Free Essays on Then And Now

Russia: Then and Now Russia or Russian federation, independent republic in Eastern Europe and northern Asia, the world’s largest country by area. Russia was once the largest and the most prominent republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR, or Soviet Union). In 1991 the USSR broke apart and Russia became an independent country. The USSR had a totalitarian political system in which the Communist Party leaders controlled all aspects of the government. The state used to own all the land, companies, and the government controlled production of goods and other aspects of the economy. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia began transforming itself into a more democratic society. Russia under went many changes since it became an independent country. Russia has gone through many struggles to rebuilt the country into a democratic political system and a to establish a free market economy to replace the strict system that was controlled by the communist party. Russia has made many suc cessful changes: There have been free elections at all levels of government; private ownership of property has been legalized; and large segments of the economy are now privately owned. The transformation is far from complete. The transformation has affected the people of Russia in a variety of ways. Under the Soviet system, Russians became accustomed to having the government define many aspects of their lives. For many, the collapse of the USSR and the Communist ideal created an ideological void, and Russians how have to learn how to live and run there own society. This change has left many people confused and turning to traditional and nontraditional faith for answers. Change of rule is never easy but Russia is trying to establish somewhat of a new nation. In this paper I’m going to explain what makes up Russia, and what different aspects make the country what it is today. The Russian Government a federation has seen a dramatic chang... Free Essays on Then And Now Free Essays on Then And Now Russia: Then and Now Russia or Russian federation, independent republic in Eastern Europe and northern Asia, the world’s largest country by area. Russia was once the largest and the most prominent republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR, or Soviet Union). In 1991 the USSR broke apart and Russia became an independent country. The USSR had a totalitarian political system in which the Communist Party leaders controlled all aspects of the government. The state used to own all the land, companies, and the government controlled production of goods and other aspects of the economy. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia began transforming itself into a more democratic society. Russia under went many changes since it became an independent country. Russia has gone through many struggles to rebuilt the country into a democratic political system and a to establish a free market economy to replace the strict system that was controlled by the communist party. Russia has made many suc cessful changes: There have been free elections at all levels of government; private ownership of property has been legalized; and large segments of the economy are now privately owned. The transformation is far from complete. The transformation has affected the people of Russia in a variety of ways. Under the Soviet system, Russians became accustomed to having the government define many aspects of their lives. For many, the collapse of the USSR and the Communist ideal created an ideological void, and Russians how have to learn how to live and run there own society. This change has left many people confused and turning to traditional and nontraditional faith for answers. Change of rule is never easy but Russia is trying to establish somewhat of a new nation. In this paper I’m going to explain what makes up Russia, and what different aspects make the country what it is today. The Russian Government a federation has seen a dramatic chang...

