Earthquakes and Moving Plates essays

Earthquakes and Moving Plates essays One day in my freshman year biology class, I felt the ground moving as if there has been an explosion. Soon after, I was under the table feeling like I was on a boat out in the sea. Despite the feeling of seasickness I was excited and felt privileged to experience the earthquake since it was something very rare. From that moment, how the earthquakes occur and what makes them vary from place to place came to my close attention. However, because of the devastating aftermath of earthquakes, sometimes it is very easy to ignore the real cause of the earthquakes but rather focus on the damage caused by the earthquakes. It is important to understand both the cause of an earthquake and how it affects human life as well as how to be prepared in order to minimize the harm. Many people are aware or heard of plate tectonics and its impact on the world. In fact, the plate tectonic is the main driving force for earthquakes occurring around the world. Then, it is crucial to understand how the moving plates generate earthquakes. The earth's surface, lithosphere, is a rigid shell, and underneath the lithosphere, there is a hot asthenosphere which "finds a weak place in the lithosphere to rise" (Louie 1). This convection process allows the lithosphere to move. In some cases, the continuously moving plates spread apart from each other, push against each other, or slide along next to each other, creating a fault (Lassieur 19). When the plates move toward each other, such as southern Alaska where the Pacific plate is subducting underneath the North American plate, the Earth's largest earthquakes, the 1964 Alaskan earthquake for example, are generally formed (A.S.G. 1). Usually, plates that are moving away from each other are situated in the deep oceans and generate relatively shallow earthquakes (A.S.G. 2). In cases of the plates sliding by each other, such as San Andreas fault in California, the movement may cause many damaging earthquakes. However,...

Table of Italian Interjections - Exclamations in Italian

Table of Italian Interjections - Exclamations in Italian You should know this list of common Italian interjections and their meanings. Common Italian Interjections abbasso- down with!ah- ha!ahi- ouch!, ay!ahimà ¨- alas!, woe is me!attenti- attention!basta- enough!, stop!boh- I have no idea!bravo- bravo!, well done! way to go!eh- ehmagari- I wish!, if only!mah- who knows?oh- ohohi- uh ohohibà ²- tut-tut!, tsk tsk!, phew!ohimà ¨- dear mepeccato- what a pity, what a shame, too badsalute- cheerstoh- tohuffa- what a bore!uh- ehmviva- hurrah for†¦!, long live...!zitto- silence! shut up!che spavento!- how scary!alla buonora!- at last! (finally!)buon viaggio!- have a good trip!mamma mia!- dear me!santo cielo!- goodness gracious!evviva!- hurray!salve!- hello!bene!- ok! (all right!)dio ce ne scampi e liberi!- God forbid!sicuro!- sure! (of course!)dai!- come on! (come now!)che fregatura!- what a rip-off!per carit!- for pitys sake! (please!)per amor del cielo!- for heavens sake!via!- go away! (go! come on!)accidenti!- damn it! (my goodness)povero me!- poor me!coraggio!- take heart!che barba!- how boring!

Discussion Question-Law class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Discussion Question-Law class - Essay Example The motorists whose papers are in order are allowed entry into the neighborhood. Nonetheless, no pedestrians are stopped for frisking. The United States Supreme Court in its responsibility, has failed to provide the guidance necessary to ensure that law enforcing officials, and local authorities, refrain from putting up checkpoints in high crime rate areas. These check points are illegal because they invade people’s privacy that is protected by the fourth amendment of the constitution. The failure of the appellate court has led to the continuation of this practice. Soon enough, it may become a routine in most U.S cities. However, with proper guidance, this can be stopped and the checkpoints will be illegal. In the case, Illinois V Lidster; the Supreme Court was facing a dilemma once again regarding check points. However, this time around authorities were not stopping vehicles in an attempt to curb crime rates but were doing so to interrogate motorists about a driver who had caused an accident (hit-and-run driver) and was at large. Joseph Pytel was the victim. He had been hit by a car when he was riding his bike. The driver of the car that hit him did not stop to identify himself hence the checkpoints were put in place. Police tried locating the driver, but after two days, their attempts were futile. They then decided to erect the check points to obtain more information from motorists. Later on Robert Lidster, a random motorist who had no knowledge at all about the accident came to the check point and was asked to stop. He did stop and was questioned briefly. However, he got fed up and started to drive away. In the process, he nearly hit a police officer. His car was swerving. The police officer noted Lidster’s erratic driving and asked for his license and registration. He was put under sobriety tests, which he did not pass. Subsequently, he was arrested for driving under the influence. The jury at the trial courts found Robert Lidster guilty

Answering Questions 1 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answering Questions 1 - Research Paper Example Not only are they fundamental to him, but through his shared thoughts, the world is made aware of the effects of imperialism; the misfortune that inferior human races are made to go through against their own will, the slow death that faces innocent civilians who are made to bow to their colonial masters all in the name of political imprisonment and consequent incarceration. This is evident when the author recurs that â€Å"†¦but in reality, I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  critically analyzing this quote brings out the significance of the dying elephant in compiling of Orwell’s thesis. The elephant is used as an eye opener to enlighten the sub divisional police of the plight of the oppressed civilians. All along the officer is being driven by emotions and a subconscious mind which turns him into a puppet of his own self. Whereas he is subtle that the elephant has cooled down its temper, he is unsure of what step to take. He is more concerned with what the natives will have to say behind his back. In addition, the author is unsure of the impression he would create on the faces of the two thousand people behind his back. Though his motive was not to kill the elephant because it will be a big loss to the owner, he is driven by the unconscious thought of being a super hero. The author is more focused on portraying dominance over his subjects and that deters him from taking a second thought on shooting the elephant. That is the same way the colonial masters impose imperialism to unsuspecting police officers by turning them into their puppets. At first the author is content about his job. He fails to realize that he is a puppet being manipulated by the European government. His eyes are misted and his heart is too roughed up to understand the feelings of the Burma’s.

