Working in teams

When working in teams there are many factors that can lead to success or failure to achieving the goals of the team. Understanding the objective, having the proper resources, and trust within the team are some. Having trust is one of the most important factors in team success. Trust within the team can lead to everyone being comfortable knowing the project will be accomplished and knowing assigned parts will be completed. Distrust within the team can lead to personal problems and can hinder the project not being completed. Working on teams can be very stressful. A team member has to meet the team, discuss the project, figure out who will do what part of the project, and manage your normal tasks at work while completing the new work that is associated with the team project. Stress is added automatically because a team member would naturally want to do a good job on the team project and that people are going to rely on you to complete your part but you also have to worry that the others on the team are going to do their part. Distrust on a team can lead to many problems. Not having trust in your team can lead to arguments within the team and not being able to work with that person or even the entire group. Distrust can lead to a person doing his part of the assigned project and can also lead to that person doing other parts of the project not assigned to them causing friction. Another possible result from having distrust in the team dynamic is the ability to influence others. A person with influence can bring doubt in the group or persuade others to have doubt in one or more people on the team that could result in the team turning a person or even getting a person or persons thrown out of the group. To answer the question is trust assumed or is it earned within a team. Ruth H. Axelrod answered the question by researching various philosophers and professors and they all noted a person has to have the following traits to garner trust. Ruth’s discoveries say trust has to be earned. She noted one has to show good character, honesty, integrity, must be dependable, and must be reliable. These findings were published in her paper Deciding To Trust a Stranger. I agree that trust has to be earned. It is good to come to a team project with an open mind and no preconceived thoughts but everyone in the team will still have to show they can pull his or her weight and work as a team. Trust can lost be lost while working on a team very easily. One simple mishap like not showing up for a scheduled meeting or not being prepared can cause the team to lose trust within an individual. Always being present to a scheduled meeting is very important. Missing a meeting could lead to missing an important update or new deadline for the project. Not being prepared shows the team you are not engaged in the project, the work assigned to you is too much for you to handle, or you simply do not care for the project or the others on your team. It is easy to keep trust among your team. If you do you what is asked and expected of you the team will have trust in you. If you treat everyone with respect and provide support the team will trust you. Taken from the paper again, if a person shows the qualities of being dependable, being reliable, and having integrity trust will be maintained within the team.

Journal Entries for habit

Journal Entries for habit one and two Habit 1: Be Proactive According to Stephen Covey, being proactive is part of human nature and humans are responsible for their own lives. He indicated the details of a social map which consist of Genetic determinism (Ancestors), Psychic determinism (Parents) and Environment determinism (Boss or something in the environment). The proactive concept was explained further using the Stimulus and Response relationship and the catalyst story of Viltor Frankl. Between Stimulus and Response, man has the ability or freedom to choose.This means one can decide how to reactive to thing or how to handle each situation. What matters most is how we respond to what we experience in life. We need to take initiative and this means recognizing our responsible to make things happen. We need to act or be acted upon. In Covey’s own words, reactive people are also affected by their social environment, by the â€Å"social weather. † When people treat them w ell, they feel well; when people don’t, they become defensive or protective. Proactive people are still influenced by external stimuli, whether physical, social, or psychological.But their response to the stimuli, conscious or unconscious, is a value-based choice or response. Proactive people aren’t pushy. They’re smart, they’re value driven, they read reality, and they know what’s needed. Another important issue he raised in the book is for people to expand their circle of influence. Habit two: Begin with the end in mind According to Covey, â€Å"Begin with the End in Mind† is to begin today with the image, picture, or paradigm of the end of your life as your frame of reference or the criterion by which everything else is examined.It further means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. Using the principle that all things are created twice, Covey said the unique human capacities of self-awareness, imagination, and conscienc e enable us to examine first creations and make it possible for us to take charge of our own first creation, to write our own script. â€Å"Habit 2 is based on principles of personal leadership, which means that leadership is the first creation. Leadership is not management. † Stephen Covey said as he explained the second habit.He further in the book explained that, in business proactive powerful leadership must constantly monitor environmental change, particularly customer buying habits and motives, and provide the force necessary to organize resources in the right direction. Later in the book, Covey stated that, the most effective way he knows to begin with the end in mind is to develop a personal/ family/ organizational mission statement or philosophy or creed. It focuses on what one wants to be and to do (contributions and achievements) and on the values or principles upon which being and doing are based.Visualization and affirmation were also talked about. Shairay Jones Journal Entries for habit three and four Habit Three: Put first things first. To Covey, we are responsible for our own effectiveness, for our own happiness, and ultimately for most of our circumstances. The third habit is the personal fruit of habit 1 and 2. In Habit 3 according to Covey, we are dealing with many of the questions addressed in the field of life and time management. He used an illustration of four quadrants to show the essence of this habit and time management.Quadrant I stood for both urgent and important things. Quadrant III stood for urgent but not important things. Quadrant IV – not important, not urgent things while Quadrant II which is the heart of effective personal management stood for not urgent, but important things. These things to him are what we should put first before any other thing. He also talked about ‘gofer delegation’ and ‘stewardship delegation’ (taking control and giving control out respectively). Part three: Publ ic Victory At this part, Covey talked about the Paradigm of Interdependence.He asked us to remember that effective interdependence can only be built on a foundation of true independence. Private Victory precedes Public Victory. In the same way, Algebra comes before calculus. To expatiate on this point, Covey noted that independence is an achievement. Interdependence is a choice only independent people can make. So the place to begin building any relationship is inside ourselves, inside our Circle of Influence, our own character. Stephen further recollected an incidence he had with his two sons to explain what attending to little things meant.To him, Small discourtesies, little unkindnesses, little forms of disrespect make large withdrawals in our lives. In relationship for instance, the little thing are the big things. Keeping commitments, Clarifying expectations, showing personal integrity, apologizing sincerely when we make a withdrawal from our emotional bank are important things to do to make deposits in to our emotional banks. Covey mentioned that, with the paradigm of the Emotional Bank Account in mind, we’re ready to move into the habits of Public Victory, or success in working with other people.Habit 4: Think win-win (Principles of Interpersonal leadership) Under this heading, Covey narrated his personal experience at work with a company and at the end he noted that, whether you are the president of a company or the janitor, the moment you step from independence into interdependence in any capacity, you step into a leadership role. You are in a position of influencing other people. And the habit of effective interpersonal leadership is to think win-win. In addition, I learnt from this book that, win-win is not a technique but a total philosophy of human interaction.The principle of win-win begins with character then moves to relationship. Everything else is built on character. Maturity is the second foundation for win-win. To Covey, Maturity is the balance between courage and consideration. To go for win-win, you not only have to be nice, you have to be courageous. You not only have to be empathic, you have to be confident. You not only have to be considerate and sensitive, you have to be brave. That’s why we need to be internally matured, according to Stephen Covey.The third characteristic of a win-win case is the abundance mentality, the paradigm that there is plenty out there for everybody. From the foundation of character, we build and maintain win-win relationship. Shairay Jones Journal Entries for habit five, six, and seven Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Principles of Empathic Communication Stephen Covey began this session by saying this â€Å"if I were to summarize in one sentence the single most important principle I have learned in the field of interpersonal relations, it would be this: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood. To him this principle is the key to effective interpersonal communication. It shows how we have such a tendency to rush in, to fix things up with good advice. But we often fail to take the time to diagnose, to really, deeply understand the problem first. There is a link between character and communication. Communication is the most important skill in life. In addition to communication, Covey emphasized emphatic listening, another important factor aiding the fifth habit. We must always seek first to understand before seeking to be understood.Empathic listening means listening with intent to understand and that is needed for habit 5. Diagnosing before we prescribe is also needed for this habit. Habit 6: Synergy Principles of Creative Cooperation â€Å"Synergy is the essence of Principle-Centered Leadership. It is the essence of principle-centered parenting and it catalyzes, unifies, and unleashes the greatest powers within people. All the habits we have covered prepare us to create the miracle of synergy†. Stephen Covey. He defined synergy to mean that, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.He illustrated this in different scenarios and talked about synergistic communication. He explained that, when you communicate synergistically, you are simply opening your mind and heart and expressions to new possibilities, new alternatives, new options. He talked about synergy in the classroom and in business. Another important thing he talked about was what he called Negative synergy. He also talked about valuing the difference; this to him is the essence of synergy, the mental, the emotional, and the psychological differences between people.And the key to valuing those differences is to realize that all people see the world, not as it is, but as they are. Part four: RENEWAL Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw Over here, he spoke about the principles of balanced self-renewal. This final habit involves taking time to sharpen the saw and it surrounds the other habits on the Seven Habits paradigm because it is the habit that makes all the others possible. According to him, it involves preserving and enhancing the greatest asset we have. Us) â€Å"Sharpen the Saw† basically means expressing all four motivations (physical, spiritual, mental, and social/emotional). It means exercising all four dimensions of our nature, regularly and consistently, in wise and balanced ways. To do this, we must be proactive, according to Covey. He also used the physical dimension, mental dimension, socio/emotional and the spiritual dimension paradigms to explain this point. Furthermore, he noted that balanced renewal is optimally synergetic.The things you do to sharpen the saw in any one dimension have positive impact in other dimensions because they are so highly interrelated. He, at the end, talked about Inside out again by quoting the words of Ezra Taft Benson†¦ â€Å"The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment.The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature. † Shairay Jones Advance Reading Seminar The 7 habits of highly effective people Questions 1. What made Stephen R. Covey write the book? 2. Does he think the 7 habits are still relevant today? 3. Did he think the book would have the type of effect it had on the people? 4. Did the book influence him? How? 5. What habit had the most influence on him? 6. Where did he come up with the seven habits? 7. How does he fell to know that his book sold over 15 million? 8. Did he buy the book when it first came out?

Has Globalization Helped Haiti in Handling?

