Sperm Whale Facts (Cachalot)

The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is the worlds largest toothed predator and loudest animal. The whales common name is the shortened form of spermaceti whale, and refers to the oily fluid found in the animals head, which was originally mistaken for whale semen. The cetaceans other common name is cachalot, which derives from an ancient French word for big teeth. Sperm whales do have large teeth, each weighing up to 2.2 pounds, but they dont actually use them for eating. Fast Facts: Sperm Whale Scientific Name: Physeter macrocephalusCommon Names: Sperm whale, cachalotBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 36-52 feetWeight: 15-45 tonsLifespan: 70 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Oceans worldwidePopulation: UnknownConservation Status: Vulnerable Description Sperm whales are easily recognized by their distinctive shape, their flukes (tail lobes), and blow pattern. The whale has a large rectangular head with narrow jaw, raised ridges on its back instead of dorsal fins, and huge triangular flukes. It has an S-shaped blowhole set toward the front, left side of its head that blows a forward-angled spray when the whale breathes. The species displays a high degree of sexual dimorphism. While males and females are the same size at birth, mature males are 30-50% longer and up to three times more massive than adult females. On average, males are about 52 feet in length and weigh 45 tons, while females are 36 feet in length and weigh 15 tons. However, there are documented reports of males measuring 67 feet long and weighing 63 tons and claims of males reaching 80 feet in length. While most large whales have smooth skin, sperm whale skin is wrinkled. Usually it is gray in color, but there are albino sperm whales. Sperm whales have the largest brains of any animals, either living or extinct. On average, the brain weighs about 17 pounds. Like other toothed whales, the sperm whale can retract or protrude its eyes. The whales communicate using vocalization and echolocation. Sperm whales are the loudest animals on Earth, capable of producing sounds as loud as 230 decibels. The sperm whales head contains the spermaceti organ which produces a waxy fluid called spermaceti or sperm oil. Studies indicate spermaceti helps the animal generate and focus sound, may facilitate ramming combat, and could serve a function during whale diving. While whales vomit most undigestible matter, some squid beaks make it to the intestine and cause irritation. The whale produces ambergris in response, much like oysters synthesize pearls. Sperm whales have distinctive triangular flukes. georgeclerk / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Sperm whales live in oceans around the world. They prefer ice-free water that is over 3300 feet deep but will venture close to shore. Only males frequent the polar regions. The species is not found in the Black Sea. It appears to be locally extinct off the coast of southern Australia. Diet Sperm whales are carnivores that primarily hunt squid, but also eat octopuses, fish, and bioluminescent tunicates. The whales have excellent vision and may hunt by watching the water above them for squid silhouettes or by detecting bioluminescence. They can dive for over an hour and at depths up to 6600 feet in search of food, using echolocation to map their surroundings in the dark. Aside from humans, the only significant sperm whale predator is the orca. Behavior Pods of sperm whales sleep at night. The whales position themselves vertically with their heads near the surface. Mature males form bachelor groups or live solitary lives except for mating. Females group with other females and their young. Reproduction and Offspring Females become sexually mature around 9 years of age, while males mature at 18 years. Males fight with other males for mating rights, probably using teeth and ramming competitors. The pair separate after mating, with males providing no care to offspring. After 14 to 16 months gestation, the female gives birth to a single calf. The newborn is about 13 feet long and weighs over one ton. Pod members cooperate to protect calves. Calves typically nurse for 19 to 42 months, sometimes from females besides their mothers. After reaching maturity, females give birth just once every 4 to 20 years. The oldest recorded pregnant female was 41 years old. Sperm whales may live over 70 years. Female sperm whales care for other calves within the pod. by wildestanimal / Getty Images Conservation Status The IUCN classifies the sperm whale conservation status as vulnerable, while the United States Endangered Species Act lists it as endangered. Sperm whales are listed on Appendix I and Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). Numerous other agreements also protect the whales throughout much of their range. Sperm whales reproduce slowly and are widely distributed, so the total population size and population trend are unknown. Some researchers estimate there may be hundreds of thousands of sperm whales. Threats While largely protected worldwide, Japan continues to take some sperm whales. However, the species greatest threats are ship collisions and entanglement in fishing nets. Sperm whales may also be at risk from chemical pollution, noise pollution, and debris such as plastic. Sperm Whales and Humans The sperm whale is featured in Jules Vernes Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and in Herman Melvilles Moby-Dick, which is based on the true story of the sinking of the whaleship Essex in 1820. While sperm whales do not hunt humans, its theoretically possible a person could be eaten. There is one story of a sailor swallowed by a sperm whale in the early 1900s and surviving the experience. Sperm whale teeth remain important cultural objects in the Pacific islands. While sperm oil use has fallen out of vogue, ambergris may still be used as a perfume fixative. Today, sperm whales are a source of ecotourism income for whale watching off the coasts of Norway, New Zealand, the Azores, and Dominica. Sources Clarke, M.R. Function of the Spermaceti Organ of the Sperm Whale. Nature. 228 (5274): 873–874, November, 1970. doi:10.1038/228873a0Fristrup, K. M. and G. R. Harbison. How do sperm whales catch squids?. Marine Mammal Science. 18 (1): 42–54, 2002. doi:10.1111/j.1748-7692.2002.tb01017.xMead, J.G. and R. L. Brownell, Jr. Order Cetacea. In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.  Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J., Mead, J.G., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Wade, P. Pitman, R.L. Physeter macrocephalus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008: e.T41755A10554884. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41755A10554884.enWhitehead, H. and L. Weilgart. The Sperm Whale. In Mann, J.; Connor, R.; Tyack, P. Whitehead, H. (eds.). Cetacean Societies. The University of Chicago Press. 2000. ISBN 978-0-226-50341-7.

