And ock 'n' oll. Quite distant from the sounds of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and other groups that are firmly a part of the ock 'n' oll from the era, there is nonetheless a certain rhythm and feel to this song that makes it a peripheral form of ock 'n' oll, and of the more popular songs of the style and the era (Eder 2011). It is also somewhat unusual in its message, not simply because it reflects on a rather laid back and relaxed position rather than a specific event, emotion, interest, etc. -- other songs have accomplished this feat as well -- but because of the particular angle from which this position is presented.

The idea of just kicking back and relaxing has been the subject of many different songs, and at first listen The Drifters' hit doesn't seem to be much different. In "Up on the oof,"…

References

Eder, B. (2011). The Drifters. Accessed 11 August 2011.  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-drifters-p4136/biography 

Goffin, G. & King, C. (1963). Up on the Roof. Accessed 11 August 2011.  http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/t/the_drifters/up_on_the_roof.html 

Lindinger, M. (2010). American Society in the '50s and '60s. Accessed 11 August 2011.  http://sites.google.com/site/mrslindinger/Home/american-studies-ii-2/unit-vii-the-50s-and-60s

Hendrix's most powerful performance against the war occurred during the closing day of Woodstock in 1969 in which his rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" featured "screaming rockets and exploding bomb guitar effects and sounded like a heaving, wounded monster about to die."

It is speculated that much of the disillusionment about the war was grounded in the tangible aspects of the soldiers' environment in Vietnam, and the popularity of protest songs were a reflection of the hopes, fears, and experiences of those soldiers.

Others argued that protest songs were demoralizing; Les Claypool found that they were "a source of oppositional ideology, songs like the Animals' 'We Gotta Get Out of This Place,' may have contributed to the demoralization of some of the troops in Vietnam."

Soldiers had access to radio broadcasts, tape recorders, and stereos that received transmissions from Radio Hanoi, and other underground radio stations that were run…

David P. Szatmary, Rocking in Time: A Social History of Rock-and-Roll. 4th Ed. (Upper Saddle Creek: Prentice Hall, 2000), 187.

Kevin Hillstrom and Laurie Collier Hillstrom, the Vietnam Experience: A Concise Encyclopedia of American Literature, Songs, and Films. (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1998), 294.

Ibid.

Reeve's telling of the Egyptian story was part of an orientalizing trend at the time, with Arabian stories in vogue and seen as both exotic and moralistic in the romantic vein at one and the same time.

Charoba was a character representing the exotic world of Arabia and also depicting a strong woman besieged by an invading army under King Gebirus.

In the Landor version of the tale, some of the same elements may have served to appeal to his readers and to suggest a more romantic structure than the poem actually has. The poetry is seen by many critics as relatively severe, though they also see it as a masterpiece. Landor explained his approach in a postscript when he wrote, have avoided high-sounding words. I have attempted to throw back the gross materials, and to bring the figures forward. I knew that people would cry out "your burden was…

Works Cited

Landor, Walter Savage. Gebir. Oxford: Woodstock Books, 1993.

Reeve, Clara. "The Progress of Romance." In Bluestocking Feminism: The Writings of the Bluestocking Circle, 1738-1785, Volume 6, Sarah Scott and Clara Reeve (eds.)..London: Pickering and Chatto, 1999.

Crimonology

How do people react in a crowd?

In the first instance, differences must be made between the various faces of the 'crowd' and operational definitions must be arrived at. As Intro to ociology defines it:

Crowds are large numbers of people in the same space at the same time. (http://freebooks.uvu.edu/OC1010/index.php/ch19-collective-behaviors.html)

The 'crowd' itself is divided into various characteristics. There is, for instance, the Conventional Crowd which a crowd that gathers for a typical event that is more routine in nature. Then you have the Expressive Crowd that gathers to express an emotion (e.g. Woodstock; the Million Man March; or the 9-11 Memorial ervices). And finally you have olidaristic Crowds that gather as an act of social unity (e.g., Breast Cancer awareness conventions). All of these are non-violent and mostly predicable in their outcome.

Other categories of crowds are the emotionally charged so-called 'Acting crowds' that have a goal or…

Sources

McPhail, C. (1991). The myth of the madding crowd. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.

Le Bon, Gustave (1895) Psychology of Crowds. [Improved edition www.sparklingbooks.com.]

Mackay, Charles (1841). Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds. Wordsworth Editions

PsyBlock.com 7 Myths of Crowd Psychology

Diversity -- with the exception of homophobia -- was beginning to be commonly accepted and praised. Technology -- such as the use of DNA in criminology and the introduction of the PC -- was becoming more prominent in the lives of everyday Americans. In the Cold War, President Gorbachev asked for openness and economic freedom, while President eagan asked him to tear down the Berlin Wall, which he did. However, the discovery of AIDS had a far more profound impact on the American people than any of these events. In 1981, the first case of AIDS was reported in the United Kingdom, and this eventually caused quite a crisis in the U.S., as it was first noticed among gay men, and then in women and children as well. People became scared because they were not sure what was causing the disease. esearch continued throughout the 1980s, but the fear caused…

References

Dove, R. (1999). Heroes & Icons: Rosa Parks. Retrieved August 12, 2009, from Time:

 http://www.time.com/time/time100/heroes/profile/parks01.html 

"Fascinating facts about the invention of the Internet by Vinton Cerf in 1973." (2007,

May 30). Retrieved August 12, 2009, from the Great Idea Finder: http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/internet.htm

However, when I visited Big Thicket National Preserve, I got an entirely different view of Texas, which actually seems to capture the essence of the state. Driving through Texas, I learned that it is an incredibly biologically diverse land, and nowhere is this biological diversity more evident than in the Big Thicket. t the park I learned that the Big Thicket has an extremely unusual level of biological diversity, and actually represents almost all of the major North merican geography types including swamps, forests, deserts, and plains. I was lucky enough to see some of the alligators that populate the park, but which are rarely seen by people. I also met some "hunters" who were at the preserve hoping to photograph some of the rarer wildlife in the park: black panthers. The problem is that the panther population is not large, and they are not seen reliably at any set…

