgative dimension to the play at all, the message being the bare futility of the human condition with Lear as Everyman. As in Macbeth terror reaches its utmost height, in King Lear the sense of compassion is exhausted. The principal characters here are not those who act, but those who suffer. We have not in this, as in most tragedies, the picture of a calamity in which the sudden blows of fate seem still to honor the head which they strike, and where the loss is always accompanied by some flattering consolation in the memory of the former possession; but a fall from the highest elevation into the deepest abyss of misery, where humanity is stripped of all external and internal advantages, and given up a prey to naked helplessness. The threefold dignity of a king, an old man, and a father, is dishonored by the cruel ingratitude of his unnatural daughters; the old king, who out of a foolish tenderness has given away everything, is driven out into the world a homeless beggar; the childish imbecility to which he was fast advancing changes into the wildest insanity, and when he is rescued from the destitution to which he was abandoned, it is too late.

Iliad :: essays papers

Iliad Achilles’ Anger and Unreconciliation: Reassessing the Concepts of Mortality and Honor The subject of Homer’s epic poem, the Iliad, is very clearly stated--it is â€Å"the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles.† The reader remains continually aware of the extent of Achilles’ rage, yet is never told the reason why Achilles remains angry and unreconciled. There is no definitive answer to this question. Achilles is not a static character. He is constantly changing; thus the question of why he remains angry solicits different answers at various stages throughout the poem. To find an answer, the reader must carefully examine Achilles’ ever-changing dilemma involving the concepts of mortality and honor. At its simplest, Achilles’ dilemma is that if he goes to war, he will die. But he will die with glory. Achilles’ true nature is that of a warrior. The son of Peleus must fight. When he denounces Agamemnon and the Achaeans, he does not go home. His ship is last in line, near Troy. Subconsciously, he has already made the choice of accepting a short life filled with glory. Subconsciously, he wants to go back to war. He needs to. However, he also needs to insure his possession of glory and honor. But what kind of glory, what kind of honor? He already possesses the honor of the gods. He says, â€Å"my honor lies in the great decree of Zeus†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (IX.741.p.272). By book IX, material wealth is no longer what Achilles wants. He spurns Agamemnon’s offers. The typical mortal concepts of heroism no longer concern him; his ideals differ from those of his peers. Phoenix’s Meleager is no example to him. However, at this point Achilles still does not know what he wants. Pride and stubbornness still supplement his rage, but now his anger appears to be a manifest ation of his fear and confusion—â€Å"Stop confusing my fixed resolve with this†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (IX.745-746.p.272). Achilles knows that he wants honor and glory, but in what form? What Achilles does know, and what he must deal with, is the fact that his life will be short if he chooses to have honor and glory. Thus, the choices he makes concerning his honor are crucial. At this point his life is riding on the decision he makes. It is inevitable that Achilles will choose door #2--to go to war, live a short life, and have much glory.

Face-to-Face Versus Online Education Essay

Education is essential to the future of our society. Many adults, including scholars and teachers, are constantly searching for the best way to educate students today. Face-to-face education, being the genuine form, seems to be the first choice of many students. However, online education is becoming more popular and is being used more often at universities. Online courses are convenient for some who have busy schedules which obstruct them from attending face-to-face courses. Online education may be the most convenient form of education, but is it an effective form? Several valid arguments have been made by scholars and other individuals claiming it meets both of these standards. The main question students and scholars would like to know is whether or not one form is better than the other. There are several differences between online and face-to-face education. Lecture classrooms are common in universities. They are an easy way to teach a large number of students at once, however, many students dislike lectures because it places them in the majority. In a lecture classroom setting, students may not have the chance to communicate with the professor or even their peers. Students may feel shy and intimidated by the amount of people around them. The online discussions, chat rooms, and e-mail features in web-based classes makes it virtually impossible to avoid communication with fellow students or teachers. The social barriers which exist in face-to-face communication often seem to be non-existent in online