Effects of Television on Children: A Chain Indicating Their Behavior Es

Kate Moody, author of Growing Up On Television The TV Effect, explains that a nine-year-olds effort to slip his teacher a box of poisoned chocolates, a seven-year-olds use of ground glass in the family stew, a seventeen-year-olds re-enactment of a televised rape and murder by bludgeoning the victims head and slashing her throat, and a fifteen-year-olds real-life rerun of a rape with a broomstick televised in the movie Born Innocent are any examples of crimes copied from TV (86). Many children are introduced to the world of picture before they enter school and grow up committing crimes because they were under the influence of television. In Mary L. Gavins article, How TV Affects Your Child, found on KidsHealth.org, which is the most visited website for information about health, behavior, and development from before birth through the teen years, Mary reported that two-thirds of infants and toddlers watch television an average of two hours a day, kids under the age of six watch an av erage of about two hours of television a day, and children between the ages of eight and eighteen years old spend nearly four hours a day in front of a television screen (Gavin). The article found on the Media Awareness Network website, Televisions Impact on Kids, reports that television is one of the most prevalent media influences in kids lives (Media Awareness Network). Lately, reality shows like insalubrious Girls Club and Jersey Shore are being aired because they are full of drama that catches the viewers attention. Children are more than receptive of what they see on TV than adults are and are more likely to mimic those actions. The negative influence of television causes children to absorb and retaliate what they see on TV, which in role cause... ...use. And often, theres no discussion about the consequences of drinking alcohol, doing drugs, smoking cigarettes, and having premarital sex (Gavin). Children who view TV become involved in three processes (1) they are expose to new behaviors and characters, (2) they learn to do or acquire those behaviors, and (3) they eventually accept them as their own (Moody 86-87). Children are attracted to violence, and violence on TV is portrayed as tolerable. As a result, kids show aggressive behavior and learn to handle their problems with violence, which leads to an increase in crime. Also, children that watch shows that contain sexual content are more likely to become involved in sexual activities. Children assimilate everything they see on TV, and they assume behaviors like violence and sex are appropriate, which guides them to actually harness in such activities.

Effects of Television on Children: A Chain Indicating Their Behavior Es

Kate Moody, author of Growing Up On Television The TV Effect, explains that a nine-year-olds effort to slip his teacher a box of poisoned chocolates, a seven-year-olds use of ground glass in the family stew, a seventeen-year-olds re-enactment of a televised rape and murder by bludgeoning the victims head and slashing her throat, and a fifteen-year-olds real-life rerun of a rape with a broomstick televised in the movie Born Innocent atomic number 18 all examples of crimes copied from TV (86). Many children argon introduced to the world of television before they enter school and grow up committing crimes because they were under the influence of television. In bloody shame L. Gavins article, How TV Affects Your Child, nominate on KidsHealth.org, which is the most visited website for information about health, behavior, and development from before birth through the teen years, Mary reported that two-thirds of infants and toddlers remain television an average of two hours a day, kids under the age of six watch an average of about two hours of television a day, and children between the ages of eightsome and eighteen years old spend nearly four hours a day in front of a television screen (Gavin). The article found on the Media Aw arness Network website, Televisions Impact on Kids, reports that television is one of the most prevalent media influences in kids lives (Media Awareness Network). Lately, reality shows same(p) Bad Girls Club and Jersey Shore are being aired because they are full of drama that catches the viewers attention. Children are more receptive of what they chitchat on TV than adults are and are more likely to mimic those actions. The negative influence of television causes children to absorb and retaliate what they see on TV, which in part cause... ...use. And often, theres no discussion about the consequences of drinking alcohol, doing drugs, smoking cigarettes, and having premarital sex (Gavin). Children who view TV become involved in three processes (1) they are exposed to new behaviors and characters, (2) they learn to do or acquire those behaviors, and (3) they eventually accept them as their own (Moody 86-87). Children are attracted to violence, and violence on TV is envisioned as tolerable. As a result, kids show aggressive behavior and learn to handle their problems with violence, which leads to an increase in crime. Also, children that watch shows that contain sexual content are more likely to become involved in sexual activities. Children assimilate everything they see on TV, and they assume behaviors like violence and sex are appropriate, which guides them to in reality undertake in such activities.

Economic Causes of Poverty Essay

Poverty is the deprivation of necessities that that determine the quality of life. These necessities comprises of the basic human needs and better preparation which directly influences the type of employment and income earned and enable one to fight destitution. In October 2008 World Bank revised the poverty withdraw to 1. 25 US dollar per day from 1 US dollar per day. After revision of the poverty line measure, an estimated 1. 4 billion heap were found to live at this poverty line or below (Otlin, 2008). There is an upward poverty trend for instance in 2004, 984 million people were living on or below the line of measure i.e. 1 US dollar whereas in 1981, 1. 9 million were living on or below the poverty line (Weaver & Park, 2007). Among other causes of poverty, scotch causes which include capital flight, unemployment, low income, unfair property laws and unfair trade has really made poverty alleviation in ontogeny countries a complicated issue despite the efforts of these countr ies to fight against poverty. Rapid flow of money outside a estate or any other assets commonly known as capital flight is a major economic cause of poverty.In most cases the guidement is due to instability and reduced returns. Investors move their money from one investment to another, either within the same country or to a different country to avoid high inflation and expect for stability and maturationd returns. Capital flight is mostly witnessed in a country with currency instability and somemultiplication the outflows are intensive thus affecting the whole financial system of the country (Epstein, 2005). The loss of confidence and devaluation of the affected country burdens the citizens and their properties lose the nominal value.This resorts to reduced purchasing power of assets of a country making it very expensive to import goods. Due to devaluation of the economys currency, inflation comes in. Consequently, the currency unit can only purchase fewer goods thus accelera ting poverty. Capital flight also hampers investment which may reduce economic growth of the developing economies. Unemployment is another economic cause of poverty. It usually occurs when one is correct and able to work but there is no work for him/her. The inadequacies of basic human needs and better education are normally as endpointant role of un-employment.A country where there is a higher rate of unemployment, the Growth Domestic Product (GDP) is low since most people are not working. accord Epstein (2005), unemployment is a primary cause of temporal poverty. The moment people get job, they supplement their incomes and thus reduce poverty levels. Sounder further says that poverty increases with increase in unemployment duration. People without jobs can be having skill which can improve crosswayion, but since they keep not been employed, their skills may not be utilized.This can result is low productivity in the country. In other cases, un-employment can be a social cos t to the society. Issues like crimes, terrorism and drug abuse which may be as a result of poverty, marginalization and unemployment are costly to eliminate. Money which can be used to alleviate the living standards is used for contend crimes instead. Unemployment brings income inequality which widens the gap between the rich and the poor. Winefield (2002), points out that unemployment leads to delay in experience gain which reduces productivity.Moreover, in countries which provide job search allowance, the government usance goes high because more people are entitled to these allowances. This can force the government to reduce money given to other crucial sectors for example awkward sector which can be a source of livelihood to the countrys population. Taxes may also increase due to high government