Has globalization helped Haiti in handling the devastation of the earthquake? Haiti's worst earthquake in two centuries hit south of the capital Port-au-Prince in 12 January 2010. Hundreds of buildings were damaged or destroyed, millions were relocated, thousands died. The BBC documental video â€Å"Surviving Haiti† showed how lives changed after the earthquake, how government was handling the situation and what measures were taken to help. As Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world, the inhabitants of Port-au-Prince would not be able to handle the devastation of the earthquake on their own.So, the question is, has globalization helped Haiti to recover losses after the devastating earthquake? The global response to the earthquake in port-au-Prince has been generous and quite fast. United States mobilized its soldiers to help suffering Haitians, the EU allocated large amount of money, Canada, Brazil, Italy and Cuba sent over 1,000 military and disaster relief personn el each, Turkey sent searching troops, Germany and China sent officers of technical assistance, aircraft carriers arrived from Russia, Israeli medical staff came, Iran allocated tents for families that lost their homes.Even such countries as Guyana, Estonia and Liberia have sent money. It would seem that the sum these countries sent was ridiculous, but for a small country, it is a kind gesture. The total sum of donations worldwide equals about 2, 5 billion US dollars. Apart from financial aid, human compassion made miracles. Families from France didn’t give up the adoption processes; they came to see their potential children, to meet their parents and to solve bureaucratic problems.Sympathetic corporations, non-governmental organizations, private persons and celebrities responded to the Haiti pledges. In the most difficult moment of their lives survived children and their parents got a flash of hope for better future. People all over the world are not indifferent to the suffe rings of their „planet† neighbors. So, the film shows that life of earthquake survivors is very hard, but hope still exists.In this particular case of Haiti, when globalization impact was also a question of humanity, not just of economy, the process itself helped Haiti to recover more or less after the devastating earthquake and to save as many Haitians as possible. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. guardian. co. uk, Haiti earthquake aid pledged by country http://www. guardian. co. uk/news/datablog/2010/jan/14/haiti-quake-aid-pledges-country-donations

Dorthy Orem Self Decfict Nursing Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dorthy Orem Self Decfict Nursing Theory - Essay Example As such, the nursing profession is meant to intervene by simply facilitating self care where necessary through education or supportive means to help subjects learn about self care. The theory emphasizes the essence of the patients’ or groups’ participation in facilitating their care. It facilitates healthcare provision through education, direct action, guidance, support and provision of the appropriate environment for engaging in self care. In spite of the proven efficiency of the theory in aspects such as addressing the root cause of health problems, the theory faces challenges that arise from non-compliance to educational values delivered due to complacency and negligence. This review of the theory not only reviews the overall aspects of the theory, but also the probable application, efficiency, challenges and improvements necessary. Introduction Nursing theories are derivatives of conceptual frameworks with principles and doctrines that define the underlying basis of nursing practice. Unlike the name suggests, they are not purely opinionated and theoretical, but rather supported by actual knowledge that has proven their applicability through time. The theoretical aspect originates from the fact that they were theoretically formulated, but in actual sense they have been proven as being effective through their application as functional elements of nursing practice. The concepts of nursing theories define and characterize the nursing practice. In a nutshell, nursing denotes a human interaction developed to foster health by working within the boundaries of the patient and his environment (Dennis, 2008). According to Orem, the practice is both therapeutic and supportive. The supportive aspect is meant to enhance wholeness in the event of a patient’s experience of failing health by facilitating care that the patient cannot achieve through personal efforts. There are numerous theories that support and define the practice of nursing, but this pa per particularly highlights Dorothea Orem’s â€Å"Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory,† which is a middle range theory that makes up the three theories under her grand theory. Dorothea Orem’s grand theory was developed during her working experience which included serving as a nurse practitioner, educator, administrator and consultant. It is during her engagement with the development of the education field of nursing that she formulated the theory as part of her dissertation works at the masters’ level (Currentnursing.com, 2012). Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory The self-care deficit theory is mainly based on the principle of encouraging patients to be independent in the facilitation of their own care. It is the central focal point in Orem’s grand theory. The theory defines when nursing intervention is deemed necessary (Dennis, 2008). It also describes how patients and groups of people in need of healthcare can get helped by nursing inter ventions. The application of the theory often comes to play when the involved subject/s are unable to facilitate self-care. The inability to administer personal care when in need of healthcare is what gives the theory the deficit denotation. As such, the theory is used in identifying cases with deficit of care, where the subjects in question are unable to sufficiently undertake steps that guarantee them good health. According to the theory, nursing serves

Slic3r vs Skeinforge Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Slic3r vs Skeinforge - Assignment Example It is used in printers to convert 3D model into G-code instructions. Slic3r is a computer tool that is used in printing devices to convert digital 3D instructions into 3D printer (James, Floyd and Patrick 35). It was produced in 2011, and it is unique because is not based in previous. The software is available in packages like Linux, Windows and MacOS X. Our main objective of the study was to determine which software to when performing 3-D printing. Our data was collected using interviews from persons who had an experience with the software’s. Besides that, the software’s were tested in the lab using 3D printers. The data was recorded on table form. On analysis, we found out that the slic3r is the best with 75 % in favor of it. The software has most of i8ts options automated hence simple to use. Skein forge had a dialogue box with so many features that complicates it when using hence not user friendly. Executive Summary In our project, we have compared skein forge and slic3r software’s that are used in printing of 3D objects. With the emergence of new software in the market, it is an ideal moment to get the best software’s for a specific task. It appears that every interest/skill level there is an ideal software package. In software realm, there are software packages for slicing and also software applications for printers. In printing the mostly used packages are skein forge and slic3r. ... Print. 18 Executive Summary In our project, we have compared skein forge and slic3r software’s that are used in printing of 3D objects. With the emergence of new software in the market, it is an ideal moment to get the best software’s for a specific task. It appears that every interest/skill level there is an ideal software package. In software realm, there are software packages for slicing and also software applications for printers. In printing the mostly used packages are skein forge and slic3r. Printer applications utilize the two applications when bidding as they convert files to code. Both skein forge, and slic3r creates code though slight difference in results. The paper highlights the difference between the silc3r and skein forge software and the recommendation of the most appropriate software. The data is analyzed which shows the users of the 2 software, in which Slic3r is mostly used than skein forge. This shows that slic3r has more advantages than skein forge . Our objective was aimed at determining the best software for recommendation especially in business activities. This project is aimed at creating awareness of the difference between skein forge and slic3r software. The project will ensure that the reader can identify the most applicable software. The project will also ensure that business organization can identify the most appropriate software between skein forge and slic3r. Companies, which manage software, will also gain more knowledge about their products. They will be able to explain to customers on how to use the software. The Information technology firms will sell the most appropriate software and attract more customers. Finally, this project helps the student in critical thinking since by discussion of results one gain more knowledge in

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Annotated Bibliography

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia - Annotated Bibliography Example The researcher of this essay aims to analyze and discuss studies, that were conducted by the researchers on the subject of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia disease, that is a cancer that mainly attacks the bone marrow and arises from cancerous and immature white blood cells called lymphoblast. The two subtypes of lymphocytes are T and B cells. The authors of the studies, that were discussed stipulate that 80% of acute lymphoblastic leukemia arise from immature B-lymphocytes. The disease is most prevalent in children; nevertheless, it has also increased in elderly populace mostly of ages 60 years and over. The main symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia are buildup of the abnormal and immature white blood cells within the bone marrow and blood. Blast cells collect out of the normal cells within the bone marrow thus lowering blood counts. The disease results to decrease in normal white cells making an individual to be susceptible to infection such as sinuses, bronchitis, and pneumonia. T he main signs are; enlargement of the lymph nodes within the neck and arms coupled with enlargement of the spleen. This journal also describes the treatment options for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is treated by multiple chemotherapy drugs via mouth or via special intravenous line that is normally placed within a vein in the arm or chest and maintain for several months. According to Knowles, the chromosomes that lead to the development of Acute Lymphoblastic leukemia is sill not known today.

Gender History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gender History - Essay Example he men were supposed to be the active participants in the battlefield while for a woman it is important to be chaste and moral to prove that she is a good citizen. The benchmark of patriotism is thus based on the gender of the individual. Here we are going to focus on the same gender construction of the Second World War especially in Britain. Same issue is discussed by Prof. Sonya Rose in her book â€Å"Which People’s War.† Here we are going to discuss the points which are related to the gender construction during the Second World War. All wars which occurred in the history are mainly fought by the men and there are very exceptional cases where women have taken part on actual battlefield right from the mythological war to the modern war. It is generally anticipated that only men are eligible to serve as a soldiers because of their physical strength they have got by nature. Rather the masculinity of any man is judged by his willingness to fight. Of course it doesn’t mean that the women had never participated in the war actively. Some exceptional cases of course are there like Saint Joan or Rani of Jhansi etc. But these women have comprised only 1% and the rest of the women have denied for this work. Generally men and women are socialized to play their role according to their gender. Their minds are culturally prepared accordingly. Hence gender has always been the important and unavoidable matter in the war. Men are given the status of heroes and are always anticipated as the subject while the women are alway s taken for granted as a fragile creature and they are subject to be raped during the war time. Generally war time work used to be divided on the basis of gender. Janet Lee in her book â€Å"War Girl†states, â€Å"Women’s entry into this masculine space of war in any role other than that of nurse, that submissive angel of mercy, threatened the foundation of wartime gender construction with its division into masculine military forces and feminine home

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

NURSING - Essay Example A muscle is a vital type of soft tissues found in every organ of an animal’s body, the cells in a muscle of myosin, protein and acting all of which are vital in influencing the shape and size of an organ thus the entire organism (Blakey 77). Among the most vital muscles in the human body that enhance movement is the skeletal muscle. The skeletal muscle is responsible for the upright posture of humans. It connects bones through tendons, which act as levers thereby enabling movement. During a jog, both the arms and the legs move systematically. The lifting and dropping of the limbs during a jog arises from the ability of the skeletal muscles. The tendons in both the leg and the arm lift various parts of the limbs at the various synovial joints. Synovial joints foster the movement of various body parts in humans. Such are the most common types of joints in humans. A joint is a point in the body where two bones meet. Synovial joints have a slimy lubricant that enhances the efficiency in the contact of the bones in humans. Such joints as the elbow and the knee are among the most vital synovial joints that facilitate the movement of a body (Barnett 121). The synovial fluid requires adequate supply of blood from the arteries that share the anastomosis at the joint. Jogging engages the joints thereby heightening their activity. The heightened activity in turn increases the flow of blood through the arteries to the synovial fluid in the joints. Such is a desirable occurrence that enhances the functionality of the joints since they the synovial fluid replenishes itself thus keeping the joints functional. Regular jogging facilitates an adaptation tendency. The arteries expand thereby supplying the synovial fluid with adequate blood . This in turn enhances the production of the fluid thereby reducing the chances of people suffering from any form of joint aches breakages especially in old age. Among the movements at the joints in a