Philosophy 101 Essay - 826 Words

Philosophy is defined by Webster as Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline or Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods. This essay is a general look at those who pursued that intellectual means, those who investigated, even those who reasoned Reason. Because volumes could be written and this is a rather quick, unworthy paper: apologizes. Hegels philosophy of History, on of the greatest in the philosophy cannon, is the great philosophers greatest body of work. The philosophy of History is based on such ideals as the idea that Reason rules history. George Hegel used Immanuel Kants system of†¦show more content†¦For example, a thesis of red and an antithesis of blue would combine to form a synthesis or purple. Complex conclusions can be realized by reusing the synthesis as a thesis for a new problem. The entire subject of philosophy, according to Hegel, consists of the study of the history of the world and the creation of truth. When man first became aware of objects, he viewed everything in the context of death or negation. When the self encounters other people, its first reaction is to view them as objects and risk its life to kill them. After that comes the master/slave relationship, where certain people rise to the top of society and exercise control over others. Ironically, the slave actually has a more stable means of self-validation. The slave identifies with his work, which is never-ending, while the master identifies with his control over the slaves, which could end at a moments notice. Another ideal, which we derive from Hegel, is that of stoicism. Stoicism, defined as the recognition of the self as sovereign and independent. The individual tries to lead a self-contained life of reason but is still susceptible to the psychological residue of the master/slave relations hip as well as natures eternal mastery. After this stage comes skepticism, which is an extreme form of stoicism where the self becomes completely rational and destroys nature by doubting it. The self is still limited by the master/slaveShow MoreRelatedEssay on Philosophy 101710 Words   |  3 Pages Locke used to approaches to prove his argument by stating that â€Å"sensation, we obtain ideas of things we suppose to exist outside us in the physical world (http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/4l.htm ¬). According to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy ( i Ideas in General) â€Å"All the parts of out knowledge, he (locke) insists, have the same rank and the same history regarding their origin in experience.† Here we see the word experience again combined with our ideas. To me this means that if I simplyRead MoreThe Philosophy Of English 101881 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout my educational years, I had only done writings that involves in small research papers, MLA style essays, and summary essays. However, English 101 has given me a new way to look at my writing skills. Most of the writings I have been doing so far in this course were interpretative essays where we interpreted and reflected on other’s writing and then reflecting back to ours own writing. 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Socrates believed that the body hindered the soul, saying, â€Å"the body confuses the soul and does not allow it to acquire truth and wisdom whenever it is associated with it† (103, 66). Socrates also believed that knowledge was not atta ined through

Love And Marriage In Shakespeares The Tempest - 1681 Words

Love and Marriage in The Tempest William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest (1610-11) includes two important themes: love and marriage. Throughout the play, Shakespeare portrays love as a force that brings people together, but also as a thing that people take advantage of. Prospero is the main manipulator of love in this play. By using his daughter Miranda’s feelings and having her marry Ferdinand, he manages to strengthen his own political power. Also, most of the instances of love in this play are not examples of true love. The two marriages that either happen or are mentioned in the play are both good examples of the game-like nature of dynastic marriages in the 16th and the 17th centuries. Most dynastic marriages were arranged and the†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, Prospero has no idea of what sort of a person Ferdinand is; for all he knows, Ferdinand could be a psychopathic axe-murderer. However, as Melissa E. Sanchez says in her essay, Miranda did enter the marriage completely willingly, so it is not right to place all the blame on Prospero. Even though it was just what Prospero wanted, Miranda disregarded her father’s orders completely and carried on with the relationship. (Sanchez 66) The love between Ferdinand and Miranda is as superficial as a crush between two 12-year-olds. Sure, it is fierce and feels deep at the time, but true love needs time to blossom. This relationship is purely sexual. Even Alonso questions the deepness of their love by saying: â€Å"What is this maid with whom thou wast at play? Your eld st acquaintance cannot be three hours†.(5.2.183-184) Miranda’s reaction upon meeting Ferdinand is just too exaggerated to be deep, true love at first sight: â€Å"I might call him a thing divine, for nothing natural I ever saw so noble.†(1.2.417-418) She would be stunned by any man she would meet at this point: Miranda has not seen any other men in her life, apart from her father and the savage Caliban. Also, in normal circumstances, two people falling for each other at first sight is highly unlikely, which further proves my point on it being just two people who want to have sex with each other. Moreover, as Miranda is the only woman on the island, Ferdinand mightShow MoreRelated A Comparison of Romantic Love in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest, and Twelfth Night1505 Words   |  7 PagesRomantic Love in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest, and Twelfth Night In all of Shakespeares plays, there is a definitive style present, a style he perfected. 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William Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet - 1620 Words

