Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Essay Example for Free

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Essay White makes right means that the whites are never wronged for their actions whenever a white does something clearly wrong to a black while the black has done right. In fact, the blame is pushed to the blacks instead, simply because whites are perceived to be the superior race. What is counted as morally right or morally wrong depends on how society perceives it, when what is usually right or wrong should not be determined by how the majority feels towards another race, especially when they are biased. As such, this has resulted in a lot of unjust treatment towards the blacks. This can be clearly seen through three incidents: Mr Morrisons loss of a job, the burning of the Berrys and Cassies encounter with Lillian Jean in Strawberry. Firstly, an incident that illustrates White makes right is Mr Morrisons loss of a job, since he is depicted as being in the wrong although he was provoked into the fight, and he is made to bear the consequences although there are no consequences for the others, simply because of their race. Mr Morrison lost his job as he got in a fight with some men whose fault was theirs. However, the other men did not get fired because they was white. This shows that one’s actions’ consequences differs based on race. Starting a fight is clearly wrong, and as the whites were the ones who started it, it is only fair if they got fired. However, even though Mr Morrison did not start the fight, he got fired instead of the other men just because they were white and deemed superior to blacks. This shows that blacks are not allowed to start a fight without being punished regardless of the injustice targeted at them. However, whites are allowed to because of underlying reasons and they will not be punished as they have justifiable reasons. Thus, white makes right is clearly shown in this case, where we see that regardless of whether the whites do the wrong things towards the blacks, the main detrimental consequences will still be for the blacks and not the whites, simply because of racism. Also, this shows us that when whites do something which is wrong, it is simply brushed aside and they do not really suffer many consequences, however the blacks suffer the consequences instead once they decide to respond. Secondly, an incident that illustrates White makes right is the burning of the Berrys. White men accused John Henry of flirtin' with a white woman and began rammin the back of they car and lit him afire with them boys. When Henrietta, a relative of the Berrys, reported it to the police, he called her a liar and aint a thing gonna be done bout it. Attacking and killing somebody is clearing wrong and illegal. However, the white men go unpunished. This clearly shows that white men can get away with abusing and killing black men. To justify their actions, they find an excuse, which in this case John Henry had been flirting with a white woman, while probably all he did was smile in the wrong place at the wrong time. The blacks clearly did not do anything wrong, but Henriettas testimony is powerless to make the police investigate. This shows that the blacks are denied justice despite the fact they are being victimised. It also shows that the truth is meaningless in white society. Thus, white makes right as the power of language is determined by race rather than validity, so they can come up with an excuse to justify their actions easily and accuse blacks of doing and result in them being punished. It is also extremely difficult for blacks to prove their innoncence, since people are generally biased against them, whereas the words spoken by whites are considered credible and believable. This also shows that white makes right, since the whites are deemed to be reliable and their statements the truth, as opposed to the blacks who are labelled as lying even if they tell the truth, so what the blacks say would naturally be labelled as wrong while the whites would be labelled as right. Thirdly, an incident that illustrates White makes right is Cassies encounter with Lillian Jean in Strawberry. When Cassie bumped into Lillian Jean, she demanded Cassie to get down in the road and apologize by addressing her as Miz Lillian Jean. As whites are deemed to be superior to blacks in white society, when a black collides into a white, blacks should apologise to the whites and never the other way round as they are always perceived as correct. However, if a black were to demand fair, equal treatment, it is stated that this is not necessary as it is considered demeaning for the whites to apologise to blacks, or even to address them normally. This shows us that regardless of blacks’ intentions, and whether they do something out of accident or not, it really depends on the whites’ perception of their actions. The moment whites decide that their actions are wrong, such as bumping into Lillian jean accidentally, we see that the Cassie is automatically labelled as wrong based on her actions. However, if Lillian Jean were to engage in the same action, she would not be forced to apologise to Cassie, neither would she be forced to call Cassie with the honorific of â€Å"Miss. † Thus, white makes right since the whites are able to state whether the blacks’ actions have wronged them or not, even when the blacks did it unintentionally, and we see that if the whites do the same actions on the blacks, they do not need to apologise, whereas the blacks not only need to apologise, but also have to address them with respectful terms. To conclude, the three incidents that illustrate White makes right are Mr Morrisons loss of a job, the burning of the Berrys and Cassies encounter with Lillian Jean in Strawberry. Mr Morrisons loss of job shows that regardless of what the blacks do, as long as they respond to the whites when provoked, then they are considered to be at fault and are made to bear the consequences. The burning of the Berrys show that the power of language is determined by race rather than validity, making whatever the whites say reliable and making it difficult for the blacks to prove their innocence. Cassies encounter with Lillian Jean in Strawberry shows how the blacks’ actions, even when unintentional, can be construed as bad just because the whites perceive them to be so, and the blacks are made to apologise to the whites with honorific terms of respect even though they may not have intentionally done anything to harm them. Thus, this clearly shows how â€Å"white makes right.