The girls stories Essay Example for Free

The girls stories Essay What is there about Millers presentation of the society of Salem which allows the girls stories to be believed? In the 16th century, the lives of most people were centered around God. Many of the laws of the time were based from the Bible, the Ten Commandments in particular. It was believed at the time that there were supernatural forces at work to cause one to stray from Gods path. Ministers and clergymen thought it their duty to purge the Earth of these beings when they presented themselves. During the 1600s, due to most peoples strong belief in God there was consequently a strong belief in the Devil. It was believed that, as God had angels working in his order, the Devil had witches working to corrupt innocent souls. If something went wrong, there were two reasons for it: that you had displeased God or that the Devil was tempting you. So naturally when something as devastating as your child falling ill occurs, you would be looking for someone to blame: a witch. As the people of Salem based their laws on the teaching of the Bible and believed that the Bible itself told them that witches were to be punished by death. To the people of Salem the forest that surrounded the town was met with suspicion. The forest was inhabited with Indians, and as the Indians were not Christians they were believed to be evil, and therefore any association with the forest was considered to be part of the evil. As the girls were struck down by illness after dancing in the forest, it gave the town people the suspicion of the Devils involvement. The original cause of the suspicion was that two of the girls in the town fell ill, one of who was the daughter of Goody Putnam. Having already lost seven children at young ages, Goody Putnam was very worried for the health of her child. She was also becoming suspicious of how many children she had lost, with them all being seemingly healthy at birth. Goody Putnam was the first to cry witch. As the people of Salem based their laws on the teaching of the Bible they believed that the Bible itself told them that witches were to be punished by death.

The Cathedral :: essays papers

The Cathedral I have had many experiences that changed my outlook towards life. One of them was when I went to London, England. It was called St. Paul’s Cathedral. I had never been to a â€Å"cathedral† before, and I didn’t especially care to go and look at one. But my coach made me, and when we got there I heard a voice in my head yelling, â€Å"You’re going to hate this!† Regardless I was there and without chance to leave, so I figured I might as well try to appreciate it. Boy, am I glad I did because as I stood at the bottom of the enormous concrete steps towards the doors of St. Paul’s Cathedral, I looked up and noticed the resemblance to the capitol building. The dome on top the building looked as if it just kept going all the way to the heavens. Sitting almost on top of the dome were four statues, each pointing true North, South, East, and West. The statues of the Virgin Mary, made of gold, immediately caught my eye. I couldn’t help noticing their beauty, as I looked upward. The doorway to the cathedral resembled an enormous Indian arrowhead. There were sculptures lining the inner arches of the doorways. Each sculpture was done so intricately it looked as if it was the sculptor’s crowning achievement. On the outer edge were carvings of angels all the way to the top. Each one stacked above the other and all in different poses. Just to the left was the next row of sculptures, this one of people standing one above the other playing instruments. The third row was much like the first, of angels, except every sculpture was different and each looked frozen in time as if it was waiting for the perfect moment to come back to life. Directly above the doorway was a three level carving. The first, on the bottom, was of common people, all facing towards the center and looking as if they were begging for forgiveness from God. The second level, done on a much larger scale, was of the Disciples of Christ. Dressed in robes and all sitting down in chairs with their scruffy beards looking outward as if they were a council ready to judge me. The third level was of Christ himself. Angels, all praising him and tending to his every need surrounded him.