ingestion resulting to increase in prices of commodities. Low income means that people will have a limited purchasing power. Winefield (2002) points out that, low income earnings plac e people near or on at the poverty line.He further argues that, raising the incomes by increasing the wages without dismissing their job opportunities has historically minimized poverty rates. According to his research findings, increasing minimum wage will help reduce poverty levels, however minimal. Small household budgets experience the greatest impacts since they have a limited purchasing power. This has facilitated poverty in developing countries. Increases in food prices and an instant steep rise in agricultural commodities is another economic cause of poverty.The rise in food prices can be attributed to increased demand of staple commodities, higher energy prices especially fuel and electricity which affects exile and production costs of agricultural products and farm inputs e. g. fertilizer and pesticides. Food prices may also rise due to lack of alternative market outlets for agricultural product and low yields of cereals (Anker, 2006). Competition between industrial comme rcial organizations is healthy and encouraged by market economies. However, unfair property laws by competitors and use of malicious shipway to gain business mileage e. g.making false and direct attack to a competitor may scare away potential investors. At times it happens despite the fact that a code of conduct has been set to guard against this behavior. Unfair emulation which comprises of all acts and practices during industrial and commercial transactions which are antonym to honest practices may hamper selling and buying of good and services. Unfair competition may include confusion caused in relation to another enterprisingnesss products or its activities, acts that are misleading for instance, false implications of a competitors product, and damaging the goodwill of the competitors.All this may lead to unfair competition which causes decline in sale of goods or services. Eventually, this will translate increased levels of poverty in the affected economies due reduced sale s, exports and other losses that may arise from unfair trade. In conclusion, poverty alleviation is a complex issue to deal with. It requires that all relevant stakeholders get rid of their selfish invade so that they can deal with the root causes of poverty.All causes of poverty ranging from economic, governance, demographic and social factors, environmental factors, if looked into by good governance, transparency in public expenditure, fortify of management capacity and improvement of the public service delivery will help in promoting a competitive private sector environment for emergence and trade regime liberalization. This can contribute greatly to poverty alleviation in the world and especially in developing countries in Africa, Latin the States and East Asia.A fair trade between developed and developing countries is fundamental if the question of poverty in developing countries is ever to be addressed. For instance, respite of trade in Africa has greatly affected the proc ess of integration in business. As a result poverty levels have increased undermining and lowering the livelihoods of olive-sized scale farmers and producers as well as depriving the young people their rights.ReferencesAnker, R. , (2006) Poverty Lines around the World A New Methodology and internationalisticly Comparable Estimates. International Labor Review Journal, Vol. 145Epstein, G. A. , (2005) Capital Flight and Capital Controls in Developing Countries. ISBN 184376931X, 9781843769316, Edward Elgar Publishing. Otlin, J. , (2008) The Causes of Poverty Thinking Critically about a Key sparing Issue. Journal of Social Education, Vol. 72 Weaver, C. & Park, S. , (2007) The Role of the World Bank in Poverty Alleviation and Human Development in the Twenty-First Century An Introduction. globular Governance Journal, Vol. 13 Winefield, A. H, (2002) Unemployment, Underemployment, Occupational Stress and Psychological Well-Being. Australian Journal of Management, Vol. 27

Roles of Gladiators in Roman Society

Gladiators were mostly unfree individuals either condemned criminals, prisoners of wars who had lost their citizenship rights, although, some of them were volunteers who were mostly freedmen or very low classes of freeborn men who chose to be a slave for monetary rewards or for the fame. Gladiators were brought for the purpose of gladiatorial combat and would endure branding, chains, flogging or death by the sword and subjected to a stiff training, fed on a high-energy diet, and given expert medical attention.Gladiators were famously popular in ancient from for s dismantle centuries, from the 3rd century BC to the 4th century AD fairly late in the Public occupied a prominent position in roman society, they would fight in massive amphitheatres, the most famous being the Colosseum in Rome. The games slowly transformed into spectator, a form of mankind execution and was seen by the public as merriment in simpler, rougher times. It escalated as the Romans valued the art of killing and acted as a distraction for its citizens, allowed them to release their violent impulses and aggression within a completely depart social realm.We can clutch that there were gladiatorial fights before this in Rome but were not recorded and the tradition of gladiatorial combats did not create by mental act in Rome but considered to hold back a crap come from the Etruscans. The first recorded gladiatorial fight was in Rome during 264 BC at the funeral of Decimus Iunius Brutus Pera and was organised by his sons to pay honour to their deceased father. Three pairs of gladiators fought against all(prenominal) other to the death at his funeral pyre. It was believed that the ritually shed blood reconciled the dead with the living.We can assume that there were gladiatorial fights before this in Rome, but were not recorded and the tradition of gladiatorial combats did not evolve in Rome but considered to have come from the Etruscans. In Tomb 7 of the necropolis Gaudo near Paestum shows battle between two men wearing attic helmets of South-Italian type, armour and shields attacking each other with spears. This painting could depict the early types of gladiators and provides evidence that suggest Campania may be the origins of gladiators since the first amphitheatre was built there.Also, the historians Livius, Strabo and Silius Italicus state that at Campanian banquets gladiators fought to entertain the even out party. Gladiators were formed into troupes called Familia gladiatorium and owned by a person called Ianista who recruited, arranged for training and made decisions of where and when the gladiators fought. The gladiators were first asses by a Lanista, a doctor and gladiator trainers when ledger entry gladiator school to commence training. Gladiator trainers who worked in schools were often retired gladiators who specialised in specific combat styles and weapons.There were different types of gladiators who focussed on different fighting styles and weapons t hat suited them. For example, those who fought in heavy armour weighed them down and were slower which made them require different techniques, while gladiators in light armour were fast and light. The gladiators did not wear Roman military amour since it would send the wrong political signal to the people. Instead they used the weaponry of non-Roman people, to play the role of the enemies. A woody pole called a palus was used to practice moves with a sword, it allowed a gladiator o practise various strokes such as thrusting, cutting, and slicing.Trained gladiators had the possibility of surviving and even thriving. Some gladiators did not fight more than two or three times a year, and the best of them became popular heroes. After each fight they were paid, rundown donations from the crowd and if he was able to outlive his opponents in the playing area for 5 years, he would be free and granted citizenship which he could then become a gladiator trainer or a freelance bodyguard. Gla diators were distinguished by the kind of armour they wore, the weapon they use and they style of fighting.Usually gladiators stayed in one category, and matches were compete so that they were 2 different categories of gladiators. Some classes are the Eques began their matches on horseback, but ended in hand-to-hand combat. They wore tunics, bronze helmets, round shields and a long sword. other class was the Hoplomachus who fought with a long spear as well as a short sword or dagger he wore a equipt helmet with crest and long greaves over both legs to protect them since he carried only a small shield, usually round.The attacking class was the Provocator was the most intemperately armed and the only one who wore a pectoral covering the extent of the armour hindered the gladiators ability to dodge making it slower and agile. However, he was pair with another gladiator to assist him. Battles generally took place on the Roman Forum, until the mid 1st-century BC since there was no per manent amphitheatre. In the empurpled period, gladiatorial games were traditionally held twice a year in December and