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

Australian International History - Essay Example ts, Australia would still be under the umbrella of the empire and not completely control it's own foreign policy. In the words of B.R. Wise, "I certainly did not anticipate at the time (1888), that in such short a period of twelve years, the then prevalent indifference on the part of Great Britain and suspicion on ours would have given place to the mutual confidence which is now so significant of the relations between the two countries."[1] called "the crimson thread of kinship"[2] with the British, this basically meant that most Australians could trace their roots to the United Kingdom, be it England, Ireland or New Wales, however, in Australia, developed a mix of nationalism and imperialism. The militarizations of Europe posed many threats to Australia and slowly lead to the rise of Australian Nationalism and in time to the formation of a navy under the command of the Commonwealth government in 1909. These events mainly shaped the Australian foreign policy in the period of 1900-1914. According to Paul Kelly, the early commonwealth period saw the establishment of 'The Australian Settlement' comprising five planks: 1. White Australia 2. Industry Protection 3. Wage Arbitration 4. State Paternalism 5. Imperial Benevolences[3] It aimed to create an environment that would be a modified version of capitalism which would function under the already existing imperial machine. The empire was to be responsible to ensure that racial purity (the concept of White Australia) would be protected and enforced and also provide the Commonwealth with the markets and work force for it to establish its presence and develop its resources. However, this goal was easier set than achieved, for Japan allied with Britain in 1902 and even though the British Forces provided the main defences for Australia, [2]. Paul Kelly, The Elf Certainty: The Story of the 19805, Allen & Unwin, St. Leonards (NSW), 1992, pp. 1-2 [3]. Paul Kelly, The Elf Certainty: The Story of the 19805, Allen & Unwin, St. Leonards (NSW), 1992, pp. 1-2 Britain itself was being challenged by Germany in the northern hemisphere, which left it weak in the pacific and the Commonwealth government anticipated that it may be left dependent on Japan for its defence. This in itself proved to be a challenge to the concept of White Australia as this policy aimed to exclude coloured people from Australia and that included the Asians. Even in being dependent on solely the British Empire, the White Australia policy faced many challenges as the majority of the

The conflict between Israel and Palestine Essay Example for Free

The conflict between Israel and Palestine Essay The conflict between Israel and Palestine has already endured for almost a century. While the conflict may be simple to understand, it is nevertheless also very complex as the reasons for such conflict has centered mostly in the control of the territory surrounding the two parties and sadly though, the conflict has resulted to the destruction, revenge and animosity between them. Accordingly, the conflict is a result of the parties’ search for each own national identity and determination of both countries. The Israelis believe that the legal owners and successors of the land now known as Israel, while the Palestinians also believe that they are entitled to the land they call Palestine. Unfortunately though, both sides are claiming the same land and that they simply call the land with two different names. However, it is a fact that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has already instigated half a dozen regional wars in the past decades which in turn threatened access to critical petroleum resources. Moreover, the conflict has also provided justification for the increased militarization of almost all the region and has resulted in a large number of deaths among civilians from both sides. Background In the ancient times, the Jews called the land in dispute as Israel, Canaan, Judea, Samaria and many others. Christians and modern Jews believe that God gave this land to the ancient Jews. However, when the Romans occupied the area about 2000 years ago, suppressing many Jewish rebellions, killed thousands of Jews and forced many others to leave their homeland, an event which is called the Jewish Diaspora. Although some Jews still remained in the area, it was not until the 19th century and 20th century, specifically the end of the Holocaust and the Second World War did a large number of Jews return. When the Israelis returned, it eventually led to trouble since in the two thousand years after majority of the Jewish population was killed or forced to leave the area, Arab-speaking Muslims became the dominant group. Based on the records of the Ottoman Empire, in 1900, the population of Palestine was 600,000 of which 94 percent were Arabs. Although many Arabs were willing to sell their lands to the returning Jews, many of them still were viewing this as an event that would lead the Palestinians to become a minority in the land that they have now considered their own. The Ottoman Empire used to rule Arab world including Palestine or Israel, the West Bank of the Jordan river and the Gaza Strip. But after World War I, Palestine came under the control of the British who was primarily responsible for complicating matters in the growing conflict between the two camps as it made contradictory promises to the French, Arab and European Zionist leaders about how and by whom the area was to be governed. Not surprisingly thus, the commitments made by the British to the different camps led to a mounting tension among them. To make matters worse, the growing power of Adolf Hitler in Germany has led to the dramatic increase of Jewish immigrants and these prompted the Palestinians to fear that a Jewish homeland would be created at their expense. Thus, in the 1930s, the Palestinians staged a massive revolt, known as the Great Arab Revolt against the British. This revolt was particularly directed at the British and the Jews as a response to the British commission which split Palestine into two. After World War II, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 181 which called for the creation of two states: one Jewish and the other Arab within an already partitioned Palestine. The resolution gave proposed Jewish state 56 percent of the territory, including most of the