communication and students feel a lot less pressured to speak up, or should I say â€Å"type up†. Online communication, however, does not allow for nonverbal cues and this tends to limit the quality of certain discussions and lecture notes. Some  students may feel they need to be face-to-face with the person teaching them in order to better understand and comprehend the material being presented. Being able to hear what the professor has to say can draw the attention of some and distract the attention of others, sometimes depending on the excellence of the professor. Students are encouraged to try web classes if they have trouble learning from what they hear and find it easier to comprehend what they read. The convenience of online learning is possibly its most brilliant quality. Students find it practical that they can attend a class while sitting in the comfort of their own home. Soldiers, pregnant women, and others with tight schedules are all able to complete their course work in a timely manner through web-based courses. A man who works full time as an assistant at law firm and wants to continue working, while attending classes so he can become a lawyer himself, may want to take online courses instead of face-to-face in order to accomplish both goals. I think situations like this one makes online learning brilliant since it opens doors of opportunity to certain people. By posting information in discussion forums up to several times a day, professors can keep students working, but the students can respond when they have the chance. Online courses allow convenience for time and patience also. Think about the amount of time you spend driving to school and walking to classes, or the frustration of trying to get to a class on time while searching for a parking space in which you won’t be towed or ticketed. I spend up to twenty minutes of some school days driving in my car, congested with my vulgarity and frustration, searching for a parking space. Even with the beauty of all its aspects, some say convenience should not be an alternative to higher education. â€Å"Even though convenience is a positive attribute about the online classroom, it may not be enough to provide for the social and educational needs of students.† (Barakat) Students have claimed that they like the idea of not having to attend class â€Å"but disliked the process of communicating in a delayed, impersonal manner.†(Barakat) Through my online education experience, I have found that there are benefits  and disadvantages communicating on the web. Since times and meeting places are not specified in online group work, members of the group cannot make excuses on why they cannot attend. The assignments can be worked on by each group member on their own time. The group members can then cooperate with one another through postings or e-mail to equally combine their contributions. We don’t have to worry about the group members who did not participate receiving credit (as commonly happens in in-class group work) because we submit only the names of those who participated in the assignment. Having experienced both online and face-to-face education, I have come to the popular opinion: Online education has its positive aspects in relation to convenience and quantity of communication, however, I believe that face-to-face education produces better quality of communication which, in the end, is more essential to the learning process. Online education is convenient and can grant students opportunity to communicate more often with their professors and peers through postings and mail forums. Face-to-face education allows students to learn in a more personal nature which may make the learning process easier and more enjoyable. Neither form of education has been declared the right, or best form. Different individuals have varied beliefs and opinions on which type of education is the best. In order to form an opinion as to which form of education is best for you develop a hypothesis and then experiment by experiencing both forms. Finally, ask yourself, â€Å"Is online education as effective as traditional face-to-face education?† References Barakat., Dr. Samer A. On-line Education Versus Classroom Face To Face Education. www.sharjah.ac.ae/academic/engineering/e-forum/Abstracts-htm/a2-4.htm#. Kindred, Jeannette. Thinking About the Online Classroom: Evaluating the â€Å"Ideal† Versus the â€Å"Real†. www.acjournal.org/holdings/vol3/Iss3/rogue4/kindred.html. Chamberlin, Sean W. Face-to-Face vs. Cyberspace: Finding the Middle Ground. Syllabus Magazine. Thu., Mar. 4, 2004. J. R. Bourne, A. J. Brodersen, J. O., A Model for On-Line Learning Networks in Engineering Education, Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 85, No 3

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 52-55

