Monday, September 30, 2019

Fall of House of Usher Essay

The Fall of the House of Usher Psychological Criticism Psychological criticism is the school of literary criticism that focuses on the psychological issues affecting the characters behavior. Throughout this piece Poe uses setting, mood, characterization, conflict, and symbols in order to portray the underlying meaning; Physical disintegration of the House of Usher which parallels the condition of its inhabitants. Poe uses setting and mood in order to foreshadow the ultimate disintegration of the family manor. The narrator notices â€Å"a barely perceptible fissure† running down the front of the building. The detailed description highlights the stories theme and creates a mood of fear. When discussing use of characterization one must consider Roderick Usher, the central character of Poe’s gothic tale. Poe uses direct and indirect characterization techniques in order to effectively convey his point. Usher’s anxiety is revealed through descriptions of his odd, disheveled appearance and mannerisms along with his rapid mood swings. The author describes the tone as â€Å"overdone cordiality† and by â€Å"sullen quality†. Also, when discussing the psychological criticism one must consider how Poe’s approach might lead the readers to see him as a hypochondriac. In addition to the given appearances of characterization there are numerous other descriptions that heighten impression of instability. â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† has a copious amount of metaphors and symbols. The narrator perceives the mansion as human like with its â€Å"vacant and eye-like windows†. This specific metaphor is extended throughout the entire story, becoming more and more sinister in its deep implications. When describing the house, it serves as almost a symbolic prison for Usher and his sister Madeline. Poe uses several descriptive words in his portrayal of the house. The reader’s first impression of the house comes from a direct observation from the narrator. This narrator states, â€Å"†¦ with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit.    As the narrator continues to describe the house he uses several similarly dismal adjectives. The gloom experienced by the narrator is not limited to merely the house itself. The vegetation, which surrounds the area, is described as â€Å"a few rank sedges and †¦ a few white trunks of decayed trees. †Ã‚   He emphasizes these facets of the house and its environs by restating the descriptions reflected in a â€Å"black and lurid tarn. While he claims that the house appears structurally sound, he takes time to comment upon â€Å"the crumbling condition of the individual stones. †Ã‚   He also emphasizes the long history of the house by stating that its features recall an â€Å"excessive antiquity. † It is obvious therefore that Poe means for the building and the family to reflect one another. His use of parallel descriptions of the house and family, the mood that both convey and the intertwined fate of both lead the reader to the inescapable conclusion that the house and the Ushers are one.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Immigration to the United States Essay

What reasons motivate people to immigrate to the United States? We know that most newcomers leave behind poverty and unemployment in their homelands in search of better fortunes in America. However, research on this subject suggest that the causes of immigration are often more complex and numerous than most assume. The capacity of natural disasters, environmental crises, overpopulation, wars, and civil unrest to uproot and set in motion millions of people around the globe and refugee and asylum policies that extend relief to some non-citizens fleeing political, ethnic, religious, and gender persecution. This is but a short list of the different reasons to mass immigration to the United States today. Evaluating the causes of U.S. immigration can reveal a great deal about recent immigrants, their homelands, and America’s image abroad. Daniel Tichenor from the Rutgers University states in his essay U.S.A. Immigration, â€Å"The story of the American people is a story of immigration and diversity.† Each immigrant in this country has a different reason of why he or she came to the  United States. Throughout the years the reasons change for the new immigrants; according to the American Immigration Web Page, â€Å"from 1607-1830 the major reasons were political freedom, religious tolerance, economic opportunity, people wanting a better life, better job, more money and some were forced to leave because of slavery.† There are two types of motivation for immigration â€Å"push† and â€Å"pull† factors. According to Daniel Tichenor, push factor is â€Å"the need to leave in order to survive.† Push factor is the case of the people that was mentioned before, the people that have to leave their country for political freedom, religious tolerance, and the slavery. An example of this is the case of Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, and Senegal. â€Å"These countries involve men looking for a job education, and escaping from persecution, and over a period the process is followed by family reunification migration and family formation migration†Ã‚  (push and pull factors of International Migration web page). Pull factor is when the people are attracted for what they could have in other country, like economic opportunity, better opportunity of to get a career, they want a better life. It is the case of Mexico. When Mexicans immigrants came to the United States; they are looking for better economic life. The difference between the dollar and the peso (Mexican coin) is too much, one dollar in the actuality are around eleven pesos with fifty cents, so Mexican men came to the U.S.A. to get a job, and they usually send the money they earn to their families in Mexico. In some of the cases after a few years, they bring all their family to the U.S.A. for family reunification. In some cases people have both â€Å"pull† and â€Å"push† motivations to immigrate to the United States; it is the case of Cubans. Cubans come to the United States for political freedom, escaping from Fidel Castro, and looking for a better life and more economic opportunities. As we can see, both â€Å"pull† and â€Å"push† factors in most of the cases end with the same phrase â€Å"family reunification.† Everyone who goes to other country looking for freedom or a better life need more than that, they need a family who share all the good things with, but someone who wants to live in the United States needs a citizenship or at least a residency to do it. Some of the countries have more facilities than others to get the necessary documents to live in the U.S.A. For example, for Cuba it is easier than for other countries to get the residency. â€Å"Until 1985, there was no quota for Cubans entering the United States via normal immigration procedures as there was for other immigrant groups.† In the past, both documented and undocumented Cubans who came to the U.S.A. were welcome, â€Å"Cuban undocumented entrants have always had special status, while entrants from other countries have been required to demonstrate that they were fleeing political persecution to be granted refugee status.† It is known for all around the  world that Cuba has very strong political problems, and this is the reason of why they have this special status, since 1996 â€Å"the Attorney General has had discretionary power to guarantee permanent residency to any Cuban who has been in the United States for a year, including those on visitor’s visas who have overstayed the period delineated in their  visas.† (All quotes are from the Web Page, Cubans have a very strong sense of cultural identity.) For other countries it is more difficult to get the U.S.A. residency, for example the case of Mexico. In the past if a child had been born in the United States, the parents become U.S.A. citizens as same as the child. Over the years this rule changed, in the actuality there are just two ways to become a citizen for the Mexicans, the firs one is that you by yourself submit the application to the U.S.A. embassy, and wait until all the process is ready and they’ll call you for the interview, they the people who works in the embassy, check all your status, and if you cover all the requirements they will give you the U.S.A. residency. The second way is that someone of your family, and it has to be a parent or a brother, send to the embassy a request that say that they want you to be in the country, after this it is the same process than the first one, but you have more opportunity to be accept because one member of your family is requiring you to be in the country. Only after 5 yea rs you can apply for the citizenship. A problem that new generations could find is the lost of traditions. For example in the past, the children of immigrants learned English, but they didn’t learn their parents’ first language. But this problem could be resolve; recently, Americans have placed greater value on diversity, ethnic groups having renewing and celebrating their heritage, and the children of immigrants often growing up being bilingual. The United States has welcomed more immigrants than any other country, more than 50 million in all, and still admits between 500,000 to 1 million  persons a year. Although for some countries is too difficult to be legally in the United States, more  people want to come, and it is good for the country, because we need this people, they are the labors, the workers, important people. It is the people who make the difference in the country. Work Cited Page. Tichenor, Daniel J. U.S.A. Immigration, Rutgers University, February, 2000. (Immigration Web page.) NIDI/EUROSTAT. Push and pull Factor of International Migration, Eurostat. May, 2000 (Push and Pull factors web page.) Cubans have a very strong sense of cultural identity. Cuban Immigration to the United States. February 18, 2004 (Web Page of Cuban Immigration, the date shown is the last day the page was updated.)

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Promote Good Practice in Handling Information Essay

1. Identify legislation and codes of practice that relate to handling information in health and social care. 2. Summarise the main points of legal requirements and codes of practice for handling information in health and social care. I have found 4 legislations that support handling information in health and social care. 1.Data Protection Act 2.Freedom of Information Act 3.Care Standards 4.Human Rights Act. Article 8 states of the Human rights act states 1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence. 2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. This means that an individual’s wish to protect his or her privacy must be balanced against the needs of the relevant public authority to obtain or use specified information. Outcome 2:- Be able to implement good practice in handling information. 1.Describe features of manual and electronic information storage systems that help maintain security. *Ensuraing cupboards that contain personal informatio are locked at all times. *Creating passwords on computers and locking them when inactive. *Only giving out minimal information over the telephone unless im absolutely sure that i am speaking to the next of kin or a GP. *Checking other professionals ID’s on entering the building. *Ensuring each person signs in and out of the building so i know where they are are in the event of a fire. 2. Demonstrate practices that ensure seciruity when storing and accessing information. *Locking the file cupboard after use with a set of keys that only a senior members of staff and nurses have. This is good practice that ensures security. Also locking the drug trolleys through all rounds. 3. Maintain records that are up to date complete accurate and legible. *On all entries of paperwork weather it be in care plans, daily updates or food and fluid charts, it is vital that they must state a date, time and signature in black ink. All information must be clear, consice be truthful and to the point. Outcome 3 – Be able to support others to handle information. *I can do this by reminding my collegues of how impotant it is to lock cupboards immediately after use which store personal records and inforamtion, each person has there own folder with they’re information in. Making sure all stickers off blister packs and medicines are destroyed before disposal is also just as important. 2. Informing new members of staff and demonstrating completion of paperwork such as food and fluid charts for example makes people aware of the importance and security for the residents. I always tell my colleagues to ask if they are unsure and i will do my best to help and if i cannot help i will find some who can help and also learn from it myself.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Anti hacking techniuqes Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Anti hacking techniuqes - Coursework Example Cybercrime is one of the problems being faced by everyone using computer systems and networks. The occurrence of cybercrime is all over the world. The cyber criminals have made everyone there target. There are various types of cybercrimes. This includes cyber stalking, identity thefts, malicious software, child abuse and soliciting and finally, hacking [1]. One among the stated cybercrime which is very popular is hacking. Hacking is caused by the desire of a hacker to get access to information without being authorized. Hacking is caused by the desire of the hacker to steal personal information from other internet users and use it for his/her own advantage. Hacking is dates back to1990’s where by hacking was basically done to be used to get more information of the system. This resulted in rivalry of hacking whereby hackers competed against each other in the determination of the best hacker. This saw the introduction of malicious software making them ubiquitous. Thus, the hacking infiltrated into networks making them, together with systems, slow. The growth of hacking became enormous and as a result, the hackers gained more skills making them skilful, knowledgeable and expertise in victimizing and exploiting others [2]. In recent times, hacking is not only used to victimize and exploit others, but also, hackers indulge in the hacking cybercrime to utilize their knowledge to gain quick benefits. The expertise is used by the hackers to exploit, deceive and steal to make easy money. The recent times have seen tremendous growth in technology whereby the growth of the internet is a major drive in this technological growth and as a result, the world is being made a global village by enhancing communication. Most of the crucial services like banking, institutional management, among others are done on the internet. The existence of the hackers