One of the major themes in Romeo and Juliet is Love and its difficulties. Shakespeare tends to use this often in his plays and verses to create many emotions an effects. The relations and comparisons between the Acts/scenes and sonnets (18,129,36,29) in the play are studied in detail to understand Love and its difficulties. Shakespeare shows us how Love and relationships can change depending on situations by using the sonnets/ scenes and different language /imagery. This play was written during the Elizabethan era and this gives us an insight of what things were like in such a patriarchal society. Difficulties of love and lovers in Romeo and Juliet can be explored and presented in many different ways. During Act 5, Scene 1, we know that Romeo is confused about his feelings for Rosaline and is in love with the idea of being in love. When Romeo meets Juliet in this scene, he is completely smitten by her and feels the need to constantly be around her. An example of this is ‘Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!’. Romeo is expressing how beautiful she is and how she shines brighter than a torches flame. This scene also uses many religious connotations relating to love. For example ‘good pilgrim’ and ‘holy palmers’ kiss’. Also, in this scene, Romeo says ‘Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear’. Romeo expresses that Juliet stands out to him unlike all of the other girls he has been with. Romeo is referring to Juliet as a precious jewel and feels the need to possess herShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Rome o And Juliet1287 Words   |  6 PagesLizzy Baginski English Composition 2 Mr. Spera March 10, 2015 Romeo and Juliet Research Paper The movie Romeo and Juliet is a modern classic film that took place in 1996. Overall this is a timeless story that everyone should go and watch. 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The story of two destined lovers who were killed by their own doing. But what if they weren t two destined lovers who got unlucky, but doomed partners that were never going to have a good-life to begin with.William Sha kespeare gives us a view of early signs of gang conflict in the early age of Verona, Italy. He gives us a perspective of the norms and customs of Italy during the Setting of William Shakespeare s most famous story. Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, givesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1264 Words   |  6 Pagestheater-going public the most important dramatist in English literature, Shakespeare occupies a well-known position in the world of talented authors. His canon contains thirty-seven plays, written in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Additionally, throughout the years, they continue to sustain critical attention, with the majority of his works circling tragedies, one being Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet speaks to the timeless appeal of star-crossed lovers. Their loveRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet924 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy that follows t he so-called love of two teenagers. The two fall in love at a masked ball and have a secret marriage. Throughout the play, their actions show how ridiculous love is, and how it is a danger to anyone who become twisted in its choking grasp. However, in the death of the youth and survival of the elders, an alternative explanation for the tragic events may be found. Although Shakespeare seems to be mocking love throughout the play, itRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1616 Words   |  7 Pageslove can also cause some of life s most controversial battles. These battles could stem from lack of patience, disagreement of moral values, and in some cases, an absence of attraction overall. In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the issues that drive Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet s to each of their dreadful misfortunes are inevitable. When it comes to many of Shakespeare s plays, Aristotle s theory is used to describe them as tragedies. Romeo and Juliet is known by many as a tragedyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet967 Words   |  4 Pagesof ‘Romeo and Juliet’ written by William Shakespeare. Shakespearean time was between the middle Ages and the Industrial Revolution and it was branded by religious changes. William Shakespeare is widely known as the greatest dramatist of all time. Born April 1564, Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is no doubt one of his most famous pieces. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was first published in 1597 and its tragic story of banned love still captures the creativity of its audience today. ‘Romeo and Juliet’, although

Angels Demons Chapter 28-31 Free Essays

28 Secretary Sylvie Baudeloque was now in a panic. She paced outside the director’s empty office. Where the hell is he? What do I do? It had been a bizarre day. We will write a custom essay sample on Angels Demons Chapter 28-31 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Of course, any day working for Maximilian Kohler had the potential to be strange, but Kohler had been in rare form today. â€Å"Find me Leonardo Vetra!† he had demanded when Sylvie arrived this morning. Dutifully, Sylvie paged, phoned, and E-mailed Leonardo Vetra. Nothing. So Kohler had left in a huff, apparently to go find Vetra himself. When he rolled back in a few hours later, Kohler looked decidedly not well†¦ not that he ever actually looked well, but he looked worse than usual. He locked himself in his office, and she could hear him on his modem, his phone, faxing, talking. Then Kohler rolled out again. He hadn’t been back since. Sylvie had decided to ignore the antics as yet another Kohlerian melodrama, but she began to get concerned when Kohler failed to return at the proper time for his daily injections; the director’s physical condition required regular treatment, and when he decided to push his luck, the results were never pretty – respiratory shock, coughing fits, and a mad dash by the infirmary personnel. Sometimes Sylvie thought Maximilian Kohler had a death wish. She considered paging him to remind him, but she’d learned charity was something Kohlers’s pride despised. Last week, he had become so enraged with a visiting scientist who had shown him undue pity that Kohler clambered to his feet and threw a clipboard at the man’s head. King Kohler could be surprisingly agile when he was pisse. At the moment, however, Sylvie’s concern for the director’s health was taking a back burner†¦ replaced by a much more pressing dilemma. The CERN switchboard had phoned five minutes ago in a frenzy to say they had an urgent call for the director. â€Å"He’s not available,† Sylvie had said. Then the CERN operator told her who was calling. Sylvie half laughed aloud. â€Å"You’re kidding, right?† She listened, and her face clouded with disbelief. â€Å"And your caller ID confirms – † Sylvie was frowning. â€Å"I see. Okay. Can you ask what the – † She sighed. â€Å"No. That’s fine. Tell him to hold. I’ll locate the director right away. Yes, I understand. I’ll hurry.† But Sylvie had not been able to find the director. She had called his cell line three times and each time gotten the same message: â€Å"The mobile customer you are trying to reach is out of range.