A Wanderlust Blueprint for Taipei and Taiwan

Taipei is the capital city of Taiwan, and is known perhaps most prominently for its famous landmark skyscraper, Taipei 101. There's a multi-level shopping mall adjoined to the tower, containing hundreds of fashionable stores, restaurants, and clubs. Being the bookworm that I am, I visit Page One first, a huge bookstore with both Chinese and English books. After that, I decide to treat myself to a shopping spree – after all, I am on vacation. When I'm through, I decide to visit the observatory on the 89th floor. I'd read somewhere that the observatory elevators here are the fastest in the world, capable of traveling from the fifth floor to the 89th floor in just 37 seconds. I squeeze into a crowded elevator and set my stopwatch. Exactly 37 seconds later, the doors open with a ping. Wow. Maybe I can get one of these for my apartment. Then I hear the tour guide informing a group of Japanese tourists that each elevator costs US$2.4 million. On second thought, I think I'll scratch that idea. Simply put, the view is amazing. There's no other way to say it. I take advantage of the fact that the observatory offers a full, undivided, 360 degree view, and take several panorama pictures. I dally at the gift shop for a couple of minutes, inwardly debating whether or not I should spend NT$1500 on an I'VE BEEN TO TAIPEI 101 t-shirt. In the end, I purchase it anyway, after managing to convince myself that NT$1500 is not that expensive for a souvenir shirt. I proceed to visit the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. It's an incredible monument that was erected in the memory of Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China. The whole thing is surrounded by a park and a large square, in which both the National Concert Hall and the National Theater are located. I set off for the National Concert Hall, but to my dismay, am told by the lady at the ticket office there that there are no performances scheduled today. Disappointed, I decide instead to walk the expanse of the park. There are large lakes with loads of fish in them, and I buy several handfuls of fish food from a nearby vending machine. It's fun to throw the food in and watch all the fish swarm together like bees towards pollen. Afterwards, I decide to head to Shihlin Night Market. I take the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) from Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station, past Taipei Main Station, to Jiantan Station. The journey takes me about 20 minutes. I swear I'm in love with the transport system here. It's fast, it's cheap, and it's so clear. There are English announcements and notices all over the place. I've only been here for a couple of days, but the system is so easy to understand, I feel like an old-timer already. It's crowded at Shihlin Night Market, and I find myself travelling down what I would describe as the main alley. Shops of every kind line the two sides, and there are smaller alleys that branch off. The sheer amount and variety of products being sold are quite dazzling, as they range from clothes, novelties, and cosmetics, to toys, electronics, and food. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the wide audience that Shihlin receives, but I am, sort of. I've seen families with young children, big groups of laughing teenagers, middle-aged couples holding hands, and older people shuffling around. I've also spotted some foreigners, who, like me, probably just want to experience what the infamous Shihlin Night Market has to offer. I have to say, I'm quite impressed. I didn't expect this place to present any sort of entertainment for small children, but I must've passed at least 20 games of miniature hoops, ring toss, small pinball machines, and catch the turtles/ fishes by now. I sit down at a small table in a food stall, and tentatively order a plate of chou dou fu – stinky tofu; apparently it's a Taiwanese specialty. Two minutes later, a plate of steaming hot tofu is set in front of me. To my surprise, it's actually pretty good. Maybe tomorrow, I'll work up the nerve to try tian je – frogs' legs.

What is happening to the Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest in the world which covers over five and half a million square kilometers. Over half of the Amazon is located in Brazil but also in South American countries; Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Guyana, Bolivia and Suriname. (Science Kids, 2013). During the past 40 years, 20% of the Amazon rainforest has been cut down, this percentage could be higher but was not put in account due to logging. this causes damage and shows that there is less seen cuts. Scientists says that 20% trees could be lost in the next two decades.  (National Geographic, 1996)The Amazon gets worse and worse every time it is observed. The main cause for this is deforestation. This investigation will show what is happening to the Amazon Region and what could be the management for it. Socially, the main cause for rainforest destruction is deforestation which is done by humans, who are at fault for it. Deforestation is the process of cutting down, damaging and burning a rainforest. Every year an area of a rainforest is cut down and destroyed. The plants and animals that used to live there die or adapt somewhere else.There are many reasons are for wood, agriculture, land for poor farmers, cattle, paper, road construction and extraction of minerals and energy. In 2005 and 2010 the Amazon had the worst droughts ever recorded. Rivers dried up, communities were isolated and land was burned. The smoke interfered with transportation and blocked the formation of rain clouds. This burnt carbon dioxide and worsened the effects in climate change. The flooding of damns and wildfires destroy rainforest and migrants clear the land to keep some for themselves.This shows that people don't really care about how much damage is caused for the rainforest but only about themselves and the things they need to do. (SlideShare, 2013) This affects the rainforest because if people keep damaging the rainforest, there will be no rainforest left. Economically whats h appening the Amazon is mostly because of logging, fires, mining, agriculture, cattle ranching and currency devaluation. The Amazon Rain forest is cleared out to raise cattle and to produce beef, this means that many different species of animals are losing their habitats and this leads to extinction.The human population is growing faster and faster and this means we need more food. The Amazon is society's best way of clearing out cattle to produce food. As the rainforest is losing its ability to stay green because of fires but this means that more trees, plants and parts of the forest are being killed. (SlideShare, 2013) One of the main causes of the rainforest destruction is logging. Many types of wood is used for the furniture, floor, constructions and tropical forests in Africa, Asia and South America.When people buy certain wood products they are usually from the Amazon, this causes destruction of the Amazon Rainforest. Poor farmers in the world rely on clearing rainforest land t o feed their families. Without access to better agriculture land most people burn and clear patches of forest land. Agricultural companies have started clearing more rainforest than before, specially in the amazon where places are converted into soybean farms. Apparently South America will have an area of farmland coming for the Amazon rainforest.This means that it will cause more damage and destruction for the Amazon. (Mongabay. com, 2005). This affects everyone that like specific woods that come from the Amazon, because if tree's keep getting cut down no one will get the furniture, floor or constructions they want. Scientist say 4C rise will kill 85% of the Amazon Rainforest, even small temperate would cause 20-40% within 100 years. Global warming will wreck attempts tom save the Amazon as, there is a prediction one-third of trees are killed by small temperature's rises.  (The Guardian, 2013)This means that climate is a big issue in the Amazon and that it is affecting everything within in. If the climate continues killing the Rainforest, under 300 years the whole Amazon would be destroyed. There are possible strategies for a sustainable management for the Amazon rainforest. These include; Agro-forestry- growing tree's and crops at the same times. This means that farmers can take advantage of shelters from canopy of trees. It will also prevent soil erosion. Selective logging- trees are cut down when they reach are particular height.This allows young trees to have a longer life span. The forest will be fresh fore 30-50 years. Protect particular area's from exploitation. This saves some wildlife and parts of the forest and does not let humans invade on them. Monitoring- use technology/photography to check no illegal activities take place and everything is in order. Afforestation- opposite of deforestation, if tree's are cut they are replace to maintain the canopy. Education – make sure people who explore the Amazon understand their boundaries, actions and consequences. (Bitesize, 2013)

