Negative Guilt Syndrome

Negative Guilt Syndrome Negative Guilt Syndrome Negative Guilt Syndrome By Maeve Maddox A reader expresses second thoughts about a sentence she wrote: When I looked back at it, I realized this use of a double negative to convey a positive is an unusual construction and remembered the dire warnings received in my youth to, â€Å"never use a double negative.† The reader is referring to this sentence: You cannot fail to appreciate his intelligence. The sentence is negative, but it does not contain a double negative. A problem with internalizing the rule â€Å"never use a double negative† is that it tends to make speakers leery of negatives in general. This reader has assumed that by using â€Å"a negative to convey a positive† she has committed some kind of error. She hasn’t. The expression â€Å"You cannot fail to (do something)† is a common idiom: Applaud the authors politics or not, you  cannot fail to appreciate  his literary talent.- Book review in Newsday Anyone with a love of the great outdoors and a good walk cannot fail to appreciate Dartmoor.- Travel piece, London Times Practitioners cannot fail to appreciate the frequency of hyperuricemia in many of their patients because, even in asymptomatic patients, it is regularly brought to their attention in the various profiles of biochemical tests.- Scientific paper, University of Queensland. The negative â€Å"cannot fail to† is a softer way of saying, â€Å"you must† or â€Å"you have to.† A common reaction of English speakers to being told that we must do something is â€Å"Oh yeah? Who’s going to make me?† Using the phrase â€Å"cannot fail to† instead of â€Å"you must† is a way to avoid provoking a hostile reaction in the reader. A â€Å"double negative† results from the presence of more than one negative modifier in the same clause. For example, â€Å"I can’t get no satisfaction† is a double negative because it contains not and no. â€Å"You cannot fail to appreciate his intelligence† is simply a negative sentence, like â€Å"I can’t lose.† As for the â€Å"â€Å"never use a double negative† rule, even it has its exceptions. But that’s another post. Related post: Double Negatives To Avoid Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Types of Rhyme20 Rules About Subject-Verb AgreementUses of the Past Participle

Hama Rules - Syrian Massacre of Muslim Brotherhood

Hama Rules - Syrian Massacre of Muslim Brotherhood Hama is Syrias fourth largest city after Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs. It is located in the northwestern part of the country. In the early 1980s, it was a stronghold of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, which was working to topple the minority, Alawite regime of then-Syrian President Hafez el Assad. In February 1982, Assad ordered his military to demolish the city. New York Times reporter Thomas Friedman called the tactic Hama Rules. Answer Syrian President Hafez el Assad took power in a military coup on November 16, 1970, when he was the minister of defense. Assad was an Alawite, a splinter Islamic sect that makes up about 6 percent of the Syrian population, which is predominantly Sunni Muslim, with Shiites, Kurds and Christians forming other minorities. Sunnis make up more than 70 percent of the population. As soon as Assad took over, the Syrian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood began to plan for his overthrow. By the late 1970s, a slow-simmer, but persistently violent guerilla war was being waged against Assads regime as bombs went off outside Syrian government buildings or Soviet advisers or members of Assads ruling Baath Party were shot in frequent attacks or taken hostage. Assads regime responded with abductions and assassinations of its own. Assad himself was the target of an assassination attempt on June 26, 1980, when Muslim Brotherhood threw two hand grenades at him and opened fire when Assad was hosting the Mali head of state. Assad survived with a foot injury: hed kicked away one of the grenades.​ Within hours of the assassination attempt, Rifaat Assad, Hafezs brother, who controlled the states Defense Companies, sent 80 members of those forces to Palmyra Prison, where hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members were being held. According to Amnesty International, the soldiers were divided into groups of 10 and, once inside the prison, were ordered to kill the prisoners in their cells and dormitories. Some 600 to 1,000 prisoners are reported to have been killed. ... After the massacre, the bodies were removed and buried in a large common grave outside the prison. That was just a warm-up for what was to come later, as surprise searches of Muslim Brotherhood households became frequent, as did curbside executions in Hama, as well as torture. The Muslim Brotherhood stepped up its attacks, murdering dozens of innocent people. In February 1982, Friedman wrote in his book, From Beirut to Jerusalem, President Assad decided to end his Hama problem once and for all. With his sad eyes and ironic grin, Assad always looked to me like a man who had long ago been stripped of any illusions about human nature. Since fully taking power in 1970, he has managed to rule Syria longer than any man in the post-World War II era. He has done so by always playing by his own rules. His own rules, I discovered, were Hama Rules. On Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 1 a.m., the assault on Hama, a Muslim Brotherhood stronghold, began. It was a cold, drizzly night. The city turned into a scene of civil war as Muslim Brotherhood gunmen immediately responded to the attack. When close-quarter combat looked to disadvantage the Syrian forces of Rifaat Assad, he turned tanks loose on Hama, and over the next several weeks, large parts of the city were demolished and thousands executed or killed in the battles. When I drove into Hama at the end of May, Friedman wrote, I found three areas of the city that had been totally flattenedeach the size of four football fields and covered with the yellowish tint of crushed concrete. Some 20,000 people were killed at Assads orders. That is Hama Rules.

Technology in Policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Technology in Policing - Essay Example First, crime on the net is on the rise, identity theft is another issue of high importance, which is the key tool in fighting terrorism and financial crimes. Thus crime prevention can occur at two levels: one to prevent crimes that are repeating in nature and the other is by analyzing possible future seat of crime. Thus, through analysis and research of recorded crimes and criminal investigations it is possible to get some statistics into the kind of future prospect of how this kind of crime will be dealt in the future by the judicial system or by the police. In case of Internet crimes; therefore, repeated crimes may not always occur as there are always some ingenious method by which the criminal escapes the law - this gap is to be identified as art of the risk management study, which should be more extensive and which should focus more on how the malpractice defenses may be made stronger. In March 2008, a former employee of Compass Bank stole a hard drive and the database containing customer information and all their financial status was breached. This employee used a credit card encoder and several blank cards to create several new cards and withdraw money from several customer accounts1. What are the monitoring approaches that can be fathomed by the state and the court or by the security organization In 2007, the US Federal Trade Commission reported that 8.3 million Americans had been victims of identity theft over a 12-month period2. In cyberspace, such identity theft may make way for further offences. Like Newburn says that in cyberspace three acts of trespassing occur, that involve viruses that immediately attack or attack at a later date citing the example of the shut-down of websites of yahoo, Amazon, ebay, and CNN which incurred a loss of 1.2 billion. He also cites the example of the Timothy Llyod, the sacked employee of Omega Engineering who planted a softwa re time bomb that detonated 20 days after he left which incurred a loss of 10 million and 80 job losses. In 2007 transatlantic fashion retailer TK Maxx was hit by hackers, who stole 45.7 million customer credit card details (Newburn 2008). By this hacking rule, even the military system is under threat and policing or the crime fighting should extend in this front effectively. However, the main problem with policing cyber crime is the amount and volume of information that is available and that cannot be restricted effectively all the time and across the boundaries of a specific place, where cyber crime laws may not even exist. In such a case probable cyber crime laws need to be implemented by predicting probable loss of information security or theft of anything that can range from information to intellectual property rights to manhandling of organizational data or system by a third party. The whole gray space that exists between identifying cyber crime that vary between countries and the definitions of it are so varied across geographical spaces that it is impossible to always thwart such mischief from happening or being conducted from across the boundary of the US. Newburn also cites the example of Russia, which has become a major source of child pornography, as it has no laws against it and therefore becoming the host for broadcasting such films by other illegal traders. Ironically, such content is not being produced there

Health Promotion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Promotion - Assignment Example Despite the fact that these health complications are preventable, they are still a major challenge in the modern world. By looking at some of the fixed and variable costs likely to be incurred by individuals with these complications, this paper has been able to come up with a rough estimate of the average costs likely to be incurred by individuals. Despite the availability of information both online and locally, diabetes and obesity are still a major threat in the twenty-first century. These are just some of the common lifestyle diseases. Healthcare provides often overcharge treatment services of these diseases especially those in the private sector. By looking at the average cost of treatment in the average society, we can be able to come up with a budget of the average cost of treatment. The budget may seem a bit inclined to the high class of people and disadvantage the middle and low-class people in the society. The main reason why this may be the case is that some of the equipment used to treat these diseases are rather expensive and rare. Additionally, these diseases are associated with the wealthy members of the society. Cost benefit analysis Despite the fact that promotion of health services is not meant to be a business venture, it ought to be conducted in an economically sustainable way. In this case, the total benefits may not be quantifiable in monetary terms. All in all, the promotion process is fruitful since it helps the country save a lot and maintain health standards within its territories. Worthiness of implementing health promotion activity based on the cost-benefit analysis The issue of whether or not to implement promotion activities remains to be a controversial matter. Health providers are torn between whether to conduct health promotion activities or not to (Tones and Tilford 2001). While these activities may be resource

