Lincoln: the Great Emancipator Essay

Until it was abolished in 1865, slavery thrived in the United States since the nation’s beginnings in the colony of Jamestown in 1607. In 1776, the founding fathers stated that â€Å"all men are created equal† when they declared independence and started a war that freed the 13 colonies from the oppressive rule of Great Britain. However, after â€Å"the land of the free† had been established, slavery had yet to be eliminated. After the war of 1812, sectionalism began to grow prevalent in America. The Industrial Revolution in the early to mid-1800s advanced the country technologically while further dividing it as the North became industrialized and the South became more agrarian and reliant on slave labor. Sectionalism was increased by westward expansion, and began to manifest itself in American politics. The country could have gone to war by the early 1800s, but various political compromises held the two sections together for another half of a century. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Compromise of 1850 are two important examples. Tensions built over the 40 years of compromise. Abolitionists worked to gain support in the North while they caused outrage in the South. In the government, everything had to be compromised and everything was a competition, such as legislature and westward expansion. Fortunately, when sectionalism and tensions around slavery boiled over, Abraham Lincoln came to the forefront of US politics. He created a reputation for himself and the Republican Party with a political platform against the expansion of slavery. He became known in the South as an abolitionist through the Lincoln-Douglas debates, and his election in 1860 sparked the secession of 11 southern states from the Union and the beginning of the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was the most important contributor to ending slavery in America because of his actions toward winning the Civil War and emancipating the slaves, and he was able to do this because he was an extraordinary politician who handled the circumstances as nobody else could have managed. Abraham Lincoln’s ability as a politician was crucial in his role as commander-in-chief of the US army during the Civil War, because to end slavery, Lincoln knew he had to win the war. The first thing Lincoln did as president, in his Inaugural Address, was try to calm the frantic South, re-stating that he had â€Å"no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery where it exists,† (Halsall). Lincoln’s  primary goal was to preserve the Union. As he put it, â€Å"If I could save the union without freeing any slave, I would do it,† (Majerol, 25-26). He needed the support for the war from the Northern citizens, many of whom were not abolitionists. Lincoln was faced with another difficult issue throughout the Civil War. Four states—Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware—held slaves but remained in the Union. If Lincoln waged a war that strongly opposed slavery, he risked losing those Border States to the Confederacy, which would probably cost him the war. Another issue that Lincoln had to deal with over the course of the war was incompetent generals. Lincoln discharged many of his generals throughout the war, which made it difficult to carry out his plans. In a telegram to General McClellan, Lincoln urged him to attack Lee â€Å"The present hesitation to move upon an entrenched enemy is but the story of Manassas repeated,† but McClellan ignored the order (Ayers et. al, 369). It was not until Lincoln appointed Ulysses S. Grant commander of all Union armies that he started having consistent success. If Lincoln had not been elected president, slavery may have continued for much longer in America. Besides the fact that Lincoln, as commander-in-chief, lead the Union Army to win the Civil War, the many proposed compromises in 1860 and 1861 might have allowed slavery to continue in America, such as the Crittenden Compromise. Another important way that Lincoln’s skill as a politician benefited the Union was his treatment of the Confederacy. Lincoln reasoned that since it is unconstitutional to secede from the Union, the Confederacy and its government was illegitimate, and Lincoln’s administration refused to recognize the Confederacy’s independence. This became important later in the war when other nations refused to recognize the Confederacy’s independence. When the time was right, Abraham Lincoln masterfully changed the ideology of the war to focus on slavery, and he used the slaves themselves as a powerful force in the war and on the home front. Lincoln did this through the First and Second Confiscation Acts, the Emancipation Proclamation, and his Second Inaugural Address. Early in the war, three slaves escaped to the Union Army, raising the question of what to do with fugitive slaves. Under the Fugitive Slave Act, they had to be returned to their owners in the Confederacy. However, Lincoln adopted an ingenious policy of taking slaves as â€Å"contraband  of war,† treating them as property as the Confederacy did. Lincoln went on to sign the First Confiscation Act in August 1861, which emancipated slaves that escaped to Union lines. In July 1862, Lincoln signed the Second Confiscation Act, which essentially gave him the authority to emancipate the slaves in Confederate territory (on the grounds that they helped the war effort and were contraband). This legislation helped the Union Army greatly. Over 190,000 soldiers, sailors, and workers came to the Union Army from the Confederacy (McPherson, 193), and at the end of the war, African Americans made up 20 percent of the Union Army (Majerol, 26). The escaped slaves also influenced soldiers in the army who now â€Å"were talking with real men and women who had been (and perhaps still were) slaves,† (Goodheart, 15). However, a vastly more important document was the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln drafted the document in July 1862 and showed it to his cabinet. William Seward reminded him of the importance of timing, so Lincoln waited until the army won the Battle of Antietam to issue the Proclamation. In a letter Lincoln wrote in 1864, he stated â€Å"when, early in the war, Gen. Fremont attempted military emancipation, I forbade it, because I did not then think it in indispensable necessity.† Lincoln then cites two more examples of him holding off efforts at emancipation (Fehrenbacher, 257). When it was issued on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was a turning point in the ideology of the war. It took a war that had been officially about preserving the Union and made it about ending slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation was a bold move for Lincoln to make because of the pro-slavery Border States. Lincoln had made â€Å"earnest, and successive appeals† there for compensated emancipation, but was rejected (Fehrenbacher, 257). He then had to make a choice between â€Å"surrendering the Union† or â€Å"laying a strong hand upon the colored element,† hoping to outweigh losses with benefits (Fehrenbacher, 258). Over a year later, Lincoln said he felt no losses, and a gain of 130,000 soldiers, seamen, and laborers. Lincoln certainly had good timing when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Britain and France were coming closer to aiding the Confederacy, and in Britain’s case, they only wanted the Confederacy to win one more battle to prove that they were on the winning side of the war. Antietam was a terrible loss for the South, and Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation prevented Britain and France from aiding the Confederacy because they both had  anti-slavery governments, and the war was now about slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation was a wise move for Lincoln as an abolitionist, because it allowed blacks to fight in the military, which might lead to citizenship and the right to vote for blacks (â€Å"Civil War Black Soldiers†). Lastly, Lincoln focused public attention on the issue of slavery in his Second Inaugural Address, reminding the people know what their brothers were fighting for. Abraham Lincoln’s most important quality was that he was a great politician, which allowed him to manage the difficult situations put before him in order to provide actual results that ultimately ended slavery in America. Among these results were Union victory in the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, the First and Second Confiscation Acts, the Gettysburg Address, and the Thirteenth Amendment. The Union victory in the Civil War is a simple fact, but it was the most indispensable step to the end of slavery in America. Ending slavery meant nothing if the Union did not win the war and control the South again. Additionally, without a war in the first place, slavery might not have ended. It is possible that a compromise could have held the divided nation together without putting an end to slavery. Lincoln’s talent as a politician was also crucial in the Emancipation Proclamation when he released it in time to prevent any foreign nations from intervening and aiding the Confederacy. Lincoln showed his skill as a politician in the Lincoln-Douglass debates, when he took a careful stance on slavery that he thought would best suit the needs of the nation at the time. Lincoln was constantly stressing that he was not an abolitionist, and it was ridiculous to assume that â€Å"Just because I do not want a negro woman for a slave I must necessarily want her for a wife,† (Fehrenbacher, 106). Lincoln proved himself when he ran against Douglas in the presidential election of 1860 and won. Lincoln orchestrated the defeat of the Confederacy and the end of slavery using his political position as president and commander-in-chief, and his cunning as a politician to influence the people of America. It could be argued that the slaves played a more vital role in securing their freedom than Abraham Lincoln did. The slaves had influential leaders