fertile coastal area, although at this joint, the Jewish community owned only 6 to 8 percent of the total land and made up about a third of the population (Gerner). When the British evacuated Palestine in May 1948, Israel as well declared its independence and fighting immediately ensued after the UN passed Resolution 181. Although relatively small compared to the Palestinians, the Israeli-Zionist military forces were well-trained, well armed and well-organized. During the war, Israeli forces were able to destroy over 500 Palestinian villages and captured 78 percent of historic Palestine. By the end of the war, almost 70 percent of all Palestinians became refugees with only about 150,000 remaining in Israel. The Palestinian dislocation, dispossession and economic deprivation came to be known as the Palestinian nakba (catastrophe). Those that remained in Israel were under strict military regulation, faced restrictions in their economic activities and arrest for political reasons. This continued on for about twenty years until out of despair and conviction that the surrounding Arab countries would not be able to help them, the Palestinians undertook matters into their own hands. Palestinians began to initiate massive resistance from the Israelis. In Gaza, men and women engaged in an insurrection that began in 1968 and lasted for three years. In the West Bank, charitable organizations provided an organizational structure through which the Palestinians could undertake resistance activities (Gerner). In the 1970s, international awareness and support for the Palestinians grew. The Arab League for instance held a conference concluding that the Palestinian Liberation Organization headed by Yasser Arafat was the â€Å"sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people†. The United Nations also granted the PLO observer status in the organization. However, these eventful victories were little compared to what the Israelis were doing. In order to boost their stand and claim in the conflict, Palestinians began in 1987 a massive uprising and community-wide action against the Israelis who has occupied Palestine for a lengthy period already. Palestinians engaged in strikes and resistance such as stone throwing, creating barricades to immobilize Israeli forces, boycotts of Israeli products and other civil disobedience and disturbances. These in turn led to a huge number of Palestinian arrests and detention by Israeli military forces. Many civilians were deported given curfews and sealed off. Ideologies and Conflict: The issues which have been responsible for the long conflict between the two communities have not changed at all and have remained constant ever since. Among them are: Borders for each community: In the absence of a fixed and agreed boundary for both parties, the conflict between Israel, Palestine and the other Arab nations claiming for strips of territory would not cease at all. Refugees and their right to return to Palestine. As many of the Palestinians were displaced and disposed, UN Resolution stating that â€Å"The refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date†¦compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return†Ã‚   passed in December 1948   has never been implemented. Settlers and Settlements: Vague political, civil and national status of almost 400,000 Jewish Israelis currently living on occupied land within the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as well as the political, civil and national status of Palestinians currently living in Israel. Allocation of natural resources such as water among the region. Security for all states and people in the region notwithstanding the ethnicity. Economic access and viability of both regions. Intervention of the international community to address the issues at hand. Proposals and Management to End the Conflict Ever since the start of the twentieth century, efforts were already instituted by various countries and entities to settle the dispute between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The United Nations, as a response to its vote to divide Palestine has created the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in order to take care of Palestinian refugees. It has also sent mediators to intercede through the years as well as passing more than a dozen of resolutions. These resolutions were made in order to call out cease fires, suggest approaches to resolve the conflict and condemned aggressive tactics and actions by each party. The United States on the other hand, has tried to lead in the management of the conflict although its efforts have been hindered because of its close relationship with Israel. For instance, the United States negotiated an agreement between the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships in Oslo, Norway. The Oslo Accords were intended as a framework to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But the terms were so heavily weighted in Israel’s favor that the Agreements enabled Israel to consolidate its control over the West Bank and Gaza under the banner of the â€Å"peace process† (Susskind). Ramifications of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has now lasted for more than century and is still continuing. The efforts made to stop the conflict such as the British partition of Palestine 1948 and its commitment to give area to each party has only made matters worse. Although Israel is admittedly superior in terms of its military capabilities and has the support of the United States, one of the most powerful countries in the world, it has however failed to stop Palestinian nationalism. On the other hand, Palestine has also not achieved in advancing their cause despite having the support of other Arab nations in the region as well as the members of the United Nations. Both of these communities are at a loss and finding a solution to the conflict is still far from reality. The area in dispute holds a great significance and importance to the whole international community despite its small territory and resources. It is the seat of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, major religions of the world. Failure to resolve this conflict would result to larger consequences. For instance, the failure of the United States to resolve the conflict has undermined its capability as a world leader while the failure United Nations has indicated its inability to assert its power and prerogative.

