Discussion of the theoretical and practical implications

criminology school of interpretation of crime The focal point of this paper is to present a discussion on the theoretical and practical implications under Marxist criminology school of interpretation of crime. This is to identify and evaluate the basic perception of crime from a perception of the Marxist philosophy. It can well be ascertained that Critical Criminology is moving on towards a new school of perception that originated during the advent of the 1990s. Under this parameter Marxism is completely excluded as it is regarded as element of the old school by the new interpreters of criminology. However, it can also be mentioned that in spite of this theoretical shift in a fundamental sense Marxism is still a useful medium of interpretation of state intervention of crime along with ascertaining criminal justice system and crime analysis. It would be interesting to know that according to Stuart Russell, â€Å"as the hallucinatory effects of postmodernism wear off along with the illusions many still harbour that capitalism has a future, Marxism will once again be able to play the pivotal role it rightfully deserves in Critical Criminology.† (Russell, 130, 2) In the same context it is relevant to mention that though the method of analysis and class division interpretation system is an effective measure of evaluation of crime with capital based approach of breakdown of problems, Marxism, however, lacks the current up gradation needed for the 21st century. At the same time it is important to juxtapose the basic principals of other school of philosophies with the basic philosophies of Marxism to harvest better result in the overall sense. Thus a combination of Post-Critical Criminology and new Critical Criminology could be extremely fruitful in this context. (Kar, 241, 3-4) On the other hand the ideas of Regina Austin can also be taken into consideration where it is argued that there are certain racial inequalities within the judiciary system. Regina Austin mentions that the basic problem starts with the discriminating act by the government and this discrimination by the law ultimately leads to the point when the deprived community starts disobeying the law or judiciary system altogether as they bear little or no faith in the system. (Austin, 301, 2) it can be well ascertained that with the application of Marxist criminology this part of the unwanted judiciary system can well be eradicated. Thus the importance of Marxist philosophy within the parameters of criminology remains relevant till date and it would be most helpful to depend on the perception of Marxism in this context of studies. (Lamb, 32, 1) In the conclusion it would be relevant to quote Stuart Russell who mentions that â€Å"despite the cynical pronouncements of those who have prematurely buried Marxism, there is great hope for the future of Marxism in Critical Criminology.† (Russell, 130, 2) It is true that the relevance of Marxism in the field of Critical Criminology is yet to be utilized in its full extent but with better formulation and updated interpretation it is possible to reach its optimum point with positive impacts. However, it should also be noted that the formulation should be done with proper methodology that should be based upon the initial affirmative concepts of Marxism with proper implementation and alignment with the 21st century. (King, 143, 5) References: Russell, Stuart; The Continuing Relevance of Marxism to Critical Criminology; Critical criminology, Vol.11, No.2 (May) 2002. Richmond, BC: American Society of Criminology, Division on Critical Criminology, c1996-. pp.113-135. Austin, Regina; â€Å"The Black Community†, Its Lawbreakers, and a Politics of Identification; Critical race theory: the cutting edge / edited by Richard Delgado. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1995. Pp.293-303. Kar, P; History of Psychology and related application of Psychology; Dasgupta & Chatterjee. 2006. Pg. 241 King, H; Criminology Today; HBT & Brooks Ltd. 2001. Pg. 143 Lamb, Davis; Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata; National Book Trust. 2004. Pg. 32 (I am unable to use the third pdf article as it has been found to be decoded wrongly or is corrupted- as there is very little time to communicate and rectify I am giving it a go with the existing 2 pdfs. Plus I have incorporated 3 more books to defend the paper)

TV show

Check, Please! Bay Area is a local TV program, which reviews local restaurants. During each episode, three guests introduce their favorite restaurants to the television audience. Each guest also has to review the other two restaurants that are being featured on the show. Together with the host, the three guests gather around a table and talk about their experiences. The host of the show, Leslie Sbrocco, who has blond hair and wore a brown suit, talked throughout the program with a warm smile on her lips. Her guests were two guys, mark and Modesto, and a lady, Rachel. Mark is around thirty and a youth worker. Maybe because of his job, he has a great sense of humor and was the most interesting person on the show. His skin is brown and his body is big, which made him look like a huge but nice potato. His favorite restaurant is New Kapadokia, a Turkish restaurant. Modesto looks older than Mark and lives in San Francisco. His favorite restaurant, Aperto, is also located in the city. Modesto looks affable and kind. He had black and gray hair and wore glasses. The last guest, Rachel, is an art director. She is also a blond and wore a blue sweater. Rachel dressed kind of elegantly and likes elegant restaurants. The restaurant she preferred, Massa’s, was predictably expensive and formal. The room where the four of them sat looked like a dining room. In the center of the room was a large table on which set four glasses of wine. On other words, the host and guests sat around the table as if they were old friends having dinner and chatting in a luxurious dining room. The first restaurant they talked about was New Kapadokia, which was highly recommended by Mark. Mark lived in Turkey as a teenager and has wonderful memories of Turkish food. He told Leslie Sbrocco and other two guests that the first time he dined at New Kapadokia it was love at first sight. The restaurant, whose name comes from a real region of Turkey, is located in Redwood City. It is a medium sized restaurant with French windows, white table cloths and comfortable wooden chairs. Turkish pictures decorate the bright-yellow walls and make the environment distinctly exotic. The dishes are genuine Turkish style cuisine, according to Mark. Executive Chef, Meral Guvenc, has several signature dishes, which include kebabs, stuffed eggplant and one particular appetizer hat looks like a spring roll. Mark described the situation when he had first tasted this appetizer. â€Å"While my wife talked,† he said, â€Å"I just pounded them into my mouth. † Everyone laughed. During the meal, a few cups of flavorful tea were used to enliven the meal. The Turkish tea is served in small Turkish glasses and presented on shiny brass trays. Finally, the other two guests gave restaurant a good review. Since the location is unpretentious, people can afford it and still have a wonderful dining experience. The second restaurant was Aperto, which has been at the same location in San Francisco for 60 years. Similar in size to New Kapadokia, it is medium sized with twenty tables and French windows along the sidewalk side of the restaurant. The tables and chairs are of wood. The restaurant was very simply decorated but still looks neat and pleasant. The cuisine is Italian, and all the food is prepared with local Bay Area ingredients. The signature dishes of Executive Chef, Laura Guagliano-Montiel, are taglioline pepati, roasted chicken and butternut squash ravioli. There are also special recommendations from the chef everyday. Modesto said, â€Å"They are always different, but the special are always really special. The restaurant served only wine and beer,, and Rachel said that she and her husband were disappointed with the meal. However, the guys still thought it was a nice place to hang out with friends or to have a casual meal with a family since the price is reasonable and the restaurant attracts open and friendly people. All in all, it is an affordable neighborhood restaurant. The last restaurant was Masa’s, the one recommended by Rachel and, of the three restaurants featured on this particular program, the most elegant. Like Aperto, Masa’s is also a San Francisco restaurant. It is also a medium sizes restaurant but with no windows. All the light comes from the red-covered lamps hanging from the ceiling, which according to Rachel, are Masa’s most excellent decorations. The light is soft, with huge dark-red reflections on the floor. This lighting gives the restaurant a fabulous and somewhat mysterious atmosphere. The dark colored walls are decorated with simple-style pictures, copper statues and light-colored curtains, which create a wonderful contrast to the rest of the room’s deep richness. The cuisine offered by Masa’s is very contemporary French. Every course is somewhat sparse but very delicious. A very extensive wine list provides to the adventure in dining. Dinner at Masa’s is a journey to elegance. Mark said that he was nervous throughout the dinner. The prices are quite high, but the service, the food, and the ambience are exceptional. There are even private dining rooms. Rachel called it a fabulous five-star dinging experience. Generally speaking, this restaurant is expensive but classic and wonderful. If a formal dinner is needed or, if people want to try the good service, Masa’s is a good choice. Of the three restaurants featured on this particular episode of Check Please, New Kapadokia seems to be the best choice. It showcases casual-style dining at affordable prices for both lunch and dinner. Aperto and Masa’s also look like excellent choices, especially for people who live in the city. The reviews left by the audience who had been to these restaurants gave New Kapadokia the most support, so it is probably a good idea to go there first if you want a new dining experience. Some of the people said that the airing of Check Please, the restaurant become overcrowded, maybe it’s a good idea to make your reservation well in advance.

