Easy and Fun February Writing Prompts

February can be a tough month for many students with very few if any days off. Many school districts across the nation do not take Presidents Day off. Following is a list of themes and writing prompts for each day of February. These can be used any way you see fit in your class. They are great as warm-ups or journal entries. February Holidays American Heart MonthBlack History MonthChildrens Dental Health MonthInternational Friendship MonthResponsible Pet Owners Month Writing Prompt Ideas for February February 1 - Theme: National Freedom DayOn this day in 1865, Abraham Lincoln signed the Amendment that would outlaw slavery once it was ratified. If slavery was outlawed with the 13th amendment, why were amendments 14 and 15 needed?February 2 - Theme: Groundhog DayAccording to weather data kept since 1887, the groundhog at Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania has only been accurate 39% of the time. Why do Americans still celebrate this day even though its accuracy is so low?February 3 - Theme: Elmos Birthday (Sesame Street Character)What was your favorite television program as a small child? Which characters do you remember most? Why?February 4 - Theme: Rosa Parks BirthdayPretend you were Rosa Parks in 1955. What would you have felt like as you decided not to give up your seat to a white man?February 5 - Theme: National Weatherpersons DayMeteorology is the study of the atmosphere, especially as it relates to the weather. Do you think that being a weatherperson would be a difficult job? Why or why not?February 6 - Theme: Monopoly First SoldWhat is your favorite board game? Explain why you like it.February 7 - Theme: Charles Dickens BirthdayIn the past, individuals who did not have the money to pay their bills were thrown in debtors prison, a theme which is key in many of Charles Dickens novels. Do you think that this is an appropriate punishment for not being able to pay off your bills? Why or why not?February 8 - Theme: Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts (Officially Boy Scout Day)Were or are you a boy or girl scout? If so, what did you think of your experiences as a scout? If not, do you wish that you had participated in the scouts? Why or why not?February 9 - Theme: Chocolate (Founding of Hersheys Chocolate)Describe your favorite candy bar. You can choose to do this as prose or as poetry.February 10 - Theme: Chinese New YearIn the western calendar, a leap day happens every four years. However, in the Chinese calendar, a leap month happens about every three years. Come up with a nd explain at least three issues that might arise if the west decided to use this calendar instead of the one that is currently use.February 11 - Theme: National Inventors DayHave you ever come up with an idea for an invention? If so, describe it. If not, what do you think is the best invention of the 20th century.February 12 - Theme: Abraham Lincolns BirthdayAbraham Lincoln said, Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be. What do you think he meant by that quote? Do you think its true?February 13 - Theme: International Friendship MonthDo you have any friends that live in another country? If so, explain how you became friends. If not, if you were to become a penpal with someone from a foreign country, which country would you choose? Why?February 14 - Theme: Valentines DayWho do you care about the most? Why do you care for them so much? Explain.February 15 - Theme: Susan B. Anthonys BirthdayAt the time that womens suffrage passed, there were many women who argued agai nst giving women the right to vote. Why do you think this was?February 16 - Theme: American Heart MonthWhat do you do to lead a healthy lifestyle? What do you think you could improve on (e.g., eat better, exercise more, etc.)?February 17 - Theme: Random Acts of Kindness DayHave you ever performed a random act of kindness? If so, explain what you did and why. If not, come up with a random act that you can perform later today and explain your plan.February 18 - Theme: Pluto DiscoveredWould you ever consider going on a trip to the moon? Why or why not?February 19 - Theme: Phonograph was PatentedHow do you buy and listen to music today? How does this differ from the way your parents did it? In your opinion, how have these changes affected music and the music industry?February 20 - Theme: Responsible Pet Owners MonthDo you or does your family own a pet? If so what type of pet is it? What are the pros and cons of owning a pet?February 21 - Theme: Washington Monument DedicatedHave you ever been to Washington, D.C.? Why do you think that the nation has created monuments like the Washington Monument or the Jefferson Memorial? Do you think they are important symbols? Why or why not?February 22 - Theme: George Washingtons BirthdayThe story that George Washington could not lie when asked if he cut down a cherry tree is not true. It was written after his death. Explain why you think a biography might create a story like this when writing about someone famous who they admire.February 23 - Theme: Iwo Jima DayDo you think that you would like to join the military at some point in the future? Why or why not?February 24 - Theme: Andrew Johnsons ImpeachmentTwo presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. However, no president has actually been removed from office. It only takes a simple majority of the House of Representatives to be impeached (or basically found guilty of a crime). However, it takes 2/3 of the Senate to remove a president from office. Explain why you think the founding fathers made this so difficult?February 25 - Theme: Paper CurrencyWhat are the pros and cons of having paper currency instead of carrying around coins made of gold, silver, or some other precious metal?February 26 - Theme: Grand Canyon EstablishedWhy is it important for the national government to protect and manage natural treasures such as the Grand Canyon?February 27 - Theme: National Strawberry DayWhat is your favorite fruit? What do you like about it? If you do not like any fruit, explain why not.February 28 - Theme: Republican Party FoundedWhich political party do you think represents your views the most? Why do you think this is so?February 29 - Theme: Leap DayExplain how a person could logically claim that they have only had 8 birthdays when they are actually 32 years old.