† Out of range? How far could he go? So Sylvie had dialed Kohler’s beeper. Twice. No response. Most unlike him. She’d even E-mailed his mobile computer. Nothing. It was like the man had disappeared off the face of the earth. So what do I do? she now wondered. Short of searching CERN’s entire complex herself, Sylvie knew there was only one other way to get the director’s attention. He would not be pleased, but the man on the phone was not someone the director should keep waiting. Nor did it sound like the caller was in any mood to be told the director was unavailable. Startled with her own boldness, Sylvie made her decision. She walked into Kohler’s office and went to the metal box on his wall behind his desk. She opened the cover, stared at the controls, and found the correct button. Then she took a deep breath and grabbed the microphone. 29 Vittoria did not remember how they had gotten to the main elevator, but they were there. Ascending. Kohler was behind her, his breathing labored now. Langdon’s concerned gaze passed through her like a ghost. He had taken the fax from her hand and slipped it in his jacket pocket away from her sight, but the image was still burned into her memory. As the elevator climbed, Vittoria’s world swirled into darkness. Papa! In her mind she reached for him. For just a moment, in the oasis of her memory, Vittoria was with him. She was nine years old, rolling down hills of edelweiss flowers, the Swiss sky spinning overhead. Papa! Papa! Leonardo Vetra was laughing beside her, beaming. â€Å"What is it, angel?† â€Å"Papa!† she giggled, nuzzling close to him. â€Å"Ask me what’s the matter!† â€Å"But you look happy, sweetie. Why would I ask you what’s the matter?† â€Å"Just ask me.† He shrugged. â€Å"What’s the matter?† She immediately started laughing. â€Å"What’s the matter? Everything is the matter! Rocks! Trees! Atoms! Even anteaters! Everything is the matter!† He laughed. â€Å"Did you make that up?† â€Å"Pretty smart, huh?† â€Å"My little Einstein.† She frowned. â€Å"He has stupid hair. I saw his picture.† â€Å"He’s got a smart head, though. I told you what he proved, right?† Her eyes widened with dread. â€Å"Dad! No! You promised!† â€Å"E=MC2!† He tickled her playfully. â€Å"E=MC2!† â€Å"No math! I told you! I hate it!† â€Å"I’m glad you hate it. Because girls aren’t even allowed to do math.† Vittoria stopped short. â€Å"They aren’t?† â€Å"Of course not. Everyone knows that. Girls play with dollies. Boys do math. No math for girls. I’m not even permitted to talk to little girls about math.† â€Å"What! But that’s not fair!† â€Å"Rules are rules. Absolutely no math for little girls.† Vittoria looked horrified. â€Å"But dolls are boring!† â€Å"I’m sorry,† her father said. â€Å"I could tell you about math, but if I got caught†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked nervously around the deserted hills. Vittoria followed his gaze. â€Å"Okay,† she whispered, â€Å"just tell me quietly.† The motion of the elevator startled her. Vittoria opened her eyes. He was gone. Reality rushed in, wrapping a frosty grip around her. She looked to Langdon. The earnest concern in his gaze felt like the warmth of a guardian angel, especially in the aura of Kohler’s chill. A single sentient thought began pounding at Vittoria with unrelenting force. Where is the antimatter? The horrifying answer was only a moment away. 30 â€Å"Maximilian Kohler. Kindly call your office immediately.† Blazing sunbeams flooded Langdon’s eyes as the elevator doors opened into the main atrium. Before the echo of the announcement on the intercom overhead faded, every electronic device on Kohler’s wheelchair started beeping and buzzing simultaneously. His pager. His phone. His E-mail. Kohler glanced down at the blinking lights in apparent bewilderment. The director had resurfaced, and he was back in range. â€Å"Director Kohler. Please call your office.† The sound of his name on the PA seemed to startle Kohler. He glanced up, looking angered and then almost immediately concerned. Langdon’s eyes met his, and Vittoria’s too. The three of them were motionless a moment, as if all the tension between them had been erased and replaced by a single, unifying foreboding. Kohler took his cell phone from the armrest. He dialed an extension and fought off another coughing fit. Vittoria and Langdon waited. â€Å"This is†¦ Director Kohler,† he said, wheezing. â€Å"Yes? I was subterranean, out of range.† He listened, his gray eyes widening. â€Å"Who? Yes, patch it through.† There was a pause. â€Å"Hello? This is Maximilian Kohler. I am the director of CERN. With whom am I speaking?† Vittoria and Langdon watched in silence as Kohler listened. â€Å"It would be unwise,† Kohler finally said, â€Å"to speak of this by phone. I will be there immediately.† He was coughing again. â€Å"Meet me†¦ at Leonardo da Vinci Airport. Forty minutes.† Kohler’s breath seemed to be failing him now. He descended into a fit of coughing and barely managed to choke out the words, â€Å"Locate the canister immediately†¦ I am coming.† Then he clicked off his phone. Vittoria ran to Kohler’s side, but Kohler could no longer speak. Langdon watched as Vittoria pulled out her cell phone and paged CERN’s infirmary. Langdon felt like a ship on the periphery of a storm†¦ tossed but detached. Meet me at Leonardo da Vinci Airport. Kohler’s words echoed. The uncertain shadows that had fogged Langdon’s mind all morning, in a single instant, solidified into a vivid image. As he stood there in the swirl of confusion, he felt a door inside him open†¦ as if some mystic threshold had just been breached. The ambigram. The murdered priest/scientist. The antimatter. And now†¦ the target. Leonardo da Vinci Airport could only mean one thing. In a moment of stark realization, Langdon knew he had just crossed over. He had become a believer. Five kilotons. Let there be light. Two paramedics materialized, racing across the atrium in white smocks. They knelt by Kohler, putting an oxygen mask on his face. Scientists in the hall stopped and stood back. Kohler took two long pulls, pushed the mask aside, and still gasping for air, looked up at Vittoria and Langdon. â€Å"Rome.† â€Å"Rome?† Vittoria demanded. â€Å"The antimatter is in Rome? Who called?† Kohler’s face was twisted, his gray eyes watering. â€Å"The Swiss†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He choked on the words, and the paramedics put the mask back over his face. As they prepared to take him away, Kohler reached up and grabbed Langdon’s arm. Langdon nodded. He knew. â€Å"Go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kohler wheezed beneath his mask. â€Å"Go†¦ call me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Then the paramedics were rolling him away. Vittoria stood riveted to the floor, watching him go. Then she turned to Langdon. â€Å"Rome? But†¦ what was that about the Swiss?† Langdon put a hand on her shoulder, barely whispering the words. â€Å"The Swiss Guard,† he said. â€Å"The sworn sentinels of Vatican City.