Friday, May 22, 2020

Adam Smith Division Of Labour Summary - 1636 Words

Adam Smith’s arguments on economic growth are heavily based on the concept of division of labour. The idea of division of labour relates to distinct specialization of the said labour force by breaking down one job into smaller components. Whereby one worker becomes an expert of their field, which is an isolated part of the production process. Throughout the 19th century, Victorian industries grew out of Maximum utilization of division of labour making it easy for employees to focus on their area of specialization, therefore impacting the overall development or production. However, the issue of division of labour cannot be concluded, without questioning the type of controls issued and whether they have a holistic or sparse benefit to†¦show more content†¦However, control can only be utilized depending on the levels of sensibilities and facilitation of available labour. As a result of division labour, the attention of people is fixed at a single object or process (ibid) . For this, when this attention is actualized, it leads to creation of machinery that replaces the subdivided manufacturing processes. Although this machinery quickens the production and favour the producer; demerits are on employees who could be replaced easily. Control in division of labour as proposed by Adam Smith benefits those with the propensity to increase one’s investments for enablers of production. Such benefits appeal to those that can absorb changes in production to suit the available resources, in space, wages, machinery and working conditions. Division of labour increases the need for supply of capital, especially when required by a large market. Smith’s description avoids this direct summation because division of labour necessitates a bigger market, which will be enough for exchange of the high quantities created by division of labour. In Smith (1976, 27) this creates the important discussion about controls and their propensity to create self-interests for one group of people, who benefits thanShow MoreRelatedThe Analysis Of Savings Attitude Will Be Discussed From Two Approaches Macroeconomic And Microeconomic Essay928 Words   |  4 PagesTheory (Adam Smith’s theory) The development on theories on savings can be dated far back to the era of classical economic liberalism represented by Adam Smith, David Ricardo and John Stuart Mill as they gave great significance to saving, arguing all capital to be productive and that, capital results from savings. They therefore support the notion of saving as the birth act of capital and further argues that without saving capital accumulation would not be possible (Cristian, 2011). Adam Smith, regardedRead MoreWealth of Nations Summary2605 Words   |  11 PagesAN INQUIRY INTO THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF THE WEALTH OF NATIONS by Adam Smith (Chapters I-VIII Summary) Submitted to: Sir Lemuel P. Del Rosario Submitted by: Rian Karlo Z. Punzalan Section:2B-G2 CHAPTER I THE DIVISION OF LABOUR. When a work is broken down into much smaller work and distributed into individuals that specialize in that work, we can achieve maximum productivity. For example the work of making a computer program can be divided up into these assignments. 1. The main programmerRead MoreDescribe and Critique on Scientific Management1284 Words   |  6 PagesReport Title: Describe and critique the Scientific Management approach pioneered by Frederick Taylor Content Page Executive Summary 2 Who Is Frederick W. Taylor? 3 Scientific Management 4 Fordism 5 Criticisms of Scientific Management 6 Neo - Taylorism 7 Conclusion 8 Reference List 9 Executive Summary This study aims to analyze and discuss both industrial benefits and social implications of Frederick Taylor’s scientific management approach. A brief biography of the â€Å"FatherRead MoreThe Significance for Economic Anthropology of the Work of Marx and Durkheim1557 Words   |  7 Pagesinterest groups, which he referred to as ‘classes’, over rights to various facets of the processes of production, and the effect that those conflicts had on determining other areas of culture. Durkheim for his part, was more interested in the division of labour, classifications organised around social distinctions and how economic activity might be understood in terms of various forms of social solidarity. Karl Marx’s significance Karl Marx lived from 1818 – 1883, during which he wrote on historyRead MoreThe Evolution Of Management Theory1153 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Detailed Summary Management theory constantly evolves when there are new ideas or when there is and intention of attempts of transforming the theory. Hence this theory can also be called as the â€Å"condensed theory† To know the history of the management theory is the fundamental task (Sarshar, 2002). The evolution of management began after the industrial revolution had occurred in Europe and America, which was in the end of the 19th century. During the evolution of the management theoryRead MoreChapter 2 Summary Notes1088 