Ecosystem Sustainability and Climate Change - 800 Words

An Introduction to Ecosystem Sustainability and Climate Change: Anthropogenic activities have been pouring greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which is evident from the increasing trends of changes in global temperature, precipitation, climate induced hazards/disasters, pest distribution, etc. It is alternating the habitable areas of species, their distribution, rate of survival and reproduction, food web interactions, ecosystem services, and their conservation. Ecological managers need to invent smart solutions to control and mitigate further erosion of ecosystems. The increase in GHGs concentration in the atmosphere leads to change in climate and biological characteristics of the ecosystems. The concentration of CO2 is expected to rise†¦show more content†¦The above practices are mainly aimed at enhancing ecological resilience of species, ecosystem services, ecological connectivity, habitat creation, in-situ conservation, re-naturalization of policies, enhancing partnership between multiple stakeholders, and community engagement. The tools which can be used to promote ecological sustainability are biodiversity inclusive EIA, adaptive management, and use of revamped protocols for monitoring of the floral and faunal species. Case Study 1: As a part of Bavarian Climate Program (2008-2011), the Bavarian Forest Administration developed extensive maps of the forest areas and developed climate models of different species. The plan envisaged conversion of 2, 69,000 ha of private and community stands of conifer forests into mixed stands. The target is to convert 1, 00,000 ha by 2020 and another 1, 65,000 ha of state forests by 2033 by a public enterprise of Bavarian State Forest known as Bayerische Staatsforsten. It includes replacement of Noway’s Pine and Spruce stands into mixed stands of broad leaf such as beech and oak to promote growth of climate tolerant species. The implemented forestry management techniques is helping to enrich species diversity andShow MoreRelatedSustainability Revolution : Earth, The Plant We Call Home1537 Words   |  7 PagesSustainability Revolution: Earth, the plant we call home, is a complex system made of interdependent parts and pieces of life that are constantly changing. Earth†™s planetary system has maintained a balance of dynamic equilibrium—it has been sustainable— since its beginnings about 4.5 billion years ago. This balance, however, has been progressively disrupted by us—humans— especially during the last few decades. Mother Nature has provided us with natural resources and the habitat for all species toRead MoreGlobal Climate Change, Sustainable Development1527 Words   |  7 Pagesthe environmental protection of Antarctica. Increasing concerns over loss species and poorer nations in the lack of resources lead to these three major issues, biodiversity, global climate change, and sustainable development in which the paper will discuss. Keywords: biodiversity, global climate change, sustainable development International Environmental Movements IntroductionRead MoreGlobal Climate Change, Sustainable Development1572 Words   |  7 Pagesthe environmental protection of Antarctica. Increasing concerns over loss species and poorer nations in the lack of resources lead to these three major issues, biodiversity, global climate change, and sustainable development in which the paper will discuss. Keywords: biodiversity, global climate change, sustainable development International Environmental Movements IntroductionRead MoreMarine Ecosystem1607 Words   |  7 Pagesremains that humans have an impact on the marine ecosystems through waste from chemicals and debris polluting this vast renewable resource. Based upon current scientific evidence, emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities are projected to cause significant global climate change during the 21st century. Such climate change will create novel challenges for coastal and marine ecosystems that are already stressed from human development, land-use change, environmental pollution, and over-fishing.Read MoreEcology And The Climate Change976 Words   |  4 Pagesrenewal, health science, and agriculture as well as climate change. Climate change relates to changes in the world s temperature, as you know it global warming is an example of climate change, and in addition, the effect of climate related events, for example, heat waves, hurricanes, droughts, rainfalls, earthquakes, and tornadoes. This essay is about ecology a nd the climate, and the relationship between the two, within the context of sustainability, which is the capacity of the planet to keep up itselfRead MoreMarine and Coastal Ecosystems Degradation Essay1314 Words   |  6 Pages(food, climate regulation, nutrients recycling, etc) particularly the quality of life derived from marine and coastal areas have raised global concern for the adoption of sustainable strategies that will ensure the existence of marine and coastal areas in its natural state with less impact caused by externalities. The natural structure and function of coastal marine ecosystems are faced with a lot of environmental and ecological challenges. The key issues of coastal marine systems sustainability areRead MorePresident Elect Donald Trump s Climate Change1589 Words   |  7 PagesDonald Trump will undertake. Many people are worried about their healthcare and citizenship rights, but conceivably the most concerning issue of having Donald Trump elected is that of climate change. Throughout this paper, I will elaborate further on Trump’s stance on 4 environmental issues including climate change, biodiversity, development of alternate energy sources, and the rising ocean levels. I will also have various references to peer-reviewed literature specifically apropos to the variousRead MoreSpecies Extinction And Habitat Destruction Have A Negative1039 Words   |  5 PagesSpecies extinction and habitat destruction have a negative impact on sustainable food systems, making this a very unspoken yet important issue. To have sustainable food systems we must change our ways of producing food for our dramatically growing popula tion. This research paper will provide examples of extinct species, and habitats that have been demolished. I will be comparing and contrasting why they might be of importance, especially when relating to sustainable food systems. The relationshipRead MoreBiosphere Worksheet Essay936 Words   |  4 Pagesthat directly affect our world; more specifically, the immediate and long-term effects of the incorrect disposal of waste. 