Final Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Final - Research Paper Example This report is aimed at conducting a study and presenting a paper to the board of directors of a large nonprofit based health relief company regarding the issues about solving the health needs of a poorly developed African Country, Ghana. This report is prepared by keeping in mind the available organizational resources and capabilities , the funding required for the project initiatives , the need for obtaining subsidized medicines from, the major international pharmaceutical organizations functioning across the globe, the need for collecting non generic medication sources, non USDA approved medications and alternate stem cell based medication from different foreign sources. The research is conducted with the ultimate objective of proposing the most suitable and practically feasible expenditure plan including the budgetary propositions, financial controls, funds accounting perspectives, management of public expenditure, analysis of the relevant budgets and financial statements related to the healthcare industry in the country, the financial reporting requirements as per the regulatory requirements of the state government and the management and control of public expenditures. Additionally, these financial management components are critically delved into and evaluated for the purpose of providing sufficient information to the decision making authorities to take key administrative decisions and also apply the financial structures like expenditure plans and budgets as significant financial disciplinary processes and tools. The healthcare segment has become a booming as well as a crucial sector in terms of importance and effectiveness. The recent focus of the healthcare industry has remained constant on the provision of healthcare and medical aids to the lesser developed or under developed nations in the world like Africa. Many of the regions in

The Teaching Profession Essay Example for Free

The Teaching Profession Essay Teaching is described by different teachers in various ways and one which made an impact to me is that, â€Å"Teaching is the noblest of all profession†. My cousin, Ms. Gertrudes is now a mathematics teacher in Muntinlupa city. We studied in the same university where we shared together many great things including teaching. According to her, teaching is the most noble among all the professions since all professionals underwent education with a teacher. Through the internet I arranged an interview with Ms. Gertrudes where I gained more insights about her view of teaching as a noble profession, furthermore it opened up a new realization on teaching in relation to our society today. From this point of view, I will lay the foundation of my reflection on the interview with basic education teachers. How teachers mould the minds and hearts of every learner reflects the kind of society we have. Inside our classroom for instance, fast track students represent various responsibilities in the society – teachers, nurse, house wife, policeman, and engineer, among others. Some of us are passive and some are active, having different background and different reactions, yet we were here for the desire to learn how to teach. The teacher not only facilitates learning but could influence the mind of future politicians, engineers, doctors, policemen, priests and nuns, educators, legislators, and ordinary citizens among others. In an interview with Ms. Mondragon she said, â€Å"I considered it (teaching) as a means for which God used me as an instrument to touch lives and in the process, I myself is transformed by my students’ lives†. Indeed, teaching and learning is a collaborative process which exemplifies the unification of a problematic society that we are experiencing now, yet continuously striving through difficult times in finding solutions to the problems. A teacher must assume this tremendous responsibility if we still aspire for a more livable society: a responsibility to be formed and be transformed so as to form and to transform the lives of people. A teacher seeks to transcend the ordinary limits of him or her by allowing the ultimate good to use that life as an agent of transformation. This role of a teacher is highly dignified as Ms. Gertrudes puts it, â€Å"every individual is a prime mover in our society however, the teacher is noblest since he or she teaches how to be noble†. Such phenomenon in teaching and learning permeates from one individual to the other like a hoop that never end as Henry Adams once said, â€Å"A teacher affects eternity; no one knows where his influence stops† . A society consisting of good citizens, according to Socrates is a good society, and the highest end of every individual is to become good. Aspiring to be an educator is learning to become a good student first. Only in this manner I understand that learning is a process of becoming; a good teacher influences students to become good if not the best teachers to become educators of a society who stretches its vision farther towards the future. However, going through this process is a painful one. An intricate silk cloth is not made overnight such as an effective teacher is a result of years upon years of rigorous training. Evidences of this are testimonies of teachers especially those at the beginning years of teaching who would describe teaching as â€Å"difficult†, â€Å"not easy to be an adviser†, â€Å"a thankless career†, or â€Å"challenging† among others. In a conversation with Sir Sapul he said, â€Å"†¦it is not even acceptable that a teacher ca n commit mistakes, in class or outside†. It is a reality that the society has set the highest standards of how they would look at teachers – they should be perfect. It is an expectation that every individual is called for but the challenge is directed specifically for teachers to respond. I believe that each one shares the same responsibility to strive-to-learn to become a better person who is humble enough to accept undergoing a painful process – a process which describes the beauty of our purpose. The more experienced teachers would say, â€Å"I choose teaching as a profession for love of the youth†, â€Å"the early formation of the youth is important to prepare the future of the nation and the church†, â€Å"teaching is my ministry†, â€Å"teaching is my passion†. Teaching for them is a mission already carved in the soul of a teacher, a value system stabilized through time†¦how beautiful! The younger ones will marvel in the same path as they go along the way saying, â€Å"it is my destiny†, â€Å"I want to help children to become better persons and be successful in their life†, â€Å"I be lieve that teaching is God’s plan for me†, â€Å"I can change the life of every person especially the younger generation†, â€Å"this is what I want, this is what my heart says†. Life will eventually give more meaning to every heart’s desire as it grow and ripen in due season. When that time comes, a teacher only counts his or her blessings and continues to grow in grace. The entire life cycle of a teacher, can be likened to a butterfly. One has to be an egg and undergo the stages to become an adult. Weeks after gloriously fluttering its wings the butterfly dies leaving behind new eggs, but a teacher on the other hand is immortalized by the life that he or she have led. The teacher takes the more crucial role in shaping the individual human person and the world. As the famous saying goes, â€Å"you cannot give what you do not have† therefore, every teacher has to be well prepared for that great endeavor that lies ahead. The domain of personal growth and professional development in the NCBTS emphasizes the ideal that teachers value a high personal regard, concern for personal development, and continuous improvement as teachers. According to Corpuz and Salandanan, â€Å"the personality that teachers project determines the impression they make upon students and colleagues†. Asking some teachers about their idea of how students perceive them they responded, â€Å"well prepared†, â€Å"has principles†, â€Å"strict†, â€Å"loveable and caring†, â€Å"patient†, â€Å"honest†, â€Å"sympathetic†, â€Å"approachable†, â€Å"friendly†, â€Å"possesses a good sense of humor†, â€Å"punctual†, â€Å"dynamic and creative†, and â€Å"compassionate†. These responses determine the teacher’s self-awareness in relation to his or her work and to his or her role in the society. Through the course of the process, a teacher accumulates values that he or she feels important to be nurtured and to be developed. Teacher responses include hard work, compassion, creativity, simplicity, service, responsibility, commitment, patience, honesty, generosity, kindness, humility, love, commitment, tenacity, courage, and self-discipline. These are personal values that they wanted to have as teachers yet in the interview, they mentioned that teachers should possess attributes to become an effective teacher: A teacher should have integrity and good moral values. A teacher should be able to motivate in making the students able to love the subjects. A teacher should have passion for teaching. A teacher must be full of energy and enthusiasm. A teacher should be globally competitive, flexible and work oriented. A teacher should be honest, hard working, generous, committed and dedicated. A teacher should have love for students. The teacher has personal values that they uphold but it is also very important that we hear from the students what they value from their teachers since it is the learning of students which is the foremost concern of teachers, only that the process of learning is controlled primarily by the learner as pointed out by Corpuz and Salandanan. â€Å"In order to teach effectively a teacher should consider certain principles of teaching and learning. The principal elements that make teaching and learning possible and attainable are the teachers, the learners, and a conducive learning environment. The learner is different from one another in terms of their demonstration of cognitive and appetitive powers, multiple intelligences and varied learning styles, children with special needs and children of indigenous people’s group†. This is the reason why a teacher should have a good stock of positive personal and professional attributes to be geared up for battle. A teacher to be effective must possess a sense of service as a professional teacher, dedicated to the job and wave that missionary spirit since the teacher himself or herself is one of the elements in making learning attainable. As Ms. Mondragon quoted St. Marie Eugenie of Jesus, â€Å"Education is allowing the good to break through the rock that imprisons it in order to shed its radiance†. It is not only the student that is imprisoned in the rock but sometimes a teacher lacking in proper preparation for the life of a teacher is imprisoned in steel, when the students are free enough, they absorb the negativities that they are exposed into and their light fade out altogether. But an accomplished teacher would say, â€Å"I am a successful teacher since I see my former students effecting change in the lives of people they are working with†. It is indeed a personal commitment that a teacher should develop a philosophy of his or her own. According to Sir Montilla, â€Å"Education is a journey towards a holistic and vibrant transformation within a human person. Molding and preparing one’s life to be more equipped, outfitted, and comprehensive towards the pedestal of success, with strong conviction to the triune God in contributing for the betterment of the community and for the progress of society†. As the famous saying goes, â€Å"the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step† such that personal change is required in order to move forward towards the ladder of success; offer to God all accomplishments, and create concern for the development of the society. Another teacher said, â€Å"Every individual is able to strive for success in their academic performance and their life†. It is difficult to fathom what one child is capable of, the assessment and evaluation in school are but ways to estimate what the child is capable of having in that specific moment. When a child is free, he or she is able to soar in great heights unimaginable to us. If we allow a child to dream, we allow him to see what he or she is capable to dream and so we guide them that they develop trust in themselves until they will one day realize that dream. Sir Soriano has this to say, â€Å"Teaching is in the heart of the educational process†. The educational process to me is an extensive continuum which extends throughout an individual’s life span. It involves things that we can say about learning and teaching. The very core of it is on the process itself. Such process allows us to experience the joy, the pain, fears, difficulties, danger, yet we strive to redeem ourselves and rise beyond our own limits. As to Bro. Beuchesne, â€Å"Every person is a child of God, who has the right to be respected and properly educated, to develop his particular talent and use them for the betterment of society†. Our life is like a web or a fabric the thread of which are intricately arranged so that each one touches the other, its beauty is seen only as a whole. Each thread is as important as another, just as every individual has its own role in the society which affects the others and as much important as the other; even the flap of a butterfly affects the universe how much more with a human person! Every individual is a gift from God that should be taken cared. There are ways that are done differently by one another which needs to be guided, respected and accepted. Teaching is: loving the learner. I can say that as a student, if the teacher makes me feel important, I can learn better and most inspired. Learning to me is a lifelong process that improves with time. The goal of the teacher is to give the best he or she can and become an inspiration to learn. In a society such as we have, a greater responsibility lies on the hands of a teacher who is committed and competent in facilitating the learning of every unique individual human person. Enormous passion coupled with positive personal attributes and an undying missionary spirit is necessary for a teacher to sustain himself in answering the call to render valuable service and in influencing the students to love learning. As Saint Jean-Baptist de la Salle have said, â€Å"To touch the hearts of your students and to inspire them with the Christian spirit is the greatest miracle you could perform, and the one that God asks of you, since this is the purpose of your work.† We can try to look at what is happening in our society today and I am personally sad to see it being destroyed subtly. If not now, maybe one day we will realize the contribution we made for that destruction. As a responsible teacher would do, a personal reflection is called for to ponder upon the role of the teacher that shaped this society we have today. Can the teachers redeem themselves in their role of reshaping our society? Indeed, only those who retained the zeal for the mission of teaching will carry on the spirit, and it is sad that they are only few.