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Economics of Taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Economics of Taxation - Essay Example Does the Family Credit alter the marriage penalty or bonus? Under the current 2006 tax system, the value of the personal exemption and standard deduction for household 1 (married couple) would be a consolidated amount of $16, 400. This is made up of the personal exemption of $3200 ($6400 for 2) and a joint standard deduction for the married couple of $10,000. The same value calculated for household 2 amounts to $8200 for personal exemption ($3200) and standard deduction ($5000). As per the Simplified Income Tax Plan proposed by the advisory panel on tax reform, Family Credit replaces the personal exemption and standard deduction. It is available to all taxpayers. For a married couple with no children, it amounts to $3300 whereas for an unmarried taxpayer it is $1650. Assuming that the current income tax brackets prevail, the following comparative analysis would justify whether the taxpayers prefer the old tax code or the new Simplified Tax Plan: 2. Which is more equitable: the current system with the personal exemption and the option to take either the standard or itemized deduction, or the Family Credit which everyone can take, even if they also itemize deductions? Discuss both horizontal and vertical equity and explain your answer. Solution: â€Å"Tax equity focuses on equal treatment of similarly situated taxpayers† (Sommerfeld, Anderson, & Brock 9). There are two tax principles, namely, horizontal equity and vertical equity. Horizontal equity is a basic yardstick used to measure whether tax burdens are fairly distributed. According to this principle, taxpayers with same income should pay the same amount in taxes. On the other hand, the principle of vertical equity is a proponent of the progressive structure of tax assigning high income earners greater responsibility to share the tax bill (Kaplow 1989). Under the current system, personal exemption is available to

Hip Hop's effects on violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hip Hop's effects on violence - Essay Example The resulting new genre of music was raucous and disrespectful, using its own dialect to shout out an alternative lifestyle to the one that they saw in mainstream society. Since then interest in the movement has grown, and hip hop attracts unwavering support from millions of people across the whole world, but at the same time also it is heavily criticized for its focus on drugs, crime, and especially violence. It cannot be denied that violence lies at the heart of many hip hop lyrics, but the question that must be answered is what relationship hip-hop has to the real violence that occurs in the world’s cities today. Does hip-hop encourage that violence, or even cause it? Or can we see hip-hop as something that resists a greater violence that has been meted out to African Americans and other minorities for several centuries? This paper argues that the latter argument is more convincing, and that furthermore hip-hop has a potential to bring understanding between racial groups wh ich no other movement is likely to bring forward at the present time. The first matter to clarify is the nature of what we call â€Å"Hip-hop.† It is a type of music, involving spoken and sung texts and strong steady rhythms. Hip hop is not just music, however, it is a whole culture, embracing graffiti art, dancing styles, and even fashion. The typical hip-hop look consists of baggy pants, sneakers, and Malcolm X caps which are worn backwards (Smitherman, 1997, p. 3) There is also a tendency for women to sport elaborate hairstyles, expensive designer outfits, well-manicured nails and striking makeup. For men there is a preference for ostentatious jewelry and if possible also fast cars. These artefacts are symbols of power, and the stars of hip hop culture sport these trophies to indicate how successful they are and how far they have come from poverty. Some critics see these expensive trinkets as genuine indicators of status while others regard them as ironic quotations from m ainstream society, underlining rebellion and activism rather than consumerism and complacency: â€Å"Hip-hop’s triad of graffiti, dance, and rap are post-apocalyptic arts, scratches on the decaying surfaces of post-industrital urban America; they are not monuments to some romanticized ‘human spirit’, but fundamentally anti-monumental arts.† (Potter: 1995, p. 8) There is indeed something rebellious about hip hop. The body language of fans is often very insolent, with direct staring and head jerking, and many of the moves in the dance routines are quirky and acrobatic, drawing attention to the dancer and singling him out as a person to be admired. There is great loyalty amongst fans, and much is made of terms like â€Å"bro† which signifies brother and can be used both within racial groups and transcending these boundaries. When people think of hip-hop they think of instances where songs, or singers have been banned from radio stations because of offe nsive language, violent references and in particular criticism of the American state and its institutions. This is, however, nothing new, and from the hippies and the Beatles in the 1960s to the Sex Pistols in the punk era, posturing against authority is absolutely typical of youth culture. One aspect of hip-hop which is of great concern is the fact that it is often associated with gun culture and drug

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

1000 words Health Promotion in the Workplace Essay

1000 words Health Promotion in the Workplace - Essay Example Legislations are the rules that the government creates and imposes them on all health care organizations (Ashcroft, 2007). The state does this to ensure that health care givers treat patients using the safest methods. Legislations also help to protect the rights of both patients and health care givers. Ethical issues, on the other hand, are standards that help to determine actions that may be accepted by the society (Scriven, 2010). Ethical considerations help to emphasize and complement legislations. This means that health promoters use ethics whether there are legislations or not. This is because both ethics and legislations support one another when they exist, and when one is absent, the other is applicable (Seedhouse, 2009). For example, when an individual is suffering from type 2 diabetes, ethical considerations require health care givers to maintain the confidentiality of the disease between them and patients. Legislation on the other hand prevents individuals from compelling others to inform when they are suffering from illnesses such as type 2 diabetes. State legislations help to safeguard patients from being discriminated against and from being provided with poor services in health care centres. For example, the â€Å"Equality Act of 2010† protects diabetes victims from being shown prejudice at the workplace (Kronenfeld, 2012). This rule requires employers to give diabetes patients equal employment opportunities like others who do not suffer from the illness. Legislations also enable diabetes patients to enjoy the freedom of autonomy by requiring health providers to maintain the confidentiality of patient’s information. Health care givers are not supposed to expose the diabetes condition of a patient without the consent of that recipient (Ham, 2009). Health care givers also have the right to maintain the confidentiality of their condition when they suffer

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Internet privacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Internet privacy - Essay Example People are encouraged to ensure timely update of their antiviruses and to be sure with what they click at any given instance. The widespread use of social media platforms has further aggravated the matter as personal information is made accessible to those within the social brackets thus increasing the chances of cyber crime. Internet privacy relates to the right of personal confidentiality on the storing as well as availing of information to third parties through the internet on specific issues. This is regarded as a subset of computer privacy in the ever growing information sector. The level of privacy in the internet can be divided into personally identifying information which refers to any information that is used in the recognition of given individual factors such as physical address or other personal bio-data and non-personal identifying information which excludes any personal information regarding an individual (Imparato, 2000). Countries all over the world as well as the United States of America are trying all workable methods that are aimed at ensuring total protection of personal information by maintaining their privacy (Frackman, Martin, & Ray, 2002). With the proliferation of social media, avoiding revealing sensitive data can be difficult making laws and government regulations necessary for maintaining privacy. One of the steps towards enhancing internet privacy is by encouraging people not to carelessly or mistakenly revealing personal information via the internet. One can easily made public their personal bio-data over the internet without being fully aware of it hence the need to be very careful when using the internet. One should make use of pseudonyms instead of using real names and actual personal information. The browsers used should not be in a position to leak out personal information or retain them for a longer period of time (Jakubiak,

Monday, September 23, 2019

Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Analysis - Essay Example The stories tell about a group of soldiers engaged in wartime activities. Most of them are there since they have been compelled to do so. The narrator himself feels that the war is not worth sacrificing his life for. Although the book is filled with stories of the Vietnam War, but it is not a war story. It does not tell about the battles fought or the causes behind them. It is about search of answers by man about the logic behind wars and making sense of the brutality that one sees during war. The Vietnam War shattered the idea of American culture because of the enormity of evil celebrated during the entire period of war. The war and its consequences changed a soldier’s philosophy of life. The author states that a war story can never give a message on morality because of the grave sins that are committed by the soldiers in the battlefield – â€Å"A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing the things men have always done† (O’ Brien, 65). A war can never be a solution to anything and can never be moral and nor can the incidents related to a war be justified. The only thing that a war is capable of doing is cultivating hatred in the hearts that were innocent before joining the war. This emphasizes upon the uselessness of a war as long as a nation’s dreams are concerned. The dreams, which could have blossomed amongst the young people of a nation, finally end in facing the harsh truth of a war and fighting for a cause which could never be moral. In the chapter Good Form, he drew the line between â€Å"happening-truth† and â€Å"story-truth†. He recounted a soldier he once killed near the village of My Khe. In this context the author portrays the real image of the war he witnessed. The author illustrates the frightful sight of a man he killed in the war. In his

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Martin Luther King Essay Example for Free

