Shakespeare - Sonnet 18 This Sonnet Is By Far One Of The Most Interest

Shakespeare - Sonnet 18 This sonnet is by far one of the most interesting poems in the book. Of Shakespeare's sonnets in the text, this is one of the most moving lyric poems that I have ever read. There is great use of imagery within the sonnet. This is not to say that the rest of the poems in the book were not good, but this to me was the best, most interesting, and most beautiful of them. It is mainly due to the simplicity and loveliness of the poem's praise of the beloved woman that it has guaranteed its place in my mind, and heart.The speaker of the poem opens with a question that is addressed to the beloved, Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? This question is comparing her to the summer time of the year. It is during this time when the flowers are blooming, trees are full of leaves, the weather is warm, and it is generally thought of as an enjoyable time during the year. The following eleven lines in the poem are also dedicated to similar comparisons between the beloved and summer days. In lines 2 and 3, the speaker explains what mainly separates the young woman from the summer's day: she is more lovely and more temperate. (Line 2) Summer's days tend toward extremes: they are sometimes shaken by rough winds (line3) which happens and is not always as welcoming as the woman. However in line 4, the speaker gives the feeling again that the summer months are often to short by saying, And summer's lease hath too short a date. In the summer days, the sun, the eye of heaven (line 5), often shines too hot, or too dim, his gold complexion dimmed (line 6), that is there are many hot days during the summer but soon the sun begins to set earlier at night because autumn is approaching. Summer is moving along too quickly for the speaker, its time here needs to be longer, and it also means that the chilling of autumn is coming upon us because the flowers will soon be withering, as every fair from fair sometime declines. (Line 7) The final portion of the sonnet tells how the beloved differs from the summer in various respects. Her beauty will be one that lasts forever, Thy eternal summer shall not fade. (Line 9), and never end or die. In the couplet at the bottom, the speaker explains how that the beloved's beauty will accomplish this everlasting life unlike a summer. And it is because her beauty is kept alive in this poem, which will last forever. It will live as long as men can breathe or eyes can see. (Line 13)On the surface, the poem is on the surface simply a statement of praise about the beauty of the beloved woman and perhaps summer to the speaker is sometimes too unpleasant with the extremes of windiness and heat that go along with it. However, the beloved in the poem is always mild and temperate by her nature and nothing at all like the summer. It is incidentally brought to life as being described as the eye of heaven with its gold complexion. The imagery throughout the sonnet is simple and attainable to the reader, which is a key factor in understanding the poem. Then the speaker begins to describe the summer again with the darling buds of May giving way to the summer's lease, springtime moving into the warmth of the summer. The speaker then starts to promise to talk about this beloved, that is so great and awing that she is to live forever in this sonnet. The beloved is so great that the speaker will even go as far as to say that, So long as men breathe, or eyes can see, the woman will live. The language is almost too simple when comparing it to the rest of Shakespeare's sonnets; it is not heavy with alliteration or verse, and nearly every line is its own self-contained clause, almost every line ends with some punctuation that effects a pause. But it is this that makes Sonnet18 stand out for the rest in the book. It is much more attainable to understand and it allows for the reader to fully understand how great this beloved truly is because she may live forever in it. An important theme of the sonnet, as it is an

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles essays

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles essays Air Power will take a new form in the use of UAVs. They will change lives, save lives, and reduce costs. Airplanes have increasingly become a major part of humanities since the Great War (World War I), being able to go faster than the speed of sound, carry tons of items, they are equipped with major electronic systems, and can perform more acrobatics than the human body can withstand. But one common denominator has stayed the same; it requires a human to control the vehicle in flight causing risks to the pilots and crew. Today, however, technology has advanced to such a state that communicative links are now available around the world, allowing the control of an unmanned aircraft from a base station. A vision is that an operator would first plan the attack on a mission support computer and load the strike profile into the vehicle. During the mission, changes could be data-linked via a secure communications system. Sitting at a control station an operator would be able to coor dinate not just one vehicles action, but those of an entire package of unmanned aircraft. This topic of UAVs has mixed opinions between combat pilots to business executives on their use in the armed forces and use for commercial ventures. The current times show that unmanned aircraft technology is breaking into new frontiers just like when "the Wright Brothers flew their first manned airplane at Kitty Hawk in December of 1903, which only traveled 120 feet, less than half a football field in distance" (Hirsch 376), and now look where society is! UAVs are not new, they have a long history in aviation stretching back to the First World War. They were used in reconnaissance during the Korean War, and then as highly classified special purpose aircraft during the conflict in Southeast Asia. History shows that it usually takes an international incident threatening national security to highlight a military deficiency and to stir a desire for new, innovativ...