Monsanto †Appointing, Legislating, and Lobbying Its Way to the Top Free Essays

string(47) " may know nothing about the subject otherwise\." Interest groups are defined as an â€Å"organized group of people that makes policy-related appeals† and they can have a profound effect on our government and society (Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 419). These groups represent their interests in the political arena in a variety of ways; they can get government officials appointed to government positions, lobby government officials, and fund media to advertise their message to mobilize public opinion and sway voters. Businesses interest groups in particular utilize these strategies, because there is an economic incentive in passing favorable laws and conveying a good image to government and the public. We will write a custom essay sample on Monsanto — Appointing, Legislating, and Lobbying Its Way to the Top or any similar topic only for you Order Now One business interest currently benefiting from their interaction with the Obama administration is Monsanto. Monsanto is a billion dollar company responsible for genetically modified seeds, the chemical Roundup and its associated Roundup ready crops, the toxic chemical substance Agent Orange, bovine growth hormones (rBGH), and the synthetic sugar substitute known as aspartame—to name a few. As a business interest group, it has been a terrific success in using government to push its agenda, much to the dismay of environmental activists, scientists, and concerned citizens who want their government to regulate businesses and protect the public. This paper will examine how business interest groups like Monsanto have been able to further their agenda under the Obama administration through the appointment of employees to federal positions, lobbying, and use of media to mobilize public opinion. ) Appointment to Federal positions The appointment of employees in business to positions in government is a common occurrence today and is often referred to as â€Å"The Revolving Door†. This is the shuffling in and out of government and private sector jobs, and it is bad because it leaves these government officials with biases and the high chance of being favorable to their former employer. In the Obama administration, there are currently many revolvers from private industry (â €Å"Revolving Door†). One current revolver from Monsanto who is now making policy decisions regarding our food safety is Michael Taylor. Michael Taylor was named deputy commissioner for foods at the Food and Drug Administration in January 2010 and is a former Vice President of Monsanto’s Public Policy(â€Å"Meet Michael R. Taylor, J. D. , Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine†). This obviously creates a bias when making decisions about policies regarding products manufactured by Monsanto, such as genetically modified foods or the bovine growth hormones used in milk. When Monsanto employees like Michael Taylor get into these agencies, they are usually favorable to their former employer Monsanto when making decisions. They also ensure direct access for lobbyists to the agencies they are in control of; â€Å"many of Washington’s top lobbyists have close ties to important members of congress or were themselves important political figures, thus virtually guaranteeing that clients will have direct access to government officials† (Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 414). Taylor is a former lobbyist and current government official who now gives Monsanto full access into the decision making of many of American’s decisions about food. Unfortunately, he is just one in a litany of government officials who have vested interests in the private sector while still being allowed to make decisions affecting the health and safety of the American public. By getting employees into federal positions, businesses increase their chances of creating a strong iron triangle system that supports their interest group. The iron triangle is a â€Å"stable, cooperative relationship that often develops among a congressional committee, an administrative agency, and one or more supportive interest groups† (Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 418). This iron triangle system is powerful in creating favorable legislation and regulation for Monsanto; their good working relationship with legislative committees and executive agencies allows them to support their agenda and further their business by directly shaping policy outcomes. 2) Lobbying members of congress Lobbying is a critical part of how interest groups represent their agenda in government and seek passage of favorable legislation. A lobbyist’s goal is to influence policy in a certain direction by â€Å"mobilizing individual citizens to contact legislators (grassroots lobbying), testifying at hearings, submitting written comments to an agency or committee, press releases, and other activities† (Hasen 217). Lobbyists also take full of advantage of their direct access and â€Å"personal contact with legislators and taff members† to influence policy decisions (Hasen 217). Monsanto is incredibly adept in all these areas, and was the top lobbying client in the agribusiness sector with $8,831,120 spent in 2008 and $5,970,000 in expenditures in 2012 (â€Å"Annual Lobbying on Agricultural Services†). Business interest groups often lobby congress and the executive branch to promote their agendas and enact favorable laws and regulations. They do this by gaining dir ect access to members of Congress and federal agencies and making their interests heard. This is even encouraged by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) that â€Å"requires most federal agencies to provide