CHAPTER 52 The Sprawling 185-acre estate of Chateau Villette was located twenty-five minutes northwest of Paris in the environs of Versailles. Designed by Franà §ois Mansart in 1668 for the Count of Aufflay, it was one of Paris's most significant historical chateaux. Complete with two rectangular lakes and gardens designed by Le N;tre, Chateau Villette was more of a modest castle than a mansion. The estate fondly had become known as la Petite Versailles. Langdon brought the armored truck to a shuddering stop at the foot of the mile-long driveway. Beyond the imposing security gate, Sir Leigh Teabing's residence rose on a meadow in the distance. The sign on the gate was in English: PRIVATE PROPERTY. NO TRESPASSING. As if to proclaim his home a British Isle unto itself, Teabing had not only posted his signs in English, but he had installed his gate's intercom entry system on the right-hand side of the truck – the passenger's side everywhere in Europe except England. Sophie gave the misplaced intercom an odd look. â€Å"And if someone arrives without a passenger?† â€Å"Don't ask.† Langdon had already been through that with Teabing. â€Å"He prefers things the way they are at home.† Sophie rolled down her window. â€Å"Robert, you'd better do the talking.† Langdon shifted his position, leaning out across Sophie to press the intercom button. As he did, an alluring whiff of Sophie's perfume filled his nostrils, and he realized how close they were. He waited there, awkwardly prone, while a telephone began ringing over the small speaker. Finally, the intercom crackled and an irritated French accent spoke. â€Å"Chateau Villette. Who is calling?† â€Å"This is Robert Langdon,† Langdon called out, sprawled across Sophie's lap. â€Å"I'm a friend of Sir Leigh Teabing. I need his help.† â€Å"My master is sleeping. As was I. What is your business with him?† â€Å"It is a private matter. One of great interest to him.† â€Å"Then I'm sure he will be pleased to receive you in the morning.† Langdon shifted his weight. â€Å"It's quite important.† â€Å"As is Sir Leigh's sleep. If you are a friend, then you are aware he is in poor health.† Sir Leigh Teabing had suffered from polio as a child and now wore leg braces and walked with crutches, but Langdon had found him such a lively and colorful man on his last visit that it hardly seemed an infirmity. â€Å"If you would, please tell him I have uncovered new information about the Grail. Information that cannot wait until morning.† There was a long pause. Langdon and Sophie waited, the truck idling loudly. A full minute passed. Finally, someone spoke. â€Å"My good man, I daresay you are still on Harvard Standard Time.† The voice was crisp and light. Langdon grinned, recognizing the thick British accent. â€Å"Leigh, my apologies for waking you at this obscene hour.† â€Å"My manservant tells me that not only are you in Paris, but you speak of the Grail.† â€Å"I thought that might get you out of bed.† â€Å"And so it has.† â€Å"Any chance you'd open the gate for an old friend?† â€Å"Those who seek the truth are more than friends. They are brothers.† Langdon rolled his eyes at Sophie, well accustomed to Teabing's predilection for dramatic antics. â€Å"Indeed I will open the gate,† Teabing proclaimed,† but first I must confirm your heart is true. A test of your honor. You will answer three questions.† Langdon groaned, whispering at Sophie. â€Å"Bear with me here. As I mentioned, he's something of a character.† â€Å"Your first question,† Teabing declared, his tone Herculean. â€Å"Shall I serve you coffee, or tea?† Langdon knew Teabing's feelings about the American phenomenon of coffee. â€Å"Tea,† he replied.† Earl Grey.† â€Å"Excellent. Your second question. Milk or sugar?† Langdon hesitated.† Milk,†Sophie whispered in his ear. â€Å"I think the British take milk.† â€Å"Milk,† Langdon said. Silence. â€Å"Sugar?† Teabing made no reply. Wait! Langdon now recalled the bitter beverage he had been served on his last visit and realized this question was a trick. â€Å"Lemon!† he declared. â€Å"Earl Grey with lemon† â€Å"Indeed.† Teabing sounded deeply amused now. â€Å"And finally, I must make the most grave of inquiries.† Teabing paused and then spoke in a solemn tone. â€Å"In which year did a Harvard sculler last outrow an Oxford man at Henley?† Langdon had no idea, but he could imagine only one reason the question had been asked. â€Å"Surely such a travesty has never occurred.† The gate clicked open. â€Å"Your heart is true, my friend. You may pass.† CHAPTER 53 â€Å"Monsieur Vernet!† The night manager of the Depository Bank of Zurich felt relieved to hear the bank president's voice on the phone. â€Å"Where did you go, sir? The police are here, everyone is waiting for you!† â€Å"I have a little problem,† the bank president said, sounding distressed. â€Å"I need your help right away.† You have more than a little problem, the manager thought. The police had entirely surrounded the bank and were threatening to have the DCPJ captain himself show up with the warrant the bank had demanded. â€Å"How can I help you, sir?† â€Å"Armored truck number three. I need to find it.† Puzzled, the manager checked his delivery schedule. â€Å"It's here. Downstairs at the loading dock.† â€Å"Actually, no. The truck was stolen by the two individuals the police are tracking.† â€Å"What? How did they drive out?† â€Å"I can't go into the specifics on the phone, but we have a situation here that could potentially be extremely unfortunate for the bank.† â€Å"What do you need me to do, sir?