Angels Demons Chapter 134-137

134 Camerlegno Ventresca's white robe billowed as he moved down the hallway away from the Sistine Chapel. The Swiss Guards had seemed perplexed when he emerged all alone from the chapel and told them he needed a moment of solitude. But they had obeyed, letting him go. Now as he rounded the corner and left their sight, the camerlegno felt a maelstrom of emotions like nothing he thought possible in human experience. He had poisoned the man he called â€Å"Holy Father,† the man who addressed him as â€Å"my son.† The camerlegno had always believed the words â€Å"father† and â€Å"son† were religious tradition, but now he knew the diabolical truth – the words had been literal. Like that fateful night weeks ago, the camerlegno now felt himself reeling madly through the darkness. It was raining the morning the Vatican staff banged on the camerlegno's door, awakening him from a fitful sleep. The Pope, they said, was not answering his door or his phone. The clergy were frightened. The camerlegno was the only one who could enter the Pope's chambers unannounced. The camerlegno entered alone to find the Pope, as he was the night before, twisted and dead in his bed. His Holiness's face looked like that of Satan. His tongue black like death. The Devil himself had been sleeping in the Pope's bed. The camerlegno felt no remorse. God had spoken. Nobody would see the treachery†¦ not yet. That would come later. He announced the terrible news – His Holiness was dead of a stroke. Then the camerlegno prepared for conclave. Mother Maria's voice was whispering in his ear. â€Å"Never break a promise to God.† â€Å"I hear you, Mother,† he replied. â€Å"It is a faithless world. They need to be brought back to the path of righteousness. Horror and Hope. It is the only way.† â€Å"Yes,† she said. â€Å"If not you†¦ then who? Who will lead the church out of darkness?† Certainly not one of the preferiti. They were old†¦ walking death†¦ liberals who would follow the Pope, endorsing science in his memory, seeking modern followers by abandoning the ancient ways. Old men desperately behind the times, pathetically pretending they were not. They would fail, of course. The church's strength was its tradition, not its transience. The whole world was transitory. The church did not need to change, it simply needed to remind the world it was relevant! Evil lives! God will overcome! The church needed a leader. Old men do not inspire! Jesus inspired! Young, vibrant, powerful†¦ Miraculous. â€Å"Enjoy your tea,† the camerlegno told the four preferiti, leaving them in the Pope's private library before conclave. â€Å"Your guide will be here soon.† The preferiti thanked him, all abuzz that they had been offered a chance to enter the famed Passetto. Most uncommon! The camerlegno, before leaving them, had unlocked the door to the Passetto, and exactly on schedule, the door had opened, and a foreign-looking priest with a torch had ushered the excited preferiti in. The men had never come out. They will be the Horror. I will be the Hope. No†¦ I am the horror. The camerlegno staggered now through the darkness of St. Peter's Basilica. Somehow, through the insanity and guilt, through the images of his father, through the pain and revelation, even through the pull of the morphine†¦ he had found a brilliant clarity. A sense of destiny. I know my purpose, he thought, awed by the lucidity of it. From the beginning, nothing tonight had gone exactly as he had planned. Unforeseen obstacles had presented themselves, but the camerlegno had adapted, making bold adjustments. Still, he had never imagined tonight would end this way, and yet now he saw the preordained majesty of it. It could end no other way. Oh, what terror he had felt in the Sistine Chapel, wondering if God had forsaken him! Oh, what deeds He had ordained! He had fallen to his knees, awash with doubt, his ears straining for the voice of God but hearing only silence. He had begged for a sign. Guidance. Direction. Was this God's will? The church destroyed by scandal and abomination? No! God was the one who had willed the camerlegno to act! Hadn't He? Then he had seen it. Sitting on the altar. A sign. Divine communication – something ordinary seen in an extraordinary light. The crucifix. Humble, wooden. Jesus on the cross. In that moment, it had all come clear†¦ the camerlegno was not alone. He would never be alone. This was His will†¦ His meaning. God had always asked great sacrifice of those he loved most. Why had the camerlegno been so slow to understand? Was he too fearful? Too humble? It made no difference. God had found a way. The camerlegno even understood now why Robert Langdon had been saved. It was to bring the truth. To compel this ending. This was the sole path to the church's salvation! The camerlegno felt like he was floating as he descended into the Niche of the Palliums. The surge of morphine seemed relentless now, but he knew God was guiding him. In the distance, he could hear the cardinals clamoring in confusion as they poured from the chapel, yelling commands to the Swiss Guard. But they would never find him. Not in time. The camerlegno felt himself drawn†¦ faster†¦ descending the stairs into the sunken area where the ninety-nine oil lamps shone brightly. God was returning him to Holy Ground. The camerlegno moved toward the grate covering the hole that led down to the Necropolis. The Necropolis is where this night would end. In the sacred darkness below. He lifted an oil lamp, preparing to descend. But as he moved across the Niche, the camerlegno paused. Something about this felt wrong. How did this serve God? A solitary and silent end? Jesus had suffered before the eyes of the entire world. Surely this could not be God's will! The camerlegno listened for the voice of his God, but heard only the blurring buzz of drugs. â€Å"Carlo.† It was his mother. â€Å"God has plans for you.† Bewildered, the camerlegno kept moving. Then, without warning, God arrived. The camerlegno stopped short, staring. The light of the ninety-nine oil lanterns had thrown the camerlegno's shadow on the marble wall beside him. Giant and fearful. A hazy form surrounded by golden light. With flames flickering all around him, the camerlegno looked like an angel ascending to heaven. He stood a moment, raising his arms to his sides, watching his own image. Then he turned, looking back up the stairs. God's meaning was clear. Three minutes had passed in the chaotic hallways outside the Sistine Chapel, and still nobody could locate the camerlegno. It was as if the man had been swallowed up by the night. Mortati was about to demand a full-scale search of Vatican City when a roar of jubilation erupted outside in St. Peter's Square. The spontaneous celebration of the crowd was tumultuous. The cardinals all exchanged startled looks. Mortati closed his eyes. â€Å"God help us.† For the second time that evening, the College of Cardinals flooded onto St. Peter's Square. Langdon and Vittoria were swept up in the jostling crowd of cardinals, and they too emerged into the night air. The media lights and cameras were all pivoted toward the basilica. And there, having just stepped onto the sacred Papal Balcony located in the exact center of the towering fa;ade, Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca stood with his arms raised to the heavens. Even far away, he looked like purity incarnate. A figurine. Dressed in white. Flooded with light. The energy in the square seemed to grow like a cresting wave, and all at once the Swiss Guard barriers gave way. The masses streamed toward the basilica in a euphoric torrent of humanity. The onslaught rushed forward – people crying, singing, media cameras flashing. Pandemonium. As the people flooded in around the front of the basilica, the chaos intensified, until it seemed nothing could stop it. And then something did. High above, the camerlegno made the smallest of gestures. He folded his hands before him. Then he bowed his head in silent prayer. One by one, then dozens by dozens, then hundreds by hundreds, the people bowed their heads along with him. The square fell silent†¦ as if a spell had been cast. In his mind, swirling and distant now, the camerlegno's prayers were a torrent of hopes and sorrows†¦ forgive me, Father†¦ Mother†¦ full of grace†¦ you are the church†¦ may you understand this sacrifice of your only begotten son. Oh, my Jesus†¦ save us from the fires of hell†¦ take all souls to heaven, especially, those most in need of thy mercy†¦ The camerlegno did not open his eyes to see the throngs below him, the television cameras, the whole world watching. He could feel it in his soul. Even in his anguish, the unity of the moment was intoxicating. It was as if a connective web had shot out in all directions around the globe. In front of televisions, at home, and in cars, the world prayed as one. Like synapses of a giant heart all firing in tandem, the people reached for God, in dozens of languages, in hundreds of countries. The words they whispered were newborn and yet as familiar to them as their own voices†¦ ancient truths†¦ imprinted on the soul. The consonance felt eternal. As the silence lifted, the joyous strains of singing began to rise again. He knew the moment had come. Most Holy Trinity, I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul†¦ in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifferences†¦ The camerlegno already felt the physical pain setting in. It was spreading across his skin like a plague, making him want to claw at his flesh like he had weeks ago when God had first come to him. Do not forget what pain Jesus endured. He could taste the fumes now in his throat. Not even the morphine could dull the bite. My work here is done. The Horror was his. The Hope was theirs. In the Niche of the Palliums, the camerlegno had followed God's will and anointed his body. His hair. His face. His linen robe. His flesh. He was soaking now with the sacred, vitreous oils from the lamps. They smelled sweet like his mother, but they burned. His would be a merciful ascension. Miraculous and swift. And he would leave behind not scandal†¦ but a new strength and wonder. He slipped his hand into the pocket of his robe and fingered the small, golden lighter he had brought with him from the Pallium incendiario. He whispered a verse from Judgments. And when the flame went up toward heaven, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame. He positioned his thumb. They were singing in St. Peter's Square†¦ The vision the world witnessed no one would ever forget. High above on the balcony, like a soul tearing free of its corporeal restrains, a luminous pyre of flame erupted from the camerlegno's center. The fire shot upward, engulfing his entire body instantly. He did not scream. He raised his arms over his head and looked toward heaven. The conflagration roared around him, entirely shrouding his body in a column of light. It raged for what seemed like an eternity, the whole world bearing witness. The light flared brighter and brighter. Then, gradually, the flames dissipated. The camerlegno was gone. Whether he had collapsed behind the balustrade or evaporated into thin air was impossible to tell. All that was left was a cloud of smoke spiraling skyward over Vatican City. 135 Dawn came late to Rome. An early rainstorm had washed the crowds from St. Peter's Square. The media stayed on, huddling under umbrellas and in vans, commentating on the evening's events. Across the world, churches overflowed. It was a time of reflection and discussion†¦ in all religions. Questions abounded, and yet the answers seemed only to bring deeper questions. Thus far, the Vatican had remained silent, issuing no statement whatsoever. Deep in the Vatican Grottoes, Cardinal Mortati knelt alone before the open sarcophagus. He reached in and closed the old man's blackened mouth. His Holiness looked peaceful now. In quiet repose for eternity. At Mortati's feet was a golden urn, heavy with ashes. Mortati had gathered the ashes himself and brought them here. â€Å"A chance for forgiveness,† he said to His Holiness, laying the urn inside the sarcophagus at the Pope's side. â€Å"No love is greater than that of a father for His son.† Mortati tucked the urn out of sight beneath the papal robes. He knew this sacred grotto was reserved exclusively for the relics of Popes, but somehow Mortati sensed this was appropriate. â€Å"Signore?† someone said, entering the grottoes. It was Lieutenant Chartrand. He was accompanied by three Swiss Guards. â€Å"They are ready for you in conclave.† Mortati nodded. â€Å"In a moment.† He gazed one last time into the sarcophagus before him, and then stood up. He turned to the guards. â€Å"It is time for His Holiness to have the peace he has earned.† The guards came forward and with enormous effort slid the lid of the Pope's sarcophagus back into place. It thundered shut with finality. Mortati was alone as he crossed the Borgia Courtyard toward the Sistine Chapel. A damp breeze tossed his robe. A fellow cardinal emerged from the Apostolic Palace and strode beside him. â€Å"May I have the honor of escorting you to conclave, signore?† â€Å"The honor is mine.† â€Å"Signore,† the cardinal said, looking troubled. â€Å"The college owes you an apology for last night. We were blinded by – â€Å" â€Å"Please,† Mortati replied. â€Å"Our minds sometimes see what our hearts wish were true.† The cardinal was silent a long time. Finally he spoke. â€Å"Have you been told? You are no longer our Great Elector.† Mortati smiled. â€Å"Yes. I thank God for small blessings.† â€Å"The college insisted you be eligible.† â€Å"It seems charity is not dead in the church.† â€Å"You are a wise man. You would lead us well.† â€Å"I am an old man. I would lead you briefly.† They both laughed. As they reached the end of the Borgia Courtyard, the cardinal hesitated. He turned to Mortati with a troubled mystification, as if the precarious awe of the night before had slipped back into his heart. â€Å"Were you aware,† the cardinal whispered, â€Å"that we found no remains on the balcony?† Mortati smiled. â€Å"Perhaps the rain washed them away.† The man looked to the stormy heavens. â€Å"Yes, perhaps†¦Ã¢â‚¬  136 The midmorning sky still hung heavy with clouds as the Sistine Chapel's chimney gave up its first faint puffs of white smoke. The pearly wisps curled upward toward the firmament and slowly dissipated. Far below, in St. Peter's Square, reporter Gunther Glick watched in reflective silence. The final chapter†¦ Chinita Macri approached him from behind and hoisted her camera onto her shoulder. â€Å"It's time,† she said. Glick nodded dolefully. He turned toward her, smoothed his hair, and took a deep breath. My last transmission, he thought. A small crowd had gathered around them to watch. â€Å"Live in sixty seconds,† Macri announced. Glick glanced over his shoulder at the roof of the Sistine Chapel behind him. â€Å"Can you get the smoke?† Macri patiently nodded. â€Å"I know how to frame a shot, Gunther.† Glick felt dumb. Of course she did. Macri's performance behind the camera last night had probably won her the Pulitzer. His performance, on the other hand†¦ he didn't want to think about it. He was sure the BBC would let him go; no doubt they would have legal troubles from numerous powerful entities†¦ CERN and George Bush among them. â€Å"You look good,† Chinita patronized, looking out from behind her camera now with a hint of concern. â€Å"I wonder if I might offer you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She hesitated, holding her tongue. â€Å"Some advice?† Macri sighed. â€Å"I was only going to say that there's no need to go out with a bang.† â€Å"I know,† he said. â€Å"You want a straight wrap.† â€Å"The straightest in history. I'm trusting you.† Glick smiled. A straight wrap? Is she crazy? A story like last night's deserved so much more. A twist. A final bombshell. An unforeseen revelation of shocking truth. Fortunately, Glick had just the ticket waiting in the wings†¦ * * * â€Å"You're on in†¦ five†¦ four†¦ three†¦Ã¢â‚¬  As Chinita Macri looked through her camera, she sensed a sly glint in Glick's eye. I was insane to let him do this, she thought. What was I thinking? But the moment for second thoughts had passed. They were on. â€Å"Live from Vatican City,† Glick announced on cue, â€Å"this is Gunther Glick reporting.