3. Define sustainability. What do scientists predict will happen in Earth’s future if we do not increase our sustainability practices? Sustainability refers to our ability to endure and maintain. From an ecological standpoint, sustainability considers the long-term environmental and social consequences of our decisions relative to our future resource base. Scientists predictRead MoreThe Importance Of Biodiversity1641 Words   |  7 Pages(WWF, n.d.). This topic is significant to the field of biology because biology is the study of life, and biodiversity is an essential part of that. II. Topic Where does it occur? A loss in biodiversity is affecting nearly every ecosystem and biome. For example, Marine ecosystems are experiences a loss in biodiversity due to overfishing, ocean acidification, water pollution, de-oxygenation, etc. (Shah, 2014). Also, biodiversity in forests, wetlands, and grasslands is being affected by deforestation, clearing

Essay on Business Ethics in America Engendering Vigor

When considering corporate American and its business crisis of integrity many people seem to cerebrate that ethics is mainly about staying out of trouble. Any explication they give concerning the role of ethics in business today will ineluctably feature a discussion of compliance, licit liability, and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The great cogitators of the past had a very divergent perspective. Ethics is not mainly about staying out of trouble. It’s about engendering vigor: vigor in individuals, in organizations, and in relationships with clients and suppliers. If we genuinely come to understand how ethical action engenders vigor, it expeditiously becomes pellucid how all unethical demeanor is in the cessation self-vanquishing and,†¦show more content†¦Thousands of employees lost their jobs and even their life savings in 401(k) plans tied to the companys stock. Disastrous falling down on the whole stock market during the following months, especially in the fina ncial accommodation industry. When thinking of the best way to be responsible in all dealings of business, a quote from Bank of America and Wells Fargo comes to mind. Bank of America states that they believe that integrity and the disciplined management of risk form the foundation of their business. They are aware that their decisions and actions affect people’s lives every day. They furthermore believe in making decisions that are clear, fair, and grounded in the principles of shared success, responsible citizenship, and community building. Wells Fargo states they expects its team members to adhere to the highest possible standards of ethics and business conduct with customers, team members, stockholders and the communities it serves, and to comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations that govern our businesses. Their Code of Ethics and Business Conduct rules sets forth Wells Fargos policy and standards concerning ethical conduct for all team members. Their aim is to promote an atmosphere in which ethical behavior is well recognized as a priority and practiced. Having great ethical comportment builds a reputation for ethical decisions which builds confidence in the business as well as among businessShow MoreRelatedDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesappear on appropriate page within text. Copyright  © 2011, 2007, 2005, 2002, 1998 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopyingRead MoreSda Manual Essay101191 Words   |  405 Pages.... Church Outreach (Missionary) Meetings ...................................... Times of Meetings .................................................................... Supplying Literature on the Sabbath ........................................ Business Meetings ......................................................................... Church Board and Its Meetings ..................................................... Definition and Function ............................. .........................

The Lost Symbol Chapter 107-109 Free Essays

string(123) " to donate his body to science, so when I explained my idea for this experiment, he immediately wanted to be a part of it\." CHAPTER 107 The stone table felt cold beneath Katherine Solomon’s back. Horrifying images of Robert’s death continued to swirl through her mind, along with thoughts of her brother. Is Peter dead, too? The strange knife on the nearby table kept bringing flashes of what might lie in store for her as well. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Symbol Chapter 107-109 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Is this really the end? Oddly, her thoughts turned abruptly to her research . . . to Noetic Science . . . and to her recent breakthroughs. All of it lost . . . up in smoke. She would never be able to share with the world everything she had learned. Her most shocking discovery had taken place only a few months ago, and the results had the potential to redefine the way humans thought about death. Strangely, thinking now of that experiment . . . was bringing her an unexpected solace. As a young girl, Katherine Solomon had often wondered if there was life after death. Does heaven exist? What happens when we die? As she grew older, her studies in science quickly erased any fanciful notions of heaven, hell, or the afterlife. The concept of â€Å"life after death,† she came to accept, was a human construct . . . a fairy tale designed to soften the horrifying truth that was our mortality. Or so I believed . . . A year ago, Katherine and her brother had been discussing one of philosophy’s most enduring questions–the existence of the human soul–specifically the issue of whether or not humans possessed some kind of consciousness capable of survival outside of the body. They both sensed that such a human soul probably did exist. Most ancient philosophies concurred. Buddhist and Brahminical wisdom endorsed metempsychosis–the transmigration of the soul into a new body after death; Platonists defined the body as a â€Å"prison† from which the soul escaped; and the Stoics called the soul apospasma tou theu–â€Å"a particle of God†Ã¢â‚¬â€œand believed it was recalled by God upon death. The existence of the human soul, Katherine noted with some frustration, was probably a concept that would never be scientifically proven. Confirming that a consciousness survived outside the human body after death was akin to exhaling a puff of smoke and hoping to find it years later. After their discussion, Katherine had a strange notion. Her brother had mentioned the Book of Genesis and its description of the soul as Neshemah–a kind of spiritual â€Å"intelligence† that was separate from the body. It occurred to Katherine that the word intelligence suggested the presence of thought. Noetic Science clearly suggested that thoughts had mass, and so it stood to reason, then, that the human soul might therefore also have mass. Can I weigh a human soul? The notion was impossible, of course . . . foolish even to ponder. It was three days later that Katherine suddenly woke up from a dead sleep and sat bolt upright in bed. She jumped up, drove to her lab, and immediately began work designing an experiment that was both startlingly simple . . . and frighteningly bold. She had no idea if it would work, and she decided not to tell Peter about her idea until her work was complete. It took four months, but finally Katherine brought her brother into the lab. She wheeled out a large piece of gear that she had been keeping hidden in the back storage room. â€Å"I designed and built it myself,† she said, showing Peter her invention. â€Å"Any guesses?† Her brother stared at the strange machine. â€Å"An incubator?† Katherine laughed and shook her head, although it was a reasonable guess. The machine did look a bit like the transparent incubators for premature babies one saw in hospitals. This machine, however, was adult size–a long, airtight, clear plastic capsule, like some kind of futuristic sleeping pod. It sat atop a large piece of electronic gear. â€Å"See if this helps you guess,† Katherine said, plugging the contraption into a power source. A digital display lit up on the machine, its numbers jumping around as she carefully calibrated some dials. When she was done, the display read: 0.0000000000 kg â€Å"A scale?† Peter asked, looking puzzled. â€Å"Not just any scale.† Katherine took a tiny scrap of paper off a nearby counter and laid it gently on top of the capsule. The numbers on the display jumped around again and then settled on a new reading. .0008194325 kg â€Å"High-precision microbalance,† she said. â€Å"Resolution down to a few micrograms.† Peter still looked puzzled. â€Å"You built a precise scale for . . . a person?† â€Å"Exactly.† She lifted the transparent lid on the machine. â€Å"If I place a person inside this capsule and close the lid, the individual is in an entirely sealed system. Nothing gets in or out. No gas, no liquid, no dust particles. Nothing can escape–not the person’s breath exhalations, evaporating sweat, body fluids, nothing.† Peter ran a hand through his thick head of silver hair, a nervous mannerism shared by Katherine. â€Å"Hmm . . . obviously a person would die in there pretty quickly.† She nodded. â€Å"Six minutes or so, depending on their breathing rate.† He turned to her. â€Å"I don’t get it.† She smiled. â€Å"You will.† Leaving the machine behind, Katherine led Peter into the Cube’s control room and sat him down in front of the plasma wall. She began typing and accessed a series of video files stored on the holographic drives. When the plasma wall flickered to life, the image before them looked like home-video footage. The camera panned across a modest bedroom with an unmade bed, medication bottles, a respirator, and a heart monitor. Peter looked baffled as the camera kept panning and finally revealed, near the center of the bedroom, Katherine’s scale contraption. Peter’s eyes widened. â€Å"What the . . . ?† The capsule’s transparent lid was open, and a very old man in an oxygen mask lay inside. His elderly wife and a hospice worker stood beside the pod. The man’s breathing was labored, and his eyes were closed. â€Å"The man in the capsule was a science teacher of mine at Yale,† Katherine said. â€Å"He and I have kept in touch over the years. He’s been very ill. He always said he wanted to donate his body to science, so when I explained my idea for this experiment, he immediately wanted to be a part of it. You read "The Lost Symbol Chapter 107-109" in category "Essay examples"† Peter was apparently mute with shock as he stared at the scene unfolding before them. The hospice worker now turned to the man’s wife. â€Å"It’s time. He’s ready.† The old woman dabbed her tearful eyes and nodded with a resolute calm. â€Å"Okay.