such as Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. The Underground Railroad  freed hundreds of slaves, and it was led by a former slave, Harriet Tubman. Frederick Douglass wrote a book about his life as a slave which influenced public views of slavery in the North. He also published an abolitionist newspaper, the North Star. He also showed people that slaves were treated like animals and stripped of the quality that defines humans: independent thought. â€Å"these words sank deep into my heart, stirred up sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called to existence an entirely new train of thought,† (Douglass, 20). He told about how he was like other slaves until he learned to read and write, and became a human who was able to create his own destiny. These contributed to raising tensions and starting war, which was a necessary evil for slavery to be abolished and the Union to remain whole. These contributions also put pressure on the government to oppose slavery. Moreover, the 190,000 soldiers, sailors, and laborers who escaped slavery and came to the Union Army contributed greatly to the war effort, fighting valiantly and supporting the Army off the battlefield as well. By the end of the war, these soldiers made up 20 percent of the Union army, as well as influencing public opinion in the North. These were valuable aids to the end of slavery in America, and without them, slavery might not have ended in 1865. However, they are insubstantial compared to the contributions of Abraham Lincoln. First, the emancipation of nearly 200,000 slaves happened because Lincoln had not issued the Emancipation Proclamation and the First and Second Confiscation Acts. He transformed the ideology of a nation when he directed the war at slavery. In comparison with Lincoln’s monumental tasks, the contributions of slaves are insignificant. In conclusion, Abraham Lincoln was a more important constituent in ending Slavery in America than the slaves themselves because of his contributions as Commander-in-chief to win the Civil War and emancipate the slaves, and he was able to do this because he was an outstanding politician who handled the circumstances with unparalleled capability. Lincoln dealt with the difficult issue of fighting a war in which he could not make many bold decisions for fear of the Border States seceding, and he applied his ability as a politician to lead the Union to victory. Lincoln faced another difficult  issue of how to treat escaped slaves during the war, and altered the entire ideology of the war so that the focus was slavery. He did this with his First and Second Confiscation Acts and, most importantly, a well-timed Emancipation Proclamation. Lastly, Lincoln’s capability as a politician led to concrete actions he took towards ending slavery, including the Emancipation Proclamation, the Thirteenth Amendment, and of course, winning the Civil War, the element without which the end of slavery in America might not have been possible. Lincoln influenced the history of America and (unintentionally) became a martyr. Today, racial discrimination does not exist in US legislation and America is constantly getting closer to complete racial equality. Works Cited Ayers, Edward L., Jesus F. De la Teja, Deborah G. White, and Robert D. Schulzinger. American anthem. Ed. Sam Wineburg. Orlando. Fla.: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2009. â€Å"Civil War Black Soldiers.† , Black Soldiers, Robert Gould Shaw, 54th Massachusetts. 2007. Civil War Academy. 24 Jan. 2013 . Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Fehrenbacher, Don E. Abraham Lincoln. Stanford: Stanford UP, 1964. Goodheart, Adam. â€Å"How Slavery Really Ended in America.† New York Times 3 Oct. 2011: 12-15. Halsall, Paul. â€Å"Internet History Sourcebooks.† Internet History Sourcebooks. July 1998. Fordham University. 24 Jan. 2013 . Majerol, Veronica. â€Å"The Emancipation Proclamation.† The New York Times Upfront 7 Jan. 2013: 24-27. McPherson, James. â€Å"Who Freed the Slaves?† Drawn With the Sword: Reflections on the American Civil War. 1996. 192-207.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 58-61

CHAPTER 58 The coyly nicknamed explosive Key4 had been developed by Special Forces specifically for opening locked doors with minimal collateral damage. Consisting primarily of cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine with a diethylhexyl plasticizer, it was essentially a piece of C-4 rolled into paper-thin sheets for insertion into doorjambs. In the case of the library's reading room, the explosive had worked perfectly. Operation leader Agent Turner Simkins stepped over the wreckage of the doors and scanned the massive octagonal room for any signs of movement. Nothing. â€Å"Kill the lights,† Simkins said. A second agent found the wall panel, threw the switches, and plunged the room into darkness. In unison, all four men reached up and yanked down their night-vision headgear, adjusting the goggles over their eyes. They stood motionless, surveying the reading room, which now materialized in shades of luminescent green inside their goggles. The scene remained unchanged. Nobody made a dash for it in the dark. The fugitives were probably unarmed, and yet the field team entered the room with weapons raised. In the darkness, their firearms projected four menacing rods of laser light. The men washed the beams in all directions, across the floor, up the far walls, into the balconies, probing the darkness. Oftentimes, a mere glimpse of a laser-sighted weapon in a darkened room was enough to induce instant surrender. Apparently not tonight. Still no movement. Agent Simkins raised his hand, motioning his team into the space. Silently, the men fanned out. Moving cautiously up the center aisle, Simkins reached up and flipped a switch on his goggles, activating the newest addition to the CIA's arsenal. Thermal imaging had been around for years, but recent advances in miniaturization, differential sensitivity, and dual-source integration had facilitated a new generation of vision enhancing equipment that gave field agents eyesight that bordered on superhuman. We see in the dark. We see through walls. And now . . . we see back in time. Thermal-imaging equipment had become so sensitive to heat differentials that it could detect not only a person's location . . . but their previous locations. The ability to see into the past often proved the most valuable asset of all. And tonight, once again, it proved its worth. Agent Simkins now spied a thermal signature at one of the reading desks. The two wooden chairs luminesced in his goggles, registering a reddish-purple color, indicating those chairs were warmer than the other chairs in the room. The desk lamp's bulb glowed orange. Obviously the two men had been sitting at the desk, but the question now was in which direction they had gone. He found his answer on the central counter that surrounded the large wooden console in the middle of the room. A ghostly handprint, glowing crimson. Weapon raised, Simkins moved toward the octagonal cabinet, training his laser sight across the surface. He circled until he saw an opening in the side of the console. Did they really corner themselves in a cabinet? The agent scanned the trim around the opening and saw another glowing handprint on it. Clearly someone had grabbed the doorjamb as he ducked inside the console. The time for silence was over. â€Å"Thermal signature!† Simkins shouted, pointing at the opening. â€Å"Flanks converge!† His two flanks moved in from opposite sides, effectively surrounding the octagonal console. Simkins moved toward the opening. Still ten feet away, he could see a light source within. â€Å"Light inside the console!† he shouted, hoping the sound of his voice might convince Mr. Bellamy and Mr. Langdon to exit the cabinet with their hands up. Nothing happened. Fine, we'll do this the other way. As Simkins drew closer to the opening, he could hear an unexpected hum rumbling from within. It sounded like machinery. He paused, trying to imagine what could be making such a noise in such a small space. He inched closer, now hearing voices over the sound of machinery. Then, just as he arrived at the opening, the lights inside went out. Thank you, he thought, adjusting his night vision. Advantage, us. Standing at the threshold, he peered through the opening. What lay beyond was unexpected. The console was less of a cabinet than a raised ceiling over a steep set of stairs that descended into a room below. The agent aimed his weapon down the stairs and began descending. The hum of machinery grew louder with every step. What the hell is this place? The room beneath the reading room was a small, industrial-looking space. The hum he heard was indeed machinery, although he was not sure whether it was running because Bellamy and Langdon had activated it, or because it ran around the clock. Either way, it clearly made no difference. The fugitives had left their telltale heat signatures on the room's lone exit–a heavy steel door whose keypad showed four clear fingerprints glowing on the numbers. Around the door, slivers of glowing orange shone beneath the doorjamb, indicating that lights were illuminated on the other side. â€Å"Blow the door,† Simkins said. â€Å"This was their escape route.† It took eight seconds to insert and detonate a sheet of Key4. When the smoke cleared, the field- team agents found themselves peering into a strange underground world known here as â€Å"the stacks.† The Library of Congress had miles and miles of bookshelves, most of them underground. The endless rows of shelves looked like some kind of â€Å"infinity† optical illusion created with mirrors. A sign announced TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT Keep this door closed at all times. Simkins pushed through the mangled doors and felt cool air beyond. He couldn't help but smile. Could this get any easier? Heat signatures in controlled environments showed up like solar flares, and already his goggles revealed a glowing red smear on a banister up ahead, which Bellamy or Langdon had grabbed on to while running past. â€Å"You can run,† he whispered to himself, â€Å"but you can't hide.