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics Essay

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics Essay Ph.D. Thesis: Abhijit Nath Introduction Introduction The wealth of information in atoms and molecules can be achieved from quantum mechanical studies of their structural as well as various physical and chemical properties. Based on quantum mechanics [1-7], large number of approximation methods has been developed over the years for the complete solutions of atomic and molecular systems. Now-a-days, the availability of the computer hardware and software has been increased enormously. In addition, a large number of suitable computational methodologies and algorithms have been developed over the years for solutions of realistic problems in different branches of physics/chemistry. Making the use of the power of the present generation computers as well as computational methodologies and algorithms, we can perform large scale research just by performing high level quantum mechanical computations as an alternate tool of experiment. These high level computations some time meet the requirement for realistic problems in different branches in phys ics, even in atomic and molecular physics. Many complex molecules like drugs are designed on computer in modern days. Such computational attempts are helpful to the experimentalists because with the help of the theoretical idea achieved form these computer simulations, they can perform the real synthesis of these complex molecules in laboratories without much difficulties. Sometimes, it may not be possible to synthesize certain molecular systems which are very much unstable or poisonous or explosive in nature. But then one can carry out theoretical calculations and computations to explore their structure and various properties without handling them in reality. Because of the availability of the faster and cheaper computer hardware, as well as a variety of suitable algorithms, theoretical investigations of various physical and chemical properties of these molecules are now become less expensive and easier. It is well known to scientific community that modern-day atomic and molecular spectroscopic studies require very expensive spectrometers and other sophisticated instruments for getting results with desired accuracy. But one can carry out theoretical and computation based spectroscopic studies of even complicated atomic and molecular systems with utmost accuracy without taking any help of such kind of sophisticated and expensive instruments. Moreover, the interpretation and understanding of every experimental finding needs the knowledge of theoretical background. It is, therefore, essential to carry out theoretical studies beside each and every experiment, wherever possible, to ensure the validity of the experimental findings. Classical mechanics [8] can explain accurately the dynamical features of the objects of relatively large mass and low velocities. But it is not sufficient to describe the interactions among subatomic particles of colliding galaxies. If the velocity of the object is comparable with that of light, one must use Einsteins relativistic mechanics in which the variation of mass with velocity has been taken into consideration. If the mass of the object is very small, the non relativistic quantum mechanics due to Heisenberg and Schrà ¶dinger is applicable. If the mass is very small but the velocity of the object is comparable with the velocity of light, one should use the relativistic quantum mechanics developed by Dirac [9]. Therefore, depending on the mass and velocity of the object, one should employ the appropriate mechanics for determining its dynamical features. The computations of large systems may, therefore, be carried out by using appropriate mechanics. Because of the advancement of the computer hardware and software technology, one can easily carry out these computations. Sometimes, huge computations may have to be performed in this connection. One has to solve 2nd order differential equations with several million variables. However, suitable techniques are available to reduce the size of the secular equations drastically at the cost of some accuracy and hence