BLOG NO-007

DA VINCI CODE 17-5

2008-03-27T20:16:00.001-07:00

Collet watched the screen in bewilderment as the blinking dot arrived at the window ledge and then did something utterly unexpected. The dot moved outside the perimeter of the building.

What's going on? he wondered. Is Langdon out on a ledge or—

"Jesu!" Collet jumped to his feet as the dot shot farther outside the wall. The signal seemed to shudder for a moment, and then the blinking dot came to an abrupt stop about ten yards outside the perimeter of the building.

Fumbling with the controls, Collet called up a Paris street map and recalibrated the GPS. Zooming in, he could now see the exact location of the signal.

It was no longer moving.

It lay at a dead stop in the middle of Place du Carrousel.

Langdon had jumped.

FOR CHAPTER 18 CLICK HERE .

DA VINCI CODE 17-4

2008-03-27T20:15:00.006-07:00

"Alarme!" one of the agents yelled, eyeing his feed from the Louvre security center. "Grande Galerie! Toilettes Messieurs!"

Fache wheeled to Collet. "Where's Langdon?"

"Still in the men's room!" Collet pointed to the blinking red dot on his laptop schematic. "He must have broken the window!" Collet knew Langdon wouldn't get far. Although Paris fire codes

required windows above fifteen meters in public buildings be breakable in case of fire, exiting a Louvre second-story window without the help of a hook and ladder would be suicide. Furthermore, there were no trees or grass on the western end of the Denon Wing to cushion a fall. Directly beneath that rest room window, the two-lane Place du Carrousel ran within a few feet of the outer wall. "My God," Collet exclaimed, eyeing the screen. "Langdon's moving to the window ledge!"

But Fache was already in motion. Yanking his Manurhin MR-93 revolver from his shoulder holster, the captain dashed out of the office.

DA VINCI CODE 17-3

2008-03-27T20:15:00.005-07:00

No wonder she was upset by the pictures. Collet could barely conceive of the unfortunate coincidence that called in a young woman to decipher a code written by a dead family member. Still, her actions made no sense. "But she obviously recognized the numbers as Fibonacci numbers because she came here and told us. I don't understand why she would leave the office without telling anyone she had figured it out."

Collet could think of only one scenario to explain the troubling developments: Saunière had written a numeric code on the floor in hopes Fache would involve cryptographers in the investigation, and therefore involve his own granddaughter. As for the rest of the message, was Saunière communicating in some way with his granddaughter? If so, what did the message tell her? And how did Langdon fit in?

Before Collet could ponder it any further, the silence of the deserted museum was shattered by an alarm. The bell sounded like it was coming from inside the Grand Gallery.

DA VINCI CODE 17-2

2008-03-27T20:15:00.003-07:00

Collet was confused. "But they already sent Agent Neveu to tell us that."

Fache shook his head. "They didn't send Neveu."

"What?"

"According to the director, at my orders he paged his entire team to look at the images I'd wired him. When Agent Neveu arrived, she took one look at the photos of Saunière and the code and left the office without a word. The director said he didn't question her behavior because she was understandably upset by the photos."

"Upset? She's never seen a picture of a dead body?"

Fache was silent a moment. "I was not aware of this, and it seems neither was the director until a coworker informed him, but apparently Sophie Neveu is Jacques Saunière's granddaughter."

Collet was speechless.

"The director said she never once mentioned Saunière to him, and he assumed it was because she probably didn't want preferential treatment for having a famous grandfather."

DA VINCI CODE 17-1

2008-03-27T20:15:00.001-07:00

"What do you mean she's not answering?" Fache looked incredulous. "You're calling her cell phone, right? I know she's carrying it."

Collet had been trying to reach Sophie now for several minutes. "Maybe her batteries are dead. Or her ringer's off."

Fache had looked distressed ever since talking to the director of Cryptology on the phone. After hanging up, he had marched over to Collet and demanded he get Agent Neveu on the line. Now Collet had failed, and Fache was pacing like a caged lion.

"Why did Crypto call?" Collet now ventured.

Fache turned. "To tell us they found no references to Draconian devils and lame saints."

"That's all?"

"No, also to tell us that they had just identified the numerics as Fibonacci numbers, but they suspected the series was meaningless."

DAVINCI CODE 10-8

2008-02-24T01:00:00.006-08:00

"Bishop," the Teacher had told him, "I have made all the arrangements. For my plan to succeed, you must allow Silas to answer only to me for several days. The two of you will not speak. I will communicate with him through secure channels."

"You will treat him with respect?"

"A man of faith deserves the highest."

"Excellent. Then I understand. Silas and I shall not speak until this is over."

"I do this to protect your identity, Silas's identity, and my investment."

"Your investment?"

"Bishop, if your own eagerness to keep abreast of progress puts you in jail, then you will be unable to pay me my fee."

The bishop smiled. "A fine point. Our desires are in accord. Godspeed."

Twenty million euro, the bishop thought, now gazing out the plane's window. The sum was approximately the same number of U.S. dollars. A pittance for something so powerful.

He felt a renewed confidence that the Teacher and Silas would not fail. Money and faith were

powerful motivators.

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DA VINCI CODE 10-7

2008-02-24T01:00:00.005-08:00

The priest smiled warmly. "From now on, my friend, if you have no other name, I shall call you Silas."

The ghost nodded blankly. Silas. He had been given flesh. My name is Silas.

"It's time for breakfast," the priest said. "You will need your strength if you are to help me build this church."

Twenty thousand feet above the Mediterranean, Alitalia flight 1618 bounced in turbulence, causing passengers to shift nervously. Bishop Aringarosa barely noticed. His thoughts were with the future of Opus Dei. Eager to know how plans in Paris were progressing, he wished he could phone Silas. But he could not. The Teacher had seen to that.

"It is for your own safety," the Teacher had explained, speaking in English with a French accent. "I am familiar enough with electronic communications to know they can be intercepted. The results could be disastrous for you."

Aringarosa knew he was right. The Teacher seemed an exceptionally careful man. He had not revealed his own identity to Aringarosa, and yet he had proven himself a man well worth obeying. After all, he had somehow obtained very secret information. The names of the brotherhood's four top members! This had been one of the coups that convinced the bishop the Teacher was truly capable of delivering the astonishing prize he claimed he could unearth.