Words   |  5 PagesChapter 2 Summary Organisations often face new and sometimes threatening challenges. The 4 contemporary management functions have been around for years: planning, controlling, leading and organizing. Managers need to plan what works is to be done, organize people and materials to do it, lead and direct the workers, and impose some controls to ensure everything was done according to plan. Eg, the pyramids in Egypt. Two significant events pre-20th century, played an important role in promotingRead MoreThe Great Transformation And Heilbroner s Economic Theory1629 Words   |  7 Pageswill be used to explain the changes in material conditions. Through Bendix’s summaries from Weber’s Economic Rationality, both the material and ideological conditions will come together to help readers understand the importance and functionality of a market society throughout the years. The first aspect of a market society comes from its material conditions. Polyani explains that despite the previous notion from Adam Smith that the economy is rooted in social relations, it is indeed the opposite (PolyaniRead MoreThe Origins Of Virtue By The Zoologist Matt Ridley1509 Words   |  7 Pageshuman nature and argues that cooperation is grounded in evolutionary theory (Dugatkin, 1998) and describes cooperation and selfishness utilizing the examples of ants, corals, bees, mother and embryo relationship. Next, the division of labour is examined using the notion of Adam Smith about specialization which is essential to trade and elevates the society to be more than just the sum of its parts. Chapter 3 is devoted to the Prisoner s Dilemma from game theory, which can be traced through the restRead MoreEvolution of Production and Operations Management2318 Words   |  10 Pagesthey replaced. Two concepts assisted in mass production: division of labour and interchangeable parts. DIVISION OF LABOUR, which Adam Smith wrote about in _The Wealth of Nations_ (1776), means that an operation is divided up into a series of many small tasks and individual workers are assigned to one of those tasks. Unlike craft production, where each worker was responsible for doing many tasks and thus required skill, with division of labour the tasks were so narrow that virtually no skill was requiredRead More2 Process Theories of Motivation1526 Words   |  7 PagesEXECUTIVE SUMMARY Motivation theories are primarily divided into two major types which are the content theories and the process theories. This report aims to critically evaluate two process theories of motivation which is the Expectancy Theory by Victor Vroom and the Equity Theory by John Stacy Adams. The methodologies used in this report include a study and analysis of textbooks, writings and journals from the internet. As a conclusion, the question is not whether each of these approaches

Thursday, May 7, 2020

The Minimum Wage Act Of 2007 - 1607 Words

Introduction In 1938, the first national minimum wage laws in the United States were passed as part of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which served as â€Å"a floor below wages,† to reduce poverty and to ensure that economic growth is shared across the workforce. Today, many people who work for companies that pay at or near the minimum wage and remain near or below the poverty level rely on government health and food security and income programs to supplement their living expenses. Since 1938, there have been many additional policies to the Fair Labor Standards Act that have changed many things, such as increasing the national minimum wage numerous times to the currently salary level, which was set in 1997. The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 was a policy to change the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 in three additions, which began in July of 2009. (http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/minwagebwp.pdf) There has been many conversations about what the positive impacts can come to America s lowest income workers as a result of an increase in the minimum wage, and there has also been equally as many discussions over the negative effects the increase can have on similar people. This paper’s purpose is to combine each viewpoint and objectively analyze the arguments for and against an increase in the minimum wage. I will first discuss the benefits for an increase, then the disadvantages, and in the last paragraph, I willShow MoreRelatedPros and Cons of Raising a Minimum Wage Essay1126 Words   |  5 PagesMinimum Wage A minimum wage is the lowest hourly wage that employers have to compensate the workers for their service. Currently the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. However, many states also have their own minimum wage laws. In those instances, the employee is entitled to the higher of the two minimum wages. In this paper we will discuss the brief history of the minimum wage law and its current legislation. We will also analyze the pros and cons of raising the minimum wage, and theRead MoreEssay on The Debate over Raising the Minimum Wage1502 Words   |  7 PagesThe