A also did things in Salt Lake City that would have been difficult to do in any other city. For example, I visited the Family History Library, which is the largest library of its type. I was able to look up some of my family history and was pleased to see that admission was free. I also went to visit the Great Salt Lake, which, as its name implies, is filled with salt water. In fact, it is much more saline than the average ocean. What I was surprised to find out is that there are no fish in the lake. The lake does contain a number of shrimp and supports large populations of birds, including migratory bird populations. I was also surprised to learn that companies actually extract salt from the lake for use as table salt.  http://www.visitsaltlake.com/visitor_info/photo_video_tours.html 

After visiting Salt Lake City, I traveled to San Francisco. Of all of the places I traveled, San Francisco was probably the touristiest city, and I was actually familiar with some of its more famous landmarks. In fact, I was so anxious to see these famous landmarks that I restricted my visit to viewing them. I began in the historic Market Street area, where I visited the Financial District and Union Square. I left my car and used the famed San Francisco cable cars to travel up and down some of the city's 50 famous hills, most notably Nob Hill. I could not resist a trip down Lombard Street, more commonly known as the crookedest street in the United States. Walking down the street's sharp grade, I came to understand why they chose to place such severe winds in the street. While in the area, I visited Fisherman's Wharf. I ate some delicious seafood and was surprised to discover that Fisherman's Wharf is actually part of a currently working commercial dock area.

After leaving the Market Street area, I went to see some of the other famous San Francisco landmarks. My first stop was the Golden Gate Bridge. Once the longest suspension bridge in the United States, it has been surpassed in length, but remains symbolic of San Francisco. Until seeing the bridge in person, I did not realize that I could see the Pacific Ocean from the bridge. It offered a truly amazing view of the Golden Gate, which is the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. My next stop was the Transamerica Pyramid, the tallest skyscraper in the San Francisco area. The Transamerica Pyramid is not really noteworthy for its height, but for its very unusual shape; it is shaped like an extremely tall and skinny pyramid, with a spire-like protrusion on the top. I also went to visit San Francisco's Chinatown, which may be the most famous China town in all of America. I was surprised to find it in some disrepair and also by the sheer number of tourists in the area. I ended my visit to San Francisco with a trip to Alcatraz Island. I took a ferry from Pier 33 to the island and toured the old prison facility. I found myself acutely aware of the island's extreme isolation. However, the island has been used as a national park for quite some time, and I was surprised to find beautiful gardens and some wonderful natural features on the island. One of the more interesting people I met on my tour of Alcatraz was a person who said that her grandfather had been incarcerated on the island, who said she was touring it in order to understand his experience. There were inconsistencies in the woman's story, which makes me wonder whether or not she was telling the truth. Her story, whether fact or fiction, was extremely compelling.  http://www.nps.gov/archive/alcatraz/index.htm

Crosby, Stills, and Nash (CS&N) concert I attended. Both my parents were big fans of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and when Neil Young went his own way the trio that was left continued making music in concert, touring, and writing songs. So since I had been hearing CS&N's music for much of my life as an adolescent and young adult in college, I was interested in hearing the classic rock group live.

What was the makeup of the ensemble (singers)?

Crosby, Stills & Nash had a high-quality group of session musicians on the stage helping them bring a full, classic rock sound to the audience. Todd Caldwell played the organ; Shane Fontayne played lead guitar; Steve DiStanislao was on drums; Kevin McCormick played bass guitar; and James Raymond, who is David Crosby's son, played the keyboards for the group.

What was the style of music they played? What were…

The hippies also protested other forms of social and political injustice, such as communities tearing down buildings or removing parks and open space for development, and in modern innovations that resulted in harming the environment, such as smog and industrial pollution. Again, they brought attention to what was happening in cities and countries around the world, and the governments that were engaging in these practices. They planted flowers in vacant lots, urged people to love one another, and generally seemed to hate Richard Nixon and all the politics he stood for, from continuing the Vietnam War to hiding evidence he was behind the Watergate Burglaries. They wanted to be anything but mainstream and conservative, and so they dressed outrageously, lived outrageously, and fought for what they believed in.

The music and protests of the hippy era carried over long after most of the hippies themselves disappeared. Thirty years after Woodstock…

Therefore, the "day the music died" was the day music and politics became fused. The Vietnam War, the Kennedy assassination, the Civil Rights movement, and other historical events also evoke imagery associated with death. "The day the music died" also marked the day merica's Golden ge died too. During the 1960s music became associated with sex, drugs, and violence: in stark contrast to the childlike "doo-wop" days of the 1950s.

McLean weaves in references to British groups the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to show how the British invasion altered the landscape of merican music. In addition to using musical references, McLean also writes about merican popular culture through film stars like James Dean, who also died tragically and whose iconic career embodies the central themes of "merican Pie." Like Buddy Holly and Richie Valens, James Dean was also a 1950s icon. His death also marked the "day the music…

American Pie" progresses chronologically from the "day the music died" until the late 1960s. In verse five, McLean mentions the Woodstock festival in 1969 and refers to "a generation lost in space." McLean also mentions Satan and the Devil to underscore his view that the 1960s was a time of debauch. The songwriter views the 1960s as being a generation "lost" to drugs. Music concerts and public events became spectacles and often erupted into violent protests. For instance, McLean refers to a concert the Rolling Stones played at, during which the Hell's Angels motorcycle gang overstepped their authority as chief security officers. McLean likens the event to a "sacrificial rite." Therefore, the songwriter describes the changes in American culture in Biblical terms, continuing to use imagery relating to death.

The title of the song is itself conveys the semiotics embedded in "American Pie." Pie is one of the only foods considered quintessentially American. The reference evokes mom's apple pie, an image of idyllic domesticity in the suburbs, of traditional gender roles, of sweetness, family, and the American Dream. The "day the music died" was the day that American woke up from its Dream. Gender roles were shifting rapidly so that women were no longer geared to be housewives. American culture seemed to be coming apart at the seams. The happy-go-lucky energy of the 1950s, captured in the songs of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper, had died when those musicians perished in a plane crash. Those were the "good old boys" McLean refers to in the central refrain of the song. Likewise, when McLean writes about driving his "Chevy to the levee," he also uses another icon of American culture: the Chevrolet automobile.