large-scale computations can be performed successfully. The electronic structure and spectroscopic properties of atoms, molecules and solids can be determined from quantum mechanical solutions [10-14] of the systems. Atoms and molecules in the electronic structure theory are in stationary states. The time dependence of the wave function can thus be separated so that one needs to work only with time-independent solutions. Born-Oppenheimer approximation, which allows the nuclei to be in fixed co-ordinates during the motion of electrons, is usually employed for the calculation of the electronic structure of molecules. It is, therefore, possible to carry out calculations on specific molecules of physical and chemical interest with the aim of getting structural aspects and spectroscopic properties which otherwise may not be obtain from the experimental work. In many cases, the experimental data may be interpreted from the computational results. The velocity of the interacting particles in lighter atoms and molecules is considered to be negligible compared to the velocity of light. So, one may not include the relativistic effects as they are negligibly small. But for the calculations of the heavier atoms and molecules, the relativistic corrections are needed and hence one must use the relativistic quantum chemistry [15-17]. It requires a modification of the non relativistic Hamiltonian with various relativistic correction terms such as mass-velocity correction, spin-orbit correction, Drawin correction, Breit interaction etc. Actually, after the discovery of the theory of special relativity, relativistic effects on the electronic spectra of atoms and molecules become very much important. The relativistic effects are prominent on the electronic spectra of those molecules / their ions for which the nuclear charges of the constituent atoms are large i.e. when atoms with high Z are present. So, in order to obtain accurate spectro scopic features of heavy or moderately heavy molecules / their ions, one must take the various relativistic effects into account in an efficient way. A number of algorithms have been developed in recent years in these connections along with enormous enhancement in computing power. Therefore, the challenge is to exploit these developments to perform the high level computation based theoretical researches work which becomes an alternative to the experimental physical chemical researches. References [1] L. Pauling, E.M. Wilson, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, McGraw-Hill, 1935. [2] H. Eyring, J. Walter, G. E. Kimball, Quantum Chemistry, Wiley, New York, 1944. [3] J. P. Lowe, Quantum Chemistry , Academic Press, New York, 1978. [4] D. A. Mcquarrie, Quantum Chemistry, University Science, Mill Valley Calif, 1983. [5] P. W. Atkins, Molecular Quantum Mechanics, Oxford University Press, New York, 1983. [6] F. L. Pillar, Elementary Quantum Chemistry, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1990. [7] I. N. Levine, Quantum Chemistry, Printice-Hall, N. J. , 1991. [8] H. Goldstein, Classical Mechanics, Addition-Wesley, Reading, Mass, 1950. [9] P. A. M. Dirac, The Principles of Quantum Mechanics, Oxford University Press, Fourth Edition, Oxford, 1958. [10] R. G. Parr, Quantum Theory of Moleculer Electronic Structure, Benjamin, New York, 1963. [11] J. A. Pople, D. L. Beveridge, Approximate Molecular Orbital Theory, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1970. [12] J. N. Murrell, A. J. Harget, Semiempirical Self-Consistent-Field Molecular Orbital Theories of Molecules, Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1971. [13] R. S. Mulliken, W. C. Ermler, Diatomic Molecules, Academic Press, New York, 1977. [14] R. S. Mulliken, W. C. Ermler, Polyatomic Molecules, Academic Press, New York, 1981. [15] P. PyykkÓ §, Relativistic Theory of Atoms and Molecules, Springer-Verlag, Berlin and New York, 1986. [16] K. Balasubramanian, Relativistic Effects in Chemistry Part A. Theory and Techniques, Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1997. [17] K. Balasubramanian, Relativistic Effects in Chemistry Part B. Applications to molecules and Clusters, Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1997.