Martin Luther King Essay The history of this two great men dates back to the 1920s when both of them were born (Malcolm x -19th may 1925, King Luther-15th Jan 1929). Their fame, fulfillment of dreams and influence was however, felt in the 1960s. Although, brought up at different capacities their history and influence has lots of similarity. Their remarkable contribution was almost at the same period of time(between 1957-1968). This is such a time when there was a lot of radical debate on racism in America in terms of the rights of both the blacks and whites. Such a debate was due to the different priorities given to the two races in America. For example the blacks were not allowed to vote thus, need for constitutional amendment which Martin King Luther advocated for(Howard pp 8). There was also an aspect of inequality in the sense that black American schools could not offer chances for career advancement and the blacks lacked proper hospital facilities as in the story of Malcolm X. He highlights in his bibliography that his desire to be a lawyer could not be achieved in the Negro school he attended thus killing his dream and determination to continue schooling. The inequality is also seen in the reason for the boycott of the Montgomery bus system (where blacks were to seat at the back sits of the bus while front seats were reserved for the whites) organized by Martin King Luther (Luthers bibliography). The two men spearheaded very critical campaigns on their different believes on the position of all the Americans in political, economical and social standards. Their approaches were quite different although they both had remarkable speeches and quotations pulling a large crowd of followers to themselves. Martin Luther King was born of a Baptist minister and his mother was a school teacher. He attended school to a post graduate attaining a PhD in systematic theology in Boston. He later became a clergyman in the Baptist church. His early life before getting into politics was that of a preacher living upright according to the moral standards of the society. It is during his ministration work that he discovered that, though his faith talks of all men been equal, with same need for respect accorded to them; this was not so in America because the whites here were treated with a higher esteem than the blacks. He sort to dig deep into the history of the two races and thus, got the determination to fight for equality in the two races. He also got some inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi of India who had led his country to independence from the British rule. It is from Gandhi that he adopted the idea of non violent protests. His approach was non violent though with different touch to various principles for example; he used the non partisan principle when he refused to en dose for any particular candidate in presidential run up. (Howard pp 57). It is through ecumenism that he brought people together in his civil movement activities. He also incorporated mass protest, mobilization of bus boycotts and enlightenment through speeches. The boycotts lasted for 382 days leading to bombing of his house and his imprisonment. In prison he resorted into writing. He wrote letters and this advanced to five books namely: The measure of a man, Strength to love, Stride towards freedom, Trumpet of conscience and why we cant wait. From jail Martin Luther King founded the Southern Christians Leaders Congress from which he could carry out his civil reform protest and the Student Non violent Coordinating Committee to help black students from violent protests but this was to no avail as the students turned his ideas down posing a great challenge to his campaigns. He was received the Nobel peace price in 1964 as the youngest person to this award at an age of 35. His campaigns were successful because in 1965 the US congress passes a voting right act so that the blacks could now be allowed to vote. He also managed to prevent violent attacks by the blacks who had lost their children when their church was attacked by some whites through a great expressive and advisory e urology presented at the burial ceremony but it is his speech â€Å"I have a dream† that have accorded him more fame. This speech was delivered at Washington DC where he had an audience of 250 000 people (Bennet pp64). Among his successes was the award of the man of the year as the first black to this title by the Time magazine of America. The civil right movement which he founded continued but pressure by the youth to engage in violent campaigns against discrimination led him to a new turn in his career and life yet again, where he now turned to protest against poverty and war. He greatly complained against Vietnam war and in the process of organizing a march in protest of the problems that poor garbage collectors in Memphis, Tennessee were undergoing, he was assassinated. This was in April 1968. Although dead his great words are echoed to date. His works are also remembered by many as the man behind the civil rights and reforms in America. Malcolm X on the other side was a son to an outspoken Baptist minister who followed a Black Nationalist leader called Marcus Garvey. His mother was a house wife. He went to school up to secondary level and later dropped as he could not see possibilities of achieving his dreams as a black. His father was found dead and the neighbors thought this was a plan by the whites to silence the blacks. This was quite early as Malcolm was only six and it led the family to poverty hence the mother got mental breakdown and was sent to an asylum for 26 years. (Lomax pp 12). Malcolm together with his brothers was taken to foster homes. This got him into petty crimes like gambling and burglary later moved to New York and advanced his criminal life to prostitution and sell of drugs. He was later arrested during which he converted to Islam from the influence of his brother who used to visit him. This was demonstrated by change of his name from Malcolm little to Malcolm X, because he now believed Little was a slavery name. In prison he also joined some classes to continue with his schooling which he had stopped in earlier years this was a great boost to his later writings and speeches although he was not a professional in any particular field. When released from jail he was now a reformed man and so he joined the Nation of Islam and became one of the leaders. Here he advocated for the teachings learn t from jail which included: a believe that evil men would face the wrath of Allah, blacks should get away from the lifestyle of the whites both in financial conditions, social integration, their structure of leadership, their way of thinking and in the art of worship. As a religious leader he built up mosques at Pennsylvania and Philadelphia where he had captured a massive following. There were some disagreements with the main leader of the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X; due to the statement he made following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (saw the assassination as a case of â€Å"the chicken coming home to roost†) and so was accorded a 90 day suspension with orders to remain silent without presenting any speeches. (Lomax pp 32). He found this slightly unbearable and although some people argue that he had some misunderstandings with the leader of Nation of Islam, over his conduct and moral uprightness, one thing was clear: it was time for Malcolm to call it quits. He then formed his own Muslim Mosque Inc. His idea of racial segregation was not to coexist peacefully with King Luthers idea of constitutional amendment peaceful intermingled living. He did not want any mixing of the blacks and whites at any degree so his solution was that; blacks have their own state even if through war. His followers were to use armed self defense against violence from the whites. He also criticized Christianity as a religion that copied the whites way of life thus due to poverty, the blacks ended up in crime in attempt to imitate this lifestyles. It is during this time that he went on pilgrimage to Mecca and got some inspiration from other cultures changing his focus from the black Muslims to all races and religions. His ideology on all whites as bad people responsible for all the misery that the blacks faced was also changed and now considered the whites as individuals with personal opinions rather than stereotyping them to a bunch of demons. Claiming to have found the more and profound truths about Islam as a religion and lifestyle, Malcolm changed his name yet again to El Hajj El Shabazz. His mission was not left out in this wave of change as now he considered in cooperating all blacks despite their religion affiliation in his founded Organization of Afro-American Unity. Its through this organization that he led the first ever greatest black American rally. Malcolm now set out to discussion with groups belonging to the whites and wanted to present the grievances of the black Americans in the US to UN. He also urged his followers to register in for voting process and sort for a change in the management of public facilities within the black communities from the whites who dominated every field of management and administration, to be done by the blacks. His charismatic speeches and influence was mainly through media (he had a program covered on the television and in the radio and wrote articles to be published in the dailies). His debates seamed to be outrightly remarkable giving a very strong essence of what he believed in, thus captured very large number of audience. Malcolm X was assassinated in February1965 at New York as he was addressing a rally. He left a very significant contribution to black power movements as the Nation of Islam, the Muslim Mosque Inc and the Organization of Afro-American still went on in the believes he had taught them. His believes got more momentum after his autobiography was published in 1965. (Howard pp116). The Malcolm X societies is a product of what he established. Similarities among this two men start from their birth to their death. This is because the blacks had equally similar lifestyles and opportunities as they were the marginalized group in America. Both of them were born in the same year and their impact was felt within the same period of time. They had equally same faith in their upbringing as their fathers were ministers in the Baptist church. They had a first hand experience of the brutality of the whites as their homes were burnt, underwent imprisonment and finally were assassinated. The two men changed their names at one point of their lives (Martins name was changed while he was still young from his previous name: Michael to his current name: Martin). Their lives took different phases changing from school life to religious leaders to politics and finally to human right activist. The pulpit was used as a way to spread their beliefs and influence the community. In both incidences, there was some inspiration from communities outside America which marked the start of a new phase of their lives. Both of them spoke strongly against racial discrimination. Their speeches and charisma has also lived long after their death and they all died through assassination in the 1960s. They equally had a large crowd of followers. Their writings are considered inspirational and great by both the black and white Americans. In the last phase of their lives and career, they had a great focus on poverty and empowerment of the blacks. The differences between this two individuals is not much they basically had almost the same kind of background and they all fought for discrimination on the lines of race. Martins way of fighting was non violent but Malcolms way was by use of armed defense and rejecting cooperation to the whites ideas. The King got into his fathers line of career and maintained his religion while Malcolm diverted into Islam. Though both of them were charismatic and great speakers; Malcolm had a lower level of education. Luther led a straight life all along but Malcolm was once involved in crime before his reform and conversion to Islam. King Luthers tool of communication was mainly his pulpit, crusades and campaign meetings unlike Malcolms which involved the media. Martin Luther was accorded the international award of the Nobel Peace Price and the man of the year title in the times magazine while Malcolm only got recognition with no award except for the blacks having some societies named after him. Martins campaigns of non violent protests were met with criticisms from fellow blacks unlike Malcolms. It is out of this two figures that others like Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Martin Luther King Junior, have found a base to stand on and fight against discrimination of whatever form. The world today remembers this two dear people as heroes (especially America). They made a remarkable spirit toward racial segregation which has continued up to today. Their stand as spiritual leaders on what they believed is an example to be followed by most leaders today who see lawfully practices and shun from condemning them. Work Cited: Bennet Lerone Jn, â€Å"What manner of man: a biography of Martin Luther King† Chicago Johnson publishers (1964). pp 5-112 Brief History with Documents. ISBN 0312395051, 9780312395056; Bedford/SMartins 2004 Lomax Louise, â€Å"To kill a black man† Los Angels , CA:Hollooway House Publishing Company (1968) pp 12-86 Man of the year Time 1983 (January 3, 1964). pp 13-16 ; 25-27. Pitney,Howard and David Martin Luther King , Malcolm X and the Civil Rights Struggle of the 1950s and 1960s. (1978) 8-122 Russel Adam, â€Å"Great Negroes Past and present†Chicago. Afro-american publishers. (1963)pp 64-246. Russel Adam, â€Å"Great Negroes Past and present†Chicago. Afro-american publishers. (1963)pp 64-246.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Dead Trees and the Dead Wood Cycle