Wat waren de belangrijkste atoomprojecten

Wat waren de belangrijkste atoomprojecten Het Manhattan Project Op 2 augustus 1939 schreef Albert Einstein een brief aan de Amerikaanse president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, wat de aanzet zou hebben gegeven voor het Manhattan Project. In deze brief meldde Einstein dat de Duitsers bezig waren een atoombom te ontwikkelen. Amerika besloot om ook een atoombom te ontwikkelen en er alles aan te doen om de Duitsers voor te blijven in de ontwikkeling. Het Manhattan Project is een codenaam voor een geheime operatie tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Dit project heeft geleid tot de ontwikkeling van de eerste atoombom. Het project werd geleid door de Verenigde Staten in samenwerking met Canada en het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Formeel werd het project aangewezen als het Manhattan Engineering District (MED). Dit verwijst specifiek naar de periode van 1941 tot 1946 toen het onder controle stond van het US Army Corps of Engineers met als leider generaal Leslie R. Groves. De onderzoeken stonden onder leiding van de joods-Amerikaanse natuurkundige J. Robert Oppenheimer. Hij werd dan ook wel gezien als ‘De vader van de atoombom. Dit project was begonnen vanwege de angst die wetenschappers hadden sinds nazi-Duitsland in de jaren 30 een onderzoek was begonnen naar nucleaire wapens. Het Manhattan Project is tot stand gekomen uit een klein onderzoeksprogramma in 1939. Het groeide uit tot een groot project met meer dan 130.000 werknemers en het kostte uiteindelijk bijna 2 miljard dollar, wat voor die tijd heel veel was. Het resulteerde in verschillende onderzoeken en productieplaatsen met geheime onderzoeksmethoden. De onderzoeken vonden plaats op meer dan dertig locaties in de Verenigde Staten, Canada en het Verenigd Koninkrijk. De drie belangrijkste onderzoek- en productieplaatsen van het project waren de plutonium productie faciliteit wat nu Hanford (Washington) heet, de uraniumverrijking faciliteiten bij Oak Ridge (Tennessee), en het wapen onderzoek en ontwerp laboratorium wat nu bekend is als Los Alamos National Laboratory (New Mexico). Op 16 juli 1945 vond de eerste atoomproef plaats, deze werd tot ontploffing gebracht op een stalen toren bij de luchtbasis Alamangordo in New Mexico. Het had een enorme kracht en de hitte was zo verschroeiend dat de toren helemaal verdween en het woestijnzand in een straal van 700 meter in glas veranderde. Voor de proef wist niemand of de bom zou werken, maar het was zeker succesvol. Uranverein Het Duitse nucleaire project in nazi-Duitsland, bekend als het Uranverein (uranium club), begon in april 1939. Dit was slechts een paar maanden na de ontdekking van kernsplijting in januari 1939. Het programma heeft tot de volgende uitvindingen geleidt: de Uranmaschine (nucleaire reactor), uranium en het scheiden van uraniumisotopen. Het hoogtepunt was het moment dat ze erachter kwamen dat met kernsplitsing de oorlog niet beà «indigt zou worden. In januari 1942 droeg het leger het project over aan het Reich Research Council, maar ze bleven er wel mee verbonden door het te financieren. Vanaf dit moment is het project opgesplitst in 9 grote instituten waar de leiders van die instituten hun eigen doelstellingen nastreefden. Ook nam het aantal wetenschappers dat werkte aan dit project enorm af. De meest invloedrijke mensen binnen het Uranverein waren Kurt Diebner, Abraham Esau, Walther Gerlach en Erich Schumann. Schumann was een van de meest krachtige en invloedrijke fysici in Duitsland. Diebner werkte al zijn hele leven aan het nucleaire energie project en had er veel controle over. Abraham Esau werd aangesteld als leider van het kernfysica onderzoek in plaats van Hermann Gà ¶ring in december 1942; Walther Gerlach volgde hem in december 1943 weer op. Door het aanscherpen van de regels van de Duitse academische wereld onder het nationaalsocialistische regime, vertrokken vele natuurkundigen en wiskundigen uit Duitsland in 1933. De Joden die het land nog niet hadden verlaten werden hierna snel verwijderd uit Duitse instellingen, dus ook uit de academische wereld. Aan het einde van de oorlog, streden de geallieerden om de overgebleven onderdelen van de nucleaire industrie (personeel, faciliteiten en materiaal). Het Sovjetproject De Sovjet-Unie begon interesse te krijgen in nucleaire fysica in de vroege jaren 30, een tijdperk waarin een aantal belangrijke nucleaire ontdekkingen en resultaten werden gedaan, namelijk de identificatie van het neutron en proton als fundamentele deeltjes en de eerste atoomsplitsing door John Cockcroft en Ernest Walton. Het Sovjetproject voor de ontwikkeling van een atoombom werd gestart nadat Jozeph Stalin gehoord had van de Amerikaanse inspanningen om een atoombom te ontwikkelen. Hij werd door Georgii Flerov geÃÆ' ¯nformeerd in april 1942. Het was erg verdacht dat er niets werd gepubliceerd in het nieuws en dus drong Flerov Stalin aan om een atoomproject te beginnen. Omdat de Sovjet-Unie nog steeds betrokken was bij de oorlog met Duitsland op het thuisfront, was een project op grote schaal nog niet mogelijk. Toch was het noodzakelijk een atoomproject te beginnen om teveel achterstand te voorkomen. De leider van het project was in eerste instantie minister van Buitenlandse Zaken Vjatsjeslav Molotov, maar hij werd in 1944 vervangen door Lavrentii Beria. De wetenschappelijk leider van het project was de kernfysicus Igor Kurchatov. Andere belangrijke personen waren Yuli Chariton, Yakov Zeldovich en de theoretisch ontwerper van de waterstofbom, Andrei Sacharov. Het Sovjet atoom project profiteert van de zeer succesvolle spionage inspanningen van de Sovjet militaire inlichtingendienst (GRU) en de buitenlandse geheime inlichtingendienst NKVD. Bewijs dat afkomstig was van het Verenigd Koninkrijk had een rol gespeeld in de beslissing van de Sovjet staat in september 1942, om de resolutie 2352 goed te keuren. Dit was het begin van het Sovjet atoom project. Door de bronnen die men had in het Manhattan project, onder wie Klaus Fuchs, kreeg de Sovjet inlichtingendienst belangrijke informatie over de voortgang van de Amerikaanse atoombom. De rapporten werden getoond aan de wetenschappelijk leider van het project, Kurchatov, wat een belangrijke invloed had op zijn eigen onderzoek. Een voorbeeld hiervan is dat de Amerikanen de mogelijkheid hadden om plutonium te gebruiken in plaats van uranium in een kernsplijtingwapen. Op deze manier leerde Kurchatov veel van het Manhattan project. De Sovjet-Unie testte zijn eerste kernwapen in augustus 1949. De RDS-1 (Russisch: -1) (ook bekend als de eerste Lightning) werd voor het eerst nucleaire de Sovjet-Unie het wapen te testen. In het westen, was het code-Joe-1 genoemd, een verwijzing naar Stalin. Het was test-ontplofte op 29 augustus 1949 om Semipalatinsk, Kazachse SSR, na een top-secret R D project. [1] Het wapen werd ontworpen in het Kurchatov Instituut-op het moment dat officieel bekend staat als â€Å"Laboratorium 2,† maar aangewezen als het â€Å"kantoor† of â€Å"basis† in interne documenten-te beginnen in april 1946. Een uranium-235 werd gebouwd in de buurt van Chelyabinsk in 1948 [1]. De RDS-1 explosie leverde 22 kiloton TNT, vergelijkbaar met de Amerikaanse Gadget en Fat Man bommen. Op aandringen van Lavrenti Beria, werd de RDS-1 bom is ontworpen na de Fat Man bom op Nagasaki, Japan. De Russen noemden het eerste Lightning (Pervaya Molniya). Om de effecten van het nieuwe wapen, de werknemers gebouwde huizen gemaakt van hout en baksteen, samen met een brug en een gesimuleerde metro in de buurt van de test site te testen. Armor hardware en ongeveer 50 vliegtuigen werden ook aan de proeftuinen, evenals meer dan 1.500 dieren van de bom effecten op het leven te testen. [1] De resulterende gegevens bleek dat de RDS-explosie tot 50% meer destructief dan oorspronkelijk geraamd door de ingenieurs [1]. Er zijn verschillende verklaringen voor de USSR code-naam van het RDS-1, meestal een willekeurige aanduiding: een backronym â€Å"Special Jet Engine† (Reaktivnyi Dvigatel Specialnyi), of â€Å"Stalins Jet Engine† (Reaktivnyi Dvigatel Stalina), of â€Å"Rusland doet het zelf† (Rossija Delayet Sama). [1] Later werden ook wapens aangewezen RDS, maar met verschillende modelnummers. Reactie in het Westen Wanneer de radioactieve splijtingsproducten uit de test werden gedetecteerd door de US Air Force, de VS begon op het spoor van de nucleaire fallout puin te volgen. [2] President Truman kennis in de wereld van de situatie op 23 september 1949: â€Å"We hebben bewijzen dat binnen de afgelopen weken een atomaire explosie deed zich voor in de Sovjet-Unie †[3] Deze verklaring was een keerpunt in de Koude Oorlog, die net was begonnen. De Groene Run werd een geheime test uitgevoerd om de luchtmacht verkenningsvluchten voor toekomstige detecties van de Sovjet-kernproeven te helpen. [4] Nadat de Sovjet-Unie werd bevestigd in het bezit van de atoombom, de druk gemonteerd op de ontwikkeling en productie van de eerste waterstofbom