† Very gently, the hospice worker reached into the pod and removed the man’s oxygen mask. The man stirred slightly, but his eyes remained closed. Now the worker wheeled the respirator and other equipment off to the side, leaving the old man in the capsule totally isolated in the center of the room. The dying man’s wife now approached the pod, leaned down, and gently kissed her husband’s forehead. The old man did not open his eyes, but his lips moved, ever so slightly, into a faint, loving smile. Without his oxygen mask, the man’s breathing was quickly becoming more labored. The end was obviously near. With an admirable strength and calm, the man’s wife slowly lowered the transparent lid of the capsule and sealed it shut, exactly as Katherine had taught her. Peter recoiled in alarm. â€Å"Katherine, what in the name of God?!† â€Å"It’s okay,† Katherine whispered. â€Å"There’s plenty of air in the capsule.† She had seen this video dozens of times now, but it still made her pulse race. She pointed to the scale beneath the dying man’s sealed pod. The digital numbers read: 51.4534644 kg â€Å"That’s his body weight,† Katherine said. The old man’s breathing became more shallow, and Peter inched forward, transfixed. â€Å"This is what he wanted,† Katherine whispered. â€Å"Watch what happens.† The man’s wife had stepped back and was now seated on the bed, silently looking on with the hospice worker. Over the course of the next sixty seconds, the man’s shallow breathing grew faster, until all at once, as if the man himself had chosen the moment, he simply took his last breath. Everything stopped. It was over. The wife and hospice worker quietly comforted each other. Nothing else happened. After a few seconds, Peter glanced over at Katherine in apparent confusion. Wait for it, she thought, redirecting Peter’s gaze to the capsule’s digital display, which still quietly glowed, showing the dead man’s weight. Then it happened. When Peter saw it, he jolted backward, almost falling out of his chair. â€Å"But . . . that’s . . .† He covered his mouth in shock. â€Å"I can’t . . .† It was seldom that the great Peter Solomon was speechless. Katherine’s reaction had been similar the first few times she saw what had happened. Moments after the man’s death, the numbers on the scale had decreased suddenly. The man had become lighter immediately after his death. The weight change was minuscule, but it was measurable . . . and the implications were utterly mind-boggling. Katherine recalled writing in her lab notes with a trembling hand: â€Å"There seems to exist an invisible `material’ that exits the human body at the moment of death. It has quantifiable mass which is unimpeded by physical barriers. I must assume it moves in a dimension I cannot yet perceive.† From the expression of shock on her brother’s face, Katherine knew he understood the implications. â€Å"Katherine . . .† he stammered, blinking his gray eyes as if to make sure he was not dreaming. â€Å"I think you just weighed the human soul.† There was a long silence between them. Katherine sensed that her brother was attempting to process all the stark and wondrous ramifications. It will take time. If what they had just witnessed was indeed what it seemed to be–that is, evidence that a soul or consciousness or life force could move outside the realm of the body–then a startling new light had just been shed on countless mystical questions: transmigration, cosmic consciousness, near-death experiences, astral projection, remote viewing, lucid dreaming, and on and on. Medical journals were filled with stories of patients who had died on the operating table, viewed their bodies from above, and then been brought back to life. Peter was silent, and Katherine now saw he had tears in his eyes. She understood. She had cried, too. Peter and Katherine had lost loved ones, and for anyone in that position, the faintest hint of the human spirit continuing after death brought a glimmer of hope. He’s thinking of Zachary, Katherine thought, recognizing the deep melancholy in her brother’s eyes. For years Peter had carried the burden of responsibility for his son’s death. He had told Katherine many times that leaving Zachary in prison had been the worst mistake of his life, and that he would never find a way to forgive himself. A slamming door drew Katherine’s attention, and suddenly she was back in the basement, lying on a cold stone table. The metal door at the top of the ramp had closed loudly, and the tattooed man was coming back down. She could hear him entering one of the rooms down the hall, doing something inside, and then continuing along the hall toward the room she was in. As he entered, she could see that he was pushing something in front of him. Something heavy . . . on wheels. As he stepped into the light, she stared in disbelief. The tattooed man was pushing a person in a wheelchair. Intellectually, Katherine’s brain recognized the man in the chair. Emotionally, her mind could barely accept what she was looking at. Peter? She didn’t know whether to be overjoyed that her brother was alive . . . or utterly horrified. Peter’s body had been shaved smooth. His mane of thick silver hair was all gone, as were his eyebrows, and his smooth skin glistened as if it had been oiled. He wore a black silk gown. Where his right hand should have been, he had only a stump, wrapped in a clean, fresh bandage. Her brother’s pain-laden eyes reached out to hers, filled with regret and sorrow. â€Å"Peter!† Her voice cracked. Her brother tried to speak but made only muffled, guttural noises. Katherine now realized he was bound to the wheelchair and had been gagged. The tattooed man reached down and gently stroked Peter’s shaved scalp. â€Å"I’ve prepared your brother for a great honor. He has a role to play tonight.† Katherine’s entire body went rigid. No . . . â€Å"Peter and I will be leaving in a moment, but I thought you’d want to say good-bye.† â€Å"Where are you taking him?† she said weakly. He smiled. â€Å"Peter and I must journey to the sacred mountain. That is where the treasure lies. The Masonic Pyramid has revealed the location. Your friend Robert Langdon was most helpful.† Katherine looked into her brother’s eyes. â€Å"He killed . . . Robert.