Complete Guide Writing a Strong Letter of Recommendation

Complete Guide Writing a Strong Letter of Recommendation SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips As an English teacher and college counselor working with high school students, I've had the privilege and responsibility of writing letters of recommendation. Starting out, I had a strong urge to help, but no clear sense of what exactly should go into a reference letter. If they all speak to students' impressive qualities and accomplishments, what makes some letters stand out among the rest? To answer this question, I researched recommendation letters from both sides of the college process, drawing on the advice of high school counselors and teachers and the perspective of college admissions officers. I also read dozens of recommendation letters, from the ones that admissions committees loved to the ones that were cast aside as mediocre, useless, or straight up negative about a student. This article compiles the most important lessons I learned through this research and my own work supporting students through the college process. Read on for a discussion ofwhat exactly needs to go into the kind of rec letter that effectively advocates for a student and boosts her admissions chances. First, let's take a deeper look at what purpose recommendation letters serve when they arrive before an admissions committee. The Goal: What's the Purpose of Letters of Recommendation? Admissions officers put a lot of weight on recommendation letters. Especially in selective admissions, when thousands of qualified students are competing for a limited number of spots, reference letters can go a long way toward differentiating one student from another. According to Harvard dean of admissions William Fitzsimmons, recommendation letters are "extremely important" and are read "with great care" (often projected onto large screens in front of the whole committee!). So what are all these carefully reading admissions officers looking for? Two main features. The first is an insightful, in-depth story of the student that reveals both her academic skills and personal qualities. As a teacher, you're in a great position to comment on a student's intellectual curiosity, creativity, and attitude towards learning. Additionally, you can speak to a student's admirable personal qualities, like her sense of integrity, compassion, and leadership skills, to name a few. This in-depth look gives an admissions committee a holistic view of your student beyond the grades and clubs listed on their application. It helps the student come to life. The second main feature that admissions committees typically look for is a student's potential to contribute positively to the college community, as well as to succeed after graduation. In your recommendation, you can state your confidence about a student's success on campus and future achievement. Certain qualities are especially impressive to admissions officers and hint at success in college, though this might vary somewhat by individual. Some of these qualities include love of learning, academic commitment, communication skills, commitment to mastery of a specific skill or area, and leadership capacity. Since these personal qualities may not be apparent on the rest of the application (apart from the student's own personal essay), the letters of recommendation can go a long way toward describing a student's best traits. Plus, they show that a student has teachers who are motivated to advocate for her. Of course, hopefully no one would agree to recommend a student and then write bad, sabotaging things in the recommendation letter. It's generally safe to assume that all recommenders want to support students in continuing their education. But mediocre letters can often be just as bad as ones that are outright critical, and merely "good letters" pale in comparison to excellent ones. So what must go into a letter of recommendation to make it particularly strong and effective? How to Write a Strong Letter of Recommendation The strongest letters of recommendation take time and thought to craft. They're individualized to each student and are thoughtfully revised for word choice and flow of ideas. First and foremost, what content is essential for a strong letter of recommendation? Include Key Content Perhaps the best way to describe what a letter of rec should include is to start out by describing what it shouldn't include. A rec letter should not simply be a restatement of a student's grades, clubs, and awards. All of these facts and figures should already be stated on the student's application. The most ineffective rec letters just repeat a student's resume. Admissions officers are hoping for deep insights into a student's character, rather than a list of data points that could apply to any number of students. This is not to say that recommenders shouldn't mention what a student has achieved or been involved in, but they shouldn't feel compelled to list every single accomplishment. Instead, writers can point to a specific involvement or story that demonstrates something meaningful about the student. For instance, you might be writing about Michael, whose powerful commitment to equality and education led him to establish a Gay-Straight Alliance at the school. In this way, you're discussing something a student has done to illuminate something significant and admirable about his character and motivations. Speaking about his establishment of the GSA is more illustrative than simply stating that he's committed to equality and social justice. So if reiterating the student's grades and activities (ie, resume points) shouldn't go into the rec letter, what should? MIT offers an insightful breakdown of the questions its admissions officers would like answers to in a letter. These questions are a useful guide for recommenders writing to any college. What is the context of your relationship with the applicant? Has the student demonstrated a willingness to take intellectual risks and go beyond the normal classroom experience? Does the applicant have any unusual competence, talent, or leadership abilities? What motivates this person? What excites him/her? How does the applicant interact with teachers? With peers? Describe his/her personality and social skills. What will you remember most about this person? Has the applicant ever experienced disappointment or failure? If so, how did he/she react? Are there any unusual family or community circumstances of which we should be aware? Source: MIT Admissions A recommender doesn't necessarily have to answer all of these questions, but they're great starting points for brainstorming. They shift the focus from what a student does to what a student is like, in terms of her intellectual curiosity, specific skills or talents, passions, and personality. Some other impressive qualities include communication skills, resourcefulness, and innovative problem-solving. Admissions committees often also look for demonstrated leadership and the ability to collaborate with others in an interactive and diverse environment. Beyond these personal qualities, letter writers might speak to unusual circumstances or challenges that the student has faced or survived. These can be especially meaningful to explain a dip in academic performance or to show how a student has overcome hardship. I would advise getting the student's permission before including personal family information, just to make sure she's comfortable with you sharing it. Finally, a recommender may want to demonstrate her own familiarity with the school to which the student is applying. If the