March to mark the end of the year and beginning of spring.Gladiatorial combat involved puppet hunting where the Romans had passion for hunting. For fighting beast, Romans preferred big and dangerous animals bears, bulls, elephants and lions from the far reaches of the Roman Empire. Rarely did the animals survive these hunts though occasionally very few animals survived these hunts and toss off the hunter. Many of wild animals would be slaughter in a day. Usually criminals would battle the animals without weapons or armour and were considered the lowest class of participants in the games.Entry to the games was free. It was seen as a citizens right to see the games, not a luxury. However, there was frequently not enough room, leading to angry scuffles outside. Gladiatorial combat can be seen as an education of Roman values, notably, strength, courage, training/disc ipline, endurance and the contempt of death. In other words, it demonstrated soldierly values by illustrating military ideas by grave cowardly gladiators and praising the victors.The games served as a distraction to the general public of Roman society, by entertaining them was shows that kept them in good humour. The spectacles symbolised the emperor moths power, behaved contrary to their nature, such as the lions which allowed the hares to play in their mouths, and could be interpreted as a clear sign that they had been overwhelmed by a lunge greater than nature, the emperor. During spectacles, execution of criminals were displayed to make it clear that law and order were upheld, and served as a warning to the consequences to any law breakers.The pain inflicted was partnered with the criminals scummy served as a social order by degrading the criminal for the public to witness and regarded as someone who arrogates to himself certain rights to which he is not entitled. Additionall y, provided upheaval that the Romans enjoyed indulging violence, bloodlust and cruelty, this was significant since the citizens of Rome was uneventful the military pursuits and civil war which had kept them entertained were by then over. Whatever happened in the arena, the spectators were on the triumphant side. They found comfort for death wrote Tertullian with typical insight, in murder. Various well know Romans had different attitudes towards the games. Writers like Seneca may have expressed disapproval, but they attended the arena where the games were in process. He described the display as boring and therefore unworthy of the attention of a well-reasoned man. In a letter to a friend, he describes what he saw in the arena during the reign of Emperor Caligula There is nothing so ruinous to good character as to idle absent ones time at some spectacle. Vices have a way of creeping in because of the feeling of pleasure that it brings.Why do you think that I say that I personally return from shows greedier, more ambitious and more given to luxury, and I might add, with thoughts of greater cruelty and less humanity, simply because I have been among earth? Seneca was not alone in his view, Cicero, is widely opposed to gladiatorial games, wrote, A gladiatorial show is apt to seem cruel and brutal to some eyes, and I incline to think that it is, as now conducted, but in the days when it was criminals who crossed swords in the death struggled there could be no better shoal against pain and death.Ultimately, Cicero was not totally opposed to the idea of gladiatorial games but the concept of using free men as gladiators was cruel. The attitudes of high acculturation Romans, Cicero and Seneca differed to those of the general public. Their opinion on gladiatorial games was that they were flawed and inhumane and disapproved of it. A century and a half later, Pliny the younger too had no taste for the brutalities and wrong-doing of the gladiatorial shows.In his l etter to Sempronius Rufus, he states that he wished that they would be abolished in Tome, as they degrade the character and morals of the whole world. Recommendations were given to soldiers to watch gladiatorial displays to take note of how gladiators fought without fear, because they represented the moral qualities which were required for a good soldier. Victorious gladiators conquered death by displaying his superior over his opponent. Even if the gladiator had to die he died the death of a Roman citizen through the sword.Besides, their lives were seen as models of courage and military discipline. One can conclude that, gladiators were criminals, having lost their citizen rights, who had no choice to become a gladiator, although, some citizens freely accepted being a gladiator for the rewards. The public admired and worshiped gladiators even though they were criminals they displayed great courage and strength in their battles. It took the publics minds of things providing them wit h a great spectacle entertained them and taking their minds of other issues.This was extremely popular to the Romans since they enjoyed violence and cruelty. Executions, made upheld Roman law for the public to witness armed service as the possible consequences if an individual breached it. Soldiers took note of the valiance and heroism fighting with no fear displaying qualities essentially for any Roman soldier. Thus, gladiatorial combat was a display of nerve and skill which held a lot of importance in the culture and history of Ancient Rome.

Kingfisher Airlines Essay

BackgroundKingfisher airlines started out as a UB group subsidy, a USD 2 billion diversified conglomerate, which holds much than 60 companies under it which are associated with study industries. The United Breweries group owned the kingfisher airlines. Kingfisher airlines had then commenced its commercial operations in the twelvemonth 2005 on the 9th of May. Operating with a fleet of four new Airbus A320-200s, kingfisher airlines had its first travel from Mumbai to Delhi. Subsequently the airliner had unconstipated commenced its international maneuvers on the 3rd of September 2008, by interlinking Bangalore and London. However it face up a worsening economic scenario since 2008. The mighty airlines in the present day scenario is facing m whatever bankruptcy problems, pushing the airline to ground many of its destinations and aircrafts. innovationIt was the year 2006, when kingfisher airlines got listed in the stock exchange after it had been setup in the year 2003. The present day situation for KFA is that it has a staggering Rs.8200 Crore debt and the currency to commit for institute the sack, salaries and airport fees etc. is running out. Due to this KFA has lost all its hopes and has pleaded the government to give them a totalbailout but according to market analysts, the actual flaws in KFAs trade plans and the functioning are ascribable to the endless woes of it , which is the major root problem of the airline. So my research question for the current commentary would be Will kingfisher airlines be able to recover from the present debt crisis using the current financial strategies?Syllabus area coveredSWOT analysisCurrent proportion AnalysisGPM and NPM ratios Analysis of the balance sheetFindingsWhen Deccan Aviations Captain G.R Gopinath was looking forward to selling send off his airline, then is when Vijay Mallya who kept denying that he couldnt crimson think of buying an airline whose business organization prototype is so different than t hat of his had suddenly put in his bid and apparently clinched the deal. It was an fire deal because KFA had got the license to fly immediately and got immediate listing as soon as it purchased Deccan Aviation but it was not all good, along with the goodies they had even acquired the detrimentes incurred by the airline.The relay station group of the airline that is the UB Group had an experienced set of officials to run its business which majorly includes Vijay Mallya himself. The Airliners second problem was that its chairman was playing like an absentee landlord and was concentrating on his other business. The third mistake that Kingfisher Airlines had made was that they could have first consolidated its domestic operations and then got into international flying as then the competition increases a lot and only those with enormous money re beginnings survive.SWOT AnalysisStrengthsWeaknessesStrong brand imageFinancial support from the lifter that is the UB group.First Indian ca rrier that started out with a whole new fleet of planes. Quality service and innovationFinancial issues due to heavy debt getThe laying off of employees has caused a bad image.The maintenance be were very high at ground and airline level. The association still has not met its breakeven.The just the ticket pricing was very high, not in the affordable range of the commoners unlike its competitors which are priced economically.OpportunitiesThreatsPoor service of air India and problems of strikes in jet airways. Growth in air travel, the number of passengers has change magnitude. Route Rationalization cutting down business in un cabbageable sectors and services to cities.1 Debt Recast Kingfisher Airlines must ask the banks to reduce the cheer rates of the loans and possibly find a local investor to invest some money in their business2. Low cost carriers