† As Simkins and his team advanced into the maze of stacks, he realized the playing field was tipped so heavily in his favor that he would not even need his goggles to track his prey. Under normal circumstances, this maze of stacks would have been a respectable hiding place, but the Library of Congress used motion-activated lights to save energy, and the fugitives' escape route was now lit up like a runway. A narrow strip of illumination stretched into the distance, dodging and weaving as it went. All the men ripped off their goggles. Surging ahead on well-trained legs, the field team followed the trail of lights, zigging and zagging through a seemingly endless labyrinth of books. Soon Simkins began seeing lights flickering on in the darkness up ahead. We're gaining. He pushed harder, faster, until he heard footsteps and labored breathing ahead. Then he saw a target. â€Å"I've got visual!† he yelled. The lanky form of Warren Bellamy was apparently bringing up the rear. The primly dressed African American staggered through the stacks, obviously out of breath. It's no use, old man. â€Å"Stop right there, Mr. Bellamy!† Simkins yelled. Bellamy kept running, turning sharp corners, weaving through the rows of books. At every turn, the lights kept coming on over his head. As the team drew within twenty yards, they shouted again to stop, but Bellamy ran on. â€Å"Take him down!† Simkins commanded. The agent carrying the team's nonlethal rifle raised it and fired. The projectile that launched down the aisle and wrapped itself around Bellamy's legs was nicknamed Silly String, but there was nothing silly about it. A military technology invented at Sandia National Laboratories, this nonlethal â€Å"incapacitant† was a thread of gooey polyurethane that turned rock hard on contact, creating a rigid web of plastic across the back of the fugitive's knees. The effect on a running target was that of jamming a stick into the spokes of a moving bike. The man's legs seized midstride, and he pitched forward, crashing to the floor. Bellamy slid another ten feet down a darkened aisle before coming to a stop, the lights above him flickering unceremoniously to life. â€Å"I'll deal with Bellamy,† Simkins shouted. â€Å"You keep going after Langdon! He must be up ahead some–† The team leader stopped, now seeing that the library stacks ahead of Bellamy were all pitch-black. Obviously, there was no one else running in front of Bellamy. He's alone? Bellamy was still on his chest, breathing heavily, his legs and ankles all tangled with hardened plastic. The agent walked over and used his foot to roll the old man over onto his back. â€Å"Where is he?!† the agent demanded. Bellamy's lip was bleeding from the fall. â€Å"Where is who?† Agent Simkins lifted his foot and placed his boot squarely on Bellamy's pristine silk tie. Then he leaned in, applying some pressure. â€Å"Believe me, Mr. Bellamy, you do not want to play this game with me.† CHAPTER 59 Robert Langdon felt like a corpse. He lay supine, hands folded on his chest, in total darkness, trapped in the most confined of spaces. Although Katherine lay nearby in a similar position near his head, Langdon could not see her. He had his eyes closed to prevent himself from catching even a fleeting glimpse of his frightening predicament. The space around him was small. Very small. Sixty seconds ago, with the double doors of the reading room crashing down, he and Katherine had followed Bellamy into the octagonal console, down a steep set of stairs, and into the unexpected space below. Langdon had realized at once where they were. The heart of the library's circulation system. Resembling a small airport baggage distribution center, the circulation room had numerous conveyor belts that angled off in different directions. Because the Library of Congress was housed in three separate buildings, books requested in the reading room often had to be transported great distances by a system of conveyors through a web of underground tunnels. Bellamy immediately crossed the room to a steel door, where he inserted his key card, typed a sequence of buttons, and pushed open the door. The space beyond was dark, but as the door opened, a span of motion-sensor lights flickered to life. When Langdon saw what lay beyond, he realized he was looking at something few people ever saw. The Library of Congress stacks. He felt encouraged by Bellamy's plan. What better place to hide than in a giant labyrinth? Bellamy did not guide them into the stacks, however. Instead, he propped the door open with a book and turned back to face them. â€Å"I had hoped to be able to explain a lot more to you, but we have no time.† He gave Langdon his key card. â€Å"You'll need this.† â€Å"You're not coming with us?† Langdon asked. Bellamy shook his head. â€Å"You'll never make it unless we split up. The most important thing is to keep that pyramid and capstone in safe hands.† Langdon saw no other way out except the stairs back up to the reading room. â€Å"And where are you going?† â€Å"I'll coax them into the stacks away from you,† Bellamy said. â€Å"It's all I can do to help you escape.† Before Langdon could ask where he and Katherine were supposed to go, Bellamy was heaving a large crate of books off one of the conveyors. â€Å"Lie on the belt,† Bellamy said. â€Å"Keep your hands in.† Langdon stared. You cannot be serious! The conveyor belt extended a short distance then disappeared into a dark hole in the wall. The opening looked large enough to permit passage of a crate of books, but not much more. Langdon glanced back longingly at the stacks. â€Å"Forget it,† Bellamy said. â€Å"The motion-sensor lights will make it impossible to hide.† â€Å"Thermal signature!† a voice upstairs shouted. â€Å"Flanks converge!† Katherine apparently had heard all she needed to hear. She climbed onto the conveyor belt with her head only a few feet from the opening in the wall. She crossed her hands over her chest like a mummy in a sarcophagus. Langdon stood frozen. â€Å"Robert,† Bellamy urged, â€Å"if you won't do this for me, do it for Peter.† The voices upstairs sounded closer now. As if in a dream, Langdon moved to the conveyor. He slung his daybag onto the belt and then climbed on, placing his head at Katherine's feet. The hard rubber conveyor felt cold against his back. He stared at the ceiling and felt like a hospital patient preparing for insertion headfirst into an MRI machine. â€Å"Keep your phone on,† Bellamy said. â€Å"Someone will call soon . . . and offer help. Trust him.† Someone will call? Langdon knew that Bellamy had been trying to reach someone with no luck and had left a message earlier. And only moments ago, as they hurried down the spiral staircase, Bellamy had tried one last time and gotten through, speaking very briefly in hushed tones and then hanging up. â€Å"Follow the conveyor to the end,† Bellamy said. â€Å"And jump off quickly before you circle back. Use my key card to get out.† â€Å"Get out of where?!† Langdon demanded. But Bellamy was already pulling levers. All the different conveyors in the room hummed to life. Langdon felt himself jolt into motion, and the ceiling began moving overhead. God save me. As Langdon approached the opening in the wall, he looked back and saw Warren Bellamy race through the doorway into the stacks, closing the door behind him. An instant later, Langdon slid into the darkness, swallowed up by the library . . . just as a glowing red laser dot came dancing down the stairs. CHAPTER 60 The underpaid female security guard from Preferred Security double-checked the Kalorama Heights address on her call sheet. This is it? The gated driveway before her belonged to one of the neighborhood's largest and quietest estates, and so it seemed odd that 911 had just received an urgent call about it. As usual with unconfirmed call-ins, 911 had contacted the local alarm company before bothering the police. The guard often thought the alarm company's motto–â€Å"Your first line of defense†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ could just as easily have been â€Å"False alarms, pranks, lost pets, and complaints from wacky neighbors.† Tonight, as usual, the guard had arrived with no details about the specific concern. Above my pay grade. Her job was simply to show up with her yellow bubble light spinning, assess the property, and report anything unusual. Normally, something innocuous had tripped the house alarm, and she would use her override keys to reset it. This house, however, was silent. No alarm. From the road, everything looked dark and peaceful. The guard buzzed the intercom at the gate, but got no answer. She typed her override code to open the gate and pulled into the driveway. Leaving her engine running and her bubble light spinning, she walked up to the front door and rang the bell. No answer. She saw no lights and no movement. Reluctantly following procedure, she flicked on her flashlight to begin her trek around the house to check the doors and windows for signs of break-in. As she rounded the corner, a black stretch limousine drove past the house, slowing for a moment before continuing on. Rubbernecking neighbors. Bit by bit, she made her way around the house, but saw nothing out of place. The house was bigger than she had imagined, and by the time she reached the backyard, she was shivering from the cold. Obviously there was nobody home. â€Å"Dispatch?† she called in on her radio. â€Å"I'm on the Kalorama Heights call? Owners aren't home. No signs of trouble. Finished the perimeter check. No indication of an intruder. False alarm.† â€Å"Roger that,† the dispatcher replied. â€Å"Have a good night.