notice and an opportunity for comment before implementing proposed new rules and legislation† (Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 434). This allows businesses like Monsanto to meet with agencies like the USDA, FDA, and EPA to weigh in on issues that affect them, such as the merits and safety of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), discouraging labeling of GMOS’s, or enforcement rules on chemicals and pesticides. Research shows that business interest groups have gained legislative success through directly influencing the bureaucracy. According to research, the â€Å"significant trait in interest group influence is the privileged, institutionalized integration of some groups into public decision making† (Binderkrantz 177-78). Because of Monsanto’s high level of activity with government agencies and their ability to get access and lobby officials directly, their opinion is often integrated into public policy. Another way Monsanto lobbyists gain influence is through the information they have to offer the government. Research says â€Å"the most important factor governing the influence of a group was the ability of a group to provide lawmakers with both technical and political information† (Smith 235). Monsanto provides busy government officials with information about the issues that conveys authority and touts research backing, making policy decisions easier for a government official who may know nothing about the subject otherwise. You read "Monsanto — Appointing, Legislating, and Lobbying Its Way to the Top" in category "Papers" In fact, many politicians say lobbyists are an essential part of government; in response to a 1978 bill expanding lobbying disclosures, Senators Edward Kennedy, Dick Clark, and Robert Stafford issued the statement that â€Å"Government without lobbying could not function. The flow of information to Congress and to every other federal agency is a vital part of our democratic system† (Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 431). This quote exemplifies how politicians rely on lobbyists as an essential source of information regarding policy issues. Lobbyist’s role as conduits of this information to government is crucial because they are in complete control of how information is presented—and thus how their agenda is received. One recent piece of legislation that Monsanto benefited from because of the information their ability to directly access lawmakers was House Resolution 933, an emergency spending bill passed to fund government operations through September and avert a government shutdown. The bill, signed by President Obama on March 26th 20013, will continue to protect this multi-billion dollar corporation from legal ramifications of the safety of its products. The budget bill, now dubbed the â€Å"Monsanto Protection Act†, inserted an unrelated provision that grants Monsanto against legal injunction for the next year and the ability to continue planting seeds and harvesting crops even if there are problems found with genetically modified organisms. Because they were trying to rush this bill through to avoid government shutdown, these shady provisions were able to sneak through. The Missouri Senator who added in the bill, Roy Blunt, admits he worked with Monsanto in creating the details of this legislature (â€Å"New Law Spurs Controversy, Debate Over Genetically Modified Crops†). This piece of protective legislation shows how corporations can use their direct access to government officials to alter policy changes. Because of this advantage of access and authority, business interest groups like Monsanto are extremely successful in transforming their agenda into public policy. Overall, research does indicate that there is a bias towards businesses. When comparing comments from business to nonbusiness commenters in federal agency hearings, there was a clear winner in policy outcomes. Agencies are more likely to be persuaded by lobbyists for business interests because of â€Å"the number of comments coming from business interests† and the fact that the â€Å"comments from business-related interests provide more information and signal a greater level of commenter expertise, causing agencies to respond to the requests made†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Webb 128). This research shows business interest groups have the advantage both in the amount of input, and the sense of credibility the information has coming from a large industry. Monsanto educates these government officials through their company’s own agenda and thus often succeeds in getting the policies it wants passed. This bias towards businesses undercuts the effectiveness of pluralism. Pluralism is the theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government, with the outcome of this competition being compromise and moderation. The idea is that people will belong to interest groups that affect them and let their voices be heard by government, so that their needs can be met. Unfortunately, business interest groups often have a much greater voice than other interest groups through their existing ties to government via federal appointments and because of their financial power to fund lobbyists. Because they have a greater presence, the corporation’s needs are met while the needs of the public become secondary. While â€Å"interest group pluralism presumes that public policy outcomes are determined principally through a contest for influence among organized pressure groups†, we can see that it isn’t a very fair contest when Monsanto’s lobbyists have millions more dollars to spend. Stephenson and Jackson 7) It is clear that there is a negative implication of lobbying when legislation begins to favor elite interests rather than the public good. Because business interest groups are able to influence government in a disproportionately higher rate than citizens, â€Å"legislative outputs no longer reflect the outcome of reasoned deba te, promoting the common good, or the preferences of the median voters. Instead, public policy reflects the preferences of lobbyists’ clients† (Hasen 219). 