DA VINCI CODE 10-7

2008-02-24T01:00:00.003-08:00

His heart began pounding. The priest knows who I am! The emotion he felt was one he had not felt for some time. Shame. Guilt. It was accompanied by the fear of being caught. He jumped from his bed. Where do I run?

"The Book of Acts," a voice said from the door.

The ghost turned, frightened.

The young priest was smiling as he entered. His nose was awkwardly bandaged, and he was holding out an old Bible. "I found one in French for you. The chapter is marked."

Uncertain, the ghost took the Bible and looked at the chapter the priest had marked.

Acts 16.

The verses told of a prisoner named Silas who lay naked and beaten in his cell, singing hymns to God. When the ghost reached Verse 26, he gasped in shock.

"...And suddenly, there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and all the doors fell open."

His eyes shot up at the priest.

DA VINCI CODE 10-7

2008-02-24T01:00:00.001-08:00

"Thank you, my friend," the priest said in awkward French. "The offertory money is tempting for thieves. You speak French in your sleep. Do you also speak Spanish?"

The ghost shook his head.

"What is your name?" he continued in broken French.

The ghost could not remember the name his parents had given him. All he heard were the taunting gibes of the prison guards.

The priest smiled. "No hay problema. My name is Manuel Aringarosa. I am a missionary from Madrid. I was sent here to build a church for the Obra de Dios."

"Where am I?" His voice sounded hollow.

"Oviedo. In the north of Spain."

"How did I get here?"

"Someone left you on my doorstep. You were ill. I fed you. You've been here many days."

The ghost studied his young caretaker. Years had passed since anyone had shown any kindness. "Thank you, Father."

The priest touched his bloody lip. "It is I who am thankful, my friend."

When the ghost awoke in the morning, his world felt clearer. He gazed up at the crucifix on the wall above his bed. Although it no longer spoke to him, he felt a comforting aura in its presence. Sitting up, he was surprised to find a newspaper clipping on his bedside table. The article was in French, a week old. When he read the story, he filled with fear. It told of an earthquake in the mountains that had destroyed a prison and freed many dangerous criminals.

DA VINCI CODE 10-6

2008-02-24T00:59:00.004-08:00

The light came slowly, and the ghost wondered how long he had been dead. A day? Three days? It didn't matter. His bed was soft like a cloud, and the air around him smelled sweet with candles. Jesus was there, staring down at him. I am here, Jesus said. The stone has been rolled aside, and you are born again.

He slept and awoke. Fog shrouded his thoughts. He had never believed in heaven, and yet Jesus was watching over him. Food appeared beside his bed, and the ghost ate it, almost able to feel the flesh materializing on his bones. He slept again. When he awoke, Jesus was still smiling down, speaking. You are saved, my son. Blessed are those who follow my path.

Again, he slept.

It was a scream of anguish that startled the ghost from his slumber. His body leapt out of bed, staggered down a hallway toward the sounds of shouting. He entered into a kitchen and saw a large man beating a smaller man. Without knowing why, the ghost grabbed the large man and hurled him backward against a wall. The man fled, leaving the ghost standing over the body of a young man in priest's robes. The priest had a badly shattered nose. Lifting the bloody priest, the ghost carried him to a couch.

DA VINCI CODE 10-6

2008-02-24T00:59:00.003-08:00

Yo soy un espectro... palido coma una fantasma... caminando este mundo a solas.

One night the ghost awoke to the screams of other inmates. He didn't know what invisible force was shaking the floor on which he slept, nor what mighty hand was trembling the mortar of his stone cell, but as he jumped to his feet, a large boulder toppled onto the very spot where he had been sleeping. Looking up to see where the stone had come from, he saw a hole in the trembling wall, and beyond it, a vision he had not seen in over ten years. The moon.

Even while the earth still shook, the ghost found himself scrambling through a narrow tunnel, staggering out into an expansive vista, and tumbling down a barren mountainside into the woods. He ran all night, always downward, delirious with hunger and exhaustion.

Skirting the edges of consciousness, he found himself at dawn in a clearing where train tracks cut a

swath across the forest. Following the rails, he moved on as if dreaming. Seeing an empty freight car, he crawled in for shelter and rest. When he awoke the train was moving. How long? How far? A pain was growing in his gut. Am I dying? He slept again. This time he awoke to someone yelling, beating him, throwing him out of the freight car. Bloody, he wandered the outskirts of a small village looking in vain for food. Finally, his body too weak to take another step, he lay down by the side of the road and slipped into unconsciousness.

DAVINCI 10-5

2008-02-24T00:59:00.001-08:00

And he felt like a ghost... transparent... floating from seaport to seaport.

People seemed to look right through him.

At eighteen, in a port town, while attempting to steal a case of cured ham from a cargo ship, he was caught by a pair of crewmen. The two sailors who began to beat him smelled of beer, just as his father had. The memories of fear and hatred surfaced like a monster from the deep. The young man broke the first sailor's neck with his bare hands, and only the arrival of the police saved the second sailor from a similar fate.

Two months later, in shackles, he arrived at a prison in Andorra.

You are as white as a ghost, the inmates ridiculed as the guards marched him in, naked and cold. Mira el espectro! Perhaps the ghost will pass right through these walls!

Over the course of twelve years, his flesh and soul withered until he knew he had become transparent.

I am a ghost.

I am weightless.

DA VINCI CODE 10-4

2008-02-24T00:58:00.000-08:00

The boy fled home but found the streets of Marseilles equally unfriendly. His strange appearance made him an outcast among the other young runaways, and he was forced to live alone in the basement of a dilapidated factory, eating stolen fruit and raw fish from the dock. His only companions were tattered magazines he found in the trash, and he taught himself to read them. Over time, he grew strong. When he was twelve, another drifter—a girl twice his age—mocked him on the streets and attempted to steal his food. The girl found herself pummeled to within

inches of her life. When the authorities pulled the boy off her, they gave him an ultimatum—leave Marseilles or go to juvenile prison.

The boy moved down the coast to Toulon. Over time, the looks of pity on the streets turned to looks of fear. The boy had grown to a powerful young man. When people passed by, he could hear them whispering to one another. A ghost, they would say, their eyes wide with fright as they stared at his white skin. A ghost with the eyes of a devil!