Discover the Common Green Darner Dragonfly

Discover the Common Green Darner Dragonfly The common green darner, Anax junius, is one of the best-known North American dragonfly species. The green darner is easy to spot, thanks to its large size and bright green thorax, and can be found almost anywhere in North America. Identifying the Green Darner Dragonfly Green darners are strong fliers  and rarely perch. Look for adults flying low over ponds or bogs during the breeding season. This species migrates seasonally, often forming large swarms when heading south in the fall. Green darners are one of the earliest species to appear in northern habitats in the spring. Both male and female green darners have an unusual blue and black bulls-eye marking on the frons (or forehead, in laymens terms), just in front of their large, compound eyes. The thorax is green in both sexes. The long abdomen is marked by a dark line, which runs down the center of the dorsal surface. In immature common green darners of either sex, the abdomen appears red or purple. Mature males bear a bright blue abdomen, but in the  early morning or when temperatures are cool, it may turn purple. In reproductive females, the abdomen is green, matching the thorax. Older individuals may have an amber tint to their wings. Classification Kingdom - AnimaliaPhylum - ArthropodaClass - InsectaOrder - OdonataFamily - AeshnidaeGenus - AnaxSpecies - junius What do Green Darners Eat? Green darners are predaceous throughout their lives. The large, aquatic nymphs prey on other aquatic insects, tadpoles, and even small fish. Adult green darners catch other flying insects, including butterflies, bees, flies, and even other, smaller dragonflies. Their Life Cycle Follows All Dragonflies Like all dragonflies, the common green darner undergoes simple or incomplete metamorphosis with three stages: egg, nymph (sometimes called larva), and adult. The female green darner oviposits her eggs while in tandem with her mate, and is the only darner in North America to do so. Common green darners oviposit their eggs in aquatic vegetation by carefully cutting a slit in a stem or leaf, and placing the egg inside it. This probably provides her offspring with some protection until it hatches. The aquatic nymph matures over time in the water, molting repeatedly. It then climbs up the vegetation until its above the waters surface, and molts one last time to emerge as an adult. Habitat and Range Green darners live near freshwater habitats, including ponds, lakes, slow-moving streams, and vernal pools. The green darner has an extensive range in North America, from Alaska and southern Canada all the way south to Central America. Anax junius is also found on islands within this geographic range, including Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the West Indies. Sources Field Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies of New Jersey: Allen E. Barlow, David M. Golden, and Jim Bangma: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; 2009.Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West; Dennis Paulson; Princeton University Press; 2009.

EMILY DICKINSON Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

EMILY DICKINSON - Essay Example The poem â€Å"Before I got my eyes put out† will be examined first. The poem is discussing how the sort of power found in angels and the heavens is too much for people: â€Å"But were it told to me—Today—/That I might have the sky† (5-6). Having the sky is obviously only something a heavenly creature could possess, though there aren’t any directly mentioned in the text. Regardless, something like this is obviously too much for a person: â€Å"The News would strike me dead† (17). In this poem she is setting up the difference between people and the heavens, though it is important to note that she states that she would die, and she does not say that this is particularly a bad thing. Without a judgment as to whether this would be a positive or negative thing, Dickinson is free to develop her theme as she feels fit. Though it’s not obvious in this particular poem, death as a positive event will be developed and treated as the obvious way o f viewing it. Next, â€Å"I like a look of Agony† discusses how pain and death can be seen in a positive aspect. As Dickinson states that people would not pretend to be in pain because it is not a state that people want to be in, one can assume that a person that does appear to be in pain is actually in pain, and she appreciates the honesty of it. Death, which is â€Å"Impossible to feign† (6), is the ultimate form of honesty, and obviously honesty is always regarded as a positive trait. As pain and agony can often lead to death, the link between agony, death, and honesty is apparent. It might seem at first that the poem is a bit morbid, since it sounds as though the speaker is enjoying the suffering of others if one were to merely glance at the first line, by the end of the poem this interpretation obviously cannot be carried all the way through and must be discarded. The next poem,

Analytical reviews Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analytical reviews - Assignment Example These factors mean that most history is skewed towards certain dominant themes and ideas, for example the Western Europeans focus during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries on â€Å"civilization† which was defined as large, metropolitan areas and excluded many smaller but equally interesting societies.1 The preoccupations of the time and place of writing influence what is written, and so, for example Victorian historians write about English Empire and foreign trade while twentieth century historians consider social history and cataclysmic events such as the two World Wars.2 Thus far Manning follows standard views of history but he also moves into novel areas when he considers the way that communications have improved, and the scope of history has widened to include the whole world and history has come to be defined as â€Å"as a field of study focusing on the historical connections among entities and systems often thought to be distinct.† (Manning, p. 7) Every moder n historian has to work in this mode because the contributions from other fields like archaeology, linguistics and climatology have now become an integral part of what it means to do history. Mazlish identifies such giants of the past as Smith, Marx, Engels and Weber as significant heralds of change in the way that we understand the world, observing that they â€Å"seem to have recognized some of the forces of globalization – science technology, capitalism – in their early manifestations and sensed their future implications.†3 Similarly, Mazlish sees himself taking in all the work of historians who have gone before, including the particularly gifted ones who detect major currents in the world, and using them to help illuminate the problems of today. Understanding the past reveals what is inevitable in human history, in the sense of what is contained embryonically and waiting to emerge. Searching for this insight is one of the main function of history, and it bec omes important in a new way, according to both Mazlish and Manning, when it is applied to the contemporary world. Mazlish helpfully explains the difference between â€Å"world history† which focuses on cultural matters and â€Å"global history† which takes in the planet and all the â€Å"amorphous forces† that operate in the new technological environment.4 Part Two Jared Diamond writes with his usual focus on biological forces in his book Guns. Germs and Steel and as usual, he gathers a mountain of evidence to prove a major line of argument, namely that natural forces are more influential in human history than we ever thought they were. His description of the way that the Americas were conquered by germs much more than by the guns and horses of the so-called conquerors from Europe highlights the importance of factors outside the control, or even in many cases the knowledge of human beings. In describing very large scale geographical events like temperature chang es and droughts he explains how chain reactions occur, including mass extinctions of key species and migrations of people in search of steady supplies of key resources. The book is an example of â€Å"world history† because it reaches across the centuries from prehistoric times, through the stone age to classical and modern periods, tracking significant innovations as they spread across the globe. He argues, much like Mazlish and Manning, that looking at human history a huge scale of time and space