Key success Factors for Lenevo Core Competence of Lenovo

Key success Factors for Lenevo Core Competence of Lenovo Lenovo has its own unique core competence generating Competitive advantages. If we carefully review the unique business development history of Lenovo, it is not hard to track that what are the sources of Lenovos competitive advantages, and how these core competence have been built up, and to estimate if its competitive advantages are sustainable for its ongoing global expansion. In Lenovos early stage, it has some advantages from its parent. ICT supported Lenovo by providing ICTs facilities free of charge; Legend used ICTs name for doing business and then gained the strong support of government. These can be seen as supportive elements for building core competence. (Liu, 2005) The Ability of Learning Lenovo presents a significant ability of learning for capability development can be regarded as one of its core competence. An important source of learning was its customers. Lenovo learned from its customers through its direct contact with customers and its extensive PC distribution network. Apart from carefully observing customer purchasing habits, Lenovo actively sought out customer help to guide its product and service development. (Xie White, 2004). Another source of learning was from those multinationals. As mentioned earlier, even while it produces its own brand, Lenovo learned a lot from HP, IBM and Compaq such as marketing and management skills, personnel training, product design and customer services. (Xie White, 2004). The third source of learning is its internal RD activities. They attained the awareness of that proper RD activities should be combined with the engineering, and manufacturing, instead of purely pursuing cutting-edge technologies such as large-scale integrated circuits and digital switches (Xie White, 2004). A related view in terms of learning is that developing countries MNCs develop their advantages through the accumulation of technology and skills. Tolentino (1993) claims the importance of the accumulation of technological competence in the expansion of firms from developing countries. The Capability of Competing on Price Another core competence is Lenovos super capability of competing on the basis of product price. An article in Wall Street Journal (1997) points out that the prices of Lenovos products are only roughly two-thirds of those of foreign brands. Lenovo successfully maintained a lower cost structure than multinationals, (Liu, 2005) Firstly, the management costs of Lenovo are lower than those of its competitors especially foreign firms doing business in China. (Liu, 2005) .Second, owning to more foreign component producers such as Seagate (the no.1 hard driver producer in the world) have established manufacturing operations in China, Lenovo and other Chinese PC makers benefited from cost savings of cheaper components purchasing. Apart from these above, Lenovo constantly concentrated on the cost reduction in all activities including manufacturing, RD, marketing, distribution etc. and accumulated great experience in this field. (Liu, 2005) The Ability to Establish and Manage Effective and Efficient Distribution Network Among domestic and foreign IT companies, in Chinese market, Lenovo can be awarded as the no. 1 company with the best distribution network management. Lenovo have approximately 50 authorized distributors in each of the seven regions in China, and each distributor has its own reseller network. There are over 2, 000 resellers in Lenovos distribution network. Additionally, it has 130 1+1 PC specialty shops in major cities. (Liu, 2005) To be compared, IBM has no more than ten main distributors in some major cities. It could be imaged t hat how hard to manage and control such a huge network. But Lenovo has cultivated a positive relationship with its distributors by implementing a win-win strategy. Many distributors had grown with Lenovo over years. (Liu, 2005) Even when Lenovo constantly increased the depth and breadth of its distribution network, it never encountered any big conflicts among its distributors. The huge and effective network gives Lenovo much greater geographic coverage than either domestic or foreign companies in Chinese IT market. (Liu, 2005) Therefore, the ability of building and managing such huge distribution network and constantly exploring the potential of the network can be seen as another source of Lenovos core competence. (Liu, 2005) To be concluded, the abilities of learning, cost reduction and building and managing sophisticated distribution network are supposed to be the core competence of Lenovo. Additionally, in Chinese market, the brand name-Lenovo is also an important core competence of Lenovo. But in the context of global scale, the brand of Lenovo is still waiting for customers recognition. (Liu, 2005) These core competences sustain Lenovos success in domestic market. However, Lenovo is undertaking its new globalization strategy. The question is that if they can generate sustainable competitive advantages for global competition and what are the challenges of existing in its globalization process. The next section is the case study of Lenovo acquiring IBM PCD (Personal Computer Division) and the objective is to challenge its international expansion strategy and its core competence in the context of global competition. (Liu, 2005) Giant Step of Globalization: The Acquisition of IBM PCD Lenovo group ltd. has completed its $1.75 billion purchase of IBMs PC Division, creating the third-largest PC vendor in the world and giving IBM greater entree into the rapidly growing Chinese market. According to the agreement of the acquisition, Lenovo will gain control of IBMs Think desktop and ThinkPad laptop brands, as well as the thousands of IBM PC customers. Lenovo is allowed to use the IBM name for five