† â€Å"I'd like you to activate the truck's emergency transponder.† The night manager's eyes moved to the LoJack control box across the room. Like many armored cars, each of the bank's trucks had been equipped with a radio-controlled homing device, which could be activated remotely from the bank. The manager had only used the emergency system once, after a hijacking, and it had worked flawlessly – locating the truck and transmitting the coordinates to the authorities automatically. Tonight, however, the manager had the impression the president was hoping for a bit more prudence. â€Å"Sir, you are aware that if I activate the LoJack system, the transponder will simultaneously inform the authorities that we have a problem.† Vernet was silent for several seconds. â€Å"Yes, I know. Do it anyway. Truck number three. I'll hold. I need the exact location of that truck the instant you have it.† â€Å"Right away, sir.† Thirty seconds later, forty kilometers away, hidden in the undercarriage of the armored truck, a tiny transponder blinked to life. CHAPTER 54 As Langdon and Sophie drove the armored truck up the winding, poplar-lined driveway toward the house, Sophie could already feel her muscles relaxing. It was a relief to be off the road, and she could think of few safer places to get their feet under them than this private, gated estate owned by a good-natured foreigner. They turned into the sweeping circular driveway, and Chateau Villette came into view on their right. Three stories tall and at least sixty meters long, the edifice had gray stone facing illuminated by outside spotlights. The coarse facade stood in stark juxtaposition to the immaculately landscaped gardens and glassy pond. The inside lights were just now coming on. Rather than driving to the front door, Langdon pulled into a parking area nestled in the evergreens. â€Å"No reason to risk being spotted from the road,† he said. â€Å"Or having Leigh wonder why we arrived in a wrecked armored truck.† Sophie nodded. â€Å"What do we do with the cryptex? We probably shouldn't leave it out here, but if Leigh sees it, he'll certainly want to know what it is.† â€Å"Not to worry,† Langdon said, removing his jacket as he stepped out of the car. He wrapped the tweed coat around the box and held the bundle in his arms like a baby. Sophie looked dubious. â€Å"Subtle.† â€Å"Teabing never answers his own door; he prefers to make an entrance. I'll find somewhere inside to stash this before he joins us.† Langdon paused. â€Å"Actually, I should probably warn you before you meet him. Sir Leigh has a sense of humor that people often find a bit†¦ strange.† Sophie doubted anything tonight would strike her as strange anymore. The pathway to the main entrance was hand-laid cobblestone. It curved to a door of carved oak and cherry with a brass knocker the size of a grapefruit. Before Sophie could grasp the knocker, the door swung open from within. A prim and elegant butler stood before them, making final adjustments on the white tie and tuxedo he had apparently just donned. He looked to be about fifty, with refined features and an austere expression that left little doubt he was unamused by their presence here. â€Å"Sir Leigh will be down presently,† he declared, his accent thick French. â€Å"He is dressing. He prefers not to greet visitors while wearing only a nightshirt. May I take your coat?† He scowled at the bunched-up tweed in Langdon's arms. â€Å"Thank you, I'm fine.† â€Å"Of course you are. Right this way, please.† The butler guided them through a lush marble foyer into an exquisitely adorned drawing room, softly lit by tassel-draped Victorian lamps. The air inside smelled antediluvian, regal somehow, with traces of pipe tobacco, tea leaves, cooking sherry, and the earthen aroma of stone architecture. Against the far wall, flanked between two glistening suits of chain mail armor, was a rough-hewn fireplace large enough to roast an ox. Walking to the hearth, the butler knelt and touched a match to a pre-laid arrangement of oak logs and kindling. A fire quickly crackled to life. The man stood, straightening his jacket. â€Å"His master requests that you make yourselves at home.† With that, he departed, leaving Langdon and Sophie alone. Sophie wondered which of the fireside antiques she was supposed to sit on – the Renaissance velvet divan, the rustic eagle-claw rocker, or the pair of stone pews that looked like they'd been lifted from some Byzantine temple. Langdon unwrapped the cryptex from his coat, walked to the velvet divan, and slid the wooden box deep underneath it, well out of sight. Then, shaking out his jacket, he put it back on, smoothed the lapels, and smiled at Sophie as he sat down directly over the stashed treasure. The divan it is, Sophie thought, taking a seat beside him. As she stared into the growing fire, enjoying the warmth, Sophie had the sensation that her grandfather would have loved this room. The dark wood paneling was bedecked with Old Master paintings, one of which Sophie recognized as a Poussin, her grandfather's second-favorite painter. On the mantel above the fireplace, an alabaster bust of Isis watched over the room. Beneath the Egyptian goddess, inside the fireplace, two stone gargoyles served as andirons, their mouths gaping to reveal their menacing hollow throats. Gargoyles had always terrified Sophie as a child; that was, until her grandfather cured her of the fear by taking her atop Notre Dame Cathedral in a rainstorm. â€Å"Princess, look at these silly creatures,† he had told her, pointing to the gargoyle rainspouts with their mouths gushing water. â€Å"Do you hear that funny sound in their throats?