Controversy Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Controversy Analysis - Essay Example Apple products are considered to be of high quality, exceptionally user-friendly and attractive but the price for them is mostly considered unjustified. Moreover Apple`s new models grab a lot of attention because the company managed to create some emotional image and consumers have to pay for status more the for the quality. Apple despite of giving failure in bend test, lack of apps in app store, average camera and other limitations manages to grab the top position. However seeing all these factors, researchers are of the opinions that though Apple and Samsung might compete close enough in the market. The question still remains debatable whether Samsung with its improved technology be able to replace the Apple craze? Considering the previous era, Apple was the only craze and preference of all ages of individuals. It came out undoubtedly that iPhone that had perfect design, perfect operating system, fast functioning, suitable for parties, music, business and what not. Apple with its very first smart phone continued to dominate the market, setting the trend of craze for smart phones (Mika, 2011). People used to rush in lines, and the one who succeeded purchasing the first iPhone of series was also covered by media. All this gave it a royal image, which everyone admired but couldn’t afford due to being immensely expensive. Many brands came and went before Apple iPhone in terms of being successful an giving competition to it. However Samsung remain only that one brand, which could compete with Apple products. It was able to do it with their â€Å"S† series. The smart phones â€Å"S1†, â€Å"S2†, â€Å"S3†, â€Å"S4† and â€Å"S5† have been extremely s uccessful, helping Samsung gain reputation and stability, with one after the other in its launch. Many experts claimed that the characteristics of Samsung were better than iPhone and it was far more affordable

Applied Statistics for Finance and Economics Project

Applied for Finance and Economics - Statistics Project Example The two will guide the analysis of the rest of the analysis. The first section of the project focuses on the brief description of the two variables representing the log return series. It will apply various statistical approaches including the descriptive methods and graphical methods. Consequently, it will conduct the test for normality to ascertain whether the mean difference and median difference really exist, as well as confirming the randomness and volatility of the stock distribution. The project culminates in the analysis of the capital calculation through the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) as well as the OLSE (Estimation of the Ordinary Least Squares, in order to test relevant observations concerning the Bata estimation. The figure above shows the summary of the descriptive statistical techniques, for all-important information on the log return on stock value series as well as the log return value of the sap series (Standard and Poor). This is based on the 252 observations forming the entire dataset. The log return of the stock series (lsap) shows a mean of the distribution to be 7.14367. It also gives the standard Deviation of the distribution to be 0.0502348 while the variance of the distribution is 0.0502348. In this regard, the standard deviation of the sample mean can be calculated as 0.0953768 / √252 = 0.006008. The Skewness of the distribution is a positive value of 0.148524 while the nature of Kurtosis is described by the positive coefficient of 2.175841. This according to Tinsley and Brown (2000), indicates a right-skewed distribution with a positive skewness. The lowest quartile is 3.462919; the median value is 3.615367 while the highest quartile is 3.827336. The log return of the stock series (lsap) shows a mean of the distribution to be 3.62903. It also gives the standard Deviation of the distribution to be 0.502348 while the variance of the distribution is 0.0025235. In this regard, the standard

Machiavellianism Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Machiavellianism - Dissertation Example 2.Machiavelli notes that huge-spending by political leaders has a significant influence, power and domination over the economical administrators. The application is still widely relevant in the contemporary setting especially during the general election campaigns. Retired leaders for example George Bush, Bill Clinton and the current leader, President Obama; rose to their presidential thrown due to their huge economic muscle they had during their presidential campaigns. Obama used multiple fundraisers and donations from well wishers which exceeded the then presidential hopeful, Mr. McCain’s financial power. Mr. Obama’s vast financial power enabled him to mobilize multiple people and initiatives, which propelled him to win the elections. 3.(a)Based on Machiavelli the Prince applies Morality to balance the sociopolitical interests where people are accustomed to. Morality is essential for the structuring of the political system. He further noted that moral corruption assist s in the realization of social benefits like security and stability.(b) Machiavelli asserted that Private Morality and Public Morality must be evaluated differently in order for the Prince to rule effectively. The Prince should not only care about his reputation but also act immorally when the need arises. As a result, Morality should constitute force in order to achieve political stability in legal and structural institutions. 4. Machiavelli displays an autocratic attitude towards the role of Religion and its importance to the government.