4. Mobilizing Public Opinion Through Media Monsanto, like other interest groups, often uses media to further its cause. It can be used to rally support for the products it makes or it can be used to oppose policies that could affect the company negatively. Because it is a multi-billion dollar company, it is able to spend an inordinate amount to advertise their agenda and gain public favor more easily than companies that are not as well off financially. Research shows the effectiveness of an interest group’s use of media is correlated to its money and size: â€Å"the best predictor of an interest group’s ability to use the mass media as a political tool is the level of organizational resources (money, members, staff, etc. it enjoys† (Thrall 417). This shows that the advertising messages the public receives is determined by who has the most money to market themselves, and companies like Monsanto are obviously a dominant influence due to their resources. A recent example of Monsanto’s use of the media to further its agenda was the attempt at labeling genetically modified organ isms (GMO’s) that failed because of Monsanto’s supreme ability to mobilize public opinion. The California Proposition 37 added to the ballot in 2012 was an initiative to label foods that contain genetically modified organisms. Even with mounting concerns about public safety, Monsanto was able to control this issue through media and advertising and ensure that California voters would not let the proposition pass. They were successful because large companies were able to out fund non-profits and other groups who donated a fraction of Monsanto’s budget. Because of their resources and ability to advertise, Monsanto and other agribusinesses were able to easily sway voters with their carefully crafted ad campaigns. By paying to run millions of dollars on ads that threatened rising food costs if food labeling was required, they swayed many Americans worried about tough economic times. Their use of the media convinced citizens that labeling genetically modified foods was against their self-interests financially, and this threat prevented many people from voting the proposition through. It was a big comment on the state of consumer affairs in the country that a simple labeling law could not be passed; though the administration could follow many other countries leads and mandate GMO labeling, Monsanto is left deciding the fate of food with its money, power, and influence. 4) Conclusion: reaffirms your thesis statement, discusses the issues, and reaches a final judgment: your conclusion based on your research and your reasoning. Business interest groups are a powerful force in the decision making process of our country and will continue to exert force over policy as long as they have resources and access. To make their interests known and accepted, they utilize the attainment of federal positions, lobbying, litigation, and funding of media. To get their agenda expressed through the government, they use federal appointments in a process called the â€Å"Revolving Door†. This leads to biased decision making throughout branches of the government that can negatively affect policy outcomes for the public. If this continues, citizens will become alienated and distrusting of the federal government which seems to be only serving the elite interests of corporations. Lobbying is another way that citizens are rightly beginning to lose trust in the system. While in theory all interest groups are supposed to be able to lobby the government, only those interests with large amounts of money, access, and connections will have a good chance at having their interests be heard. Though there are regulations on how much lobbyists can spend and laws requiring them to register, it is still clear that lobbyists for billion dollar corporations are experiencing a higher level of success than public interest groups with little funding. This shows that in government, those with the most money and access will prevail. Unfortunately when â€Å"businesses and trade associations make up more than half of the Washington lobbying community†, it is unlikely citizens will fare as well as corporations (Baumgartner 1194). This has major implications when research shows that â€Å"some special interest lobbies frequently influence legislation and regulation in ways that†¦are detrimental to the public good† (Baker 53). Regulations made from information presented by lobbyists doesn’t serve the public good—it serves Monsanto’s. The use of the media is another area in which Monsanto has dominated its competition. It was the highest contributor in advertising against Proposition 37, and the over seven million dollars poured into the cause was effective in squashing the issue of labeling genetically modified food. When a group like Monsanto is able to pour that amount of funds into mobilizing public opinion, they have complete control over the issue and how they want it to be seen and voted on by the American public. With enough money they were able to assuage concerns over the safety of genetically modified foods and managed to convince people it would actually go against their own self interests in terms of cost. The elite team of advertisers Monsanto has the funds to hire enables them to spin their issues in any way they need to in order to gain both governmental and public support for their agenda. By gaining support they can ensure individuals vote to Monsanto’s benefit and don’t actively oppose the company, leaving their profit motive as the single determiner of important public policy. How to cite Monsanto — Appointing, Legislating, and Lobbying Its Way to the Top, Papers