Rights and Responsibilities Essay Example for Free

Rights and Responsibilities Essay First of all, I want to tell you one important thing. Everybody has some rights and some responsibilities. Our rights are what every human being deserves, no matter who they are or where they live, so that we can live in a world that is fair and polite. Of course since these rights are for everybody, that means we all have to take a responsibility too. A responsibility is something that is your job to do something about, or to think about. It is something that affects our lives and other peoples lives. As everybody knows, children have rights and if you want to know them, you should read UN convention. There are a lot of types of rights. The most important rights is right to protection, because nowadays there are a lot of stories about exploitation and neglect. Perhaps every day somebody talks about this topic on TV. To be honest, I know my rights, but I don’t forget about my responsibilities. It’s very important to me, because It’s very hard to live only by rights. We should think about every person, because they might lose their rights, if we don’t know about our responsibilities. When we move out into the world, we learn more about the responsibilities which go with our rights. We learn that some things that humans do are not acceptable because we are not considering the rights of others. For example, things like telling lies, cheating, bullying, violence, destroying others belongings and stealing. Children are curious about the world, and it seems no matter how much information that you give them they are continuously seeking more. Political views are typically something that children at least initially pick up from their parents. Regardless of a parent’s political affiliation and viewpoint, it is only fair to teach children about a bigger picture so they can grow up informed and capable of making their own decisions. Teaching children about politics can be either a path you choose for them or a doorway to their own political feelings.

Luther :: essays research papers

A thousand years is a long time. So how do you pick the most influential person of the last thousand years? Its practically impossible to do. But almost everyone will agree that one of the most influential characters in the millennium was Martin Luther, father of the protestant church.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luther was born November 10, 1483 in Eisleben, Thuringia (a province noted for its many musical talents, including Johann Sebastian Bach). Luther was brought up in the strict religious atmosphere of the roman catholic church. After attending the Latin Schools at Mansfeld, Magdeburg, and Eisenach, he entered the university at Erfurt in 1501. From this institution he received a bachelors degree in 1502 and a masters degree in 1505. During his student years, Luther was terrified by thoughts of the wrath of G-D. He continually sought a means of finding inward peace. To achieve this goal, he entered an Augustinian Monastery on July 17, 1505 to become a monk. Two years later, he was ordained a priest. In 1508 Luther was appointed professor of philosophy at Wittenburg university, and he also studies there to get the doctor of theology degree in 1512. In 1515 Luther was appointed Augustinian Vical for Meissen and Thuringia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the period of his appointment as vicar, Luther underwent a modification in his views and beliefs. He was still devoted to the church, but in his continued quest for inner peace, he turned from religious philosophy to the bible for the basis of his belief. These conclusions ultimately led Luther to combat some practices of the church.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luther verus the church. A classic case of David and Goliath. There were many reasons Luther went against the church. But the sale of indulgences by Johann Tetzel in 1517 at a church near Wittenberg enticed Luther into action in the first place. Tetzel preached that buying indulgences would grant you a better place in heaven. On October 31, 1517, at the age of 33, Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses (1) to the castle church door at Wittenberg. This was not intended as a decisive attack on the church, and he did not want this to be circulated. However, the new spread quickly through Germany withing the next two weeks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later in 1518 Luther boldly denied the absolute power of the church. On March 3rd , 1519, Luther wrote a letter to Pope Leo X. In the letter he stated that it was not his intention to undermine the authority of the pope or the church.

Aerospace Engineering – Paper

Aerospace engineering Aerospace engineering is a challenging and exciting field that is engaged in the design of aircraft and space systems. The US aerospace industry is a world leader and one of the largest positive contributors to the US economy. In Aerospace Engineering, strong technical competency in the fundamental principles of mathematics and fundamentals of science is needed to succeed. Aerospace Engineering provides career opportunities in both aeronautics or astronautics related fields.In Aerospace engineering a person designs, test, and supervise the manufacture of aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles. The best places to earn your degree for this field are NC State, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and University of Central Florida. The term â€Å"rocket scientist† is sometimes used to describe a person of great intelligence since â€Å"rocket science† is seen as a practice requiring great mental ability, especially technical and mathematical ability. The roots of aeronautical engineering can be traced back to the earliest sketches of flight vehicles, by Leonardo da Vinci in the late 1400’s.The first was an ornithopter, a flying machine using flapping wings to imitate the flight of birds. The second idea was an aerial screw, the predecessor of the helicopter. The breakthrough in aircraft progress came in 1799 when Sir George Cayley, an English baron, drew an airplane incorporating a fixed wing for lift, an empennage, and a separate propulsion system. Because engine development was virtually nonexistent, Cayley turned to gliders, building the first successful one in 1849. Gliding flights established a data base for aerodynamics and aircraft design. â€Å"aerospace engineering. â€Å") Aerospace engineering may be studied at the advanced diploma, bachelors, masters, and Ph. D. levels in aerospace engineering departments at many universities, and in mechanical engineering departments at others. A few departments offer degrees i n space-focused astronautical engineering. Aerospace Engineering is all about flight – airplanes, spacecraft, hovercraft, helicopters, you name it. It includes the study of aerodynamics, aerospace structures, propulsion, flight mechanics and systems, and vehicle design.A major in Aerospace Engineering, there is four seriously intense years, but a graduate will graduate with a solid understanding of the physical fundamentals underlying atmospheric and space flight and the ability to research, analyze, and design the flying machines of the future. Aerospace engineering is the main branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction, and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlying branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering.The aeronautical deals with craft that stay within Earth's atmosphere, and the astronautical with craft that operates outside it. Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering conc erned with the design, construction, and science of aircraft and spacecraft. Aerospace Engineering deals with the design, construction, and study of the science behind the forces and physical properties of aircraft, rockets, flying craft, and spacecraft. The field also covers their aerodynamic characteristics and behaviors, airfoil, control surfaces, lift, drag, and other properties.Aerospace engineering is not to be confused with the various other fields of engineering that go into designing elements of these complex craft. For example, the design of aircraft avionics, while certainly part of the system as a whole, would rather be considered electrical engineering, or perhaps computer engineering. Or an aircraft's landing gear system may be considered primarily the field of mechanical engineering. There is typically a combination of many disciplines that make up aerospace engineering.Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering prepares students to design and test aircrafts, such a s helicopters, jets, planes and spacecraft. Students are qualified to construct, manufacture and analyze space systems and aircrafts. The curriculum includes basic sciences and mathematics essential to understanding the functions of aerospace engineering. Some programs culminate in a final project designing an aircraft or spacecraft. Master's degree programs can be found as a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering and a Master of Aerospace Engineering.Graduate aerospace engineering programs teach students on the technological problems and scientific solutions pertaining to the aerospace field. Students work with up-to-date technology, including simulation, computer analysis and computer-aided design, to solve real-world industry problems. Advanced coursework in aerodynamics and fluid dynamics, aerospace design and space design builds upon previously acquired theoretical knowledge. By completing such a program, graduate aerospace engineers will have a deep understanding of what g oes into designing aircrafts and space modules. A Ph.D. in Aviation and Aerospace Engineering is available to aerospace engineering graduates. Within these programs, students complete courses and projects that teach them the foundations of aviation, as well as the inner workings of mechanical designs. Students delve into innovative theories and practices of these two fields. The aviation program will emphasize the important aspects of safety management, economics and regulatory procedures. (â€Å"education-portal. com. â€Å") At North Carolina State University, a bachelors, masters, and doctorates degree is available for Aerospace Engineering.Academic GPA, class rank, and standardized test scores are very important in applying to NC State. It is required to have four English courses, two foreign languages, one history, four math’s, three sciences, one social studies, and at least one elective but four is recommended. With more than 5,900 undergraduate and 2,200 graduate st udents, NC State Engineering is the largest college at North Carolina State University. It consists of more than 20 centers, institutes and laboratories and 12 highly ranked departments, 9 of which are administered by the College and 3 administered by other NC State colleges, and 17 accredited academic programs. â€Å"NCSU†) At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University a bachelors and masters degrees are available for aerospace engineering. Academic GPA, Class Rank, Recommendations, and Standardized Test Scores are very important when applying to Embry-Riddle. It is required to have four credits in English, one in history, three in math, two in science, two science-labs, two social studies, and three academic electives. One foreign language is recommended. The AE Department consists of 22 full-time faculty, 1,300 undergraduate students, and 100 graduate students.The Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering has been offered since the 1950s, when Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Instit ute was located in Miami, Florida. Embry-Riddle moved to Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1965. Ten years later the BSAE was accredited by ABET, as it has been ever since. The initiation of the master's degree in Aerospace Engineering took place in 1985. Enrollment in that program has grown steadily. It is expected that the first PhD students in Aerospace Engineering will be accepted for fall 2013. (â€Å"daytonabeach. rau. edu†) At University of Central Florida a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree is available for aerospace engineering. Lectures in class room settings delivered by our world class faculty provide the necessary inspiration for students to understand important topics, and they develop the skill to inquire and explore new ideas on their own. The students have the opportunities to engage in experiments, design work, project work, industrial training and team work to enhance the learning process so vital in engineering education.The senior faculties are highly recognized in their fields and have earned numerous honors and awards from different engineering societies. The newer faculties are very promising and will soon become leaders in their fields. Many have won prestigious research awards from reputed funding agencies such as NSF, DoD, NASA, the Department of Energy, and the State of Florida. (â€Å"mmae†) The period through 2012 is likely to see a downfall in the demand for aerospace engineers. Competition from foreign firms and decrease in air travel are the main reasons for decrease in jobs related to designing and producing commercial aircraft.Yet, promising opportunities for aerospace engineers are expected to occur due to the fact that the degrees granted for this branch have gone down significantly due to the perceived lack of employment in this field. This means that the number of engineers trained in this field may not be sufficient to replace the large numbers of aerospace engineers who will retire during the 20 02-2012 period. In 2002, the median of annual earning of an aerospace engineer was $72,750. The middle 50 percent of aerospace engineers got salaries between $59,520 and $88,310.The lowest 10 percept earned about $49,640 or less, while the highest ten percent earned around $105,060 or more. A 2003 salary survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers projects that aerospace engineer with a bachelor’s degree get salaries which average around $48,028 a year. While those with a master’s degree receive $61,162 and those with a Ph. D. receive $68,406. It takes many different systems to keep air- and spacecraft aloft and aerospace engineers typically specialize. In addition to specializing in a particular system, such as propulsion or guidance and control systems, they ight specialize in a type of craft, such as helicopters. If you wish to be an aerospace engineer, the most direct route is to earn a bachelor's or master's degree in Aeronautics or Mech anical Engineering. Although there are rare instances, especially during a labor shortage, when employers might hire those with training in math or other physical sciences to work as engineers, these majors are not the recommended preparation for a career in this field. Entry-level jobs in engineering often involve working under the supervision of an experienced engineer and focusing on aspects of problems that can be solved with standard, routine techniques.Supervisors work closely with new engineers on the more unusual aspects of a job. As in most careers, with experience comes increasing independence and the opportunity to work on more-complex problems that can't be solved by standard processes. Aerospace engineer jobs include openings in mechanical, structural, avionics, systems and other engineering fields. Applicants for aerospace engineer jobs are required to possess prior training and work experience, as well as the ability to interpret technical blueprints, schematics and m anuals. Aerospace engineering encompasses the fields of aeronautical and astronautical engineering.Aerospace engineers work in teams to design, build, and test machines that fly within the earth's atmosphere and beyond. Although aerospace science is a very specialized discipline, it is also considered one of the most diverse. This field of engineering draws from such subjects as physics, mathematics, earth science, aerodynamics, and biology. Some aerospace engineers specialize in designing one complete machine, perhaps a commercial aircraft, whereas others focus on separate components such as for missile guidance systems. There are approximately 78,000 aerospace engineers working in the United States. (â€Å"bls. org†)