Evaluating 74th Constitutional Amendment Act

Evaluating 74th Constitutional Amendment Act Two sides of the same coin: Evaluating 74th Constitutional Amendment Act Abstract: To strengthen the position of urban governance in a more organized manner, the government of India took a pivotal initiative through the enactment of the 74th Constitution Amendment Act. In this paper I attempt to analyse the role of 74th constitutional amendment in increasing the functionality, authority and efficiency of the urban local bodies, in terms of the powers rendered to the urban local bodies under the 74th constitutional amendment. I attempt to analyse the effective and efficient implementation of the 74th constitutional amendment by including a small case study of urban governance in the city of Chandigarh, Punjab. Introduction: The system of local service delivery through the means of local government bodies began with a Budget Speech by a member of viceroy’s council Samuel Laing, he proposed that local services should be based on local resources. Local governance bodies have been a part of Indian governance system since the British Era, the first Municipal Corporation was set up in Madras in 1688 followed by Bombay and Calcutta. In the beginning local governance bodies were mere implementation instrument of state government’s activities but since the introduction of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, there has been a change in this status quo. Since the early 1990s there has been a lot of initiative undertaken by the Government of India which were aimed at decentralisation of urban governance, this was the part of adoption of neo-liberal policies adopted by the government after facing failure of the state-led development model, as for under this model the government kept its role secondary giving more importance to market oriented approaches. Under this step taken by the Government of India enactment of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, was one such initiative, this gave constitutional recognition to urban local bodies and a constitutional right to exist. AnewTwelfthScheduletotheConstitutionprovidesrecommendedlistoflocalfunctions. Under the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, it requires the state governments of all the states to amend their respective municipal laws so as to increase the powers and authority of the urban local bodies, as quoting the line for the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act â€Å"withsuchpowersandauthorityasmaybenecessarytoenablethemtofunctionasinstitutionsofselfgovernance†. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act provides a base to the state the ability to transfer certain responsibility and authority to the urban local bodies i.e. municipalities in order to provide a strong base for municipal local governance in cities, in this regard several state government has amended their state legislature in the same regard. Under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, it is mandatory to undertake the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act and implement in the respective state legislatures. It is under the article 243ZE of the constitution which requires all the state governments to review the existing municipal laws and either repeal or modify those which are inconsistent with the provision of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act within one year from the commencement of the Act.[1] 74th Constitutional Amendment Act in a nutshell: Features and Issues Features of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act 74th Constitutional Amendment has been constituted in congruence with the idea of new public management. Under this concept the major role the state play is of withdrawing itself from directly influencing the market activities and let demand and supply correct the course of market. One of the features of this concept is that the government breaks down the huge monolithic government beaurcracies, which refers to heavy decentralisation of responsibilities and authorities. According to my understanding the enactment of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act is very much influenced by this characteristic of new public management. Before the enactment of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act the role of urban local bodies was merely of implementation of activities undertaken by state and national government. Constitutional status has been granted to the urban local bodies under the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, under which a three tier structure of the urban local bodies has been envisaged. Formation of Municipal Corporation for larger area with higher populations the example of this can be Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, and creation of municipal councils for smaller areas which includes towns like Upleta in Gujarat, and creation of village panchayats for villages that are in transitions to become towns. Under this amendment the governing members of the municipal corporation are being elected by the people through an election in a similar way in which the members of the lok sabha are elected, the election is conducted, managed and regulated by the state election commission. This indicates that the democracy has established deep roots in the political system of the country. Under article 243Y, it makes it mandatory for every state to establish a state finance commission as it is defined by article 243I. The function of the state finance commission is advising the Governor of the state regarding the distribution of funds between state and municipalities which also includes the revenue generated from tolls, taxes and duties. The state finance commission also acts as a auditing organisation which scrutinises the employment of the finances to the urban local bodies. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act in its article 243ZD and 243ZE makes it mandatory to form committee for district planning in each district and committee for metropolitan planning in every metropolitan area. These committees endeavour to provide newer dimension for the role of citizens and its elected representatives in preparation of plans for their respective regions, infrastructure plan being it most important component. It is sometimes that cities in the same districts share certain natural resources or problems like allocation of water, waste management which might create overlapping situations; it is the function of committee for district planning to cater to such scenarios. Whereas committee for metropolitan planning caters to the increasing infrastructure and amenities demand in metropolitan cities due to expansion of its boundaries or population. Under this act the urban local bodies are endowed with responsibilities for formulation and implementation of schemes for economic and social development, the subjects for the same have been specified under the 12th schedule i.e. article 243W. Issues in the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act The enactment of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act marks a transformation in the role of urban local governing bodies in terms of the urban governing bodies being constitutionalised and substantial authorities being granted to them under the act regarding decision making to acquiring finance, but still certain questions remained unanswered. The first issue in implementation of the act is the identification and demarcation rural and urban areas. In states like Gujarat, West Bengal, Kerala, approximately two third of towns are non-municipal towns.