years. However, the new Lenovo will have a strong IBM presence. Many of the top executives have moved over from IBM, including Stephen Ward, the former vice president and general manager of IBMs PC Division and now CEO of Lenovo. Yang Yuanqing, president and CEO of Lenovo Group Ltd, will become chairman. In addition, 10,000 of Lenovos 19,000 employees are former IBMs employees, and IBM will continue to provide service and support for the IBM products. Lenovos headquarters will move to Armonk, New York, and IBM also holds an 18.9 percent stake in the new company. (Burt, 2005; Daniels, 2005; Khanna, 2005; Dowling, 2005) The Lenovos Strategy for Global Expansion Apparently, Lenovo realized that there are not so much potential of Chinese PC market after becoming the leading PC maker in China. And becoming a real global player is the Urgent mission for Lenovo. A common view of firms internationalization process is that the internationalization is the process of accumulating experiential knowledge and market commitment in foreign markets (e.g. Bilkey Tesar, 1977; Johanson Vahlne, 1977; Chang, 1995). Firms tend to start their internationalization process by exporting to countries with similar culture. (Sharma Blomstermo, 2003). Lenovo chose the most efficient way (the acquisition) for its global expansion and foreign market entry. The founder Liu Chuanzhi has such a comment on the acquisition in an interview (Chandler, 2004): We have a $3 billion business with 27% market share in China. Theres not much room to expand. The global PC market is $200 billion, so theres still a lot of potential. IBM has all the things we need. This deal brings us market share, Management know-how, technology, and international reach. The strategy decision to acquire IBM PCD has been given careful considerations in Lenovo. In 2002, Lenovo almost refused the suggestion of the acquisition approached firstly by IBM since the top managers of Lenovo thought it was too risky. (Chandler, 2004) But they also saw this as a great opportunity to become a global PC maker. After one years consideration, analysis and learning from big multinationals, they understood the opportunities and challenges related to this deal and decided to implement this acquisition. (Chandler, 2004) As Liu Chuanzhi said in the same interview as above: As discussions progressed, we gained confidence that many of the risks wed feared could be distributed or controlled. For example, we worried about losing customers. So we worked out an agreement that would allow us to continue using the IBM brand, to keep the IBM salespeople, and even to keep the top IBM executive as CEO. That gave us confidence we could give customers the same level of service and quality after the acquisition. (Chandler, 2004) The main advantage of acquisition is that it provides the fastest way to enter foreign markets and rapidly build the firms presence in these new national markets. Through the acquisition, Lenovo becomes the third biggest PC multinational of the world from a little-known Chinese PC maker and then makes a giant step forward of internationalization. (Chandler, 2004) Furthermore, acquisition provides the great opportunity to acquire valuable resources of the acquired company. Through the acquisition, Lenovo attains the IBMs global market share, global management skills, top PC technologies and the outstanding ability of RD, experienced managers and other personnel, and as Liu Chuanzhi mentioned, the International reach. (Chandler, 2004) Lenovo appears great confidence on their ability of learning for absorbing these merits from IBM PCD. (Chandler, 2004) For example, IBM PCD was commonly regarded as the sophisticated expert in serving corporate customers, while Lenovo was significantly good at selling PCs in consumer market. Such a successful combination of these advantages of both sides will definitely result in great performance. Additionally, Lenovo hopes that combining Lenovos price advantage with IBMs engineering will deal with Dells formidable threat (Forelle, 2005). The Necessity to Form the Strategic Alliance Lenovo was known as one of Chinas most promising companies in the early 1990s, with its sales more than tripled between the year 1994 and 1998, and Asias leading PC vendor outside Japan at the end of the 1990s (Lau, 2004a). However, before the declaration of the alliance with IBM, the company had encountered with obstacles for its further expansion and development. (Lau, 2004a). Though Lenovo is the largest PC maker in China with more than a quarter of the market share, it does little business outside the country. The increasing fierce competition from aggressive foreign rivals such as Dell and HP in the past few years in Chinese market has put further pressures on Lenovos margins. (Lau, 2004a). - Rather than just continue to concentrate on the domestic Chinese market, the decision to go global is a necessity for Lenovo at that critical time. Under these circumstances, Lenovo decided to form the deal with IBM to acquire its low profitability PC business with US$1.75bn. According to the terms of the agreement, Lenovo pays US$650m in cash and up to US$600m in shares (which later changed to US$800m and US$450m share value), giving IBM an 18.9 per cent stake as well as shouldering US$500m in debt; and IBM will become the Chinese PC makers preferred supplier of support services and customer financing. For Lenovos part, the acquisition quadruples its sales to more than US$12bn and expands its sales market globally; besides being given the ownership of the Think family trademarks, Lenovo also gains the right to produce IBM-branded PCs under a five-year licensing agreement (FT reporters, 2004; Simon, 2004). Motives toward Lenovo IBMs Strategic Alliance Lenovos takeover of IBMs PC division has been described as snake ate the elephant, and the deal pulls Lenovo from the