Explaining The Pumping Action In A Heart Physical Education Essay

Explaining The Pumping Action In A Heart Physical Education Essay The heart is the most important organ of the blood which keeps the other internal organs alive by supplying blood and oxygen hence making it a life maintaining organ. The objective of this essay is to explain the pumping action of the heart, transportation of oxygen by the cardiovascular system and how reduced blood flow can affect cardiac function. A treatment for this cardiac malfunctioning is also explained. I will begin the essay by explaining the anatomical structure of the heart and then explain how the pumping action of the heart. The second part of the essay will include how the reduction in blood flow can affect the cardiac function and finally a treatment to cure this problem will be explained. The heart is a life maintaining organ weighs almost less then a pound, barely the size of the fist and located in the mediastinum of the throracic cavity of human body. The shape of the heart is like a inverted cone which has a blunt tapered end that points to the left hip and the base pointing towards the right shoulder. The heart lies more close to the left that is nearly third of it and rest on the diaphragm in between the two lungs. This is shown in figure 1 which shows the location of the heart. Fig.1: Anterior view of the heart in the mediastinum The entire heart is covered by a dense fibrous tissue called the pericardium which comprises of a dense connective tissue called the fibrous pericardium which protects the heart from over stretching due to excessive filling, it also consists of the serous pericardium which forms deeper portion of the heart. The serous layer is further divided into the parietal layer which lines the outer layers the and visceral layer which lines the innermost layers of the heart. A fluid which reduces friction is present in the pericardial cavity that separates these parietal and visceral layers. The below figure (see fig. 2 ) shows the different layers of the the pericardium. Fig.2: The pericardium and the Heart wall http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=cardiopart=A1016rendertype=figureid=A1019 As shown in the above figure (see fig.2), the heart wall is composed of three different layers ; epicardium, myocardium and the endocardium. The epicardium which forms superficial layer of the heart wall consists of mainly adipose tissue. The endocardium forms the deeper layer of the heart and is filled with squamous endothelium and aerolar tissues. Between these two layers lies the myocardium which is made up of cardiac muscles that help in the contraction of the heart. Its relatively a thick layer as it helps the heart to perform its normal pumping action that is contraction and expansion of the heart at regular intervals. On the outer surface of the heart there many grooves and layers of fat called the sulci. The heart is divided into four chambers which has two inferior intermittent pumps which discharge blood out of the heart called the right and the left ventricles and two superior primer pumps called the right and left atria receiving deoxygenated and oxygenated blood from the body and the lungs respectively. The ventricles are separated from each other by a relatively thick muscle called the interventricular septum but atria are separated from each other by relatively a thinner wall called the interatrial septum as it has lighter workload comparing the ventricles. The right ventricle has thicker walls comparing the left ventricle because it has to pump more blood during systemic circulation. The presence of heart valves prevents the back flow blood and hence ensures that blood flows effectively in one direction. There are two types of valves which are the atrioventricular (AV) valves and the semilunar valves. The AV valves consists of the the tricuspid and bicuspid (mitral) valves th at are located on the right and left side of the heart between the ventricles and atria respectively. The semilunar valves on the other hand lie on the bases of aorta and the pulmonary artery. These valves consists of the pulmonary valve and the aortic valve. The tricuspid valve has thread like structures that are connected to tendon like cords called the chordae tendinae. The anatomical structure of the heart and the heart valves is shown in figure 3. Fig.3: The heart and the heart valves http://yoursurgery.com/ProcedureDetails.cfm?BR=3Proc=24 Blood Flow Through The Heart The blood flow through the heart is explained by the pulmonary and systemic circulation. Deoxygenated blood is drained into the right atrium by the superior and the inferior vena cava. The pressure in the right atrium increases forcing the tricuspid valve to open and hence draining the entire deoxygenated blood to the right ventricle. The volume of blood in the ventricle increases and the maximum volume of the blood in the right ventricle after the contraction of the right atrium is called end diastolic volume (EDV). EDV is generally about 140ml. As the tricuspid valve closes the pressure in the ventricles increases. During this phase the ventricles contract but the pressure is not enough for the pulmonary valve to open hence resulting in isometric contraction as a result all the heart valves are closed during this phase and the volume in the ventricles remains constant. As the pressure continues to increase comparing the right atrium the blood forces open the pulmonary valve and the deoxygenated blood is pushed into the pulmonary trunk that divides into the pulmonary arteries. After the contraction of the ventricle that is the systole, the amount of blood remaining in