[2] Even though these towns in these states have higher prevalence of non-agricultural activities these town are not recognised as cities and are still under the status of villages, this is because under the status of villages the state government can sanction grant for implementation of projects for rural development like MNREGA, NREGA etc. while on the other hand if these area are classified as cites the states would not be able to sanction money for such developmental activities from the government and the state itself will be responsible to provide grants for further infrastructure development in these newly formed cities. The implication of this is that the local bodies lose out on better sources of finance. Therefore due to the vested interest of the members of the politica l structure of the state barriers are created in the implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act makes the urban local bodies responsible not only for mere implementation of the state directives, but also makes them responsible for carrying out activities for social and economic development under 18 subject mentioned under schedule 12 i.e. article 243W, but the act does not make it clear how the three tier bodies i.e. municipal corporations, municipal councils and nagar panchayats will work in synchrony in order to accomplish this tasks. The act leaves it to the discretion of the state to work out the arrangement in this regard. One of the objectives of enacting 74th Constitutional Amendment Act was increasing people and private participation in urban planning, but due to public and private organisations being suspicious about the functioning of the urban local bodies, there has been no significant change in this regard. Case Study: Implementation of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act in Chandigarh I have adopted the following case study from an article by Deepak Sharma titled as: An Evaluation of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act: A Case Study of Chandigarh, India Background Chandigarh is a union territory and a joint capital of the state of Punjab and Haryana. With around 9, 00,000 population it is one of the fastest growing city. The municipal corporation of Chandigarh was formed in 1994 and its jurisdictional area is around 79.34 kms. The municipal corporation of Chandigarh came into being after passing of Punjab Municipal Corporation Law ordinance, 1994 under the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976. The functioning of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation is done by formation of various committees that are allocated with different task for the governance of the city. The example committees under the Chandigarh municipal corporation are as follows: Water Supply and Sewerage Committee Roads Committee Slum Development Committee Fire Services Committee Environment City Beautification Committee House Tax Committee Finance Committee Contract Committee Report of findings Under the74th Constitutional Amendment Act, the urban local bodies is also been charged with activities of social and economic development for the empowerment of the citizen of the particular cities, but in Chandigarh there has been incongruence with the mandates of the act, where the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has been partially endowed with such responsibility education and health and the Chandigarh administration maintains a monopoly, this lead to overlapping functions, and it is conceptually against what has been mandated in the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act. As per the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, the members of the urban local bodies have to be elected by the people of the city, this what has been implemented in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation as well, but as the members of the municipal board belong to different political parties, there has been difference of opinion regarding decision making and implementation of project, which in turn delays or either sabotages the developmental or infrastructural initiative by the Chandigarh municipal corporation at times, here there has not been a failure of the act, but this is because of different political parties acting as per their own vested interest. The municipal corporation in Chandigarh faces issue of funds accumulation because of two reasons. The first being that the funding grants are in the hands of Chandigarh administration which at times end up either blocking or delaying transfer of funds to the Chandigarh municipal corporation and the second being the inefficient state finance commission. Even if the funds are being allocated only a small fraction is employed in implementation of project as due to the layer of political agents that end up utilising funds from their own purposes. As mentioned above that the Chandigarh municipal corporation has been facing dearth of funds, one of the reason is that the municipal corporation has failed to recover tax arrears, majorly these tax arrears has been because there has been defaulters amongst liquor vendors and water tariffs. Thus this implies 1) there is an improper record system in the Chandigarh municipal corporation leading to arrears as large as $112,375,000[3], 2) extensive corruption. Conclusion: From the information about the enactment, features, flaws of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, and by presenting the case study of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, I finally conclude that the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act is apt in its spirit of empowerment and decentralisation of function and responsibilities to the urban local bodies, but there lies an issue with the effective implementation of the act. In this regard the blame can be given to the still existing beauracratic structure of governance in India leading to rent seeking and red-tapping, but along with this there has been lack of awareness and motivation amongst the public which are an equal part of the governance system. Appendix: References [1] Article: Implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment and Integration of city planning and delivery functions. [2] Adopted from article: Features of 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment [3] Figure adopted from Article: Evaluation of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act: A Case Study of Chandigarh, India by Deepak Sharma