† Sophie nodded, having to smile at the burping sound of the water gurgling through their throats. â€Å"They're gargling,†her grandfather told her. â€Å"Gargariser! And that's where they get the silly name â€Å"gargoyles†.† Sophie had never again been afraid. The fond memory caused Sophie a pang of sadness as the harsh reality of the murder gripped her again. Grand-pere is gone.She pictured the cryptex under the divan and wondered if Leigh Teabing would have any idea how to open it. Or if we even should ask him.Sophie's grandfather's final words had instructed her to find Robert Langdon. He had said nothing about involving anyone else. We needed somewhere to hide, Sophie said, deciding to trust Robert's judgment. â€Å"Sir Robert!† a voice bellowed somewhere behind them. â€Å"I see you travel with a maiden.† Langdon stood up. Sophie jumped to her feet as well. The voice had come from the top of a curled staircase that snaked up to the shadows of the second floor. At the top of the stairs, a form moved in the shadows, only his silhouette visible. â€Å"Good evening,† Langdon called up. â€Å"Sir Leigh, may I present Sophie Neveu.† â€Å"An honor.† Teabing moved into the light.† Thank you for having us,† Sophie said, now seeing the man wore metal leg braces and used crutches. He was coming down one stair at a time. â€Å"I realize it's quite late.† â€Å"It is so late, my dear, it's early.† He laughed. â€Å"Vous n'etes pas Americaine?† Sophie shook her head. â€Å"Parisienne.† â€Å"Your English is superb.† â€Å"Thank you. I studied at the Royal Holloway.† â€Å"So then, that explains it.† Teabing hobbled lower through the shadows. â€Å"Perhaps Robert told you I schooled just down the road at Oxford.† Teabing fixed Langdon with a devilish smile. â€Å"Of course, I also applied to Harvard as my safety school.† Their host arrived at the bottom of the stairs, appearing to Sophie no more like a knight than Sir Elton John. Portly and ruby-faced, Sir Leigh Teabing had bushy red hair and jovial hazel eyes that seemed to twinkle as he spoke. He wore pleated pants and a roomy silk shirt under a paisley vest. Despite the aluminum braces on his legs, he carried himself with a resilient, vertical dignity that seemed more a by-product of noble ancestry than any kind of conscious effort. Teabing arrived and extended a hand to Langdon. â€Å"Robert, you've lost weight.† Langdon grinned. â€Å"And you've found some.† Teabing laughed heartily, patting his rotund belly. â€Å"Touche. My only carnal pleasures these days seem to be culinary.† Turning now to Sophie, he gently took her hand, bowing his head slightly, breathing lightly on her fingers, and diverting his eyes. â€Å"M'lady.† Sophie glanced at Langdon, uncertain whether she'd stepped back in time or into a nuthouse. The butler who had answered the door now entered carrying a tea service, which he arranged on a table in front of the fireplace. â€Å"This is Remy Legaludec,† Teabing said,† my manservant.† The slender butler gave a stiff nod and disappeared yet again. â€Å"Remy is Lyonais,†Teabing whispered, as if it were an unfortunate disease. â€Å"But he does sauces quite nicely.† Langdon looked amused. â€Å"I would have thought you'd import an English staff?† â€Å"Good heavens, no! I would not wish a British chef on anyone except the French tax collectors.† He glanced over at Sophie. â€Å"Pardonnez-moi, Mademoiselle Neveu. Please be assured that my distaste for the French extends only to politics and the soccer pitch. Your government steals my money, and your football squad recently humiliated us.† Sophie offered an easy smile. Teabing eyed her a moment and then looked at Langdon. â€Å"Something has happened. You both look shaken.† Langdon nodded. â€Å"We've had an interesting night, Leigh.† â€Å"No doubt. You arrive on my doorstep unannounced in the middle of the night speaking of the Grail. Tell me, is this indeed about the Grail, or did you simply say that because you know it is the lone topic for which I would rouse myself in the middle of the night?† A little of both, Sophie thought, picturing the cryptex hidden beneath the couch. â€Å"Leigh,† Langdon said,† we'd like to talk to you about the Priory of Sion.† Teabing's bushy eyebrows arched with intrigue. â€Å"The keepers. So this is indeed about the Grail. You say you come with information? Something new, Robert?† â€Å"Perhaps. We're not quite sure. We might have a better idea if we could get some information from you first.† Teabing wagged his finger. â€Å"Ever the wily American. A game of quid pro quo. Very well. I am at your service. What is it I can tell you?† Langdon sighed. â€Å"I was hoping you would be kind enough to explain to Ms. Neveu the true nature of the Holy Grail.