† Her brother’s expression contorted in agony, and he shook his head violently, as if unable to bear any more pain. â€Å"Now, now, Peter,† the man said, again stroking Peter’s scalp. â€Å"Don’t let this ruin the moment. Say good-bye to your little sister. This is your final family reunion.† Katherine felt her mind welling with desperation. â€Å"Why are you doing this?!† she shouted at him. â€Å"What have we ever done to you?! Why do you hate my family so much?!† The tattooed man came over and placed his mouth right next to her ear. â€Å"I have my reasons, Katherine.† Then he walked to the side table and picked up the strange knife. He brought it over to her and ran the burnished blade across her cheek. â€Å"This is arguably the most famous knife in history.† Katherine knew of no famous knives, but it looked foreboding and ancient. The blade felt razor sharp. â€Å"Don’t worry,† he said. â€Å"I have no intention of wasting its power on you. I’m saving it for a more worthy sacrifice . . . in a more sacred place.† He turned to her brother. â€Å"Peter, you recognize this knife, don’t you?† Her brother’s eyes were wide with a mixture of fear and disbelief. â€Å"Yes, Peter, this ancient artifact still exists. I obtained it at great expense . . . and I have been saving it for you. At long last, you and I can end our painful journey together.† With that, he wrapped the knife carefully in a cloth with all of his other items–incense, vials of liquid, white satin cloths, and other ceremonial objects. He then placed the wrapped items inside Robert Langdon’s leather bag along with the Masonic Pyramid and capstone. Katherine looked on helplessly as the man zipped up Langdon’s daybag and turned to her brother. â€Å"Carry this, Peter, would you?† He set the heavy bag on Peter’s lap. Next, the man walked over to a drawer and began rooting around. She could hear small metal objects clinking. When he returned, he took her right arm, steadying it. Katherine couldn’t see what he was doing, but Peter apparently could, and he again started bucking wildly. Katherine felt a sudden, sharp pinch in the crook of her right elbow, and an eerie warmth ran down around it. Peter was making anguished, strangled sounds and trying in vain to get out of the heavy chair. Katherine felt a cold numbness spreading through her forearm and fingertips below the elbow. When the man stepped aside, Katherine saw why her brother was so horrified. The tattooed man had inserted a medical needle into her vein, as if she were giving blood. The needle, however, was not attached to a tube. Instead, her blood was now flowing freely out of it . . . running down her elbow, forearm, and onto the stone table. â€Å"A human hourglass,† the man said, turning to Peter. â€Å"In a short while, when I ask you to play your role, I want you to picture Katherine . . . dying alone here in the dark.† Peter’s expression was one of total torment. â€Å"She will stay alive,† the man said, â€Å"for about an hour or so. If you cooperate with me quickly, I will have enough time to save her. Of course, if you resist me at all . . . your sister will die here alone in the dark.† Peter bellowed unintelligibly through his gag. â€Å"I know, I know,† the tattooed man said, placing a hand on Peter’s shoulder, â€Å"this is hard for you. But it shouldn’t be. After all, this is not the first time you will abandon a family member.† He paused, bending over and whispering in Peter’s ear. â€Å"I’m thinking, of course, of your son, Zachary, in Soganlik prison.† Peter pulled against his restraints and let out another muffled scream through the cloth in his mouth. â€Å"Stop it!† Katherine shouted. â€Å"I remember that night well,† the man taunted as he finished packing. â€Å"I heard the whole thing. The warden offered to let your son go, but you chose to teach Zachary a lesson . . . by abandoning him. Your boy learned his lesson, all right, didn’t he?† The man smiled. â€Å"His loss . . . was my gain.† The man now retrieved a linen cloth and stuffed it deep into Katherine’s mouth. â€Å"Death,† he whispered to her, â€Å"should be a quiet thing.† Peter struggled violently. Without another word, the tattooed man slowly backed Peter’s wheelchair out of the room, giving Peter a long, last look at his sister. Katherine and Peter locked eyes one final time. Then he was gone. Katherine could hear them going up the ramp and through the metal door. As they exited, she heard the tattooed man lock the metal door behind him and continue on through the painting of the Three Graces. A few minutes later, she heard a car start. Then the mansion fell silent. All alone in the dark, Katherine lay bleeding. CHAPTER 108 Robert Langdon’s mind hovered in an endless abyss. No light. No sound. No feeling. Only an infinite and silent void. Softness. Weightlessness. His body had released him. He was untethered. The physical world had ceased to exist. Time had ceased to exist. He was pure consciousness now . . . a fleshless sentience suspended in the emptiness of a vast universe. CHAPTER 109 The modified UH-60 skimmed in low over the expansive rooftops of Kalorama Heights, thundering toward the coordinates given to them by the support team. Agent Simkins was the first to spot the black Escalade parked haphazardly on a lawn in front of one of the mansions. The driveway gate was closed, and the house was dark and quiet. Sato gave the signal to touch down. The aircraft landed hard on the front lawn amid several other vehicles . . . one of them a security sedan with a bubble light on top. Simkins and his team jumped out, drew their weapons, and dashed up onto the porch. Finding the front door locked, Simkins cupped his hands and peered through a window. The foyer was dark, but Simkins could make out the faint shadow of a body on the floor. â€Å"Shit,† he whispered. â€Å"It’s Hartmann.