DA VINCIC CODE 10-3

2008-02-24T00:57:00.000-08:00

The light came long after the thunder.

His name was not Silas then, although he didn't recall the name his parents had given him. He had left home when he was seven. His drunken father, a burly dockworker, enraged by the arrival of an albino son, beat his mother regularly, blaming her for the boy's embarrassing condition. When the boy tried to defend her, he too was badly beaten.

One night, there was a horrific fight, and his mother never got up. The boy stood over his lifeless mother and felt an unbearable up-welling of guilt for permitting it to happen.

This is my fault!

As if some kind of demon were controlling his body, the boy walked to the kitchen and grasped a butcher knife. Hypnotically, he moved to the bedroom where his father lay on the bed in a drunken stupor. Without a word, the boy stabbed him in the back. His father cried out in pain and tried to roll over, but his son stabbed him again, over and over until the apartment fell quiet.

DA VINCI CODE 10-2

2008-02-24T00:56:00.001-08:00

Still, the memories haunted his soul.

Release your hatred, Silas commanded himself. Forgive those who trespassed against you.

Looking up at the stone towers of Saint-Sulpice, Silas fought that familiar undertow... that force that often dragged his mind back in time, locking him once again in the prison that had been his world as a young man. The memories of purgatory came as they always did, like a tempest to his senses... the reek of rotting cabbage, the stench of death, human urine and feces. The cries of hopelessness against the howling wind of the Pyrenees and the soft sobs of forgotten men.

Andorra, he thought, feeling his muscles tighten.

Incredibly, it was in that barren and forsaken suzerain between Spain and France, shivering in his stone cell, wanting only to die, that Silas had been saved.

He had not realized it at the time.

DA VINCI CODE 10-1

2008-02-24T00:54:00.000-08:00

Silas sat behind the wheel of the black Audi the Teacher had arranged for him and gazed out at the great Church of Saint-Sulpice. Lit from beneath by banks of floodlights, the church's two bell towers rose like stalwart sentinels above the building's long body. On either flank, a shadowy row of sleek buttresses jutted out like the ribs of a beautiful beast.

The heathens used a house of God to conceal their keystone. Again the brotherhood had confirmed their legendary reputation for illusion and deceit. Silas was looking forward to finding the keystone and giving it to the Teacher so they could recover what the brotherhood had long ago stolen from the faithful.

How powerful that will make Opus Dei.

Parking the Audi on the deserted Place Saint-Sulpice, Silas exhaled, telling himself to clear his mind for the task at hand. His broad back still ached from the corporal mortification he had endured earlier today, and yet the pain was inconsequential compared with the anguish of his life before Opus Dei had saved him

DA VINCI CODE 7-4

2008-02-23T21:30:00.000-08:00

Puzzled, Sister Sandrine remained a moment in the warmth of her bed, trying to shake off the cobwebs of sleep. Her sixty-year-old body did not awake as fast as it used to, although tonight's phone call had certainly roused her senses. Opus Dei had always made her uneasy. Beyond the prelature's adherence to the arcane ritual of corporal mortification, their views on women were medieval at best. She had been shocked to learn that female numeraries were forced to clean the men's residence halls for no pay while the men were at mass; women slept on hardwood floors, while the men had straw mats; and women were forced to endure additional requirements of corporal mortification... all as added penance for original sin. It seemed Eve's bite from the apple of knowledge was a debt women were doomed to pay for eternity. Sadly, while most of the Catholic Church was gradually moving in the right direction with respect to women's rights, Opus Dei threatened to reverse the progress. Even so, Sister Sandrine had her orders.

Swinging her legs off the bed, she stood slowly, chilled by the cold stone on the soles of her bare feet. As the chill rose through her flesh, she felt an unexpected apprehension.

Women's intuition?

A follower of God, Sister Sandrine had learned to find peace in the calming voices of her own soul. Tonight, however, those voices were as silent as the empty church around her.

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DA VINCI CODE 7-3

2008-02-23T21:29:00.004-08:00

"Bishop Aringarosa called to ask me a favor," the abbé told her, his voice nervous. "One of his numeraries is in Paris tonight...."

As Sister Sandrine listened to the odd request, she felt a deepening confusion. "I'm sorry, you say this visiting Opus Dei numerary cannot wait until morning?"

"I'm afraid not. His plane leaves very early. He has always dreamed of seeing Saint-Sulpice."

"But the church is far more interesting by day. The sun's rays through the oculus, the graduated shadows on the gnomon, this is what makes Saint-Sulpice unique."

"Sister, I agree, and yet I would consider it a personal favor if you could let him in tonight. He can be there at... say one o'clock? That's in twenty minutes."

Sister Sandrine frowned. "Of course. It would be my pleasure."

The abbé thanked her and hung up.

DA VINCI CODE 7-2

2008-02-23T21:29:00.003-08:00

"Soeur Sandrine. Eglise Saint-Sulpice."

"Hello, Sister," the man said in French.

Sister Sandrine sat up. What time is it? Although she recognized her boss's voice, in fifteen years she had never been awoken by him. The abbé was a deeply pious man who went home to bed immediately after mass.

"I apologize if I have awoken you, Sister," the abbé said, his own voice sounding groggy and on edge. "I have a favor to ask of you. I just received a call from an influential American bishop.

Perhaps you know him? Manuel Aringarosa?"

"The head of Opus Dei?" Of course I know of him. Who in the Church doesn't? Aringarosa's conservative prelature had grown powerful in recent years. Their ascension to grace was jump-started in 1982 when Pope John Paul II unexpectedly elevated them to a "personal prelature of the Pope," officially sanctioning all of their practices. Suspiciously, Opus Dei's elevation occurred the same year the wealthy sect allegedly had transferred almost one billion dollars into the Vatican's Institute for Religious Works—commonly known as the Vatican Bank—bailing it out of an embarrassing bankruptcy. In a second maneuver that raised eyebrows, the Pope placed the founder of Opus Dei on the "fast track" for sainthood, accelerating an often century-long waiting period for canonization to a mere twenty years. Sister Sandrine could not help but feel that Opus Dei's good standing in Rome was suspect, but one did not argue with the Holy See.