Angels Demons Chapter 106-108

106 It was 11:07 P.M. Langdon's car raced through the Roman night. Speeding down Lungotevere Tor Di Nona, parallel with the river, Langdon could now see his destination rising like a mountain to his right. Castel Sant' Angelo. Castle of the Angel. Without warning, the turnoff to the narrow Bridge of Angels – Ponte Sant' Angelo – appeared suddenly. Langdon slammed on his brakes and swerved. He turned in time, but the bridge was barricaded. He skidded ten feet and collided with a series of short cement pillars blocking his way. Langdon lurched forward as the vehicle stalled, wheezing and shuddering. He had forgotten the Bridge of Angels, in order to preserve it, was now zoned pedestrians only. Shaken, Langdon staggered from the crumpled car, wishing now he had chosen one of the other routes. He felt chilled, shivering from the fountain. He donned his Harris tweed over his damp shirt, grateful for Harris's trademark double lining. The Diagramma folio would remain dry. Before him, across the bridge, the stone fortress rose like a mountain. Aching and depleted, Langdon broke into a loping run. On both sides of him now, like a gauntlet of escorts, a procession of Bernini angels whipped past, funneling him toward his final destination. Let angels guide you on your lofty quest. The castle seemed to rise as he advanced, an unscalable peak, more intimidating to him even than St. Peter's. He sprinted toward the bastion, running on fumes, gazing upward at the citadel's circular core as it shot skyward to a gargantuan, sword-wielding angel. The castle appeared deserted. Langdon knew through the centuries the building had been used by the Vatican as a tomb, a fortress, a papal hideout, a prison for enemies of the church, and a museum. Apparently, the castle had other tenants as well – the Illuminati. Somehow it made eerie sense. Although the castle was property of the Vatican, it was used only sporadically, and Bernini had made numerous renovations to it over the years. The building was now rumored to be honeycombed with secret entries, passageways, and hidden chambers. Langdon had little doubt that the angel and surrounding pentagonal park were Bernini's doing as well. Arriving at the castle's elephantine double doors, Langdon shoved them hard. Not surprisingly, they were immovable. Two iron knockers hung at eye level. Langdon didn't bother. He stepped back, his eyes climbing the sheer outer wall. These ramparts had fended off armies of Berbers, heathens, and Moors. Somehow he sensed his chances of breaking in were slim. Vittoria, Langdon thought. Are you in there? Langdon hurried around the outer wall. There must be another entrance! Rounding the second bulwark to the west, Langdon arrived breathless in a small parking area off Lungotere Angelo. On this wall he found a second castle entrance, a drawbridge-type ingress, raised and sealed shut. Langdon gazed upward again. The only lights on the castle were exterior floods illuminating the fa;ade. All the tiny windows inside seemed black. Langdon's eyes climbed higher. At the very peak of the central tower, a hundred feet above, directly beneath the angel's sword, a single balcony protruded. The marble parapet seemed to shimmer slightly, as if the room beyond it were aglow with torchlight. Langdon paused, his soaked body shivering suddenly. A shadow? He waited, straining. Then he saw it again. His spine prickled. Someone is up there! â€Å"Vittoria!† he called out, unable to help himself, but his voice was swallowed by the raging Tiber behind him. He wheeled in circles, wondering where the hell the Swiss Guard were. Had they even heard his transmission? Across the lot a large media truck was parked. Langdon ran toward it. A paunchy man in headphones sat in the cabin adjusting levers. Langdon rapped on the side of the truck. The man jumped, saw Langdon's dripping clothes, and yanked off his headset. â€Å"What's the worry, mate?† His accent was Australian. â€Å"I need your phone.† Langdon was frenzied. The man shrugged. â€Å"No dial tone. Been trying all night. Circuits are packed.† Langdon swore aloud. â€Å"Have you seen anyone go in there?† He pointed to the drawbridge. â€Å"Actually, yeah. A black van's been going in and out all night.† Langdon felt a brick hit the bottom of his stomach. â€Å"Lucky bastard,† the Aussie said, gazing up at the tower, and then frowning at his obstructed view of the Vatican. â€Å"I bet the view from up there is perfect. I couldn't get through the traffic in St. Peter's, so I'm shooting from here.† Langdon wasn't listening. He was looking for options. â€Å"What do you say?† the Australian said. â€Å"This 11th Hour Samaritan for real?† Langdon turned. â€Å"The what?† â€Å"You didn't hear? The Captain of the Swiss Guard got a call from somebody who claims to have some primo info. The guy's flying in right now. All I know is if he saves the day†¦ there go the ratings!† The man laughed. Langdon was suddenly confused. A good Samaritan flying in to help? Did the person somehow know where the antimatter was? Then why didn't he just tell the Swiss Guard? Why was he coming in person? Something was odd, but Langdon didn't have time to figure out what. â€Å"Hey,† the Aussie said, studying Langdon more closely. â€Å"Ain't you that guy I saw on TV? Trying to save that cardinal in St. Peter's Square?† Langdon did not answer. His eyes had suddenly locked on a contraption attached to the top of the truck – a satellite dish on a collapsible appendage. Langdon looked at the castle again. The outer rampart was fifty feet tall. The inner fortress climbed farther still. A shelled defense. The top was impossibly high from here, but maybe if he could clear the first wall†¦ Langdon spun to the newsman and pointed to the satellite arm. â€Å"How high does that go?† â€Å"Huh?† The man looked confused. â€Å"Fifteen meters. Why?† â€Å"Move the truck. Park next to the wall. I need help.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† Langdon explained. The Aussie's eyes went wide. â€Å"Are you insane? That's a two- hundred-thousand-dollar telescoping extension. Not a ladder!† â€Å"You want ratings? I've got information that will make your day.† Langdon was desperate. â€Å"Information worth two hundred grand?† Langdon told him what he would reveal in exchange for the favor. Ninety seconds later, Robert Langdon was gripping the top of the satellite arm wavering in the breeze fifty feet off the ground. Leaning out, he grabbed the top of the first bulwark, dragged himself onto the wall, and dropped onto the castle's lower bastion. â€Å"Now keep your bargain!† the Aussie called up. â€Å"Where is he?† Langdon felt guilt-ridden for revealing this information, but a deal was a deal. Besides, the Hassassin would probably call the press anyway. â€Å"Piazza Navona,† Langdon shouted. â€Å"He's in the fountain.† The Aussie lowered his satellite dish and peeled out after the scoop of his career. In a stone chamber high above the city, the Hassassin removed his soaking boots and bandaged his wounded toe. There was pain, but not so much that he couldn't enjoy himself. He turned to his prize. She was in the corner of the room, on her back on a rudimentary divan, hands tied behind her, mouth gagged. The Hassassin moved toward her. She was awake now. This pleased him. Surprisingly, in her eyes, he saw fire instead of fear. The fear will come. 107 Robert Langdon dashed around the outer bulwark of the castle, grateful for the glow of the floodlights. As he circled the wall, the courtyard beneath him looked like a museum of ancient warfare – catapults, stacks of marble cannonballs, and an arsenal of fearful contraptions. Parts of the castle were open to tourists during the day, and the courtyard had been partially restored to its original state. Langdon's eyes crossed the courtyard to the central core of the fortress. The circular citadel shot skyward 107 feet to the bronze angel above. The balcony at the top still glowed from within. Langdon wanted to call out but knew better. He would have to find a way in. He checked his watch. 11:12 P.M. Dashing down the stone ramp that hugged the inside of the wall, Langdon descended to the courtyard. Back on ground level, he ran through shadows, clockwise around the fort. He passed three porticos, but all of them were permanently sealed. How did the Hassassin get in? Langdon pushed on. He passed two modern entrances, but they were padlocked from the outside. Not here. He kept running. Langdon had circled almost the entire building when he saw a gravel drive cutting across the courtyard in front of him. At one end, on the outer wall of the castle, he saw the back of the gated drawbridge leading back outside. At the other end, the drive disappeared into the fortress. The drive seemed to enter a kind of tunnel – a gaping entry in the central core. Il traforo! Langdon had read about this castle's traforo, a giant spiral ramp that circled up inside the fort, used by commanders on horseback to ride from top to bottom rapidly. The Hassassin drove up! The gate blocking the tunnel was raised, ushering Langdon in. He felt almost exuberant as he ran toward the tunnel. But as he reached the opening, his excitement disappeared. The tunnel spiraled down. The wrong way. This section of the traforo apparently descended to the dungeons, not to the top. Standing at the mouth of a dark bore that seemed to twist endlessly deeper into the earth, Langdon hesitated, looking up again at the balcony. He could swear he saw motion up there. Decide! With no other options, he dashed down into the tunnel. High overhead, the Hassassin stood over his prey. He ran a hand across her arm. Her skin was like cream. The anticipation of exploring her bodily treasures was inebriating. How many ways could he violate her? The Hassassin knew he deserved this woman. He had served Janus well. She was a spoil of war, and when he was finished with her, he would pull her from the divan and force her to her knees. She would service him again. The ultimate submission. Then, at the moment of his own climax, he would slit her throat. Ghayat assa'adah, they called it. The ultimate pleasure. Afterward, basking in his glory, he would stand on the balcony and savor the culmination of the Illuminati triumph†¦ a revenge desired by so many for so long. The tunnel grew darker. Langdon descended. After one complete turn into the earth, the light was all but gone. The tunnel leveled out, and Langdon slowed, sensing by the echo of his footfalls that he had just entered a larger chamber. Before him in the murkiness, he thought he saw glimmers of light†¦ fuzzy reflections in the ambient gleam. He moved forward, reaching out his hand. He found smooth surfaces. Chrome and glass. It was a vehicle. He groped the surface, found a door, and opened it. The vehicle's interior dome-light flashed on. He stepped back and recognized the black van immediately. Feeling a surge of loathing, he stared a moment, then he dove in, rooting around in hopes of finding a weapon to replace the