† One of his agents grabbed a chair off the porch and heaved it through the bay window. The sound of shattering glass was barely audible over the roar of the helicopter behind them. Seconds later, they were all inside. Simkins rushed to the foyer and knelt over Hartmann to check his pulse. Nothing. There was blood everywhere. Then he saw the screwdriver in Hartmann’s throat. Jesus. He stood up and motioned to his men to begin a full search. The agents fanned out across the first floor, their laser sights probing the darkness of the luxurious house. They found nothing in the living room or study, but in the dining room, to their surprise, they discovered a strangled female security guard. Simkins was fast losing hope that Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon were alive. This brutal killer clearly had set a trap, and if he had managed to kill a CIA agent and an armed security guard, then it seemed a professor and a scientist had no chance. Once the first floor was secure, Simkins sent two agents to search upstairs. Meanwhile, he found a set of basement stairs off the kitchen and descended. At the bottom of the stairs, he threw on the lights. The basement was spacious and spotless, as if it were hardly ever used. Boilers, bare cement walls, a few boxes. Nothing here at all. Simkins headed back up to the kitchen just as his men were coming down from the second floor. Everyone shook their heads. The house was deserted. No one home. And no more bodies. Simkins radioed Sato with the all-clear and the grim update. When he got to the foyer, Sato was already climbing the stairs onto the porch. Warren Bellamy was visible behind her, sitting dazed and alone in the helicopter with Sato’s titanium briefcase at his feet. The OS director’s secure laptop provided her with worldwide access to CIA computer systems via encrypted satellite uplinks. Earlier tonight, she had used this computer to share with Bellamy some kind of information that had stunned the man into cooperating fully. Simkins had no idea what Bellamy had seen, but whatever it was, the Architect had been visibly shell- shocked ever since. As Sato entered the foyer, she paused a moment, bowing her head over Hartmann’s body. A moment later, she raised her eyes and fixed them on Simkins. â€Å"No sign of Langdon or Katherine? Or Peter Solomon?† Simkins shook his head. â€Å"If they’re still alive, he took them with him.† â€Å"Did you see a computer in the house?† â€Å"Yes, ma’am. In the office.† â€Å"Show me.† Simkins led Sato out of the foyer and into the living room. The plush carpet was covered with broken glass from the shattered bay window. They walked past a fireplace, a large painting, and several bookshelves to an office door. The office was wood paneled, with an antique desk and a large computer monitor. Sato walked around behind the desk and eyed the screen, immediately scowling. â€Å"Damn it,† she said under her breath. Simkins circled around and looked at the screen. It was blank. â€Å"What’s wrong?† Sato pointed to an empty docking station on the desk. â€Å"He uses a laptop. He took it with him.† Simkins didn’t follow. â€Å"Does he have information you want to see?† â€Å"No,† Sato replied, her tone grave. â€Å"He has information I want nobody to see.† Downstairs in the hidden basement, Katherine Solomon had heard the sounds of helicopter blades followed by breaking glass and heavy boots on the floor above her. She tried to cry out for help, but the gag in her mouth made it impossible. She could barely make a sound. The harder she tried, the faster the blood began flowing from her elbow. She was feeling short of breath and a little dizzy. Katherine knew she needed to calm down. Use your mind, Katherine. With all of her intention, she coaxed herself into a meditative state. Robert Langdon’s mind floated through the emptiness of space. He peered into the infinite void, searching for any points of reference. He found nothing. Total darkness. Total silence. Total peace. There was not even the pull of gravity to tell him which way was up. His body was gone. This must be death. Time seemed to be telescoping, stretching and compressing, as if it had no bearings in this place. He had lost all track of how much time had passed. Ten seconds? Ten minutes? Ten days? Suddenly, however, like distant fiery explosions in far-off galaxies, memories began to materialize, billowing toward Langdon like shock waves across a vast nothingness. All at once, Robert Langdon began to remember. The images tore through him . . . vivid and disturbing. He was staring up at a face that was covered with tattoos. A pair of powerful hands lifted his head and smashed it into the floor. Pain erupted . . . and then darkness. Gray light. Throbbing. Wisps of memory. Langdon was being dragged, half conscious, down, down, down. His captor was chanting something. Verbum significatium . . . Verbum omnificum . . . Verbum perdo . . . How to cite The Lost Symbol Chapter 107-109, Essay examples

Important Presidential Elections Essay Thesis Example For Students

Important Presidential Elections Essay Thesis Some of the most important presidential elections1812 The election of 1812 consisted of a battle between James Madison, and DeWitt Clinton. Madison had represented both Democratic and Republicanbeliefs, while Clinton was a Federalist. James Madison was born in Port Conway, Va., on March 16, 1751. APrinceton graduate, he joined the struggle for independence on his returnto Virginia in 1771. He had been an active politician in the 1770s and1780s. He was greatly know for championing the Jefferson reform program,and in the Continental Congress. Madison, in collaboration, hadparticipated greatly in the, Federalist, a paper whos main purpose was toratify the constitution. Madison first became president in 1809, when hebested Charles C. Pickney. He had led the U.S. in a very unpopular war, inwhich the U.S. hadnt been prepared forthe War of 1812. De Witt Clinton was a Federalist, whos main purpose of the election wasto get the U.S. out of a war in which he felt was very unnecessary. DeWittheld every major elective office in New York between 1797 