DA VINCI CODE 7-1

2008-02-23T21:29:00.001-08:00

The modest dwelling within the Church of Saint-Sulpice was located on the second floor of the church itself, to the left of the choir balcony. A two-room suite with a stone floor and minimal furnishings, it had been home to Sister Sandrine Bieil for over a decade. The nearby convent was her formal residence, if anyone asked, but she preferred the quiet of the church and had made herself quite comfortable upstairs with a bed, phone, and hot plate.

As the church's conservatrice d'affaires, Sister Sandrine was responsible for overseeing all nonreligious aspects of church operations—general maintenance, hiring support staff and guides, securing the building after hours, and ordering supplies like communion wine and wafers.

Tonight, asleep in her small bed, she awoke to the shrill of her telephone. Tiredly, she lifted the receiver.

DA VINCI CODE 5-7

2008-02-23T05:26:00.001-08:00

For two millennia, Christian soldiers had defended their faith against those who tried to displace it. Tonight, Silas had been called to battle.
Drying his wounds, he donned his ankle-length, hooded robe. It was plain, made of dark wool, accentuating the whiteness of his skin and hair. Tightening the rope-tie around his waist, he raised the hood over his head and allowed his red eyes to admire his reflection in the mirror. The wheels are in motion
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DA VINCI CODE 5-6

2008-02-23T05:25:00.004-08:00

Excited, the bishop answered quietly. "Yes?"

"Silas has located the keystone," the caller said. "It is in Paris. Within the Church of Saint-Sulpice."

Bishop Aringarosa smiled. "Then we are close."

"We can obtain it immediately. But we need your influence."

"Of course. Tell me what to do."

When Aringarosa switched off the phone, his heart was pounding. He gazed once again into the void of night, feeling dwarfed by the events he had put into motion.

Five hundred miles away, the albino named Silas stood over a small basin of water and dabbed the blood from his back, watching the patterns of red spinning in the water. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean, he prayed, quoting Psalms. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Silas was feeling an aroused anticipation that he had not felt since his previous life. It both surprised and electrified him. For the last decade, he had been following The Way, cleansing himself of sins... rebuilding his life... erasing the violence in his past. Tonight, however, it had all come rushing back. The hatred he had fought so hard to bury had been summoned. He had been startled how quickly his past had resurfaced. And with it, of course, had come his skills. Rusty but serviceable.

Jesus' message is one of peace... of nonviolence... of love. This was the message Silas had been taught from the beginning, and the message he held in his heart. And yet this was the message the enemies of Christ now threatened to destroy. Those who threaten God with force will be met with force. Immovable and steadfast.

DA VINCI CODE 5-5

2008-02-23T05:25:00.003-08:00

Recently, however, Opus Dei had found itself threatened by a force infinitely more powerful than the media... an unexpected foe from which Aringarosa could not possibly hide. Five months ago, the kaleidoscope of power had been shaken, and Aringarosa was still reeling from the blow.

"They know not the war they have begun," Aringarosa whispered to himself, staring out the plane's window at the darkness of the ocean below. For an instant, his eyes refocused, lingering on the reflection of his awkward face—dark and oblong, dominated by a flat, crooked nose that had been shattered by a fist in Spain when he was a young missionary. The physical flaw barely registered now. Aringarosa's was a world of the soul, not of the flesh.

As the jet passed over the coast of Portugal, the cell phone in Aringarosa's cassock began vibrating in silent ring mode. Despite airline regulations prohibiting the use of cell phones during flights, Aringarosa knew this was a call he could not miss. Only one man possessed this number, the man who had mailed Aringarosa the phone.

DAVINCI CODE 5-4

2008-02-23T05:25:00.001-08:00

Of course the ultimate embarrassment had been the widely publicized trial of FBI spy Robert Hanssen, who, in addition to being a prominent member of Opus Dei, had turned out to be a sexual deviant, his trial uncovering evidence that he had rigged hidden video cameras in his own bedroom so his friends could watch him having sex with his wife. "Hardly the pastime of a devout Catholic," the judge had noted.

Sadly, all of these events had helped spawn the new watch group known as the Opus Dei Awareness Network (ODAN). The group's popular website—www.odan.org—relayed frightening stories from former Opus Dei members who warned of the dangers of joining. The media was now referring to Opus Dei as "God's Mafia" and "the Cult of Christ."

We fear what we do not understand, Aringarosa thought, wondering if these critics had any idea how many lives Opus Dei had enriched. The group enjoyed the full endorsement and blessing of the Vatican. Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the Pope himself.

DA VINCI CODE 5-3

2008-02-23T05:24:00.002-08:00

You are describing only a small portion of the Opus Dei population," Aringarosa said. "There are many levels of involvement. Thousands of Opus Dei members are married, have families, and do God's Work in their own communities. Others choose lives of asceticism within our cloistered residence halls. These choices are personal, but everyone in Opus Dei shares the goal of bettering the world by doing the Work of God. Surely this is an admirable quest."

Reason seldom worked, though. The media always gravitated toward scandal, and Opus Dei, like most large organizations, had within its membership a few misguided souls who cast a shadow over the entire group.

Two months ago, an Opus Dei group at a midwestern university had been caught drugging new recruits with mescaline in an effort to induce a euphoric state that neophytes would perceive as a religious experience. Another university student had used his barbed cilice belt more often than the recommended two hours a day and had given himself a near lethal infection. In Boston not long ago, a disillusioned young investment banker had signed over his entire life savings to Opus Dei before attempting suicide.

DAVINCI CODE 5-2

2008-02-23T05:24:00.001-08:00

Earlier this evening, within the sanctuary of his penthouse apartment, Bishop Manuel Aringarosa had packed a small travel bag and dressed in a traditional black cassock. Normally, he would have wrapped a purple cincture around his waist, but tonight he would be traveling among the public, and he preferred not to draw attention to his high office. Only those with a keen eye would notice his 14-karat gold bishop's ring with purple amethyst, large diamonds, and hand-tooled mitre-crozier appliqué. Throwing the travel bag over his shoulder, he said a silent prayer and left his apartment, descending to the lobby where his driver was waiting to take him to the airport.
Now, sitting aboard a commercial airliner bound for Rome, Aringarosa gazed out the window at the dark Atlantic. The sun had already set, but Aringarosa knew his own star was on the rise. Tonight the battle will be won, he thought, amazed that only months ago he had felt powerless against the hands that threatened to destroy his empire.