the ventricle is called the end systolic volume (ESV). The difference between EDV and ESV gives the stroke volume (SV) that is the blood pumped out of the ventricles during a single heart beat. The pulmonary arteries carries the deoxygenated blood to the right and the left lung for oxygenation. Once the blood is oxygenated it is returned back to the heart by the pulmonary vein. The pulmonary vein empties the oxygenated blood into the left atrium, hence completing the pulmonary circulation and as the pressure in this atrium increases the blood is drained into the left ventricle by forcing open the mitral valve. When the mitral valve is closed the the pressure rises again comparing the left atrium and the blood is pushed into the aorta by opening the aortic valve. This oxygenated blood is transport ed to various parts of the body to carry out haemodynamic activities ( which includes the exchange of oxygen and carbondioxide with the blood ) . The systemic circulation is completed once the deoxygenated blood is returned back to the right atrium from different parts of the body by the venae caveae. Fig.4: Pulmonary and Systemic Circulation of the heart http://academic.kellogg.cc.mi.us/herbrandsonc/bio201_McKinley/f22-1_cardiovascular_sy_c.jpg During the phase of the first diastole, the ventricular relaxation takes place as a result the semilunar valves are closed and also the AV valves are also closed during this time as a result the volume of blood in the ventricles remains constant, hence this phase is called the isovolumetric relaxation. The diagrammatic explanation of the cardiac cycle is explained in figure 5. Fig.5: The Cardiac Cycle http://academic.kellogg.cc.mi.us/herbrandsonc/bio201_McKinley/f22-11_cardiac_cycle_c.jpg Cardiac Conduction System In this system the pumping action of the heart is synchronised by the electrical activity of the heart. Electrical signals are generated by the sinoatrial (SA) node which is the bodies natural pacemaker. This node generates pulses that propagate throughout the right atrium and through the Bachmanns bundle hence stimulating both the atria. These pulses travel from SA node the to the atrioventricular (AV) node through certain paths known as internodal tracts. The AV node acts as a gatekeeper and prevents all the pulses to travel from the atria to the ventricles, hence causing some delay in the excitation. From the AV node the signals travel through the Purkinje fibres that divides itself into right and left and excites both the ventricles. This process repeats and the contraction of the heart takes place. Transportation of Oxygen by Cardiovascular System The cardiovascular system is a dense network of arteries, veins, capillaries etc. which is involved in the transportation of blood gases to and from the various parts of the body. In this part I will talking about how the cardiovascular system transports oxygen to different parts of the body. The oxygenated blood which is pumped from the left ventricle is transported by the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery of the human body which is made up of several layers of the elastin fibers and covered by smooth muscle. Blood flows in the arteries with high pressures hence these arteries expand (vasodilation) and contract (vasoconstriction) thus helping to regulate blood pressure. The aorta bifurcates into various different arteries smaller in size carrying oxygenated blood to different parts of the body. These arteries further divide into arterioles whose diameter is much smaller comparing the arteries and are less elastic. These arterioles are made up of thick layer of smooth muscles an d are controlled by the autonomic nervous system that control their diameter. Oxygenated blood now passes from the arterioles to the capillaries which are the functional unit of the cardiovascular system. Capillaries are responsible for the exchange of blood gases and other nutrients between different tissues and blood through the process of diffusion. As diffusion is the process by which gases or fluids flow from higher to lower concentration therefore at the capillary level the concentration of oxygen is more in the capillaries and on the other hand the concentration of carbondioxide is more in the tissue than in the capillaries therefore the diffusion of these gases takes place. Oxygen is diffused into the tissues and carbondioxide on the other hand is diffused into the tissues. This is how oxygen is transported to different parts of the body. This deoxygenated blood is collected from the venules which are connected to the capillaries. Theses venules group together to form veins. Hence this deoxygenated blood is returned back to the heart for oxygenation and the entire process is repeated. The entire process of the transportation of oxygen by the cardiovascular system is explained in figure 6 Fig 6: Blood flow and capillary exchange of oxygen http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Blood-General-Overview.htm Effects Of Reduced Coronary Blood Flow And Its Treatment Reduced coronary blood flow results in a condition known as ischemia where the myocardiac tissue is deprived of oxygen due to inadequate blood flow. The inadequacy is caused by formation of localised plaques of lipids that protrude within the artery causing a reduction in blood flow. As a result of reduced blood flow, there is a reduction in the level of oxygen which is required to carry out metabolic activities of the tissues. In ischemia the anaerobic respiration of the tissue results in the formation of lactic acid which leads to sever pain in the chest region. This pain is called angina pectoris. Angina pectoris is classified into