The Church And Apartheid In South Africa Religion Essay

The Church And Apartheid In South Africa Religion Essay What started as an antecedent social forms grounded in colonial history resulted with the outcome of Apartheid which in turn affected the South African Church and its history. Apartheid is the state which jeopardize the social edifice of the Church as it brought much segregation, which led to many critics of apartheid blaming the Church for its existence, they have claimed that racial oppression in South Africa is the fruit of Christianity according to Hexham in his work journal: The Journal of Theology for Southern Africa This subject although has for a very long time been seen as ethical challenge to Christian theology, one cannot ignore it but can be used a case study which will ventures us to reflect what it mean to be one in Jesus Christ within our South African Christian Theology context. It is for this reason that in this assignment I endeavour to highlight some of the s Beginning of National Party Acceding to power in 1948, the National Party has kept a tight grip on the reins of government ever since till the reign was taken by ANC in 1994. According to Dr Verkuyl, the National Party had desired to develop a racial caste system in which each non-white is granted limited freedom of movement but only on the basis of a white monopoly of power and subordinated to the interests of the whites. It was in this period that race relations remained the key issue, there was increase in various measure of racial segregation and it was in this time that black consciousness and active protest became a starker reality. Therefore it was through this Party that the ideology of apartheid became the blueprint for South African society. World Council of Churches It was an amazement that the creation of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in 1948 at Amsterdam led to new phase in the ecumenical relations not only in South Africa but also globally. This raised high hope that any divisions in the Church of Christ would be healed and there would be restoration in relations of the church. South African churches welcome this phase and most of churches in South Africa joined WCC and were spontaneous and cordial in their participation. These churches included the Anglicans; Presbyterians; Methodists; the NG Churches of Cape Town and the Transvaal, and the Nederduits Hervomde Kerk in Afrika. South African delegates were sent to WCC Amsterdam in 1948 and again in 1954 to Evanston. Alan Paton of Anglican Church and Ben Marais of NG Church served in the fourteen-man commission on Church and race. These men had to conduct a study and submit a report at Evanston Conference. Marais, being one of the selected speakers in the session to represent the submission of this major report at the conference. Several South African church leaders like CB Brink, Bishop Ambrose Reeves and WA Landman play crucial roles and were actively involved in the activities of WCC. CB Brink also served in the Central committee of WCC along with other South African church leaders. The ecumenical contact built on these years had a great effects in South African and various conferences and talks between local church leaders were arranged to discuss matters of mutual concern. Many South African students received bursaries from WCC to study in America and Europe. However, it was after the discussion of race relations and decision taken at the Evanston that uncertainties grew especially from the Afrikaans member churches. Cottesloe Consultation In 1960 the Church engaged itself in Cottesloe talks. It was through Cottesloe consultation that delegates were brought together from the World Council of Churches member churches in South Africa and outside the country and ecumenical institution as start of start of the partners fighting the church struggle in South Africa. In these talks, the race issue and Churchs role were put under the spotlight. After many days of these talks, decisions were taken which all member churches agreed to, except the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika which stood in disagreement with these decisions. The Cottesloe findings brought so much tension and emotions since the churches were now thrust into the midst of political stresses of the country and media had these talks as their headlines zooming more on the churches reactions. This led in some churches resigning from WCC, especially the Afrikaans Reformed churches, while the English speaking churches retained the membership in support of freedom fighters. Churches which resigned from the WCC opened Christian Institute in August 1963 in order to continue their dialogue with churches oversees. This institute provided a useful channel for communication involving people from different race and denominations. However this institute became a victim of political target and thereby lost most of its supporters. Publication: Message to the people of South Africa This publication was formulated in 1968. It focused on South African Council of Churches as spotlight and was the result of significant conference of the WCC held in Geneva in 1966 on the subject: Church and Society. Theological committee was appointed so they can consider what obedience to God requires of the Church in her witness to her unity in Christ in South Africa. This committee had to issue the message to the Country. The purpose of the document was to demonstrate the basic incompatibility of apartheid with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This document also appealed to Christians in South Africa to give their obedience and their loyalty to Jesus Christ. The document was sent to every minister in the country of which 600 showed the positive response and support and all the member churches of SACC subscribed to it. This led SACC being a target for attacks from different sides. SPROCAS The Study Project on Christianity in Apartheid Society (SPRO-CAS) was established in mid-1969 by the South African Council of Churches and the Christian Institute of Southern Africa. This document was founded after the chasm between the South African Council of Churches and Afrikaans-speaking churches grew wider, the South African Council of churches being attacked on every side. Included in this document were the six commissions and a diverse set of over 140 commissioners and consultants, which had its focused on the need for change in South Africa, examining economics, education, law, politics, sociology and the Church. The project not only played a critical role in thinking within the South African churches about how to overcome apartheid but also marks a critical stage in the birth of the Black Consciousness Movement. The projects publications had to be submitted to South Africas Publication Control Board for censorship. Plans had to be adjusted when several of the writers, including Biko, Desmond, and Turner, were issued with banning orders prohibiting them from being quoted in any publication. Despite such difficulties the project had significant impact on political developments leading up to the Soweto student uprising in 1976. Soweto Uprising The stained situation acquire a fresh dimension with Soweto riots in 1976, when the black youth stood their ground against states educational policy and the existence of certain laws which had broken up homes, families and the ordinary life. The youth were dissatisfied, and they were no willing to accept these situations which they found themselves in. It was through this stand that Soweto gradually became the national symbol of a new generation of nationally and politically black people awareness in our country. Black Churches Each of these departures from Christianity, the Ethiopian and the Zionist, dates from the beginning of previous century. The foundation of Ethiopian churches was the less drastic, as they content to break the shackles of white dominance while retaining the form of organization, mode of worship and denominational identity of the parent body, for example African Methodist and African Congregational. Nonetheless, it stemmed directly from the practice of an undeclared apartheid where it was least expected, from an insistence on segregation and white superiority on the part of missionaries. These churches were African replicas of Christian denominations and were an explicit response to racial inequality. Reformation Day Witness In 1980 October 31, the Reformation Day Witness was published. It consisted eight eminent NG theologians. This publication dealt with , according to Pillay Hoymeyer(1994:296) the Churchs inabilities to fulfil the mission of reconciliation and to prevent polarisation and to provide the authorities with an unambiguous witness. The witness was publish during the period of rapid changes in South Africa where transition led to new social and political dispensation. The witness contributed in bringing the greater willingness and openness towards the continuing dialogue and it rose the prophetic voice of NG Church so loud and clear. In the same year in November, the appeared collections of essays entitled Stomkompas, which was composed by NG theologians which had their views. This Stomkompas had dominating the widely accepted traditional Afrikaner view on relations between people, which was biblically justified since the forties. Broederiking was also another group emerged from NG church. It was a group of young NG churches. They aimed at working towards greater unity among the NG churches at a local level, to render younger churches less financial dependency on the mother church and to give moral support to these churches. In 1982, Belhar announced a status of confessions on apartheid condemning it as a heresy.This was regarded as a protest by the church against a political dispensation as it proclaimed the threat brought by apartheid to the churchs creed. It during this time that the Churh in SA were arranged by committe of every theological society in SA. Tension rose between the government and certain churches in the 80s Kairos Document The Kairos Document (KD) is a statement within the background of theology issued in 1985 by a group of black South African theologians based predominantly in the black community of Soweto. The statement challenged the churches response to what the authors saw as the vicious policies of the Apartheid state under the state of emergency declared on 21 July 1985. In July 1985 the iron fist of the first state of emergency came down hard upon the people of South Africas townships. Many were killed, injured, maimed for life or locked up in detention. The KD evoked strong reactions and furious debates not only in South Africa, but world-wide. The KD was compiled in five chapters: The Moment of Truth; Critique of State Theology; Critique of Church Theology Towards a Prophetic Theology; Challenge to Action; and a short conclusion. The document was addressed to the divided churches; divided, that is, due to the roles that Christians within the churches play in the conflict between the racist minority government and the black majority population. The KD document contended against apartheid system using the comparison from the book of Romans, Revelation and even Acts; it presented this system as unjustly ad not lawful. In time where discord was in place, this document really served as a challenge to many ministers and church members of different churches to reflect once again where they stand. The period of 1990 onwards Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela has been in prison for over a quarter of a century since August 5, 1962 for leadership of his people in the struggle against racist oppression and for a non-racial democratic society. Prison bars could not prevent him from continuing to inspire his people to struggle and sacrifice for their liberation. Public opinion polls have again and again shown that he is the most popular leader in the country. He has, indeed, grown in stature. As the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group observed in 1986, he has become a living legend, galvanising the resistance in the country. The London Times described him as the colossus of African nationalism in South Africa. It was in after the 1990 that there seem to be a break of segregation, and thank to all the church who participated in the struggle of this liberation. In 1994 was the beginning of new things for the nation of South Africa. Conclusion The story of the Christian Churches in South Africa, like the story of South African society in general is the story of many tribes, whose histories are on the one hand interwoven and interconnected and helps us not make the same mistake as the church of segregation, it help us to strive to a bridge gap to any discord, instead of being a wall standing in the gap for God to move in our country. With such richful history, we are collaped to higher height, even teaching the future theologian of way forward because eventually we had conquered APARTHED.

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - The Battle Between Dr. Jekyll

The Battle Between Jekyll and Hyde      Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout Western literature, writers have created characters who act as perfect foils to each other with dramatically observable differences. Each pairing has a stronger and weaker in the combination, and usually one outlives the other. In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the pairing exists in one body, and yet the struggle is heightened because both aspects of the identity are equal in strength. Ultimately, Stevenson emphasizes it is Jekyll who holds the power of life or death over Hyde. Hyde's "love of life is wonderful," but Hyde is also aware of Jekyll's "power to cut him off by suicide (Stevenson 101)." It is the awareness of each for the other which confirms that neither can exist alone.    According to Albert Camus in his essay "The Myth of Sisyphus," "the sight of human pride is unequaled (Bowie 47)." It is Jekyll's pride in his secret existence of sensuality and "love of life" which postpones the self-destructive tendency. However, as soon as Hyde begins to appear without Jekyll's physical act of drinking the elixir, Jekyll can no longer allow the "brute that slept within" to emerge on his own (Stevenson 102." Both Jekyll and Hyde are ultimately aware of each other, and interact through necessity. To each, the other's freedom must be checked in order to stay "alive," and yet Jekyll finally spies freedom, but only through suicide. In the end, it is Hyde who triumphs, as it is in his guise that the body is discovered.    Hyde is Jekyll without restraint, and the man Jekyll wants to be in the light of day. Jekyll's close friend and attorney Utterson regards Hyde with "disgust, loathing and fear," and yet cannot put a name on the precise reason for the... ...tor (Mighall 190)."    Works Cited Camus, Albert. "The Myth of Sisyphus." Twenty Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy. Ed. G. Lee Bowie, Meredith W. Michaels and Robert C. Solomon. 4th ed. Harcourt College Publishers, 2000. 45-49. Charyn, Jerome. "Who Is Hyde?" Afterword: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Bantam Books. Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1981. 105-114. Hume, David. "Of Personal Identity." Twenty Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy. Ed. G. Lee Bowie, Meredith W. Michaels and Robert C. Solomon. 4th ed. Harcourt College Publishers, 2000. 348-352 Mighall, Dr. Robert. A Geography of Victorian Gothic Fiction: Mapping History's Nightmares. Oxford University Press, 1999. 166-209. Stevenson, Robert Louis. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Bantam Books. Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1981.   