DA VINCI CODE 5-1

2008-02-23T05:23:00.000-08:00

Murray Hill Place—the new Opus Dei World Headquarters and conference center—is located at 243 Lexington Avenue in New York City. With a price tag of just over $47 million, the 133,000-square-foot tower is clad in red brick and Indiana limestone. Designed by May & Pinska, the building contains over one hundred bedrooms, six dining rooms, libraries, living rooms, meeting

rooms, and offices. The second, eighth, and sixteenth floors contain chapels, ornamented with mill-work and marble. The seventeenth floor is entirely residential. Men enter the building through the main doors on Lexington Avenue. Women enter through a side street and are "acoustically and visually separated" from the men at all times within the building.

DA VINCI CODE CHAPTER 2-4

2008-02-23T05:09:00.002-08:00

With the confident tone of a man of enormous influence, the Teacher explained what was to be done.

When Silas hung up the phone, his skin tingled with anticipation.

One hour, he told himself, grateful that the Teacher had given him time to carry out the necessary penance before entering a house of God. I must purge my soul of today's sins. The sins committed today had been holy in purpose. Acts of war against the enemies of God had been committed for centuries. Forgiveness was assured.

Even so, Silas knew, absolution required sacrifice.

Pulling his shades, he stripped naked and knelt in the center of his room. Looking down, he examined the spiked cilice belt clamped around his thigh. All true followers of The Way wore this device—a leather strap, studded with sharp metal barbs that cut into the flesh as a perpetual reminder of Christ's suffering. The pain caused by the device also helped counteract the desires of the flesh.

Although Silas already had worn his cilice today longer than the requisite two hours, he knew today was no ordinary day. Grasping the buckle, he cinched it one notch tighter, wincing as the barbs dug deeper into his flesh. Exhaling slowly, he savored the cleansing ritual of his pain.

Pain is good, Silas whispered, repeating the sacred mantra of Father Josemaría Escrivá—the Teacher of all Teachers. Although Escrivá had died in 1975, his wisdom lived on, his words still whispered by thousands of faithful servants around the globe as they knelt on the floor and performed the sacred practice known as "corporal mortification."

Silas turned his attention now to a heavy knotted rope coiled neatly on the floor beside him. The Discipline. The knots were caked with dried blood. Eager for the purifying effects of his own agony, Silas said a quick prayer. Then, gripping one end of the rope, he closed his eyes and swung it hard over his shoulder, feeling the knots slap against his back. He whipped it over his shoulder again, slashing at his flesh. Again and again, he lashed.

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DA VINCI CODE CHAPTER 2.3

2008-02-23T05:09:00.001-08:00

information so powerful that its protection was the reason for the brotherhood's very existence.

"When we possess the keystone," the Teacher said, "we will be only one step away."

"We are closer than you think. The keystone is here in Paris."

"Paris? Incredible. It is almost too easy."

Silas relayed the earlier events of the evening... how all four of his victims, moments before death, had desperately tried to buy back their godless lives by telling their secret. Each had told Silas the exact same thing—that the keystone was ingeniously hidden at a precise location inside one of Paris's ancient churches—the Eglise de Saint-Sulpice.

"Inside a house of the Lord," the Teacher exclaimed. "How they mock us!"

"As they have for centuries."

The Teacher fell silent, as if letting the triumph of this moment settle over him. Finally, he spoke. "You have done a great service to God. We have waited centuries for this. You must retrieve the stone for me. Immediately. Tonight. You understand the stakes."

Silas knew the stakes were incalculable, and yet what the Teacher was now commanding seemed impossible. "But the church, it is a fortress. Especially at night. How will I enter?"

DA VINCI CODE CHAPTER 1-2

2008-02-23T05:08:00.002-08:00

"All four are gone. The three sénéchaux... and the Grand Master himself."

There was a momentary pause, as if for prayer. "Then I assume you have the information?"

"All four concurred. Independently."

"And you believed them?"

"Their agreement was too great for coincidence."

An excited breath. "Excellent. I had feared the brotherhood's reputation for secrecy might prevail."

"The prospect of death is strong motivation."

"So, my pupil, tell me what I must know."

Silas knew the information he had gleaned from his victims would come as a shock. "Teacher, all four confirmed the existence of the clef de voûte... the legendary keystone."

He heard a quick intake of breath over the phone and could feel the Teacher's excitement. "The keystone. Exactly as we suspected."

According to lore, the brotherhood had created a map of stone—a clef de voûte... or keystone—an engraved tablet that revealed the final resting place of the brotherhood's greatest secret...

DAVINCI CODE CHAPTER 2

2008-02-23T05:08:00.001-08:00

One mile away, the hulking albino named Silas limped through the front gate of the luxurious brownstone residence on Rue La Bruyère. The spiked cilice belt that he wore around his thigh cut into his flesh, and yet his soul sang with satisfaction of service to the Lord.

Pain is good.

His red eyes scanned the lobby as he entered the residence. Empty. He climbed the stairs quietly, not wanting to awaken any of his fellow numeraries. His bedroom door was open; locks were forbidden here. He entered, closing the door behind him.

The room was spartan—hardwood floors, a pine dresser, a canvas mat in the corner that served as his bed. He was a visitor here this week, and yet for many years he had been blessed with a similar sanctuary in New York City.

The Lord has provided me shelter and purpose in my life.

Tonight, at last, Silas felt he had begun to repay his debt. Hurrying to the dresser, he found the cell phone hidden in his bottom drawer and placed a call.

"Yes?" a male voice answered.

"Teacher, I have returned."

"Speak," the voice commanded, sounding pleased to hear from him.

BILLA INTERESTING

2007-12-08T19:16:00.001-08:00

Billa' is ready to be released on December 14. The whole unit has fond memories of the shooting that lasted for around 95 days. Ajith was staying in Hotel Legend, a star hotel in Kuala Lumpur. He moved with all the technicians with lot of affection. The technicians say that the ultimate star used to give treat to all the 75 members of the technicians team every week.

Ajith hasn’t given up his passion for adventures with the car. The technicians recall an incident that happened in the cable car location situated in Langkawi. The script has a scene in this location. Ajith drove the car across the gap between the two bridges constructed at the height of 2000 ft for the scene. He did not accept to have a dupe to act in the scene, which is highly risk to perform.