federal minimum wage was raised to $7.25 an hour by Congress in 2009, something that has been carried out only a handful of times since the establishment of the wage in the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938. Even with this modest rise in income, the minimum wage today does not provide for a decent standard of living. It has failed to keep pace with the wage growth of an average American worker. The minimum wage was i ntended provide a minimum standard of living; to aid in alleviating povertyRead MoreCongress As Part Of The Fair Labor Standards Act1084 Words   |  5 PagesLabor Standards Act (FLSA) instituted minimum wage back in 1938. The first minimum wage was at $0.25 per hour and the last minimum wage increase occurred in 2007. Over the past 65 years the minimum wage has varied considerably in inflation-adjusted buying power. It has averaged $6.60 an hour in purchasing power in 2013 dollars, but it has ranged from a low of $3.09 an hour in late 1948 to a high of $8.67 an hour in 1968. Today’s minimum wage buys somewhat more than the minimum wage has historicallyRead MoreMinimum Wage Persuasive Essay1067 Words   |  5 Pages2013 Persuasive Essay $7.25 equals two gallons of gas, one fast food meal, or a simple school supply. With the minimum wage at the current rate you must work one hour to earn the seven dollars and twenty-five cents that only supply you with small necessities for everyday living. This problem was encountered before and was resolved with the agreement to higher the minimum wage from $5.85 to the current $7.25. Although that was a big increase in salaries, was it truly enough? This controversyRead MoreRaising the Minimum Wage, A Speech Outline Essay1465 Words   |  6 PagesRaising the minimum wage Introduction I. Attention Getter: Per capita, Idaho is ranked number one in the nation – Number one, when it comes to paying workers as little as possible. II. Topic Orientation: The U.S. Bureau of Labor estimates that 31,000 or 7.7 percent of all Idaho’s workers are paid the current national minimum wage of $7.25 an hour or less. (Maben) A. Idaho has the highest percentage of minimum-wage workers per capita of any state. (Maben) B. The overall povertyRead MoreWorking Poor : The Work Poor Essay1277 Words   |  6 Pagesvariety of stories to depict social welfare programs like the minimum wage act, immigration, Social Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability (SSD), healthcare act, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), drug addiction, sexual abuse, Individual Education Plans (IEP), and the gender pay gap along with many others. The overarching theme throughout the book was that the working poor never make enough money to cover their expenses and the wage never goes up enough over the span of their lifetime. OneRead MoreMinimum Wage Does Not Impact The Poverty Rate600 Words   |  3 PagesMinimum Wage Does Not Impact The Poverty Rate The Working Poor Gain Little Other than Protection In the 1930’s, during his second term as president, Franklin Roosevelt fought for and constructed many versions of legislation to end the exploitation of women and children. Finally on October 24, 1938 the Fair Labor Standards Act became effective. The Act limited the hired workers to be no less than sixteen, the work week to no more than forty hours and the minimum wage to be twenty-five cents anRead MoreMinimum Wage And The Wage Essay1204 Words   |  5 PagesThe minimum wage is one of the most controversial issues on our country, which is United States has been facing last ten years. There have been never ending debates over this issue until the government, company, and others party stand together, and raise the minimum wage throughout the nations. There are communities that believe raise the minimum wage has negative impact of every sector of the country. Other communities have different beliefs over the issue, raising the minimum wage helps the poorRead MoreEssay Shoul d Congress Raise Minimum Wage?614 Words   |  3 PagesShould Congress Raise Minimum Wage? As our federal government debates the idea to raise the minimum wage, there are several interesting questions that occur. Most importantly, should we raise the minimum wage? I believe it is a bad idea to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour up to $10.10 or more in a short period of time. I will explain why raising minimum wage radically would kill jobs and hurt our economy. The main reason raising the minimum wage radically would kill the economy is theRead MoreEssay On Learning Activity Worksheet859 Words   |  4 PagesFor each section, a minimum of one fully-developed paragraph is required. A fully developed paragraph should be a minimum of 5-7 sentences in length. Each paragraph should include at least one in-text APA citation that provides support for the topic. At least two scholarly sources from the Ashford University library (not including your textbook) with in-text citations utilized within your paragraphs are required. Two new sources should be utilized each week to meet the minimum of eight required