† 31 The X-33 space plane roared into the sky and arched south toward Rome. On board, Langdon sat in silence. The last fifteen minutes had been a blur. Now that he had finished briefing Vittoria on the Illuminati and their covenant against the Vatican, the scope of this situation was starting to sink in. What the hell am I doing? Langdon wondered. I should have gone home when I had the chance! Deep down, though, he knew he’d never had the chance. Langdon’s better judgment had screamed at him to return to Boston. Nonetheless, academic astonishment had somehow vetoed prudence. Everything he had ever believed about the demise of the Illuminati was suddenly looking like a brilliant sham. Part of him craved proof. Confirmation. There was also a question of conscience. With Kohler ailing and Vittoria on her own, Langdon knew that if his knowledge of the Illuminati could assist in any way, he had a moral obligation to be here. There was more, though. Although Langdon was ashamed to admit it, his initial horror on hearing about the antimatter’s location was not only the danger to human life in Vatican City, but for something else as well. Art. The world’s largest art collection was now sitting on a time bomb. The Vatican Museum housed over 60,000 priceless pieces in 1,407 rooms – Michelangelo, da Vinci, Bernini, Botticelli. Langdon wondered if all of the art could possibly be evacuated if necessary. He knew it was impossible. Many of the pieces were sculptures weighing tons. Not to mention, the greatest treasures were architectural – the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Michelangelo’s famed spiral staircase leading to the Museo Vaticano – priceless testaments to man’s creative genius. Langdon wondered how much time was left on the canister. â€Å"Thanks for coming,† Vittoria said, her voice quiet. Langdon emerged from his daydream and looked up. Vittoria was sitting across the aisle. Even in the stark fluorescent light of the cabin, there was an aura of composure about her – an almost magnetic radiance of wholeness. Her breathing seemed deeper now, as if a spark of self-preservation had ignited within her†¦ a craving for justice and retribution, fueled by a daughter’s love. Vittoria had not had time to change from her shorts and sleeveless top, and her tawny legs were now goose-bumped in the cold of the plane. Instinctively Langdon removed his jacket and offered it to her. â€Å"American chivalry?† She accepted, her eyes thanking him silently. The plane jostled across some turbulence, and Langdon felt a surge of danger. The windowless cabin felt cramped again, and he tried to imagine himself in an open field. The notion, he realized, was ironic. He had been in an open field when it had happened. Crushing darkness. He pushed the memory from his mind. Ancient history. Vittoria was watching him. â€Å"Do you believe in God, Mr. Langdon?† The question startled him. The earnestness in Vittoria’s voice was even more disarming than the inquiry. Do I believe in God? He had hoped for a lighter topic of conversation to pass the trip. A spiritual conundrum, Langdon thought. That’s what my friends call me. Although he studied religion for years, Langdon was not a religious man. He respected the power of faith, the benevolence of churches, the strength religion gave to many people†¦ and yet, for him, the intellectual suspension of disbelief that was imperative if one were truly going to â€Å"believe† had always proved too big an obstacle for his academic mind. â€Å"I want to believe,† he heard himself say. Vittoria’s reply carried no judgment or challenge. â€Å"So why don’t you?† He chuckled. â€Å"Well, it’s not that easy. Having faith requires leaps of faith, cerebral acceptance of miracles – immaculate conceptions and divine interventions. And then there are the codes of conduct. The Bible, the Koran, Buddhist scripture†¦ they all carry similar requirements – and similar penalties. They claim that if I don’t live by a specific code I will go to hell. I can’t imagine a God who would rule that way.† â€Å"I hope you don’t let your students dodge questions that shamelessly.† The comment caught him off guard. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Mr. Langdon, I did not ask if you believe what man says about God. I asked if you believed in God. There is a difference. Holy scripture is stories†¦ legends and history of man’s quest to understand his own need for meaning. I am not asking you to pass judgment on literature. I am asking if you believe in God. When you lie out under the stars, do you sense the divine? Do you feel in your gut that you are staring up at the work of God’s hand?† Langdon took a long moment to consider it. â€Å"I’m prying,† Vittoria apologized. â€Å"No, I just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Certainly you must debate issues of faith with your classes.† â€Å"Endlessly.† â€Å"And you play devil’s advocate, I imagine. Always fueling the debate.† Langdon smiled. â€Å"You must be a teacher too.† â€Å"No, but I learned from a master. My father could argue two sides of a Mobius Strip.† Langdon laughed, picturing the artful crafting of a Mobius Strip – a twisted ring of paper, which technically possessed only one side. Langdon had first seen the single-sided shape in the artwork of M. C. Escher. â€Å"May I ask you a question, Ms. Vetra?† â€Å"Call me Vittoria. Ms. Vetra makes me feel old.† He sighed inwardly, suddenly sensing his own age. â€Å"Vittoria, I’m Robert.† â€Å"You had a question.† â€Å"Yes. As a scientist and the daughter of a Catholic priest, what do you think of religion?† Vittoria paused, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes. â€Å"Religion is like language or dress. We gravitate toward the practices with which we were raised. In the end, though, we are all proclaiming the same thing. That life has meaning. That we are grateful for the power that created us.† Langdon was intrigued. â€Å"So you’re saying that whether you are a Christian or a Muslim simply depends on where you were born?† â€Å"Isn’t it obvious? Look at the diffusion of religion around the globe.† â€Å"So faith is random?† â€Å"Hardly. Faith is universal. Our specific methods for understanding it are arbitrary. Some of us pray to Jesus, some of us go to Mecca, some of us study subatomic particles. In the end we are all just searching for truth, that which is greater than ourselves.† Langdon wished his students could express themselves so clearly. Hell, he wished he could express himself so clearly. â€Å"And God?† he asked. â€Å"Do you believe in God?† Vittoria was silent for a long time. â€Å"Science tells me God must exist. My mind tells me I will never understand God. And my heart tells me I am not meant to.† How’s that for concise, he thought. â€Å"So you believe God is fact, but we will never understand Him.† â€Å"Her,† she said with a smile. â€Å"Your Native Americans had it right.† Langdon chuckled. â€Å"Mother Earth.† â€Å"Gaea. The planet is an organism. All of us are cells with different purposes. And yet we are intertwined. Serving each other. Serving the whole.