During the 1960s a wave of events took place that would forever alter the character of the American Dream and of the American consciousness. The Vietnam War was by far the most significant, giving rise to a youth culture to a degree that had never before existed. Prior to the 1960s youth culture was a silent voice on the cultural landscape. Artists like James Dean were among the first to reveal the power of youth culture in America. His death, referred to in the third verse of "American Pie," is akin to the deaths of the three musicians mentioned at the beginning of the song. Youth culture became rebellious and highly political. Activism was a new trend that led to disturbing protest movements that were often mingled with musical concerts like Woodstock. The Kennedy assassination also signified the "day the music died," as did the infusion of radical politics into popular music. McLean mentions Marx in verse three to refer to the wholesale shifts in American lifestyle and culture.

ather than functioning solely as a sporting event, the '84 Summer Games delivered a broader scope of entertainment never before seen or attempted. The event encompassed entertainment not only in the form of sporting competition, but also in music and arts (Masterman, 2004). It is now understood that special events possess a powerful role in the society.

2012 Olympic closing ceremony will be a mega event as it will have a large effect on the entire economy of the UK. The event is going to get huge media coverage that is why it is important to adopt right marketing strategy for this event.

Issues of human resource management

Human resource management is vey important aspect of this grand event. The better evetn mangers and event management organizations understand the labor force and employs hired for the event the better resources can be allocated to effective recruitment and retaining strategies.

Workers…

References

Hoy, W., & Miskel, C.1982. Educational administration: Theory, research, and practice. NEw York: Random House.

Masterman, G.2004. In Lashley C.(Ed), Strategic sports event management: An international approach. Great Britian: Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann.

McDonnell, I., Allen, J., & O'Toole, W.1999. Festivals and special event management. Singapore: John Wiley & Sons Australia

National Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating. 2004. Ottawa: Stastics Canada

On the other hand, hittaker Chambers was "a contributing editor of Time (...) from 1925 to April 1938, (he) had been a Communist, a writer of radical literature, an editor of the Communist Daily orker. He had also been what was then vaguely known as a Communist courier."

The major starting point of the case was Chambers' disappointment with the communist doctrine and the dual attitude Stalin had when signing the 1939 pact with the Nazi leadership. Therefore, according to Time Magazine, he "abandoned the party in revulsion and despair, and became a determined enemy of Communism." Consequently, outraged by the dramatic turn that the soviet politics had taken, he began expressing his views on the collaborators of the soviet regime in the U.S. It is in this way that Chambers contacted Berle, who, after the discussion he had with the former communist partisan, wrote in his notes from September…

Works Cited

Abrahamsen, David. Nixon vs. Nixon: An Emotional Tragedy. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1976

Adolf Berle's Notes on his Meeting with Whittaker Chambers. Responses, reflections, and occasional papers. Avaliable on Internet,  http://www.johnearlhaynes.org/page100.html#_ftnref3 . Accessed 15 October 2006

Crowell, William P. Remembrances of Venona. Available from Internet, http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/text/coldwar/venona-crowell.html. Accessed 15 October 2006

Excerpts from Grand Jury Hearings Relating to the Alger Hiss Case December, 1948. Available from Internet, http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hiss/hissgrandjury.html. Accessed 15 October 2006.

This book, written from a scholarly viewpoint by professors of religion, looks at the dynamics of seven major religious traditions and how those traditions are adapting to the world of globalization.

Rifkin, I. Spiritual Perspectives on Globalization: Making Sense of Economic and Cultural Upheaval. Woodstock, VT: Skylight Paths Publishing. Print.

For author, speaker and journalist Ira Rifkin, globalization is changing how humans live at a very rapid, and sometimes unpredictable, rate. Some of this change revolves around the shift in values from individual cultures and the anger and uncomfortability humans are left with when faced with change. The book, written in lay terms without undue citations, examines Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Baha'i, tribal religions and Protestantism to explain how each view the economic, social and religious aspects of globalism. The major point focuses on how the social constructs that tend to arise out of spirituality can not only enhance…

Higher Ed Course

Course Design: 20th Century History and Popular Music

Course Description:

For many students, popular music is scene as being disposable and readily replaceable. The nature of the modern media cycle means that much of what dominates the sphere of popular music is inherently designed to achieve vast commercial appeal with a short shelf-life. However, there are also ways in which popular music has figured critically into moments in history. This is the premise that underscores the proposed higher education course, which would be couched within the broader discipline of History.

The proposed course is intended to draw parallels between important moments in history and the way that the culture of popular music connected to these moments or in some powerful instances such as the British Invasion, oodstock and the Hip Hop movement, even came to define some of these important historical moments. Using different eras in history…

Works Cited:

Hiebert, J. & Morris, A.K. (2012). Teaching, Rather Than Teachers, As a Path Toward Improving Classroom Instruction. Journal of Teacher Education, 63(2), 92-102.

Hurtado, S.; Milem, J.; Clayton-Pederson, A. & Allen, W. (1999). Enacting Diverse Learning Environments: Improving the Climate for Racial/Ethnic Diversity in Higher Education. ERIC Digest.

Shaw, K. (2012). Leadership Through Instructional Design in Higher Education. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12(3).

ene Magritte

Biographical Introduction to ene Magritte

ene Magritte was born in Lessines, Belgium, in 1898. He was 14 years old when his mother committed suicide, a "horrific experience" (Gohr, 2000), "though it also had the effect of attracting attention for 'the son of suicide', as [ene Magritte] was known to the people of Chatelet, the small town where the family lived at the time." egina Magritte had made a number of attempts to kill herself - but had not succeeded until a night in February, 1912, when she disappeared from her home (albeit her husband had been keeping her locked in the house). She was found drowned seventeen days later.

ene enrolled in high school in 1913, leaving in 1916 to attend Academie des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, according to Gohr's biographical information on Magritte. During WWI, ene formed close alliances with writers, artists, intellectuals and musicians in Brussels, and…

References

Brown, Edgar. "Rene Magritte: A Gallery of the Surreal." Virginia Tech English

Department. Found online:

http://ebbs.english.vt.edu/hthl/etuds/brown/brown.html.

Gohr, Siegfried. Magritte. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2000.