school is particularly competitive, then you might express your confidence in the student's ability to thrive in an academically rigorous environment. If you're an alum of the school, then you can believably assert your confidence that the student would be a strong cultural fit. The strongest recommendation letters give insight into a student's intellectual orientation, motivations, and personal qualities. As a writer, how can you rave about your student in a sincere, genuine, and convincing way? One of the best ways to accomplish this is to focus your recommendation on the student's best assets. Highlight your student's most important strengths. Highlight the Most Important Themes Just as you don't have to feel compelled to repeat every grade, club, and award on the student's resume, you also don't have to speak about every quality that makes the student great. In fact, well-rounded students aren't necessarily what the most competitive schools are looking for. While selective schools look for academic excellence in most subjects, what they really appreciate is a student's singular commitment to a specific and distinct area. Developing a "big spike" in a certain area shows passion, dedication, and the ability to sustain long-term focus. As PrepScholar co-founder and Harvard alum Allen Cheng writes, top colleges are looking for students who are going to change the world. They're expecting deep achievement, and the best predictor of that is deep achievement in high school. Therefore admissions committees are especially impressed by a "huge spike" in science, writing, athletics, or whatever your commitment might be. Of course, not all or even the majority of students are applying to Ivy League schools, but the takeaway message still applies. Recommendation letters don't have to present the student as well-rounded and good at everything they do. Instead, they can paint a specific picture and highlight the qualities that are most important to understanding who the student is and what drives her actions. Some letters may highlight that a student is a top scholar, while others may speak to a student's leadership skills. Some may focus in on the student's passion for volunteer work, or her talent in acting, art, music, or athletics. For students with extensive international experience, recommenders may rave about their multicultural, global perspective or unusual maturity and sophistication. Other students may have had to overcome hardships in their life, and the recommender could speak to their resilience and strength as a survivor. As mentioned above, I would suggest discussing this kind of content with the student to make sure she's comfortable sharing it with admissions commitees.All in all, a recommender can brainstorm a list of the student's best assets (with the aid of the student's resume and "brag sheet"), and zero in on the most important themes. What if the student hasn't demonstrated interest in a particular area, but you're excited to see her further explore her interests in college? In this case, you could write earnestly about the student's room to grow and the potential you see in her. At the same time, be careful with this kind of wording, as it may suggest different things to different admissions officers. If you really feel not able or qualified to provide the student with a recommendation that will help her admission chances, then you shouldrespectfully decline or suggest someone else better able to write her letter. Once you've chosen the most important themes to highlight about a student, you can think about specific stories, experiences, or observations that demonstrate those strengths. The best recommendation letters "show," rather than just "tell." Bring your letter to life with meaningful stories and examples. Give Specific Examples Which sentence paints a better picture in the mind of the reader? a) Kate is a strong writer. b) Due to Kate's superlative writing and analytical skills, I'll be using her year-long thesis on representations of gender inJane Eyre as an example of the highest quality work to students in my future AP English classes. The second uses more powerful words, but more importantly it gives a specific example, thereby proving that Kate has strong writing skills. It explains the grounds on which the teacher draws her conclusion that Kate is a good writer. It additionally suggests that Kate can sustain focus in a long-term project and impressed the teacher so much that her thesis became a model for future students. The best recommendation letters support their praise of a student with specific anecdotes and observations. These stories accomplish a few things. One, they support the writer's claims. Rather than just listing adjectives, the writer backs up her description with examples. Secondly, they make the letter more interesting and help the student come to life in the eyes of admissions officers. Officers may be up all night reading through applications. The last thing they want is a generic, boring recommendation letter that blends into all the others. Interesting stories make both the letter and the student pop. Finally, the use of specific stories proves that the recommender is, in fact, qualified to assess the student. The best letters come from teachers who know a student well. Sharing anecdotes and observations prove that you've gotten to know the student thoroughly and your evaluation of her is trustworthy and reliable. In addition to sharing examples, you should take the time to be intentional with your word choice. Consider which phrases and adjectives will present the clearest and strongest endorsement of the student. Dance, words, dance! Use Powerful Words As with any piece of writing, the best recommendation letters are eloquent, clear, and don't fall into the trap of cliches. Calling someone a go-getter with a heart of gold who leaves no stone unturned and is a friend to all may elicit a yawn or eye roll from the admissions officer. Often finding just the right word happens in the revision stage. Check if you wrote interesting when creative or innovative would work better. Keep an eye out for nice when you meant to dive into a student's unique empathy or compassion for others. Perhaps you wrote hard worker when intellectual risk-taker would more accurately describe the student. Some words and phrases that can be used to described a student's academic strengths includeinsightful, analytical, curious, observant, innovative, or mastery of a specific subject area.Others that fall more in the arena of personal and professional strengths includemature, flexible, generous, empathetic, leader, versatile, ethical, motivated, ambitious, resourceful, and strong communication skills. Admissions officers have read hundreds, if not thousands, of recommendation letters, and they're used to reading between the lines. Be intentional with your wording so you don't accidentally communicate something negative about the student. For instance, a phrase like "leads by example" or "excels at working independently" could indicate that the student keeps to herself and has trouble working with others. While it's more important to be authentic and not worry too much about what an admissions officer may or may not think, this mindset can help you be purposeful with what you say and how you say it in your letter. You can also keep an eye out for sounding over the top with your phrase. While the best letters rave about their students, they have the examples to back up their praise. Simply listing superlative adjectives could come off as overblown and insincere. A second technique that may impress admissions