two types; stable and unstable. Stable angina which causes pain in the chest region may arise from some physical activity ( running, jogging etc.). During these activities the need for oxygen is more to carry out metabolic activities in a faster rate compared to the supply of oxygen as a result anaerobic respiration of the tissues takes place and hence results in the formation of lactic acids which causes this pain. In unstable angina there is a persistent pain in the chest regions this is because of the accumulation of platelets on the ruptured plaques which leads to the blockage of the arteries and hence causing immense reduction in blood flow. Persistent unstable angina may cause myocardial infraction which ultimately may lead to sudden death. There are many ways to treat angina it may be either surgical or non surgical ways. Surgical methods include coronary balloon angioplasty where a catheter is passed into an artery with a balloon at the tip of the catheter. The balloon is made to expand causing the artery to expand and hence breaking of the plaque of lipids in the artery. Another types of surgical method is the coronary bypass surgery where the blocked artery is completely removed and replaced with a new one taken from different parts of the body. Non surgical methods include taking drugs that cause vasodilation such as ni troglycerin which converts into nitric oxide and hence dilates the coronary artery causing an increase in blood flow. Beta adrenergic blocking receptors are used to reduce the heart rate and therefore causing a reduction in cardiac output. Other techniques that involve the use of calcium channel blockers that are used for vasodilation and hence helping the flow of blood. Conclusion The heart is a an electromechanical pump which carries out its action through pulmonary and systemic circulation. The pumping action is well synchronised such that there is proper blood flow within the heart and outside to carry out haemodynamic activities. The transportation of blood is carried by a system consisting various networks that are spread throughout the body known as the cardiovascular system. This system helps in the transportation of oxygen to different tissues in order to carry out different metabolic activities. The exchange of oxygen between tissues and the cardiovascular system takes place through a process called diffusion. The effects of reduced blood are many and can lead to a condition known as ischemia. Angina pectoris is one of the main problems that can cause due to reduced blood flow and hence causing a sever pain in the chest region and on sever reduction in blood flow it may even lead to myocardial infraction which ultimately leads to death. There are nume rous treatments for curing this particular problem, it may be either through surgical methods which includes cardiopulmonary bypass and angioplasty or using drugs that increase vasodilation and decrease cardiac output. These drugs include beta receptors, calcium channel blockers and nitroglycerin.

A Good Man is Hard to Find Essay -- essays papers

A Good Man is Hard to Find Virtue and â€Å"the grandmother† If you were to ask someone what their definition of a happy life would be, they would probably give you an answer like, â€Å"having fun.† This is completely untrue in Aristotle’s terms. According to Aristotle, for a man to lead a happy life he must learn each of the intellectual virtues, and practice each of the moral virtues throughout his life. These moral virtues are justice, courage, temperance, magnificence, magnanimity, liberality, gentleness, prudence, and wisdom. With so many virtues to constantly abide by, a man cannot know if he has led a happy life until his life is nearly finished. In the story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,† by Flannery O’ Connor, the question is raised whether the grandmother has achieved a state of happiness according to Aristotle’s terms at the time of her death. The answer is no, because she is a person who is dishonest, cowardly, and unwise. Of all the virtues, honesty is practiced the least by the grandmother. Honesty is defined as â€Å"The capacity or condition of being honest; integrity; trustworthiness† (Honesty). There are several examples of the grandmother’s dishonest and untrustworthy actions. In the beginning of the story, â€Å"The grandmother didn’t want to go to Florida† (O’ Connor 1106), so she made up false excuses to try to persuade her family to take her to Tennessee. â€Å" his fellow that calls himself The Misfit is aloose from the Federal Pen and headed toward Florida. I wouldn’t take my children in any direction with a criminal like that aloose in it’† (O’ Connor 1106). On the way to Florida, the grandmother notices an old house she visited as a child. When she wants to stop and re-visit the house, the grandmother tells the... ...n the story, (honesty, courage, and wisdom) none of the virtues are abided by. Although there are six other virtues, all of the virtues must be abided by in order to achieve happiness. Besides, if the grandmother doesn’t abide by the three virtues represented in the story, this leads one to believe that she doesn’t abide by any of them. In conclusion, the grandmother does not lead a happy life in accordance to Aristotle’s theory of happiness. Bibliography: Works Cited â€Å"Courage.† The American Heritage College Dictionary. 3rd ed. 2000. â€Å"Honesty.† The American Heritage College Dictionary. 3rd ed. 2000. O'Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. Ed. Ann Charters. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's 1999, 1106-1117. â€Å"Wisdom.† The American Heritage College Dictionary. 3rd ed. 2000.