eighth-largest PC maker in the world to the third-largest just behind Dell and HP (Buetow, 2005; Ling, 2006; London, 2004). The motivations that drive the formation of the strategic alliance between Lenovo and IBM can be analyzed from two perspectives. For Lenovos aspect, though Lenovo is the largest IT Company in China, its products are mainly within China. Michele Mak, an analyst at ABN Omro, once commented that Lenovos distribution network is its biggest problem, and it is not well adapted to serving the small and medium-sized companies who usually buy directly (Lau, 2004a). Thus, in the first place, with an intention to expand its business globally, the firm needs a well-developed worldwide distribution network, which happens to be the advantage of IBM. As what has been announced by Lenovo, the agreement between the two firms includes broad-based strategic alliance under which Lenovos products will be integrated into IBMs global service offerings, which also became the impetus to the deal. - Secondly, as a world-leading company like IBM, it has specialized and advanced skills in sales and marketing functions, for Lenovo, the sales and marketing support, as well as the RD support are significant and of a necessity in its way to a multinational enterprise, which is also part of the agreement (Lenovo.com, 2007c). - Thirdly, the use of IBMs globally recognized brand is an impetus to accelerate the alliance, and also perceived as a sweet victory for Lenovo. The local brand Lenovo, formerly known as Legend, will become more valuable in the market after its association with the ThinkPad series of laptops. And also, Lenovos right to use the IBM brand on the computers for five years adds more value and trustworthiness to the brand, as despite the fact that Lenovo is the largest PC maker in China and Asia, it is little known elsewhere in the world, even with the ownership of ThinkPad family trademarks, it can hardly divert the loyal customers from IBM to Lenovo (London, 2004). Furthermore, analysts said that the deal could enable Lenovo to cut procurement costs (Guerrera and Dickie, 2004). The Performance after Acquisition The fiscal report combining two months after the completion of the acquisition truly shows a magic turnaround of PCD (Ramstad, 2005) with a profit of $33 million, while the PCD recorded a pre-tax loss of $149 million before joining Lenovo. (Liu, 2005) Further, the latest fiscal report (The First Fiscal Quarter Report 2005/2006, Lenovo) reported on 11th Aug 2005 illustrates a great performance of Lenovo Group Ltd., with revenue up 234% from organic growth in emerging markets and PC business acquisition, EBITDA up 135% to HK$829 million, pre-tax profit increased 54% to HK$515 million, and profit attributable to shareholders up 6% to HK$357 million. (Liu, 2005) However, this turnaround remains some strong arguments. Ramstad (2005) argues that Lenovo gives no evidence of the sustainability of the turnaround and there are some accounting differences. Nevertheless, the fact is that Lenovo has achieved the first step of Success. (Liu, 2005) The time will answer such questions such as whether the acquisition is successful or not, how Lenovo efficiently and effectively manage the global business, and What is the final result of this acquisition? (Liu, 2005) From the reports in Lenovos archive, the following critical success factors were identified in planning stage: 1) Top management support: Believed to be critically important in the early stage to engender commitment, provide direction and resources. CEO of Lenovo and senior managers decided to implement ERP project in 1998 and invested 30 millions RMB in the project. (Tang, 2007) 2.) External expertise: In the planning stage, technology support and management consultancy was received from 38 vendors and consultants. Regarding to implementation plan and SAP process. Deloitte and SAP Corporation were participated in planning Lenovos ERP system. (Tang, 2007) 3.) Project management: Detailed project plan was developed with the help from ERP vendor and consultants. Before the implementation, Deloitte supplied with FastTrack solution, business process re-engineering and module designing for Lenovos ERP project. (Tang, 2007) 4.) Clear Goals: Project objectives and staged implementation developed. From senor managers statement presented earlier, the goals of ERP implementation are support rapid business growth, address data sharing issues, and obtain a competitive advantage and new management techniques. (Tang, 2007) 5.) Balanced project team: Mix of IT professions and senior management. Project team consist consultants from SAP Corporation and Deloitte, IT professionals in Lenovo and heads of other departments (SCM, finance, sales and productions). (Tang, 2007) Organizational System-Knowledge management Lenovo Group puts priority on knowledge management, and established specific knowledge management department in 2003 to conduct planning and implementation of knowledge management of the whole group. Cultivation and introduction of knowledge-type workers also achieve notable effect, and recruited a lot of talents acquainted with knowledge management knowledge and software.