Mixed Race Marriage

Treating people with dignity regardless of their skin color is a pre-requisite that of national integration. The United State of America has been struggling with racism for many years now. There have been attempts to fight it by encouraging interracial marriages as a way of improving national integration. The report from Pew Research Centre indicates that people are increasingly embracing mixed race marriages.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mixed Race Marriage specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More More than 22% acceptance of mixed race marriages means that there is a slight improvement in how people view their counterparts from other races. This may be as a result of work of scholars who, from time to time, tried to state the importance of accepting one another regardless of skin color. The statistics also proves that the 1976 ruling changed the views of different people on interracial marriages. During the four year period of 1967-1970, people began to understand the importance of interracial marriage but due to fear, others still held on to their beliefs. Less than one 1% agreed with the fact that human beings were programmed to follow what others were doing (this is always a life preserving habit). The number of interracial marriages moved from an insignificant percentage to 5% by the year 2000 even with that nature of human beings. The attitude to blacks also improved at that time due to establishment of international community. However, out of the 77% who said Yes to the relationships between blacks and whites, few were not ready to enter into such relationships because of fear. They needed to resign to the status quo. The Y generation born after 1976 has a different perspective because they are aware of people like Luther King who spoke as they bubbled with rage at the palpable injustices and inequalities that the Black Americans experienced. As a result, 91% accepted interracial dating. They interacted, fell in love and would easily accept interracial marriage except for a few who still lived in fear and were not ready to compromise their relationships. From the recent research done in 2005, more people were expected to have a positive attitude because they were approaching global integration where racism was perceived as outdated. From the report, it was clear that 97% of Africans supported interracial marriages. The youth were also interacting with other races in institutions and were getting to know the facts behind racial intermarriages. It was this behavioral change that led to the 34% of positive responses among the youth. The regional pattern among the westerners had a slight influence on intermarriages. It was obvious that human beings took time to embrace change given the challenges within their communities.Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Acceptance could be one of the reasons why only 33% identified with friends and relatives in interracial marriages. The same happened in the Northeast and Midwest with a record of 19%. Further evidence of the life-preserving habit of human beings was shown in the census data done in 2000. Everyone did a common thing as in the case of white husbands marrying Asian wives. Conclusion While other strategies have failed to improve integration, interracial marriages can be the fourth wheel towards this effort. Creating a peaceful coexistence is important for the country. Therefore, mixed race marriage is important and should be embraced by everybody. It is only a matter of time (with enough education and awareness) that this global village can generate more relationships from all corners. We started from somewhere. If the trends from these research reports continue then the future generations will win this battle. This essay on Mixed Race Marriage was written and submitted by user Zeke Beasley to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Bristol Beaufighter in World War II

Bristol Beaufighter in World War II General Specifications: Length:  41  ft., 4  in.Wingspan:  57  ft., 10  in.Height:  15  ft., 10  in.Wing Area:  503  sq. ft.Empty Weight:  15,592  lbs.Max Takeoff Weight:  25,400  lbs.Crew:  2 Performance: Maximum Speed:  320  mphRange:  1,750  milesService Ceiling:  19,000  ft.Power Plant:  Ã‚  2 Ãâ€"  Bristol Hercules  14-cylinder  radial engines, 1,600 hp each Armament: 4 Ãâ€" 20 mm  Hispano Mk III cannon4 Ãâ€" .303 in.  Browning machine guns  (outer starboard wing)2 Ãâ€" .303 in.  machine gun (outer port wing)8 Ãâ€"  RP-3 rockets  or  2Ãâ€" 1,000 lb.  bombs Design and Development In 1938, Bristol Aeroplane Company approached the Air Ministry with a proposal for a twin-engine, cannon-armed heavy fighter based on its Beaufort torpedo bomber which was then entering production.  Intrigued by this offer due to development problems with the Westland Whirlwind, the Air Ministry asked Bristol to pursue design of a new aircraft armed with four cannons.  To make this request official, Specification F.11/37 was issued calling for a twin-engine, two-seat, day/night fighter/ground support aircraft.  It was expected that the design and development process would be expedited as the fighter would utilize many of the Beauforts features. While the Beauforts performance was adequate for a torpedo bomber, Bristol recognized the need for improvement if the aircraft was to serve as a fighter.  