Personal Introduction and Research Interests

My background is certainly not unique or even rare, at least for many South Africans. When I was born, apartheid was still the law of the land in South Africa and I was classified as "colored" (i.e., neither white nor black) and commonly referred to as "hotnots" (i.e., bastards). As a result, our family was forced to first live in a tiny apartment on the outskirts of Cape Town called Woodstock, or more commonly the "mixed slums." When Woodstock became overcrowded, our family was forcibly relocated to the desert-like Cape Flats, 25 miles further from Cape Town. Because these actions were sanctioned by the government and were therefore "legal," I simply accepted what was happening as a part of the natural course of things. Over time, however, these and other racially motivated incidents during this formative period in my life convinced me that the status…

The fight itself was beautifully orchestrated by Ali through the study of Foreman's technique, movement, strength, and weaknesses. hile preparing for the fight, Ali focused training on his weaknesses, and on Foreman's strengths as a fighter. Ali also took advantage of the public's support and encouragement and used it to build up his esteem, mentally and amongst the African peoples. Foreman, on the other hand, stayed out of the public eye and was reluctant to take part of the cheering for or against his opponent. Foreman was rather laconic during his stay, saying little and staying out of the spotlight. Ali took advantage of the publicity that the fight was receiving and was constantly in front of the camera, whether he was boasting his great skill, advocating his political views, or trying to psych Foreman out. Ali boasts include his great ability to be able to manipulate Foreman's actions stating,…

Works Cited

D'Silva, Roy. "History of Boxing." Buzzle.com. 2011. Web. 3 February 2011.

Gast, Leon. When We Were Kings. Gramercy Pictures, 1996. Film.

Graham, Gordon. Philosophy of the Arts: An Introduction to Aesthetics. New York:

Routledge, 2005. Print.

However, it is already clear that the music industry had been irrevocably changed as the revenue potential shifts from traditional sources to those corresponding to the way music is typically enjoyed and shared by youthful consumers today (Halbert & Ingulli, 2007).

Conclusion

egardless of the many ways that modern technology and societies have changed the way music is produced, in many respects, music still provides many of the same functions as it always has. Music continues to be featured prominently in cultural and religious expression and it continues to be an important part of adolescent development and self-expression. Ultimately, music will likely always continue to change in superficial ways and in the manner in which it is produced and disseminated, but in its most fundamental character, it remains unchanged in it significance to human society and culture..

eferences

Brownlee S. "Baby Talk" U.S. News & World eport; June 15, 1998:48-55.…

References

Brownlee S. "Baby Talk" U.S. News & World Report; June 15, 1998:48-55.

Dennet D. (1997). Consciousness Explained. New York: Little Brown & Co.

Gerrig R. And Zimbardo P. (2008). Psychology and Life. Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Pearson.

By implementing almost the same strategy for half a century the brand is emphasizing continuity.

Another trait that the marketing campaign around Jack Daniel's is trying to emphasize consists in returning to the roots, relating to the beginning of the brand. This also shows strength and trust in the brand.

The company's marketing department understands that if anything were to change regarding the Jack Daniel's brand, it would mean that the company itself does not trust the product has the capability to handle the changes in the alcoholic beverages worldwide market.

ven so, this strategy is understood in different manners by consumers belonging to different countries, and therefore, to different cultures. In Britain, customers appreciate the small-town story, less touched by industrialization and globalization. In China and India, however, younger customers do not appreciate these images because they do not represent an evolution for them.

ven so, the marketing strategy…

Even so, the marketing strategy in these countries has not been modified, given the fact that the company believes the customers will relate more to the idea behind the strategy. The figures, the profits, and the volumes of sales are a proof of the fact that such a strategy based on continuity, simplicity, and tradition is successful in most countries. It is likely that the company will continue to market Jack Daniel's under the same strategy in the future. The forecasted volume of sales is expected to increase in some of the countries addressed by Jack Daniel's, which means that the company can continue following the same marketing direction.

Reference list:

1. Robinson, J. (2007). Jack Daniel's International Appeal. BusinessWeek. Retrieved May 30, 2009.

According to prisoners who job it was to remove the bodies and transport them to the crematoria afterwards, the screams started as soon as the pellets were deposited into the hole. They recount that the victims were usually arranged into a massive pyramid shape with the strongest and most desperate individuals near the top. Often, the walls would have to be cleaned in between uses to remove the blood left by fingers scraped bloody by people trying, in vain, to claw their way out of the rooms (Levin, 1993).

At the death camps, the strongest prisoners were used to perform the most disgusting work of removing dead bodies and operating the crematoria; this was their only alternative to being gassed or shot themselves. Camps without crematoria used large open burning pits similar to the execution pits employed before widespread use of gas chambers. Sometimes, a prisoner on such work details…

References

Guttenplan, D. (2001). The Holocaust on Trial. New York: W.W. Norton.

Kershaw, I. (2000). Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis. New York: W.W. Norton.

Levin, N. (1993). The Holocaust: The Destruction of European Jewry 1933-

1945. New York: Schocken Books.

It was necessary for the returning men to feel that they were coming home to resume their pre-war social roles. Roles that were governed by the rules of a patriarchal society that had changed by way of the roles women assumed in American society while men were away at war. omen became the decision makers, the bread winners, and the family mangers in a way that is portrayed as the exact opposite by June Cleaver's role in her family's life. The need of men prevailed over the reality of women lives, and women were depicted as weak, needy, clingy, and unable to make sound decisions. Instead, John ayne, the handsome and larger than life film figure of a man was there as a rock, the man who actually dictated the role of the women as one of being needy, clingy, and unable to survive without the stronger male counterpart.

Some…

Works Cited

 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=104323672 

Douglas, William. Television Families: Is Something Wrong in Suburbia?. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003. Questia. 12 Oct. 2008  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=104323675 .

A www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=90426111

Gregory, James N. American Exodus the Dust Bowl Migration and Okie Culture in California. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. Questia. 12 Oct. 2008  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=90426113 .

As Margaret Atwood points out, Americans have as much to be ashamed of as to be proud of.

When Barbara Kingsolver claims "The values we fought for and won there are best understood, I think, by oil companies," she refers to the way the American flag has been distorted. The issues the flag symbolizes, such as freedom and liberty, are myths for many people. As Kingsolver points out, the American flag has been used to justify many evils including wars like Vietnam and Iraq. Instead of delivering true freedom, liberty, and democracy, the American flag really brought economic dependence. Instead of associating the American flag with negativity, death, and intimidation, Kingsolver suggests that Americans reclaim it. The red stripes do not need to symbolize war. They can also symbolize "blood donated to the ed Cross."