My Spiritual Journey Essay -- Personal Experience Essay

My life is continually unfolding into a more global understanding of faith, religion and culture where I once thought all was wrong and evil if not strictly Roman Catholic. One of the ways I cultivate my outlook is to analyze the different ways people honor the dead. I can remember as far back as age four, getting my hair done and the whole family rushing out the door to get to Mass on Sunday mornings. My family who owned and/or rented five different homes on a typical Puerto Rican near-north side Chicago block, would all meet out in front at the van. I say van because my aunt/Godmother who has muscular dystrophy, had the largest vehicle due to her handicap. We all packed in and headed for either St Sylvester or St. Francis Church, depending on who made the decision that day. My great grandmother had the matriarchal front passenger seat. An uncle was driving, a few more adults behind that including aunts, uncles and my grandmother with all of us kids, nearly eight of us all to the rear. It was so hot with no open windows or air conditioning. Sometimes I thought we were on our way to hell. When we got there, we would have to sit quietly, stand, kneel, and repetitive combinations thereof, shake hands, a few songs then the final guita r-played song was the finale. The second part of the words, â€Å"La misa e terminado, dà ©nos gracias a Dios (The mass has ended, thanks be to God)† was spoken by us kids over and over while we giggled. It was then time to go eat. They were fun times where ‘El Dia de los Reyes(Three Kings Day)’ on January 6th was celebrated with many families singing in ‘paranda’ style groups throughout the Christmas season, going from home to home with traditional instruments. My parent... ...try, but I have been privileged to honor those from less traditional backgrounds such as Masons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Orthodox, Jewish and Muslim. Inside, I do feel sad when there is no spiritual or religious service prior to military honors. So, overall, my spiritual journey has been a winding and enlightening one to date. I am now more open minded and ready for progress in understanding and appreciating all religions alike, especially after this class. I want to visit India, Thailand and other places now. If they are fundamentally good, then they are not immoral, misguided or evil as I was once taught. After my confusing past, I am still seeking and searching for that one possibly perfect spiritual fit. Through deep soul searching, more education and continually giving back I will find it some day.