(Ming,_ _ _ _) At the beginning of 2004, Lenovo integrated knowledge management, information management and flow management to the flow management department. This integration makes knowledge management more executable not only more authoritative, but also practicable with feasible means, because the flow management department takes charge of deciding posts, deciding flow and deciding organization, and enjoy authoritativeness within the company. (Ming,_ _ _ _) When knowledge management and information system are integrated, knowledge management becomes more practical and feasible, and this orientation has made knowledge management play a more important role in the company. Because knowledge management and business execution are combined together, i.e. knowledge comes from business and should feedback to business, the flow requires that knowledge be turned over, then the authoritativeness is represented. As index management of the flow, including deciding posts, deciding responsibility and review, knowledge management is closely related with unfolding of various items of work of the company, not confined to simple knowledge management. (Ming,_ _ _ _) System Design Lenovo carries out knowledge management in four steps. The first step is the definition of knowledge. Lenovo has many business flow links or activities, the first step is to tidy up the business flow of the company, identify activities in the flow, find knowledge hidden behind various activities to form a knowledge map and expose the hidden knowledge(Ming,_ _ _ _) The second step is to conduct efficient classification over knowledge. Behind each post there contains corresponding contents of organizational management, once posts are set, the flow has been decided and it is hard to modify. Of course, this is based on alignment of knowledge. (Ming,_ _ _ _) - The third step is to encourage staff contribute knowledge. In order to establish a knowledge management incentive system of vigorously promoting staff passing on knowledge, Lenovo Group sets knowledge management as an index of assessing staff performance. Lenovos knowledge management system includes assessment tools, using every piece of information of knowledge, the user shall have to give a score of appraisal. (Ming,_ _ _ _) To a certain stage, Lenovo will conduct statistics to form a statement. In this way, according to the latest and most valuable knowledge ranking of every month or every week, staff members with most knowledge contribution will be awarded corresponding material incentive. (Ming,_ _ _ _) Process of Implementation In the concrete process of implementation, Lenovo divides the whole process into four stages as follows: pilot demonstration stage, knowledge integration summarization stage, optimization sharing stage and business audit stage. (Ming,_ _ _ _) First stage: pilot demonstration. Select pilot units and implement knowledge management. Explore problems and resistance arising out of the process of implementation of knowledge management and seek corresponding solutions, endeavor to pose a demonstrative effect on whole group upon knowledge management in pilot units. (Ming,_ _ _ _) Second stage: knowledge integration. Based on experience from pilot stage, divide the group into many teams and many project teams to swiftly promote various departments set up their own knowledge system. The main work is concentrated on effective classification, integration and issuing of current knowledge. This stage is not intended to pursue optimization of knowledge system, and the key is to establish the primary knowledge system of the whole group as soon as possible. (Ming,_ _ _ _) Third stage: dynamic sharing. Operate knowledge management flow, realize dynamic running of knowledge database, and optimize incessantly the established knowledge system in the dynamic updating process. Promote learning sharing and help others solve problems, conduct knowledge quality assessment in the process of sharing and application, and implement knowledge contribution incentive measures. (Ming,_ _ _ _) Fourth stage: knowledge audit. Carry out audit over validity of each link of activities of the whole flow, and provide programs of improvement and promote management improvement. (Ming,_ _ _ _) Lenovo recruits expertise of two types as map retrieving operation and flow management to conduct appraisal and testing over the system, and arrange quite a lot of human resources to update and maintain knowledge database. Each piece of knowledge has a valid period, and the system will retrieve automatically after the valid period to ensure constant updating of knowledge. (Ming,_ _ _ _) Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Lenovo Lenovo, a prestigious IT company in China, is a shining example of entrepreneurship in China. It has achieved sustainable development in the highly competitive high-tech industry in the past decades. However, the development of Lenovo is zigzag but forward moving.(Bao, 2 _ _ _) - Lenovo developed the software and the Chinese character card, which helped the company to accumulate the necessary capital for its further development. In its eveloping period (1987-1988), Lenovo took up the most market share of the product through further research and development. Meanwhile, it began to act as the agent for the other international famous PC brands. In so doing, it learnt advanced international technology, and established its sales network. .(Bao, 2 _ _ _) Then the company entered the third period (1989-1996). Both its software business and agency business achieved steady growth. Meanwhile, it started to develop the overseas market. Thus the company has become a company with technical industry, manufacturing industry and trade industry. But soon, it faced the worldwide IT restructuring, its overseas sales declined, but Lenovo made a quick change. It started to manufacture the PC with its own brand instead of other international famous brands. This innovation brought rebirth to the company. .(Bao, 2 _ _ _) In 1996, the company took up 10% of the market share and ranked the first place in China. The company smoothly entered the forth developed period (1997-2000), during which its PC business continue to enjoy steady growth. .(Bao, 2 _ _ _) According to the IPC market survey in August, 1998, Lenovo ranked one of the top three in Asia pacific area and its sales volume of household computers ranked the first place in the area. In 1999, its total sales volume reached RMB 9,000 millions. All this indicates that Lenovo has developed into a large international IT company. .