The American flag is a flexible symbol that is often used in ways that manipulate…

References

Atwood, Margaret. "A Letter to America." Published on Friday, April 4, 2003 by the International Herald Tribune. Retrieved July 29, 2008 at  http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0404-07.htm 

Kingsolver, Barbara. "And Our Flag Was Still There." Published on Tuesday, September 25, 2001 in the San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from Common Dreams at  http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0925-08.htm 

Streufert, Duane. "Evolution of the United States Flag." Evolution of the United States Flag. Retrieved July 29, 2008 at  http://www.usflag.org/history/flagevolution.html

Drug use patterns changed from soft and psychedelic drugs like cannabis and mushrooms to harder drugs like barbiturate pills and heroin. The focus on the hippie movement also dissolved. hat started as a relatively cohesive challenge to commercialism and corruption ended up being a fragmented array of debauch. The death of celebrity musicians like Jimi Hendrix and Janice Joplin triggered the end of the hippie heyday. In spite of its excesses, though, the hippie movement transformed American social values especially among youth culture.

orks Cited

Binkley, Sam. "Hippies." St. James Encyclopedia. 2002. Retrieved Nov 14, 207 at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_tov/ai_2419100587

CBC. "Hippie Society: The Youth Rebellion." 2006. Retrieved Nov 14, 2007 at http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-69-580/life_society/hippies/

Erowid. "Hippies." 1996. Retrieved Nov 14, 2007 at http://www.erowid.org/culture/hippies/

Sayre, James K. "Late 60s and Early 70s anti-Vietnam war protests, social and political background notes and a short discussion of some of the best rock 'n roll music of…

Works Cited

Binkley, Sam. "Hippies." St. James Encyclopedia. 2002. Retrieved Nov 14, 207 at  http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_tov/ai_2419100587 

CBC. "Hippie Society: The Youth Rebellion." 2006. Retrieved Nov 14, 2007 at  http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-69-580/life_society/hippies/ 

Erowid. "Hippies." 1996. Retrieved Nov 14, 2007 at  http://www.erowid.org/culture/hippies/ 

Sayre, James K. "Late 60s and Early 70s anti-Vietnam war protests, social and political background notes and a short discussion of some of the best rock 'n roll music of the times." 2007. Retrieved Nov 14, 2007 at http://www.bottlebrushpress.com/antivietnamwarprotests.html

All the places we hung out at had jukeboxes.

I don't remember ever going to concerts when I was a kid, but on television they would have like big western hayrides that were really popular. The concerts they had back then did not include such things as mosh pits. Like I said before, the biggest sin you could commit back then was smoking, and drinking was unheard of.

The values have changed so much that sometimes I just get sick thinking about it. I guess I shouldn't generalize, but it sure seems that way to me. Along with the technological progression, has come such things as pornography and those kinds of things, everything nowadays is so accessible.

When did the music start to change? I really did not notice any changes until the late 60's, Woodstock era was a dramatic change, especially with the hippies and all that backwards nonsense.…

" To call this television show a musical experience, however, might be something of a misnomer, since it is really a personality contest more than an exhibition of fine musical talent. The personality of the singers rather than the music's innovation is important, since the singers sing relatively formulaic popular songs that everyone has heard before on the radio. However, at least people are willing to devote time and energy to voting and following the singing competition.

There is a counter-argument to Stravinsky's assertion, namely the popularity of downloadable music sites, and the nearly ubiquitous iPod plugged into every person's ear -- quite often people seem more interested in their iPod what is going on in their immediate life. Surely there must be some concern and care for music, since people spend so much time creating a perfect play-list? Music remains important, and a crucial aspect of self-definition, but truly…

Works Cited

Stravinsky, Igor. Chronicle of My Life (excerpt). 1935

Schikaneder was both an actor and a producer in Vienna for a playhouse that traditionally catered to "lowbrow" audiences (Loomis 2). Mozart's brand of comedy was just the thing for Schikaneder's theater. But "lowbrow" was merely one aspect of Mozart's comedic ventures: they could be equally stunning, poised, high-minded, honest, and full of common sense at the same time. Like the man, they resembled a mystery that could not be summed up with any one category or label: they were nothing less than unique and stellar expressions of a culture that emerged out of the Baroque and into a highly uncertain future. Mozart's Magic Flute would prove to be more than just "low comedy" -- it would be a magical tour de force (with one of the most famous arias of all-time) and a compelling reminder of the enchanting power of musical melody and the harmony between melody and nature,…

Works Cited

Barbers, David W. Bach, Beethoven, and the Boys. Toronto, Canada: Sound and Vision, 1986.

Cairns, David. Mozart and His Operas. Los Angeles, CA: University of California

Press, 2006.

Heartz, Daniel. Mozart's Operas. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press,

"

The tragic paradox of the whole book lies in the mindset of the author himself. Brooks eventually is also a "mixed-up" Bobo which he admitted in an interview with Gwen Ifill of the "News Hour" ("Yeah, I consider myself a Bobo with bad grades. If I had studied harder, I could have got into Harvard, and really made all the money and had the really big kitchen"). Of course he starts his book jeering at the Bobos (and continues to do that for about 47 pages). He ridicules and caricatures the new bankers who sit in coffeehouses listening to alternative music, He scoffs at the artsy and the rich types, who love Starbucks and Pottery Barn, bookshelves and Crate & Barrel and whose chopping tables are copied fashions from the farm of French peasants -- a type whose anxieties include how to spend money without betraying the bohemians

Till…

El Salvador

Financing for Development in El Salvador

Confronting Debt Challenges

El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. It has a limited natural resource base. About 60% of the population live in rural areas and over 80% of agricultural producers work farms of less than 3 ha. With social indicators among the worst in Latin America and a per capita income of U.S.$1,580 in 1995, it also ranks as one of the poorer countries in the region.

Since 1992, the World ank has supported the government of El Salvador's strategic effort to consolidate peace and place the country on a path towards sustainable development. Currently, eight loans are under implementation worth a total of U.S.$298 million.

In December 2001, the World ank announced the new assistance strategy up to $270 million to El Salvador over the next three years. This includes a $142.6 million Earthquake Emergency Reconstruction and…

Bibliography

Jonathan Heller and Sarah McFarlane, Self-Development:Creating Hope in El Salvador, El Platenar, El Salvador & Seattle, Washington

Gasper F. Lo Biondo, S.J. And Rafael A. Pleitez, Woodstock Theological Center, 1997

Karen Hansen-Kuhn, The Development GAP in Tom Barry and Martha Honey (ed.) Free Trade Area of the Americas Volume 6, Number 12, April 2001

Development Cooperation and Conflict, http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/external/lac/lac.