As a result, the Beauforts Taurus engines were removed and replaced with the more powerful Hercules model.  Though the Beauforts aft fuselage section, control surfaces, wings, and landing gear were retained, the forward parts of the fuselage were heavily redesigned.  This was due to the need to mount the Hercules engines on longer, more flexible struts which shifted the aircrafts center of gravity.  To rectify this issue, the forward fuselage was shortened.  This proved a simple fix as the Beauforts bomb bay was eliminated as was the bombardiers seat.   Dubbed the Beaufighter, the new aircraft mounted four 20  mm Hispano Mk III cannons in the lower fuselage and six  .303 in. Browning machine guns in the wings.  Due to the location of the landing light, the machines guns were situated with four in the starboard wing and two in the port.  Using a two-man crew, the Beaufighter placed the pilot forward while a navigator/radar operator sat further aft.  Construction of a prototype commenced by using parts from an unfinished Beaufort.  Though it was expected that the prototype could be built quickly, the necessary redesign of the forward fuselage led to delays.  As a result, the first Beaufighter flew on July 17, 1939. Production Pleased with the initial design, the Air Ministry ordered 300 Beaufighters two weeks before the prototypes maiden flight.  Though a bit heavy and slower than hoped, the design was available for production when Britain entered World War II that September.  With the beginning of hostilities, orders for the Beaufighter increased, which led to a shortage of Hercules engines.  As a result, experiments began in February 1940 to equip the aircraft with the Rolls-Royce Merlin.  This proved successful and the techniques employed were used when the Merlin was installed on the Avro Lancaster.  During the course of the war, 5,928 Beaufighters were constructed at plants in Britain and Australia. During its production run, the Beaufighter moved through numerous marks and variants.  These generally saw alterations to the types power plant, armament, and equipment.  Of these, the TF Mark X proved the most numerous at 2,231 built.  Equipped to carry torpedoes in addition to its regular armament, the TF Mk X earned the nickname Torbeau and was also capable of carrying RP-3 rockets.  Other marks were specially-equipped for night fighting or ground attack. Operational History  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Entering service September 1940, the Beaufighter quickly became the Royal Air Forces most effective night fighter.  Though not intended for this role, its arrival coincided with the development of airborne interception radar sets.  Mounted in the Beaufighters large fuselage, this equipment allowed the aircraft to provide a solid defense against German night bombing raids in 1941.  Like the German Messerschmitt Bf 110, the Beaufighter unintentionally remained in the night fighter role for much of the war and was used by both the RAF and US Army Air Forces.  In the RAF, it was later replaced by radar-equipped De Havilland Mosquitoes while the USAAF later supplanted Beaufighter night fighters with the Northrop P-61 Black Widow. Used in all theaters by Allied forces, the Beaufighter quickly proved adept at conducting low-level strike and anti-shipping missions.  As a result, it was widely employed by Coastal Command to attack German and Italian shipping.  Working in concert, Beaufighters would strafe enemy ships with their cannons and guns to suppress anti-aircraft fire while torpedo-equipped aircraft would strike from low altitude.  The aircraft fulfilled a similar role in the Pacific and, while operating in conjunction with American A-20 Bostons and B-25 Mitchells, played a key role in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in March 1943.  Renowned for its ruggedness and reliability, the Beaufighter remained in use by Allied forces through the end of the war. Retained after the conflict, some RAF Beaufighters saw brief service in the Greek Civil War in 1946 while many were converted for use as target tugs.  The last aircraft left RAF service in 1960.  During the course of its career, the Beaufighter flew in the air forces of numerous countries including Australia, Canada, Israel, Dominican Republic, Norway, Portugal, and South Africa.

Vladimir Zworykin, Father of the Television

Vladimir Zworykin, Father of the Television Vladimir Zworykin (July 30, 1889–July 29, 1982) is often called the father of television, but he never accepted that, stating that he shared credit with many others such as David Sarnoff. Among his 120 patents are two instruments that were critical to the development of television: the iconoscope camera tube and the kinescope picture tube.   Fast Facts: Vladimir Zworykin Known For: Called the Father of Television for his work on the iconoscope camera tube and the kinescope picture tubeBorn: July 30, 1889 in Murom, Russia.Parents: Kosma A. and Elana ZworykinDied: July 29, 1982 in Princeton, New JerseyEducation:  Petrograd Institute of Technology (electrical engineering, 1912), Ph.D, University of Pittsburg 1926Published Works: More than 100 technical papers, five books, 120 patentsAwards: 29 awards, including the National Medal of Science in 1966Spouse(s): Tatania Vasilieff (1916–1951), Katherine Polevitsky (1951–1982)Children: Elaine and Nina, with his first wifeNotable Quote: I hate what theyve done to my child†¦I would never let my own children watch it. (on his feelings about television) Early Life Vladimir Kosma Zworykin was born on July 30, 1889, the youngest of surviving seven (from the original 12) children of Kosma A. and Elana Zworykin of Murom, Russia. The well-to-do merchant family was dependent on