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Digital Fortress Chapter 100-106 Free Essays

Chapter 100 Hulohot took the Giralda stairs three at a time. The only light in the spiral passage was from small open-air windows every 180 degrees. He’s trapped! David Becker will die! Hulohot circled upward, gun drawn. We will write a custom essay sample on Digital Fortress Chapter 100-106 or any similar topic only for you Order Now He kept to the outside wall in case Becker decided to attack from above. The iron candle poles on each landing would make good weapons if Becker decided to use one. But by staying wide, Hulohot would be able to spot him in time. Hulohot’s gun had a range significantly longer than a five-foot candle pole. Hulohot moved quickly but carefully. The stairs were steep; tourists had died here. This was not America-no safety signs, no handrails, no insurance disclaimers. This was Spain. If you were stupid enough to fall, it was your own damn fault, regardless of who built the stairs. Hulohot paused at one of the shoulder-high openings and glanced out. He was on the north face and, from the looks of things, about halfway up. The opening to the viewing platform was visible around the corner. The staircase to the top was empty. David Becker had not challenged him. Hulohot realized maybe Becker had not seen him enter the tower. That meant the element of surprise was on Hulohot’s side as well-not that he’d need it. Hulohot held all the cards. Even the layout of the tower was in his favor; the staircase met the viewing platform in the southwest corner-Hulohot would have a clear line of fire to every point of the cell with no possibility that Becker could get behind him. And to top things off, Hulohot would be moving out of the dark into the light. A killing box, he mused. Hulohot measured the distance to the doorway. Seven steps. He practiced the kill in his mind. If he stayed right as he approached the opening, he would be able to see the leftmost corner of the platform before he reached it. If Becker was there, Hulohot would fire. If not, he would shift inside and enter moving east, facing the right corner, the only place remaining that Becker could be. He smiled. SUBJECT: DAVID BECKER-TERMINATED The time had come. He checked his weapon. With a violent surge, Hulohot dashed up. The platform swung into view. The left corner was empty. As rehearsed, Hulohot shifted inside and burst through the opening facing right. He fired into the corner. The bullet ricocheted back off the bare wall and barely missed him. Hulohot wheeled wildly and let out a muted scream. There was no one there. David Becker had vanished. Three flights below, suspended 325 feet over the Jardin de los Naranjos, David Becker hung on the outside of the Giralda like a man doing chin-ups on a window ledge. As Hulohot had been racing up the staircase, Becker had descended three flights and lowered himself out one of the openings. He’d dropped out of sight just in time. The killer had run right by him. He’d been in too much of a hurry to notice the white knuckles grasping the window ledge. Hanging outside the window, Becker thanked God that his daily squash routine involved twenty minutes on the Nautilus machine to develop his biceps for a harder overhead serve. Unfortunately, despite his strong arms, Becker was now having trouble pulling himself back in. His shoulders burned. His side felt as if it were tearing open. The rough-cut stone ledge provided little grip, grating into his fingertips like broken glass. Becker knew it was only a matter of seconds before his assailant would come running down from above. From the higher ground, the killer would undoubtedly see Becker’s fingers on the ledge. Becker closed his eyes and pulled. He knew he would need a miracle to escape death. His fingers were losing their leverage. He glanced down, past his dangling legs. The drop was the length of a football field to the orange trees below. Unsurvivable. The pain in his side was getting worse. Footsteps now thundered above him, loud leaping footsteps rushing down the stairs. Becker closed his eyes. It was now or never. He gritted his teeth and pulled. The stone tore against the skin on his wrists as he yanked himself upward. The footsteps were coming fast. Becker grappled at the inside of the opening, trying to secure his hold. He kicked his feet. His body felt like lead, as if someone had a rope tied to his legs and were pulling him down. He fought it. He surged up onto his elbows. He was in plain view now, his head half through the window like a man in a guillotine. He wriggled his legs, kicking himself into the opening. He was halfway through. His torso now hung into the stairwell. The footsteps were close. Becker grabbed the sides of the opening and in a single motion launched his body through. He hit the staircase hard. Hulohot sensed Becker’s body hit the floor just below him. He leapt forward, gun leveled. A window spun into view. This is it! Hulohot moved to the outside wall and aimed down the staircase. Becker’s legs dashed out of sight just