† Looking at her, Langdon felt something stir within him that he had not felt in a long time. There was a bewitching clarity in her eyes†¦ a purity in her voice. He felt drawn. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, let me ask you another question.† â€Å"Robert,† he said. Mr. Langdon makes me feel old. I am old! â€Å"If you don’t mind my asking, Robert, how did you get involved with the Illuminati?† Langdon thought back. â€Å"Actually, it was money.† Vittoria looked disappointed. â€Å"Money? Consulting, you mean?† Langdon laughed, realizing how it must have sounded. â€Å"No. Money as in currency.† He reached in his pants pocket and pulled out some money. He found a one-dollar bill. â€Å"I became fascinated with the cult when I first learned that U.S. currency is covered with Illuminati symbology.† Vittoria’s eyes narrowed, apparently not knowing whether or not to take him seriously. Langdon handed her the bill. â€Å"Look at the back. See the Great Seal on the left?† Vittoria turned the one-dollar bill over. â€Å"You mean the pyramid?† â€Å"The pyramid. Do you know what pyramids have to do with U.S. history?† Vittoria shrugged. â€Å"Exactly,† Langdon said. â€Å"Absolutely nothing.† Vittoria frowned. â€Å"So why is it the central symbol of your Great Seal?† â€Å"An eerie bit of history,† Langdon said. â€Å"The pyramid is an occult symbol representing a convergence upward, toward the ultimate source of Illumination. See what’s above it?† Vittoria studied the bill. â€Å"An eye inside a triangle.† â€Å"It’s called the trinacria. Have you ever seen that eye in a triangle anywhere else?† Vittoria was silent a moment. â€Å"Actually, yes, but I’m not sure†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It’s emblazoned on Masonic lodges around the world.† â€Å"The symbol is Masonic?† â€Å"Actually, no. It’s Illuminati. They called it their ‘shining delta.’ A call for enlightened change. The eye signifies the Illuminati’s ability to infiltrate and watch all things. The shining triangle represents enlightenment. And the triangle is also the Greek letter delta, which is the mathematical symbol for – â€Å" â€Å"Change. Transition.† Langdon smiled. â€Å"I forgot I was talking to a scientist.† â€Å"So you’re saying the U.S. Great Seal is a call for enlightened, all-seeing change?† â€Å"Some would call it a New World Order.† Vittoria seemed startled. She glanced down at the bill again. â€Å"The writing under the pyramid says Novus†¦ Ordo†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Novus Ordo Seculorum,† Langdon said. â€Å"It means New Secular Order.† â€Å"Secular as in non religious?† â€Å"Nonreligious. The phrase not only clearly states the Illuminati objective, but it also blatantly contradicts the phrase beside it. In God We Trust.† Vittoria seemed troubled. â€Å"But how could all this symbology end up on the most powerful currency in the world?† â€Å"Most academics believe it was through Vice President Henry Wallace. He was an upper echelon Mason and certainly had ties to the Illuminati. Whether it was as a member or innocently under their influence, nobody knows. But it was Wallace who sold the design of the Great Seal to the president.† â€Å"How? Why would the president have agreed to – â€Å" â€Å"The president was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Wallace simply told him Novus Ordo Seculorum meant New Deal.† Vittoria seemed skeptical. â€Å"And Roosevelt didn’t have anyone else look at the symbol before telling the Treasury to print it?† â€Å"No need. He and Wallace were like brothers.† â€Å"Brothers?† â€Å"Check your history books,† Langdon said with a smile. â€Å"Franklin D. Roosevelt was a well-known Mason.† How to cite Angels Demons Chapter 28-31, Essay examples

Ignorance And Racism Essay Example For Students

Ignorance And Racism Essay Ignorance and RacismJoseph Conrad develops themes of personal power, individual responsibility, and social justice in his book Heart of Darkness. His book has all the trappings of the conventional adventure tale mystery, exotic setting, escape, suspense, unexpected attack.Chinua Achebe concluded, Conrad, on the other hand, is undoubtedly one of the great stylists of modern fiction and a good story-teller into the bargain (Achebe 252). Yet, despite Conrads great story telling, he has also been viewed as a racist by some of his critics. Achebe, Singh, and Sarvan, although their criticisim differ, are a few to name. Normal readers usually are good at detecting racism in a book. Achebeacknowledges Conrad camouflaged racism remarks, saying, But Conrad chose his subject well one which was guaranteed not to put him in conflict with psychological pre- disposition. .. (Achebe, 253). Having gone back and rereading Heart of Darkness, but this time reading between the lines, I have discovered some racism Conrad felt toward the natives that I had not discovered the first time I read the book. Racism is portrayed in Conrads book, but one must acknowledge that back in the eighteen hundreds society conformed to it. Conrad probably would have been criticized as being soft hearted rather than a racist back in his time.Conrad constantly referred to the natives, in his book, as black savages, niggers, brutes, and them, displaying ignorance toward the African history and racism towards the African people. Conrad wrote, Black figures strolled out listlessly. .. the beaten nigger groaned somewhere (Conrad 28). They passed me with six inches, without a glance, with the complete, deathlike indifference of unhappy savages (Conrad 19). Achebe, also,detected Conrads frequent use of unorthodox name calling, Certainly Conrad had a problem with niggers. His in ordinate love of that word itself should be of interest to psychoanalysts (Achebe 258).Conrad uses Marlow, the main character in the book, as a narrator so he himself can enter the story and tell it through his own philosophical mind. Conrad used double speak throughout his book. Upon arriving at the first station, Marlow commented what he observed. They were dying slowly it was very clear. They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now, nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation lying confusedly in the greenish gloom (Conrad 20). Marlow felt pity toward the natives, yet when he met the stations book keeper he changed his views of the natives. Moreover I respected the fellow. Yes. I respected his collars, his vast cuffs, his brushed hair. His appearance was certainly great demoralization of the land he kept up his appearance (Conrad 21). Marlow praised the book keeper as if he felt its the natives fault for living in such waste. the bureaucracy only cared about how he looked and felt.The bookeeper did not care for the natives who were suffering less than fifty feet from him. He stated the natives werent criminals but were being treated as if they