American Aviation During Wwi

U. S. Aviation during World War I American aviation was in its infancy when the United States entered WWI in 1917. Most U. S. pilots were untrained in air combat and using aircraft that were less sophisticated than their enemies. When the U. S. joined the allied forces in April of 1917, it had 56 pilots and less than 250 aircraft, which were all obsolete. In July of 1917, congress appropriated $640 million to form 354 combat squadrons. There were no industries in the U. S. at this time manufacturing aircraft. With a few trial and errors supported by the government, the Bureau of Aircraft Production and a separate Division of Military Aeronautics were established. The new industry produced 11,754 aircraft and the Army set up 27 primary flying schools in the United States. American pilots would not be able to utilize these resources until the end of the war. Many of the sorties flown by U. S. aviators were in foreign aircraft. Some of the airframes used were the Salmson observation airplanes, Spad XIII pursuits, Havilland DH-4's, Breguet 14's, and some French balloons. Although many of these airframes helped win decisive air battles, they were no comparison to the German Fokker. Fokker was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer that began producing planes in Germany. The â€Å"Fokker Scourge† had revolutionary armament and was the most feared airframe during WWI. An American pilot by the name of Eddie Rickenbacker recalls in his book â€Å"Fighting The Flying Circus† an opportunity to trade a German pilot his life for his Fokker aircraft. Although the United States aviation units lacked training and sufficient aircraft, they were still able to make a difference in WWI and go on to have air superiority almost one hundred years later. This could be accredited to winning decisive battles and the U. S. being a â€Å"learning organization. † With the employment of balloons and fixed wing aircraft for trench warfare {text:soft-page-break} reconnaissance, the U. S. was able to save thousands of soldiers while delivering bombs and bullets from the sky. American military leadership saw the importance of this resource and has budgeted in reconnaissance aircraft ever since. With trench warfare, a stalemate would often develop with both sides having neither an advantage nor a disadvantage. Having air reconnaissance would prove to be valuable in collecting intelligence on enemy positions. These same aircraft would be fitted with bombs to clear forward enemy trench lines and to destroy their rear supply. Air recon planes were outfitted with an observer who would map out enemy strongholds while documenting the size and weapons of the enemy. Aerial reconnaissance later on becomes one the main focuses of the U. S. military. Reconnaissance aircraft during WWI were large, bulky, and slow. This made it easier for enemy ground troops to shoot down and smaller, faster aircraft to destroy. The Allied and Axis powers both began to send out fighter aircraft to protect these recon planes and to destroy any enemies they came in contact with. This use of smaller, faster, well armed aircraft helped usher in the age of supersonic fighters in modern day warfare. WWI demonstrated the importance of fighters and the U. S. has invested a lot of resources and research into their improvement. The United States was involved in various amounts of strategic battles during the last two years of the war. Some of these battles would mark the beginning of America's race for air superiority and the need for heavily-armed aircraft. At the Battle of St. Mihiel, Billy Mitchell was given control of 1, 4821 aircraft, only 40% being American. â€Å"It was the largest air force ever assembled for a single operation, consisting of 366 observation airplanes, 323 day bombers, 91 night bombers, and 701 pursuits. † Pilots reported the destruction of roads and balloons and {text:soft-page-break} aircraft shot down. The American Air Service being inexperienced in air warfare were undertaking an ambitious air campaign that was unheard of at that time. Although St. Mihiel was not a complete success, Col. Mitchell helped create an independent American Air Force that believes that whatever the opposition is, no mission would ever be turned back. Billy Mitchell took intensive courses on aeronautics taught by allied pilots. â€Å"What they had to say and even more, what they were doing, converted him to a theory of air power still unappreciated in the United States. Billy Mitchell understood the importance of air power and how vital it would be to win future wars. He believed this so much that in 1925, he accused Army and Navy leaders of an almost â€Å"treasonable act of national security† when he did not receive the funds asked for. Mitchell was court-martialed and retired shortly afterwards. He has been considered the father of the U. S. Air Force and B-25 Mitchell was named in his honor. D uring WWI, Germany had established air superiority with its flying command â€Å"The Flying Circus† led by the German Ace, Baron Manfred von Richtofen. The â€Å"Red Baron†, hich he was commonly known, had eighty aerial victories. The Baron and his fleet of Fokker's would be America's biggest challenge in getting the upper hand in aerial warfare. Captain Edward Rickenbacker, of the American 94th Aero Pursuit Squadron, was just the man to take on such a powerful foe and make a difference. â€Å"Eddie† Rickenbacker was America's â€Å"Ace of Aces† who accounted for twenty-six aircraft shot down. Twenty-two of airframes were airplanes and four of them were balloons. On September 25th, 1918, Rickenbacker downed two planes on his lone attack on seven German planes. Rickenbacker received the Congressional Medal of Honor for this in 1931. {text:soft-page-break} Captain Rickenbacker was not only an exceptional pilot, but he understood the importance of having a great airframe in the U. S. Army's arsenal. Rickenbacker, and many other U. S. pilots, only had access to substandard aircraft and in many cases, had to borrow from other countries. During a raid in September of 1918, Captain Rickenbacker and Lt. Coolidge (son of Calvin Coolidge) encountered several German enemies over Grand Pre. Lt. Coolidge, one of the best pilots in the 94th Aero Pursuit Squadron, was shot down. Rickenbacker went on to shoot down several German planes before heading back to Allied territory. Rickenbacker noticed a German Fokker on his way back who's engine had apparently stalled. Rickenbacker found himself in a curious position and decided that instead of shooting him down, he would bring his â€Å"prize† back intact. As the German Fokker began to sail down in the direction Rickenbacker had guided him, another aircraft (Rickenbacker was not sure if it was French or American) came out of nowhere and destroyed the plane. â€Å"So nearly had I succeeded in capturing intact a most valuable Fokker from Germany's most famous Squadron! Captain Rickenbacker and many other American pilots understood the importance of having the upper hand in air warfare. They understood that wars can be won from the sky and great aircraft were needed for this to happen. More pilots lives were lost due to aircraft malfunction than to enemy artillery. Life was short during World War I and Ameri can pilots lived it valiantly. This brought the need for safer, reliable aircraft in the U. S. military. With the military's purchase of 11,754 aircraft near the end of the war, the U. S. was on its way to air superiority. Some of these planes were cut from the budget after WWI, but soon became a focus during World War II. {text:soft-page-break} Aeronautical achievement by the end of World War I, had won favor not only by the American military, but with the American public. H. G. Wells writes â€Å"Every aviator who goes up to fight, will fight all the more gladly with two kindred alternatives in his mind, a knighthood or the prompt payment of a generous life assurance policy to his people. Every man who goes up and destroys either an aeroplane or a Zeppelin in the air should, I hold, have a knighthood if he gets down alive. World War I battles involving aviation helped spark America's race for air superiority. Military leadership recognized the role aviation would play in future wars and protecting our homeland. More funds and resources were generated to acquire the best aircraft and the best pilots. Without American involvement in such battles as the â€Å"Battle of St. Mihiel†, America might have joined the aerospace race even later and met with defeat. Billy Mitchell and Eddie Rickenbacker were also very important players to bring about the new dawn of American aviation, Aerospace Expeditionary Forces.