Organizational change Essay Example for Free

Organizational change Essay Organizational change is everywhere, and its pace is increasing. Its objectives or why it is important is because after certain years of existence and evaluations there are areas and aspects in the organization that needs to be improved. Taking for example its quality of work life, at a certain point it needs to be elevated from where it was before. It can happen that during hiring time people are designated to wrong positions. Organizational change will enable the company to put the right people in the right place, to make them better people as their efficiency and utility will be to the maximum. In this way the company can adjust salary scale on the basis of the performance or output of employees. In the same way also in terms of personnel management, it can be an occasion for studying more specific positions for possible promotion or for trimming down extra baggage. Competition is so tight and for a company to meet the demands of the market an organizational change is important to have a higher quality of productivity and to improve certain strategies as to be in tune with the times. Technology comes and after sometimes new innovations are on the line again, to remain in ones business beliefs and practices the company will be left behind. Organizational change is important as it seeks to enhance its beliefs, values, attitudes, also its structures so that the organization can better adapt to competitive actions, technological advances, and the past pace of other changes in the business world. Another necessity for organizational change is brought about by some failures in the past in the training and orientation of the employees. The attempt to bring them to work without being able to let them carry or support the vision and failure to let the employees see that they are the central element of the organization brings poor result. Organizational change therefore is crucial to allow interplay of structure, technology and people working in it, to result to a higher quality of work life, adaptivity, effectiveness, better marketing strategies, and excellent productivity.

Inevitability of Change in Stephen Cranes The Bride Comes to Yellow Sk

Inevitability of Change in Stephen Crane's The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky Humans are creatures of habit. In his work "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky," Stephen Crane considers this apparent truism as well as its sometimes unfortunate consequences. In the story, Scratchy Wilson and Jack Potter face a dramatically changing society. Although their actions and emotions concerning the changes in their town differ, Scratchy and Potter are both very fearful of the inescapable easternizing influences. Through Scratchy and Potter's embracing of the Old West, their responses to the East, and their optimism, Stephen Crane illustrates that whether attachment or resistance exists, change is inevitable. To emphasize the difficulty and inevitability of change, Crane displays the characters' attachments to the Old West. Scratchy, the sole survivor of an old gang, plays out his beloved past by rampaging Yellow Sky with his long revolvers and drunken curses. His "creeping movement of [a] midnight cat," chants of "Apache scalp-music," and "terrible invitations" all portray Scratchy's devotion to the Old West. Scratchy's loyalty to his past clearly emphasizes his resistance to change and foreshadows that change will defeat him no matter how long or how hard he plays the game. Potter also plays along by acting as the town marshal who must save Yellow Sky and heroically put an end to the town "terror." Nevertheless, though Potter is attached to the Old West, he embraces the new West with his marriage. Unlike Scratchy, Potter accepts that Yellow Sky is changing and decides to change with it. Crane uses this acceptance to show that change is sometimes easier for some than for others. Potter c ontinues to struggle and worries what his hometown will d... ... forever. The future is now unreachable for him. On the other hand, Potter, though apprehensive like Scratchy, slowly opens his heart to the changing world. Through Scratchy and Potter, Crane establishes two choices: one can either resist change as Scratchy does and remain unhappy until the end, or one can accept change as Potter eventually does and further his future and happiness. Humans are creatures of habit where stability and comfort come first. Ironically, though fully aware of it, humans are always surprised at and afraid of change and how to handle it. Through his work, Stephen Crane brilliantly sets forth that one has no control over what is to come but only how he or she chooses to face it. Works Cited: Crane, Stephen. â€Å"Bride Comes to Yellow Sky.† Literature: The Human Experience. 8th ed. Ed. Richard Abcarian and Marvin Klotz. Boston: Bedford, 2002.