one he'd lost in the fountain. He found none. He did, however, find Vittoria's cell phone. It was shattered and useless. The sight of it filled Langdon with fear. He prayed he was not too late. He reached up and turned on the van's headlights. The room around him blazed into existence, harsh shadows in a simple chamber. Langdon guessed the room was once used for horses and ammunition. It was also a dead end. No exit. I came the wrong way! At the end of his rope, Langdon jumped from the van and scanned the walls around him. No doorways. No gates. He thought of the angel over the tunnel entrance and wondered if it had been a coincidence. No! He thought of the killer's words at the fountain. She is in the Church of Illumination†¦ awaiting my return. Langdon had come too far to fail now. His heart was pounding. Frustration and hatred were starting to cripple his senses. When he saw the blood on the floor, Langdon's first thought was for Vittoria. But as his eyes followed the stains, he realized they were bloody footprints. The strides were long. The splotches of blood were only on the left foot. The Hassassin! Langdon followed the footprints toward the corner of the room, his sprawling shadow growing fainter. He felt more and more puzzled with every step. The bloody prints looked as though they walked directly into the corner of the room and then disappeared. When Langdon arrived in the corner, he could not believe his eyes. The granite block in the floor here was not a square like the others. He was looking at another signpost. The block was carved into a perfect pentagram, arranged with the tip pointing into the corner. Ingeniously concealed by overlapping walls, a narrow slit in the stone served as an exit. Langdon slid through. He was in a passage. In front of him were the remains of a wooden barrier that had once been blocking this tunnel. Beyond it there was light. Langdon was running now. He clambered over the wood and headed for the light. The passage quickly opened into another, larger chamber. Here a single torch flickered on the wall. Langdon was in a section of the castle that had no electricity†¦ a section no tourists would ever see. The room would have been frightful in daylight, but the torch made it even more gruesome. Il prigione. There were a dozen tiny jail cells, the iron bars on most eroded away. One of the larger cells, however, remained intact, and on the floor Langdon saw something that almost stopped his heart. Black robes and red sashes on the floor. This is where he held the cardinals! Near the cell was an iron doorway in the wall. The door was ajar and beyond it Langdon could see some sort of passage. He ran toward it. But Langdon stopped before he got there. The trail of blood did not enter the passage. When Langdon saw the words carved over the archway, he knew why. Il Passetto. He was stunned. He had heard of this tunnel many times, never knowing where exactly the entrance was. Il Passetto – The Little Passage – was a slender, three-quarter-mile tunnel built between Castle St. Angelo and the Vatican. It had been used by various Popes to escape to safety during sieges of the Vatican†¦ as well as by a few less pious Popes to secretly visit mistresses or oversee the torture of their enemies. Nowadays both ends of the tunnel were supposedly sealed with impenetrable locks whose keys were kept in some Vatican vault. Langdon suddenly feared he knew how the Illuminati had been moving in and out of the Vatican. He found himself wondering who on the inside had betrayed the church and coughed up the keys. Olivetti? One of the Swiss Guard? None of it mattered anymore. The blood on the floor led to the opposite end of the prison. Langdon followed. Here, a rusty gate hung draped with chains. The lock had been removed and the gate stood ajar. Beyond the gate was a steep ascension of spiral stairs. The floor here was also marked with a pentagramal block. Langdon stared at the block, trembling, wondering if Bernini himself had held the chisel that had shaped these chunks. Overhead, the archway was adorned with a tiny carved cherub. This was it. The trail of blood curved up the stairs. Before ascending, Langdon knew he needed a weapon, any weapon. He found a four-foot section of iron bar near one of the cells. It had a sharp, splintered end. Although absurdly heavy, it was the best he could do. He hoped the element of surprise, combined with the Hassassin's wound, would be enough to tip the scales in his advantage. Most of all, though, he hoped he was not too late. The staircase's spiral treads were worn and twisted steeply upward. Langdon ascended, listening for sounds. None. As he climbed, the light from the prison area faded away. He ascended into the total darkness, keeping one hand on the wall. Higher. In the blackness, Langdon sensed the ghost of Galileo, climbing these very stairs, eager to share his visions of heaven with other men of science and faith. Langdon was still in a state of shock over the location of the lair. The Illuminati meeting hall was in a building owned by the Vatican. No doubt while the Vatican guards were out searching basements and homes of well-known scientists, the Illuminati were meeting here†¦ right under the Vatican's nose. It suddenly seemed so perfect. Bernini, as head architect of renovations here, would have had unlimited access to this structure†¦ remodeling it to his own specifications with no questions asked. How many secret entries had Bernini added? How many subtle embellishments pointing the way? The Church of Illumination. Langdon knew he was close. As the stairs began narrowing, Langdon felt the passage closing around him. The shadows of history were whispering in the dark, but he moved on. When he saw the horizontal shaft of light before him, he realized he was standing a few steps beneath a landing, where the glow of torchlight spilled out beneath the threshold of a door in front of him. Silently he moved up. Langdon had no idea where in the castle he was right now, but he knew he had climbed far enough to be near the peak. He pictured the mammoth angel atop the castle and suspected it was directly overhead. Watch over me, angel, he thought, gripping the bar. Then, silently, he reached for the door. On the divan, Vittoria's arms ached. When she had first awoken to find them tied behind her back, she'd thought she might be able to relax and work her hands free. But time had run out. The beast had returned. Now he was standing over her, his chest bare and powerful, scarred from battles he had endured. His eyes looked like two black slits as he stared down at her body. Vittoria sensed he was imagining the deeds he was about to perform. Slowly, as if to taunt her, the Hassassin removed his soaking belt and dropped it on the floor. Vittoria felt a loathing horror. She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the Hassassin had produced a switchblade knife. He snapped it open directly in front of her face. Vittoria saw her own terrified reflection in the steel. The Hassassin turned the blade over and ran the back of it across her belly. The icy metal gave her chills. With a contemptuous stare, he slipped the blade below the waistline of her shorts. She inhaled. He moved back and forth, slowly, dangerously†¦ lower. Then he leaned forward, his hot breath whispering in her ear. â€Å"This blade cut out your father's eye.† Vittoria knew in that instant that she was capable of killing. The Hassassin turned the blade again and began sawing upward through the fabric of her khaki shorts. Suddenly, he stopped, looking up. Someone was in the room. â€Å"Get away from her,† a deep voice growled from the doorway. Vittoria could not see who had spoken, but she recognized the voice. Robert! He's alive! The Hassassin looked as if he had seen a ghost. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, you must have a guardian angel.† 108 In the split second it took Langdon to take in his surroundings, he realized he was in a sacred place. The embellishments in the oblong room, though old and faded, were replete with familiar symbology. Pentagram tiles. Planet frescoes. Doves. Pyramids. The Church of Illumination. Simple and pure. He had arrived. Directly in front of him, framed in the opening of the balcony, stood the Hassassin. He was bare chested, standing over Vittoria, who lay bound but very much alive. Langdon felt a wave of relief to see her. For an instant, their eyes met, and a torrent of emotions flowed – gratitude, desperation, and regret. â€Å"So we meet yet again,† the Hassassin said. He looked at the bar in Langdon's hand and laughed out loud. â€Å"And this time you come for me with that?† â€Å"Untie her.† The Hassassin put the knife to Vittoria's throat. â€Å"I will kill her.† Langdon had no doubt the Hassassin was capable of such an act. He forced a calm into his voice. â€Å"I imagine she would welcome it†¦ considering the alternative.† The Hassassin smiled at the insult. â€Å"You're right. She has much to offer. It would be a waste.† Langdon stepped forward, grasping the rusted bar, and aimed the splintered end directly at the Hassassin. The cut on his hand bit sharply. â€Å"Let her go.† The Hassassin seemed for a moment to be considering it. Exhaling, he dropped his shoulders. It was a clear motion of surrender, and yet at that exact instant the Hassassin's arm seemed to accelerate unexpectedly. There was a blur of dark muscle, and a blade suddenly came tearing through the air toward Langdon's chest. Whether it was instinct or exhaustion that buckled Langdon's knees at that moment, he didn't know, but the knife sailed past his left ear and clattered to the floor behind him. The Hassassin seemed unfazed. He smiled at Langdon, who was kneeling now, holding the metal bar. The killer stepped away from Vittoria and moved toward Langdon like a stalking lion. As Langdon scrambled to his feet, lifting the bar again, his wet turtleneck and pants felt suddenly more restrictive. The Hassassin, half-clothed, seemed to move much faster, the wound on his foot apparently not slowing him at all. Langdon sensed this was a man accustomed to pain. For the first time in his life, Langdon wished he were holding a very big gun. The Hassassin circled slowly, as if enjoying himself, always just out of reach, moving toward the knife on the floor. Langdon cut him off. Then the killer moved back toward Vittoria. Again Langdon cut him off. â€Å"There's still time,† Langdon ventured. â€Å"Tell me where the canister is. The Vatican will pay more than the Illuminati ever could.† â€Å"You are naive.