† He gave the camera a solemn stare as the white smoke rose behind him from the Sistine Chapel. â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen, it is now official. Cardinal Saverio Mortati, a seventy-nine-year-old progressive, has just been elected the next Pope of Vatican City. Although an unlikely candidate, Mortati was chosen by an unprecedented unanimous vote by the College of Cardinals.† As Macri watched him, she began to breathe easier. Glick seemed surprisingly professional today. Even austere. For the first time in his life, Glick actually looked and sounded somewhat like a newsman. â€Å"And as we reported earlier,† Glick added, his voice intensifying perfectly, â€Å"the Vatican has yet to offer any statement whatsoever regarding the miraculous events of last night.† Good. Chinita's nervousness waned some more. So far, so good. Glick's expression grew sorrowful now. â€Å"And though last night was a night of wonder, it was also a night of tragedy. Four cardinals perished in yesterday's conflict, along with Commander Olivetti and Captain Rocher of the Swiss Guard, both in the line of duty. Other casualties include Leonardo Vetra, the renowned CERN physicist and pioneer of antimatter technology, as well as Maximilian Kohler, the director of CERN, who apparently came to Vatican City in an effort to help but reportedly passed away in the process. No official report has been issued yet on Mr. Kohler's death, but conjecture is that he died due to complications brought on by a long-time illness.† Macri nodded. The report was going perfectly. Just as they discussed. â€Å"And in the wake of the explosion in the sky over the Vatican last night, CERN's antimatter technology has become the hot topic among scientists, sparking excitement and controversy. A statement read by Mr. Kohler's assistant in Geneva, Sylvie Baudeloque, announced this morning that CERN's board of directors, although enthusiastic about antimatter's potential, are suspending all research and licensing until further inquiries into its safety can be examined.† Excellent, Macri thought. Home stretch. â€Å"Notably absent from our screens tonight,† Glick reported, â€Å"is the face of Robert Langdon, the Harvard professor who came to Vatican City yesterday to lend his expertise during this Illuminati crisis. Although originally thought to have perished in the antimatter blast, we now have reports that Langdon was spotted in St. Peter's Square after the explosion. How he got there is still speculation, although a spokesman from Hospital Tiberina claims that Mr. Langdon fell out of the sky into the Tiber River shortly after midnight, was treated, and released.† Glick arched his eyebrows at the camera. â€Å"And if that is true†¦ it was indeed a night of miracles.† Perfect ending! Macri felt herself smiling broadly. Flawless wrap! Now sign off! But Glick did not sign off. Instead, he paused a moment and then stepped toward the camera. He had a mysterious smile. â€Å"But before we sign off†¦Ã¢â‚¬  No! â€Å"†¦ I would like to invite a guest to join me.† Chinita's hands froze on the camera. A guest? What the hell is he doing? What guest! Sign off! But she knew it was too late. Glick had committed. â€Å"The man I am about to introduce,† Glick said, â€Å"is an American†¦ a renowned scholar.† Chinita hesitated. She held her breath as Glick turned to the small crowd around them and motioned for his guest to step forward. Macri said a silent prayer. Please tell me he somehow located Robert Langdon†¦ and not some Illuminati-conspiracy nutcase. But as Glick's guest stepped out, Macri's heart sank. It was not Robert Langdon at all. It was a bald man in blue jeans and a flannel shirt. He had a cane and thick glasses. Macri felt terror. Nutcase! â€Å"May I introduce,† Glick announced, â€Å"the renowned Vatican scholar from De Paul University in Chicago. Dr. Joseph Vanek.† Macri now hesitated as the man joined Glick on camera. This was no conspiracy buff; Macri had actually heard of this guy. â€Å"Dr. Vanek,† Glick said. â€Å"You have some rather startling information to share with us regarding last night's conclave.† â€Å"I do indeed,† Vanek said. â€Å"After a night of such surprises, it is hard to imagine there are any surprises left†¦ and yet†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused. Glick smiled. â€Å"And yet, there is a strange twist to all this.† Vanek nodded. â€Å"Yes. As perplexing as this will sound, I believe the College of Cardinals unknowingly elected two Popes this weekend.† Macri almost dropped the camera. Glick gave a shrewd smile. â€Å"Two Popes, you say?† The scholar nodded. â€Å"Yes. I should first say that I have spent my life studying the laws of papal election. Conclave judicature is extremely complex, and much of it is now forgotten or ignored as obsolete. Even the Great Elector is probably not aware of what I am about to reveal. Nonetheless†¦ according to the ancient forgotten laws put forth in the Romano Pontifici Eligendo, Numero 63†¦ balloting is not the only method by which a Pope can be elected. There is another, more divine method. It is called ‘Acclamation by Adoration.'† He paused. â€Å"And it happened last night.† Glick gave his guest a riveted look. â€Å"Please, go on.† â€Å"As you may recall,† the scholar continued, â€Å"last night, when Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca was standing on the roof of the basilica, all of the cardinals below began calling out his name in unison.† â€Å"Yes, I recall.† â€Å"With that image in mind, allow me to read verbatim from the ancient electoral laws.† The man pulled some papers from his pocket, cleared his throat, and began to read. â€Å"‘Election by Adoration occurs when†¦ all the cardinals, as if by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, freely and spontaneously, unanimously and aloud, proclaim one individual's name.'† Glick smiled. â€Å"So you're saying that last night, when the cardinals chanted Carlo Ventresca's name together, they actually elected him Pope?† â€Å"They did indeed. Furthermore, the law states that Election by Adoration supercedes the cardinal eligibility requirement and permits any clergyman – ordained priest, bishop, or cardinal – to be elected. So, as you can see, the camerlegno was perfectly qualified for papal election by this procedure.† Dr. Vanek looked directly into the camera now. â€Å"The facts are these†¦ Carlo Ventresca was elected Pope last night. He reigned for just under seventeen minutes. And had he not ascended miraculously into a pillar of fire, he would now be buried in the Vatican Grottoes along with the other Popes.† â€Å"Thank you, doctor.† Glick turned to Macri with a mischievous wink. â€Å"Most illuminating†¦Ã¢â‚¬  137 High atop the steps of the Roman Coliseum, Vittoria laughed and called down to him. â€Å"Robert, hurry up! I knew I should have married a younger man!† Her smile was magic. He struggled to keep up, but his legs felt like stone. â€Å"Wait,† he begged. â€Å"Please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There was a pounding in his head. Robert Langdon awoke with a start. Darkness. He lay still for a long time in the foreign softness of the bed, unable to figure out where he was. The pillows were goose down, oversized and wonderful. The air smelled of potpourri. Across the room, two glass doors stood open to a lavish balcony, where a light breeze played beneath a glistening cloud-swept moon. Langdon tried to remember how he had gotten here†¦ and where here was. Surreal wisps of memory sifted back into his consciousness†¦ A pyre of mystical fire†¦ an angel materializing from out of the crowd†¦ her soft hand taking his and leading him into the night†¦ guiding his exhausted, battered body through the streets†¦ leading him here†¦ to this suite†¦ propping him half-sleeping in a scalding hot shower†¦ leading him to this bed†¦ and watching over him as he fell asleep like the dead. In the dimness now, Langdon could see a second bed. The sheets were tousled, but the bed was empty. From one of the adjoining rooms, he could hear the faint, steady stream of a shower. As he gazed at Vittoria's bed, he saw a boldly embroidered seal on her pillowcase. It read: HOTEL BERNINI. Langdon had to smile. Vittoria had chosen well. Old World luxury overlooking Bernini's Triton Fountain†¦ there was no more fitting hotel in all of Rome. As Langdon lay there, he heard a pounding and realized what had awoken him. Someone was knocking at the door. It grew louder. Confused, Langdon got up. Nobody knows we're here, he thought, feeling a trace of uneasiness. Donning a luxuriant Hotel Bernini robe, he walked out of the bedroom into the suite's foyer. He stood a moment at the heavy oak door, and then pulled it open. A powerful man adorned in lavish purple and yellow regalia stared down at him. â€Å"I am Lieutenant Chartrand,† the man said. â€Å"Vatican Swiss Guard.† Langdon knew full well who he was. â€Å"How†¦ how did you find us?† â€Å"I saw you leave the square last night. I followed you. I'm relieved you're still here.† Langdon felt a sudden anxiety, wondering if the cardinals had sent Chartrand to escort Langdon and Vittoria back to Vatican City. After all, the two of them were the only two people beyond the College of Cardinals who knew the truth. They were a liability. â€Å"His Holiness asked me to give this to you,† Chartrand said, handing over an envelope sealed with the Vatican signet. Langdon opened the envelope and read the handwritten note. Mr. Langdon and Ms. Vetra, Although it is my profound desire to request your discretion in the matters of the past 24 hours, I cannot possibly presume to ask more of you than you have already given. I therefore humbly retreat hoping only that you let your hearts guide you in this matter. The world seems a better place today†¦ maybe the questions are more powerful than the answers. My door is always open, His Holiness, Saverio Mortati Langdon read the message twice. The College of Cardinals had obviously chosen a noble and munificent leader. Before Langdon could say anything, Chartrand produced a small package. â€Å"A token of thanks from His Holiness.† Langdon took the package. It was heavy, wrapped in brown paper. â€Å"By his decree,† Chartrand said, â€Å"this artifact is on indefinite loan to you from the sacred Papal Vault. His Holiness asks only that in your last will and testament you ensure it finds its way home.† Langdon opened the package and was struck speechless. It was the brand. The Illuminati Diamond. Chartrand smiled. â€Å"May peace be with you.† He turned to go. â€Å"Thank†¦ you,† Langdon managed, his hands trembling around the precious gift. The guard hesitated in the hall. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, may I ask you something?† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"My fellow guards and I are curious. Those last few minutes†¦ what happened up there in the helicopter?† Langdon felt a rush of anxiety. He knew this moment was coming – the moment of truth. He and Vittoria had talked about it last night as they stole away from St. Peter's Square. And they had made their decision. Even before the Pope's note. Vittoria's father had dreamed his antimatter discovery would bring about a spiritual awakening. Last night's events were no doubt not what he had intended, but the undeniable fact remained†¦ at this moment, around the world, people were considering God in ways they never had before. How long the magic would last, Langdon and Vittoria had no idea, but they knew they could never shatter the wonderment with scandal and doubt. The Lord works in strange ways, Langdon told himself, wondering wryly if maybe†¦ just maybe†¦ yesterday had been God's will after all. â€Å"Mr. Langdon?† Chartrand repeated. â€Å"I was asking about the helicopter?† Langdon gave a sad smile. â€Å"Yes, I know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He felt the words flow not from his mind but from his heart. â€Å"Perhaps it was the shock of the fall†¦ but my memory†¦ it seems†¦ it's all a blur†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Chartrand slumped. â€Å"You remember nothing?† Langdon sighed. â€Å"I fear it will remain a mystery forever.† When Robert Langdon returned to the bedroom, the vision awaiting him stopped him in his tracks. Vittoria stood on the balcony, her back to the railing, her eyes gazing deeply at him. She looked like a heavenly apparition†¦ a radiant silhouette with the moon behind her. She could have been a Roman goddess, enshrouded in her white terrycloth robe, the drawstring cinched tight, accentuating her slender curves. Behind her, a pale mist hung like a halo over Bernini's Triton Fountain. Langdon felt wildly drawn to her†¦ more than to any woman in his life. Quietly, he lay the Illuminati Diamond and the Pope's letter on his bedside table. There would be time to explain all of that later. He went to her on the balcony. Vittoria looked happy to see him. â€Å"You're awake,† she said, in a coy whisper. â€Å"Finally.† Langdon smiled. â€Å"Long day.† She ran a hand through her luxuriant hair, the neck of her robe falling open slightly. â€Å"And now†¦ I suppose you want your reward.† The comment took Langdon off guard. â€Å"I'm†¦ sorry?† â€Å"We're adults, Robert. You can admit it. You feel a longing. I see it in your eyes. A deep, carnal hunger.† She smiled. â€Å"I feel it too. And that craving is about to be satisfied.† â€Å"It is?† He felt emboldened and took a step toward her. â€Å"Completely.† She held up a room-service menu. â€Å"I ordered everything they've got.† The feast was sumptuous. They dined together by moonlight†¦ sitting on their balcony†¦ savoring frisee, truffles, and risotto. They sipped Dolcetto wine and talked late into the night. Langdon did not need to be a symbologist to read the signs Vittoria was sending him. During dessert of boysenberry cream with savoiardi and steaming Romcaffe, Vittoria pressed her bare legs against his beneath the table and fixed him with a sultry stare. She seemed to be willing him to set down his fork and carry her off in his arms. But Langdon did nothing. He remained the perfect gentleman. Two can play at this game, he thought, hiding a roguish smile. When all the food was eaten, Langdon retired to the edge of his bed where he sat alone, turning the Illuminati Diamond over and over in his hands, making repeated comments about the miracle of its symmetry. Vittoria stared at him, her confusion growing to an obvious frustration. â€Å"You find that ambigram terribly interesting, don't you?† she demanded. Langdon nodded. â€Å"Mesmerizing.† â€Å"Would you say it's the most interesting thing in this room?† Langdon scratched his head, making a show of pondering it. â€Å"Well, there is one thing that interests me more.† She smiled and took a step toward him. â€Å"That being?† â€Å"How you disproved that Einstein theory using tuna fish.† Vittoria threw up her hands. â€Å"Dio m? ¬o! Enough with the tuna fish! Don't play with me, I'm warning you.† Langdon grinned. â€Å"Maybe for your next experiment, you could study flounders and prove the earth is flat.† Vittoria was steaming now, but the first faint hints of an exasperated smile appeared on her lips. â€Å"For your information, professor, my next experiment will make scientific history. I plan to prove neutrinos have mass.† â€Å"Neutrinos have mass?† Langdon shot her a stunned look. â€Å"I didn't even know they were Catholic!† With one fluid motion, she was on him, pinning him down. â€Å"I hope you believe in life after death, Robert Langdon.† Vittoria was laughing as she straddled him, her hands holding him down, her eyes ablaze with a mischievous fire. â€Å"Actually,† he choked, laughing harder now, â€Å"I've always had trouble picturing anything beyond this world.† â€Å"Really? So you've never had a religious experience? A perfect moment of glorious rapture?† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"No, and I seriously doubt I'm the kind of man who could ever have a religious experience.† Vittoria slipped off her robe. â€Å"You've never been to bed with a yoga master, have you?†