† Teabing looked stunned. â€Å"She doesn't know?† Langdon shook his head. The smile that grew on Teabing's face was almost obscene. â€Å"Robert, you've brought me a virgin?† Langdon winced, glancing at Sophie. â€Å"Virgin is the term Grail enthusiasts use to describe anyone who has never heard the true Grail story.† Teabing turned eagerly to Sophie. â€Å"How much do you know, my dear?† Sophie quickly outlined what Langdon had explained earlier – the Priory of Sion, the Knights Templar, the Sangreal documents, and the Holy Grail, which many claimed was not a cup†¦ but rather something far more powerful. â€Å"That's all?† Teabing fired Langdon a scandalous look. â€Å"Robert, I thought you were a gentleman. You've robbed her of the climax!† â€Å"I know, I thought perhaps you and I could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Langdon apparently decided the unseemly metaphor had gone far enough. Teabing already had Sophie locked in his twinkling gaze. â€Å"You are a Grail virgin, my dear. And trust me, you will never forget your first time.† CHAPTER 55 Seated on the divan beside Langdon, Sophie drank her tea and ate a scone, feeling the welcome effects of caffeine and food. Sir Leigh Teabing was beaming as he awkwardly paced before the open fire, his leg braces clicking on the stone hearth. â€Å"The Holy Grail,† Teabing said, his voice sermonic. â€Å"Most people ask me only where it is. I fear that is a question I may never answer.† He turned and looked directly at Sophie. â€Å"However†¦ the far more relevant question is this: What is the Holy Grail?† Sophie sensed a rising air of academic anticipation now in both of her male companions. â€Å"To fully understand the Grail,† Teabing continued,† we must first understand the Bible. How well do you know the New Testament?† Sophie shrugged. â€Å"Not at all, really. I was raised by a man who worshipped Leonardo Da Vinci.† Teabing looked both startled and pleased. â€Å"An enlightened soul. Superb! Then you must be aware that Leonardo was one of the keepers of the secret of the Holy Grail. And he hid clues in his art.† â€Å"Robert told me as much, yes.† â€Å"And Da Vinci's views on the New Testament?† â€Å"I have no idea.† Teabing's eyes turned mirthful as he motioned to the bookshelf across the room. â€Å"Robert, would you mind? On the bottom shelf. La Storia di Leonardo.† Langdon went across the room, found a large art book, and brought it back, setting it down on the table between them. Twisting the book to face Sophie, Teabing flipped open the heavy cover and pointed inside the rear cover to a series of quotations. â€Å"From Da Vinci's notebook on polemics and speculation,† Teabing said, indicating one quote in particular. â€Å"I think you'll find this relevant to our discussion.† Sophie read the words. Many have made a trade of delusions and false miracles, deceiving the stupid multitude. – LEONARDO DA VINCI â€Å"Here's another,† Teabing said, pointing to a different quote. Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes! – LEONARDO DA VINCI Sophie felt a little chill. â€Å"Da Vinci is talking about the Bible?† Teabing nodded. â€Å"Leonardo's feelings about the Bible relate directly to the Holy Grail. In fact, Da Vinci painted the true Grail, which I will show you momentarily, but first we must speak of the Bible.† Teabing smiled. â€Å"And everything you need to know about the Bible can be summed up by the great canon doctor Martyn Percy.† Teabing cleared his throat and declared,† The Bible did not arrive by fax from heaven.† â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"The Bible is a product of man, my dear. Not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved through countless translations, additions, and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"Jesus Christ was a historical figure of staggering influence, perhaps the most enigmatic and inspirational leader the world has ever seen. As the prophesied Messiah, Jesus toppled kings, inspired millions, and founded new philosophies. As a descendant of the lines of King Solomon and King David, Jesus possessed a rightful claim to the throne of the King of the Jews. Understandably, His life was recorded by thousands of followers across the land.† Teabing paused to sip his tea and then placed the cup back on the mantel. â€Å"More than eighty gospels were considered for the New Testament, and yet only a relative few were chosen for inclusion – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John among them. â€Å"Who chose which gospels to include?† Sophie asked. â€Å"Aha!† Teabing burst in with enthusiasm. â€Å"The fundamental irony of Christianity! The Bible, as we know it today, was collated by the pagan Roman emperor Constantine the Great.† â€Å"I thought Constantine was a Christian,† Sophie said. â€Å"Hardly,† Teabing scoffed. â€Å"He was a lifelong pagan who was baptized on his deathbed, too weak to protest. In Constantine's day, Rome's official religion was sun worship – the cult of Sol Invictus, or the Invincible Sun – and Constantine was its head priest. Unfortunately for him, a growing religious turmoil was gripping Rome. Three centuries after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Christ's followers had multiplied exponentially. Christians and pagans began warring, and the conflict grew to such proportions that it threatened to rend Rome in two. Constantine decided something had to be done. In 325 A. D. , he decided to unify Rome under a single religion. Christianity.