† The guard put her radio back on her belt and began retracing her steps, eager to get back to the warmth of her vehicle. As she did so, however, she spotted something she had missed earlier–a tiny speck of bluish light on the back of the house. Puzzled, she walked over to it, now seeing the source–a low transom window, apparently to the home's basement. The glass of the window had been blacked out, coated on the inside with an opaque paint. Some kind of darkroom maybe? The bluish glow she had seen was emanating through a tiny spot on the window where the black paint had started to peel. She crouched down, trying to peer through, but she couldn't see much through the tiny opening. She tapped on the glass, wondering if maybe someone was working down there. â€Å"Hello?† she shouted. There was no answer, but as she knocked on the window, the paint chip suddenly detached and fell off, affording her a more complete view. She leaned in, nearly pressing her face to the window as she scanned the basement. Instantly, she wished she hadn't. What in the name of God?! Transfixed, she remained crouched there for a moment, staring in abject horror at the scene before her. Finally, trembling, the guard groped for the radio on her belt. She never found it. A sizzling pair of Taser prongs slammed into the back of her neck, and a searing pain shot through her body. Her muscles seized, and she pitched forward, unable even to close her eyes before her face hit the cold ground. CHAPTER 61 Tonight was not the first time Warren Bellamy had been blindfolded. Like all of his Masonic brothers, he had worn the ritual â€Å"hoodwink† during his ascent to the upper echelons of Masonry. That, however, had taken place among trusted friends. Tonight was different. These rough- handed men had bound him, placed a bag on his head, and were now marching him through the library stacks. The agents had physically threatened Bellamy and demanded to know the whereabouts of Robert Langdon. Knowing his aging body couldn't take much punishment, Bellamy had told his lie quickly. â€Å"Langdon never came down here with me!† he had said, gasping for air. â€Å"I told him to go up to the balcony and hide behind the Moses statue, but I don't know where he is now!† The story apparently had been convincing, because two of the agents had run off in pursuit. Now the remaining two agents were marching him in silence through the stacks. Bellamy's only solace was in knowing Langdon and Katherine were whisking the pyramid off to safety. Soon Langdon would be contacted by a man who could offer sanctuary. Trust him. The man Bellamy had called knew a great deal about the Masonic Pyramid and the secret it held–the location of a hidden spiral staircase that led down into the earth to the hiding place of potent ancient wisdom buried long ago. Bellamy had finally gotten through to the man as they were escaping the reading room, and he felt confident that his short message would be understood perfectly. Now, as he moved in total darkness, Bellamy pictured the stone pyramid and golden capstone in Langdon's bag. It has been many years since those two pieces were in the same room. Bellamy would never forget that painful night. The first of many for Peter. Bellamy had been asked to come to the Solomon estate in Potomac for Zachary Solomon's eighteenth birthday. Zachary, despite being a rebellious child, was a Solomon, which meant tonight, following family tradition, he would receive his inheritance. Bellamy was one of Peter's dearest friends and a trusted Masonic brother, and therefore was asked to attend as a witness. But it was not only the transference of money that Bellamy had been asked to witness. There was far more than money at stake tonight. Bellamy had arrived early and waited, as requested, in Peter's private study. The wonderful old room smelled of leather, wood fires, and loose-leaf tea. Warren was seated when Peter led his son, Zachary, into the room. When the scrawny eighteen-year-old saw Bellamy, he frowned. â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"Bearing witness,† Bellamy offered. â€Å"Happy birthday, Zachary.† The boy mumbled and looked away. â€Å"Sit down, Zach,† Peter said. Zachary sat in the solitary chair facing his father's huge wooden desk. Solomon bolted the study door. Bellamy took a seat off to one side. Solomon addressed Zachary in a serious tone. â€Å"Do you know why you're here?† â€Å"I think so,† Zachary said. Solomon sighed deeply. â€Å"I know you and I have not seen eye to eye for quite some time, Zach. I've done my best to be a good father and to prepare you for this moment.† Zachary said nothing. â€Å"As you know, every Solomon child, upon reaching adulthood, is presented with his or her birthright–a share of the Solomon fortune–which is intended to be a seed . . . a seed for you to nurture, make grow, and use to help nourish mankind.† Solomon walked to a vault in the wall, unlocked it, and removed a large black folder. â€Å"Son, this portfolio contains everything you need to legally transfer your financial inheritance into your own name.† He laid it on the desk. â€Å"The aim is that you use this money to build a life of productivity, prosperity, and philanthropy.† Zachary reached for the folder. â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"Hold on,† his father said, putting his hand on the portfolio. â€Å"There's something else I need to explain.† Zachary shot his father a contemptuous look and slumped back down. â€Å"There are aspects of the Solomon inheritance of which you are not yet aware.† His father was staring straight into Zachary's eyes now. â€Å"You are my firstborn, Zachary, which means you are entitled to a choice.† The teenager sat up, looking intrigued. â€Å"It is a choice that may well determine the direction of your future, and so I urge you to ponder it carefully.† â€Å"What choice?† His father took a deep breath. â€Å"It is the choice . . . between wealth or wisdom.† Zachary gave him a blank stare. â€Å"Wealth or wisdom? I don't get it.† Solomon stood, walking again to the vault, where he pulled out a heavy stone pyramid with Masonic symbols carved into it. Peter heaved the stone onto the desk beside the portfolio. â€Å"This pyramid was created long ago and has been entrusted to our family for generations.† â€Å"A pyramid?† Zachary didn't look very excited. â€Å"Son, this pyramid is a map . . . a map that reveals the location of one of humankind's greatest lost treasures. This map was created so that the treasure could one day be rediscovered.† Peter's voice swelled now with pride. â€Å"And tonight, following tradition, I am able to offer it to you . . . under certain conditions.† Zachary eyed the pyramid suspiciously. â€Å"What's the treasure?† Bellamy could tell that this coarse question was not what Peter had hoped for. Nonetheless, his demeanor remained steady. â€Å"Zachary, it's hard to explain without a lot of background. But this treasure . . . in essence . . . is something we call the Ancient Mysteries.† Zachary laughed, apparently thinking his father was joking. Bellamy could see the melancholy growing now in Peter's eyes. â€Å"This is very difficult for me to describe, Zach. Traditionally, by the time a Solomon is eighteen years of age, he is about to embark on his years of higher education in–â€Å" â€Å"I told you!† Zachary fired back. â€Å"I'm not interested in college!† â€Å"I don't mean college,† his father said, his voice still calm and quiet. â€Å"I'm talking about the brotherhood of Freemasonry. I'm talking about an education in the enduring mysteries of human science. If you had plans to join me within their ranks, you would be on the verge of receiving the education necessary to understand the importance of your decision tonight.† Zachary rolled his eyes. â€Å"Spare me the Masonic lecture again. I know I'm the first Solomon who doesn't want to join. But so what? Don't you get it? I have no interest in playing dress-up with a bunch of old men!† His father was silent for a long time, and Bellamy noticed the fine age lines that had started to appear around Peter's still-youthful eyes. â€Å"Yes, I get it,† Peter finally said. â€Å"Times are different now. I understand that Masonry probably appears strange to you, or maybe even boring. But I want you to know, that doorway will always be open for you should you change your mind.† â€Å"Don't hold your breath,† Zach grumbled. â€Å"That's enough!† Peter snapped, standing up. â€Å"I realize life has been a struggle for you, Zachary, but I am not your only guidepost. There are good men waiting for you, men who will welcome you within the Masonic fold and show you your true potential.† Zachary chuckled and glanced over at Bellamy. â€Å"Is that why you're here, Mr. Bellamy? So you Masons can gang up on me?† Bellamy said nothing, instead directing a respectful gaze back at Peter Solomon–a reminder to Zachary of who held the power in this room. Zachary turned back to his father. â€Å"Zach,† Peter said, â€Å"we're getting nowhere . . . so let me just tell you this. Whether or not you comprehend the responsibility being offered to you tonight, it is my family obligation to present it.† He motioned to the pyramid. â€Å"It is a rare privilege to guard this pyramid. I urge you to consider this opportunity for a few days before making your decision.† â€Å"Opportunity?† Zachary said. â€Å"Babysitting a rock?† â€Å"There are great mysteries in this world, Zach,† Peter said with a sigh. â€Å"Secrets that transcend your wildest imagination. This pyramid protects those secrets. And even more important, there will come a time, probably within your lifetime, when this pyramid will at last be deciphered and its secrets unearthed. It will be a moment of great human transformation . . . and you have a chance to play a role in that moment. I want you to consider it very carefully. Wealth is commonplace, but wisdom is rare.† He motioned to the portfolio and then to the pyramid. â€Å"I beg you to remember that wealth without wisdom can often end in disaster.† Zachary looked like he thought his father was insane. â€Å"Whatever you say, Dad, but there's no way I'm giving up my inheritance for this.