Dead Trees and the Dead Wood Cycle Introduction A common misconception about forest would be that a â€Å"healthy forest† should have only have trees that are alive or growing. This â€Å"healthy† forest should be rid of dead trees as they would cause harm to the forest and/or perhaps spread disease of sorts. This misunderstanding originated from our lack of understanding of forests and trees. Dead trees play a crucial role in sustaining biodiversity within forests. They provide the forest with nutrients, a habitat for forest animals, rivers, soil, along with many other benefits covered in this paper. To highlight all the importance’s of dead or decaying trees this report will be broken down to sections After defining exactly what constitutes as a dead trees, we will go in depth into the dead wood cycle. Following that will go into analyzing the benefits of dead trees that include and but not limited to[1]; Hold moisture for the soil throughout arid seasons. Provide a location for necessary bacteria to survive Provide a home for small mammal dens and bird nests; Improving the soil by accumulation of organic matter. Offer a seed bed for redeveloping trees. scavenging spot for several insectivorous animals such as woodpeckers; food, protection, shelter, cover, and suitable climate for thousands of tiny organisms Then role of dead wood in the ecosystem and finally we will conclude the report by stating important facts about the significant biodiversity found because of deadwood. Definition of dead trees and decaying trees Common sense would provide that dead or decaying trees are those trees that are no longer alive. However this is more of a definition of the different kinds of dead tress you could potentially encounter in a forest. We will analyze each kind and separate them from the others Coarse Woody Debris Coarse woody debrisis used to describe fallen deadtrees orthe leftovers of bulkybranches left either in the forest or in the rivers. There is a minimum size required for woody debris to be defined as coarse, which is around 20cm in diameter. This also includes dead or decaying stumps[2]. Coarse woody debris are caused by ordinary tree death,illness, andbugs, as well as disastrous events such aswildfires,tornados, hurricaneand floods[3]. Old forests still contain dead trees and woodland remnants are still where they had fallen. These are recycled to nourish fresh vegetation and establishes the perfect woodland in relations of reprocessing and the renewal of fallen trees. As a matter of fact almost 30% of all biomass contained in a forest are from dead trees[4]. Large Woody Debris Sticks, logs, and branches all are considered large woody debris. Wood that fall into streams and rivers are also believed to be large woody debris. This debris can affect how the water flows in and how strong or weak the channel is. This flow affects how much erosion goes on and thus affects how rivers and other water channels are shaped[5]. Large woody debris are important for all its effects on forest management as well as channel streams. The debris is one of the most important factors in the formation of pools and ponds[5]. As these pools and ponds are formed animals, such as salmon, frogs, and other small fishes. Large woody debris is an important source of biodiversity because if these ponds and or pools were not created a lot of these animals would be washed away. The frogs and other animals that nourish off these fish would lose a feeding ground. The measure of scrubbing and erosion is determined by the relation of the span of the wood, to the deepness of the watercourse, and how deep the piece is dug in[6]. Snags Snags could be defined as coarse woody debris, however they operate in a slightly different way and can be identified in different ways. Snags costs of either standing, dead, or dying trees. Whereas coarse woody debris is usually fallen debris, snags are still standing. Both can, however, refer to dead or decaying trees/debris. Snags are also often missing their tops or most, if not all, of their branches[7]. Dead wood cycling Dead wood cycling is the procedure of when the components of wood, enter the forest ecosystem through death, followed by decomposition and then reuse. Many components and functions of the forest are affected during the changes in trees. These changes are the most important physical features of forest.[8 ]Most forest ecosystems in general contain a large amounts of organic matter within the dead wood. It is reported that 17% of all ecosystem organic matter was found within coarse woody debris and snags at costal ecosystems[8]. The cycle begins with the death of the stem. Usually the death is slow, however in special cases such as lightning strikes, floods, hurricanes or other storms the death is immediate. The larger the tree the longer their period to die. Snags usually take a long time to be utilized by other living trees. A lot of factors contribute to this including, rooting, moisture, nutrients, slop of the ground, how the tree died and the species of trees. All of these factors also affect how long the snag, coarse woody debris, or large woody debris[9]. The utilization of dead snags differs dependent on provincial and geographical ecological conditions. Forests that are troubled by procedures other than lumber jacking, the trees ultimately become dead wood. However the trees that die and continue to stand upright end up becoming part of the snag component of the forest. More lush sites usually have superior snags. Snag thickness reduces and useful life increases with the snag size[9]. Coarse woody debris work differently. After the tree dies it enters the ecosystem either directly through a fall. This could be the death from a fall of living trees or through tree death and the eventual fall of upright dead branches. The biomass and ecologically sustainability of the coarse woody debris also depends on the species of trees. For example coniferous (cone bearing trees) ecosystems hold more bio mass than coniferous ecosystems (used up parts that proceed to fall off.) Biomass is coarse woody debris is also effected by how moist it is. The more moisture there is the more it is able to sustain other organism increasing biodiversity. There is more biomass existent on older trees that younger ones. This is usually due to the nutrients and the size of older trees[10]. Benefits There are a lot of benefits created but all forms of dead trees. Most of the benefits overlap however this report will separate some of the distinct benefits created by each individual type of dead tree. To make this part as thorough as possible, some benefits will also be separated to each respective function and cause. Coarse woody debris The benefits of coarse woody debris are huge. They are one the most important factors in sustaining biodiversity in the forest. Usually there is an accumulation of long-term organic matter, which is contributed by how well decayed the wood is. The size also adds to the accumulation of organic matter and that results in decayed wood that has high in carbon constituents. The soil and ability to carry moisture greatly improved by the carbon[11]. To ensure biodivesity, the protection of productive potential in forest soil should be maintaned. This would ensure a contiuous supply of organic materials that live off the moisture in the debris[11]. Fungus Root tip association There is a special relationship is between ectomycorrhizal activity ( a symbiotic relationship) and coarse woody debris. This fungi is key for the healthy growth of conifer trees and needs moisture to survive during dry periods. The moisture is provided during the state of decay of wood[11]. During the summer months, the moisture contents found in coarse woody debris was around 250% of the dry weight. All this moisture store was then used for dry spells throughout the year to ensure refugia and ectomycorrhizal fungi. The larger the piece, the more moisture would be stored. This does not completely replace the moisture and nutrition needs, but if there is enough wood, it would be a significant source of moisture[12]. Fixation of nitrogen in forests due to coarse woody material Forests growth, specifically in boreal forests, is limited to the amount of nitrogen available in the air and usually is limited in forests. The general theory behind the limit is the slow mineralization of organic soil nitrogen. However since nitrogen is such an important part of forest growth it is crucial to ensure that there is enough nitrogen in the air for the flora[13]. There are 4 sources of nitrogen in the forest[12]: Nitrogen fixing bacteria that reside in roots (also called associative nitrogen fixation) Nitrogen fixing bacteria that occur in soil and plants ( called non symbiotic nitrogen fixation) Nitrogen collected from lightning, dust, pollen, and other air pollutants. Nitrogen fixation from roots from certain species (red alder) The most efficient source is nitrogen fixation from species such as the red alder. Unfortunately, after many years of fire suppression, only some forests contain such species[14]. These forests then rely mostly on non-symbiotic sources of nitrogen, which occur from bacteria found on coarse woody debris. The debris allows bacteria to live due to the heavy moisture contained within the wood, and is an important contributor to nitrogen. There is also a relationship between fungus and nitrogen fixing algae. The algae are self-sustaining however the fungi provide a very firm home for the algae. This fungus survives during the dry sells due to the moisture found on the coarse woody debris 1 [1] Stevens, Victoria. 1997. The ecological role of coarse woody debris: an overview of the Ecological importance of CWD in B.C. forests. Res. Br., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Work. Pap. 30/1997. [2] Stevens, Victoria. 1997. The ecological role of coarse woody debris: an overview of the Ecological importance of CWD in B.C. forests. Res. Br., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Work. Pap. 30/1997. [3] Keddy, P.A. and C.G. Drummond. 1996. Ecological properties for the evaluation, management, and restoration of temperate deciduous forest ecosystems. Ecological Applications 6: [4] Stevens, Victoria. 1997. The ecological role of coarse woody debris: an overview of the Ecological importance of CWD in B.C. forests. Res. Br., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Work. Pap. 30/1997. [5] Curran, Janet H. Flow Resistance of Large Woody Debris in Headwater Streams of the Washington Cascades Abstracts with Programs Geological Society of America [5] [6] Curran, Janet H. Flow Resistance of Large Woody Debris in Headwater Streams of the Washington Cascades Abstracts with Programs Geological Society of America [7] Ferguson, H.L., Robinette, K., and K. Stenberg. 2001.Wildlife of Urban Habitats – Urban Parks, Golf Courses, Cemeteries, and Open Space.Pp. 334-335 in: Johnson, D.H. and T.A. O’Neil, managing directors, Wildlife-Habitat Relationships in Oregon and Washington. Oregon State University Press. [8 ]8 Lofroth, Eric (1998),The dead wood cycle, in Voller, J.; Harrison, S.,Conservation biology principles for forested landscapes, Vancouver, B.C.: UBC Press, pp.185–214 [8] [9] Stevens, Victoria. 1997. The ecological role of coarse woody debris: an overview of the Ecological importance of CWD in B.C. forests. Res. Br., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Work. Pap. 30/1997. [9] Stevens, Victoria. 1997. The ecological role of coarse woody debris: an overview of the Ecological importance of CWD in B.C. forests. Res. Br., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Work. Pap. 30/1997. [10] Lofroth, Eric (1998),The dead wood cycle, in Voller, J.; Harrison, S.,Conservation biology principles for forested landscapes, Vancouver, B.C.: UBC Press, pp.185–214 [11] [11] Stevens, Victoria. 1997. The ecological role of coarse woody debris: an overview of the Ecological importance of CWD in B.C. forests. Res. Br., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Work. Pap. 30/1997 [11] [12] Stevens, Victoria. 1997. The ecological role of coarse woody debris: an overview of the Ecological importance of CWD in B.C. forests. Res. Br., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Work. Pap. 30/1997 [13] Roger T. Koide,Christopher Fernandez,Glenna Malcolm,Determining place and process: functional traits of ectomycorrhizal fungi that affect both community structure and ecosystem function,New Phytologist,2014,201,2 [12] [14] Stevens, Victoria. 1997. The ecological role of coarse woody debris: an overview of the Ecological importance of CWD in B.C. forests. Res. Br., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Work. Pap. 30/1997