(Bao, 2 _ _ _) - The forth developed period laid a good foundation for the fifth period-the renovation period (2001-2007). With the competition of PC market becoming more and more fierce, the profit is getting smaller. Accordingly, Lenovo made some adjustment of the company structure. On one hand, it continued to do the PC business to achieve its scale merit; on the other hand, it developed the business in the fields of servers, mobile phone, IT service and e-commerce to seek new profit growth. Thus, Lenovo achieved phenomenal growth in this period. .(Bao, 2 _ _ _) - Mr. Liu Chuan Zhi, the president of the company, made different innovations in different periods of the development of the company. In the starting period, he adopted a layer structure, a flat organization through which the company can enjoy rapid development. In the developing period, he changed the structure into a ship structure to adapt to the increasing scale of the enterprise. In the developed period, he adopted the united fleet structure for the company. And accordingly, he changed his leading style from centralization to cooperation, decentralization and coaching to meet the needs of the different periods of development of the enterprise. .(Bao, 2 _ _ _) Mr. Liu projects his vision of the future and adopts both steady forward moving strategies, through which Lenovo has won a lot of market chances. Besides, he shows his upbeat attitude at critical moments. .(Bao, 2 _ _ _) In 1992, the business of the company was not satisfactory in overseas market. Mr. Liu Changed his strategy and focused on the market in China so that the company still achieved growth in difficult times. In 1999, the company failed temporarily in its transformation into an internet company. At the critical moment, Mr. Liu made a quick change and entered e-commerce field with the existence of former software business, which has proved to be a success. .(Bao, 2 _ _ _) Whats more, he is very strong in coaching, for he has successfully left his managing position to his successor. All this indicates that it is the entrepreneurship that led the company to one success and another. .(Bao, 2 _ _ _) Strong lure of Brand opportunity Lenovo is a good illustration of the strong lure of brand, opportunity, and purpose. Its acquisition of IBMs personal computer operations, in 2005, made it the third-largest personal computer company in the world. (Ready,Hill Conger) The IBM acquisition produced something of a halo effect for Lenovo, and Chinese workers felt pride that China had been able to buy part of an American business icon. Lenovos brand was and is attractive to ambitious young workers with dreams of their own-people who are building careers and not simply looking for jobs. (Ready,Hill Conger) Lenovo was an early standout for these rising stars. Lenovo also built a global perspective into its brand promise; to become a great company it would have to expand beyond its home market. That meant opportunity. (Ready,Hill Conger) - President and CEO Bill Amelio describes his company as a stage without a ceiling for every employee- worldwide. In a truly global spirit, Lenovos top-team meetings rotate among Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris, and Raleigh, North Carolina. (Ready,Hill Conger) - Lenovos brand promise credibly communicates that nationality doesnt matter; if an employee demonstrates capability and vision, there are no limits. The playing field is level. (Ready,Hill Conger) - Lenovos brand promise credibly communicates that nationality doesnt matter; if an employee demonstrates capability and vision, there are no limits. The playing field is level. (Ready,Hill Conger) What makes Lenovos talent-tracking process work, however, is that the career maps are linked to key slots across the globe and accountability for the entire process rests squarely with line leadership, not with HR. Its employees are ambitious, and Lenovo needs to demonstrate that it is serious about developing their careers. (Ready,Hill Conger) 6) Lenovos PCs can be priced competitively to those of Dell and HP without sacrificing quality or any features. Lenovos low cost advantage is never based on cutting RD and low quality. (Ready,Hill Conger) Lenovo have improved its manufacturing efficiency by centralizing production in China where most of the components are made which will eliminate shipping cost before assembly. Further, as mentioned earlier, Lenovo can maintain a low cost of overhead. For example, before the deal, IBM PCD can achieve 24% of gross margin, but the net profit was negative owning to its high cost of overhead. Meanwhile, Lenovo only has gross margin of 14% but with a net profit of 5%.(Ready,Hill Conger)

The Role of Women in Homers The Odyssey Essay -- Papers Odyssey Home

The Role of Women in Homer's The Odyssey Women form an important part of the folk epic, written by Homer, The Odyssey. Within the story there are three basic types of women: the goddess, the seductress, and the good hostess/wife. Each role adds a different element and is essential to the telling of the story. The role of the goddess is one of a supernatural being, but more importantly one in a position to pity and help mortals. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, is the most prominent example of the role; in the very beginning of the story she is seen making a plea for Odysseus' return home, and throughout the first half of the book she assists him in his journey. She is the driving force behind arranging Odysseus' return home from getting Kalypso to release him to making sure Nausikaa found him on Skheria. In books 1-4 she helps Telemakhos, Odysseus' son, gather the courage to go out and get news about his father. Other than Athena, there are many examples of goddesses taking pity on a mortal, usually Odysseus, and helping him out. When Odysseus is s...