Acoustic Guitar

Although not nearly as controversial as saxophones upon their introduction, acoustic guitars have nevertheless had a lasting impact on the world of music since their invention 400 years ago. Noted for their pleasant tonality and frequently beautiful appearance, acoustic guitars remain a mainstay of several music genres such as pop and folk, and provide many newcomers to music with their first experience playing an instrument. Given their increasing popularity in recent years, it is clear that acoustic guitars are here to stay, but many people may not appreciate their lengthy heritage and the craftsmanship required to build such an instrument. To this end, this paper provides an overview of the history of acoustic guitars, followed by a description of how they are made; a summary of the research and salient findings will be provided in the conclusion.

Review and Discussion

History of Acoustic Guitars. In 1944, Muddy aters…

Works Cited

Brain, Marshall. (2005). How Stuff Works. [Online]. Available: http://entertainment.

howstuffworks.com/guitar1.htm.

Guitar. (2005). Encyclopedia Britannica [premium service].

Bennett, Andy and Kevin Dawe. Guitar Cultures. New York: Berg, 2001.

He describes the "sheer joy of swooping down the slope on one board instead of two" (Davidson, 1994). Davidson was, obviously, an early adopter. Despite its dangers, ski instructors say snowboarding is easier to learn than skiing. Its rhythmic moves are described as "downright liberating. No hard boots, no poles, no crossed tips: just you, the board and a giant frozen wave" (Davidson, 1994). Better still, snowboards "excel in warm conditions that can be difficult or even hazardous for skiers" (Davidson, 1994).

Athletic demands

Balance, and the ability to lean forward, bend your knees and stretch out your arms are basic. Leaning to adjust body position, mainly with sinking and rising movements, operates the board. The ability to take a fall is crucial; according to ski patrols, the most common snowboard injury is a sprained wrist, which is why many snowboarders wear wrist protection. Once a neophyte is over the…

References

Davidson, B. (1994, Feb.) Never too old to shred - snowboarding.

Sunset. Retrieved 11 November 2005 from www.findarticles.com.

Injury rates in sports. (2003) JOPERD -- The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 74(9), p. 9. Retrieved 11 November 2005 from www.questia.com.

Lustgarten, A. (2001, Nov.) 101 Winter Sports - skiing and snowboarding. Combat Edge. Retrieved 11 November 2005 from www.findarticles.com.

eligion has the ability to give people hope especially the hopeless. Despite the harsh situations and challenges that people face, religion plays a fundamental role of giving them hope and optimism from which they draw strength. eligion is also an agent for socialization. It is no doubt meeting with other believers for religious events is more than just practicing faith (eeve 2006).

People use the opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones, sing together and above all socialize. Interactions can be a powerful source of happiness to individuals. eligion provides more than just individual hedonism to guide behavior. In essence, religion provides guidelines for faithful to follow and in the end live an orderly and moral life (Furness & Gilligan 2010). Even though people appear to be happier within the spheres of religion, many researchers show that people in relatively nonreligious nation are the happiest lot. Scandinavian societies…

References

Eid, Michael, & Larsen, Randy J. (2008). The Science of Subjective Well-being. Guilford Pubn.

Fitzgerald, J.T., Obbink, D., & Holland, G.S. (2003). Philodemus and the New Testament world. Leiden: Brill.

Furness, S., & Gilligan, P. (2010). Religion, belief and social work: Making a difference. Bristol:

Policy.

Cultural in the United States

Compare and contrast what Morris Berman, Frank Capra, and David Fincher present as the flaws in our culture's pursuit of material self-interest.

Morris Berman, Frank Capra, and David Fincher present the society in postmodern consumer where the masculine identity is lost: the gray-collar male personnel and the satisfaction socially created by the society focused in materialism. Technology is the baseline for Berman's argument. The argument goes well-known to Neil Postman, and McLuhan Marshal it is not normal, not only does it change the way we connect with the rest of the world, but it also gets our brains wired (Berman 21). A normal brain of a person who has been print raised differs with a big margin from that of a person who, most of his time is corrupted by the internet.

However, the significance of the internet is making a reduction to our understanding…

Work Cited

Berman, Morris. Why America Failed: The Roots of Imperial Decline. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2012. Print.

Frank, Capra. It's a Wonderful Life: A Play in Two Acts. Woodstock, Ill: Dramatic Pub, 2008.

Print.

Finchers, David. "fight Club." Mu-nchen: GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2007. Internet resource.

CEO's Private Investigation

Key issues in the case

This case is about a new CEO known as Cheryl Tobin who contemplates launching an inquiry in a fraud case that might have taken place at the firm. The CEO as a new employee has assumed a legendary position at the company. The position had previously been held by the deceased James awlings who was the reckoning force behind the tremendous innovative achievements and success of the company and acquiring new business opportunities, which enabled them to be ahead of other players in the industry. In fact, the deceased CEO met his death while still negotiating for a business deal after succumbing to aneurysm (Finder, Brandon, Kubasik, Comey, Klein & Teuber, 2007).

Before talking over the CEO position by Cheryl, she was an employee of the Boeing Company heading the company's largest units. Their main rivals included Hammond holdings and she was…

References

Brown, E. (2008). Inspired Jewish leadership: practical approaches to building strong communities. Woodstock: Jewish Lights Pub.

Butterworth-Heinemann.

Eugene, F. (2009). Undercover investigations in the workplace. Boston; Oxford,

Finder, J., Brandon, H., Kubasik, C., Comey, J., Klein, E. & Teuber, W.J. (2007) 'The CEO's private investigation', Harvard Business Review, 85 (10), pp. 47-60, Business Source

It is through interviews and analysis; we will see how these individuals feel about the new cultures and regulations around them. Living in a new place, these individuals can very easily let go of the limitations they were under before. Therefore, their answers will give a sound idea of what sort of struggle they are experiencing with the new culture and how to retain their self and identity.

Limitations.