† Langdon jabbed with the bar. The Hassassin dodged. He navigated around a bench, holding the weapon in front of him, trying to corner the Hassassin in the oval room. This damn room has no corners! Oddly, the Hassassin did not seem interested in attacking or fleeing. He was simply playing Langdon's game. Coolly waiting. Waiting for what? The killer kept circling, a master at positioning himself. It was like an endless game of chess. The weapon in Langdon's hand was getting heavy, and he suddenly sensed he knew what the Hassassin was waiting for. He's tiring me out. It was working, too. Langdon was hit by a surge of weariness, the adrenaline alone no longer enough to keep him alert. He knew he had to make a move. The Hassassin seemed to read Langdon's mind, shifting again, as if intentionally leading Langdon toward a table in the middle of the room. Langdon could tell there was something on the table. Something glinted in the torchlight. A weapon? Langdon kept his eyes focused on the Hassassin and maneuvered himself closer to the table. When the Hassassin cast a long, guileless glance at the table, Langdon tried to fight the obvious bait. But instinct overruled. He stole a glance. The damage was done. It was not a weapon at all. The sight momentarily riveted him. On the table lay a rudimentary copper chest, crusted with ancient patina. The chest was a pentagon. The lid lay open. Arranged inside in five padded compartments were five brands. The brands were forged of iron – large embossing tools with stout handles of wood. Langdon had no doubt what they said. Illuminati, Earth, Air, Fire, Water. Langdon snapped his head back up, fearing the Hassassin would lunge. He did not. The killer was waiting, almost as if he were refreshed by the game. Langdon fought to recover his focus, locking eyes again with his quarry, thrusting with the pipe. But the image of the box hung in his mind. Although the brands themselves were mesmerizing – artifacts few Illuminati scholars even believed existed – Langdon suddenly realized there had been something else about the box that had ignited a wave of foreboding within. As the Hassassin maneuvered again, Langdon stole another glance downward. My God! In the chest, the five brands sat in compartments around the outer edge. But in the center, there was another compartment. This partition was empty, but it clearly was intended to hold another brand†¦ a brand much larger than the others, and perfectly square. The attack was a blur. The Hassassin swooped toward him like a bird of prey. Langdon, his concentration having been masterfully diverted, tried to counter, but the pipe felt like a tree trunk in his hands. His parry was too slow. The Hassassin dodged. As Langdon tried to retract the bar, the Hassassin's hands shot out and grabbed it. The man's grip was strong, his injured arm seeming no longer to affect him. Violently, the two men struggled. Langdon felt the bar ripped away, and a searing pain shot through his palm. An instant later, Langdon was staring into the splintered point of the weapon. The hunter had become the hunted. Langdon felt like he'd been hit by a cyclone. The Hassassin circled, smiling now, backing Langdon against the wall. â€Å"What is your American adagio?† he chided. â€Å"Something about curiosity and the cat?† Langdon could barely focus. He cursed his carelessness as the Hassassin moved in. Nothing was making sense. A sixth Illuminati brand? In frustration he blurted, â€Å"I've never read anything about a sixth Illuminati brand!† â€Å"I think you probably have.† The killer chuckled as he herded Langdon around the oval wall. Langdon was lost. He most certainly had not. There were five Illuminati brands. He backed up, searching the room for any weapon at all. â€Å"A perfect union of the ancient elements,† the Hassassin said. â€Å"The final brand is the most brilliant of all. I'm afraid you will never see it, though.† Langdon sensed he would not be seeing much of anything in a moment. He kept backing up, searching the room for an option. â€Å"And you've seen this final brand?† Langdon demanded, trying to buy time. â€Å"Someday perhaps they will honor me. As I prove myself.† He jabbed at Langdon, as if enjoying a game. Langdon slid backward again. He had the feeling the Hassassin was directing him around the wall toward some unseen destination. Where? Langdon could not afford to look behind him. â€Å"The brand?† he demanded. â€Å"Where is it?† â€Å"Not here. Janus is apparently the only one who holds it.† â€Å"Janus?† Langdon did not recognize the name. â€Å"The Illuminati leader. He is arriving shortly.† â€Å"The Illuminati leader is coming here?† â€Å"To perform the final branding.† Langdon shot a frightened glance to Vittoria. She looked strangely calm, her eyes closed to the world around her, her lungs pulling slowly†¦ deeply. Was she the final victim? Was he? â€Å"Such conceit,† the Hassassin sneered, watching Langdon's eyes. â€Å"The two of you are nothing. You will die, of course, that is for certain. But the final victim of whom I speak is a truly dangerous enemy.† Langdon tried to make sense of the Hassassin's words. A dangerous enemy? The top cardinals were all dead. The Pope was dead. The Illuminati had wiped them all out. Langdon found the answer in the vacuum of the Hassassin's eyes. The camerlegno. Camerlegno Ventresca was the one man who had been a beacon of hope for the world through this entire tribulation. The camerlegno had done more to condemn the Illuminati tonight than decades of conspiracy theorists. Apparently he would pay the price. He was the Illuminati's final target. â€Å"You'll never get to him,† Langdon challenged. â€Å"Not I,† the Hassassin replied, forcing Langdon farther back around the wall. â€Å"That honor is reserved for Janus himself.† â€Å"The Illuminati leader himself intends to brand the camerlegno?† â€Å"Power has its privileges.† â€Å"But no one could possibly get into Vatican City right now!† The Hassassin looked smug. â€Å"Not unless he had an appointment.† Langdon was confused. The only person expected at the Vatican right now was the person the press was calling the 11th Hour Samaritan – the person Rocher said had information that could save – Langdon stopped short. Good God! The Hassassin smirked, clearly enjoying Langdon's sickening cognition. â€Å"I too wondered how Janus would gain entrance. Then in the van I heard the radio – a report about an 11th hour Samaritan.† He smiled. â€Å"The Vatican will welcome Janus with open arms.† Langdon almost stumbled backward. Janus is the Samaritan! It was an unthinkable deception. The Illuminati leader would get a royal escort directly to the camerlegno's chambers. But how did Janus fool Rocher? Or was Rocher somehow involved? Langdon felt a chill. Ever since he had almost suffocated in the secret archives, Langdon had not entirely trusted Rocher. The Hassassin jabbed suddenly, nicking Langdon in the side. Langdon jumped back, his temper flaring. â€Å"Janus will never get out alive!† The Hassassin shrugged. â€Å"Some causes are worth dying for.† Langdon sensed the killer was serious. Janus coming to Vatican City on a suicide mission? A question of honor? For an instant, Langdon's mind took in the entire terrifying cycle. The Illuminati plot had come full circle. The priest whom the Illuminati had inadvertently brought to power by killing the Pope had emerged as a worthy adversary. In a final act of defiance, the Illuminati leader would destroy him. Suddenly, Langdon felt the wall behind him disappear. There was a rush of cool air, and he staggered backward into the night. The balcony! He now realized what the Hassassin had in mind. Langdon immediately sensed the precipice behind him – a hundred-foot drop to the courtyard below. He had seen it on his way in. The Hassassin wasted no time. With a violent surge, he lunged. The spear sliced toward Langdon's midsection. Langdon skidded back, and the point came up short, catching only his shirt. Again the point came at him. Langdon slid farther back, feeling the banister right behind him. Certain the next jab would kill him, Langdon attempted the absurd. Spinning to one side, he reached out and grabbed the shaft, sending a jolt of pain through his palm. Langdon held on. The Hassassin seemed unfazed. They strained for a moment against one another, face to face, the Hassassin's breath fetid in Langdon's nostrils. The bar began to slip. The Hassassin was too strong. In a final act of desperation, Langdon stretched out his leg, dangerously off balance as he tried to ram his foot down on the Hassassin's injured toe. But the man was a professional and adjusted to protect his weakness. Langdon had just played his final card. And he knew he had lost the hand. The Hassassin's arms exploded upward, driving Langdon back against the railing. Langdon sensed nothing but empty space behind him as the railing hit just beneath his buttocks. The Hassassin held the bar crosswise and drove it into Langdon's chest. Langdon's back arched over the chasm. â€Å"Ma'assalamah,† the Hassassin sneered. â€Å"Good-bye.† With a merciless glare, the Hassassin gave a final shove. Langdon's center of gravity shifted, and his feet swung up off the floor. With only one hope of survival, Langdon grabbed on to the railing as he went over. His left hand slipped, but his right hand held on. He ended up hanging upside down by his legs and one hand†¦ straining to hold on. Looming over him, the Hassassin raised the bar overhead, preparing to bring it crashing down. As the bar began to accelerate, Langdon saw a vision. Perhaps it was the imminence of death or simply blind fear, but in that moment, he sensed a sudden aura surrounding the Hassassin. A glowing effulgence seemed to swell out of nothing behind him†¦ like an incoming fireball. Halfway through his swing, the Hassassin dropped the bar and screamed in agony. The iron bar clattered past Langdon out into the night. The Hassassin spun away from him, and Langdon saw a blistering torch burn on the killer's back. Langdon pulled himself up to see Vittoria, eyes flaring, now facing the Hassassin. Vittoria waved a torch in front of her, the vengeance in her face resplendent in the flames. How she had escaped, Langdon did not know or care. He began scrambling back up over the banister. The battle would be short. The Hassassin was a deadly match. Screaming with rage, the killer lunged for her. She tried to dodge, but the man was on her, holding the torch and about to wrestle it away. Langdon did not wait. Leaping off the banister, Langdon jabbed his clenched fist into the blistered burn on the Hassassin's back. The scream seemed to echo all the way to the Vatican. The Hassassin froze a moment, his back arched in anguish. He let go of the torch, and Vittoria thrust it hard into his face. There was a hiss of flesh as his left eye sizzled. He screamed again, raising his hands to his face. â€Å"Eye for an eye,† Vittoria hissed. This time she swung the torch like a bat, and when it connected, the Hassassin stumbled back against the railing. Langdon and Vittoria went for him at the same instant, both heaving and pushing. The Hassassin's body sailed backward over the banister into the night. There was no scream. The only sound was the crack of his spine as he landed spread-eagle on a pile of cannonballs far below. Langdon turned and stared at Vittoria in bewilderment. Slackened ropes hung off her midsection and shoulders. Her eyes blazed like an inferno. â€Å"Houdini knew yoga.†