† He gestured to the pyramid. Peter folded his hands before him. â€Å"If you choose to accept the responsibility, I will hold your money and the pyramid for you until you have successfully completed your education within the Masons. This will take years, but you will emerge with the maturity to receive both your money and this pyramid. Wealth and wisdom. A potent combination.† Zachary shot up. â€Å"Jesus, Dad! You don't give up, do you? Can't you see that I don't give a damn about the Masons or stone pyramids and ancient mysteries?† He reached down and scooped up the black portfolio, waving it in front of his father's face. â€Å"This is my birthright! The same birthright of the Solomons who came before me! I can't believe you'd try to trick me out of my inheritance with lame stories about ancient treasure maps!† He tucked the portfolio under his arm and marched past Bellamy to the study's patio door. â€Å"Zachary, wait!† His father rushed after him as Zachary stalked out into the night. â€Å"Whatever you do, you can never speak of the pyramid you have seen!† Peter Solomon's voice cracked. â€Å"Not to anyone! Ever!† But Zachary ignored him, disappearing into the night. Peter Solomon's gray eyes were filled with pain as he returned to his desk and sat heavily in his leather chair. After a long silence, he looked up at Bellamy and forced a sad smile. â€Å"That went well.† Bellamy sighed, sharing in Solomon's pain. â€Å"Peter, I don't mean to sound insensitive . . . but . . . do you trust him?† Solomon stared blankly into space. â€Å"I mean . . .† Bellamy pressed, â€Å"not to say anything about the pyramid?† Solomon's face was blank. â€Å"I really don't know what to say, Warren. I'm not sure I even know him anymore.† Bellamy rose and walked slowly back and forth before the large desk. â€Å"Peter, you have followed your family duty, but now, considering what just happened, I think we need to take precautions. I should return the capstone to you so you can find a new home for it. Someone else should watch over it.† â€Å"Why?† Solomon asked. â€Å"If Zachary tells anyone about the pyramid . . . and mentions my being present tonight . . .† â€Å"He knows nothing of the capstone, and he's too immature to know the pyramid has any significance. We don't need a new home for it. I'll keep the pyramid in my vault. And you will keep the capstone wherever you keep it. As we always have.† It was six years later, on Christmas Day, with the family still healing from Zachary's death, that the enormous man claiming to have killed him in prison broke into the Solomon estate. The intruder had come for the pyramid, but he had taken with him only Isabel Solomon's life. Days later, Peter summoned Bellamy to his office. He locked the door and took the pyramid out of his vault, setting it on the desk between them. â€Å"I should have listened to you.† Bellamy knew Peter was racked with guilt over this. â€Å"It wouldn't have mattered.† Solomon drew a tired breath. â€Å"Did you bring the capstone?† Bellamy pulled a small cube-shaped package from his pocket. The faded brown paper was tied with twine and bore a wax seal of Solomon's ring. Bellamy laid the package on the desk, knowing the two halves of the Masonic Pyramid were closer together tonight than they should be. â€Å"Find someone else to watch this. Don't tell me who it is.† Solomon nodded. â€Å"And I know where you can hide the pyramid,† Bellamy said. He told Solomon about the Capitol Building subbasement. â€Å"There's no place in Washington more secure.† Bellamy recalled Solomon liking the idea right away because it felt symbolically apt to hide the pyramid in the symbolic heart of our nation. Typical Solomon, Bellamy had thought. The idealist even in a crisis. Now, ten years later, as Bellamy was being shoved blindly through the Library of Congress, he knew the crisis tonight was far from over. He also now knew whom Solomon had chosen to guard the capstone . . . and he prayed to God that Robert Langdon was up to the job.

Can the animal testing done to find cures for diseases be done Essay

Can the animal testing done to find cures for diseases be done humanely or is it by nature inhumane - Essay Example animal testing because much more relaxed standards on what a researcher could do to his animal were in place that allowed for very torturous acts to be undertaken in the name of science. It is extreme cases like that which prompt modern opposition to animal testing. However, research institutions much more tightly regulate live animal testing today in order to protect the interests of animals when they are being tested, and there is no reason to believe that animal testing cannot be conducted in a humane fashion. Animal testing endures a great number of regulations in order to protect the interests of animals. At Stanford University, scientists adhere to the Animal Welfare Act and must submit proposals for how they will use their animals in experimentation. This requires a researcher to think beforehand about the best way to use his animal resources to achieve his intended outcome, and this allows other scientists to criticize that method if it is cruel. Scientists also sit down to discuss concepts of cruelty and the appropriate use of animals in a laboratory (Stanford News Service). With grant money depending on these scientists’ abilities to understand and apply these concepts of humane treatment, there is a strong incentive to treat animals with a measure of respect they have not been given in centuries prior. The Canadian Council on Animal Care proposes additional practical ways in which animal tested can be conducted humanely, summarized as the â€Å"three R’s† (CCAC). The first â€Å"R† refers to â€Å"replacement,† or the preferred use of an inanimate system or model instead of a live animal model. Cell and tissue cultures are sometimes even better than a full-scale live animal model because there are fewer variables to consider. â€Å"Reduction† is the second â€Å"R,† which means decreasing the number of animals used in experimentation. This is a good scientific practice anyway, regarding the number of confounding genetic variables that may arise in a

E-commerce for The Enterprise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

E-commerce for The Enterprise - Essay Example Thus, the website will have features which will enable it to address the weaknesses in its daily operations, enhance its processes, and pursue its long-term goals. Currently, The Enterprise has twenty outlets all over United Kingdom which operates the same system but lack the integration needed by retailing operations. Thus, the first issue which should be addressed by the business organization is the integration of its outlets through the use of internet technology. Thus, the website will feature an intranet which allows staff to log-on, access, and use information which is specific to the business organization (De Wit and Meyer 2002). In the e-commerce technology proposed, each outlet will be linked together through an intranet which will be shared by the entire business organization. Through this intranet, communication among staff will be facilitated (Duyne et al 2003). Discussions on promotional activities like sales and discounts will be organized through this intranet. Also, recording of sales and other administrative matters will be rationalized by providing a single template which will be used by each of the outlet. Calendars will also be shared and the database of sales for a particular period will also be made available for decision makers. This intranet will allow The Enterprise to immediately and conveniently compare performance, tailor strategies specific to each store, and retrieve important information in each store(Duyne et al 2003). Because of these functions and features, the intranet is expected to cut administrative cost and paper works done by the headquarters. 2. Business to Business Capabilities The integration of the business organization should allow the company to carry out functions which will enable them to reap economies of scale. Acting as an integrated unit, the retailer can gain advantages in unifying its ordering and delivery processes. In its move of harnessing the full power of e-commerce, business to business model should also be adopted. The Entreprise website then should allow other players in its value chain to take a more active part in the company's operations (Kotler 2005). Included here are its various suppliers and logistics partners. In the current setting, each of the retail outlets of The Enterprise conducts their separate ordering and logistics functions with the supplier that they prefer. The ordering system is manual and each outlet reaches an average of three days for placing orders, receiving, verifying, and replenishment of stocks (Kotler and Armstrong 2002). Being in the retailing industry, the availability of products in each of the outlet is a very important concern. Stock-out costs are costs associated with a retailer which runs out of stock when a customer intends to purchase them. These costs are not only seen to be in terms of the foregone opportunity to sell to the buyer but also in their loyalty and the image that the retailer will have to a customer. Thus, relationship with suppliers will be an integral part of the e-commerce system which will be installed. In order to save a significant amount of cost, The

The Financial Crisis in Greek Banking Industry Dissertation