This study was only carried out on eight students and that is the major limitation of this research project. As stated before, half of the sample size is directly from Saudi Arabia and the other half has lived in countries such as well. Despite these differences, there are other factors such as economic class, religious sect, education and family structure that make each of these individuals different one from another. Due to these differences, the generalization created from this sample set…

Works Cited

Balbo, Marcello. "Social and spatial inclusion of international migrants: local responses to a global process." (2009): Print.

Giddens, Anthony. Modernity and self-identity. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1991. Print.

Goffman, Erving. The presentation of self in everyday life. Woodstock, N.Y.: Overlook Press, 1973. Print.

Islam101.com. "The Utility of Islamic Imagery in the West." 1960. Web. 17 May 2013. .

Besides, America already is a drug culture. Coffee and cigarettes in the morning to get going, antidepressants to feel good, booze to feel good and slow down… (He goes on and on describing drug use).

Me: Do any particular movies stand out in your mind relating to the drug culture?

Melvin: There are lots of movies where drugs are glamorized. Movies targeted at the young crowd glorify drugs. I can think of several offhand such as Rules of Attraction, Flight, Savages, Prozac Nation, all those stupid teenage movies…. It seems like every movie

Me: Is the drug culture of concern to you?

Melvin: Of course. My concern is that we are raising a generation of addicts. Who knows what the long-term effects of using drugs like Ritalin or Prozac are? Don't get me wrong, drugs have their uses, but I think depending on them for handling the issues of daily…

Visual Media and Collective Memory

How visual media shape collective memory

Visual media: Shaping collective memory

According to Barbie Zelizer's review of the book ealms of memory, the simple question: "What does it mean to be French" is the focus of all three volumes of the massive cultural history of the nation (Zelizer 1999: 201). The artifacts chronicled by the author of the book are simple, yet complex enough to sustain the reader's attention. The work Zelizer is reviewing is divided into three sections: conflicts and divisions, traditions, and symbols. Certain visual themes, including food and competitive bicycling, run throughout all three works, given the significance they have in French culture. Within America, other visual themes in history have similar symbolic significance and embody all three aspects of visual history -- conflicts, traditions, and symbols. This can be seen in the treatment of the Vietnam War in the media.

The…

Reference

Zelizer, Barbie. (1999). Realms of memory. Journal of Communication, 49 (4). 202-205.

Sir Walter Scott was a writer a part of the romantic era, roughly 1797 -- 1837. Scott was born slightly before the beginning of this era, in 1771, and died nearly at the same time the period changed in 1832. Scott is known as a novelist, playwright, and poet of Scottish descent. The beginning of the omantic period is typically attributed to the publication of Wordworth's and Coleridge's Lyrical Ballads, and closed with the rise into power of Queen Victoria. This is a period in literature that produced outstanding lyrical poetry, a few dramas, and several novelists that were popular, including Scott. Scott was known for the ability to blend European history into entertaining narratives. Scott happened to have mass appeal during this period, able to reach readers of various classes and places within the Victorian era. At the time of the omantic Era, authors such as Jane Austen were…

References:

Edinburgh University Library. "Walter Scott." Edinburgh University Library, Web, 2014, Available from:  http://www.walterscott.lib.ed.ac.uk/home.html . 2014 March 04.

MacKenzie, Robert Shelton. Sir Walter Scott: The Story of His Life. Kessinger Publishing, 2009. Print.

Scott, MD, Professor Walter. The Complete Works of Sir Walter Scott: With a Biography, and His Last Additions and Illustrations, Volume 7. Nabu Press, 2010. Print.

Tibetan Conflict

Tibet has received much attention from the est. It is described as having a rich cultural heritage. It is viewed as being a victim of Communist aggression. It is hailed as a tourist destination. Each of these has some truth to it. But what is not always ascertained is the geopolitical importance of Tibet in Eurasian economics. Known as the "rooftop of the world," it contains in its plateaus a treasure trove of water, minerals, and energy (Samphel). For this reason and others, it has been the source of conflict and contention over throughout its long and storied history. This paper will discuss the history of the international conflict associated with Tibet and show how and why it has been depicted in various lights.

The documentary feature Tibet Situation: Critical by Jason Lansdell is a film that showcases the brutal oppression of Tibetans by the Chinese government. Its…

Works Cited

"Bold New Proposals." The Economist. 22 June 2013. Web.



Chang, Jung; Halliday, Jon. Mao: The Unknown Story. UK: Vintage, 2006. Print.

Chellaney, Brahma. Water: Asia's New Battleground. NY: HarperCollins, 2011. Print.

How the Beatles Made History
Introduction
Everyone knows their names, even if one never cared for their music: Ringo, John, Paul, and George. Just 15, 16 and 17 respectively, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and John Lennon came together in 1958—young but passionate musicians from Liverpool, England, who wanted to play jazz, blues and folk music on improvised instruments. By 1962, they had added Ringo Starr to the group. With Starr on drums, the group’s first single “Love Me Do” hit the airwaves and changed the face of pop music forever. Beatlemania became a thing and the Beatles themselves became “more popular than Jesus,” as Lennon put it four years later to a London journalist (Runtagh). The Beatles surely did make history (whether they were ever actually bigger than Jesus was a controversial point): they had more number one singles than any other British band or artist, and there 17 number…

In that regard, we are never too busy to talk to parents about their children. If you had called me to explain Hillary's concerns, I might have been able to get her an exemption from detention under the circumstances. Even if I could not have done that, I could at least have assured Hillary (and you) that detention would have, essentially, allowed her to do exactly what you allowed her to do at home: she would have been asked to sit in the classroom under the supervision of a teacher and to read her book during that period or to do any other schoolwork she wished to do. Had we been able to discuss the matter in advance, Hillary might have received an exemption from detention, or at least an explanation to allay her fears about what it was. However, it would have been much more beneficial to Hillary to…

Next, they'll attempt to take over all of Jerusalem and then all of Israel" (Briglia 2). There is a slippery slope fallacy in this statement. The writer bolsters his initial exaggeration which was simple by putting forth further exaggerations with the eventual claim that Jerusalem and Israel will be taken over by the Palestinian's.