were, but at the same time he respected the book keeper on his looks instead of despising him for his indifference. Conrad considered the Africans inferior and doomed people.Frances B. Singh, author of The Colonialistic Bias of Heart of Darkness said The African natives, victims of Belgian exploitation, are described as shapes, shadows, and bundles of acute angles, so as to show the dehumanizing effect of colonialist rule on the ruled (269-270). Another similar incident of double speak appeared on the death of Marlows helmsman. Marlow respected the helmsman, yet when the natives blood poured into Marlows shoes, To tell you the truth, I was morbidity anxious to change my shoes and socks (Conrad 47). How can someone respect yet feel disgusted towards someone?Singh looks into this question by stating, The reason of course, is because he (Marlow) never completely grants them (natives) human status: at the best they are a species of superior hyena (Singh 273). As I have mentioned before, Conrad was not only racist but also ignorant. He would often mix ignorance with racism when he described the natives. .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 , .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 .postImageUrl , .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 , .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458:hover , .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458:visited , .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458:active { border:0!important; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458:active , .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458 .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u11561c668a117d124f89b71a24327458:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Life On Other Planets Essay They howled and leaped and spun and made horrid faces, but what thrilled you was just the thought of their humanity like yours the thought of your remote kinship with this wild and passionate uproar. Ugly (Conrad 35). The prehistoric man was cursing us, praying to us, welcoming us who could tell? (Conrad 37). The end result of Conrads ignorance of not knowing the behavior of African people concluded his division of the social world into two separate categories: us, the Europeans, and them, the Africans. Achebe concludes Conrads ignorance towards the natives by stating, Heart of Darkness projects the image of Africa as the other world, a place where mans vaunted intelligence and ferment are finally mocked by triumphant bestiality (252). Heart of Darkness was written, consciously or unconsciously, from a colonialistic point of view (Singh 278). Conrad didnt write his book to the extreme of racism.Overall, the natives appeared better humans than the Europeans in Heart of Darkness.Conrads ignorance led to his conformity to racism. His ignorance of not completely granting the natives human status leads him to social categorization. C. P. Sarvan wrote in his criticism, quoting Achebe, Racism and the Heart of Darkness, Conrad sets up Africa as a foil to Europe, a place of negations. .. in comparison with which Europes own state of spiritual grace will be manifest. Africa is the other world,. .. (281).Achebe, Chinua [An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrads Heart of Darkness. ]Heart of Darkness. By Joseph Conrad 3rd ed. Ed. Robert Kimbrough. New York: Norton Critical 1988.Conrad, Joseph Heart of Darkness 3rd ed. Ed. Robert Kimbrough. New York: Norton Critical, 1988.Sarvan, C. P. [Racism and the Heart of Darkness. ] Heart of Darkness. By Joseph Conrad 3rd ed. Ed. Robert Kimbrough. New York: Norton Critical 1988.Singh, Frances B. Heart of Darkness. By Joseph Conrad 3rd ed. Ed. Robert Kimbrough. New York: Norton Critical 1988.

Iago Analysis Essay Example For Students

Iago Analysis Essay Shakespeare’s Iago is one of Shakespeare’s most complex villains. At first glance Iago’s character seems to be pure evil. However, such a villain would distract from the impact of the play and would be trite. Shakespeare to add depth to his villain makes him amoral, as opposed to the typical immoral villain. Iago’s entire scheme begins when the â€Å"ignorant, ill-suited† Cassio is given the position he desired. Iago is consumed with envy and plots to steal the position he feels he most justly deserves. Iago deceives, steals, and kills to gain that position. However, it is not that Iago pushes aside is conscience to commit these acts, but that he lacks a conscience to begin with. Iago’s amorality can be seen throughout the play and is demonstrated by his actions. For someone to constantly lie and deceive one’s wife and friends, one must be extremely evil or, in the case of Iago, amoral. In every scene in which Iago speaks one can point out his deceptive manner. Iago tricks Othello into beleiving that his own wife is having an affair, without any concrete proof. Othello is so caught up in Iago’s lies that he refuses to believe Desdemona when she denies the whole thing. Much credit must be given to Iago’s diabolical rowess which enables him to bend and twist the supple minds of his friends and spouse. In today’s society Iago would be called a psychopath without a conscience not the devil incarnate. Iago also manages to steal from his own friend without the slightest feeling of guilt. He embezzles the money that Roderigo gives him to win over Desdemona. When Roderigo discovers that Iago has been hoarding his money he screams at Iago and threatens him. However, when Iago tells him some fanciful plot in order to capture Desdemona’s heart Roderigo forgets Iago’s theft and agrees to kill Cassio. Iago’s keen intellect is what intrigues the reader most. His ability to say the right things at the right time is what makes him such a successful villain. However, someone with a conscience would never be able to keep up such a ploy and deceive everyone around him. This is why it is necessary to say that Iago is amoral, because if you don’t his character becomes fictional and hard to believe. At the climactic ending of the play, Iago’s plot is given away to Othello by his own wife, Emilia. Iago sees his wife as an obstacle and a nuisance so he kills her. He kills her not as much out of anger but for pragmatic reasons. Emilia is a stumbling block in front of his ath. She serves no purpose to him anymore and she can now only hurt his chances of keeping the position he has been given by Othello. Iago’s merciless taking of Emilia’s and Roderigo’s lives is another proof of his amorality. If one looks in modern day cinema, one will see the trite villain, evil to the core. Shakespeare took his villains to a higher level. He did not make them transparent like the villains of modern cinema. He gave his villains depth and spirit. Iago is a perfect example of â€Å"Shakespeare’s villain. † His amorality and cynicism give, what would be a very dull character, life.