The eNotes Blog 5 Jack London Quotes About Life andMeaning

5 Jack London Quotes About Life andMeaning Jack London was born on this day in 1876. Decades after his time on earth, many of us still hold The Call of the Wild,  To Build a Fire,  White Fang, and his  other works  close to our hearts fraught with wanderlust. His writing  instills a sense of adventure, enjoyed by young and old readers alike to this day. Here are  five of our favorite quotes that reflect Londons voice and  resilient nature, as he instructs us to live a proper life to the fullest. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time. He lacked the wisdom an the only way for him to get it was to buy it with his youth; and when wisdom was his, youth would have been spent buying it. The trouble with his was that he was without imagination. He was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in the  significances. I write for no other purpose than to add to the beauty that now belongs to me. I write a book for no other reason than to add three or four hundred acres to my magnificent estate. There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this  ecstasy  comes when one is most alive and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that  one is alive.

How to Use Khan Academy for ACT Prep Complete Guide

How to Use Khan Academy for ACT Prep Complete Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Khan Academy has recently partnered with the College Board, the makers of the SAT, to produce free and official SAT prep materials. Unfortunately, there's currently no official Khan Academy ACT prep; however,students can still use Khan Academy’s resources to help them prepare for the ACT. This guide will go over what materials Khan Academy offers, why you should consider using them, and exactly which resources will be most helpful and which topics you will need to use additional review materials for so that you can be as well-prepared for the ACT as possible. What Is Khan Academy? Khan Academy is a non-profit education site that was founded in 2006. The site offers thousands of free videos on a wide variety of topics, including math, computer programming, and chemistry. The videos typically go over sample problems step-by-step to help viewers understand the concepts behind solving the problem.It’s free to join, and anyone can create an account. In 2015, Khan Academy and the College Board (the organization that designs and administers the SAT, PSAT, and AP exams) announced that they had created a set of free SAT study tools. These resources include quizzes, tests, video tutorials, and personalized practice recommendations. Because these tools were developed in collaboration with the College Board, they are official prep resourcesandgive an accurate representation of what the actual SAT will be like. Check out our guide to learn more about Khan Academy and its SAT prep resources. Can You Use Khan Academy for ACT Prep? Unfortunately, there is currently no official Khan AcademyACT test prep , however; students planning on only taking the ACT can still use and benefit from Khan Academy’s resources, including the SAT prep resources. How can you do this? And why would you want to? First, Khan Academy offers lessons on a wide range of subjects. Their emphasis is on math, but they also have lessons on other subjects the ACT tests, such as parts of speechand grammar. Therefore, you'll be able to find resources for many of the topics the ACT tests on Khan Academy. You can also use Khan Academy's SAT prep resources to prepare for the ACT. How is this possible when they are two different tests? First, there is a large overlap in the topics the ACT and SAT test, particularly since the SAT has recently undergone major changes that make it much more similar to the ACT. Both exams test math, science, critical reading, and writing and language skills.This means that much of what you study for the SAT, including Khan Academy’s resources, will be useful for the ACT, and vice versa. Additionally, Khan Academy’s SAT resources are official resources, which means they were developed by the same people who write the real SAT questions. This means that Khan Academy’s practice questions give an accurate look at how official test questions are written and which topics they cover. While these questions won’t be exactly the same as those found on the ACT, they can often be much closer to real ACT questions than many unofficial prep resources which can differgreatlyfrom thereal ACT. How to Use Khan Academy to Prepare for the ACT For full details on how to set up an account on Khan Academy and navigate its resources, check out our guide on how to get the most out of Khan Academy.After setting up an account (it only takes a few minutes), you’ll be able to choose which subject you want to start studying. We'll go over the most topics to focus on with Khan AcademyACT prep below. The sections below each over a specific section of the ACT: English, Math, Reading, Science, and the optional Writing section. For each section, we'll explain which Khan Academy materials are most useful and if thereare any topics you should use additional resources to prepare for. ACT English What the ACT English Section Covers The ACT English section is 45 minutes long and contains 75 questions. The section includes five essays or passages, each accompanied by a series of questions. ACT English covers two main topics: Usage and Mechanics and Rhetorical Skills. Usage and Mechanics tests your knowledge ofgrammar, punctuation, usage, and sentence structure, while Rhetorical Skills tests "bigger picture" ideas such as the ideas, style, and organization of each passage. Spelling, vocabulary, and obscure grammar rules are not tested on ACT English. Khan Academy Resources You Can Use for ACT English Within Khan Academy's SAT prep resources, there are two sections that correspond to ACT English: Writing and Language as well asGrammar and Effective Language Use. Writingand Language has three subsections which focus on making revisions to argumentative, informative, and non-fiction narrative passages.Grammar and Effective Language Use has 21 subsections focusing on different grammar and punctuation concepts such as possessive pronouns, modifier placement, and pronoun clarity. These sections will help prepare you for the majority of the ACT English section, particularly the Usage and Mechanics questions. Beyond the SAT prep resources, Khan Academy also has other grammar videosunder "Arts and Humanities." These videos focus on parts of speech, punctuation, and syntax, and they're a good resource to start with if you want to brush up on your grammar before answering practice questions. Topics Khan Academy Doesn't Cover for ACT English The SAT Writing and Language section recently underwent major changes, and, as a result, it is now much more similar to ACT English. Both test sections now use a completely passage-based format, and both test similar grammar rules. Because of this, Khan Academy's SAT prep resources and grammar resources cover most of what you'll need to know for ACT English. However, ACT English does include main-idea questions, which you won't see covered on Khan Academy, so if you want more practice with those, be sure to use other, ACT-specific resources (discussed more at the bottom of this article). ACT Math What the ACT Math Section Covers ACT Math is 60 minutes long and contains 60 questions. There are six main topics ACT Math covers. They're listed below, along with the percentage of the section that includes questions on that topic (the total is more than 100% because some questions fit into more than one category). Pre-Algebra (20-25%) Elementary Algebra (15-20%) Intermediate Algebra (15-20%) Coordinate Geometry (15-20%) Plane Geometry (20-25%) Trigonometry (5-10%) So overall, ACT Math has the most questions on algebra, along with a substantial amount of questions on geometry and a few trigonometry questions. Khan Academy Resources You Can Use for ACT Math The SAT Math section emphasizes algebra more than ACT Math does, so Khan Academy's SAT prep resources, specifically the Heart of Algebra and Passport to Advanced Mathematics sections, have a lot of material to help you study algebra. Khan Academy also has additional algebra videos under its Math resources to help you reinforce your algebra knowledge. For geometry, Khan Academy has geometry videos under its Math resources. These