The Life and Times of William Rufus de Vane King :: Essays Papers

The Life and Times of William Rufus de Vane King William Rufus de Vane King was a distinguished politician who concluded his remarkable political career by being elected the Vice-President under Franklin Pierce’s pro-slavery ticket. However, he is the only person to be elected to that office that never actually served as vice-president. Without doing this, King is known through history as a popular and pre-eminent politician from Alabama. Besides being the only vice-president elected to not serve his term, he is the only United States official to take the oath of office on foreign land. Instead of taking the oath of office in the nation’s capital, William King took the oath in Havana, Cuba. Unfortunately, less than one week after Inauguration Day, King died at the age of sixty-seven of tuberculosis. In those years prior to his death, King made several pertinent contributions to the United States political system. King began his life on April 7, 1786. He was born on a lovely spring day in Sampson County, North Carolina. His inheritance from different backgrounds was evident. The values and morals that his parents instilled within him caused young King’s actions. His father was of Irish descent that was a planter who sometimes served in the state legislature. His father also served dutifully during the Revolutionary War and was a member of the convention that was called to adopt the federal constitution. His mother had a touch of Huguenot ancestry. William King was a tall and slender man. His physique was gracefully erect, and he was always generous and courteous. This characteristic came from the upbringing from his parents. He was very humble. He was not arrogant or boasted about his accomplishments. King never married. However, there were rumors spread that there was a relationship between him and President James Buchanan. It was known that King and Van Buren shared a twenty-year intimate friendship. They shared quarters in Washington, D.C. for many years, and Buchanan called their relationship a communion. A law partner of James K. Polk labeled the two Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan. King was born when the United States was young and developing.

United States Men’s National Soccer Team

While rival drug cartels warred in the streets and the country’s murder rate climbed to highest in the world, the Colombian national soccer team set out to blaze a new image for their country. What followed was a mysteriously rapid rise to glory, as the team catapulted out of decades of obscurity to become one of the best teams in the world. Central to this success were two men named Escobar: Andrà ©s, the captain and poster child of the National Team, and Pablo, the infamous drug baron who pioneered the phenomenon known in the underworld as â€Å"Narco-soccer.† But just when Colombia was expected to win the 1994 World Cup and transform its international image, the shocking murder of Andres Escobar dashed the hopes of a nation. Through the glory and the tragedy, The Two Escobars daringly investigates the secret marriage of crime and sport, and uncovers the surprising connections between the murders of Andres and Pablo. Personal Statement Our films tend to focus on disenfranchised communities in the process of rising up and transforming their political and economic circumstances. We choose these stories due to the scale of their historic importance—this is where societies are shaped. By comparison, sports have often felt like mere diversion, games limited to the playing field. At times, we have both drifted from the passion for sports we shared as young athletes and fans, engaging ourselves in other endeavors as seasons of professional competition passed by. Then, invariably, definitive moments in sports history would grab our attention and turn our logic upside down. Like in 1994, when an athlete named Andres Escobar was murdered for accidentally scoring an own goal that cost the Colombian National Team a chance at winning the World Cup and transforming its negative image on the international stage. Here was a country with a national identity so integrally connected to the success of its soccer team that one mistake on a playing field dashed the pride of an entire nation and cost a man his life. Looking into the incident, we learned that the dramatic rise and fall of Colombian soccer was inextricably tied to the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar’s Medellà ­n Drug Cartel, considered by many the ‘ruling party’ of Colombia at the time. Sport in Colombia was not only mirroring the personality and politics of society, but also an inseparable part of that society – the playing field an extension of the streets and offices where influential decisions are made. On our journey through diverse walks of Colombian society during production, it became clear that this was far from a classic â€Å"deal-with-the-devil† narrative. Rather, this was the story of the passions and dreams of a people intrinsically tied to the rise and fall of a team. Stories such as this revive our childhood fascination with sports and confirm the fundamental role they play in shaping our world.