Writing Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Writing Assignment - Essay Example It can be argued to be an art.as the book continues to be of relevance in the recent school years, the study of this work by Marzano continues to assist in the professional development of teachers to achieve both effectiveness and efficiency in classrooms. The writer of the book points out major actions of creating significant experiences and further places the part of a teacher in the overall process of creating a critical input experience. In the second chapter, the author talks over six actions that this paper finds major in the process of creating effective critical input experiences. This chapter is seen to focus more on actively processing information during a well-structured input experience. In the process of finding which among the six discussed is the most significant, it is noted that Marzano stresses on the following steps; first is an overview, then, the students are divided into groups and the information is portioned in a way that requires students to describe, discuss and predict. The students ask related questions, record information in various forms and reflect on learning. The teacher’s duty is also discussed in this section, the author describes it as a continuous challenge of the student self using the method that the question one states in the book. The critical part is to avail to students the chance to participate in their learning process. Students are challenged to go the extra mile in t heir thought to find out the answers. As a development from the second chapter, the third chapter points out the need new skills. The author emphasizes that opportunities should be given to deepening the understanding of new information. In an effort to achieve knowledge deepening, such activities that results in repeated contact and exposure is proposed. In line with these activities, schema development, development of procedural knowledge, declarative knowledge and homework are the areas discussed in the book.

Fitness and Wellness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fitness and Wellness - Essay Example If the body is healthy, it follows that the mind is healthy as well and will become more capable to engage in things that requires comprehensive thinking. Having a healthy mind and body has also the psychological benefit of feeling good about oneself knowing that we are fit. It enhances our self-esteem and makes us more confident about ourselves and life in general. The most obvious and immediate benefit of being healthy is wellness. Wellness meant that we are free from any sickness that render us sick, weak or lethargic. Being well meant that we feel great about our body and are ready to face and enjoy the challenges of life. For us to become well, healthy and fit, we have to eat right first. We have to feed our body foods that keeps and make it healthy and strong. If we feed our body with the wrong food, it will naturally get week because it does not have the necessary food to keep itself healthy. Eating healthy meant eating more fruits, vegetables and cereals and less meat and fatty foods. Fruits does not only taste good but they are nutritious as well. Vegetables on the other hand are also nutritious, fiberous and many are even considered medicinal that prevents and heals the body from getting sick. Cereals gives us the energy to do the things that we like doing. Meats may taste good but they should be minimized because they are unhealthy. They are unhealthy because they are fatty and high in cholesterol that shoots up our blood pressure and gives us heart attack. We also have to exercise to keep ourselves fit. There are a lot of ways to keep ourselves fit. We just have to be creative. A lot of people excuse themselves in not being fit because they do not have the time to exercise because of their busy schedule or that they are bored with it. We should not excuse ourselves if we want to be well, fit and healthy. One of the effective ways to overcome boredom in working out is