obtaining the larger market share.Fuel costs also have increased subsequently.Economic slowdownInfrastructure constraintsBanks wi ll aver on severe security before giving in any more loans which they need for their operational costs. Some banks may even go up to the extent of calling in all their debt. The airlines performer funds will be tapped, which will put pressure on the finances of the UB groupCurrent Ratio AnalysisIt can be defined as the lodges ability to meet its short term maturing obligations. The current ratio is calculated using this formula Current Assets/Current Liabilities. For the year 2012 (as of march 31st) = 16188.35/84428.04 = 0.19 (all values in million INR) For the year 2011 (as of march 31st) = 29738.26/55255.85 = 0.54 (all values in million INR) 3 http//www.marketing91.com/swot-kingfisher-airlines/4 http//m.outlookindia.com/story.aspx?sid=4&aid=279017It can be reckonn that the current ratio has decreased from the year 2011 to2012 which indicates a threat to the company as the debt to assets has significantly increased and has not yet been repaid in the right model to improve and c ome out of the debt crisis.Following is a graph that shows the plotting based on the balance sheet3. We can see that the current ratio is less than 11 for both the years which indicates that the short term debts of the business are much greater than its liquid assets, which could spell disaster for its survival if creditors demand payment. Which is the showcase for kingfisher airlines as there crisis has been increasing and increasing as there are no sources for revenue that can be used to pay out even a part of the debt. If the companys current ratio falls below 1, it implies that the company has a negative working majuscule, it is then required for the business to take a closer look at the business and there are no liquidity issues.If the ratio is drastically below 1 it implies that the company has inventories that can be converted into cash and this involves to be seriously concerned into the working which when neglected can lead to a financial crisis like in the case of Kingfi sher Airlines. When observed in the financial values the income from operations has increased drastically from march 31st 2011 to march 31st 2012 which can be accounted to the loss in operations and trade. If we observe the employee costs also have been cut down on a large note due to the laying off of the employees and staff members. The aircraft lease rental has been subsidized as the fleet of Kingfisher airlines has decreased.If we compare the quarters amidst December 31st 2011 and march 31st 2012, we can see that the aircraft fuel expenses are more or less the same, which shows a loophole as to why is there still such high fuel expenses even though the operations and fleet have been reduced or more close to being closed. The losses between the same periods have almost increased more than double the times. Hence we see the net losses of the company to increase from (44.426.95) to (115,152.60) lacs which shows the growing debt crisis of Kingfisher Airlines.Price Movement and Perf ormance Charts of Kingfisher AirlinesIndex Comparison and Ownership fig of Kingfisher AirlinesSourcehttp//www.bseindia.com/bseplus/StockReach/AdvanceStockReach.aspx?scripcode=532747From the above graphs, it can be clearly seen of what the past, present and future trend of Kingfisher Airlines is going to look like in the respective areas mentioned above.GPM (Gross profit margin)For the year 2011-4.8%For the year 201238.2%It can be seen that the gross profit has been depreciating at an exponential rate which shows that there is absolutely no scope of business for kingfisher airlines, as its functioning and sales have gone down on a drastic rate, thus leading to its mounting losses. NPM (Net Profit Margin)For the year 201121.1%For the year 2012382.01%When we calculate the net profit for the company we can observe the change in it from the year 2011 and 2012 there is difference of about 360% which shows the enormity of the debt that kingfisher airlines is heading towards. The companys market share has also shrunk a lot due to the onboard crisis. Below is the pictorial representation of the difference in the market share of kingfisher airlines between the financial year 2011 and 2012.FOR THE YEAR 2011FOR THE YEAR 2012AnalysisIt can be seen that Kingfisher Airlines has gone for public issue before it obtained Deccan Airlines so a part of the money might have been raised from /the money gained out of it. The UB group was the promoter of the company so it had the maximum stake in the Airlines but lately due to the debt crisis its stake is being diluted in order to issue them to other public who can invest money and might raise some capital for the business, doing so it is raising financial pressure on the UB Group. The Going concern status of kingfisher airlines has already been lost which might pose a threat for investors place in the company which might lead to very bleak chances of survival.ProblemsFuel duesKingfisher Airlines had been a nonpayer of fuel bills wh ich lead to many problems for the airliner. HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited) had abridged the supplies of fuel for the airliner in lieu of non-payment of overdue fuel bills. Delayed Salary Kingfisher Airlines had not paid salaries to its employees from October 2011 to January 2012, which had caused employee dissatisfaction. It had also been noted that the tax cut from the employees income at the source was also defaulted while paying to the tax department. There was a delay in the aircraft lease rentals which has to be paid to GE Commercial Aviation Services, which afterward lead to repossession of four A320 aircrafts.Airport Authority of India had slammed notices on kingfisher for a due on bills which amounted to about 255.06 crore INR. This had happened because the airliner was working on a cash and carry prat with a daily expense of 0.8 crore INR. Kingfisher Airlines had even service tax arrears which invited the possibility of legal action against the airliner. K ingfisher Airlines was declared as a Non Performing Asset (NPA) by the banks that had lent money for the airliner to carry out its business. Later, KFA suffered more problems such as erosion of net worth, frozen bank accounts, much of its fleet being grounded and light frame of ticket sales by International Air Transport Association (IATA).Kingfisher Airlines share price from Sep-2010 to Sep-2011Measures TakenRevenue InventivenessOne world coalescency membership would allow KFA to have incoming inlandpassenger growth. Co-branded Credit Cards Kingfisher Airlines had issues the King Club ICICI co-brand card as ICICI bank is one of its major lenders. Kingfisher Express DTD (Door to Door) Cargo express services to capture the under penetrated air-cargo delivery service. Cost Reduction inventivenessStreamlining distribution channels.Renegotiating vendor agreements airport and fuel discounts, operating(a) leases at a discount. Control over discretionary spend reduction in rentals, c ost of transport, local conveyance and communication. Optimize space. Operational efficiency pitch on fuel consumption.Equity infusionDebt Re-schedulementCapitalization of its expenses which would lead to the increase in the net income, reduce the stockholder equity and total assets will plenty for the same amount of expenses.Strategies for Kingfisher to come out from its Debt Crisis Rescheduling and restructuring of loans- the unsecured loans must be converted into equity share capital then Kingfisher Airlines can avoid the finance cost of the unsecured portion but the promoters (UB Group) holding will drastically decrease and even the secured loans can be paid in almost the same manner. Thus the banks will have to increase the period of regressment and decrease the rate of interest on the loans which might help KFAs operations and possibly the loans might be cleared. There must be efficient strategies to increase the turnover of the company which includes the change in pricing dodge and making it competitive to its co-airlines.Fuel subsidies from the government KFA must convince the government to give them fuel subsidies by which they can run their airlines and then slowly repay back all its debts. FDI ( Foreign Direct Investment) there is a larger chance of KFA getting merged with some international airline if the FDI limit is increased which will thus lead to the acquisition of Kingfisher Airlines by an international carrier but will be relieved of its debts and would not then effect the promoter group.ConclusionThe present condition of Kingfisher Airlines can be due to a series of reasons but ultimately it was a rise and all of a lusus naturae domestic carrier for India. There are very few chances for the company to bail out from its current situation. The hope of an international merger with Kingfisher might give a ray of hope to the survival of the airlines. If the current debt crisis is not put on hold and keeps increasing, there would be only on e door open for Kingfisher Airlines that is to sell out everything to repay all its debts to banks and lenders thus leading to the ultimate collapse of Kingfisher Airlines.