Friday, September 20, 2019

Social Media and Law Enforcement | Essay

Social Media and Law Enforcement | Essay Social media is becoming routine in everyday interactions, including being involved with crime. While there has been an increase in using it to start and partake in crime, there has also been an interest in using it to help combat and solve crimes. There are many ways social media can be used to aid the Police, one is by visiting the pages which the user has updated themselves to see if they have inadvertently disclosed information which could hold them accountable for certain crimes by either revealing a picture or information relevant to the crime which has been committed, or noticing a change in lifestyle as a result from the offense. These could be monitored by the Police or sent in as a tip from a source which could lead to the crime being solved quicker than without social media. Studies within America have the support of the Police force and would like to use social media more within investigations, however lack of education on the subject means time could be wasted by not understanding the information as well as finding it. There is also a fine line with using social media to find information relevant to the crime and using this irresponsibly and finding information through unethical means. The public have also been using social media to help solve their own crimes by drumming up interest and getting others involved and talking about the topics to build publicity to solve a crime. These could have been achieved through the loss of a person or pet or by attending an event where the organisers actively promoting social media use to keep the peace within an event. These have then stemmed into other websites being set up based around this to help solve crimes for the future. When the general public get hold of information regarding criminals, they have taken it upon themselves to publicise this within their community to warn other people of the dangers within the local area. This has had drastic effects, especially when promoting about individuals who have served their time for crimes in the past. There have been on-going debates over whether this information has been allowed to be disclosed and resulted in several court battles with pages from the internet being removed as the information is not theirs to disclose. Within the UK, large scale crimes have resulted in companies setting up various pages online and through social media to help solve crimes and promote safe environments. Due to this, there is already a large network of active users who can help promote these messages and support them in reducing crimes. These need to be modified and adapted within the constraints of the companies, which are largely cost based, in order for them to become sustainable for the future in solving crimes. Introduction In September 2012, Facebook reached 1 billion users worldwide (Fowler, 2012) with Twitter following in second place with over 500 million users (Herngaard, 2012). The audience, therefore, to potentially help prevent or to initiate crimes through social media is huge and constantly growing with more people joining these websites and others every day. Social media including Twitter and Facebook are a tool used by the masses for inciting disorderly behaviour. However, as much as social media is being used to start antisocial behaviour, it is also being used to try to combat these actions and be used in a more productive and constructive way. Information Present Through Social Media Since social media gained popularity, the public are more willing to disclose private information through these to friends or acquaintances. On Facebook, a study undertaken in 2005 disclosed that only 0.03% of profiles investigated showed no information of value which could be used to either identify individuals or to source information about individuals (Gross Acquisti, 2005). From this, social media users enable themselves to being visible to anyone who comes across their personal page. This is also the same for Twitter users whose profile is automatically public unless the privacy settings are configured. Therefore many people could be unknowingly uploading personal information about themselves which could be accessed by criminals, their employers or even the Police. Trotter (2012) mentions that social media is a means for communication, but it is increasingly a source of information for the police, which is true of particular cases. Certain criminals including Michael Baker from Kentucky, USA posted a picture of himself siphoning petrol from a Police car on Facebook which later led to his arrest over the crime (Siu, 2012). While this case is obvious to the police that the user has committed the crime, other more subtle ways have been used such as flaunting goodies which have been stolen or bought through crime. LexisNexis (2012) investigated over 12000 law enforcement professionals and showed that 69% questioned had use social media as part of crime investigation. The main reason this is not used more thoroughly is due to lack of training or lack of use within office hours or computers. If more law enforcement professionals were able to use social media within office time, this could help officers within investigations to speed up finding information on top of what has been readily provided, with 67% people questioned agreeing that it will solve investigations quicker. This would lead to more time during the working day to work on other investigations, and in turn solving more crimes than before. Current uses of Social Media by Police Keeping up with innovation, multiple local authorities within the UK, including the Metropolitan Police, are setting up Facebook pages to create awareness within the community. However, in such an early state of social media being used by the Police, many disclaimers indicate that this is not a method to report a crime but to promote public safety and campaigns within the area. This has increased the visibility of the police forces which may be useful if using social media in the future to help report and solve crime as there will already be a base of users readily connected to the service. The reason that these websites cannot be used to report crimes is due to the lack of Police man hours which could be spent monitoring these websites. Lothian and Borders Police in Scotland are one of the first forces in the country to actively allow Facebook users to report crimes online through their Made from Crime initiative, launched August 2011 (Cotton, 2011). The site was to catch criminals who are living beyond their means using the proceeds of crime by allowing anonymous tips through the Facebook page or Crimestoppers Website. Crimestoppers have also launched an application for use on smartphones called TipSumbit to help report crimes in USA through tips or videos directly to the Police (Urbaszewski, 2012). Both of these methods allow the user to remain anonymous which can be a certain appeal for witnesses. However, with both communications being relatively new to the field, there is limited monitoring by the Police so tips sent in may not be read and acted upon instantly, which could lead to the information becoming out of date. This could be counteracted by employing more employees within the police in UK, however, due t o government budget cuts; the police force has been declining for the last couple of years with over 24,000 police jobs being lost since the general elections (Burns-Murdoch, 2012). For an application or website such as these to work efficiently a significant amount of money would needed to be invested into it for it to have a chance to succeed. The current economic situation in this country is one of many reasons why this improvement in reporting crimes is occurring at a slow pace and has not taken off nationwide. Leveson Inquiry In 2012, the Leveson Inquiry was brought about after there were breaches in the privacy of both celebrities and the general public which warranted the investigation into the media and how it acted. It recommended a new independent body to moderate the press. Although this is regarding the current press, which is mainly newspapers, similar findings can be applied to social media as news is slowly moving into online media including social media so the recommendation from Leveson can be used for the data provided on social media websites. Leveson (2012) concludes that there have been too many times when, chasing the story, parts of the press have acted as if its own code, which it wrote, simply did not exist. This could be used to describe the Police using social media to support investigations it undertakes when looking for evidence online. The Police have not been trained to use it, nor is the data valid so using it would be a breach of ethics. The information, although has been proved useful in certain cases, if its not obvious, could lead to the Police jumping the bandwagon and following a suspect who may not be the person they are looking for or hold an individual responsible for a crime they did not commit if the information they have provided online was misinterpreted. As all data inputted through social media is self-edited, it may not be truthful, so should not be taken for granted. This is where using social media to help solve or understand crimes is unreliable due to the freedom people have with what they post and upload to these websites. Self Policing The general public has tried to use social media itself to self-promote crimes to help solve them. This has worked well through certain websites, mainly twitter, to drum up publicity for the crime to solve it. The majority of cases where this has worked are when a pet has been stolen, such as Charley, a 12 week old bulldog who was stolen and found through twitter due to friends and family tweeting about the puppy to drum up interest (BBC, 2012). Through the combined effort of conversation online and people talking about the missing dog offline, Charley was discovered. This may not have happened, or at least not as quickly, if the attention had not been brought to the front of the publics mind through twitter. Small firms, such as one in Erie, Pennsylvania, have created their own Facebook sites to publicise lost pets with their owners and have achieved a 50% success rate with users of the site (Van Rheenen, 2012). This could prove to be more effective than twitter as the focus of the website is on missing pets, however, visitors may not go onto the website if they have not lost a pet themselves. The rescue efforts would then be limited to active users of the website. Certain companies have also tried to rally consumers at large events to help report crimes as they occur during the affair. This occurred at Download Festival 2010 where the promoters encouraged festival goers to tweet through a monitored twitter stream any problems occurring at the festival. There was a 41% reduction in crime compared to the year before (BBC, 2010a). Due to decrease in crime at this large event, other festival organisers could use this as it seemed to have a beneficial effect on the customers by improving their safety. Controversial Facebook Pages As mentioned earlier, one major problem with the Police using social media to report or help solve crime is the lack of funding to use it as a reliable resource set up and monitored through the Police. This has led to groups of individuals creating Facebook groups to warn others of the problems within their local communities. The most publicised case of its kind was in Northern Ireland where Keeping our Kids safe from Predators was launched. At first it was used by parents to alert others about paedophiles in the local area which has been brought about more through Sarahs Law, which is a Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme which allows parents to ask the Police whether or not a person with access to their child is a sex offender (BBC, 2010b). This does not provide as much information as Megans Law in America which also provides parents with information such as addresses of paedophiles. The information provided through this should be given to the parents who ask for it and not passed on to others. Information obtained through this has been made public on Facebook pages which have led to convicted criminals being the centre of hatred from the wider community. One unnamed offender claimed the content found on the website was a breech to his right for privacy which led to degrading treatment through the site. This in turn led to actions against him in the real world which jeopardised his safety. This individual was convicted and charged for his crimes over 20 years ago and believed he had served his time; however the parents within the community did not and deemed him still to be a danger to society, which escalated into the abuse online. A judge ruled that the man was within his rights to a private life, regardless of past convictions and the page was shut down within 72 hours (Silverman, 2012), however follow up pages have been set up but not to the extent of the original one. The results from this case have produced an on-going discussion to whether or not parents should be allowed to publicise information they have obtained to protect local children. However, this case has confirmed that criminals have a right to privacy, no matter how long ago they were convicted. Nevertheless, from this, there could be a way for parents to be able to obtain the information, such as maps of areas (large enough not to be able to identify individuals from it) to show if they live in a high risk area of criminals. This could give parents peace of mind without having to obtain sensitive information from the Police. Though, the Police have limited resources so producing and maintaining a system such as this would be unfeasible at the moment. Funding could become available if there was an increased demand for this and if they could prove it would be worthwhile for the communities exposing the privacy of past criminals. The London Riots In Summer 2011, riots broke out across the country after starting in London. There was a large presence online with starting and organising riots, but also with helping to clean up after the riot. Crimestoppers, a crime fighting charity, reported a large increase in twitter followers during the riot which it used to promote ways to report crimes or posted pictures of crimes happening in the local areas to help the Police with their investigations (Hall, 2012). They regarded social media as a quick effective way to contact the public to give information about the rioters including where to avoid. Additionally, the Metropolitan Police also set up a Flickr site after the riots to try and catch criminals who were still at large (London Disorder Haringey, 2012). Although they do not promote this, it is still present on the internet for anyone to use and to come forward with any additional information they have. After the riots, Crimestoppers set up several online ways it can provide information to the public as well as receive tips about crimes through their website. A sizable network of followers on Twitter and their website means that if a large scale crime was to occur again, Crimestoppers would be well equipped to provide information to the public and would probably gain tips quicker and in greater numbers. Although Crimestoppers only allows crimes not of an urgent nature to be reported on their website, if the demand increased for reporting crimes online, more employees could be used to monitor the tips on the website which would be answered quicker. Recommendations From addressing the points within this report, it is clear that the general public needs to be educated with regards to social media. As it is a relatively new technology, the rules and regulations regarding this are being modified everyday when a new problem arises. A school in Somerset has started to address problems within social media by teaching students about it as part of the curriculum (Walker, 2012). This will assist new users of the dangers of writing information online and who is able to see it. This should be introduced nationwide as lessons such as this are invaluable for children as it can open their eyes to the dangers of what they post online. Using social media as a way of reporting crimes is a difficult issue to address. Due to the lack of funding within the Police which is constantly being cut by the government and charities such as Crimestoppers relying solely on money raised for the website to still operate, the chances of a network being set up and managed on a 24 hour basis may not happen within the next few years. However, using social media to monitor criminals and crime taking place would be a cheaper way to fight crime as no infrastructure would need to be set up as they would use the established social networks. Training would need to be undertaken by the officers who would be responsible for monitoring to avoid such blunders as shown by the Lothian and Borders Police in Scotland (Enoch, 2012) where Police Officers were seen befriending criminals. Strict budget cuts are forever present within the Police, so finding the money and time for officers training for social media may prove costly and ineffective in the long run. An alternative way could be to hire an external online research company as they would have greater knowledge on the subject. This could be cheaper than in house but as the Police need to be secure with all information obtained and used within investigations, this may not be a suitable solution. However, until the issue of cost is overcome within the Police, then the recommendations cannot become a reality.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Influence on the Beatles on American Culture Essay -- The British