MGT 401 Case 5 Leadership and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MGT 401 Case 5 Leadership and Change - Essay Example Berkshire Hathaway Incorporation is operating in the conglomerate industry since 1955. Since then, the company is thriving and running its successful ventures in the industry. Warren Buffet built an amazing record in the company with his remarkable leadership skills that does not only gave the direction but also ensured that the employees and other staff members are following his direction along him. At the time when Warren Buffet took control of Berkshire Hathaway, the company was only dealing in the textile business, the strategies of savvy deal making by Warren led the company to a great success and converted the textile industry into conglomerate industry in the next 50 years. In recent times, Warren Buffet is looking to convey his succession plan to other eligible members of the company. Undoubtedly, as a CEO, Warren alone with his leadership skills has developed and brought the company to a stage where several minds could think to reach. The company must bring changes in its leadership roles with time after reaching a certain level of success, one succession plan could be helpful and entertaining till a certain period, and then the company has to adopt some changes in its leadership management and its succession plan. Berkshire Hathaway was living on a succession phenomenon where the company was afraid to release a title icon from a seat. It is also a fact that new and fresh minds could bring more succession plans by combining their minds with the experienced mind. Berkshire Hathaway has also implied the same formula for its giant venture (Rothwell, 2010). In my opinion, Berkshire Hathaway has performed an outstanding and remarkable job in the industry. The whole industry and management teams are now in the resonance of the company’s success. It is the right time for Berkshire Hathaway to prepare for the succession. Warren Buffet is now 80 years of age, and his great experience, the internal position holders should adopt strong

What is a Shaman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

What is a Shaman - Essay Example There are three basic concepts of Shamanism. The first concept of shamanism is the belief that animals, plants, water and rocks all have spirits which have to be respected and cared for by the human race (Michael. 59). The second concept focuses on personal responsibility and involves the belief of Buyan which can be related closely to Karma. The concept states that taking responsibility of one’s action is mark of an upright individual. The third concept advocates for balance. It states that balance is an important aspect that maintains harmony in the environment, within an individual and the community at large. In shamanism, a Shaman is approached when things get out of balance within the community, homestead or an individual (Michael. 59). The concepts of shamanism help in the understanding of the link between the living and the spirit world. The first concept portrays this notion through the use of a Shaman as a mediator between the living and the spirit worlds. The second concept advocates for personal responsibility which is an important aspect in human beings as it promotes self actualization in an individual thus creating positive thinking towards development as well as other life responsibilities such as management of the environment, promoting a peaceful existence in the community and respecting the human race. The third concept promotes a balance in natural and anthropogenic factors thus creating a harmonious environment (Michael. 62). Harmony is an important entity in community build-up as it is used to create a social capital which is required for communal development. It also maintains peace in the

Article in Africa Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

In Africa - Article Example e, director for African Humans Rights Watch, insists The government, and the industries and farmers themselves, need to do a lot more to protect people who live and work on farms. The workers undoubtedly have to deal with plague-like conditions in which pesticides are exposed, lack of accesses to toilets is hindered, drinking water is not available, and to efforts are conducted to protect the workers through a union. In addition, he worked with closely with another association that produced a report known as â€Å"Ripe with Abuse: Human Rights Conditions in South Africa’s Fruit and Wine Industries.† Undeniably, the farm workers have no say on regulations but continue to suffer drastically. No evidence has been found to document any actions that is taken by the government to protect these workers. Although South Africa has laws that guarantee wages, benefits, and housing conditions; one cannot refute the fact that these big companies continue to push these workers into m isery. The majority of the current and former farm workers interviewed about these conditions said they had been exposed to pesticides without adequate safety equipment. When farm workers are inflicted with sickness, they are not granted any sick days unless they present a medical certificate. Clearly, the government needs to address this issue in order to elevate living

SAINT LOUIS ARENA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

SAINT LOUIS ARENA - Essay Example The arena was one of the most magnificent pieces of art and architectural designs that ever saw the light of the day. It stood from the time of its construction in 1929 up to the end of the nineteenth century in 1999. During the time of its standing, it was home to one of the most notable and reputable sporting outfits and franchises of the day such as the Saint Louis Arena Blues. It is important to note and mention that the Saint Louis Arena served as a mix of site for diverse and various sporting, social and political conventions of the time. To begin with, concerts, circuses, indoor soccer matches, circuses, horse shows and political rallies were all hosted within the realms of the Saint Louis Arena. Historically, the time of the construction of Saint Louis Arena, the world and the social or cultural disposition at the time was dynamic. It was the specific time period where the African American society was clamoring for an increase in the political and social space in the society. Thus, there was a clamor by the authorities and the powers that were at that point in time to stamp their authority as a distinguishing factor. This was aimed at creating a design and building which would mark and stamp the social influence and impact of the powers that were. Tentatively, in the year, 1904 when the World Fair had just been concluded and as culture and tradition dictated, it was the time for the annual hosting of the indoor games, horse and agricultural shows. The management of the municipality of the city did tear down the Saint Louis Music hall and the Saint Louis Arena Exposition and then built the Saint Louis Coliseum. The Saint Louis Coliseum was constructed with the objective or aim of hosting events and shows such as boxing matches (Greco 12). It is worth to highlight that the building which were torn down were a symbol of authority and show of pride.

Future and Outlook on Hospitality Industry Research Paper

Future and Outlook on Hospitality Industry - Research Paper Example The author of the essay "Future and Outlook on Hospitality Industry" begins with that according to reports â€Å"Hotels 2020: Beyond segmentation†, customers would like to either have the biggest share of having the say or take full control over what services they expect to received and what they wish to pay for. Six hundred and ten tourists were surveyed as a section of the research and it shows that 92 % think that by the year 2020 hotel customers anticipate their stay to be adopted around a list of choices they create at the time of booking and before they set in. The survey looked at the way all the features of the hotel knowledge might be modified in the future. Things like letting the customers decide which communication method is preferable for them (media, email, phone text or mail), and having take charge of the kinds of communications sent to them, to give choices on their in-check process, in-room technology or pricing mold. The survey also shows that by 2020, over eighty percent of the clients will be able to decide on the size of the room they want to stay in, the bed size, business machines and other facilities for purposes of bookings and payments. The chief executive of Fast Future Research and the report writer pointed out that, the desire for hotel customers to have the say and control over their experience, is creating big changes. The study foresees appearance of â€Å"whole service model† that shifts away from the normal hotel packages to a service option menu, where clients choose their specific needs. The world has been hit by the present financial depression. With not much flexible income, the industries have been affected (Kraft & Mantrala 320). According to the experts, there is good news for the year 2011. The scenery is developing rapidly as new machinery increase the need for hotels to become more societal and viral in their advertising efforts. The demand from customers is causi ng hotels to make intensive efforts on being environmental friendly. Alternatively, there are other sections in the industry that you could go for as a customer. Cruise industry is one of them. It is one that I would advice you to pick, if you were not for the hotel or restaurant type of hospitality industry. Anyway, I will come to this segment later as I would like to outline a few pros and cons of the hotel industry to you (Kraft & Mantrala 96). Let us look at what the professionals of the industry and projecting on performance in 2011. The projections by Smith Travel Research (STR), and everything shows that there will be a drastic change in the improvement. The researchers trail supply, require data for the businesses, and offer expensive market share analysis for all main international hotel chain and brands. Over 5 million hotels rooms are represented by STR and they are known to be the world is leading sources of historical hotel presentation trends. Hotels in the US are expe cted to experience increase in three main performance measurements, which are: Occupancy: 1.8% increase to 58.5% Average Daily Rate (ADR): 4.2% increase to US$ 102.21. RevPAR: 6.1% increase to US$ 50.78 A small increase of (0.7%) in supply will be experienced in the industry while a 2.5% increase will occur generally in demand. This news will thrill the hotel owners since it will be a great relief for them and the hospitality professionals. The experts detected the increase in 2009, and have been seeing it improve in 2010. Which should go on in 2011 and 2012? Mark Lamnno, CEO of STR said the tough fundamentals that hotels went through in 2010 will end up in a faster turnaround than predicted, he also said that while this force ended up in quickly improving occupancies last year, we sought to find rebounding rates to help in RwvPar growth in 2011 and 2012. By the time we are in the middle of 2011, we may not have experienced fast and hastening room rates and by the time reach 2012, w e will now anticipate the growth of room rates to equal or exceed the boom years of 2006 and 2007. According to the findings, I have in this research, I feel