Straw man

In straw man, the opponent's is attacked through attributing the opponent to an implausible position which is weak when actually it's not the opponent's position. The opponent's position is summarized inaccurately and easily dismissed. In response to the question regarding the troops pullout from Iraq President George Bush says, "e've heard some people say, pull them out right now. That's a huge mistake. It'd be a terrible mistake. It sends a bad message to our troops, and it sends a bad message to our enemy, and it sends a bad message to the Iraqis."…

Works Cited

Briglia, Joesph. Letter. New York Post 20 September 2005: 2

Norris, Floyd. A Lack of Rigor Costs MBIA. 12 Nov. 2009. 6 April.

2010.

Papson, Betty. Letter. Baltimore Sun 20 September 2005: 1

He had been most inspired by the songs of Woody Guthrie. "Woody had a sound and said something with his music." He wanted to meet Woody and thank him for such inspiring songs. Woody had not been well and was being treated in a local hospital. Bob went and saw him and then wrote a "ong to Woody."

uddenly, following that visit, as if overnight, Bob Dylan became a household name. He was selling out theatres across America and England. He was referred to as a genius. It has been said that Bob went down to the crossroads and struck a deal with the devil, in order to arrive at such a place. He continued to evolve from the old acoustic folk singer that everyone loved, to a somewhat loud electric rock star. Columbia Records and many of his fans were not happy about this change. Fans were booing and…

Suddenly, following that visit, as if overnight, Bob Dylan became a household name. He was selling out theatres across America and England. He was referred to as a genius. It has been said that Bob went down to the crossroads and struck a deal with the devil, in order to arrive at such a place. He continued to evolve from the old acoustic folk singer that everyone loved, to a somewhat loud electric rock star. Columbia Records and many of his fans were not happy about this change. Fans were booing and heckling him at concerts, yet they continued to buy tickets. Bob's electric song "Like a Rolling Stone" from the acclaimed album "Highway 61 Revisited" climbed to number 2 on the Billboard pop charts, second only to The Beatles "Help."

The central theme to this documentary is a lesson that teaches us to remain true to ourselves no matter what others think. If we are to conform to the labels and beliefs of others, we are bound for failure. Bob knew this, and continues to follow his heart to this day.

Steve Allen of Billboard said: "Dylan's poetry is born of a painful awareness of the tragedy that underlies the contemporary human condition." This is as true in 2010 as it was in 1965. Martin Scorsese captured a moment in time with this project, and the moment he captured is the same now, as it was then, and will always be.

Despite the fact I was preparing students for a standardized exam, I take pride in the fact that I tried to grasp what unique pedagogical strategies were required to enable them to master the material.

A seek further education in developmental psychology and general educational theory to build upon my natural strengths as an educator and communicator. My experiences have been diverse, spanning all grades as a substitute teacher in a variety of areas as well as my preparatory work with adult GED students. This exposure to students in a wide range of developmental stages has helped me see how the learning process develops over time, as basic skills make a foundation for students to learn new concepts. But sometimes, if these core concepts are lacking, a teacher can learn to help the student remedy past academic deficits. I have also worked as a tutor on a one-on-one basis with…

Newlyweds"- the Nightingales of the Nighttime Reality TV Airwaves? Or Nightmares? Or Something in Between?

It's easy to mock reality TV as a unified class of shows -- often, all reality TV seems to blend together in a blur absurd catchphrases like 'you're fired,' on "The Apprentice," with contrived situations like the tribal meetings of "Survivor." But while most of reality TV is hardly what one would call elevating entertainment for the mind and spirit, all reality TV is not created alike. Rather, "The Newlyweds" provide at least one crucial cultural function -- it demystifies the life of rock stars and demystifies the marriage of the attractive pop stars Jessica and Nick. The show suggests that even attractive and glamorous singers, as opposed to Ozzy Osborne, have problems in their daily lives -- and ordinary ones at that, unlike Osborne's struggles will illness and drugs.

Unlike "A Hard Day's Night,"…

It is therefore quite important to evaluate each experience on its own merits, as well as to how well each experience is integrated into the overall picture. An evaluation form has been developed for each participant as well as the parents of that participant. The evaluation form will be handed out at the end of each of the camps (whether the attendee stayed for a one-week or the full three-week course will be noted) for completion and return to the directors of the camp.

After the evaluation forms have been returned, the responses contained therein will be analyzed and broken down into categories pertaining to each camp experience and how it (they) were perceived by the campers. Follow-up questionnaires can be sent to each participant on a bi-yearly basis in order to gauge what type of long-term effects the camps continue to have on the participants.

The project is proposed…

aviation history has influenced my educational direction, it truly made me stop and think. Was it perhaps Deadalus, the ingenious craftsman more than 3,000 years ago, which directed me onto this life path?

he story of one man's desire to be like the birds, free of Earth's surly bonds, expressed in a two sets of wings made of gull feathers and wax. Whether the tale is true or not, his inventiveness surely has inspired me.

Perhaps it was George Cayley and his aeronautical research that sparked my desire for aeronautical engineering. Certainly he was a man that I wouldn't mind following in his creative footsteps. Cayley's identification of the drag vector and lift vector are core concepts that no engineer could be without. And, his work on heavier-than-air flight is what fascinates me about aeronautical engineering.

o take pieces of what would normally be cumbersome material and fashion them in…

Then again, perhaps it was the development of the Bell X-1 and Chuck Yeager's historic flight on that clear October morning in 1947. Supersonic flight changed the course of advanced aviation. I can only imagine what it must have been like to know that that 'wall of air' at the sound barrier was out there, and that the buffeting was so intense it could literally tear an aircraft to pieces. Designing a plane to go where no aircraft had gone before must have been incredibly exciting and rewarding.

Perhaps it's the current advancements in aviation technology, though, that truly have motivated me to take up aeronautical engineering. Just this March, the X-43A made its historic flight and successfully reached Mach 7. When I read about this incredible 11-second flight, all I could think was, "That's what I want to do with my life. No question."

So, in the end, perhaps it wasn't one single event in aviation history that set me on the path of aeronautical engineering. I believe I know now that it was the entire history of aviation, coupled with the unbounded future. It was each and every person that has woven this intricate tapestry of a field of study that has truly gotten into my blood. It's this history that makes me passionately long to be a part of it, a marriage of science and art that is not found in many other fields, an elegant study of efficiencies that leads to the ultimate escape from our own limitations and makes aircrafts truly greater than the sum of their parts. I simply can think of nothing else I would rather spend the rest of my life doing.