It is not surprising that Ajith, with an amazing mix of affection and brave heart, has stolen everyone’s heart in the unit. They firmly believe that the movie would do the same magic with the audience as well.

RAMESHWARAM-REVIEW

2007-12-08T19:14:00.001-08:00

Rameswaram' was hailed as a movie that tells a love story in the backdrop of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. True. It has a love story and it shows the refugees. But the movie has nothing to do with the refugees’ issue. The serious issue has been used as just an item to add spice to the movie. The backdrop just serves as a plain backdrop, like the one you have on the wall of your living room.

'Rameswaram' deals with a love – typical filmy masala love. The girl falls for the boy at the drop of a hat. The girl chases the boy, who cannot afford to entertain such thoughts.

Vasanthi (Bhavana) is the daughter of the big man (Lal), who does a lot of help for the refugees.

Bhavana instantly falls for Jeevan (Jeeva), a Tamil refugee, staying in the camp in Rameswaram. Jeevan, nurturing a dream to go back to his home land, keeps on discouraging the girl, who is stubborn in her love. Jeevan’s heart, influenced by the pure love of the girl, starts melting slowly.

Enters Bose Venkat, the cousin of Vasanthi with full of dreams to marry his childhood sweetheart. He joins as an Inspector in the local police station. The whole family is eagerly awaiting their marriage.

Problem arises when the family comes to know about the love. The inspector and his uncle try to eliminate the boy. They keep on troubling him without much success.

Meanwhile the refugees get a chance to go back and Jeevan has to go with them. He promises Vasanthi that he would come back to marry her. The family is determined to stop him. Vasanthi decides to end her life if Jeevan doesn’t turn up. Everything goes on a predictable manner. You started yawning before reaching the climax. The climax, predictable again, shows how everything gets settled.

Director Selvam has tried or pretended to try to deal with the love story in the backdrop of the refugees’ plight. He has miserably failed to convincingly combine the two. The backdrop doesn’t add any dimension to the predictable silly love story and the love track doesn’t provide any relief to the serious issue of refugees. The script hasn’t justified the handling of the refugee issue. The tame love story fails to kindle any interest. As a result, the movie ends up as a predictable and dull fare.

The movie however, has some plus points like performances, cinematography, back ground score, and the cast selection to play refugees. Jeeva has once again proved that he is capable of handling strong characters. He has shown a lot of improvement in his facial expressions and body language. His single dimensional character, however, limits his scope to perform.

Bhavana looks beautiful. She spreads her charm with her pleasant smiles and looks. She is energetic and youthful. Her performance, though not outstanding, is flawless.

Lal and Bose Venkat have done their respective parts well. Bose gets more scope and ably justifies his role. Manivannan in a small role doesn’t make any impact.

The actors depicting refugees have done commendable job. Lakshana(Santhi) and Sampath are particularly good. They have got the intensity right. Santhi’s body language fits the role perfectly.

The cinematography by Vetri and R.B. Gurudev is a major asset of the film. It captures the beauty of the coastal area. The lighting and camera angles are amazing. The scenes that show the arrival and departure of the refugees stand out.

Niru’s music is competent. ‘Ellaraiyum Eththi Poga’ song is good. His background score is marvelous.

The fact that no one has successfully attempted to speak in the accent of Sri Lankan Tamils is a major flaw in a movie that has so many Sri Lankan Tamils as its characters. This puts the entire team in poor light in terms of motivation and dedication towards the subject. It shows that the team is not serious about the refugees. It is thus pretty clear that the refugees’ issue has been (ab)used to give the film a different look.

We have a humble suggestion to the director: If you want to make a movie with a love story please just go ahead. If you want to make a story based on a serious issue pertaining to the lives of millions, then approach the matter seriously and do justice to the subject. For heaven’s sake, please do not mix up both without proper reasoning or necessity.

NINE RUPEE NOTE -REVIEW

2007-12-08T19:13:00.001-08:00

Thankar Bachchan has the reputation of making films based on reality. He tries to bring out some real shades of Tamil life on celluloid. His latest offering Onbathu Rupai Nottu, starring Sathyaraj, Archana, Nasser, and Rohini in main roles, is an adaptation of his own novel with the same title. The novel depicts the raise and fall of a family and so does the film.

The story revolves around Madhava Padaiyachi living in Pathirakottai, a village near Panrutti. He has a big family and a big heart. The story, which is told through the memories of the aging protagonist, goes on to narrate the village life.

The initial scenes show the rural life revolving around agricultural activities. The caste equations prevailing in the rural life is also depicted naturally in the narration. The status of the Dhobhi community in the village is made to understand on course of narration.

The main story of course, is about the life of Madhava Padayachi, fondly called as Madhavar or Madhava Ayya. He is hard working and generous towards needy. He brings up his family and helps his dearest friend Khaja Bhai and his wife Kameela (played by Nasser and Rohini) to come up in life.

The time passes by and the family becomes a big joint family. Life moves on smoothly till Velayi (Archana), the wife of Madhavar, comes to know about his youngest son’s love affair with a girl belongs to the Dhobhi community. She is shattered and so is Madhavar.

To make things worse, Madhavar’s younger brother influences Madhavar’s sons and daughter in laws to revolt against Madhavar’s "autocratic" functioning within the family. The crack sets in. The set up of the family gets shaken. The revolt by the sons comes as a humiliating shock to the aging couple. Finally they decided to go away from the family.

This brings back Khaja Bhai and Kameela into the picture. They support their friends. The aged couple is obstinate enough not to go back to the sons, who had humiliated them.

But... deep down the heart, the passion is still alive to see and live with the children.

Could they ever meet their children again and rediscover the unadulterated pleasure of being together? Could the sons manage without their parents?

Thankar Bachachn is one of the rare filmmakers in Tamil industry, who believe in story rather than stars or fanfare. He has chosen a strong story and selected the cast accordingly. His handling of the stars and execution of the scenes are praiseworthy.

Onbathu Rubai Note has many poignant moments. The scenes when the families of Madhavar and Khaja Bhai part ways (twice) are noteworthy. The meeting of friends after a long time has come out well. The portrayal of the friendship between Madhavar and Khaja Bhai is neat. The love track told along with the main story is pleasant.