and1828assemblyman, senator, mayor of New York City, lieutenant governor,and governor. He was a philanthropist and patron of the arts and scienceand, as canal commissioner, cham pioned construction of the Erie andChamplain canals The method in which these candidates received nomination was by theElectoral College, or by King Caucus. The idea of political conventionshad not been present at this time. There were no third-party candidates inthis election. The major issue of this election was the War of 1812. The War of 1812, orMr. Madisons War, had been very unpopular among different sections ofAmerica. Mainly the ship owners in New England. The war was supposed toprotect. This war was supposed to help their shipping, but instead, it hadkept them from trading and making money. The winner of the election of 1812 was James Madison. Madison collected128 electoral votes, while Clinton received 89, and the number of No VotesCast was 1. The Vice-presidential candidate, who won the election wasElbridge Gerry, who received 131 electoral votes, while Jared Ingersollreceived 86. There was no record of the number of popular votes for thiselection. My opinion of why Madison had won the election is because he had led thecountry into the War of 1812, and therefore, he should be allowed to fightit. He was also much more popular than De Witt Clinton. Madisons part inratifying the Constitution, and his other early deeds, were alsoinfluential on the voters minds. He also did pretty well during his firstterm. 1844 The candidates for the election of 1844 were James K. Polk, and HenryClay. Two very respectable men, who had great plans for the U.S. Polkrepresented the Democratic party, while Clay represented the Whigs. James Knox Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, N.C., on November 2, 1795. He graduated from the University of North Carolina, from which he thenmoved to Tennessee, where he became prominent in state politics. He waselected to the house of representatives in 1825. He was elected Speaker ofthe House in 1835. Four years later, he was elected governor of Tennessee,but was beaten in tries for re-election in 1841, and 1843. Martin VanBuren, the president prior to the 1844 election, counted on Polk as hisrunning mate; but when Van Burens stand on Texas alienated Southernsupport, the convention swung to Polk on the Ninth ballot. Henry Clay, a key figure in U.S. politics during the first half of the19th century, was a master of the art of political compromise. Born inHanover County, Va., on April 12, 1777, he studied law in Richmond andmoved to the frontier state of Kentucky in 1797. Clay became more and moreimportant in Kentucky politics, becoming speaker of the state assembly in1807, and winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1811. Clay made his first try for the presidency in 1824. Four men ran,including Andrew Jackson, were on the ballot. When no candidate won amajority, Clay threw his support to John Quincy Adams. Adams won andpromptly named Clay his secretary of state. The party members won their candidacy by primary. The major upset of thistime happened during the Democratic convention. Everyone expected VanBuren to be named the Democratic candidate, but because of Van Burensstand on Texas, the nomination went to Polk. This election had nothird-party candidates. The major issue of this election was the issue of Texas. Polk and theDemocrats, wanted Texas in the Union. Clay also wanted Texas, but he wasafraid that the acquisition of Texas would lead to war with Mexico. Claynever made it clear just where the Whig party stood. The Oregon territoryhad also been a big part of this election. Oregon was the name given toall the land between Alaska and California, west of the Rocky Mountains. Both Great Britain and the U.S. claimed it. Polk said that the Oregonterritory would be Americas, even if it led to war. The winner of the election was James K. Polk. He pulled in 170 electoralvotes, while Henry Clay received 105. There is no record of the number ofpopular votes for this election. My opinion of why Polk won this election is because of his stand on land. He believed greatly in Manifest Destiny, and this was very popular at thetime. Clay, and the Whig party never made it clear as to where they stoodon Texas. Perhaps if the voters had known for sure on which side of theline they stood, this election might have had a different outcome. 1912 The election of 1912 was a three-man race between Theodore Roosevelt, whowas a Progressive, William H. Taft, a Republican, and Woodrow Wilson, aDemocrat. Each one had their own ideas on how to change America, but onlyone would get a chance to do so. Born in NYC on October in 1858, Theodore Roosevelt was a Harvard graduate. His interests included ranching, politics, and writing. Roosevelt was aRepublican member of the New York assembly from 1882-1884. He was anunsuccessful candidate for mayor of NYC in 1886, but became policecommissioner of NYC in 1895. Roosevelt assumed the job of president in1901, after the assassination of McKinley. Theodore Roosevelt embarkedmainly on conserving natural resources. He was very anit-big-buisness. After his term was up, he was defeated in presidential primary as aRepublican, so he chose to start his own party, known as theProgressives. Teddy pulled most of the votes in election of 1912, butthe split between him and Taft caused Wilson to become president. Harrison Bergeron Essay Why F.D.R. won the election in my opinion is because he was a greatpresident. The American people loved him, and his style of government. Hegained the trust of the American people, by getting them out of the GreatDepression. That is why he was elected to the presidency more than anyother president before his time. 1964 The election of 1964 was a contest between Lyndon B. Johnson, a Democrat,and Barry M. Goldwater, a Republican. Johnson was born on August 27, 1908, near Johnson City, Texas, the