† Sophie was surprised. â€Å"Why would a pagan emperor choose Christianity as the official religion?† Teabing chuckled. â€Å"Constantine was a very good businessman. He could see that Christianity was on the rise, and he simply backed the winning horse. Historians still mar vel at the brilliance with which Constantine converted the sun-worshipping pagans to Christianity. By fusing pagan symbols, dates, and rituals into the growing Christian tradition, he created a kind of hybrid religion that was acceptable to both parties.† â€Å"Transmogrification,† Langdon said. â€Å"The vestiges of pagan religion in Christian symbology are undeniable. Egyptian sun disks became the halos of Catholic saints. Pictograms of Isis nursing her miraculously conceived son Horus became the blueprint for our modern images of the Virgin Mary nursing Baby Jesus. And virtually all the elements of the Catholic ritual – the miter, the altar, the doxology, and communion, the act of† God-eating† – were taken directly from earlier pagan mystery religions.† Teabing groaned. â€Å"Don't get a symbologist started on Christian icons. Nothing in Christianity is original. The pre-Christian God Mithras – called the Son of God and the Light of the World – was born on December 25, died, was buried in a rock tomb, and then resurrected in three days. By the way, December 25 is also the birthday of Osiris, Adonis, and Dionysus. The newborn Krishna was presented with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Even Christianity's weekly holy day was stolen from the pagans.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Originally,† Langdon said,† Christianity honored the Jewish Sabbath of Saturday, but Constantine shifted it to coincide with the pagan's veneration day of the sun.† He paused, grinning. â€Å"To this day, most churchgoers attend services on Sunday morning with no idea that they are there on account of the pagan sun god's weekly tribute – Sunday.† Sophie's head was spinning. â€Å"And all of this relates to the Grail?† â€Å"Indeed,† Teabing said. â€Å"Stay with me. During this fusion of religions, Constantine needed to strengthen the new Christian tradition, and held a famous ecumenical gathering known as the Council of Nicaea.† Sophie had heard of it only insofar as its being the birthplace of the Nicene Creed. â€Å"At this gathering,† Teabing said,† many aspects of Christianity were debated and voted upon – the date of Easter, the role of the bishops, the administration of sacraments, and, of course, the divinityof Jesus.† â€Å"I don't follow. His divinity?† â€Å"My dear,† Teabing declared,† until that moment in history, Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet†¦ a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless. A mortal.† â€Å"Not the Son of God?† â€Å"Right,† Teabing said. â€Å"Jesus' establishment as ‘the Son of God' was officially proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea.† â€Å"Hold on. You're saying Jesus' divinity was the result of a vote?† â€Å"A relatively close vote at that,† Teabing added. â€Å"Nonetheless, establishing Christ's divinity was critical to the further unification of the Roman empire and to the new Vatican power base. By officially endorsing Jesus as the Son of God, Constantine turned Jesus into a deity who existed beyond the scope of the human world, an entity whose power was unchallengeable. This not only precluded further pagan challenges to Christianity, but now the followers of Christ were able to redeem themselves only via the established sacred channel – the Roman Catholic Church.† Sophie glanced at Langdon, and he gave her a soft nod of concurrence. â€Å"It was all about power,† Teabing continued. â€Å"Christ as Messiah was critical to the functioning of Church and state. Many scholars claim that the early Church literally stole Jesus from His original followers, hijacking His human message, shrouding it in an impenetrable cloak of divinity, and using it to expand their own power. I've written several books on the topic.† â€Å"And I assume devout Christians send you hate mail on a daily basis?† â€Å"Why would they?† Teabing countered. â€Å"The vast majority of educated Christians know the history of their faith. Jesus was indeed a great and powerful man. Constantine's underhanded political maneuvers don't diminish the majesty of Christ's life. Nobody is saying Christ was a fraud, or denying that He walked the earth and inspired millions to better lives. All we are saying is that Constantine took advantage of Christ's substantial influence and importance. And in doing so, he shaped the face of Ch ristianity as we know it today.