officers is the use of a high ranking. Rank the Student Highly, When Appropriate Consider these ranking statements: Carla is the most talented and driven math student I have taught in my twenty years at High School High. James is one of the top three students I have ever had the pleasure of teaching. An impressive ranking, like the two above, certainly communicates a strong vote of confidence in a student, especially if it comes from a teacher with hundreds of students to compare her recommendee to. If your student is applying to a selective or Ivy League school, then a powerful ranking can go a long way toward testifying to a student's outstanding achievement and qualities. On the other hand, a ranking like "above average" or "relatively strong effort compared to her peers" may do more harm than good. If you can genuinely provide a statement of high ranking, then you can help the student by including it. If not, then it's probably advisable to leave that kind of statement out of your letter. Apart from a statement of ranking, there are a few other key components to include in your letter of recommendation. While you can be creative and customize your letters to each student, there are a few essential pieces of information that you should include in all your letters. Include all essential elements. State All Essential Information There are a few necessary pieces of information to include in all recommendation letters that I touched on briefly at the beginning of this article. The first is an explicit statement of who you're recommending. If you can customize your letter for each college, all the better. Second, you should state who you are, your position at the school, and the contexts in which you've gotten to know the applicant. If you've gotten to know the student both in class for a year and as editor of the school newspaper, then this shows you've taught and supervised her in different contexts and are especially qualified to evaluate her. Admissions officers usually prefer recommendations from junior year teachers, as they had the student recently and for a whole year. A senior year teacher probably doesn't know the student very well yet, and sophomore and freshman year was too far in the past. Exceptions to this general rule include having the student for more than one year or supervising her in other capacities, like clubs or sports. You can begin the letter with a creative or catchy hook, or a more straightforward statement of endorsement, as long as you include these key components in the introduction. Here are a few examples. It is my great pleasure to provide this recommendation for Kate, who I enjoyed teaching and getting to know as her th grade AP U.S. History teacher. I have known Joe since 2012 in my position as Lincoln High School's Biology teacher. I am delighted to write this recommendation for Rosa, whom I have known for two years as her Psychology teacher and academic advisor. Please accept this letter as my enthusiastic endorsement of Chris, the top student in my th grade AP Chemistry class. After introducing the student, your relationship with her, and your statement of recommendation, you can go on to provide your evaluation, while keeping in mind the above mentioned suggestions, like focusing on important themes and using specific stories, powerful language, and a statement of ranking. If you want to balance out your recommendation by presenting a weakness, I would suggest doing so in a mild way, perhaps with an explanation of how that weakness could be turned into a strength. In your letter's conclusion, it's a good idea to restate your support for the student, while also talking about how you envision the student being successful at college. Admissions officers want to build a strong, dynamic, and diverse class with a range of abilities and interests. By attesting to the student's potential for future success and contributions at campus, you can reassure admissions officers that she is a student they want at their school. Finally, you can conclude your letter with your contact information and an invitation to call or email you with any further questions. Use an official letterhead, and welcome them to get in touch for any further discussion of the student. To sum up, let's go over the do's and don't's of writing recommendation letters for students applying to college. Key Points to Remember Do: Include key content, like who you're recommending, who you are, how you know the student, and what makes you qualified to evaluate her. Be enthusiastic in your recommendation, discussing both a student's academic ability and potential and her character and personality. Highlight a few key qualities that you think are essential for admissions officers to understand who the student is and what she can accomplish. Use specific stories, examples, and anecdotes to support your evaluation. Be intentional in your word choice, making sure to powerful words and phrases and to avoid cliches. Provide a high and impressive ranking, when applicable. Conclude with a strong statement of support, vision of the student's future success, and invitation to the admissions committee to follow up with you if need be. Don't: Simply repeat resume points or quantitative data that are already listed on other parts of the application. Cast too wide a net and end up saying very little, because you tried to say too much. List adjectives without having examples to back them up. Use generic, bland, unenthusiastic language or cliche statements. Use similar letters for more than one student, especially if the students are applying to the same schools (the same admissions officers will see this!) Agree to provide a letter of recommendation unless you can honestly recommend a student. Finally, not all students develop strong connections with their teachers, perhaps because they have trouble participating in class or their school has a large teacher to student ratio. To help you write your recommendation, students may provide a "brag sheet," where they talk about their goals and what's important to them, as well as a resume. If you need more information or time to talk to the student, it can help to meet with her and have a conversation or two. I always found the easiest letters to write were for students who were open and eager to share their plans and personality. If you feel you haven't gotten to know a student as well as you need to to write a compelling and insightful letter, then it may help to elicit her thoughts and feelings, as well as make time to get to know her better. As long as you have the raw materials, in terms of a good relationship, stories, and observations, then you can use these suggestions and examples to craft a thoughtful, customized letter of recommendation that will help her get into college. As you write, remember your mission: to differentiate the student as a unique and impressive candidate, to shed light on both her intellectual and personal qualities, and to give admissions officers a holistic view of the person that will show up on campus in next year's class. What's Next? One of the most helpful resources for me as I wrote recommendation letters for students were examples of great and bad letters. Check back soon for our articles with great letters, bad letters, and a suggested recommendation letter template. While recommendation letters are important for all schools, they must be especially outstanding to help a student get into the Ivy League. Check out our complete guide to Harvard recommendation letters (coming soon). Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The Story of Space Chimps