Italy Tax System

Faculty of Business and Management, Brno University of Technology INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN BUSINNES LAW Tax musical arrangement in Italy 2009/2010 Taxation in Italy The valuateation system in Italy is administered by the Agenzia delle Ent post (Revenue Agency) which is the national legal authority for valuateation. Taxation of an individuals income in Italy is progressive. In otherwise words, the higher the income, the higher the rate of tax reconcileable. There ar reduced grade of tax and tax exemptions available to certain income earners.The liability for Italian income tax depends on where a mortal is domiciled. A domicile is unremarkably the country we regard as the permanent home and where we live around of the year. A foreigner working in Italy for an Italian comp all who became resident in Italy and has no income tax liability abroad is considered to have a tax domicile in Italy. A person can be resident in more than one country at any time, but can be domiciled o nly in one country. The country of domicile is important regarding hereditary pattern tax, as theres no longer any inheritance tax in Italy.Generally, person is considered to be an Italian resident and liable to Italian tax if any of the pastime applies The person has permanent home in Italy He/She stays at least 183 days in Italy during any schedule year Person carries out paid professional activities or employment in Italy, except when secondary to business activities conducted in another country The fondness of persons economic interest in in Italy If the person is registered as a resident in a comune, he/ she is liable to pay income tax in Italy.If a person moves to Italy to take up a job or start a business, he/she must register with the topical anesthetic tax government activity soon after the arrival. This is done at a local tax office. An individual is also liable for tax on his income as an employee and on income as a self-employed person. Tax will be payable on incom e earned in Italy and overseas by an individual who meets the stress of a permanent resident of Italy. A foreign resident who is employed in Italy pays tax only on income earned in Italy.It is important to tiptop out as regards taxable income from outside Italy, that a tax credit is granted for tax set outed outside Italy. In the case of income from a salary, the employer is obligated to deduct the amount of tax payable on a monthly basis. A self-employed person must prepay income tax that will be leg on filing an annual return. The advance payment is throttled on the basis of the return made for the previous year. In the event of a untested business, the advance will be calculated on the basis of estimates made by the owner of the business.The taxation system in Italy is divided into two categories orient taxes * IRPEF or IRE Imposta sui Redditti delle Persone Fisiche ( Personal Income Tax) * IRPEG or IRES Imposta sur Redditi delle Persone Giuridiche (Corportation Tax on the Income of limited liability and joint-stock companies SRL or SpA) * IRAP Imposte Regionale sulle Attivita Produttive (Regional Tax which applies to the assess of goods and services) Italy Personal Income Tax rates in year 2009 * 23%0 15,000(EUR) * 27%15,001-28,000(EUR) * 38%28,001-55,000(EUR) * 41%55,001-75,000(EUR) 43%75,001 and over (EUR) Capital Gains Tax in Italy For individuals bully gains are for the most part added to the regular income. The rate of tax payable on capital gains from shareholding is 12. 5% for non-qualifying shareholding of up to 25% in a company. For the purpose of calculating a capital gain, the gain is decreased in line with the rate of increase in inflation, from the date of purchase to the date of sale. In regard to capital gains in a corporation, identical relief is allowed at the rate of increase in the Index. Companies pay 27. 5% tax on capital gains.In sale of participation, 95% is tax exempt, subject to certain conditions. Italy Reporting Dates and Payment The tax year in Italy ends on December 31st. Advance payments of tax are made on the following basis. An Individual An individual whose only income is from a salary is not obligated to file an annual tax return. His employer deducts tax from the employee and transfers the payment immediately to the tax authorities on a monthly basis. A Self-Employed Individual is obliged to pay 100% of the tax forecast for a year, or an amount that is the homogeneous of 98% of the tax paid in the previous year.The pre-payment is made in two installments. 40% of the total is paid by June 20th and the remaining 60% is paid on November 30. The date for filing an annual return for an individual is July 31. Fines are imposed for arrears in filing an annual return at the rate of 120% 240% of the tax, depending on the length of time that the return is in arrears. A Limited Company A limited company is obligated to submit monetary Statements within 30 days of the date of approval of the Statements. Up until the date of approval of the Statements, the Company is obligated to pay the amount of tax due for the previous year as well as 40% of the advance on account of the tax forecast for the current year. Italy Deduction of Tax at root word Italy Taxation of Employees As regards employed persons, the employer is obligated to deduct tax at source from an employee and to make additional contributions to social security. Italy Social Security An employed person the employers contribution is around 30% of the salary and the employees contribution is around 10% of the salary. A self-employed person the rate of payment is between 17%-25. 7% with an upper limit that changes from year to year. Indirect taxes * IVA (VAT) * Imposta di Registro (Registration Tax) * Imposte Ipotecarie e Catastali (Mortgage and Land Registration) * Imposta di Bollo (Revenue Stamps) * Accise o Imposte di Fabbricazione e consumo (Inland Duties) IVA (VAT) * Standard step 20% (since Oct 1997) Red uced Rate 10% Italy VAT Recovery Time 18 months Italy VAT Registration Threshold Non-Resident Nil Inheritance Tax Gift TaxThere is no longer any tax on inherited airplane propeller, regardless of its value and the relationship between the deceased and the heirs. On immovable post and real property rights, the catastral tax (imposta catastale) and land registry tax (imposta ipotecaria) must be paid at the rates of one percent and two percent, respectively, of the cadastral value of the property or the real property rights included in the inheritance. If one of the beneficiaries satisfies the conditions for the main or only residence (prima casa), the cadastral and land registry taxes due on an inheritance or a gift are a fixed amount of 168 each.In relation to gifts, the rules vary depending on the degree of kinship and the value of the gift. There are no taxes payable on gifts in spare of a spouse, descendants or other relatives up to the fourth degree. Gifts in favour of person s other than those mentioned above are subject to taxes on the transfer if the value of the share due to each beneficiary is greater. early(a) Taxes There are other taxes payable to central, regional, provincial or local governments. These are usually paid once a year. Bollo Auto (Car Tax), which includes the tax on your car radio and the bid duty on your Italian driving licence * Bollo Moto (Motorbike Tax) * Bollo Motorino (Scooter Tax) * Canone RAI (TV Tax) * Tassa Rifiuti (Garbage Tax) * Imposta Comunale Sugli Immobili ICI (Municipal Property Tax) Deductible Burdens and Tax Allowances Tax allowances include the so-called no-tax area, (a deduction of between 3,000 and 7,500 to void taxing those on low incomes), as well as allowances for dependant family members (dependant wife and/or children).Some deductible burdens (oneri deducibili) are expenses which can be apply to reduce the total income. For example some types of medical expenses, national insurance contributions, dona tions to religious institutions, donations to universities, research bodies and associations for the protection of assets of artistic interest, the cadastral income (income deriving from the value of any land owned) of the main residence are considered to be deductible burdens. Some deductible burdens are expenses which can be used to reduce the amount of the common tax due.Again by way of example medical expenses, passive interest on mortgages, education expenses, donations to Bodies or Foundations for research, for performing arts, for social purposes, donations to political parties. each(prenominal) type of expense has its own rules for the deductions. For example from rental property income a fixed amount of 15 percent of the income is deducted for expenses, while from business and self-employed income the expenses uphold for the carrying out of the activity are deducted. Some unearned incomes are taxed only on 40 percent of the amount.The majority of these burdens are not de ductible from the income of non-residents. Other deductions in Italy Deductions must be made from the following payments to nonresidents according to this table * Dividend27 (1. 