Worship of twins in Yoruba Nigeria free essay sample

The Yoruba tribe of Nigeria are said to have one of the worlds largest proportions of multiple births. Of every 1000 births there Is about 45-twln birth. It is felt that It was as a result of this large proportion of twin births that the tradition of Ere IbeJl was founded. Ere IbeJl Is a wooden carving which Is said to represent the splrlt of a twln/s that has died. The British explorer Richard Landers gave one of the first documented accounts of the custom of ere ibeji. In April 1830 He wrote in his journal many women with little wooden figures of children on their heads passed us in the course f the morning. Ere means scared image, Ibi means to be born and Eji means two. upon the death of one of the twin or both twins the parent of the dead child would commission an Ere IbeJi. It was said that the Yorubas believed in immortality and reincarnation of a soul. We will write a custom essay sample on Worship of twins in Yoruba Nigeria or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Therefore they felt that when a twin died, the life of the living twin was In danger. To counteract this and create unity with the splrlt a IbeJi would be commissioned. It should be noted that when one twin died only one IbeJl would be commissioned, It was only when both twins died that two IbeJls would be commissioned. To commission the carving of an Ere Ibe]i the parents would have to go through a number of set procedures which included consulting as lfa diviner known as babalawo which was essentially a mediator between the spirit world and the living world. Upon their consultation with the babalawo they would be directed to an appointed carver who would be commissioned to create the ere ibJei. The father of the renowned carver Lamlde Fakeye was a carver of ere bell.. Larnldl Fakeye writes of his personal experience as a son of four generations of Yoruba traditional carvers In Inurlns compound In lla-orangun. He recounts I remember ow happy I was in those days when my father was commissioned to carve an ere ibeji, it always seemed like a festive period. The reason for Lamide Fakeyes joy was because once a carver had been commissioned to create and ere ibeji he would be given many items including food and drink, which would last him for the length of time it took him to create the ibeJi. upon com pletion of the ibeji the mother and father would celebrate and invite friends and family to come and celebrate the arrival of the Ibeji in their home. The mother would take care of the ibeJi as should would the living child. She would egular bath It and feed It. In The British explore Richard Landers wrote whenever the mothers stopped to take refreshments, a small part of the food was Invariably presented to the lips of these Inanimate memorials lwlns were vlewea as cn 110ren wno Drougnt wealtn ana Joy to tne Tamlly, out It was not always this way. In 1897 Yoruba historian The Revered Samuel Johnson wrote, the custom of killing twins prevailed all over the country in early times. An Ifa priest and scholer confirms this further in his analysis of stories regarding IbeJi when Eniyan delivered, she had twin babies. Aruwe shouted with great xclamation that a monster had been born. she called an Alaaye and said, your affairs are no longer pleasant you are advised to go and throw them away. as a result before daybreak Alaaye went and buried the babies. He buried both of them. One hypothesis of why the birth of twins was viewed with a dim light was that they were unnatural creatures. It was believed at one time that only animals had multiple births and this was due to their promiscuity so for a woman to give birth to twins must mean that she had been promiscuous. One account as to the killing of twins came via a historian called T. J. H Chappel through a study he conducted in 1968. This account stated that in Oyo it was the practice to kill twins with the help of a knife at the neck for at that time people were distrustful of twins. They could not understand why a woman should given birth to two at the same time when she was neither animal nor goat. It is not clear when the practice of killing twins came to an end, but due to the accounts given by various historians and explorers such as Richard Landers and Revered Samuel Johnson, that the practice came to an end sometime in the early or iddle 1700 as the cult of the IbeJi started sometime between 1750 and 1851. As for the reason behind the Yorubas change of beliefs in the way twins were viewed, there are many different versions. One such version claims that King Ayaka the brother of Sango god of thunder put an end to the negative views of twins after his wife gave birth to twins. This version is somewhat endorsed by the fact that IbeJi twins have been found in many Sango shines and in some cases are known as sons of thunder. Other versions as to the changed viewed point of twins suggest that when parents ere allowed to keep their twins alive, they became wealthy people and therefore people began to believe that twins brought wealth. People began to believe that twins were a result of normal sexual intercourse but their uniqueness meant that they were a gift from God. The acceptance of twins also brought about the inevitable rise of the ere IbeJi cult. In modern times, ere IbeJi are appreciated for their earthly beauty, the thoughts and emotions they provoke as well as the history they represent. All the photos of the ibeJis above are from the book-IbeJi The Cult Of Yoruba Twins by George Chemeche