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - The Up-Roaring Twenties :: free essay writer

The Great Gatsby: The Up-Roaring Twenties    The 1920s in America were a decade of great social change.   From fashion to politics, forces clashed to produce a very ^Roaring^ decade.   Jazz sounds dominated the music industry.   It was the age of prohibition, the age of prosperity, and the age of downfall.   It was the age of everything, and this can be witnessed through the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby.   The Roaring Twenties help create Gatsby's character.   Gatsby's participation in the bootlegging business, the extravagant parties he throws, and the wealthy, careless lifestyle the Buchanans represent are all vivid pictures of that time frame.   It turns out, although he was used and abused by all the people whom he thought of as friends, Jay Gatsby ^turned out alright in the end.^   (Fitzgerald 6)   It almost seems as if he is better off dead, according to the narrator, because all his so-called ^friends^ either deserted him or used him for their own personal gain.   There are signs of this all!   throughout the novel, but it is especially evident in the final chapters.   In chapter seven, when Myrtle Wilson is killed, Daisy accepts no responsibility for Myrtle^s death.   She just sits back and lets Gatsby take all the blame for her actions.   Gatsby is very willing to do so, because of the love he has for Daisy.   All Gatsby can think about after the accident is what Daisy went through, it was as if ^Daisy^s reaction was the only thing that mattered.^ (Fitzgerald 151) Gatsby stands outside of Daisy and Tom^s house for hours, waiting for a sign from Daisy that things were alright.   ^I want to wait here till Daisy goes to bed.^ (Fitzgerald 153)   Inside, as she talks with Tom, Daisy shows no remorse, she just continues with her life as if it never happened.   In chapter eight, Gatsby recounts for Nick all the memories he has of Daisy and him together.   ^She was the first ^nice^ girl he had ever known.^   (Fitzgerald 155)   ^...Daisy, gleaming like silver...^ (Fitzgerald 157) This makes it especially hard for Nick to see Gatsby still in love with Daisy.   While around Gatsby, Daisy either pretends to be, or is in love with Gatsby.   This is evidenced when Daisy ^pulled his (Gatsby^s) face down kissing him in the mouth.^   (Fitzgerald 122) Then when she is in her kitchen with Tom after Myrtle^s death, ^there was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy...they were conspiring together.^   (Fitzgerald 152) In the final chapter, Gatsby^s funeral takes place; however, no ^friends^ that had frequented his parties, with the exception of owl-eyes, bother to come to his funeral.

Computer: Helps or Affects the Learning Abilities Essay

A. Introduction The global technological and scientific setting today withstands the phenomenal rate of growth of information technology. Every nation is concerned on the international trend on technology, pursuing studies to maintain their global competitiveness. While computer is at hand, and is a conclusive evidence of advancement in science and technology; it is a task to maximize its purpose, primarily in learning. Computers have made such an enormous impact on our society today. There isn’t a place where you can turn into without computer. Computer, together with the connection to the Internet is such a useful thing for college students. Computer is a programmable machine that can perform computations including numerous arithmetic operations or logic operations, without intervention by human operator during run. But then, computer is here not to replace human skills out rather to ease the burden of work and expand the learning horizon of students. The two principal characteristics of a computer are: it responds to a specific set of instructions in a well-defined manner and it can execute a pre-recorded list of instructions (a program). B. Statement of the Problem The proponents observed the factors that may affect the learning capabilities of students. For that reason, the proponents would like to answer the following questions: 1. Did computer helps or affects the learning abilities of college students? 3. What are the positive and negative effects of computers that can affect the learning abilities of the students? 4. What are the impacts of such technological advancement to the learning process among students? 5. What actions did the parents do, knowing that there are several advantages and disadvantages of using technologies that are intended to lessen the complex work of man? C. Objectives of the Study Generally, this study aims to know how computer helps or affects the learning capabilities of the students. Specifically, this study aims: 1. Know what computers and Internet do to the studies of the college students. 2. Lessen the risks of computer misuse and to uphold the proper utilization of it. 3. Determine the positive and negative effects of computers. 4. Persuade the parents to set limitations and take actions on their children in using such technologies. D. Significance of the Study This study will considerably be significant to the students, proponents, parents and future researchers because this will help them to identify the advantages and disadvantages of the computers and this will also help as a baseline data for the similar studies. This study will be able to help students identify factors that can affect their performance and on how to improve their knowledge and skills as college students by using such said technologies without causing problems with their studies. The proponents will be also benefited by this study because this will improve their abilities and expose them to different advantages and disadvantages of this so that they will be able to know how to handle or face such situation. For the parents, they will be able to know to what are the factors that affect or help their children and they will also identify what to limit or what to encourage to their children in using the said technological advancement inside or outside the academe. This will help the future researchers to identify the advantages and disadvantages of the computers and this will also help them as a baseline data for the similar studies. E. Scope and Delimitation This study focuses on the harm or help done by the computer and Internet. The purpose of this study is to know how it affects or helps the students in their academic learning. The researchers considered working on this study to find out if the selected students were helped or affected by the said massive technological advancement and to guide them with the proper utilization of the said technology. E. Definition of Terms Computer. An electronic device which is capable of receiving information (data) in a particular form and of performing a sequence of operations in accordance with a predetermined but variable set of procedural instructions (program) to produce a result in the form of information or signals. Computer Software. Programs, procedures, rules and any associated documentation pertaining to the operation of a computer system. E-mail. Message, typically text, sent via telephone lines and modems from one personal computer to another, or to a commercial network or E-mail service that stores the sender’s message until the addressee comes to get it. Information Technology. The acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of various types of information via computers and telecommunications.

Bruce Beresford’s “Black Robe”: A Movie About Religious Conversion

Alexander Bermeo February 25, 2013 WHO 2001 – U01 Black Robe Although throughout the film it was evident that other Indian tribes, such as the Iroquois and Algonquin, did not want to convert to Christianity because it went against their own beliefs, the Huron’s were able to go against their belief and accept Christianity.Despite the Huron’s disapproval of the religion because of their own beliefs they eventually accept the religion based on the perception of father LaForgue and his humbleness when he arrives to the settlement, the Huron’s respective chauvinism changes and begins to tolerate the religion as time goes by when the settlement accepts Christianity and the honesty LaForgue gives off, and a cultural rapprochement is evident when the Huron settlement accept Christianity when father LaForgue is there and becomes the priest of the settlement.The film Black Robe shows that there was a successful convergence of the religion the Huron’s had to C hristianity. Throughout the film all the tribes did not like father LaForgue, as well as LaForgue’s assistant, Daniel. It is clear the Indians do not like father LaForgue because they discriminate him by referring to him as â€Å"black robe† and not by his actual name. (Black Robe) Also, when the Algonquin’s abandon LaForgue Daniel continues with the Indian tribe and they do not like it nor do they like him following them.For example, one member of the tribe attempts to murder Daniel as he is following the tribe. (Black Robe) However, despite all these things that have occurred father LaForgue remains humble and when he finally reaches the Huron settlement he respects the tribe and tells them that he loves them even though the other Indians tortured him and put him through a tough journey. During father LaForgue’s journey to the Huron settlement it is clear that each Indian tribe show a strong chauvinistic view on their respective religions. For example, even though LaForgue goes through many trials and ribulations with the Algonquin tribe, he is still with the chief as he is dying and still refuses LaForgue’s request to convert, and the chief even tells his daughter to abandon LaForgue because he witnessed it in his dream. (Black Robe) However, when LaForgue finally reaches the Huron’s it is evident that they too were strong in their faith. It is clear that they did not want to accept Christianity because they murdered one of the French inhabitants that were there in the beginning. (Black Robe) Despite the Huron’s resistance, they eventually accepted father LaForgue and Christianity because he was honest and loving towards the Huron’s.LaForgue was able to reveal the previous inhabitants lie to the Huron’s that baptism will cure their disease by saying it wouldn’t and be honest to the Huron’s to gain their respect, as well as their trust. Throughout the film there is always tension be tween the Indians and father LaForgue based on his ethnicity and more importantly his religion. However, a cultural rapprochement is reached between LaForgue and the Huron’s towards the end of the movie. This is evident when LaForgue finally reaches the settlement and sees that the Huron’s are lost and hopeless because they are slowly dying due to disease.Seeing how weak they are, LaForgue is asked by the Huron’s many questions to solidify his presence in the settlement. LaForgue eventually tells them the truth about the baptizing and that he loves all of them, even though he was mistreated and abandoned by the other Indians. When LaForgue is asked the question if he loves them, he flashes back on all the faces of the Indians he encountered on his voyage and he also reaches a cultural rapprochement with the Huron’s, and all the other Indians, by saying he loves them. With that response, the Huron’s accept LaForgue, and Christianity, and are baptize d at the end of the film. (Black Robe)Although throughout the film it is evident that the Indians, such as the Iroquois and Algonquin, reject Christianity because it goes against their own beliefs, the Huron’s were able to go against their own beliefs and accept Christianity. The Huron’s were able to accept Christianity because of the perception father LaForgue gave off and his humbleness he evokes in the settlement, the Huron’s respective chauvinism begins to change as they forego their own religion and accept Christianity through father LaForgue, and a cultural rapprochement is evident when father LaForgue arrives at the settlement and baptizes the Huron’s.