eldestson of Sam Early Johnson, Jr., and Rebekah Baines Johnson. Johnsonattended public schools in Johnson City and received a B.S. degree fromSouthwest Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos. He then taught for ayear in Houston before going to Washington in 1931 as secretary to aDemocratic Texas congressman, Richard M. Kleberg. In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected President. Johnson greatly admired the president,who named him, at age 27, to head the National Youth Administration inTexas. In 1937, Johnson sought and won a Texas seat in Congress, where hemastered public works, reclamation, and public power programs. When warcame to Europe he backed Roosevelts efforts to aid the Allies. DuringWorld War II he served a brief tour of active duty with the U.S. Navy inthe Pacific, but returned to Capitol Hill when Roosevelt recalled membersof Congress from active duty. Johnson continued to support Rooseveltsmilita ry and foreign-policy programs.In 1953 he won the job of SenateDemocratic leader. The next year he was easily reelected as senator andreturned to Washington as majority leader, a post he held for the next 6years despite a serious heart attack in 1955. Barry Morris Goldwater, born in Phoenix, Arizona on January 1, 1909, wasthe unsuccessful Republican presidential candidate in 1964. Goldwater waselected to the Senate from Arizona in 1952. A firm conservative, he becamea spokesman for right-wing Republicans in their campaign against biggovernment, advocating instead greater state and local powers. Hevigorously opposed federal welfare appropriations as socialistic and soughtto curb public ownership of utilities. A strong anti-Communist, Goldwatersupported American military intervention in Vietnam and criticized effortsto achieve detente with the USSR. He was decisively defeated by LyndonJohnson in the 1964 presidential election. Goldwater served in the Senateuntil retirement in 1987. Each candidate won his nomination by a Presidential Convention, with theprocess of primary elections. There were no third-party candidates in thiselection. The main issue of this election was civil rights. Many people opposedLyndon B. Johnsons laws, claiming them to be too pro-black. Manyliberals and blacks themselves believed that the laws didnt go far enough. Race riots broke out in a number of cities because of these conflicts. The winner of the election was Johnson, by a landslide. He brought in apopular vote total of 43,129,484, and an electoral vote total of 486. Goldwater, on the other hand, won a popular vote total of 27,178,188, andan electoral vote total of 52. The reason Johnson won the election of 1964, in my opinion is because ofhis prior term. He was able to regain control of the White House, aftertaking over for the assassinated John F. Kennedy. It was a time ofequality and civil rights, and many people liked and agreed with where hestood on these issues. 1988 The election of 1988 was a contest between George Bush, and MichaelDukakis. Bush was a Republican, while Dukakis was a Democrat. Born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts, to Dorothy Walker Bush,daughter of a wealthy investor, and Prescott Sheldon Bush, a banker andlater Republican U.S. senator from Connecticut, George Bush grew up in theNew York City suburb of Greenwich, Connecticut and attended PhillipsAcademy in Andover, Mass. During World War II he became the navysyoungest bomber pilot. Shot down over the Pacific island of Chichi Jimaand rescued by a submarine, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Crossand three Air Medals. In 1945 he married Barbara Pierce and thenmatriculated at Yale University, where he majored in economics, was captainof the baseball team, and graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1948. Michael Stanley Dukakis, born in Brookline, Massachusetts, November 3,1933, a three-term governor of Massachusetts, was the Democraticpresidential candidate in 1988. The son of immigrants from Greece, Dukakisgraduated from Swarthmore College and Harvard Law School. He was electedto the Massachusetts legislature in 1962, serving four terms. Electedgovernor of Massachusetts in 1974, Dukakis was denied re-nomination in1978. Re-elected in 1982 and 1986, he claimed credit for part of theperiods economic resurgencethe Massachusetts miracle. The stateseconomy had soured when he declined to run again in 1990. Stressingcompetence over ideology, Dukakis campaigned for the presidency in 1988in a manner that many observers found uninspiring. He and his runningmate, Sen. Lloyd Bensten of Texas, lost to the Republican team, George Bushand Dan Quayle, by 46% to 54% of the popular vote. After leaving office asgovernor of Massachusetts, Dukakis declared that he planned to do somelecturing and teachi ng, as well as encouraging young people to enter publicservice. Each candidate in this election was elected by the process of primaryelections, and nominated at their Presidential Convention. There were nothird-party candidates in this election. The main issue of this election was taxes. Bushs promise of no newtaxes won over the American public. Bush won the election with a popular vote total of 48,886,097, and anelectoral vote of 426. Dukakis received a popular vote total of41,809,074, and an electoral vote total of 111. The reason Bush won the election in my opinion was because of his promiseof no new taxes. The American people just came off of a Regan High,with good economic times. People thought the things would remain like theydid during the Reagan Era if they elected Bush. The most important election in my opinion of all of these was theelection of 1812. America was heading into a war which we werent preparedfor. This was a crucial time for someone to take the reigns, and leadAmerica into a situation in which we would come out on top. Madison wasthe right man for the job, at such a crucial time in American History.