The Story of Space Chimps It might come as a surprise to learn that the first living beings to fly to space werent humans, but instead were primates, dogs, mice, and insects. Why spend time and money to fly these beings to space?   Flying in space is a dangerous business. Long before the first humans left the planet to explore low-Earth orbit and go to the Moon, mission planners needed to test the flight hardware. They had to work out the challenges of getting humans safely to space and back, but didnt know whether or not humans could survive long periods of weightlessness or the effects of hard acceleration to get off the planet. So, U.S. and Russian scientists used monkeys, chimps, and dogs, as well as mice and insects to learn more about how living beings could survive the flight. While chimps no longer fly, smaller animals such as mice and insects continue to fly in space (aboard the ISS).   The Space Monkey Timeline Animal flight testing didnt begin with the Space Age. It actually started about a decade earlier. On June 11, 1948, a V-2 Blossom was launched from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico carrying the first monkey astronaut, Albert I, a rhesus monkey. He flew to over 63 km (39 miles) but died of suffocation during the flight, an unsung hero of animal astronauts. Three days later, a second V-2 flight carrying a live Air Force Aeromedical Laboratory monkey, Albert II, got up to 83 miles (technically making him the first monkey in space). Unfortunately, he died when his craft crash-landed on re-entry. The third V2 monkey flight, carrying Albert III launched on September 16, 1949. He died when his rocket exploded at 35,000 feet. On December 12, 1949, the last V-2 monkey flight was launched at White Sands. Albert IV, attached to monitoring instruments, made  a successful flight, reaching 130.6 km., with no ill effects on Albert IV. Unfortunately, he also died on impact.   Other missile tests took place with animals, too. Yorick, a monkey, and 11 mouse crewmates were recovered after an Aerobee missile flight up to 236,000 feet at Holloman Air Force Base in southern New Mexico. Yorick enjoyed a bit of fame as the press covered his ability to live through a space flight. The next May, two Philippine monkeys, Patricia and Mike, were enclosed in an Aerobee. Researchers placed Patricia in a seated position while her partner Mike was prone, to test the differences during rapid acceleration. Keeping the primates company were two white mice, Mildred and Albert. They rode to space inside a slowly rotating drum. Fired 36 miles up at a speed of 2,000 mph, the two monkeys were the first primates to reach such a high altitude. The capsule was recovered safely by descending with a parachute. Both monkeys moved to the both at the National Zoological Park in Washington, DC and eventually died of natural causes, Patricia two years later and Mike in 1967. Theres no reco rd of how Mildred and Albert did.    The USSR Also Did Animal Testing in Space Meanwhile,  the USSR watched these experiments with interest. When they started experiments with living creatures, they primarily worked with dogs. Their most famous animal cosmonaut was Laika, the dog. (See Dogs in Space.) She made a successful ascent, but died a few hours later due to extreme heat in her spacecraft.   The year after the USSR launched Laika,  the U.S. flew Gordo, a squirrel monkey, 600 miles high in a Jupiter rocket. As later human astronauts would, Gordo splashed down in the Atlantic ocean. Unfortunately, while signals on his respiration and heartbeat proved humans could withstand a similar trip, a flotation mechanism failed and his capsule was never found. On May 28, 1959, Able and Baker were launched in the nose cone of an Army Jupiter missile. They rose to an altitude of 300 miles and were recovered unharmed. Unfortunately, Able did not live very long as she died from complications of surgery to remove an electrode on June 1. Baker died of kidney failure in 1984 at the age of 27. Soon after Able and Baker flew, Sam, a rhesus monkey (named after the Air Force School of Aviation Medicine (SAM)), launched on December 4th on board the  Mercury spacecraft. Approximately one minute into the flight, traveling at a speed of 3,685  mph, the Mercury capsule aborted from the Little Joe launch vehicle. The spacecraft landed safely and Sam was recovered with no ill effects. He lived a good long life and died in 1982. Sams mate, Miss Sam, another rhesus monkey, was launched on January 21, 1960. Her  Mercury capsule attained a velocity of 1,800  mph and an altitude of nine miles. After landing in the Atlantic Ocean, Miss Sam was retrieved in overall good condition.   