Dreams Essays (944 words) - Dream, Rapid Eye Movement Sleep, Sleep

Dreams Essays (944 words) - Dream, Rapid Eye Movement Sleep, Sleep Dreams DREAMS Dreaming is an experience that has fascinated people for a very long time. Although researches about dreams have been limited in the past, it has developed tremendously in its field of science. There are many explanations why people dream, but there are three main theoretical explanations for why there is dreaming: the biological view, the cognitive view, and the psychoanalytic view. I will be assessing a dream of my own, using all three perspectives. All three views have been debated thoroughly in the past, but it is the psychoanalytic view that has created the most attention to me. In the end, I will show why I find the psychoanalytic view most valuable. I recently had a very simple dream of going fishing with my dad at a lake. The dream was very vivid, in that I went through a series of steps. The initial step was setting up the fishing gear, the second step was the actual fishing, and the last step was catching fish. I frequently have this dream and it has reoccurred throughout my life. Maybe dissecting my dream with these three theories will help explain why I dream of this so frequently. Perhaps one of the most important discoveries for neurobiology of dreams occurred in 1953. It was the discovery of the rapid eye movement(REM)(Piero, 3). REM is a stage of sleep marked by rapid eye movements, high frequency brain waves, and dreaming (Huffman, 144). It is this stage that influenced the coming of the first theory I will talk about, the biological view or also known as the activation-synthesis hypothesis. It was Alan Hobson and Robert W. McCarley in 1977, who showed that most physiological and cognitive characteristics of REM sleep are associated with the same brainstem physiological control system that activates body and mind in the waking state (Antrobus, 2). In other words as certain cells in the sleep center of the brain stem are activated during REM sleep, the brain struggles to make sense out of random stimulation by manufacturing dreams (Huffman, 147). So when I dreamt of fishing on a lake with my dad, my brain was just processing an experience when I was in my w aking state. This seems logical because I frequently go fishing, therefore explaining why I would dream of this particular situation. The second theory explaining dreams is the cognitive view. The cognitive view states that dreams are a form of information processing, that help people sift and sort our experiences, solve problems, and think creatively. That dreams are an extension of everyday lifea form of thinking during sleep (Huffman, 150). One way this view may be applied to my dream was that my brain was trying to solve a problem. The information that it is trying to sort out is how to catch a fish in my dream. It is very clear the steps that I go through are in order to solve a problem. It goes through clear steps of special techniques while fishing and certain setups of the fishing line. These two are very important while fishing that could be the difference between having no fishes to a lot at the end of the day. This would explain why I am constantly dreaming of fishing. I am trying to figure out how to catch a lot of fish. One of the oldest and I find most interesting theory is the psychoanalytic view or called wish fulfillment theory. This theory was presented by Freud, which suggests that dreams are disguised symbols of repressed desires and anxieties (Huffman, 149). What I find interesting about this theory is how it believes that dreams have a direct relationship with peoples wishes. Unfortunately, most people focus on the content of dreams than the form of dreaming. This would impact Freuds work because scientist were looking for the meaning, rather than for the source(Piero, 3). I find this theory most valuable because if the source is suppressed anxieties, and the dreams help your body relieve some, it is very important or else one might have a breakdown. Reasons why I may have manifested fishing on a lake could possibly mean that I am releasing some suppressed desires. Something that would have provoked me to dream

All About Pirates and Their Treasure

All About Pirates and Their Treasure We’ve all seen the movies where one-eyed, peg-leg pirates make off with great wooden chests full of gold, silver, and jewels. But this image isnt really accurate. Pirates only rarely got their hands on treasure like this, but they did still take plunder from their victims. Pirates and their Victims During the so-called Golden Age of piracy, which lasted roughly from 1700 to 1725, hundreds of pirate ships plagued the waters of the world. These pirates, while generally associated with the Caribbean, did not limit their activities to that region. They also struck off the coast of Africa and even made forays into the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They would attack and rob any non-Navy ship that crossed their paths: mostly merchant and slave vessels plying the Atlantic. The plunder the pirates took from these ships mainly were trade goods profitable at the time. Food and Drink Pirates often plundered food and drink from their victims: Alcoholic drinks, in particular, were rarely if ever allowed to continue on their way. Casks of rice and other foodstuffs were taken on board as needed, although the less cruel pirates would leave enough food for their victims to survive. Fishing ships were often robbed when merchants were scarce, and in addition to the fish, pirates would sometimes take tackle and nets. Ship Materials Pirates rarely had access to ports or shipyards where they could repair their vessels. Their ships were often put to hard use, meaning that they were in constant need of new sails, ropes, rigging tackle, anchors, and other things necessary for the day-to-day maintenance of a wooden sailing vessel. They stole candles, thimbles, frying pans, thread, soap, kettles, and other mundane items and would often also plunder wood, masts, or parts of the ship if they needed them. Of course, if their own ship were in really bad shape, the pirates would sometimes simply swap ships with their victims! Trade Goods Most of the loot gained by pirates was trade goods being shipped by merchants. Pirates never knew what they would find on the ships they robbed. Popular trade goods at the time included bolts of cloth, tanned animal skins, spices, sugar, dyes, cocoa, tobacco, cotton, wood, and more. Pirates had to be choosy about what to take, as some items were easier to sell than others. Many pirates had clandestine contacts with merchants willing to purchase such stolen goods for a fraction of their true worth and then resell them for a profit. Pirate-friendly towns such as Port Royal, Jamaica, or Nassau, Bahamas, had many unscrupulous merchants willing to make such deals. Slaves Buying and selling slaves was a very profitable business during the Golden Age of piracy, and slave ships often were raided by pirates. Pirates might keep the slaves to work on the ship or sell them themselves. Often, the pirates would loot the slave ships of food, weapons, rigging, or other valuables and let the merchants keep the slaves, who were not always easy to sell and had to be fed and cared for. Weapons, Tools, and Medicine Weapons were very valuable. They were the tools of the trade for pirates. A pirate ship without cannons and a crew without pistols and swords were ineffective, so it was the rare pirate victim that got away with his weapon stores unplundered. Cannons were moved to the pirate ship and the holds cleared of gunpowder, small arms, and bullets. Tools were as good as gold, whether they be carpenters tools, surgeons knives, or navigational gear (such as maps and astrolabes). Likewise, medicines were often looted: Pirates were often injured or ill, and medicines were hard to come by. When Blackbeard held Charleston, North Carolina, hostage in 1718, he demanded- and received- a chest of medicines in exchange for lifting his blockade. Gold, Silver, and Jewels Of course, just because most of their victims didnt have any gold doesnt mean that the pirates never got any at all. Most ships had a little gold, silver, jewels, or some coins aboard, and the crew and captains were often tortured to get them to reveal the location of any such stash. Sometimes, pirates got lucky: In 1694, Henry Avery and his crew sacked the Ganj-i-Sawai, the treasure ship of the Grand Moghul of India. They captured chests of gold, silver, jewels, and other precious cargo worth a fortune. Pirates with gold or silver tended to spend it quickly when in port. Buried Treasure? Thanks to the popularity of Treasure Island, the most famous novel about pirates, most people think that the bandits went around burying treasure on remote islands. In fact, pirates rarely buried treasure. Captain William Kidd buried his loot, but hes one of the few known to have done so. Considering that most of the pirate treasure to be had was delicate, such as food, sugar, wood, ropes, or cloth, its not surprising that idea is mostly a myth. Sources Cordingly, David. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996 Defoe, Daniel. A General History of the Pyrates. Dover Maritime, 60742nd edition, Dover Publications, January 26, 1999. Konstam, Angus. The World Atlas of Pirates. Guilford: The Lyons Press, 2009 Konstam, Angus. The Pirate Ship 1660-1730. New York: Osprey, 2003