videos cover both coordinate and plane geometry. Within its SAT math resources, the Additional Topics in Math section includes geometry questions. There are only a handful of trigonometry questions on ACT Math, but you can still prepare for them by reviewing the Additional Topics in Math section under SAT resources and the Trigonometry videos under Khan Academy's Math resources. There are also two differences to note between SAT Math and ACT Math that you might be confused by if you use the SAT prep resources. First, a calculator is not allowed on part of SAT Math, but you can use a calculator the entire time for ACT Math, so disregard any remarks about not being able to use a calculator. Second, on the SAT, you'll get a formula sheet with relevant math formulas, but you won't receive this on the ACT, so you'll have to put in more of an effort to memorize important formulas. ACT Reading What the ACT Reading Section Covers ACT Reading contains 40 questions that you have 35 minutes to answer. The section contains three single passages and a set of paired passages. The five passages will always come from four topic areas: humanities, literary fiction, natural sciences, and social sciences.You're not expected to have any prior knowledge of the passage topics. The questions in ACT Reading test your skills in understanding main ideas, locating details, and interpreting purpose and voice. Khan Academy Resources You Can Use for ACT Reading The SAT Reading and ACT Reading sections are quite similar. All the questions are related to passages, the passages come from similar categories, and, for both exams, and both include a set of paired passages. This meansyou can use all of Khan Academy's SAT Reading resources to help you prepare for ACT Reading. Khan Academy's SAT Reading resources include videos, examples, and practice questions for four types of passages: science, literature, history, and social science. Using these resources can helpyou become more comfortable with critically reading different types of passages and answering questions on main ideas, vocabulary-in-context, inferences, and details from the reading. This is also good because Khan Academy doesn't have any general resources on improving critical reading skills, so only their SAT resources are relevant for prepping for ACT Reading. So Khan Academy's SAT Reading resources do a pretty thorough job of covering the topics ACT Reading tests, however; there are a few differences between the Reading sections of the two exams. First, the science passages on SAT Reading will include charts and graphs, which you won’t see in ACT Reading. However, you should still study and answer these questions since you will see similar questions on the ACT Science section. Also,on the SAT, questions for passages always go in chronological order. On the ACT, you can (and likely will) be jumping around throughout the passage as you move from question to question, so be prepared for that difference. ACT Science What the ACT Science Section Covers The ACT Science section is 35 minutes long and contains 40 questions. Like the Reading section, on ACT Science there will be several passages with questions following each passage. There are seven passages on ACT Science, and these passages could contain graphs, charts, diagrams, experiment summaries, or conflicting viewpoints from multiple scientists. Each passage will be followed by four to seven questions. As opposed to testing specific facts or topics, ACT Science tests your knowledge of scientific skills such as data analysis, hypothesis evaluation, and how to summarize research. Khan Academy Resources You Can Use for ACT Science Due tothe skills ACT Science tests and because there is no science section on the SAT, Khan Academy's resources don't prepare you for this section of the ACT as well as they do for other sections. Khan Academy does have a science section with videos on numerous scientific subjects, but this isn't much use to you because it mostly covers scientific facts you don't need to know for the ACT. For example, on ACT Science, you don't need to know the steps of cell division (which Khan Academy goes over), but if you're given a passage that explains research on cell division, you'll need to be able to analyze that research and its results (which Khan Academy doesn't focus on). However, there are some resources you can use to help you prepare for ACT Science. Under Khan Academy's SAT prep resources, questions from SAT Reading and SAT Writing and Language that include graphs or charts are oftensimilar to some questions seen on ACT Science. The SAT has no science section, so questions testing some of the same skills ACT Science tests are spread throughout other sections. Therefore, if you're studying the SAT Reading or Writing and Language sections and come across a problem with a graph or chart, know that you won't see questions like that on ACT Reading or ACT English, butit can help you prepare for ACT Science. Topics Khan Academy Doesn't Cover for ACT Science As mentioned before, this is the section of the ACT you'll need to use the most outside resources to prepare for. You can get some practice by answering SAT questions that include charts, graphs, and data analysis, but to be fully prepared for ACT Science, you'll want to spend time studying resources specifically focused on the topics thissection tests. We'll go over some of these resources at the bottom of this guide. ACT Writing ACT Writing is an optional section where you'll be given 40 minutes to write a persuasive essay. Khan Academy does not have any resources on essay writing, even for the SAT essay (which is different than the ACT essay so it wouldn't help you much anyway). If you choose to take the ACT Writing section, you'll need to use outside resources to prepare for it. Other Resources to Use for Your ACT Prep Khan Academy can be a helpful resource, but it definitely shouldn't be the only one you use to prepare for the ACT. Make sure to attack the ACT specifically withACT prep books and practice tests. Official ACT practice tests will be particularly helpful because they’ll help you become familiar with how the ACT words questions and how those questions differ from the SAT’s. Khan Academy ACT prep will give you the best preparation for the ACT English, Math and Reading sections. You will definitely need supplementary prep materials for ACT Science and, if you choose to take it, ACT Writing.Check out our ultimate guide for ACT Science, as well as these guides on the best way to prepare for ACT Science and the only science you need to know for ACT Science.We also have acomplete guide to ACT Writing and tips for how to get a perfect score on your essay. Another major skill you can't get from Khan Academy is strategies to help you answer ACT questions. The ACT asks similar types of questions on each of its exams, and by knowing different strategies, you can tackle specific problems faster and more easily. To learn these strategies, you'll need to use prep materials specifically designed for the ACT. The ACT prep books mentioned above often include strategies for different ACT problems, and you can also check out all our guides to the best ACT strategies you should know. Khan Academy ACT Prep: Final Notes Even though Khan Academy does not have resources designed specifically for the ACT, you can still use them to prepare for the exam. Because there is quite a bit of overlap on what the ACT and SAT test, much of Khan Academy’s SAT prep materials are relevant for the ACT, particularly because the SAT has recently undergone significant changes that make it closer in content and style to the ACT.Khan Academy also has general resources that can help you study for the ACT. You’ll definitely need additional review materials, particularly for the Science section, but Khan Academy can still be a useful resource and get you more prepared for how official test questions are worded and what they test. What's Next? Looking for a top ACT score?Learn how to get a perfect 36 on the ACTby reading our guide, written by an ACT full scorer. Wondering if you should take the ACT Writing section?Check out our guide to learn how to decide what to do. Want more information on ACT Science?Our guide goes over everything you need to know to ace the ACT Science section. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Have we learned any lessons from the financial crisis of 2007-8 Assignment