Civil Disobedience to Black Power Essay Example for Free

Civil Disobedience to Black Power Essay Up until the 1960’s the civil rights movement was practiced through peaceful protests established from the idea that equal recognition amongst all peoples was only acquired through non-violent acts. In the late 60’s these techniques transformed into fast and more efficient methods with different value sets. The changes within the Civil Rights movement occurred because African Americans were sick of the painfully slow progress accomplished through the civil rights movement, didn’t agree with the idea that being mistreated, disrespected, and stomped over (figuratively and literally) was the only resolution to overcome racism and segregation, and decided that violence and bloodshed (stemming from the theory that asking for deserved rights was to slow a process, when they could just take them) was aggressive enough to catch the eyes of many and gain Black Dominance or at least equal rights. Even with the Civil Rights Act in place, African American’s were tired of being neglected and disregarded. Peaceful protesting was only doing so much, the alternative of Black Power had begun to flourish in the late 60’s because it demanded respect through violent, attention-grabbing approaches that were created to actually change segregation and equality. The 1950’s and early 60’s were eras driven by the consumer culture, the US was extremely wealthy, the automobile industry was booming, suburban lifestyle had grown, television became extremely popular, and the general view of America was good (to say the least). The only ‘bad’ aspect of the US was inequality and the unrecognized rights (Blacks deserved). The US originally opted for saving justice and peace amongst Black communities in civil and non-violent ways, but there was limited execution. In 1954, for example, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled segregation in public schools unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education. This landmark case began a series of significant Civil Rights movements with regards to desegregation and equal rights. The early 60’s brought upon new perspectives and the idea of peaceful resolution was one of them. Due to the fact that American culture was thriving in material goods and prosperity African Americans figured the best way to go about change was to do it in calm, civil, non-brutal manners. Organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) began to emerge. Doc A, B, and C convey the goals pertaining to African Americans (in the early 0’s) and their hope for equal rights, legal citizenship, voting rights, and equal economic/labor opportunities. Doc A showcases the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee’s perspective that love transforms hate and nonviolence is the best way to bring about integration. The early 60’s held so much potential and optimism. African American’s were seeking equal privileges so contently because they experienced Americans’ positive response to America’s success and didn’t want to harm the culture or destroy the peace. One attempt for Civil Rights included a peaceful protest in Birmingham, Alabama. The response of the police was outrageous. As seen in Doc B, the photograph (from 1963) shows racist and corrupt police attacking African Americans after a peaceful protest (to allow Blacks into church). Rather than defend himself, the black man depicted in the photo is responding with no resentment or anger. Many African Americans were beaten and sent to jail; including Martin Luther King, Jr. Doc C (1963) is a letter written by MLK from the Birmingham Jail promoting peace and arguing that â€Å"injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. † MLK desired peace rather than violence because of his educational background and upbringing-his father was the minister of the Ebenezer Baptist Church and he passed on his understanding, tolerance, and religious views (inspired by peace) to his son. MLK could be peaceful, even after going to jail for no reason. After the Birmingham incident, John F. Kennedy announced his promise to end racial discrimination on radio and television. The speech served as motivation to civil right leaders, a wake-up call to Congress, and the inspiration for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 (unfortunately JFK never lived to see these passed). Although these rights were legally authorized, African Americans were not fully protected. Just because they were laws in place, didn’t mean they were implemented with major concern or emphasis. Race riots, racial profiling, and illegal discrimination were still occurring. African Americans realized that in order to truly get what they wanted, they needed prompt uncivil protests. Stokely Carmichael, a violent-protest-supporter, coined the phrase â€Å"black power† and stated â€Å"I am not going to beg the white man for anything I deserve; I’m going to take it. † We see the change in strategy for Black Nationalism. Carmichael’s speech, entitled, â€Å"what we want† from 1966 (Doc E) implies the only way to get money, property, respect, and in general civil rights for African American’s is to demand it, whether it was by strike, boycott, riot, or any other possible means of violent rebellion. The reasons why there was such a focus on gaining equality through violence was because peaceful protests were not developing equality quick enough, African American’s needed each other in order to attain enough votes for one collective ballot, and violent acts needed the most attention because they needed to be stopped the fastest. Take, for example the scenario of when a child throws a fit, the parent will do whatever it takes to stop the child’s interrupting objection and annoying whines, the same initiative for Black Power. Some philosophers even argue that Black Power was an act of revenge, Blacks felt obligated to torture Whites and act in violent ways to get even with them for their previous treatment of African slaves. At this point African Americans had to fight for things Whites got easily, like jobs, money, respect, social status, religion, privacy and the general right to be able to go to common-day-places (like the grocery store or local restaurant) and not have to worry about discrimination. The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense (Doc F in 1967) preached that black people must resort to violence because they have not made any gains through peace. Malcolm X, a Black Power activist and violent-protesting-leader supported this idea and said, â€Å"Stand on your own feet and solve our problems ourselves instead of depending on white people to solve them for us. † This quote shows the foundation for Black Power-fast, unexpected, memorable recognition. Malcolm X ridiculed Martin Luther King’s attempt at Birmingham saying it showed the uselessness of nonviolent-protest. The increasing amount of African Americans promoting violence concerned American citizens. Whites believed that if the government didn’t take action, mass riots and destruction would erupt everywhere, and they were somewhat on track. By 1968, (according to Doc G) 62% of African Americans were registered to vote, that’s 33% more than in 1960. This evidence suggests that the violent acts did make an impact and shape the Civil Rights movement into what we view it as today.

Unemployment rate Essay Example for Free

Unemployment rate Essay Unemployment rate is defined as the percentage of persons looking for a job but did not secure work for the last month (3 weeks) within the labor force. In other words Unemployment rate can be referred to as the ratio of the labor force that is not engaged in employment. The person considered to be unemployed must have the requirements for the employment like be of sound heath and searching and willing to work. There are different forms of unemployment that can occur in an economy include. Cyclical unemployment results from the business cycles of economy of boom, recession, depression and recovery. During recessional times there is reduced demand for goods and services by consumers. Seasonal unemployment usually occurs in economies activities that are seasonal in nature especially agriculture like planting and harvesting season. Structural employment occurs when employees do not have the skills to match job requirements. The workers who possess the required skills may be far from the potential employing firm. Unemployment reflects unutilized resources in the economy. The total labor force indicate all the numbers of able person in the activity involved in work and that are unemployed and looking for work in the last three weeks. The labor supply is the number of individual who are willing to supply their efforts at work given the prevailing wages in the labour markets. Even at full employment level of the resources in the economy that is land, capital and labor there is a natural rate of unemployment. The potential GDP level is said to be experienced when labor is efficiently engage the resources in the production process. Usually the form of unemployment at the potential GDP is the frictional unemployment which occurs in the switching from one job to another. This is the most unavoidable form of unemployment (Stiglitz, 1985) According to Keynes inflationary pressures in an economy results as people demand hire wages (price of labor input) to enable them meet the higher cost of living. The unemployment in the economy can be understood by examining the interaction of aggregate demand (AD) and aggregate supply (AS) curves which is explained by the Keynesian economics. The aggregate demand of labour is the number of workers firms want to hire in the production process given their production technique and the market price of labour in form of wages. The Keynesian theory argues that prices and wages to sticky that the do not vary fast in the short term labor that is a duration of 3 months to 1 year that is nominal wages being the price of labor do not simultaneously respond to the quantity of labour resource supplied in the market.. However in long term beyond one year prices of resources (capital and wages for labor do change) which explains the vertical supply curve of labor. In the short term classical economists argue that since prices and wages are sticky as reflected by a horizontal aggregate supply curve (AS) The Keynesian framework provides an explanation on spending in the economy which forms the aggregate demand (AD). Monetary policy affects output and employment by through the shifting of aggregate demand curve. The AD shows the total resources for a country GDP; include in the AD are consumption (both private and public) investments to replace worn out capital and inventory ,government expenditure and the net export position of a country. The total spending curve is inversely related for price and quantity of output in the market. The spending in the economy by private consumers and public sector elicits demand for labor which human effort to produce goods and services by industries (Stiglitz, 1985). The rate of unemployment can be reduced by stimulating the economy by offering incentives to investors. The availability of cheaper sources of capital offers an avenue for economic growth. Any stimulus package by the states in the economy aims to encourage employment of resources which include labour through the private sector. The increment on private person’s disposable income and low rates of interest are conducive for businesses. A major issue at macroeconomics level is the rates of inflation and unemployment. The aggregate supply curve (AS) and AD help to analyze the equilibrium prices and quality in the economy. This analysis is said to be concluded at comparative statistics ie others factors constant and not variables are changing over time. The Phillips curve captures the inverse relationship between unemployment and inflation level. The government is forced lower interest rates on borrowed funds by investors on the face of inflationary pressures in the economy to stimulate consumer and investor borrowing and later spending to facilitate economic recovery and growth . Failure to intervene may result in a recession. Inflation reacts to curtail spending and leads to jobless as firms cannot hire workers without a market for goods. Phillips curve states that lower rates of unemployment can only be achieved at higher prices for goods in the market. The classical economists led by John S Mill. David Ricardo; Thomas Malthus and Adam Smith advocates for free enterprise and freedom in the market that is lack of state intervention in the economic activities. In the US, the bureau of labor keeps the statistics figures on unemployment (Kimberly . A 2008) for its commodities . The business cycles experienced by an economy are a result of variations in the aggregate demand (AD) not the capacity of the economy given by the resource pool of a nation (land, labor, capital and entrepreneurial capacity). The reduction in the demand of a good that uses labor leads to unemployment in the economy. Bottlenecks experienced by many US firms like the current credit crunch results in unutilized capacity in production and unemployment. Firms use labor input up to the point whereby the marginal cost of labor equals marginal revenue for the commodity being produced. In perfect markets for labor there is perfect information on available work opportunities. In reality however information asymmetry hinders communication between work seekers and employing firms. According to Adam Smith the market can promote efficiency and ensure equal prices with perfect information on the market. Efficiency means full utilization of available capacity with minimal wastages. According to George Stigler in the article Information the search for highest reward (prices) with minimal cost is usually difficult. Information seeking process involves costs. (Stiglitz 1962) According to Arthur Okun an economist in 1962 the level of unemployment in economy is used to explain the growth in a country’s gross national product (GNP). Decline in level of unemployment tend to be correlated with a rise in a country GNP. This shows an improvement in economic well being of a nation is all sectors factored in the national accounts.Using World War II (1948) period accounts Okun found out that 3. 2% increase in GNP was accompanied by a percentage unit decline in unemployment. (Howland F et al 1980) References Romer C. D (2004) Business Cycles. Liberty Library Economics Article. http://www. econlib. org/library/Enc/BusinessCycles. html Stiglitz J E (1985) Information and Economic Analysis: A Perspective Economic Journal 95, supplement: Conference Papers: 21–41. Howland F and Barrelo H (1980). There are Two Okun’s Law Relationship Between Output and Unemployment. Wabash College article