The emotional upheavals and outbursts form the major aspect of the story. The emotional quotient, which is the strength of the narrative, also weakens it, as it is stretched beyond a point. Archana’s shock by knowing the love affair of her son is well portrayed and convincing. But you get tired when you to see too many of such scenes. The emotional imbalance, tilting towards melodrama, is the aspect that works against the overall impact of the film.

The characterization of the protagonist is stereotype and predictable. The initial scenes create a perfect cinematic premise to make him a martyr. The proceedings do throw some surprises with many characters operating simultaneously. But the development of the story that tells you the journey of the protagonist is single dimensional. Everything that happens does happen only to make the protagonist’s life worse. He doesn’t have any relief. Even if gets any, it is short lived.

This aspect - lack of complexities of real life - weakens the impact of the hard work made by the director and the actors. The director could have thought of more convincing incidents to mark the turning points (the departure of the couple and the timing of the death of Velayi) of the life of the protagonist.

Sathyaraj and Archana are vying each other to the slot of top performer. Both have got in to the skins of their respective characters. Sathyaraj is a seasoned performer but he is not known for immersing into the character. For once, we have got to see the actor disappearing and the character emerging. He has ably portrayed a range of emotions. His body language and dialogue delivery perfectly suit the character.

Archana is a revelation. The veteran actor, who had received National Award for acting has done wonders. One wonders why Tamil cinema is not utilizing her talent. Her outbursts as well as the expressions of subdued and suppressed emotions are amazing. Her powerful eyes convey a lot.

Nasser and Rohini excel in relatively lesser roles. They have ably portrayed the ups and downs of the lives of their characters. The deep friendship with a touch of gratitude has been well expressed by both of them.

All the other actors including choreographer Sivashankar have done their part well. The young lovers - played by Inba Nila and Nitesh Kumar - do impress. Thankar has shaped the small roles well. Everyone who appears on screen gets noticed.

Bharadwaj has given the touch of classical seventies in his musical score. Vairamuthu has penned some outstanding lines that go well with the script. S.P. Balasubramaniyam’s rendition of ‘Maargazhiyil’ song is excellent.

Thankar’s cinematography is top notch. He has captured the natural beauty of the village.

Overall, Onbathu Rupai Note is a worthwhile effort to create a lively experience of real life on screen.

INDIAN ECONOMY DOWNS

2007-12-01T18:35:00.001-08:00

India's annual economic growth dipped below 9 per cent for the first time in three quarters in July-September as industrial output slowed, but analysts said the central bank's full-year forecast of 8.5 per cent should be met.

Data on Friday showed Asia's third-largest economy expanded 8.9 per cent in its fiscal second quarter from a year earlier, as higher interest rates and a strong rupee dragged on manufacturing and exports.

The figure was in line with a Reuters poll forecast of 8.8 per cent but below growth of 9.3 per cent in the previous quarter, and analysts said the economy was likely to clock 8.3-8.8 per cent expansion in the 2007/08 fiscal year to next March.

"We expect moderation to continue in the industrial sector based on higher interest rates and a possible decline in the equity markets," said Indranil Pan, chief economist at Kotak Mahindra Bank in Mumbai.

"Overall, we expect GDP growth for the full year at 8.7 per cent with services performing robustly." The stock market extended gains after the data to stand 1.8 per cent up on the day.

The rupee firmed to 39.63/64 per dollar and the yield on the benchmark 10-year bond held at 7.90 per cent.

India, the world's fastest-growing major economy after China, grew 9.4 per cent in the fiscal year that ended in March 2007, its strongest rate in 18 years, and the central bank expects expansion to slow to 8.5 per cent this fiscal year.

Growth has averaged 8.6 per cent a year in the past four years, which has attracted global investors' attention, fuelling a stock market boom and pushing firms to expand capacity.

DEVIL THAN DARWIN

2007-12-01T18:34:00.001-08:00

More people believe in a literal hell and the devil than Darwin’s theory of evolution, according to a new Harris poll released on Thursday.

It is the latest survey in the US to highlight America’s deep level of religiosity, a cultural trait that sets it apart from much of the developed world.

It also helps explain many of its political battles which Europeans find bewildering, such as efforts to have "Intelligent Design" theory — which holds life is too complex to have evolved by chance — taught in schools alongside evolution.

The poll of 2,455 US adults from November 7 to 13 found that 82% of those surveyed believed in God, a figure unchanged since the question was asked in 2005.

It further found that 79% believed in miracles, 75% in heaven, while 72% believed that Jesus is God or the Son of God. Belief in hell and the devil was expressed by 62%.

Darwin’s theory of evolution met a far more skeptical audience which might surprise some outsiders as the United States is renowned for its excellence in scientific research.

Only 42% of those surveyed said they believed in Darwin’s theory which largely informs how biology and related sciences are approached. While often referred to as evolution it is in fact the 19th century British intellectual’s theory of "natural selection".

There are unsurprising differences among religious groups.

"Born-again Christians are more likely to believe in the traditional elements of Christianity than are Catholics or Protestants. For example, 95% believe in miracles, compared to 87% and 89% among Catholics and Protestants," according to the poll.

"On the other hand only 16% of born-again Christians, compared to 43% of Catholics and 30% of Protestants, believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution."

What is perhaps surprising is that substantial minorities in America apparently believe in ghosts, UFOs, witches, astrology and reincarnation.

BANGALORE TECHIES GIVEN MONEY FOR STAYING AT HOMES

2007-12-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

Wedged between the wardrobe and the family photos, is Satish Sundar's workstation. This 40-year-old became a medical language specialist at one of the country's oldest BPOs two years ago.

But Sundar soon realised that he was fatigued every day — not by the work, but by the traveling. So last year, he joined 398 other people in his company to become a smart techie, and work from the comfort of his home.

"The traffic going down to office used to be too congested, especially during the monsoon. Then it takes some time for you to unwind also. You start getting tense and so it may, somewhere down the line affect your work," says Sundar.

The four hours Sundar spent on Bangalore's roads are now spent in watching his daughters learn to dance.

Many techies like him are now treating work as a takeaway, realising that outsourced work can be outsourced to home too, sometimes even in remote towns.