The Financial Crisis in Greek Banking Industry - Dissertation Example However, it is an important part of the dissertation because it makes a significant contribution in backing the researcher’s point of view while providing current knowledge including substantive findings in terms of theoretical and methodological contribution. It reviews the books, journal articles, and magazines to give new interpretations to old sources. In the article written by Li and Xu (2002), it is stated that higher- risk assets give higher returns in comparison to low-risk assets like treasury bills (see table1 below). It forms a basis for the decision of asset allocation and making an estimation of interest rates in financial markets (Haitao Li and Yuewu Xu, 2002). During the process of bidding demand for firm’s products and its value influence the financial premium of the firm. It is so because there is a direct correlation between net expected value and performance of the firm as it yields higher returns. This implies that the higher the value of the firm th e higher premiums. Barberis, et al, (2001) held the view that higher volatility is recorded in the stock prices of a company when performance if its assets are not up to the standard. The entire banking industry came under pressure due to credit turmoil and subsequent deterioration of global market which in turn prompted the intervention of the central banks particularly the IMF and the World Bank. This sector was adversely affected by the inherent weakness of the Greek economy that is a result of rising debt and deficits. However, improvements have been noticed in the premiums paid because of the strong legal framework and improvements to the operational model. A similar report finds that, as a way of increasing the economies of scale, merger and acquisitions were imminent. The risk in the assets can be reduced by diversification of the assets. It also brings profitability and promotes growth besides improving the survival rate in similar future financial crises. According to Nenov a (2006) desire of having effective control over the firm and then pressurize the shareholders to sell the firm at a lower price is the reason why banks overvalue premium during the process of mergers and acquisitions. In addition to this, the value of the premium is also influenced by enforceability of ownership rights and confidence in the target banks ( LaPorta et al., 1998; Djankov et al., 2008; Nenova,2006; Bris and Cabolis,2008). As provided, the weaker the shareholder protection creates get-out for managers, shareholders to seize smaller, and minority shareholders with motives of gaining higher private benefits (Dyck and Zingales, 2004). A research study conducted by Hunter and Wall (1995) stated that acquirers are interested to pay more premiums for the banks that adopt strategies such as diversification for reducing combined firm’s overall risk and for the banks that would increase the value of the government safety net to the combined firm. With the help of regressi on analysis, it can be understood that a target with high variance of own profitability and high covariance with the acquirer’s profitability will yield less premium. Theory of diversification will also make the similar implication. MANNER OF PREMIUMS COMPUTATIONS: a) An Informal Model of Bank Takeover Pricing During the process of valuation of a bank for merger and acquisition, several factors are considered by the bidder.

Physical and environmental Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Physical and environmental - Essay Example There is also luxurious, spacious club house structure with open terraces and breathtaking news. All these features a snack bar, a lounge bar, a pool with a spectacular view. All these make Mexico a country with good facilities for storage and transportation of materials (Schmidt, 270). Mexico’s Riviera Maya golf club is an impressive architectural design with easy access to technology (Kenna, Michael and James, 179). It is designed with a magnificent view and fixed with the latest technology which includes the use of GPS which makes it easy to use when calculating distances and score. It also makes it possible for participants to request any additional services during the game. Kenna, Michael and James (221). The physical environment in the city of Machu Picchu in Mexico was constructed with a view down to two valleys and a nearly impassable mountain at its peak. There is an ample supply of water, enough land and food. This provides a good environment for the game as well as energy, space required for the recruitment and training of more players (Schmidt, 311). Therefore Mexico provides a good country for the marketing of the golf club products since it has all the technicality required, environment and facilities required for the game. Kenna, Michael, and James, Snow. "The US golf association turfgrass and environmental research program overview." ACS SYMPOSIUM SERIES. Vol. 743. Washington, DC; American Chemical Society; 1999, 2000.

Did women have a Renaissance Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Did women have a Renaissance - Term Paper Example It is also pertinent to note that the female gender saw an increase in educational opportunities during the renaissance. Though, this was actually slight when compared to the opportunities that came the way of men during this period, but the fact remains that the women saw an improvement in the educational opportunities that came their way during the renaissance especially the women in the upper class. The renaissance was a period when the world had more women from rich families attending private lessons at home or schools of the royal court. However, there was a limitation in this regard as the women were only made to study subjects that are suited for them. Subjects such as: art, dancing, music, needlework, and poetry were the ones that people felt should be studied by women. According to Matthews & Platt, â€Å"Work was increasingly divided according to gender, with women being assigned domestic duties and subordinated and restricted within the economic, social, legal, and cultur al system.† (120). Hence, women had restrictions in the area of education during the renaissance. It could then be right to argue that women did not have a total renaissance, but a partial one. The middle and lower class women were not given the kind of privilege that was given to the upper-class women as they limited them, especially the rural peasants to training in household duties such as sewing and cooking. However, there are several women that had the kind of privileges that was given to men and one of them is Isabella d'Este. She was born in 1474 and died in 1539. Isabella was an assiduous woman and a highly intelligent diplomat. Isabella received male education and she collected works of art from foremost artists of the century she lived through. The case of Isabella is just one out of several thousands of women. The fact that Isabella Este rose to the heights that was deemed impossible for women to reach does not necessarily mean that women really had a significant re naissance, but it could be argued that some women showed that what men can do, women can even do far better. The educational status that was attained by Isabella could only be attained by women that were given the kind of educational opportunity that Isabella had. It should also be noted that the education that women received were dominated by the males, hence they could only learn the things that the males allowed them to learn. Hence, women still played second fiddle to their male counterparts in the area of education (Cairns). There were also well-grounded female scholars that were writing during the period of the Renaissance. Women began to participate freely during the Renaissance as this period saw an increase in the number of female artists, musicians and poets. Though, the period of Renaissance saw more women entering the intellectual life, but they did play any significant role when compared to the roles that the men played during this period. Some women actually proved to their male counterparts that they were capable of holding political powers during the Renaissance period. One of them was Queen Elizabeth I of England. The manner at which Queen Elizabeth ruled her kingdom showed that women were ready to take over key leadership roles from their male counterparts. The impact made by Elizabeth as a woman did not really change the

Marketing principles Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Marketing principles - Assignment Example The benefits that can be achieved if you understand the customer is very important it can also help avoid any pitfalls and other issues. 2. Analyzing the market to check viability. Some basic market research should be carried out before introducing the product so that there are no issues when you launch the product or try to get something done. It is very important that some of the research that has been carried out should be utilized to ensure a successful product launch. The data such as total available market, market growth (historical numbers and projections), market trends, etc. are easily available and can be utilized for the benefit of the organization. 3. Analyzing the Competition that exists in the market 4. Researching and establishing the market distribution channels 5. Defining the Marketing Mix that exists and that the company plans to launch Marketing mix involves product, price, place, and packaging. 6. Analyzing the financials of the company and then deciding the mark eting plan. 7. The last step is to revise the steps that have been taken and then finalize the decision. There is no need to spend much on advertising. They can just print out the flyers and use the posters that can be put up so that people can become aware of the restaurant. At first they do not need any kind of marketing. They can start selling packaged lunches and dinners so that the students can have very easy access to food. This will help the restaurant build a better image as it will be creating an ease for the students. The main function of any organization’s marketing department is to be aware of what the consumer expects from the products of the company and be sure to devise methods that will help deliver the promises that they have made and satisfy the customers. The control and the leading quality of the management is visible from the way that they had anticipated the fact that it’s the ethnic groups that are basically introducing newer trends in the market s. The new product range that they had introduced also showed the keenness that they had in attracting newer customers and the tactics that they used to retain the older existing customers. The introduction of the newer product range and making Mc Donald’s â€Å"an any time walk in restaurant† has totally changed their positioning in the market, since they are catering to much more diverse market than ever before. When we analyze the facets that have influence on the buying behavior that people have are the different psychological aspects of the personality like attitudes, beliefs, values, motivation and perception, these are what play a major role in how much the person will spend and how will he spend it. The following psychological aspects have also been discussed in the hierarchy of needs and as well as the other theories that have been given by different psychologists (SHIMP, 35-36). The restaurant’s management can establish the cafes and revamp the play ar ea and in fact create a better one so that the incoming families who are about to settle in the newly finished houses, that they were bent on remaining the market leaders and not losing their touch in the daily life of general public. This will help the restaurant create a better image for them. Also, through the case study that has been mentioned it was visible that the increase in the turnover had the sole reason that