History of Education in Afghanistan

History of Education in Afghanistan Early Modernism to Present Day Policies This chapter presents a chronological narrative about the evolution and changes in Afghan national education goals and outcomes and issues related to teacher education in a cultural/historical context. Traditional views regarding education goals and practice provide the basic foundation for understanding the progress and challenges toward universal education in the nation. The historical information in this chapter is well documented in numerous sources, as well as having been part of the authors own education as a child and adolescent in Kabul schools. Important references from which reliable objective information was drawn include the Ministry of Education (1968) report on the last fifty years of education, as well as other books, reports, and documents (Dupree, L., 1973; Poullada,1973: Rashid, 2008; Rotberg, 2007; Rubin, 2002; Sadat, 2004; Samady, 2001 and 2013; Sarvi, 2003; Tomsen, 2011). These sources were consistent in their reporting of events related to education progress or decline. Their general agreement on facts enabled me as author to weave together this history without always attributing the information to a specific source. Other, less central, historical sources are included as citations where appropriate. Although not an Arabic nation, Afghanistan does share the religion of Islam with Arab Muslim nations, as well as the Arabic script essential to reading the Holy Quran. Dari and Pashto, the two main languages of Afghanistan, are derivatives of Indo-European (Indo-Aryan), not Semitic (Arabic/Hebrew) languages. Afghanistan is part of the historical stream of Islamic culture embracing the centuries of advancement of knowledge in science, mathematics, philosophy, poetry and literature during the historical era when Europe was locked in what historians now refer to as the Dark Ages. The writings of Plato, Aristotle, and other Greek thinkers were preserved and expanded by Islamic scholars who made original contributions in scientific and literary fields. Afghanistan, before modern national boundaries were outlined, was the birthplace or home of numerous scholars of renown such as Avicenna and Al-Biruni, as well as the poet, Rumi, whose works are revered even today. This information is offered as a prelude to provide a better understanding of the pride of Afghanistan in its educational and cultural roots, and the determination to restore or reconstruct the educational legacy and intellectual vitality of its people. The study presented in this dissertation explores the responses to present day crises and chaos in a war-ravaged country as it faces the challenges to create a new national system of education that both respects the past and wants to be respected in the global society. Afghanistan now attempts to overcome the overwhelming gap between what is left after massive destruction and what needs to be done to catch up with the rest of the modern world. Before the Modern Era Traditional education and apprenticeships for Afghan children and youth in previous centuries was centered on the home and the mosque. When and where madrassas (religious schools) became available, they were also accessible to boys. Signs of modern education did not appear in Afghanistan until the early 1900s, around 1903, under the reign of Amir Habibullah who founded the first secondary school, Habibia Lycee. This school was modeled after the Indian high school program which itself was adopted from the British who copied it from the French. Habibullah took steps to increase literacy through increases in print media, newspapers, journals, and the support of libraries. Some students from Habibia were sent abroad for study, especially to British India. Habibia high school gained a reputation over the years for its role in providing a large number of leaders for the nation. However, the pace of educational change and modernization was slow. Steps Toward Modernization A method for teaching literacy was developed in 1906 including new textbooks and a teachers guide. This led to the creation of the Office of Textbooks in 1907 in order to provide uniform school textbooks for the increasing number of schools. It became clear that a standard curriculum, with new textbooks, required trained teachers knowledgeable in the text material; therefore, the first teacher training institute, Dar-al-Malimin, was established in Kabul in 1912. In the following year a Department of Education was established to attend to the issues of promoting primary education. Amir Habibullah appointed his son as department head. Education, free school supplies, and a small stipend were available to the male students selected to attend. In 1912, the first normal school was established in Kabul to train teachers for primary schools (Ministry of Education, 1968, p. 6). In 1919, Shah Amanullah became the ruler by succession, and actively supported the movement toward widespread national education. He elevated the Department of Education to the Ministry of Education and appointed his son, Prince Abdur Rahman, as the countrys first Minister of Education. Mahmud Tarzi, a reformist educated statesman and the father-in-law of Shah Amanullah, held an influential position in the Amani (Amanullah) government pushing especially for education reform and for the empowerment of women. Tarzis daughter, Queen Soraya, in 1921 with her mother, Rasmiya, founded the first high school for girls, Masturat. Rasmiya was appointed as the first principal. Between 1921 1928, more than 800 females were enrolled. In 1928, the first co-education classes were introduced at Amaniyya Lycee for grades one and two. Under Tarzis leadership other primary schools were established in major towns, villages, and cities. In addition to schools in each province there were also schools for the countrys nomads, the Kuchis. Several new high schools (Lycee) were founded between 1922 and 1930, some teaching foreign languages such as German or English as an attempt to provide an education comparable to that of Europe and other advanced nations. Two vocational schools were opened in 1924, one for business and administration and another for fine and applied arts. The goal was to have a national system of schools with a modern curriculum. The beginning of a network of government-run intermediate and secondary schools was achieved in 1928; as many as 40,000 students were enrolled. However, since higher education was missing in Afghanistan the government began to allow top male students (sons from elite families) to study outside of the country, for example, in India, Germany, France, Egypt, and Turkey. Ten girls were allowed to go to Turkey in 1928 for university study, but this practice was soon aborted requiring the girls to return home as a conservative backlash grew strong. Unfortunately, conservative sectors in society believed that government schooling was unreligious and if children attended those schools, they became infidels. Conservative traditional sectors opposed changes in the education system they viewed as western, modern, urban, and against Islam. The opposition included clergy, tribal leaders, some rural ethnic groups, and government opposition groups. The unpopularity of Amanullah became so strong, threatening civil upheaval, that in early 1929 he abdicated and sought refuge in Italy. Taking his place as ruler for only nine months was the militia commander, Habibullah Kalakani, who reversed the educational reforms made under Amanullah. Among the first steps taken by the new Kalakani monarchy were the closure of female schools and the disbanding of the Womens Association of Kabul. The Irshad-e Naswan, the only newspaper published for women, also was banned. The government recalled the female Afghan students from Turkey and required them to put on the veil. The government replaced the language of instruction, Dari, with only Pashtu in an attempt to bolster the states claim to Pashtunistan, Pakistans Northwestern Frontier Province. Education returned to traditional practices. Social and economic measures, including education policy, aimed at sustaining a traditional agricultural society. The majority of rural communities had no schools and continued the education of their children, in the traditional way, at home and in the mosques. All government schools were closed briefly during this period in 1929; however, schools were re-opened in late 1929 when Nadir Shah became king after capturing and executing Kalakani. Although he at one time had been Minister of Education, education under Nadir Shah was not a central priority. However, one progressive step was taken in 1931 when women were allowed to take health classes at the Masturat Hospital in Kabul. Nadir Shah did support the establishment of Kabul University in 1931 despite the persistence of the anti-modern conservative resistance. In addition, in 1932, the faculty of medicine was founded. Nadir Shah was assassinated at a high school graduation ceremony in 1933 (Dupree.L.,1973. p. 174). His nineteen year-old son, Prince Zahir, was immediately crowned king, but for many years a proxy rule by older male relatives characterized his leadership. Zahir Shah was king for four decades, from 1933 to 1973, during a period that was relatively free of civil unrest. Some favorable trends started to emerge in the late 1940s. Advances were made in education, the economy, and civil society especially in urban areas during much of his reign, although the conservative Islamic anti-modern element remained strong even as the Communist influence became a dominant disruptive factor. In 1964, a Constitution was created enabling greater citizen participation under a Constitutional monarchy. Higher education introduced in the 1940s included embryonic universities in major cities, most notably Kabul University supported by the United States, and the Polytechnic University founded by the Soviet Union for vocational/technical advanced training. Faculties were established in law (1938), science (1942), and letters (1944). In 1947, Kabul University was formally established. Three years later, the departments of theology, agriculture, and economics were founded. Some departments were affiliated with foreign universities in Germany, France, America, and the Soviet Union University admission gave priority to sons of the ruling aristocracy or sons of top bureaucrats (Sadat. 2004). In 1946, a Womens Institute was started in Kabul to provide classes for a few privileged girls and women. A year later, two girls high schools were created and in 1947, a womens faculty of education was established. Further steps were taken when, in 1949, the first group of girls having the equivalent of a high school diploma began to teach in girls schools. By 1950 there were 368 primary, secondary and vocational schools, and one teacher training school with a national total of 95,300 students. The enrollment of children in primary education was 6% of the entire age group, 6 through 12 years, in an estimated population of 11 million people. (Samady 2001), In the 1950s efforts to expand education and improve its quality were initiated. In 1949, the Afghan government asked UNESCO to send a Mission to study its educational system. In 1954, USAID and Columbia University Teachers College focused efforts on the qualitative improvement of teacher education in Afghanistan. In 1955, the Institute of Education was created and later integrated into Kabul University. According to Wilbur (1962), in 1960 there were 175,600 pupils in 1,110 primary schools of whom 19,000 were girls. Among the 11,300 students enrolled in grades seven to nine, 2,500 (22%) were girls. Approximately 193,000 Afghan students were enrolled in schools in Afghanistan and abroad, a figure double that of a decade earlier in 1950. Nepotism, favoritism, and corruption were common complaints regarding the awarding of foreign scholarships (Wilbur, 1962, pp. 85-87). Soviet Assistance and Intervention By the early 1970s, about 90% of the Afghan armed forces were being trained by the Soviets. Thousands were trained in the Soviet Union as well as more thousands in Afghanistan. Russia also sent arms and military experts to Afghanistan. Afghan university graduates received fellowships for advanced study in the USSR and Warsaw Pact nations. From this aid and experience a growing elite of Afghans emerged with modern ideas as well as social and political sympathies in harmony with Communism. Slowly but surely the Sovietization of Afghanistan was occurring. Prime Minister Daoud enthusiastically encouraged Soviet engagement in Afghanistan, earning himself the nickname the Red Prince. At the time of Prime Minister Daouds reign in the 1970s, three boarding high schools were introduced in Kabul: Ibn Sina (later becoming Lycee), Khushal Khan Khattak Lycee, and Rahman Baba Lycee. Ibn Sina served as a teachers training institution equipping male rural students to return to their villages to become teachers. Khushal Khan Khattak Lycee and Rahman Baba Lycee enrolled students from the tribal areas as part of the attempt to integrate various tribes into the government. In the late 1970s Afghanistan had a functioning education system comprising over a million students including 20% girls in primary, secondary and higher education. Government expenditures on education came to constitute 40% of the national budget. In 1977, the education infrastructure could not support the educational demands. By 1978, there were more than one million students in primary and secondary schools and other educational institutions in Afghanistan. Of there, there were 152,750 girls (about 14%) and 5,070 female teachers in primary schools. In an attempt to reduce pressure on both the education system and the labor market, the government instituted the, Kankurexam (from the French word concours), the university entry test at the end of the 12th grade. The main purpose of the Kankur was to select potentially successful university students from the rest of the student