Kosmas role as the owner of a wholesale grain business and a successful steamship line. In 1910, Vladimir entered the St. Petersburg Institute of Technology, where he studied electrical engineering under Boris Rosing and saw his first television. Rosing, a professor in charge of laboratory projects, tutored Zworykin and introduced his student to experiments of transmitting pictures by wire. Together they experimented with a very early cathode-ray tube, developed in Germany by Karl Ferdinand Braun. Rosing and Zworykin exhibited a television system in 1910 using a mechanical scanner in the transmitter and the electronic Braun tube in the receiver. After graduating in 1912, Zworykin entered the College de France in Paris, studying x-rays under Paul Langevin, but the studies were interrupted in 1914 with the outbreak of World War I. He then returned to Russia and worked as an officer with the Russian Signal Corps.   Leaving Russia Zworkyin married Tatania Vasilieff on April 17, 1916, and they eventually had two daughters, Nina Zworykin (born 1920) and Elaine Zworykin Knudsen (born 1924). When the Bolshevik Revolution broke out in 1917, Zworykin was working at the Russian Marconi company. Rosing disappeared in the chaos, the Zworykin family home in Murom was seized by revolutionary forces, and Zworykin and his wife fled Russia, making two trips around the world before settling down in the United States in 1919.  He briefly worked as a bookkeeper in the Russian Embassy before joining Westinghouse at East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1920. Westinghouse At Westinghouse, he worked on a number of projects from gunnery controls to electronically controlled missiles and automobiles, but his most important were the kinescope picture tube (the cathode-ray tube) in 1923 and then the iconoscope camera tube, a tube for television transmission used in the first cameras in 1924. Zworykin was one of the first to demonstrate a television system with all the features of modern picture tubes. He became a U.S. citizen in 1924, and in 1926 he obtained a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh with a dissertation on a method of greatly improving the sensitization of photocells. On November 18, 1929, at a convention of radio engineers, Zworykin demonstrated a television receiver containing his kinescope and obtained his first patent associated with color television. Radio Corporation of America In 1929, Zworykin was transferred by Westinghouse to work for the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) in Camden, New Jersey, as the new director of the Electronic Research Laboratory and at the invitation of RCAs president, David Sarnoff, a fellow Russian emigre. RCA owned most of Westinghouse at that time and had just bought the C.F. Jenkins Television Company, makers of mechanical television systems, in order to receive their patents. Zworykin made improvements to his iconoscope, and RCA funded his research to the tune of $150,000. The further improvements allegedly used an imaging section which was similar to Philo Farnsworths patented dissector. Patent litigation forced RCA to start paying Farnsworth royalties. 1930s and 1940s By the mid-1930s, Zworykin worked on his own projects and provided leadership for an extensive number of young scientists. He became intrigued by early work on the electron microscope, and he set up a lab and hired Canadian James Hillier, who had built a prototype as a graduate student, to develop one for RCA. During World War II, Zworykin had input into airborne television that was used to guide radio-controlled torpedoes and a device that helped blind people read. His laboratories were tapped to work on stored-program technology for the early computers, and he explored- but didnt have much success with- self-driven cars. In 1947, Sarnoff promoted Zworykin to vice president and technical consultant to the RCA laboratories. Death and Legacy In 1951, Zworykins wife Tatania Vasilieff, from whom he had been separated for better than a decade, divorced him, and he married long-time friend Katherine Polevitsky. He was forced to retire at 65 from RCA in 1954 but continued supporting and developing research, serving as director of the Medical Electronics Center at the Rockefeller Institute in New York. In his lifetime, Zworykin authored more than 100 technical papers, wrote five books, and received 29 awards. Among them was the National Medal of Science- the highest scientific honor in the United States- which President Lyndon Johnson presented to Zworykin in 1966 â€Å"for major contributions to the instruments of science, engineering, and television, and for his stimulation of the applications of engineering to medicine.† In retirement, he was a founder and the first president of the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering; he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1977. Vladimir Zworykin died on July 29, 1982, one day shy of his 93rd birthday, at the Princeton (New Jersey) Medical Center. Sources Abramson, Albert. Vladimir Zworykin, Pioneer of Television. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1995.Froehlich, Fritz E. and Allen Kent. Vladimir Kosma Zworykin. The Froehlich/Kent Encyclopedia of Telecommunications (Volume 18), p 259–266. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc., 1990.Magill, Frank N. (ed.). Vladimir Zworykin. The 20th Century O–Z (Volume IX) Dictionary of World Biography. London: Routledge, 1999.Thomas, Robert McG. Jr. Vladimir Zworykin, Television Pioneer, Dies at 92. The New York Times, August 1, 1982.Rajchman, Jan. Vladimir Kosma Zworykin, July 30, 1889- July 29, 1982. National Academy of Sciences Biographical Memoirs 88:369–398 (2006).