The Beatles were more than their music. They influenced the lives of millions of people unlike any musicians before them. They were the first and most popular band in one of the most important music movements in American history, the British Invasion. The year 1964 was the year both the British Invasion and â€Å"Beatlemania† came to America and forever changed the landscape of music in the United States by introducing the genre of pop, as it is today. The Beatles changed the rules of music. Many things that are considered normal now were pioneered by the Beatles such as: creating compilation albums, expressing their views on world happenings through the media, musicians in movies, and even mass media advertising. The beatles influenced American culture more than any other musical artist in history (Holmes, 2012). Prior to the Beatles’ arrival to the United States in 1964, American society was in a valley of negativity. The following were some of the big headlines the American people had to endure: President John F. Kennedy, one of the most popular presidents ever, was assassinated in November of 1963. President Lyndon B. Johnson was increasing U.S. involvement in Vietnam, which was also creating tax increases, all despite the protests of millions of Americans. Policemen on national television were beating Martin Luther King Jr.’s followers. All of this negative publicity surrounding the American public had the people, especially the youth, needing something to take their mind off of the depression going on all around them. â€Å"The Beatles – with their cheeky wit and catchy, upbeat pop songs – proved to be the perfect anecdote for America’s collective depression† (Harry, 2004). Luckily for the American public and... .... "The Beatles." City Portal Liverpool. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. . A Brief History "The Beatles: It Was 40 Years Ago That They Began to Play." News Center. Richard Aquila, n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. . "The Beatles: Most Influential Band of All Time." Hub Pages. N.p., 4 May 2012. Web. 15 May 2015. "The British Invasion." Survey of American Popular Music. Mus273, n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. . "History of The Beatles." Beatle Tribute Bands. @lphaENTERTAINMENT, 2007. Web. 17 May 2015. .

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Inflexibility and Hubris of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall

The Inflexibility and Hubris of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart This novel is the definitive tragic model about the dissolution of the African Ibo culture by Nigerian author, Chinua Achebe. Okonkwo, a great and heroic leader, is doomed by his inflexibility and hubris. He is driven by fear of failure. He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had no patience with his father. Unoka, for that was his father's name, had died ten years ago. In his day he was lazy and improvident, and was quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow. (Achebe,4). The reader gets a rare and exotic understanding of a totally foreign and ancient culture experiencing the growing pains of colonial expansion during the British domination of Nigeria in the late 1800's. Okonkwo's ferocity is demonstrated in the carrying out of his personal "dread" to the letter within his family, his community, and the invaders. His ferocity, born of fear, is his evil. During the Week of Peace, one of Okonkwo's wives, Ojiugo, has left the compound, ignoring her children and domestic duties, to "plait her hair." And when she returned, he beat her very heavily. In his anger he had forgotten that it was the Week of Peace. His first two wives ran out in great alarm pleading with him that it was the sacred week. (Achebe, 29) But Okonkwo was not a man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of a goddess. (Achebe, 30) Being unable to bend, he loses self-control and eventually all he has once stood for. The novel examples rites, initiations, and tribal customs whose images can be disturbing to western mentality, but also stresses the parallels and need in all cultures to have such ceremonies acknowledging important events in... ... make interesting reading. One could almost write a whole chapter on him. Perhaps not a whole chapter but a reasonable paragraph, at any rate ... He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes On The Lower Niger. (Achebe, 208-209) Achebe suggests that colonialism has led to this entire tragedy, but the seeds of dread and self-will are obvious in Okonkwo. He is not a survivor. Our goal is to survive. In our journey through this life of good and evil influences, we purposefully choose our own end by the choices we make along the way. Success can be defined as the acceptance of all of our experience that has led us where we are today. Acceptance of ourselves is the key to acceptance and tolerance of others. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Oxford, Eng.: Heinemann Educational Pub., 1996.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Master Student Strategies Multiple Choice Questions Essay

Which of the following is not a strategy of a master student? C a. Setting short term goals b. Setting long term goals c. Assessing your positive traits d. Avoiding an open? minded approach to problem solving 2. Completing self? discovery exercises assists students in C a. Assessing employment locations b. Assessing computer programs c. Assessing themselves as students/employees d. Assessing travel itineraries 3. Characteristics of a master student include B a. an unwillingness to change b. a willingness to take responsibility for actions in one’s life c. extreme focus on one’s grades d. positive attitude 4. The three sensory modes of learning discussed in class include: B a. Vivid, action, knowing b. Visual, auditory, kinesthetic c. Vital, anxious, kinesthetic d. Verbal, auditory, kinesthetic 5. When exhibiting master student strategies, one might demonstrate all of the following except: C a. Avoiding â€Å"thinking outside of the box† b. Self direction c. Optim ism d. Goal setting 6. The term â€Å"metacognition† is defined as: C a. Learning about objects b. Learning about science c. Learning about learning d. Acting without thinking 7. There are four questions connected to the modes of learning. They include all of the following except: D a. Why? b. What c. How? d. When? 8. Strong self motivation encourages all of the following except: B a. Changing one’s mind b. Ignoring goals c. Comparing benefits d. Requesting help 9. When attempting to bring about change in one’s behavior one should not consider: D a. Affirmations b. Requesting help from friends c. Starting with minor changes d. Setting unrealistic goals 10. Strategies for time management include all of the following except: D a. Monitoring work related tasks b. Setting a stopping time c. Maintaining a clear desk or work area d. Procrastination True/False Questions 11. Mnemonic Devices may not assist one in recalling information Flase 12. There is only one approach to becoming a critical thinker False 13. Successful students should try to connect their learning style to their education and their future career choices. True 14. Spending time with someone who demonstrates the types of success strategies that you are trying to implement is probably not a good idea. False 15. Feeling uncomfortable in a learning situation is not a normal part of the learning cycle. False 16. Motivation may result from clarifying one’s goals and acting upon them. True 17. Learning styles may be connected to study strategies that can be used to help a student succeed in a course. True 18. Visual learning means one is focusing on the kinesthetic section of the learning styles 19. A benefit of keeping a journal during the semester is that it may allow one to write about the connections between courses being studied. True 20. In an effort to become a master student, one should try to make predictions based on the strategies one has learned and check to see if his/her life experiences coincide with those predictions. True 21. Time is considered to be a renewable resource. False 22. Becoming aware of one’s particular style of procrastination may not assist in changing one’s behavior. True 23. Graphic signals are used to enhance a student’s class notes Flase Short Answers: 24. Please describe four characteristics of a master student. Provide specific examples of how these characteristics may be demonstrated. Set goals, achieving the goals in the time frame. Be able to manage time effectively. 25. Decision making skills are important for master students. Please explain how one may improve his/her skill at making decisions in life. By setting goals for their self.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Bob Marley Biography Essay

In the story Marley And Me, John and Jenny Grogan are a new married couple. Jenny becomes depressed that she can’t even keep her plants alive. This made her decide that they should get a dog in order for her to prepare for their future baby. After listening to the soothing reggae music of Bob Marley, they both simultaneously came up with the name Marley for their new puppy. Bob Marley was the connection between the two couples. They heard his music on the car radio as they drove down Biscayne Boulevard; they heard it as they soaked their first conch fitters. They fell in love with South Florida and with each other, and in the background it always seemed Bob Marley. â€Å"We fell in love with his music for it was, but also for what it defined, which was that moment in our lives when we ceased being two and became one.† Bob Marley was the ‘soundtrack’ to their new and exotic life together. Bob Marley, known as the king of reggae, was born on February 6th, 194 5 in St. Ann Parish, Jamaica. His mom was a teenage Jamaican native, and dad was a 50-year-old white navel captain. His parents got married in 1944, which is a year before Bob was born. Norval Marley barely got to see his son Bob since his family did not accept marriage. A couple years after, Bob Marley was sent to a private school to get away from the gangs that were running wild. One of his first and greatest songs â€Å"Simmer Down† was based on how Bob was also known as a rude boy, and would fight back if ever pushed. Bob Marley is widely known for helping Jamaican music come out there worldwide. He has been a great influence in the lives of many present artists, poets, and actors. His songs were based and influenced by the social issues of his homeland because as a child he experienced poverty and violence. When he moved to the private school he was encouraged to play the guitar by one of his new best friends. What truly influenced him were the local performers down in Trench Town. Some of the people he grew up listening to in the trenches of Jamaica are, the legendary Fats Domino, Ray Charles, and Elvis Presley. At first, his career started by him trying to sing just the way his favorite singers sang. Marley’s career started when he was introduced to the Island records because of Leslie Kong who admired Marley’s’ vocals. Bob Marley put his first record on February of 1962; the song was called â€Å"Judge Not† which consisted of loud, scratchy, and fast paced sounds. Music back then consisted of those sounds and definitely was something to dance to. When his song first came out it was only a local hit, but his international fame grew by the years. His friends created the group The Wailers, which were signed to the Maroon records. During the 1969’s, the Wailers first tape was recorded, they were sent to England and released on Trojan records, it was Bob Marley and the Wailers first album. The album was only released in Jamaica and England, and the album sold very well. In the early seventies, Bob Marley and the Wailers were already pretty popular throughout the Caribbean region too. This album would be the new standard of what reggae music would be like, and was thought to be the new music sound that would sweep the world. Bob is also known for his most world famous song, No Woman No Cry. 1976 Rasta man Vibrations was released and the album cracked the American charts. At this point it seemed like Marley was unstoppable. It seemed like nothing could tear him down, but eventually something did and everything went crumbling for Marley. In December of 1976, a murder try took place at Marley’s house. It was a gang of â€Å"sorts† who tried to take Bob Marley down for reasons. Why they wanted to do such thing? That is still unclear till this day. Marley was shot, but did not die since it was not a deadly wound. After that incident, Bob Marley released an even bigger album than Rastaman Vibration came out called, Exodus. Exodus was so popular is stayed on the European charts for 56 weeks! This of course made everything all right for Marley. In 1978 the chart topper Kaya came out. The band saw success once again, and the next year Survival was released, this album was a pro-Africa album, and had songs relating to Africa’s issues at the time. Time however was running out for Bob Marley. In 1980, an other album of Bob Marleys’ was released, Uprising, which was an instant hit. In 1980 a tour with Stevie Wonder was being planned for him and it was going to be the biggest event of his career. Unfortunately, he had a little soccer injury earlier. It was such a simple injury, but it turned into some form of Cancer. The injury refused to heal and instead quickly worsened, the entire nail came off and doctors recommended amputation. It spread throughout his entire body and Bob knew he looked unwell. His last concert was in Pittsburgh on Sept. 23, 1980, at the Stanley Theater. He experienced many different treatments to keep him alive longer. In September of 1980, Marley almost fainted onstage while performing in New York. Marley was diagnosed with a brain tumor (which was the result of the untreated cancer in his toe). Marley was given less than a month to live; the doctors confirmed that he had cancer in the brain, lung, and stomach. Eight months later, Marley passed away at the age of 36, May 11th, 1981. His music lives on through the music of different artists. Bob Marley is not only one of the greatest musicians; he is also one of the greatest men in the history of the world. Through his music, he not only touched the life of his fellow people, he has also influenced their lifestyles, and feelings of people worldwide. He has so many powerful messages through his music. He is dead, but his music is not.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