† Sophie glanced at the art book before her, eager to move on and see the Da Vinci painting of the Holy Grail. â€Å"The twist is this,† Teabing said, talking faster now. â€Å"Because Constantine upgraded Jesus' status almost four centuries after Jesus' death, thousands of documents already existed chronicling His life as a mortal man. To rewrite the history books, Constantine knew he would need a bold stroke. From this sprang the most profound moment in Christian history.† Teabing paused, eyeing Sophie. â€Å"Constantine commissioned and financed a new Bible, which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ's human traits and embellished those gospels that made Him godlike. The earlier gospels were outlawed, gathered up, and burned.† â€Å"An interesting note,† Langdon added. â€Å"Anyone who chose the forbidden gospels over Constantine's version was deemed a heretic. The word heretic derives from that moment in history. The Latin word haereticus means ‘choice.' Those who ‘chose' the original history of Christ were the world's first heretics.† â€Å"Fortunately for historians,† Teabing said,† some of the gospels that Constantine attempted to eradicate managed to survive. The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the 1950s hidden in a cave near Qumran in the Judean desert. And, of course, the Coptic Scrolls in 1945 at Nag Hammadi. In addition to telling the true Grail story, these documents speak of Christ's ministry in very human terms. Of course, the Vatican, in keeping with their tradition of misinformation, tried very hard to suppress the release of these scrolls. And why wouldn't they? The scrolls highlight glaring historical discrepancies and fabrications, clearly confirming that the modern Bible was compiled and edited by men who possessed a political agenda – to promote the divinity of the man Jesus Christ and use His influence to solidify their own power base.† â€Å"And yet,† Langdon countered,† it's important to remember that the modern Church's desire to suppress these documents comes from a sincere belief in their established view of Christ. The Vatican is made up of deeply pious men who truly believe these contrary documents could only be false testimony.† Teabing chuckled as he eased himself into a chair opposite Sophie. â€Å"As you can see, our professor has a far softer heart for Rome than I do. Nonetheless, he is correct about the modern clergy believing these opposing documents are false testimony. That's understandable. Constantine's Bible has been their truth for ages. Nobody is more indoctrinated than the indoctrinator.† â€Å"What he means,† Langdon said,† is that we worship the gods of our fathers.† â€Å"What I mean,† Teabing countered,† is that almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false.As are the stories about the Holy Grail.† Sophie looked again at the Da Vinci quote before her. Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes! Teabing reached for the book and flipped toward the center. â€Å"And finally, before I show you Da Vinci's paintings of the Holy Grail, I'd like you to take a quick look at this.† He opened the book to a colorful graphic that spanned both full pages. â€Å"I assume you recognize this fresco?† He's kidding, right? Sophie was staring at the most famous fresco of all time – The Last Supper – Da Vinci's legendary painting from the wall of Santa Maria delle Grazie near Milan. The decaying fresco portrayed Jesus and His disciples at the moment that Jesus announced one of them would betray Him. â€Å"I know the fresco, yes.† â€Å"Then perhaps you would indulge me this little game? Close your eyes if you would.† Uncertain, Sophie closed her eyes.† Where is Jesus sitting?† Teabing asked. â€Å"In the center.† â€Å"Good. And what food are He and His disciples breaking and eating?† â€Å"Bread.† Obviously.† Superb. And what drink?† â€Å"Wine. They drank wine.† â€Å"Great. And one final question. How many wineglasses are on the table?† Sophie paused, realizing it was the trick question. And after dinner, Jesus took the cup of wine, sharing it with His disciples. â€Å"One cup,† she said. â€Å"The chalice.† The Cup of Christ.The Holy Grail. â€Å"Jesus passed a single chalice of wine, just as modern Christians do at communion.† Teabing sighed. â€Å"Open your eyes.† She did. Teabing was grinning smugly. Sophie looked down at the painting, seeing to her astonishment that everyone at the table had a glass of wine, including Christ. Thirteen cups. Moreover, the cups were tiny, stemless, and made of glass. There was no chalice in the painting. No Holy Grail. Teabing's eyes twinkled. â€Å"A bit strange, don't you think, considering that both the Bible and our standard Grail legend celebrate this moment as the definitive arrival of the Holy Grail. Oddly, Da Vinci appears to have forgotten to paint the Cup of Christ.† â€Å"Surely art scholars must have noted that.† â€Å"You will be shocked to learn what anomalies Da Vinci included here that most scholars either do not see or simply choose to ignore. This fresco, in fact, is the entire key to the Holy Grail mystery. Da Vinci lays it all out in the open in The Last Supper† Sophie scanned the work eagerly. â€Å"Does this fresco tell us what the Grail really is?† â€Å"Not what it is,† Teabing whispered. â€Å"But rather who it is. The Holy Grail is not a thing. It is, in fact†¦ a person†