MANAGING IN A MIXED ECONOMY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

MANAGING IN A MIXED ECONOMY - Essay Example In today’s mixed economy, governments belonging to diverse nations have been dealing with private organisations through PPP as it provides three major facilities. First, PPP is quite efficient in assisting government to react with increasing demand of infrastructure based services. The second facility is that PPP assists government to exploit the public resources that would be utilised for making infrastructure development, hence shifting the liability of capital outlay to the private segment. PPP permits government to allocate resources for other admirable improvement related expenditures. And the third facility is that PPP supports government in terms of effective supply of services. The corporate pattern of private segment provides improved effectiveness and also offers higher returns on investment in comparison to government possession. The root of so called PPP is considered to be originated from the United States and the United Kingdom correspondingly. Denationalisation of public services and deregulation are few key aspects which has characterised the new era of management reorganisation and restructure of governmental activities (Bovaird & Loffler, 2009). With respect to PPP, the UK is considered as the leader. UK has first presented large scale PPPs in the economy. From the years 1987 to 2004, the government of the UK has contracted about 677 PPPs that valued nearly about  £43 billion. ?43 billion. The amount of PPPs in the UK has increased considerably from the year 2000 due to increased pressure from the citizens to provide as well as to develop essential infrastructures for them (McQuaid & Scherrer, 2008). PPP is the tag for standard modification in public management which is applied mainly for innovative improvements. PPP has its derivation from established business administration concept which is overwhe lming the incompetent distribution of resources in public authorities and delivery of public services. Public establishments are found to suffer from several economic disasters because of inherent faults in functional and operational management. PPP therefore attempts to gain substantial profit from the improvement of public segments by a greater level (Richards & Smith, 2002). It has been apparently observed that the governments belonging to dissimilar nations established PPP in order to encourage privatisation and support private entrepreneurs. However, it is worth mentioning that PPP is basically regarded as a set of institutional association between government and several actors of private segment. PPP is viewed to be neither an improvement strategy nor an unattached collaboration between different representatives; rather it is continuing set of dealings to accomplish certain predetermined objectives (McCartney & Stittle, 2008). The government of the UK believes PPP as a variety of business structures and partnership arrangements. The government of the UK has developed three major types of PPP which are proprietorship, endowment of services and sales of public services. Furthermore, PPP has corresponding role in allowing organisations to provide mutual basis between public and private segment in order to encou

Teen Gang Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Teen Gang Violence - Essay Example After months of this daily grind in a hot, inhospitable place, the Grants head back to Princeton to interpret the data." (12-14). Weiner describes Endler's work: "What the Grants are to Darwin's finches, Endler is to guppies. His guppies live in northeastern South America, in the small streams that zigzag down the mountains of Venezuela, Margarita Island, Trinidad, and Tobago, flashing through steep, undisturbed green forests and then the broad spreads of the old cacao and coffee plantations, on their way to the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic".(12) Weiner discusses the guppies: "When Endler analyzed his guppy surveys, he discovered a pattern. The spots on each guppy look chaotic, but the spots of all the populations of guppies in a stream, taken together, from the headwaters down to the base, have a kind of order. The spots on each population of guppies bear a simple relationship to the number of guppy eaters in their part of the stream. The more numerous the guppies' enemies were, the smaller and fainter the guppies' spots. The fewer their enemies, the larger and brighter their spots were" (13). As Endler shows, environments influences characteristics, the same can be seen in human environments. The guppies are basically shaped by their environment. The environment has a strong impact on the youth and guppies. The prevalence of youth gangs in a place will most likely increase the number of youth who are involved in gang activities. Similarly, the presence of guppies in a place gives way to a community of guppies that are present there.In the United States alone, almost 5,000 communities report having juvenile gangs (Moore and Terrett, 6). These communities have a total of 31,000 juvenile gangs with a membership of around 850,000 young people. These numbers shows that juvenile gangs are present on local communities throughout the United States (Moore and Terrett, 6). Similarly, guppies tend to stay together in a particular stream. Endler studied the streams which are natural laboratories for the study of natural selection of guppies. Weiner writes further "Endler developed s tandardized methods of identifying the guppies and measuring guppy spots. His method of study is as careful Grants' methods with Darwin's finches. He learned to anesthetize and photograph each guppy he caught. Then from the photographs he recorded the color and position of each spot of every male guppy, dividing each guppy into dozens of sectors to make a standardized guppy map that is easy to read, to tally, and to enter into a computer." (14-15). There are factors that affect the presence of gangs and guppies. In the case of guppies, Weiner cites that "Endler found guppies and at least a few of their enemies in almost every section of almost every stream, from the headwaters near the summit of each mountain to the plains and plantations below. Neither the guppies nor the guppy eaters can swim up a waterfall, nor the population of each section of stream tend to stay put" (16).There are predisposing factors for youth gangs. "Poverty and marginalization" are major factors that signal the presence of youth gangs in a community (Duffy and Gilig, 25). Duffy and Gilig explain that marginalization is a term that refers to the state of