around the curve. Hulohot fired in frustration. The bullet ricocheted down the stairwell. As Hulohot dashed down the stairs after his prey, he kept to the outside wall for the widest angle view. As the staircase revolved into view before him, it seemed Becker was always 180 degrees ahead of him, just out of sight. Becker had taken the inside track, cutting off the angle and leaping four or five stairs at a time. Hulohot stayed with him. It would take only a single shot. Hulohot was gaining. He knew that even if Becker made the bottom, there was nowhere to run; Hulohot could shoot him in the back as he crossed the open patio. The desperate race spiraled downward. Hulohot moved inside to the faster track. He sensed he was gaining. He could see Becker’s shadow every time they passed an opening. Down. Down. Spiraling. It seemed that Becker was always just around the corner. Hulohot kept one eye on his shadow and one eye on the stairs. Suddenly it appeared to Hulohot that Becker’s shadow had stumbled. It made an erratic lurch left and then seemed to spin in midair and sail back toward the center of the stairwell. Hulohot leapt forward. I’ve got him! On the stairs in front of Hulohot, there was a flash of steel. It jabbed into the air from around the corner. It thrust forward like a fencer’s foil at ankle level. Hulohot tried to shift left, but it was too late. The object was between his ankles. His back foot came forward, caught it hard, and the post slammed across his shin. Hulohot’s arms went out for support but found only empty air. He was abruptly airborne, turning on his side. As Hulohot sailed downward, he passed over David Becker, prone on his stomach, arms outstretched. The candle pole in his hands was now caught up in Hulohot’s legs as he spun downward. Hulohot crashed into the outside wall before he hit the staircase. When he finally found the floor, he was tumbling. His gun clattered to the floor. Hulohot’s body kept going, head over heels. He spiraled five complete 360-degree rotations before he rolled to a stop. Twelve more steps, and he would have tumbled out onto the patio. Chapter 101 David Becker had never held a gun, but he was holding one now. Hulohot’s body was twisted and mangled in the darkness of the Giralda staircase. Becker pressed the barrel of the gun against his assailant’s temple and carefully knelt down. One twitch and Becker would fire. But there was no twitch. Hulohot was dead. Becker dropped the gun and collapsed on the stairs. For the first time in ages he felt tears well up. He fought them. He knew there would be time for emotion later; now it was time to go home. Becker tried to stand, but he was too tired to move. He sat a long while, exhausted, on the stone staircase. Absently, he studied the twisted body before him. The killer’s eyes began to glaze over, gazing out at nothing in particular. Somehow, his glasses were still intact. They were odd glasses, Becker thought, with a wire protruding from behind the earpiece and leading to a pack of some sort on his belt. Becker was too exhausted to be curious. As he sat alone in the staircase and collected his thoughts, Becker shifted his gaze to the ring on his finger. His vision had cleared somewhat, and he could finally read the inscription. As he had suspected, it was not English. He stared at the engraving along moment and then frowned. This is worth killing for? The morning sun was blinding when Becker finally stepped out of the Giralda onto the patio. The pain in his side had subsided, and his vision was returning to normal. He stood a moment, in a daze, enjoying the fragrance of the orange blossoms. Then he began moving slowly across the patio. As Becker strode away from the tower, a van skidded to a stop nearby. Two men jumped out. They were young and dressed in military fatigues. They advanced on Becker with the stiff precision of well-tuned machines. â€Å"David Becker?† one demanded. Becker stopped short, amazed they knew his name. â€Å"Who†¦ who are you?† â€Å"Come with us, please. Right away.† There was something unreal about the encounter-something that made Becker’s nerve endings start to tingle again. He found himself backing away from them. The shorter man gave Becker an icy stare. â€Å"This way, Mr. Becker. Right now.† Becker turned to run. But he only took one step. One of the men drew a weapon. There was a shot. A searing lance of pain erupted in Becker’s chest. It rocketed to his skull. His fingers went stiff, and Becker fell. An instant later, there was nothing but blackness. Chapter 102 Strathmore reached the TRANSLTR floor and stepped off the catwalk into an inch of water. The giant computer shuddered beside him. Huge droplets of water fell like rain through the swirling mist. The warning horns sounded like thunder. The commander looked across at the failed main generators. Phil Chartrukian was there, his charred remains splayed across a set of coolant fins. The scene looked like some sort of perverse Halloween display. Although Strathmore regretted the man’s death, there was no doubt it had been â€Å"a warranted casualty.