BIOGRAPHY OF OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II Research Paper - 1

BIOGRAPHY OF OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II - Research Paper Example As a youth, Oscar dabbled in theatrical undertakings debuting at his public school in a Christmas procession. He started his piano lessons when he was nine years old. The death of his mother, however, when he was only fifteen ruined his happy childhood (Notablebiographies.com, 3). During his formative years, Oscar was greatly involved in theatrical activities. Nevertheless, when he was choosing a career his father kept him back from theater. He sent him to Columbia University to study law. However, his father died in the year 1914 leaving him reliant on family members who were more theatrically inclined (Notablebiographies.com, 3). While at Columbia University, Oscar essentially started his career in theater. At the age of 19, he became a member of the Columbia University Players and took part in ‘On Your Way,’ the 1915 Varsity review. For several years, he was a close follower of the student shows and he participated both as a performer and a writer (Pbs.org, 2). After finishing his first year in law school, Oscar was able to convince his uncle to take him in on one of his shows at the capacity of an assistant stage manager. By the year 1919, his uncle made him the production stage manager for all his shows. In this capacity, Oscar managed to do write and re-write on development scripts. In the long run, he began writing musical comedies of his own (Pbs.org, 3). In the year 1917, Oscar married Mary Flynn, who begot him two children namely Alice and William, who later became a theater producer-director. In the year 1929, Oscar divorced Flynn and married Dorothy Blanchard Jacobson and they got a son called James Hammerstein who became a director of theater (Hischak, 81). Soon after marrying Flynn, Oscar wrote ‘The Light’, his first play. His production started in 1919 but it was stopped after only lasted four performances. He stepped back and evaluated what

Should driver's be allowed to use cell phones while driving Essay

Should driver's be allowed to use cell phones while driving - Essay Example NHTSA) survey reports that 44 percent of drivers have a phone with them when they drive, 7 percent have e-mail access, and 3 percent have facsimile capabilities. Those numbers are likely to increase. Other technologies that increase possible distractions will also be added to new vehicles, such as easily accessing the internet, getting directions electronically, and receiving real-time information on traffic patterns. With the growing use of modern mobile telephony among the world population, there has been fear of carelessness among users especially when driving. The fear is further compounded by the fact that the majority of mobile telephone users are the youthful generation. Another worrying aspect is that the growing middle class, whose population is also youthful. The growing middle class is associated with the increase in the number of vehicles on the roads. The youth have been described as relatively careless as compared with their older counterparts. The significant costs of mobile phone usage while driving is the increased risk of vehicle accidents, some leading to serious injury or death. It is estimated that up to 41,000 people die in vehicle accidents each year in the United States, with a bigger percentage being caused by drivers who use their mobile phones while driving. These concerns have led to increased call for a ban on the use of mobile phones while driving. This paper is inte nded to provide a cost-benefit analysis of a ban on mobile phone while driving. According to Cohen & Graham (2003), if there is total compliance to a ban on the use of mobile phones while driving, both the benefits and costs of using mobile phones while driving would be eliminated, therefore resulting to a zero-sum game. They also argue that the proportion of property-damage-only crashes, injuries and fatalities attributed to mobile phone usage are equal. Their study further argues that incremental crash risk is proportional to the time spent on the phone. This third