375% to EU and EEA residents) * Royalties22. 5% * Interest12. 5 / 27% * Directors Remuneration20% Deduction at source in the case of a dividend, royalties and interest paid to foreign residents is subject to the Double Taxation Prevention Treaty. Double Taxation Treaties Double taxation treaties contain rules that determine in which country an individual is resident.Italian residents are taxed on their world-wide income, subject to certain accordance exceptions. Non-residents are normally taxed only on income arising in Italy. Citizens of most other countries are exempt from paying taxes in their home country when they spend a minimum period abroad, e. g. a year. Double taxation treaties are designed to ensure that income that has already been taxed in one treaty country isnt taxed again in another treaty c ountry. The treaty establishes a tax credit or exemption on certain kinds of income, either in the country of residence or the country where the income was earned.Where applicable, a double taxation treaty prevails over domestic law. Italy has double taxation treaties with over 60 countries, including all members of the EU, Australia, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland India, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, RSA, Russia, Singapore, the Slovak Republic, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Turkey, and the US. Bibliography SOCR. CZ. Pravidla pro volny pohyb sluzeb a svobodu usazovani vEU- Italie. online. cit. 2010-04-12. URLhttp//www. ocr. cz/images/prirucka/pdf/it. pdf, cit. 1 BUSINESSINFOCZ. Italie Financni a danovy sektor online. cit. 2010 012. URLhttp//www. businessinfo. cz/cz/sti/italie-financni-a-danovy-sektor/5/1000683/ ANGLOINFO. COM. Personal Taxes Income Tax, Capi tal Gains & Inheritance Tax in Italy. online. cit. 2010 012. URL http//rome. angloinfo. com/countries/italy/tax. asp CANADINTERNATIONAL. GCCA. Income and Other Taxes in Italy. online. cit. 2010 012. http//www. canadainternational. gc. ca/italy-italie/consular_services_consulaires/tax_italy-italie_taxes. aspx? lang=eng

Angels Demons Chapter 49-50

49Langdon and Vittoria stood alone now outside the double doors that led to the inner sanctum of the Secret Archives. The decor in the colonnade was an out or keeping(predicate) mix of wall-to-wall carpets all over marble floors and wireless security cameras gazing subjugate from beside carved cherubs in the ceiling. Langdon dubbed it Sterile Renaissance. Beside the arched ingress hung a small bronze plaque.ARCHIVIO VATICANOCuratore begetter Jaqui TomasoFather Jaqui Tomaso. Langdon recognized the curators name from the rejection letters at home in his desk.Dear Mr. Langdon, It is with regret that I am writing to denyRegret. Bullshit. Since Jaqui Tomasos reign had begun, Langdon had neer met a single non-Catholic American scholar who had been given access to the Secret Vatican Archives. Il gaurdiano, historians called him. Jaqui Tomaso was the toughest librarian on earth.As Langdon pushed the doors open and stepped through the vaulted penetration into the inner sanctum, he half expected to get a line Father Jaqui in full military fatigues and helmet standing guard with a bazooka. The space, as yet, was deserted.Silence. Soft lighting.Archivio Vaticano. wholeness of his life dreams.As Langdons eyes took in the sacred chamber, his first reaction was one of embarrassment. He realized what a callow romantic he was. The images he had held for so m whatever years of this room could non yield been more(prenominal) inaccurate. He had imagined dusty bookshelves piled high with tattered volumes, priests cataloging by the light of candles and stained-glass windows, monks poring over scrolls non even close.At first glance the room appe atomic number 18d to be a darkened airline hangar in which nighone had built a twelve free-standing racquetball courts. Langdon knew of course what the glass-walled enclo legitimates were. He was not surprised to see them humidity and heat eroded antediluvian patriarch vellums and parchments, and proper preservation required he rmitic vaults like these air-tight cubicles that kept out humidity and natural acids in the air. Langdon had been inside tight vaults many times, besides it was always an unsettling experience almostthing about entering an airtight container where the oxygen was regulated by a reference librarian.The vaults were dark, ghostly even, faintly outlined by tiny dome lights at the end of each stack. In the blackamoor of each cell, Langdon perceived the phantom freaks, row upon row of steep stacks, laden with history. This was one hell of a collection.Vittoria also seemed dazzled. She stood beside him staring mutely at the giant transparent cubes.Time was short, and Langdon wasted none of it scanning the dimly lit room for a book catalog a bound encyclopedia that cataloged the librarys collection. every(prenominal) he saw was the glow of a handful of computer terminals dotting the room. Looks like theyve got a Biblion. Their index is computerized.Vittoria looked hopeful. That sh ould speed things up.Langdon wished he shared her enthusiasm, but he sensed this was bad news. He walked to a terminal and began typing. His fears were instantly confirmed. The old-fashioned method would have been better.Why?He stepped back from the monitor. Because real books dont have password protection. I dont suppose physicists are natural born hackers?Vittoria shook her head. I can open oysters, thats about it.Langdon took a deep breath and turned to face the eerie collection of diaphanous vaults. He walked to the nearest one and squinted into the dim interior. Inside the glass were amorphous shapes Langdon recognized as the usual bookshelves, parchment bins, and examination tables. He looked up at the indicator tabs glowing at the end of each stack. As in all libraries, the tabs indicated the contents of that row. He read the headings as he moved down the transparent barrier.Pietro Il Erimito Le Crociate Urbano II LevantTheyre labeled, he said, still walking. But its not alp ha-author. He wasnt surprised. Ancient archives were about never cataloged alphabetically because so many of the authors were unknown. Titles didnt work either because many historical documents were untitled letters or parchment fragments. Most cataloging was done chronologically. Discin one casertingly, however, this recording did not appear to be chronological.Langdon mat up precious time already slipping away. Looks like the Vatican has its own system.What a surprise.He examined the labels again. The documents spanned centuries, but all the keywords, he realized, were interrelated. I think its a thematic classification.Thematic? Vittoria said, sounding like a disapproving scientist. Sounds inefficient.Actually Langdon thought, considering it more closely. This may be the shrewdest cataloging Ive ever seen. He had always urged his students to understand the overall tones and motifs of an artistic period rather than getting lost in the minutia of dates and specific works. The Va tican Archives, it seemed, were cataloged on a similar philosophy. Broad strokesEverything in this vault, Langdon said, feeling more confident now, centuries of material, has to do with the Crusades. Thats this vaults theme. It was all here, he realized. Historical accounts, letters, artwork, socio-political data, modern