† Phil Chartrukian had left Strathmore no choice. When the Sys-Sec came racing up from the depths, screaming about a virus, Strathmore met him on the landing and tried to talk sense to him. But Chartrukian was beyond reason. We’ve got a virus! I’m calling Jabba! When he tried to push past, the commander blocked his way. The landing was narrow. They struggled. The railing was low. It was ironic, Strathmore thought, that Chartrukian had been right about the virus all along. The man’s plunge had been chilling-a momentary howl of terror and then silence. But it was not half as chilling as the next thing Commander Strathmore saw. Greg Hale was staring up at him from the shadows below, a look of utter horror on his face. It was then that Strathmore knew Greg Hale would die. TRANSLTR crackled, and Strathmore turned his attention back to the task at hand. Kill power. The circuit breaker was on the other side of the freon pumps to the left of the body. Strathmore could see it clearly. All he had to do was pull a lever and the remaining power in Crypto would die. Then, after a few seconds, he could restart the main generators; all doorways and functions would comeback on-line; the freon would start flowing again, and TRANSLTR would be safe. But as Strathmore slogged toward the breaker, he realized there was one final obstacle: Chartrukian’s body was still on the main generator’s cooling fins. Killing and then restarting the main generator would only cause another power failure. The body had to be moved. Strathmore eyed the grotesque remains and made his way over. Reaching up, he grabbed a wrist. The flesh was like Styrofoam. The tissue had been fried. The whole body was devoid of moisture. The commander closed his eyes, tightened his grip around the wrist, and pulled. The body slid an inch or two. Strathmore pulled harder. The body slid again. The commander braced himself and pulled with all his might. Suddenly he was tumbling backward. He landed hard on his backside up against a power casement. Struggling to sit up in the rising water, Strathmore stared down in horror at the object in his fist. It was Chartrukian’s forearm. It had broken off at the elbow. Upstairs, Susan continued her wait. She sat on the Node 3 couch feeling paralyzed. Hale lay at her feet. She couldn’t imagine what was taking the commander so long. Minutes passed. She tried to push David from her thoughts, but it was no use. With every blast of the horns, Hale’s words echoed inside her head: I’m truly sorry about David Becker. Susan thought she would lose her mind. She was about to jump up and race onto the Crypto floor when finally it happened. Strathmore had thrown the switch and killed all power. The silence that engulfed Crypto was instantaneous. The horns choked off mid blare, and the Node 3 monitors flickered to black. Greg Hale’s corpse disappeared into the darkness, and Susan instinctively yanked her legs up onto the couch. She wrapped Strathmore’s suit coat around her. Darkness. Silence. She had never heard such quiet in Crypto. There’d always been the low hum of the generators. But now there was nothing, only the great beast heaving and sighing in relief. Crackling, hissing, slowly cooling down. Susan closed her eyes and prayed for David. Her prayer was a simple one-that God protect the man she loved. Not being a religious woman, Susan had never expected to hear a response to her prayer. But when there was a sudden shuddering against her chest, she jolted upright. She clutched her chest. A moment later she understood. The vibrations she felt were not the hand of God at all-they were coming from the commander’s jacket pocket. He had set the vibrating silent-ring feature on his SkyPager. Someone was sending Commander Strathmore a message. Six stories below, Strathmore stood at the circuit breaker. The sublevels of Crypto were now as dark as the deepest night. He stood a moment enjoying the blackness. The water poured down from above. It was a midnight storm. Strathmore tilted his head back and let the warm droplets wash away his guilt. I’m a survivor. He knelt and washed the last of Chartrukian’s flesh from his hands. His dreams for Digital Fortress had failed. He could accept that. Susan was all that mattered now. For the first time in decades, he truly understood that there was more to life than country and honor. I sacrificed the best years of my life for country and honor. But what about love? He had deprived himself for far too long. And for what? To watch some young professor steal away his dreams? Strathmore had nurtured Susan. He had protected her. He had earned her. And now, at last, he would have her. Susan would seek shelter in his arms when there was nowhere else to turn. She would come to him helpless, wounded by loss, and in time, he would show her that love heals all. Honor. Country. Love. David Becker was about to die for all three. Chapter 103 The Commander rose through the trapdoor like Lazarus back from the dead. Despite his soggy clothes, his step was light. He strode toward Node 3-toward Susan. Toward his future. The Crypto