population. This test became a controversial but established screening mechanism for reducing pressure on the overstrained university system. (Other spellings will be found for this exam including Concord, Konkor.) In 1978, the constitutional monarchy was abolished by a palace coup dà ©tat declaring former Prime Minister Mohammed Daoud as the countrys President of the first republican government. The Soviets immediately recognized the new government. Not only was the new constitution of the government styled after that of the Soviet Union but also changes in academia began to resemble the Soviet approach to education including introducing co-education, especially at the university level, but also in the lower schools. However, in April 1978, President Muhammad Daoud was overthrown in what is referred to as the Saur Revolution. Nur Muhammad Taraki, head of the Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) replaced Daoud as President. Taraki instituted even broader Marxist style reforms including a rural literacy campaign expanding educational opportunity to masses of uneducated farmers and women. He was not intimidated by the internal conflict between groups supporting traditional systems against the modernization movement. Taraki continued to offend those determined to maintain traditional customs. He pushed forward drastic social and economic measures, including land reform, womens rights and modern education. These ideological conflicts led within the year (in 1979) to his loss of power. Prime Minister Hafizullah Amin ousted him as president. Amin took firm steps to quell any opposition such as imprisoning and executing individuals and groups who were viewed as unsupportive. He did not hesitate to go after his own party members such as former President Taraki or his sympathizers. Opposition, however, and dissatisfaction were broiling up throughout the nation making the Soviets uneasy about the stability of the rapidly changing government. In December 1979 Soviet tanks rolled into Afghanistan. In 1980, President Amin was removed and Babrak Karmal, former 1960s parliamentarian, became the countrys fourth president. The educational system, over several decades, became increasingly influenced and funded by the USSR. After the Soviet invasion of 1979 this trend increased dramatically. Literacy courses and programs educating about health and technology were expanded throughout the country. Part of the reforms included the creation of a pedagogical research center. In 1981, the Central Institute for the Retraining of Teachers was established. In 1982, the Kabul Pedagogical Institute was founded. Further academic exchanges were established with Eastern Bloc countries. American and Western exchanges stopped. Amins presidency lasted six years. In 1986, Dr. Muhammad Najibullah, former head of the Afghan intelligence agency (the secret police), became the countrys fifth president. President Najibullah, a graduate of the school of medicine at Kabul University realizing the need for more higher education throughout the country, opened three new universities; Balkh (1986), Herat (1988), and Kandahar (1991). However, Najibullah, seen to be brutal and ruthless, alienated many Afghan groups including his own army, but in particular the Islamic conservative groups that became united as the party of the Taliban. Najibullah was forced out of office in 1992, taking refuge for four years in the UN compound. His own brutal execution at the hands of the Taliban in 1996 precipitated the Civil War that eventually led to the empowerment of the Taliban. Impact of Soviet Defeat, the Civil War and the Demise of Modern Education Before the civil war in the 1990s, the Afghan higher education system was largely intact and thriving. UNESCO estimated university enrollment in 1990 at more than 24,000, with women making up one third of the student body. Much of the destruction of Kabul in 1992-1994 was in the area around Kabul University; classes were seriously disrupted as virtually all faculties fled Kabul or were killed. During Taliban rule (1995-2001), the provision of higher education was limitedto men only, mainly at what remained of Kabul University, and concentrated on Islamic studies. In April 1992 the Afghan government transferred power to the Islamic Jihad Council (IJC) which was designated by the Peshawar Accords. Within days the various factions collided and Kabul was engulfed in civil warfare cascading throughout the country. To make matters worse, schools and universities, specifically Kabul University, became the stages for warfare and pillage. This had an immense impact on education. With no uniform curriculum, religious education was given priority over all other subjects. Equal education opportunities of boys and girls were ignored while religious schools for boys were encouraged. Due to fighting and the security situation the universities and schools were frequently closed. There was damage to buildings and insecurity, which affected school attendance as teachers, administrators, and students became displaced. Even laboratories, furniture, and the electric wiring from inside the walls of its classrooms were stolen. The rival factions targeted the libraries and thousands of volumes were either looted or burned; rare titles were smuggled and sold off for high prices in the antiquarian book markets outside the country. In an article entitled Raping the Libraries of Kabul details of how the various factions burnt or sold millions of hand written books on religion, history, poetry, and autobiographies of great scholars. From that million-volume collection only 20,000 books survived. (Hussain, 1998). By 1995, the Taliban defeated other fighting groups in the Civil War, and took over the government with pledges of peace and order. However, they introduced strict social policies based on their interpretation of proper practices in Islam. The Taliban completely closed down most government schools, especially those for girls. Only religious studies in religious schools (madrassas) were allowed for boys. Still, many Afghans educated their children, including their girls, illegally and secretly at home using pieces of the modern, already discarded, curriculum. In 1999 the enrolment in primary education was 811,500 with only 7% girls. The enrolments in secondary and higher education were limited and the universities were often closed and did not function effectively. Thousands of teachers and education administrators became victims of war, underwent intellectual apartheid, or left Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation, the Civil War, and especially after the Taliban came to power. The 9/11 Call to Action: The Chase for bin Laden, Defeat of the Taliban, and Western Occupation Then on 9/11/01 Osama bin Laden and his followers known as Al Qaeda planned and carried out a major attack on the United States. Bin Laden was a member of the Saudi ruling family. He had become radicalized against the West, particularly against the United State. He and his armed men used remote areas in Afghanistan (and Pakistan) for hide-away bases. The destruction of 9/11 resulted from carefully planned attacks using commercial airlines as suicide bombers, destroying both of the Twin Towers in New York City as well as a simultaneous attack on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. A third part of the plan involved the use of another airliner for a third target in the Capitol, probably the White House, but the plane crashed as a result of passenger intervention. These attacks resulted in the deaths of more than 5,000 Americans in one brief morning. By October, 2001 the government of the United States retaliated, seeking revenge on bin Laden. Other sympathetic nations joined to make an allied force that stormed Afghanistan, taking the country from Taliban control. After the defeat of the Taliban in 2001 many Afghans who had fled as refugees during the years of conflict, returned to Afghanistan to help rebuild their country. As the school year started in March 2002, the capacity to supply education had been decimated in both quantity and quality. The situation of the country was described in this way by a joint report of international organizations: The Afghan education system has been undermined by 23 years of war, by widespread physical destruction, by restructuring under a communist regime, and by its use as a political and religious pawn by succeeding governments. The concept of secular education has been under constant attack for decades-first as a source of foreign ideas that led to the communist takeover and then by the Taliban who banned education for girls entirely, and promoted and expanded the system of religious schools at the expense of secular schools (AIA, 2002). The results of the US response, with international support especially from western governments, led to the defeat and withdrawal of the Taliban and the institution of a new western supported (and many believe controlled) interim government. A national Shura (representative convention) was held, a new Constitution for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was written, elections were scheduled, and commitments made for a decade of international funding and support in rebuilding the nation as a democratic, modern, technologically equipped participant in the global community. The challenges were overwhelming including rebuilding the entire governmental infrastructure, rebuilding roadways and creating new lines of transportation and communication, restoring and upgrading electrical power as well as water and sanitation systems, rebuilding or removing destroyed structures, establishing a banking system, and modernizing commerce including all types of products imported for human survival and comfort. The biggest challenge was that of re-building the totally destroyed education system from the bottom up and from the top down. The education system reformed by the Soviets to include the masses had never been fully operational. Educational opportunity was left largely to those who had access to urban areas where even girls were allowed to attend schools at the university in Kabul where co-educational classes had been the Soviet policy. However, by the end of the Civil War and certainly by the end of the Taliban rule, the universities had been destroyed and were barely functional when offering classes at all. As described earlier, faculty had fled or were dead, buildings were gutted and marauded. Campuses were denuded either by soldiers trying to eliminate hiding places for opposition forces, or by civilians seeking firewood. Furniture was stolen and broken up to use for home heating; equipment was looted; even the electrical wiring was stripped from buildings still standing and taken for sale in the black market. Libraries and laboratories were ghostly artifacts attesting to the destruction of symbols of learning. As the attempt to re-open universities began in 2002, the flow of citizens from the country began to reverse with many Afghans returning from refugee camps in Pakistan and Iran or from other countries in which they were exiled including the United States, Canada, Iran, Great Britain, Germany and other countries. Some of these returning were able to take positions of leadership in the new government headed by President Karzai in a democratic election, and some were capable of restoring the universities and the schools. Stories from students who began to study again at Kabul University tell of walking across human bones on the tall grasses of the university campus that had earlier been a site of warring groups. The next chapter, relating the efforts to rebuild a nation, provides the heart of the dissertation describing the responses to the enormous challenges to the recruitment, preparation, education, deployment of teachers in post-conflict education in Afghanistan. The specific initiatives, policies, programs and problems in building a national corps of professional teachers for Afghanistan in the face of enormous limitations of human capacity, financial resources, cultural and social value differences, are expanded upon in the following dissertation chapters. References AIA Afghanistan Interim Administration. (2002). Comprehensive Needs Assessment for the Education Sector in Afghanistan. Kabul: Afghanistan Interim Administration. Amin, Sakai. (2012). Modern Afghanistan: A History of Struggle and Survival. London: I.B. Taurus. Baize, Y. (2013). Education in Afghanistanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯: developments, Influences and Legacies since 1901. Florence, Kentucky: Routledge/Taylor and Francis. Dupree, L. (1973). Afghanistan. Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press. Hussain, I. (1998). Raping the Libraries of Kabul. Diplomat Magazine.Vol. 8. #6. Ministry of Education. (1968). Education in Afghanistan during the Last Fifty Years I. Primary, Secondary. Kabul: MoE Planning Dept. Poullada, L. (1973). Reform and Rebellion in Afghanistan, 1919-1929; King Amanullahs Failure to Modernize a Tribal Society. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Rashid, A. (2008). Descent into chaos. New York: Viking. Rotberg, R. I. (ed.). (2007). Building a new Afghanistan. Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution Press, The World Peach Foundation. Rubin, RB. (2002). The Fragmentation of Afghanistan: State Formation and Collapse in the International System. New Haven: Yale University Press. Sadat, M. H. (2004). History of education in Afghanistan. Retrieved from http://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/history-education-afghanistan Samady, S. R. (2001). Education and Afghan Society in the 20th Century. UNESCO. Samady, S. R. (2013). Changing profile of education in Afghanistan. Sarvi, J. (2003). A New Start. Manila, Philippines: Asia Development Bank. Tomsen, P. (2011). The wars of Afghanistan: Messianic terrorism, tribal conflicts, and the failures of great powers. Public Affairs: Perseus Books Group. Wilbur, D., (1962). Afghanistan. New Haven: Yale University Press