Film Analysis - Gran Torino 2008 Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Film Analysis - Gran Torino 2008 - Movie Review Example His life is lived apart from his two sons and having to deal with such predicament of disrespectful grandchildren. As an embittered veteran of the Korean War, he is widowed by his wife whose last wishes were for Walt was confession and retirement to his ill-feelings towards â€Å"other† people. For Walt’s, he trusts no one but his M-1 rifle which he makes it clean all the time and Daisy, his Labrador. Walt, an old man, is described as an ill-tempered person full of resentment and stubborn notions. Walt Kowalski had no choice but to live surrounded by Hmong immigrants whom he despises greatly when all his neighbors have gone or transferred to another place. His prejudice over the Southeast Asian people is shown through his resentment in everything he sees about them which are foreign to him. He hates most the teenagers who belong to gangs of Hmong and Latino and African-American youth who think and act as if the whole neighborhood is their possession. The Hmong, who live next door, along with gang bangers roaming around the streets, displeases Walt. In one evening, when Thao, a member of Hmong settlers, steals Walt’s 1972 Gran Torino prized possession to please the gang he wished to join. Equipped with his prejudgment among those people, Walt abhors their lack of morals. Then he discovers that Thao’s cousin, who is among the gang, compels Thao to steal his vintage car as an initiation. Thao’s family make amends by insisting him to work for Walt. As much as possible, Walt resented any dealings with the immigrants but he was forced to accept which eventually led to a deeper relationship with them as the days go by. Later development made Walt realize the warmth and love of the Hmongs. He discovers and realizes certain truths about them due to their continued kindness. The Hmongs were provincial refugees in the past. Now becomes his friends and a defender of them too. Universal adage says, â€Å"there’s always a second chance.’ In the film,

Hymn to Labor Essay Example for Free

Hymn to Labor Essay Assessment process of setting a value on real or personal property, usually for the purpose of taxation. It is carried out either by central government agencies or by local officials. Property may be assessed on the basis of its annual rental value, as in Britain, or its capital value, as in the U.S. Various methods are used to determine capital value, including analysis of market data to estimate the propertys current market price, estimation of the cost of reproducing the property minus accrued depreciation, and capitalization of the propertys earnings. Because educators have used the word â€Å"assessment† in a variety of ways, it’s important to understand its specific definition in education today. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), has identified five fundamental questions for institutions to use in discussing and defining assessment: 1. How are your stated student learning outcomes appropriate to your mission, programs, and degrees? 2. What evidence do you have that students achieve your stated learning outcomes? 3. In what ways do you analyze and use evidence of student learning? 4. How do you ensure shared responsibility for assessment of student learning? 5. How do you evaluate and improve the effectiveness of your efforts to assess and improve student learning? The HLC’s complete statement on assessment can be found at: www.ncahlc.org/download/AssessStuLrngApril.pdf Using these questions as a guide, OCC has developed its own definition of assessment, which is broadly published in various college documents including the College Catalog (p. 43), Student Handbook, Schedule of Classes, and the assessment website: Assessment is an on-going process aimed at understanding and improving student learning. It involves making our expectations clear to students and setting appropriate outcomes for learning. It helps determine how well student performance matches those outcomes. It uses the resulting information to improve student learning. The assessment process helps to support OCC’s shared academic culture dedicated to assuring and improving student learning. Assessment of student learning occurs at various academic levels. The goals at each level are different. Classroom Assessment The goal of classroom assessment is to enhance student learning. Instructors use a variety of methods in the classroom to get feedback about student learning in terms of course objectives. Program Assessment Every degree, diploma, and certificate program has a statement of purpose and learning outcomes. Each learning outcome is measured by the faculty in the program through a variety of assignments, tests, practicum’s, projects, and licensing examinations. Also, in some cases program graduates are surveyed to get feedback about how well the program prepared them for their jobs. The goal of program assessment is to revise and improve the curriculum of the program and to insure student success. General Education Assessment Students come to college for a variety of reasons. Regardless of the reason, it is the goal of the college to give its students an education including general skills and knowledge critical for success in life. Therefore, the OCC faculty have identified ten General Education Outcomes and have incorporated them into the general education requirements of the college. These outcomes are assessed in the same way as course learning objectives in the classroom. Additionally, Student Assessment of General Education (SAGE) occurs college-wide each year.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Research Paper Related to Prevention of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Beginning in the 1990s, the number of cases of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (DMT2) began increasing. This increase occurred alongside an increase in obesity, poor diet choices, and a decrease in exercise among the American population. DMT2 is the most common form of diabetes and is particularly affecting the younger population. With one in five children now said to be overweight, some studies indicate that the number of young people with DMT2 has quadrupled in recent years. This paper will examine the complexity of DMT2 and its rising incidence among the United States (US) population as well as demonstrate that community education and prevention are key components to controlling this disease (American Diabetes Association, 2007). It will consider six dimensions: 1) pathophysiology, 2) incidence and prevalence, 3) audience, 4) survey and other research, 5) disease prevention, and 6) teaching plan with final conclusions. Dimension One: Pathophysiology DMT2 is a chronic disease previously called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetes. It is caused by several complex metabolic disorders which can lead to high levels of sugar in the blood. These disorders result from defects of multiple organ sites including insulin resistance in muscles and tissues, a decline in insulin secretion from the pancreas, unrestrained hepatic glucose production or secretion, and/or declining ÃŽ ²-cell function. Patients who have DMT2 are not able to regulate the glucose levels in the body. If glucose is not able to reach cells in the body, the body is not able to use it for energy and the glucose will stay in the blood causing the main symptoms of diabetes (Barr, Myslinksi, Scarborough, 2008). ÃŽ ²-cell dysfunction is thought to be partly genetic and contributes to the onset of glucose intolerance in DMT2. It is characterized by impairment in the first phase of insulin secretion during glucose stimulation. The endocrine pancreas is unable to compensate for insulin resistance that could lead to hyperglycemia and the onset of diabetes. ÃŽ ²-cell dysfunction along with glucotoxicity, lipotoxicity, and other inflammatory agents on pancreatic insulin production all play a contributing role in the development of DMT2 (Rizvi, 2004). Tissue resistance to glucose uptake is also recognized as a major cause of DMT2. Insulin resistance has been linked to elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines that trigger endothelial cell dysfunction and promote vascular abnormalities. These mechanisms may lead to atherosclerosis and coagulation tendencies which can also be present with DMT2. Although these causes are not linked to diabetes alone, they are found in other chronic diseases such as dyslipidemia and hypertension which are known risk factors of diabetes. (Rizvi, 2004). Dimension Two: Incidence and Prevalence DMT2 accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes and usually begins as insulin resistance. It is often associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose metabolism, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity. In the US, the populations most affected are Native Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Asian-Americans. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) (2007), there are approximately 798,000 new cases of diabetes annually in the US, which is an estimated 1 in 340 people per year. Broken down even further, this is about â€Å"66,499 per month, 15,346 per week, 2,186 per day, 91 per hour, and 1 per minute† cases (NDIC, 2007,  ¶6). In 2002, there were 150 million people affected with DMT2 worldwide and 15.7 million people in the US, with an estimated 5.4 million of those undiagnosed. DMT2 affects approximately 1 in 16 people (NDIC, 2007). Dimension Three: Audience Student nurses at Southwestern Community College recently hosted a health fair discussing various diseases and concerns amongst the community. To present the information, student nurses used a demographic audience analysis in order to identify the population attending the health fair. This type of audience examination described the qualities of a group of people by considering several aspects, such as the size of the audience, diversity, captivity or circumstances, as well as the audience composition (Outloud Online, n.d.). The size of the audience determined the way of presenting information; for instance, the large audience would likely have a wide variety of characteristics whereas the smaller audience may have fewer differences. Consequently, presenting information to a large group of people required a more formal approach (Outloud Online, n.d.). On the other hand, small audiences allow for a more personal and informal presentation. Because the health fair was designed to attract a large group of people from three different counties the student nurses concluded that the formal way of presenting information during the health fair would be more appropriate. The second component of the audience analysis referred to the diversity of people attending the health fair. Generally, the larger audiences are more diverse and require a broader approach (Outloud Online, n.d.). On the other hand, special occasions such as health fairs attract a variety of people who are interested in health and wellness. Consequently, the student nurses decided to address the topic of increasing incidence of diabetes during the health fair in a non-judgmental way with the consideration for cultural variations among people. The next element of the audience analysis was related to circumstances of presenting information. For example, people who chose to listen on their own were more receptive than the people were forced to hear something. The term captive described the audience who may resent a speaker; therefore the speaker needed to exert an extra effort to get the audiences attention (Outloud Online, n.d.). Generally, an assumption can be made that the audience is captive and works hard to show the importance of the topic. In order to capture the attention of the audience, the student nurses decided to utilize variety of visual, tactile, auditory, as well as psychomotor teaching methods to present the information about diabetes during the health fair, which will be explained further below. The last component of the demographic audience analysis was related to the composition of the audience. The student nurses considered the factors, such as age, race or culture, gender, as well as education level of the community population. Although the composition of the audience was important, the simplifying peoples interest and beliefs could have easily led to stereotyping (Outloud Online, n.d.). In order to avoid stereotyping of audience, the student nurses decided to provide information without cultural and ethnical preconceptions as well as in a non-judgmental way. Dimension Four: Survey and Other Research In prior years, much research has been conducted on the incidence and prevalence of DMT2. This research validates the increasing rate of diabetes amongst the US population. It was estimated that in 1999-2002, 19.3 million Americans (about 9.3 percent of the total population) had diabetes. By 2005, approximately 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in the US and at this rate, it is estimated that more than 25 million people in the US will have diabetes by the year 2025. According to research conducted by the Tufts-New England Medical Center (2007), the rise of DMT2 anticipated over the next few decades can be attributed to the changes is diagnostic criteria, increased awareness which leads to increased diagnosis, the aging population, increase the prevalence of obesity, and decreasing mortality. Although the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes from 1980-2004 increased in all age groups, it is similar to other chronic conditions and affects the older population. It is estimat ed that over 22 percent of the elderly population (age 65 and older) make up almost 40 percent of those diagnosed with diabetes. In 2005, there were 575,000 new cases of diabetes among those 60 years and older (Balk, et al., 2005). Other research has shown that DMT2 may be described as a new epidemic in the American pediatric population. In 1994, DMT2 accounted for up to 16 percent of new pediatric diabetes cases, and by 1999, it account for 8-45 percent of new cases. This increase coincided with the increased prevalence of childhood obesity. In 2000, the prevalence of diabetes for all ages worldwide was estimated to be 2.8 percent. Based on current research, it is predicted that 4.4 percent will be diagnosed with DMT2 in 2030, which will be an estimated total number of 366 million (Balk, et al., 2005). Results from a Pan American Health Organization survey conducted in 2007 along the Mexico-US border can be found in Appendix A. Another survey on the rising prevalence of obesity among the younger population can be found in Appendix B. Dimension Five: Disease Prevention Although the need to prevent DMT2 was recognized in the 1920s, little has been done in the area of prevention in the decades following despite the technological advances. This lack of implementing a prevention plan was also due to the lack of evidenced-based studies. Several clinical trials were conducted, but many were flawed in design and most studies used anti-diabetes drugs as the only intervention. Fortunately in the intervening years, positive results from several controlled trials using lifestyle changes have become available. More recent trials show it is possible to reduce the rate of DMT2 in high-risk clients through lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise (Tuomilehto, 2007). Pre-diabetes is a condition in which a clients blood glucose level is higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be termed diabetes. Either the impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance tests will be higher. If a client shows increased test results with these two tests, however, progression to diabetes is not inevitable. Losing weight and increasing physical activity has been shown to reduce the blood sugar levels to a more normal range and delay the onset of diabetes. These lifestyle interventions are attainable and much more cost-effective and it is proven that lose 5-10 percent of body weight can reverse pre-diabetes symptoms. (Adams, 2009). Physical activity increases the bodys use of insulin which in turn lowers blood glucose levels. Reducing the amount of time sitting in front of a television is an effective way to increase physical activity. A study in 2007 showed a direct link between television watching and an increased risk of diabetes. Those with a two-hour increase in television viewing had a 23 percent increase in the risk of obesity, leading to a 14 percent increase risk of DMT2 (Tuomilehto, 2007). Nutrition recommendations for prevention of diabetes include high intakes of dietary fiber and low-glycemic-index foods. Eating a well-balanced diet with adequate amounts of protein and carbohydrates with lower amounts of saturated fats and sugars has proven to be effective in the prevention of DMT2 (Mann, 2006). Dimension Six: Teaching Plan A health fair was recently held on the campus of Southwestern Community College. Each group attending the health fair was given one table to present information in a systematic manner that would be beneficial to those passing by. The authors of this research paper, who are also student nurses, chose to concentrate on basic DMT2 pathophysiology and prevention. To effectively present the material to a varied audience, the student nurses came up with strategies to teach the materials that would appeal to various learning styles. For those who may learn visually, the student nurses provided visual aids including a large display board along with two posters. These materials included written information, pictures, and diagrams of DMT2s effects on the body as well as descriptions of the pathophysiology and causes. For the audience to take with them or look through while browsing, the student nurses provided tactile objects such as pamphlets about diabetes and exercise, diabetic cookbooks, diabetic desserts from the cookbooks, and three factual information sheets about DMT2 from a local diabetes educator. For those who were audio-style learners, several student nurses stayed near the information table and were available to answer questions and speak with those interested and/or concerned they may be at risk for developing DMT2. Also available to the audience as reinforcement of this information was a video which spoke of signs and symptoms of pre-diabetes as well as preventative strategies. To further test for symptoms of pre-diabetes, student nurses were available with a glucose monitor to check glucose levels when requested. Overall, the health fair seemed to be quite effective and pleasing to the audience present based on review.