A Matter of the heart and Coach Knight Essay

Coach K and Coach Knight both achieved significant success during their college coaching careers. Both coaches possessed the knowledge, skills, and abilities to lead their teams to numerous victories. However, their approaches to this success were very different. Robert Katz and M.D. Mumford identified three skills that leaders should have to ensure their effectiveness and success. Those skills included: technical, human, and conceptual skills. Robert Blake and Jane Mouton developed a leadership grid that indicated behaviors of leaders that were based on people and results. Based on these two leadership models, the coaches were very diverse on the methods exercised to lead their teams. One coach was more concerned with human skills and development of people, while the other coach was more focused on technical skill and results. In employing the Katz and later studies of Mumford’s skills approach, Coach K is dedicated in promoting the development and growth within his team. He utilized his human skills in his ability to work with his team and other coaching staff to accomplish their goals (Northouse, p. 45). He created an environment of trust in where the team had faith in his leadership and each other. Coach K encouraged his team to rely on each other’s ideas and concepts and adapted them into his guidance of the team. He applied his technical and conceptual skills by creating a shared vision for the team and staff; while also using his knowledge and abilities about basketball to enable the team to reach victory. Coach Knight’s skills and how they related to the Katz and Mumford’s approach were slightly different. He utilized his technical skills with his team by providing them with examples of his experience and expertise of the game. Coach Knight conducted specific activities and drills that would ensure the team would be successful. He strongly believed that physical activity or the use of technical skills which involve hands on activity or processes within an organization would guarantee victory (Northouse, p. 44).  Creating a plan and a vision for his team, he pushed his players to strive for excellence. This was an example of his use of conceptual skills. However, Coach Knight lacked human skills. He has been criticized for being unconcerned about the feelings, thoughts, and concerns of others. Most people saw him as a tyrant or dictator. While analyzing the coaches using the Blake Mouton Grid, they are very dissimilar as well. Coach K exhibits the Team leadership results. He is very concerned with results, but is just as concerned about his team and their individual needs. He operates his team with encouragement and motivation for individual and organizational results. The team is driven to produce results and is satisfied or content with his leadership abilities. Yet, Coach Knight identifies with the Authority-compliance management system. He is focused on results by any means necessary. This leadership style is high on results and low on concerns for people. Coach Knight follows a strict system with emphasis on policies and procedures. He has been known to punish or terminate team members for not producing acceptable results. Although both coaches have experienced considerable success, they have two very different leadership styles used to accomplish their goals. While Coach K equally directs his attention to both task oriented and relationship based leadership, Coach Knight centers his leadership approach on only completing tasks and achieving results. Despite the distinctive natures of their leadership proficiencies, both men are respected and highly regarded in the basketball community. References Balancing task- and people –oriented leadership: The Blake Mouton managerial grid. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_73.html Northouse. P. G. (2013). Leadership theory and practice (6th e.d.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Snook, S. A., Perlow, L. A., & Delacy, B. J. (2005 December 1). Coach K: A matter of the heart. HBS No 9-406-044. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing Snook, S. A., Perlow, L. A., & Delacy, B. J. (2005 December 1). Coach Knight: The will to win. HBS No 9-406-043. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing

The Lost Symbol Chapter 62-66

CHAPTER 62 I'm under Second Street. Langdon's eyes remained tightly shut as the conveyor rumbled through the darkness toward the Adams Building. He did his best not to picture the tons of earth overhead and the narrow tube through which he was now traveling. He could hear Katherine breathing several yards ahead of him, but so far, she had not uttered a word. She's in shock. Langdon was not looking forward to telling her about her brother's severed hand. You have to, Robert. She needs to know. â€Å"Katherine?† Langdon finally said, without opening his eyes. â€Å"Are you okay?† A tremulous, disembodied voice replied somewhere up ahead. â€Å"Robert, the pyramid you're carrying. It's Peter's, isn't it?† â€Å"Yes,† Langdon replied. A long silence followed. â€Å"I think . . . that pyramid is why my mother was murdered.† Langdon was well aware that Isabel Solomon had been murdered ten years ago, but he didn't know the details, and Peter had never mentioned anything about a pyramid. â€Å"What are you talking about?† Katherine's voice filled with emotion as she recounted the harrowing events of that night, how the tattooed man had broken into their estate. â€Å"It was a long time ago, but I'll never forget that he demanded a pyramid. He said he heard about the pyramid in prison, from my nephew, Zachary . . . right before he killed him.† Langdon listened in amazement. The tragedy within the Solomon family was almost beyond belief. Katherine continued, telling Langdon that she had always believed the intruder was killed that night . . . that is, until this same man had resurfaced today, posing as Peter's psychiatrist and luring Katherine to his home. â€Å"He knew private things about my brother, my mother's death, and even my work,† she said anxiously, â€Å"things he could only have learned from my brother. And so I trusted him . . . and that's how he got inside the Smithsonian Museum Support Center.† Katherine took a deep breath and told Langdon she was nearly certain the man had destroyed her lab tonight. Langdon listened in utter shock. For several moments, the two of them lay together in silence on the moving conveyor. Langdon knew he had an obligation to share with Katherine the rest of tonight's terrible news. He began slowly, and as gently as he possibly could he told her how her brother had entrusted him with a small package years earlier, how Langdon had been tricked into bringing this package to Washington tonight, and finally, about her brother's hand having been found in the Rotunda of the Capitol Building. Katherine's reaction was deafening silence. Langdon could tell she was reeling, and he wished he could reach out and comfort her, but lying end to end in the narrow blackness made it impossible. â€Å"Peter's okay,† he whispered. â€Å"He's alive, and we'll get him back.† Langdon tried to give her hope. â€Å"Katherine, his captor promised me your brother would be returned alive . . . as long as I decipher the pyramid for him.† Still Katherine said nothing. Langdon kept talking. He told her about the stone pyramid, its Masonic cipher, the sealed capstone, and, of course, about Bellamy's claims that this pyramid was in fact the Masonic Pyramid of legend . . . a map that revealed the hiding place of a long spiral staircase that led deep into the earth . . . down hundreds of feet to a mystical ancient treasure that had been buried in Washington long ago. Katherine finally spoke, but her voice was flat and emotionless. â€Å"Robert, open your eyes.† Open my eyes? Langdon had no desire to have even the slightest glimpse of how cramped this space really was. â€Å"Robert!† Katherine demanded, urgently now. â€Å"Open your eyes! We're here!† Langdon's eyes flew open as his body emerged through an opening similar to the one it had entered at the other end. Katherine was already climbing off the conveyor belt. She lifted his daybag off the belt as Langdon swung his legs over the edge and jumped down onto the tile floor just in time, before the conveyor turned the corner and headed back the way it came. The space around them was a circulation room much like the one they had come from in the other building. A small sign read ADAMS BUILDING: CIRCULATION ROOM 3. Langdon felt like he had just emerged from some kind of subterranean birth canal. Born again. He turned immediately to Katherine. â€Å"Are you okay?† Her eyes were red, and she had obviously been crying, but she nodded with a resolute stoicism. She picked up Langdon's daybag and carried it across the room without a word, setting it on a cluttered desk. She lit the desk's halogen clamp lamp, unzipped the bag, folded down the sides, and peered inside. The granite pyramid looked almost austere in the clean halogen light. Katherine ran her fingers over the engraved Masonic cipher, and Langdon sensed deep emotion churning within her. Slowly, she reached into the daybag and pulled out the cube-shaped package. She held it under the light, examining it closely. â€Å"As you can see,† Langdon quietly said, â€Å"the wax seal is embossed with Peter's Masonic ring. He said this ring was used to seal the package more than a century ago.† Katherine said nothing. â€Å"When your brother entrusted the package to me,† Langdon told her, â€Å"he said it would give me the power to create order out of chaos. I'm not entirely sure what that means, but I've got to assume the capstone reveals something important, because Peter was insistent that it not fall into the wrong hands. Mr. Bellamy just told me the same thing, urging me to hide the pyramid and not let anyone open the package.† Katherine turned now, looking angry. â€Å"Bellamy told you not to open the package?† â€Å"Yes. He was adamant.† Katherine looked incredulous. â€Å"But you said this capstone is the only way we can decipher the pyramid, right?† â€Å"Probably, yes.† Katherine's voice was rising now. â€Å"And you said deciphering the pyramid is what you were told to do. It's the only way we can get Peter back, right?† Langdon nodded. â€Å"Then, Robert, why wouldn't we open the package and decipher this thing right now?!† Langdon didn't know how to respond. â€Å"Katherine, I had the same exact reaction, and yet Bellamy told me that keeping this pyramid's secret intact was more important than anything . . . including your brother's life.† Katherine's pretty features hardened, and she tucked a wisp of hair behind her ears. When she spoke, her voice was resolved. â€Å"This stone pyramid, whatever it is, has cost me my entire family. First my nephew, Zachary, then my mother, and now my brother.And let's face it, Robert, if you hadn't called tonight to warn me . . .† Langdon could feel himself trapped between Katherine's logic and Bellamy's steadfast urging. â€Å"I may be a scientist,† she said, â€Å"but I also come from a family of well-known Masons. Believe me, I've heard all the stories about the Masonic Pyramid and its promise of some great treasure that will enlighten mankind. Honestly, I find it hard to imagine such a thing exists. However, if it does exist . . . perhaps it's time to unveil it.† Katherine slid a finger beneath the old twine on the package. Langdon jumped. â€Å"Katherine, no! Wait!† She paused, but her finger remained beneath the string. â€Å"Robert, I'm not going to let my brother die for this. Whatever this capstone says . . . whatever lost treasures this engraving might reveal . . . those secrets end tonight.† With that, Katherine yanked defiantly on the twine, and the brittle wax seal exploded. CHAPTER 63 In a quiet neighborhood just west of Embassy Row in Washington, there exists a medieval-style walled garden whose roses, it is said, spring from twelfth-century plants. The garden's Carderock gazebo–known as Shadow House–sits elegantly amid meandering pathways of stones dug from George Washington's private quarry. Tonight the silence of the gardens was broken by a young man who rushed through the wooden gate, shouting as he came. â€Å"Hello?† he called out, straining to see in the moonlight. â€Å"Are you in here?† The voice that replied was frail, barely audible. â€Å"In the gazebo . . . just taking some air.† The young man found his withered superior seated on the stone bench beneath a blanket. The hunched old man was tiny, with elfin features. The years had bent him in two and stolen his eyesight, but his soul remained a force to be reckoned with. Catching his breath, the young man told him, â€Å"I just . . . took a call . . . from your friend . . . Warren Bellamy.† â€Å"Oh?† The old man perked up. â€Å"About what?† â€Å"He didn't say, but he sounded like he was in a big hurry. He told me he left you a message on your voice mail, which you need to listen to right away.† â€Å"That's all he said?† â€Å"Not quite.† The young man paused. â€Å"He told me to ask you a question.† A very strange question. â€Å"He said he needed your response right away.† The old man leaned closer. â€Å"What question?† As the young man spoke Mr. Bellamy's question, the pall that crossed the old man's face was visible even in the moonlight. Immediately, he threw off his blanket and began struggling to his feet. â€Å"Please help me inside. Right away.† CHAPTER 64 No more secrets, thought Katherine Solomon. On the table in front of her, the wax seal that had been intact for generations now lay in pieces. She finished removing the faded brown paper from her brother's precious package. Beside her, Langdon looked decidedly uneasy. From within the paper, Katherine extracted a small box made of gray stone. Resembling a polished granite cube, the box had no hinges, no latch, and no apparent way inside. It reminded Katherine of a Chinese puzzle box. â€Å"It looks like a solid block,† she said, running her fingers over the edges. â€Å"Are you sure the X- ray showed it was hollow? With a capstone inside?† â€Å"It did,† Langdon said, moving next to Katherine and scrutinizing the mysterious box. He and Katherine peered at the box from different angles, attempting to find a way in. â€Å"Got it,† Katherine said as her fingernail located the hidden slit along one of the box's top edges. She set the box down on the desk and then carefully pried open the lid, which rose smoothly, like the top of a fine jewelry box. When the lid fell back, Langdon and Katherine both drew audible breaths. The interior of the box seemed to be glowing. The inside was shining with an almost supernatural effulgence. Katherine had never seen a piece of gold this large, and it took her an instant to realize that the precious metal was simply reflecting the radiance of the desk lamp. â€Å"It's spectacular,† she whispered. Despite being sealed in a dark stone cube for over a century, the capstone had not faded or tarnished in any way. Gold resists the entropic laws of decay; that's one of the reasons the ancients considered it magical. Katherine felt her pulse quicken as she leaned forward, peering down over the small golden point. â€Å"There's an inscription.† Langdon moved closer, their shoulders now touching. His blue eyes flashed with curiosity. He had told Katherine about the ancient Greek practice of creating a symbolon–a code broken into parts–and how this capstone, long separated from the pyramid itself, would hold the key to deciphering the pyramid. Allegedly, this inscription, whatever it said, would bring order from this chaos. Katherine held the little box up to the light and peered straight down over the capstone. Though small, the inscription was perfectly visible–a small bit of elegantly engraved text on the face of one side. Katherine read the six simple words. Then she read them again. â€Å"No!† she declared. â€Å"That can't be what it says!† Across the street, Director Sato hurried up the long walkway outside the Capitol Building toward her rendezvous point on First Street. The update from her field team had been unacceptable. No Langdon. No pyramid. No capstone. Bellamy was in custody, but he was not telling them the truth. At least not yet. I'll make him talk. She glanced back over her shoulder at one of Washington's newest vistas–the Capitol Dome framed above the new visitor center. The illuminated dome only accentuated the significance of what was truly at stake tonight. Dangerous times. Sato was relieved to hear her cell phone ring and see her analyst's ID on the screen. â€Å"Nola,† Sato answered. â€Å"What have you got?† Nola Kaye gave her the bad news. The X-ray of the capstone's inscription was too faint to read, and the image-enhancing filters had not helped. Shit. Sato chewed at her lip. â€Å"How about the sixteen-letter grid?† â€Å"I'm still trying,† Nola said, â€Å"but so far I've found no secondary encryption scheme that's applicable. I've got a computer reshuffling the letters in the grid and looking for anything identifiable, but there are over twenty trillion possibilities.† â€Å"Stay on it. Let me know.† Sato hung up, scowling. Her hopes of deciphering the pyramid using only a photograph and X-ray were fading fast. I need that pyramid and capstone . . . and I'm running out of time. Sato arrived at First Street just as a black Escalade SUV with dark windows roared across the double yellow and skidded to a stop in front of her at their rendezvous point. A lone agent got out. â€Å"Any word yet on Langdon?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Confidence is high,† the man said, emotionless. â€Å"Backup just arrived. All library exits are surrounded. We even have air support coming in. We'll flush him with tear gas, and he'll have nowhere to run.† â€Å"And Bellamy?† â€Å"Tied up in the backseat.† Good. Her shoulder was still smarting. The agent handed Sato a plastic Ziploc bag containing cell phone, keys, and wallet. â€Å"Bellamy's effects.† â€Å"Nothing else?† â€Å"No, ma'am. The pyramid and package must still be with Langdon.† â€Å"Okay,† Sato said. â€Å"Bellamy knows plenty he's not telling. I'd like to question him personally.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am. To Langley, then?† Sato took a deep breath and paced a moment beside the SUV. Strict protocols governed the interrogation of U.S. civilians, and questioning Bellamy was highly illegal unless it was done at Langley on video with witnesses, attorneys, blah, blah, blah . . . â€Å"Not Langley,† she said, trying to think of somewhere closer. And more private. The agent said nothing, standing at attention beside the idling SUV, waiting for orders. Sato lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and gazed down at the Ziploc bag of Bellamy's items. His key ring, she had noticed, included an electronic fob adorned with four letters–USBG. Sato knew, of course, which government building this fob accessed. The building was very close and, at this hour, very private. She smiled and pocketed the fob. Perfect. When she told the agent where she wanted to take Bellamy, she expected the man to look surprised, but he simply nodded and opened the passenger door for her, his cold stare revealing nothing. Sato loved professionals. Langdon stood in the basement of the Adams Building and stared in disbelief at the elegantly inscribed words on the face of the golden capstone. That's all it says? Beside him, Katherine held the capstone under the light and shook her head. â€Å"There's got to be more,† she insisted, sounding cheated. â€Å"This is what my brother has been protecting all these years?† Langdon had to admit he was mystified. According to Peter and Bellamy, this capstone was supposed to help them decipher the stone pyramid. In light of those claims, Langdon had expected something illuminating and helpful. More like obvious and useless. Once again, he read the six words delicately inscribed on the face of the capstone. The secret hides within The Order The secret hides within The Order? At first glance, the inscription appeared to be stating the obvious–that the letters on the pyramid were out of â€Å"order† and that their secret lay in finding their proper sequence. This reading, however, in addition to being self-evident, seemed unlikely for another reason. â€Å"The words the and order are capitalized,† Langdon said. Katherine nodded blankly. â€Å"I saw that.† The secret hides within The Order. Langdon could think of only one logical implication. † `The Order' must be referencing the Masonic Order.† â€Å"I agree,† Katherine said, â€Å"but it's still no help. It tells us nothing.† Langdon had to concur. After all, the entire story of the Masonic Pyramid revolved around a secret hidden within the Masonic Order. â€Å"Robert, didn't my brother tell you this capstone would give you power to see order where others saw only chaos?† He nodded in frustration. For the second time tonight, Robert Langdon was feeling unworthy. CHAPTER 65 Once Mal'akh had finished dealing with his unexpected visitor–a female security guard from Preferred Security–he fixed the paint on the window through which she had glimpsed his sacred work space. Now, ascending out of the soft blue haze of the basement, he emerged through a hidden doorway into his living room. Inside, he paused, admiring his spectacular painting of the Three Graces and savoring the familiar smells and sounds of his home. Soon I will be leaving forever. Mal'akh knew that after tonight he would be unable to return to this place. After tonight, he thought, smiling, I will have no need for this place. He wondered if Robert Langdon yet understood the true power of the pyramid . . . or the importance of the role for which fate had chosen him. Langdon has yet to call me, Mal'akh thought, after double-checking for messages on his disposable phone. It was now 10:02 P.M. He has less than two hours. Mal'akh went upstairs to his Italian-marble bathroom and turned on the steam shower to let it heat up. Methodically, he stripped off his clothes, eager to begin his cleansing ritual. He drank two glasses of water to calm his starving stomach. Then he walked to the full-length mirror and studied his naked body. His two days of fasting had accentuated his musculature, and he could not help but admire that which he had become. By dawn, I will be so much more. CHAPTER 66 â€Å"We should get out of here,† Langdon said to Katherine. â€Å"It's only a matter of time before they figure out where we are.† He hoped Bellamy had managed to escape. Katherine still seemed fixated on the gold capstone, looking incredulous that the inscription was so unhelpful. She had taken the capstone out of the box, examined every side, and was now carefully putting it back in the box. The secret hides within The Order, Langdon thought. Big help. Langdon found himself wondering now if perhaps Peter had been misinformed about the contents of the box. This pyramid and capstone had been created long before Peter was born, and Peter was simply doing as his forefathers had told him, keeping a secret that was probably as much a mystery to him as it was to Langdon and Katherine. What did I expect? Langdon wondered. The more he learned tonight about the Legend of the Masonic Pyramid, the less plausible it all seemed. I'm searching for a hidden spiral staircase covered by a huge stone? Something told Langdon he was chasing shadows. Nonetheless, deciphering this pyramid seemed his best chance at saving Peter. â€Å"Robert, does the year 1514 mean anything to you?† Fifteen-fourteen? The question seemed apropos of nothing. Langdon shrugged. â€Å"No. Why?† Katherine handed him the stone box. â€Å"Look. The box is dated. Have a look under the light.† Langdon took a seat at the desk and studied the cube-shaped box beneath the light. Katherine put a soft hand on his shoulder, leaning in to point out the tiny text she had found carved on the exterior of the box, near the bottom corner of one side. â€Å"Fifteen-fourteen A.D.,† she said, pointing into the box. Sure enough, the carving depicted the number 1514, followed by an unusual stylization of the letters A and D. â€Å"This date,† Katherine was saying, sounding suddenly hopeful, â€Å"maybe it's the link we're missing? This dated cube looks a lot like a Masonic cornerstone, so maybe it's pointing to a real cornerstone? Maybe to a building built in 1514 A.D.?† Langdon barely heard her. Fifteen-fourteen A.D. is not a date. The symbol , as any scholar of medieval art would recognize, was a well-known symbature–a symbol used in place of a signature. Many of the early philosophers, artists, and authors signed their work with their own unique symbol or monogram rather than their name. This practice added a mysterious allure to their work and also protected them from persecution should their writings or artwork be deemed counterestablishment. In the case of this symbature, the letters A.D. did not stand for Anno Domini . . . they were German for something else entirely. Langdon instantly saw all the pieces fall into place. Within seconds, he was certain he knew exactly how to decipher the pyramid. â€Å"Katherine, you did it,† he said, packing up. â€Å"That's all we needed. Let's go. I'll explain on the way.† Katherine looked amazed. â€Å"The date 1514 A.D. actually means something to you?† Langdon winked at her and headed for the door. â€Å"A.D. isn't a date, Katherine. It's a person.†