floor was again bathed in light. Freon was flowing downward through the smoldering TRANSLTR like oxygenated blood. Strathmore knew it would take a few minutes for the coolant to reach the bottom of the hull and prevent the lowest processors from igniting, but he was certain he’d acted in time. He exhaled in victory, never suspecting the truth-that it was already too late. I’m a survivor, he thought. Ignoring the gaping hole in the Node 3 wall, he strode to the electronic doors. They hissed open. He stepped inside. Susan was standing before him, damp and tousled in his blazer. She looked like a freshman coed who’d been caught in the rain. He felt like the senior who’d lent her his varsity sweater. For the first time in years, he felt young. His dream was coming true. But as Strathmore moved closer, he felt he was staring into the eyes of a woman he did not recognize. Her gaze was like ice. The softness was gone. Susan Fletcher stood rigid, like an immovable statue. The only perceptible motion were the tears welling in her eyes. â€Å"Susan?† A single tear rolled down her quivering cheek. â€Å"What is it?† the commander pleaded. The puddle of blood beneath Hale’s body had spread across the carpet like an oil spill. Strathmore glanced uneasily at the corpse, then back at Susan. Could she possibly know? There was no way. Strathmore knew he had covered every base. â€Å"Susan?† he said, stepping closer. â€Å"What is it?† Susan did not move. â€Å"Are you worried about David?† There was a slight quiver in her upper lip. Strathmore stepped closer. He was going to reach for her, but he hesitated. The sound of David’s name had apparently cracked the dam of grief. Slowly at first-a quiver, a tremble. And then a thundering wave of misery seemed to course through her veins. Barely able to control her shuddering lips, Susan opened her mouth to speak. Nothing came. Without ever breaking the icy gaze she’d locked on Strathmore, she took her hand from the pocket of his blazer. In her hand was an object. She held it out, shaking. Strathmore half expected to look down and see the Beretta leveled at his gut. But the gun was still on the floor, propped safely in Hale’s hand. The object Susan was holding was smaller. Strathmore stared down at it, and an instant later, he understood. As Strathmore stared, reality warped, and time slowed to a crawl. He could hear the sound of his own heart. The man who had triumphed over giants for so many years had been outdone in an instant. Slain by love-by his own foolishness. In a simple act of chivalry, he had given Susan his jacket. And with it, his SkyPager. Now it was Strathmore who went rigid. Susan’s hand was shaking. The pager fell at Hale’s feet. With a look of astonishment and betrayal that Strathmore would never forget, Susan Fletcher raced past him out of Node 3. The commander let her go. In slow motion, he bent and retrieved the pager. There were no new messages-Susan had read them all. Strathmore scrolled desperately through the list. SUBJECT: ENSEI TANKADO-TERMINATED SUBJECT: PIERRE CLOUCHARDE-TERMINATED SUBJECT: HANS HUBER-TERMINATED SUBJECT: ROCIO EVA GRANADA-TERMINATED†¦ The list went on. Strathmore felt a wave of horror. I can explain! She will understand! Honor! Country! But there was one message he had not yet seen-one message he could never explain. Trembling, he scrolled to the final transmission. SUBJECT: DAVID BECKER-TERMINATED Strathmore hung his head. His dream was over. Chapter 104 Susan staggered out of Node 3. SUBJECT: DAVID BECKER-TERMINATED As if in a dream, she moved toward Crypto’s main exit. Greg Hale’s voice echoed in her mind: Susan, Strathmore’s going to kill me! Susan, the commander’s in love with you! Susan reached the enormous circular portal and began stabbing desperately at the keypad. The door did not move. She tried again, but the enormous slab refused to rotate. Susan let out a muted scream-apparently the power outage had deleted the exit codes. She was still trapped. Without warning, two arms closed around her from behind, grasping her half-numb body. The touch was familiar yet repulsive. It lacked the brute strength of Greg Hale, but there was a desperate roughness to it, an inner determination like steel. Susan turned. The man restraining her was desolate, frightened. It was a face she had never seen. â€Å"Susan,† Strathmore begged, holding her. â€Å"I can explain.† She tried to pull away. The commander held fast. Susan tried to scream, but she had no voice. She tried to run, but strong hands restrained her, pulling her backward. â€Å"I love you,† the voice was whispering. â€Å"I’ve loved you forever.† Susan’s stomach turned over and over. â€Å"Stay with me.† Susan’s mind whirled with grisly images-David’s bright-green eyes, slowly closing for the last time; Greg Hale’s corpse seeping blood onto the carpet; Phil Chartrukian’s burned and broken on the generators. â€Å"The pain will pass,† the voice said. â€Å"You’ll love again.† Susan heard nothing. â€Å"Stay with me,† the voice pleaded. â€Å"I’ll heal your wounds.† She struggled, helpless. â€Å"I did it for us. We’re made for each other. Susan, I love you.