analyses. all(prenominal) in one place encouraging a deeper reasonableness of a topic. Brilliant.Vittoria frowned. But data can relate to multiple themes simultaneously.Which is why they cross-reference with proxy markers. Langdon pointed through the glass to the colorful plastic tabs inserted among the documents. Those indicate secondary winding documents located elsewhere with their primary themes.Sure, she said, apparently letting it go. She put her hands on her hips and surveyed the enormous space. past she looked at Langdon. So, Professor, whats the name of this Galileo thing were looking for?Langdon couldnt stand by but smile. He still couldnt fathom that he was standing in this room. Its in here, he thought. Somewhere in the dark, its waiting.Follow me, Langdon said. He started briskly down the first aisle, examining the indicator tabs of each vault. Remember how I told you about the Path of Illumination? How the Illuminati recruited new members using an elaborate test?The treasure hunt, Vittoria said, following closely.The scrap the Illuminati had was that aft(prenominal) they placed the markers, they asked some way to tell the scientific community the cartroad existed.Logical, Vittoria said. Otherwise nobody would know to look for it.Yes, and even if they knew the path existed, scientists would have no way of knowing where the path began. Rome is huge.Okay.Langdon proceeded down the next aisle, scanning the tabs as he talked. About fifteen years ago, some historians at the Sorbonne and I uncovered a series of Illuminati letters filled with references to the segno.The sign. The announcement about the path and where it began.Yes . And since then, plenty of Illuminati academics, myself included, have uncovered other references to the segno. It is accepted theory now that the trace exists and that Galileo mass distributed it to the scientific community without the Vatican ever knowing.How?Were not sure, but most likely printed publications. He published many books and newsletters over the years.That the Vatican no doubt saw. Sounds dangerous.True. Nonetheless the segno was distributed.But nobody has ever actually found it?No. Oddly though, wherever allusions to the segno appear Masonic diaries, ancient scientific journals, Illuminati letters it is often referred to by a number.666?Langdon smiled. Actually its 503.Meaning?None of us could ever figure it out. I became fascinated with 503, trying everything to find center in the number numerology, map references, latitudes. Langdon reached the end of the aisle, turned the corner, and hurried to scan the next row of tabs as he spoke. For many years the only clue seemed to be that 503 began with the number five one of the sacred Illuminati digits. He paused.Something tells me you recently figured it out, and thats why were here.Correct, Langdon said, allowing himself a rare moment of pride in his work. argon you familiar with a book by Galileo called Dialogo?Of course. Famous among scientists as the ultimate scientific sellout.Sellout wasnt quite the word Langdon would have used, but he knew what Vittoria meant. In the archeozoic 1630s, Galileo had unavoidablenessed to publish a book endorsing the Copernican heliocentric model of the solar system, but the Vatican would not permit the books release unless Galileo included equally cogent evidence for the churchs geo centric model a model Galileo knew to be dead wrong. Galileo had no choice but to acquiesce to the churchs demands and publish a book large equal time to two the accurate and inaccurate models.As you probably know, Langdon said, despite Galileos compromise, Dialogo was still seen as heretical, and the Vatican placed him under house arrest.No superb deed goes unpunished.Langdon smiled. So true. And yet Galileo was persistent. While under house arrest, he secretly wrote a lesser-known manuscript that scholars often confuse with Dialogo. That book is called Discorsi.Vittoria nodded. Ive heard of it. Discourses on the Tides.Langdon stopped short, amazed she had heard of the obscure publication about planetary motion and its effect on the tides.Hey, she said, youre talk of the town to an Italian marine physicist whose father worshiped Galileo.Langdon laughed. Discorsi however was not what they were looking for. Langdon explained that Discorsi had not been Galileos only work while under house arrest. Historians believed he had also written an obscure booklet called Diagramma.Diagramma della Verita, Langdon said. Diagram of Truth. neer heard of it.Im not surprised. Diagramma was Galileos most secretive work supposedly some sort of treatise on scientif ic facts he held to be true but was not allowed to share. Like some of Galileos previous manuscripts, Diagramma was smuggled out of Rome by a friend and quietly published in Holland. The booklet became wildly usual in the European scientific underground. Then the Vatican caught wind of it and went on a book-burning campaign.Vittoria now looked intrigued. And you think Diagramma contained the clue? The segno. The information about the Path of Illumination.Diagramma is how Galileo got the word out. That Im sure of. Langdon entered the third row of vaults and continued surveying the indicator tabs. Archivists have been looking for a copy of Diagramma for years. But between the Vatican burnings and the booklets low permanence rating, the booklet has disappeared pip the face of the earth.Permanence rating?Durability. Archivists rate documents one through ten for their structural integrity. Diagramma was printed on sedge papyrus. Its like tissue paper. Life span of no more than a centur y.Why not something stronger?Galileos behest. To protect his followers. This way any scientists caught with a copy could simply drop it in water and the booklet would dissolve. It was great for expiry of evidence, but terrible for archivists. It is believed that only one copy of Diagramma survived beyond the eighteenth century.One? Vittoria looked momentarily starstruck as she glanced around the room. And its here?Confiscated from the Netherlands by the Vatican shortly after Galileos death. Ive been petitioning to see it for years now. Ever since I realized what was in it.As if reading Langdons mind, Vittoria moved across the aisle and began scanning the adjacent bay of vaults, two-base hit their pace.Thanks, he said. Look for reference tabs that have anything to do with Galileo, science, scientists. Youll know it when you see it.Okay, but you still havent told me how you figured out Diagramma contained the clue. It had something to do with the number you kept see in Illuminati l etters? 503?Langdon smiled. Yes. It took some time, but I finally figured out that 503 is a simple code. It clearly points to Diagramma.For an instant Langdon relived his moment of unexpected disclosure August 16. Two years ago. He was standing lakeside at the wedlock of the son of a colleague. Bagpipes droned on the water as the wedding fellowship made their unique entrance across the lake on a barge. The craft was festooned with flowers and wreaths. It carried a Roman numeral painted proudly on the hull DCII. stick by the marking Langdon asked the father of the bride, Whats with 602?602?Langdon pointed to the barge. DCII is the Roman numeral for 602.The man laughed. Thats not a Roman numeral. Thats the name of the barge.The DCII?The man nodded. The Dick and Connie II.Langdon felt sheepish. Dick and Connie were the wedding couple. The barge obviously had been named in their honor. What happened to the DCI?The man groaned. It sank yesterday during the rehearsal luncheon.Langdon laughed. Sorry to hear that. He looked back out at the barge. The DCII, he thought. Like a miniature QEII. A second later, it had hit him.Now Langdon turned to Vittoria. 503, he said, as I mentioned, is a code. Its an Illuminati trick for concealing what was actually intended as a Roman numeral. The number 503 in Roman numerals is DIII.Langdon glanced up. That was fast. Please dont tell me youre an Illuminata.She laughed. I use Roman numerals to codify pelagic strata.Of course, Langdon thought. Dont we all.Vittoria looked over. So what is the meaning of DIII?DI and DII and DIII are very old abbreviations. They were used by ancient scientists to distinguish between the three Galilean documents most commonly confused.Vittoria drew a quick breath. Dialogo Discorsi Diagramma.D-one. D-two. D-three. All scientific. All controversial. 