Have we learned any lessons from the financial crisis of 2007-8 - Assignment Example When the criticality of the matter dawned on the American society, it was difficult to accept the dire consequences of the downfall. Organizations deemed stable enough to survive any surging economic pressure proved to be at the verge of collapse in the 2008 scenario. President Obama had to help America resolve the issue, and settling it needed firm decisions taken in good time to save the average American from the consequences resulting from the crisis. This is how the Dodd-Frank law surfaced as a potential solution to the imminent financial collapsing of the great economy. It is of essence to highlight the critical lessons learnt from the crisis and doing that is the sole purpose of this paper. Causes of the 2008 Recession An analysis of the real situation in 2008 and highlight the main causes of the collapsing of big financial institutions. One fact about the issue is that Americans had build too much trust on some of the banks that they did not see the crisis, coming and this is the main reason why Americans became victims. This does not assert that people should not trust banks but should do so after judging their credibility based on their financial reports. At least people should make an informed choice be ore trusting financial institutions. ... Understanding how banks operate is essential in analyzing how the recession resulted. All banks often make investments that can turn to be failures. If that happens, experts can calculate the asset value and these banks can receive recapitalization for the loss. However, the level of trust is very fundamental in determining whether a bank is worthy of recapitalization. Its performance in the market must prove that it is not subject to sudden collapsing. Banks deemed stable enough in the market have resulted to a form of pathology as Fischer described in his recent speech. These banks reached a point whereby assessing how much they lost in bad investments became a challenge. Before the onset of the recession, these banks were safe havens for most people. Majority of financial experts thought that these banks only suffered losses via mortgage insecurities. However, facts reveal that other toxic investments increased the losses incurred by banks. The bigger banks stand better chances in the market because of the privilege they have. Their stability in the market becomes a crucial factor that serves to reduce chances of bankruptcy declaration. While the less stable banks have a great fear of taking great business risks in fear of ending up bankrupt, the bigger banks can take costly risks much more easily as Arcand, Berkes and Panizza mentioned in their working paper released in 2009. In 2006, big banks sought to take advantage of the declining house prices hoping to make profits in the secondary market as Feng, and Serilitis in their research paper in 2009 on efficiency and technical change in U.S banks. Their investment in housing had its basis on mortgage security. Predictions were that housing

Annotated Bibliography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Annotated Bibliography - Research Paper Example For prehending, students learn through a concrete experience. In transforming, students are geared more towards active experimentation. These two processes can be placed onto a quadrant in which each quarter contains a certain learning style. The learning styles used by Kolb are â€Å"Assimilators,† â€Å"Divergers,† Convergers,† and â€Å"Accommodators.† For this study, participants were chosen from the Taxes and Personal Finance course at the Lubar School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A total of 159 participants were given two versions of WBI that had the same content and were only different with the accessibility on the platform. The results found that for each WBI module, each learning style was balanced. For student reaction, the participants were given an eight question Likert-type scale ranging from Did Not Like (1) to Liked Very Much (4). The results of this survey found that there was little difference between participants o f both WBI modules. Overall, the study found that with WBI, there is not any difference between the learning styles of students and type of online instruction. When it comes to construction projects in Hong Kong, there are certain criteria that are used to determine the success of the project. However, the definition of the success of a project depends on the view of a number of stakeholders, such as clients, consultants or designers, and contractors. This study aims to compare the responses of all of these stakeholders based on a set of criteria used to measure a project’s success. After reviewing literature, nine specific performance criteria were chosen for this study: profit, time, no claims or contractual disputes, job satisfaction, quality, safety, environment, generation of innovative ideas, and effectiveness. The definition of performance criteria is given as a benchmark to evaluate