The Lost Symbol Chapter 90-92

CHAPTER 90 In the dim light of the Cathedral College kitchen, Langdon and Katherine stood over the pot of water and stared at the transformed capstone beneath the surface. On the side of the golden capstone, an incandescent message was glowing. Langdon read the shining text, scarcely able to believe his eyes. He knew the pyramid was rumored to reveal a specific location . . . but he had never imagined that the location would be quite this specific. Eight Franklin Square â€Å"A street address,† he whispered, stunned. Katherine looked equally amazed. â€Å"I don't know what's there, do you?† Langdon shook his head. He knew Franklin Square was one of the older sections of Washington, but he wasn't familiar with the address. He looked at the tip of the capstone, and read downward, taking in the entire text. The secret hides within The Order Eight Franklin Square Is there some kind of Order on Franklin Square? Is there a building that hides the opening to a deep spiral staircase? Whether or not there was actually something buried at that address, Langdon had no idea. The important issue at this point was that he and Katherine had deciphered the pyramid and now possessed the information required to negotiate Peter's release. And not a moment too soon. The glowing arms on Langdon's Mickey Mouse watch indicated that they had less than ten minutes to spare. â€Å"Make the call,† Katherine said, motioning to a phone on the wall in the kitchen. â€Å"Now!† The sudden arrival of this moment startled Langdon, and he found himself hesitating. â€Å"Are we sure about this?† â€Å"I most certainly am.† â€Å"I'm not telling him anything until we know Peter is safe.† â€Å"Of course not. You remember the number, right?† Langdon nodded and made his way over to the kitchen phone. He lifted the receiver and dialed the man's cell-phone number. Katherine came over and placed her head next to his so she could listen in. As the line began to ring, Langdon prepared himself for the eerie whisper of the man who had tricked him earlier tonight. Finally, the call connected. There was no greeting, though. No voice. Only the sound of breathing at the other end. Langdon waited and then finally spoke. â€Å"I have the information you want, but if you want it, you'll have to give us Peter.† â€Å"Who is this?† a woman's voice replied. Langdon jumped. â€Å"Robert Langdon,† he said reflexively. â€Å"Who are you?† For an instant he thought he must have dialed incorrectly. â€Å"Your name is Langdon?† The woman sounded surprised. â€Å"There's someone here asking for you.† What? â€Å"I'm sorry, who is this?† â€Å"Officer Paige Montgomery with Preferred Security.† Her voice seemed shaky. â€Å"Maybe you can help us with this. About an hour ago, my partner responded to a 911 call in Kalorama Heights . . . a possible hostage situation. I lost all contact with her, and so I called backup and came to check the residence. We found my partner dead in the backyard. The home owner was gone, and so we broke in. A cell phone was ringing on the hall table, and I–† â€Å"You're inside?† Langdon demanded. â€Å"Yes, and the 911 tip . . . was a good one,† the woman stammered. â€Å"Sorry if I sound rattled, but my partner's dead, and we found a man being held here against his will. He's in bad shape, and we're working on him now. He's been asking for two people–one named Langdon and one named Katherine.† â€Å"That's my brother!† Katherine blurted into the receiver, pressing her head closer to Langdon's. â€Å"I made the 911 call! Is he okay?!† â€Å"Actually, ma'am, he's . . .† The woman's voice cracked. â€Å"He's in bad shape. He's missing his right hand . . .† â€Å"Please,† Katherine urged. â€Å"I want to talk to him!† â€Å"They're working on him at the moment. He's in and out of consciousness. If you're anywhere in the area, you should get over here. He obviously wants to see you.† â€Å"We're about six minutes away!† Katherine said. â€Å"Then I suggest you hurry.† There was a muffled noise in the background, and the woman then returned to the line. â€Å"Sorry, it looks like I'm needed. I'll speak to you when you arrive.† The line went dead. CHAPTER 91 Inside Cathedral College, Langdon and Katherine bounded up the basement stairs and hurried down a darkened hallway looking for a front exit. No longer did they hear the sounds of helicopter blades overhead, and Langdon felt hopeful they could slip out unseen and find their way up to Kalorama Heights to see Peter. They found him. He's alive. Thirty seconds earlier, when they'd hung up with the female security guard, Katherine had hurriedly hoisted the steaming pyramid and capstone out of the water. The pyramid was still dripping when she lowered it into Langdon's leather bag. Now he could feel the heat radiating through the leather. Excitement over Peter's discovery had temporarily trumped any further reflection on the capstone's glowing message–Eight Franklin Square– but there would be time for that once they got to Peter. As they rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, Katherine stopped short and pointed into a sitting room across the hall. Through the bay window, Langdon could see a sleek black helicopter sitting silent on the lawn. A lone pilot stood beside it, facing away from them and talking on his radio. There was also a black Escalade with tinted windows parked nearby. Staying in the shadows, Langdon and Katherine moved into the sitting room, and peered out the window to see if they could see the rest of the field team. Thankfully, the huge lawn outside the National Cathedral was empty. â€Å"They must be inside the cathedral,† Langdon said. â€Å"They're not,† a deep voice said behind them. Langdon and Katherine wheeled around to see who had spoken. In the doorway of the sitting room, two black-clad figures aimed laser-sighted rifles at them. Langdon could see a glowing red dot dancing on his chest. â€Å"Nice to see you again, Professor,† said a familiar raspy voice. The agents parted, and the tiny form of Director Sato sliced effortlessly through, crossing the sitting room and stopping directly in front of Langdon. â€Å"You've made some exceedingly poor choices tonight.† â€Å"The police found Peter Solomon,† Langdon declared forcefully. â€Å"He's in bad shape, but he'll live. It's over.† If Sato was surprised Peter had been found, she did not show it. Her eyes were unflinching as she walked to Langdon and stopped only inches away. â€Å"Professor, I can assure you, this is nowhere near over. And if the police are now involved, it has only become more serious. As I told you earlier this evening, this is an extremely delicate situation. You never should have run away with that pyramid.† â€Å"Ma'am,† Katherine blurted, â€Å"I need to see my brother. You can have the pyramid, but you must let–â€Å" â€Å"I must?† Sato demanded, spinning to Katherine. â€Å"Ms. Solomon, I assume?† She stared at Katherine with fire in her eyes and then turned back to Langdon. â€Å"Put the leather bag on the table.† Langdon glanced down at the pair of laser sights on his chest. He set the leather bag on the coffee table. An agent approached cautiously, unzipped the bag, and pulled the two sides apart. A little puff of trapped steam billowed up out of the bag. He aimed his light inside, stared for a long, puzzled moment, and then nodded to Sato. Sato walked over and peered into the bag. The wet pyramid and capstone glistened in the beam of the flashlight. Sato crouched down, looking very closely at the golden capstone, which Langdon realized she had only seen in X-ray. â€Å"The inscription,† Sato demanded. â€Å"Does it mean anything to you? `The secret hides within The Order'?† â€Å"We're not sure, ma'am.† â€Å"Why is the pyramid steaming hot?† â€Å"We submerged it in boiling water,† Katherine said without hesitation. â€Å"It was part of the process of deciphering the code. We'll tell you everything, but please let us go see my brother. He's been through–â€Å" â€Å"You boiled the pyramid?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Turn off the flashlight,† Katherine said. â€Å"Look at the capstone. You can probably still see.† The agent flicked off his light, and Sato knelt down before the capstone. Even from where Langdon was standing, he could see that the text on the capstone was still glowing slightly. â€Å"Eight Franklin Square?† Sato said, sounding amazed. â€Å"Yes, ma'am. That text was written with an incandescent lacquer or something. The thirty-third degree was actually–â€Å" â€Å"And the address?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Is this what this guy wants?† â€Å"Yes,† Langdon said. â€Å"He believes the pyramid is a map that will tell him the location of a great treasure–the key to unlocking the Ancient Mysteries.† Sato looked again at the capstone, her expression one of disbelief. â€Å"Tell me,† she said, fear creeping into her voice, â€Å"have you contacted this man yet? Have you already given him this address?† â€Å"We tried.† Langdon explained what had happened when they called the man's cell phone. Sato listened, running her tongue over her yellow teeth as he spoke. Despite looking ready to erupt with anger over the situation, she turned to one of her agents and spoke in a restrained whisper. â€Å"Send him in. He's in the SUV.† The agent nodded and spoke into his transceiver. â€Å"Send who in?† Langdon said. â€Å"The only person who has any hope of fixing the goddamn mess you made!† â€Å"What mess?† Langdon fired back. â€Å"Now that Peter is safe, everything is–â€Å" â€Å"For Christ's sake!† Sato exploded. â€Å"This is not about Peter! I tried to tell you that at the Capitol Building, Professor, but you chose to work against me rather than with me! Now you've made an ungodly mess! When you destroyed your cell phone, which, by the way, we were tracking, you cut off your communication with this man. And this address you uncovered–whatever the hell it is–this address was our one chance to catch this lunatic. I needed you to play his game, to provide him with this address so we would know where the hell to catch him!† Before Langdon could reply, Sato directed the remainder of her wrath at Katherine. â€Å"And you, Ms. Solomon! You knew where this maniac lived? Why didn't you tell me? You sent a rent-a-cop to this man's house? Don't you see you've ruined any chance we had of catching him there? I'm glad your brother is safe, but let me tell you this, we are facing a crisis tonight whose ramifications far outreach your family. They will be felt all around the world. The man who took your brother has enormous power, and we need to catch him immediately.