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 52-55

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

Fast Food and Obesity Essay

People know that fast food is not good for them, but how bad is really and how much do people really know about the bad effects of fast food on their bodies? Most people have seen the â€Å"Super Size Me† documentary; yes Morgan Spurlock ate McDonalds for every meal for 30 days. Most people would gain weight from eating McDonalds for 30 days in a row, but even just eating McDonalds three times a week can have an impact on the body without people realizing it. And today according to The Center for Disease Control the childhood obesity rate grows every day from lack of exercising and a poor diet which leads to other health risks as well (Center for Disease Control, Atlanta 2010-2012). When Morgan Spurlock did the â€Å"Super Size Me† documentary, here he planned to eat at McDonalds for every meal for 30 days in a row and then would go to the physician periodically throughout the 30 days to see the side effects of eating fast food. Now given he did eat it for every meal for 30 days, most people figured there would be major side effects, but he wanted to prove to the public that even eating fast food a few times a week will make a difference on the body. And he proved that quite easily. Morgan Spurlock found many interesting facts about how bad fast food is on the body. Here are curios few: â€Å"McDonald’s feeds more than 46 million people a day – more than the entire population of Spain† there is no reason any fast food company should be feeding more people than the entire population of a country. In 1972, we spent 3 billion a year on fast food – today we spend more than $110 billion† if people spent the amount of money they do on other things besides fast food less people would be in debt. That money spent on fast food adds up quicker than people think. â€Å"Left unabated, obesity will surpass smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in America† and there is no reason that an obesity rate should pass preventable death by smoking. All of these facts as well as many others should be enough warning about how bad fast food really is, unfortunately it’s not. (Spurlock 2011. Childhood obesity these days has become somewhat the norm. People look around and see all of these overweight children and wonder how they got like that. Fast food and lack of exercise is more than likely to blame. When children become obese early in life that puts them at risk for health problems like diabetes, heart problems, bone loss, and many other health risks that children should not have at an early age. If parents helped them become more educated about the benefits of exercising regularly and eating right, the obesity rate in children might not be as high. The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, GA says that â€Å"Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years (CDC Atlanta 2010-2012). This alone should be a wakeup call to parents about educating their children on the bad effects of fast food and the benefits of regular exercise. No parent should ever want a child to be a statistic. There are so many benefits to regular exercise, like looking good and feeling good about the way the body feels after exercising. It can make a great start to the day, it builds healthy muscle and builds strong bones and it is also burning all those calories from one too many fast food restaurant visits. If people eat fast food even just one to three times a week, regular exercise might also be a good idea to consider doing one to three times a week. When eating unhealthy food and not exercising, the body just holds onto all of the unhealthy fat, calories and carbohydrates, which is why exercising is so important when people eat fast food on a regular basis. The Mayo Clinic says that â€Å"Many fast food menu items are extremely high in calories and would take lengthy and intense sessions of physical exercise to burn off. When you want to lose weight, eliminate fast food and eat a low-calorie diet made up of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and fat-free dairy products† (Wood 2011). Several fast food items can go well over 1,000 calories. Like Big Mac meals and Quarter Pounder meals. That many calories in one item is never good for the body. Studies say that the body would have to run for 7 hours to burn off one double cheese burger from a local fast food restaurant, those 7 hours do not even include the fries that were ordered, or that super-sized soft drink, and then the possible dessert snack that was ordered as well. So in reality the body would be running for over 10 hours. If the body is exercising regularly (more that 1-3 times a week) then yes, the occasional cheese burger is okay. Eating fast food is never a healthy option. Even the healthy looking salad on the menu at Chik-Fil-A is not healthy, it has more than over 800 calories. There are short term and long term health effects from eating fast food and not exercising along with it. Some short term effects are fatigue, a suppressed immune system, weight gain, skin problems and dehydration. Some long term effects are when the body eats fast food most of it contains antibiotics, hormones and steroids, consuming these things over a long period of time can cause a boost in weight gain and make the body more prone to consuming bacteria that can be harmful to the body (Snider 2012). The antibiotics the body consumes in fast food will make the body resistant to antibiotics when it is sick. Antibiotics being in the fast food will also cause obesity, and intestinal discomfort happening more often than it should. Fast food also contains polyunsaturated vegetable oils Consuming this over a long period of time has been linked to cancer, blood clots, inflammation, elevated blood pressure, digestion problems, compromised immunity, reproductive damage, and weight gain, and can lead to an imbalance of essential fatty acids that the body needs. Eating fast food can cause high cholesterol which leads to a higher risk for stroke or heart attack. It can also cause the body to have a clogged colon, and processed meats have been proven at the Live Strong health facilities to increase the risk of colon cancer by 36% if the body is consuming fast food 3-5 times a week. There are always healthier choices than fast food, but if the body is craving fast food keep in mind possible things to stay away from like heavy salad dressings, breaded or fried meat, french fries, mayonnaise, large portions, double meat, white bread, thick crusts and low fat desserts. Remember these things and when the body is craving that fast food it now has a more educated view on what to eat. Snider 2012) If all Americans could somehow be educated on the bad side effects of fast food and the benefits of regular exercise, I think that the obesity epidemic could diminish tremendously. I know from experience that it feels so good to be healthy. Working out at the gym or taking a walk in the park makes me feel so good about myself and makes my body healthier and eating right does the same thing. Instead of having that greasy biscuit at the local fast food restaurant, try trading it for a bowl of oatmeal and some fruit and a glass of orange juice in the morning. The body will notice differences like not aving to feel bad for that biscuit it ate, it is also going to feel more awake and have more energy, rather than feeling tired from eating that greasy breakfast. Just remember exercise is always important, whether the body consumes fast food or not, exercise is always good for anyone and everyone. Moderation is key. If the body must have that fast food try limiting the fast food to once or twice a month, rather than once or twice a week like most people are used to. The best part in my opinion of not eating fast food as often or not at all is it saves me a ton of money!