What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses in English?

There are a number of both strengths and weaknesses which I possess in regards to English and the areas of reading and writing. My strengths are that I have a passion for reading, I have a good understanding of grammar and its correct usage and I am a decent speller. I also understand and respect that English is an important part of everyday life. My weaknesses are that I do not enjoy writing, I do not have a good writing process for when I do have to write and I tend to procrastinate when faced with an English assignment. I think that my biggest strength in English is that I love to read. One of my favorite pastimes is curling up with a good book, particularly a good murder mystery or suspense novel. I am pretty good at being able to extract information and understand the authors meaning from the piece of writing I am reading. It is also through my love for reading that I gain a broader view of the world and become more knowledgeable. Reading for enjoyment is a great way to learn about new things and not even realize it at the time! Another of my strengths in English is that I have a good grasp on grammar and word usage. This is something that I learned as a child but has improved over time, especially due to my work environment. Whether the goal is to achieve a higher education or persuade a company to use a service, using correct grammar can be the difference between succeeding and failing. This includes the proper use of vocabulary, punctuation, and standard grammar rules such as subject and verb agreement. The goal of communication is to be understandable; proper grammar is a crucial step in reaching this goal. The ability to spell is also an important strength in English. I was lucky when it came to spelling in school and had a certain gift for spelling. I never had to study much, if at all, for a spelling test. This helps a lot in my career when composing memos and proposals for clients. And although I am grateful to Microsoft Words spell check and auto correct functions they have â€Å"dulled† some of my skill in this area. English and writing are important and necessary in everyday life. English is used everyday both written and orally. It is a very important subject because it is a form of communication and is very important all around the world. How would businesses function with out some sort of base communication? They wouldn't. From letters to books to resumes, reading and writing is used by everyone. My biggest weakness in English is that I hate to write. I seem to have a hard time trying to articulate myself and get my ideas into words on paper. I especially do not enjoy writing about personal experiences. I think the main reason for this is that I am a private person and do not want my emotions to â€Å"pour† out on paper for everyone to see. Another contributing factor to writing being one of my weaknesses is my writing process. Well, actually I don't even have one! Usually, not always, but usually, I wait until the night before the paper is due and then begin to brainstorm and write out my thoughts. This is very ironic to me, because for every other class I have a scheduled study time and follow that very closely. Maybe because I dislike writing so much I don't plan on doing it. My lack of a writing process adds to another one of my weaknesses, being a procrastinator and having a lack of motivation (when it comes to English). When I am required to write a lengthy paper on a subject that is boring or unimportant to me as a person, the writing process is often tedious and mind numbing. I can mull the topic over and over in my mind and get no where! My only thoughts being that â€Å"I am NEVER going to get this done! † After looking at and thinking about several of my strengths and weaknesses in English, I would conclude that the best course of action for me would be to continue to use and practice activities that use my already strong skills. Making time in my busy schedule for brainstorming and critical thinking could be the first step in trying to overcome my weaknesses in English as they all pretty much stem from not wanting to write.