† The words flowed as if he had waited a decade to speak them. â€Å"I love you! I love you!† In that instant, thirty yards away, as if rebutting Strathmore’s vile confession, TRANSLTR let out a savage, pitiless hiss. The sound was an entirely new one-a distant, ominous sizzling that seemed to grow like a serpent in the depths of the silo. The freon, it appeared, had not reached its mark in time. The commander let go of Susan and turned toward the $2 billion computer. His eyes went wide with dread. â€Å"No!† He grabbed his head. â€Å"No!† The six-story rocket began to tremble. Strathmore staggered a faltering step toward the thundering hull. Then he fell to his knees, a sinner before an angry god. It was no use. At the base of the silo, TRANSLTR’s titanium-strontium processors had just ignited. Chapter 105 A fireball racing upward through three million silicon chips makes a unique sound. The crackling of a forest fire, the howling of a tornado, the steaming gush of a geyser†¦ all trapped within a reverberant hull. It was the devil’s breath, pouring through a sealed cavern, looking for escape. Strathmore knelt transfixed by the horrific noise rising toward them. The world’s most expensive computer was about to become an eight-story inferno. In slow motion, Strathmore turned back toward Susan. She stood paralyzed beside the Crypto door. Strathmore stared at her tear-streaked face. She seemed to shimmer in the fluorescent light. She’s an angel, he thought. He searched her eyes for heaven, but all he could see was death. It was the death of trust. Love and honor were gone. The fantasy that had kept him going all these years was dead. He would never have Susan Fletcher. Never. The sudden emptiness that gripped him was overwhelming. Susan gazed vaguely toward TRANSLTR. She knew that trapped within the ceramic shell, a fireball was racing toward them. She sensed it rising faster and faster, feeding on the oxygen released by the burning chips. In moments the Crypto dome would be a blazing inferno. Susan’s mind told her to run, but David’s dead weight pressed down all around her. She thought she heard his voice calling to her, telling her to escape, but there was nowhere to go. Crypto was a sealed tomb. It didn’t matter; the thought of death did not frighten her. Death would stop the pain. She would be with David. The Crypto floor began to tremble, as if below it an angry sea monster were rising out of the depths. David’s voice seemed to be calling. Run, Susan! Run! Strathmore was moving toward her now, his face a distant memory. His cool gray eyes were lifeless. The patriot who had lived in her mind a hero had died-a murderer. His arms were suddenly around her again, clutching desperately. He kissed her cheeks. â€Å"Forgive me,† he begged. Susan tried to pull away, but Strathmore held on. TRANSLTR began vibrating like a missile preparing to launch. The Crypto floor began to shake. Strathmore held tighter. â€Å"Hold me, Susan. I need you.† A violent surge of fury filled Susan’s limbs. David’s voice called out again. I love you! Escape! In a sudden burst of energy, Susan tore free. The roar from TRANSLTR became deafening. The fire was at the silo’s peak. TRANSLTR groaned, straining at its seams. David’s voice seemed to lift Susan, guide her. She dashed across the Crypto floor and started up Strathmore’s catwalk stairs. Behind her, TRANSLTR let out a deafening roar. As the last of the silicon chips disintegrated, a tremendous updraft of heat tore through the upper casing of the silo and sent shards of ceramic thirty feet into the air. Instantly the oxygen-rich air of Crypto rushed in to fill the enormous vacuum. Susan reached the upper landing and grabbed the banister when the tremendous rush of wind ripped at her body. It spun her around in time to see the deputy director of operations, far below, staring up at her from beside TRANSLTR. There was a storm raging all around him, and yet there was peace in his eyes. His lips parted, and he mouthed his final word. â€Å"Susan.† The air rushing into TRANSLTR ignited on contact. In a brilliant flash of light, Commander Trevor Strathmore passed from man, to silhouette, to legend. When the blast hit Susan, it blew her back fifteen feet into Strathmore’s office. All she remembered was a searing heat. Chapter 106 In the window of the Director’s conference room, high above the Crypto dome, three faces appeared, breathless. The explosion had shaken the entire NSA complex. Leland Fontaine, Chad Brinkerhoff, and Midge Milken all stared out in silent horror. Seventy feet below, the Crypto dome was blazing. The polycarbonate roof was still intact, but beneath the transparent shell, a fire raged. Black smoke swirled like fog inside the dome. The three stared down without a word. The spectacle had an eerie grandeur to it. Fontaine stood a long moment. He finally spoke, his voice faint but unwavering. â€Å"Midge, get a crew down there†¦ now.† Across the suite, Fontaine’s phone began to ring. It was Jabba. How to cite Digital Fortress Chapter 100-106, Essay examples