On January 31, 1961, the first space chimp was launched. Ham, whose name was an acronym for  Holloman  Aero  Med, went up on a Mercury  Redstone rocket  on a sub-orbital flight very similar to Alan Shepards. He splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean sixty miles from the recovery ship and experienced a total of 6.6 minutes of  weightlessness  during a 16.5-minute flight. A post-flight medical examination found Ham to be slightly fatigued and dehydrated. His mission paved the way for the successful launch of Americas first human astronaut, Alan B. Shepard, Jr., on May 5, 1961. Ham lived at the Washington Zoo until September 25, 1980. He died in 1983, and his body is now at the International Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The next primate launch was with Goliath, a one-and-a-half-pound squirrel monkey. He was launched in an Air Force Atlas E rocket on November 10, 1961. He died when the rocket was destroyed 35 seconds after launch. The next of the space chimps was Enos. He orbited Earth on November 29, 1961, aboard the  NASA  Mercury-Atlas rocket. Originally he was supposed to orbit the Earth three times, but due to a malfunctioning thruster and other technical difficulties, flight controllers were forced to terminate Enos flight after two orbits. Enos landed in the recovery area and was picked up 75 minutes after splashdown. He was found to be in good overall condition and both he and the  Mercury  spacecraft performed well. Enos died at Holloman Air Force Base 11 months after his flight. From 1973 to 1996, the Soviet Union, later Russia, launched a series of life sciences satellites called  Bion. These missions were under the  Kosmos  umbrella name and used for a variety of different satellites including spy satellites. The first  Bion  launch was Kosmos 605 launched on October 31, 1973.   Later missions carried pairs of monkeys.  Bion 6/Kosmos 1514  was launched December 14, 1983, and carried Abrek and Bion on a five-day flight.  Bion 7/Kosmos 1667  was launched July 10, 1985 and carried the monkeys Verny (Faithful) and Gordy (Proud) on a seven-day flight.  Bion 8/Kosmos 1887  was launched September 29, 1987, and carried the monkeys Yerosha (Drowsy) and Dryoma (Shaggy).   The age of primate testing ended with the Space Race, but today, animals still fly to space as part of experiments on board the International Space Station. They are usually mice or insects, and their progress in weightlessness is carefully charted by the astronauts working on the station.   Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Is the Federal Reserve Necessary Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is the Federal Reserve Necessary - Research Paper Example One such mistake, in United States history, that seems to be repeating its self, is the Great Depression. The Great Depression was a twelve year span, lasting from 1929 to 1941, in which the U.S. market was down and unemployment was at an all time high. It is, by far, considered one of the lowest points in U.S. history, but what is really intriguing is it was preceded by the â€Å"roaring twenties† a time of great economic growth and wealth. Many are comparing this with the recent economic boom of the late nineties, early two thousands; followed by the â€Å"recession† the U.S. is currently in. So the question arises, what led to these two periods of growth, followed by a severe recession? By taking a look at what, the value of a dollar is, what fractional reserve banking versus free banking are, and what caused the increase in moral hazard; and by looking at the arguments for and against each of these, we can identify the factors that led to this tragic example of hist ory repeating itself. This first factor we are going to uncover is what determines the value of the U.S. dollar, how it has changed over the years, and we as a nation are now suffering from those changes. The majority of governments use to base their circulation of paper money, or notes, on the amount of gold that backs up the notes; this is known as the gold standard. Toward the end of the great depression many individual still did not trust banks and so they were holding on to a large portion of gold. This led to a deficit of gold to support the dollar, so President Roosevelt ordered the gold confiscation of 1933 in which all individuals were required, with some exceptions, by law, to bring their gold to the U.S. treasury in exchange for a dollar equivalent. Another by product of the great depression was the Bretton Woods System; this is a system that was agreed upon by most of the world’s powers in 1944 which hoped to govern the monetary regulations of the nations. As a re sult they established the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), which today is part of the World Bank Group. One of the major implications to the U.S., however, was the fact that they agreed maintain exchange rates by tying its currency to the U.S. dollar. Then in 1981, under the presidency of Nixon, the U.S. terminated the convertibility of the dollar to gold. This meant that the dollar is now a fiat currency backed by nothing but the promise of the federal government; this, in essence, did away with the gold standard. Proponents of doing away with the gold standard based their logic on the fact that they assumed the U.S would remain the number one world power. Though this held true for the first fifteen plus years after the gold standard was removed, that reign soon ended. Now with the U.S. owing over fourteen trillion dollars, and rising, to other nations, and our economy in a deep recession, many are left to wonde r if allowing our currency to be backed by only our government’s worth was such a good idea. Other groups against this move away from the gold standard, also argue that these nations which the U.S. government now owes are growing weary of whether or not the will be repaid. This is leading them to do more trading and lending with the still gold based European market, pushing our country deeper into the recession. This leads to where the dollar is distributed and stored by individual Americans and corporations, which is the U.S. banking system. There are two types of