† As she finished her tirade, the tall, elegant silhouette of Warren Bellamy emerged from the shadows and stepped into the sitting room. He looked rumpled, bruised, and shaken . . . like he'd been through hell. â€Å"Warren!† Langdon stood up. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"No,† he replied. â€Å"Not really.† â€Å"Did you hear? Peter is safe!† Bellamy nodded, looking dazed, as if nothing mattered anymore. â€Å"Yes, I just heard your conversation. I'm glad.† â€Å"Warren, what the hell is going on?† Sato intervened. â€Å"You boys can catch up in a minute. Right now, Mr. Bellamy is going to reach out to this lunatic and communicate with him. Just like he's been doing all night.† Langdon felt lost. â€Å"Bellamy hasn't been communicating with this guy tonight! This guy doesn't even know Bellamy is involved!† Sato turned to Bellamy and raised her eyebrows. Bellamy sighed. â€Å"Robert, I'm afraid I haven't been entirely honest with you this evening.† Langdon could only stare. â€Å"I thought I was doing the right thing . . .† Bellamy said, looking frightened. â€Å"Well,† Sato said, â€Å"now you will do the right thing . . . and we'd all better pray to God it works.† As if to substantiate Sato's portentous tone, the mantel clock began chiming the hour. Sato took out a Ziploc bag of items and tossed it to Bellamy. â€Å"Here's your stuff. Does your cell phone take photos?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"Good. Hold up the capstone.† The message Mal'akh had just received was from his contact–Warren Bellamy–the Mason he had sent to the Capitol Building earlier tonight to assist Robert Langdon. Bellamy, like Langdon, wanted Peter Solomon back alive and had assured Mal'akh he would help Langdon acquire and decipher the pyramid. All night, Mal'akh had been receiving e-mail updates, which had been automatically forwarded to his cell phone. This should be interesting, Mal'akh thought, opening the message. From: Warren Bellamy got separated from langdon but finally have info you demanded. proof attached. call for missing piece. –wb –one attachment (jpeg)– Call for missing piece? Mal'akh wondered, opening the attachment. The attachment was a photo. When Mal'akh saw it, he gasped out loud, and he could feel his heart start pounding with excitement. He was looking at a close-up of a tiny golden pyramid. The legendary capstone! The ornate engraving on the face carried a promising message: The secret hides within The Order. Beneath the inscription, Mal'akh now saw something that stunned him. The capstone seemed to be glowing. In disbelief, he stared at the faintly radiant text and realized that the legend was literally true: The Masonic Pyramid transforms itself to reveal its secret to the worthy. How this magical transformation had occurred, Mal'akh had no idea, and he didn't care. The glowing text was clearly pointing to a specific location in D.C., exactly as prophesied. Franklin Square. Unfortunately, the photo of the capstone also included Warren Bellamy's index finger, which was strategically positioned on the capstone to block out a critical piece of information. The secret hides within The Order Franklin Square Call for missing piece. Mal'akh now understood Bellamy's meaning. The Architect of the Capitol had been cooperative all night, but now he had chosen to play a very dangerous game. CHAPTER 92 Beneath the watchful gaze of several armed CIA agents, Langdon, Katherine, and Bellamy waited with Sato in the Cathedral College sitting room. On the coffee table before them, Langdon's leather bag was still open, the golden capstone peeking out the top. The words Eight Franklin Square had now faded away, leaving no evidence that they had ever existed. Katherine had pleaded with Sato to let her go see her brother, but Sato had simply shaken her head, eyes fixed on Bellamy's cell phone. It sat on the coffee table and had yet to ring. Why didn't Bellamy just tell me the truth? Langdon wondered. Apparently, the Architect had been in contact with Peter's captor all night, reassuring him that Langdon was making progress deciphering the pyramid. It was a bluff, an attempt to buy time for Peter. In fact, Bellamy was doing all he could to interfere with anyone who threatened to unveil the pyramid's secret. Now, however, it seemed that Bellamy had switched sides. He and Sato were now prepared to risk the pyramid's secret in hopes of catching this man. â€Å"Take your hands off me!† shouted an elderly voice in the hall. â€Å"I'm blind, not inept! I know my way through the college!† Dean Galloway was still protesting loudly as a CIA agent manhandled him into the sitting room and forced him into one of the chairs. â€Å"Who's here?† Galloway demanded, his blank eyes staring dead ahead. â€Å"It sounds like a lot of you. How many do you need to detain an old man? Really now!† â€Å"There are seven of us,† Sato declared. â€Å"Including Robert Langdon, Katherine Solomon, and your Masonic brother Warren Bellamy.† Galloway slumped, all his bluster gone. â€Å"We're okay,† Langdon said. â€Å"And we just heard that Peter is safe. He's in bad shape, but the police are with him.† â€Å"Thank heavens,† Galloway said. â€Å"And the–â€Å" A loud rattling caused everyone in the room to jump. It was Bellamy's cell phone vibrating against the coffee table. Everyone fell silent. â€Å"Okay, Mr. Bellamy,† Sato said. â€Å"Don't blow it. You know the stakes.† Bellamy took a deep breath and exhaled. Then he reached down and pressed the speakerphone button to connect the call. â€Å"Bellamy here,† he said, speaking loudly toward the phone on the coffee table. The voice that crackled back through the speaker was familiar, an airy whisper. It sounded like he was calling from a hands-free speakerphone inside a car. â€Å"It's past midnight, Mr. Bellamy. I was about to put Peter out of his misery.† There was an uneasy silence in the room. â€Å"Let me talk to him.† â€Å"Impossible,† the man replied. â€Å"We're driving. He's tied up in the trunk.† Langdon and Katherine exchanged looks and then began shaking their heads at everyone. He's bluffing! He no longer has Peter! Sato motioned for Bellamy to keep pressing. â€Å"I want proof that Peter's alive,† Bellamy said. â€Å"I'm not giving you the rest of–â€Å" â€Å"Your Worshipful Master needs a doctor. Don't waste time with negotiations. Tell me the street number on Franklin Square, and I'll bring Peter to you there.† â€Å"I told you, I want–â€Å" â€Å"Now!† the man exploded. â€Å"Or I will pull over and Peter Solomon dies this instant!† â€Å"You listen to me,† Bellamy said forcefully. â€Å"If you want the rest of the address, you'll play by my rules. Meet me at Franklin Square. Once you deliver Peter alive, I'll tell you the number of the building.† â€Å"How do I know you won't bring the authorities?† â€Å"Because I can't risk double-crossing you. Peter's life is not the only card you hold. I know what's really at stake tonight.† â€Å"You do realize,† the man on the phone said, â€Å"that if I sense so much as a hint of anyone other than you at Franklin Square, I will keep driving, and you will never find even a trace of Peter Solomon. And of course . . . that will be the least of your worries.† â€Å"I'll come alone,† Bellamy replied somberly. â€Å"When you turn over Peter, I'll give you everything you need.† â€Å"Center of the square,† the man said. â€Å"It will take me at least twenty minutes to get there. I suggest you wait for me as long as it takes.† The line went dead. Instantly, the room sprang to life. Sato began shouting orders. Several field agents grabbed their radios and headed for the door. â€Å"Move! Move!† In the chaos, Langdon looked to Bellamy for some kind of explanation as to what was actually going on tonight, but the older man was already being hurried out the door. â€Å"I need to see my brother!† Katherine shouted. â€Å"You have to let us go!† Sato walked over to Katherine. â€Å"I don't have to do anything, Ms. Solomon. Is that clear?† Katherine stood her ground and looked desperately into Sato's small eyes. â€Å"Ms. Solomon, my top priority is apprehending the man at Franklin Square, and you will sit here with one of my men until I accomplish that task. Then, and only then, will we deal with your brother.† â€Å"You're missing the point,† Katherine said. â€Å"I know exactly where this man lives! It's literally five minutes up the road in Kalorama Heights, and there will be evidence there that will help you! Besides, you said you want to keep this quiet. Who knows what Peter will start telling the authorities once he's stabilized.† Sato pursed her lips, apparently registering Katherine's point. Outside, the chopper blades began winding up. Sato frowned and then turned to one of her men. â€Å"Hartmann, you take the Escalade. Transport Ms. Solomon and Mr. Langdon to Kalorama Heights. Peter Solomon is not to speak to anyone. Is that understood?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am,† the agent said. â€Å"Call me when you get there. Tell me what you find. And don't let these two out of your sight.† Agent Hartmann gave a quick nod, pulled out the Escalade keys, and headed for the door. Katherine was right behind him. Sato turned to Langdon. â€Å"I'll see you shortly, Professor. I know you think I'm the enemy, but I can assure you that's not the case. Get to Peter at once. This isn't over yet.† Off to one side of Langdon, Dean Galloway was sitting quietly at the coffee table. His hands had found the stone pyramid, which was still sitting in Langdon's open leather bag on the table in front of him. The old man was running his hands over the stone's warm surface. Langdon said, â€Å"Father, are you coming to see Peter?† â€Å"I'd just slow you down.† Galloway removed his hands from the bag and zipped it up around the pyramid. â€Å"I'll stay right here and pray for Peter's recovery. We can all speak later. But when you show Peter the pyramid, would you please tell him something for me?† â€Å"Of course.† Langdon hoisted the bag onto his shoulder. â€Å"Tell him this.† Galloway cleared his throat. â€Å"The Masonic Pyramid has always kept her secret . . . sincerely.† â€Å"I don't understand.† The old man winked. â€Å"Just tell Peter that. He will understand.† With that, Dean Galloway bowed his head and began praying. Perplexed, Langdon left him there and hurried outside. Katherine was already in the front seat of the SUV giving the agent directions. Langdon climbed in back and had barely closed the door before the giant vehicle was rocketing across the lawn, racing northward to Kalorama Heights.