503 is DIII. Diagramma. The third of his books.Vittoria looked troubled. But one thing still doesnt make sense. If this segno, this clue, this advertisement about the Path of Illumination was really in Galileos Diagramma, why didnt the Vatican see it when they repossessed all the copies?They may have seen it and not noticed. Remember the Illuminati markers? Hiding things in plain view? Dissimulation? The segno apparently was hidden the same way in plain view. Invisible to those who were not looking for it. And also invisible to those who didnt understand it.Meaning?Meaning Galileo hid it well. According to historic record, the segno was revealed in a mode the Illuminati called natural language pura.The pure language?Yes.Mathematics?Thats my guess. Seems pretty obvious. Galileo was a scientist after all, and he was writing for scientists. Math would be a logical language in which to jell out the clue. The booklet is called Diagramma, so mathematical diagrams may also be part of the code.Vittoria sounded only slightly more hopeful. I suppose Galileo could have created some sort of mathematical code that went unnoticed by the clergy.Yo u dont sound sold, Langdon said, moving down the row.Im not. Mainly because you arent. If you were so sure about DIII, why didnt you publish? Then someone who did have access to the Vatican Archives could have come in here and checked out Diagramma a long time ago.I didnt want to publish, Langdon said. I had worked hard to find the information and He stopped himself, embarrassed.You wanted the glory.Langdon felt himself flush. In a manner of speaking. Its just that Dont look so embarrassed. Youre talking to a scientist. Publish or perish. At CERN we call it Substantiate or suffocate. It wasnt only wanting to be the first. I was also concerned that if the wrong multitude found out about the information in Diagramma, it might disappear.The wrong people being the Vatican?Not that they are wrong, per se, but the church has always downplayed the Illuminati threat. In the early 1900s the Vatican went so far as to say the Illuminati were a figment of overactive imaginations. The clergy felt, and perhaps rightly so, that the last thing Christians needed to know was that there was a very powerful anti-Christian movement infiltrating their banks, politics, and universities. Present tense, Robert, he reminded himself. There IS a powerful anti-Christian force infiltrating their banks, politics, and universities.So you think the Vatican would have buried any evidence corroborating the Illuminati threat?Quite possibly. Any threat, real or imagined, weakens faith in the churchs power.One more question. Vittoria stopped short and looked at him like he was an alien. Are you serious?Langdon stopped. What do you mean?I mean is this really your plan to save the day?Langdon wasnt sure whether he saw amused favor or sheer terror in her eyes. You mean finding Diagramma?No, I mean finding Diagramma, locating a quaternary-hundred-year-old segno, deciphering some mathematical code, and following an ancient trail of art that only the most brilliant scientists in history have ever been able to follow all in the next four hours.Langdon shrugged. Im open to other suggestions.50Robert Langdon stood outside Archive Vault 9 and read the labels on the stacks.Brahe Clavius Copernicus Kepler NewtonAs he read the names again, he felt a sudden uneasiness. Here are the scientists but where is Galileo?He turned to Vittoria, who was checking the contents of a nearby vault. I found the right theme, but Galileos missing.No he isnt, she said, frowning as she motioned to the next vault. Hes over here. But I hope you brought your reading glasses, because this entire vault is his.Langdon ran over. Vittoria was right. Every indictor tab in Vault 10 carried the same keyword.Il Proceso GalileanoLangdon let out a low whistle, now realizing why Galileo had his own vault. The Galileo Affair, he marveled, peering through the glass at the dark outlines of the stacks. The longest and most expensive legal proceeding in Vatican history. Fourteen years and six hundred million lire. Its al l here.Have a few legal documents.I guess lawyers havent evolved much over the centuries.Neither have sharks.Langdon strode to a large yellow button on the side of the vault. He press it, and a bank of overhead lights hummed on inside. The lights were deep red, turning the cube into a glowing crimson cell a maze of towering shelves.My God, Vittoria said, looking spooked. Are we tanning or working?Parchment and vellum fades, so vault lighting is always done with dark lights.You could go mad in here.Or worse, Langdon thought, moving toward the vaults sole entrance. A quick word of warning. Oxygen is an oxidant, so hermetic vaults contain very little of it. Its a partial inanity inside. Your breathing will feel strained.Hey, if old cardinals can survive it.True, Langdon thought. May we be as lucky.The vault entrance was a single electronic revolving door. Langdon state the common arrangement of four access buttons on the doors inner shaft, one accessible from each compartment. When a button was pressed, the motorized door would kick into supplement and make the conventional half rotation before grinding to a halt a standard procedure to preserve the integrity of the inner atmosphere. later Im in, Langdon said, just press the button and follow me through. Theres only eight percent humidity inside, so be prepared to feel some dry mouth.Langdon stepped into the rotating compartment and pressed the button. The door buzzed loudly and began to rotate. As he followed its motion, Langdon prepared his body for the physical shock that always accompanied the first few seconds in a hermetic vault. Entering a sealed archive was like going from sea level to 20,000 feet in an instant. Nausea and light-headedness were not uncommon. Double vision, double over, he reminded himself, quoting the archivists mantra. Langdon felt his ears pop. There was a hiss of air, and the door spun to a stop.He was in.Langdons first realization was that the air inside was thinner than he had an ticipated. The Vatican, it seemed, took their archives a musical composition more seriously than most. Langdon fought the gag reflex and relaxed his chest while his pulmonary capillaries dilated. The tightness passed quickly. Enter the Dolphin, he mused, gratified his fifty laps a day were favourable for something. Breathing more normally now, he looked around the vault. Despite the transparent outer walls, he felt a familiar anxiety. Im in a box, he thought. A blood red box.The door buzzed behind him, and Langdon turned to watch Vittoria enter. When she arrived inside, her eyes immediately began watering, and she started breathing heavily.Give it a minute, Langdon said. If you get light-headed, bend over.I feel Vittoria choked, like Im scuba diving with the wrong mixture.Langdon waited for her to acclimatize. He knew she would be fine. Vittoria Vetra was obviously in terrific shape, nothing like the doddering ancient Radcliffe alumnae Langdon had once squired through Widener Libr arys hermetic vault. The tour had ended with Langdon giving mouth-to-mouth to an old woman whod almost aspirated her false teeth.Feeling better? he asked.Vittoria nodded.I rode your damn space plane, so I thought I owed you.This brought a smile. Touche.Langdon reached into the box beside the door and extracted some white cotton gloves.Formal affair? Vittoria asked.Finger acid. We cant handle the documents without them. Youll need a pair.Vittoria donned some gloves. How long do we have?Langdon checked his Mickey Mouse watch. Its just past seven.We have to find this thing within the hour.Actually, Langdon said, we dont have that kind of time. He pointed overhead to a filtered duct. Normally the curator would turn on a reoxygenation system when someone is inside the vault. Not today. Twenty minutes, well both be sucking wind.Vittoria blanched noticeably in the reddish glow.Langdon smiled and smoothed his gloves. Substantiate or suffocate, Ms. Vetra. Mickeys ticking.