Vice-President Human Resources, Spheris, Surya V Ciryam says, "There's an increasing trend among men. It used to be around one to two per cent and has now gone up to around 30 per cent in the last year and we are seeing more requests from men today, than women."

Talent Engagement Vice-President, Wipro, Joseph John says, "It's a pain for employees who are traveling more than one hour to work and two hours to reach home. It's definitely an issue."

Employers save costs too, by reusing the same seats. Companies like Infosys have also opened a city branch to reduce time spent commuting, to ensure that employees don't quit because of traffic trauma.

Bangalore's made the world flat and now it's redefined distance. Thanks to traffic, distance is now measured not in terms of kilometres but the time taken, so it's better to just get off that office cab and stay at home.

STOCKS WITH GREAT RETURNS

2007-12-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

The year 2007 is likely to be remembered for providing great returns in the stock market. The BSE Sensex has gained 43 per cent so far this year, and the recent rally, where the Sensex made a new milestone crossing 20,000 levels, has added a lot of wealth to those who are invested in large-cap stocks.

However, many analysts describe the current market rally as one driven by momentum, powered by heavy net foreign inflows into equities, most of it in large-cap stocks.

There is an increasing belief among market experts that valuations of many large-cap stocks appear stretched today � the BSE Sensex trades at a twelve-month forward earnings of 20 times as compared with about 17.7 times a month back.

While most of the gains have been captured by the large-cap stocks, many mid-cap companies have remained out of investors' focus. Though the mid-cap indices have gained more than the Sensex since the beginning of 2007, their valuations are still low at about 15 times forward earnings.

"The recent rally has created a significant divergence between the valuations of large-cap stocks and the mid- and small-cap stocks. The divergence should shrink as many of the mid-cap stocks are trading at attractive levels," says Ajay Bodke, senior fund manager - equity, Standard Chartered Mutual Fund. Fund managers believe there is significant value left in select mid-cap stocks.

"Over the last few months we have seen a significant rally in the large cap stocks and most of these stocks are expensive in terms of valuations. This is the right time to enter into some select mid cap stocks," says, Satish Ramanathan, head-equities, Sundaram BNP Paribas Mutual Fund.

What is a mid-cap? There is no clear definition for this, but Sundaram Mutual Fund calls a stock a mid-cap if it is not among the top 50 shares listed on NSE in terms of market capitalisation.

For DSP Merrill Lynch, it begins from the 101st company. On November 17, the 51st company had a market cap of Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250 billion) and the 101st company Rs 9,538 crore (Rs 95.38 billion).

Here, we have a list of some select small- and mid-cap companies that have a strong business model and operate in an emerging or growing industry. We have looked at companies with a market capitalisation of around Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 billion) with just one exception (Indian Overseas Bank [Get Quote]).

These companies are expected to grow at a faster rate over a longer period due to the inherent advantages. Also, along with the long-term earnings visibility, these companies are trading at attractive valuations.

BLOG INSURANCE

2007-11-24T20:36:00.000-08:00

For all those who hated my blog, don't despair. There's help at hand. You can apparently nuke Mall Road.

Dilip: there's been a massive Mars attack on your blog! Be there or elsewhere :)

Amit Varma's blog, for all its obsession with cows, gets some cow dung. He deserves it in between all the praise and awards.

Yazad Jal keeps wrting about his atheism. I don't know why. Here's evidence at last for him that God exists.

God can be nasty. Sonia Faleiro's blog used to be called Colour of Water. She removed those words and put her own name there. The rain gods caused a flood at her blog.

All those poor souls who got bad reviews from Jabberwock take revenge. Jabberwock sucks, they said, and so they decided to suck his text!

Someone finally called Caferati's bluff in a sting operation, exposing how much they spill coffee in their meetings.

For his various libertarian crimes against humanity, I used a spray to paint some really obscene graffiti on Saket Vaidya's blog.

I used a chainsaw to cut out all those obtrusive ads from the Desicritics website. No prizes for guessing: I was not successful.

Buddy Gaurav, what happens when your arguments don't make sense? I throw tomatoes at you.

And boy, there's yet another puke fest at The Maanga.

All you guys, go deal with the trouble. In the meanwhile, I'll go hatch my chickens before they count.

(I got to know all this bad news after K revealed how someone peed at his blog! All that beer has become you-know-what!)

Now you know why why I've been trying to convince you all to get your blogs insured? And all you wanted was a discount from my commission!

Cross-posted at my nuked blog.

DANGEROUS ROADS.............

2007-11-16T18:07:00.000-08:00

1. Magnificient Guoliang Tunnel Road in China
- Road that does not tolerate any mistakes

In our post about The Most Dangerous Roads in the World we mentioned a few roads that imperil the lives of motorists, or just make it really miserable. The following roads did not quite make the list, but continued to pop up in conversations around the world. They may not be "deadly" as such, but certainly require a keen concentration on driving, as the rock walls in many of them are not known to be a forgiving substance.

The road shown here is the Guoliang Tunnel in Taihang mountains (China). It has been built by villagers themselves, which is an inspiring story in itself:

"Before 1972, the path chiseled into the rock used to be the only access linking
the village with the outside world. Then the villagers decided to dig a tunnel through the rocky cliff. Led by Shen Mingxin, head of the village, they sold goats and herbs to buy hammers and steel tools. Thirteen strong villagers began the project. It took them five years to finish the 1,200-metre-long tunnel which is about 5 meters high and 4 meters wide. Some of the villagers even gave their lives to it. On May 1, 1977, the tunnel was opened to traffic."

The wall of the tunnel is uneven and there are more than 30 "windows" of
different sizes and shapes. Some windows are round and some are square, and they range from dozens of metres long to standard-window-size. It is frightening to look down from the windows, where strange rocks hanging form the sheer cliff above and a seemingly bottomless pit lying below. A village, opposite the tunnel, appears to hang on the precipice.

2. Taroko Gorge Road in Taiwan (Chungheng)

Another one of quite unforgiving roads, consisting of tunnels carved in the mountain rock.

3. Pasubio (Vicenza), Northern Italy

This is an ancient road, converted to a hiking trail. Mountain bikers love it for the spectacular views, cool tunnels and hair-raising precipices... Some cars (presumably small italian kind) climb the hairpins to service the guesthouse built there.

source:muthamizhsarena