Violent Music and It’s Impact on children

Violent Music and it Impact on Children Causes and Impact of Emotional, Financial, and Physical Abuse of the Elderly Augustine Reeves Delaware Community County College April 16 2014 Introduction Does violent music really impact children life? We asked these questions every day, but do we get the right answers? This is unpredictable. No one knows what will be the outcome if we do not have music in our life. When I was a kid music was part of my every day activities. Rap, R&B, Country etc. Was profanities used in those songs? Yes. Did I used them in the streets? Yes.But does it really makes us who we are today. Different Medias Anderson, Carnage, and Banks(2003) emphasize the differences between Medias which one is more effective. Such as watching music videos and listening to audios only music. Is it more effective for a kid to do what he or she saw in the video, then saying what he or she heard in a music lyric. Music videos are more doable for children. Children will most likely tak e what they saw and transform it in their way of doing. The why Most parents who cares about their children behaviors will always block musical channels like B.E. T and M. T. V, and would rather allow their children to sites to MPH music. In other to imitates a music lyric, you have to be a good listener, how to use to lyrics in different ways. Violent Music lyrics Impact on Children When listening to audio music with lyric, it increases thought, aggression, and emotions feeling on children. Most words that are used in lyrics are aggressive and nonaggression. According to Exposure to Violent Music, Craig A. Anderson, Nicholas L. Carnage, and Jeanie Banks(2003) did an experiment on Aggressive and Nonaggression words.Aggressive Words blood, fight hurt wound butcher gun choke hatchet knife Nonaggression Words alley drugs police stick animal movie red bottle night rock The experiment was to allow college students to listen to music with these aggressive words and nonaggression words and see what will be the outcome, and heir behaviors. The outcome was very clear that after the experiment was over the students who listened to the aggressive music had more negative feeling and aggressive thought of doing something, then the student who listened to the non- aggressive songs. Children have the mind of believing anything they hear or sees.Children who listens to aggressive music believe that they do not need to go to school, they believe they can sell drugs, become a rapper themselves, not listening to their parents because that what they heard while listening to aggressive music. That how aggressive music can impact children life. Violent Music video Impact on Children life According to helping to Curb Youth Violence, Jan L. Peterson and Russ Newman (2000) believed that youth between the age 12 and 24 year face the highest risk of being involves in violent acts and most likely involved in being kill.About nearly 60% of kid death are result of violent behaviors. Such a s, homicide, accidents, gang fighting, dating assault etc. Because youth spend almost 6 to 12 hours a day watching MET, B. E. T, Youth, and other music channels. Musical videos is more about sexual oriented acts. It is said that teen who listen to rap video become more involve in violent dating. Musical videos are influenced and threaten to children. Conclusion I believe to that my thinking, my movement, my thoughts have something to do with music. As a youth I believe the image of music, the words, the videos act should be limited.But at the same time we cannot live without these things in our life no matter how risky it is. Life can be very stressful especially for the elderly. Sometime it is hard to imagine how life would be financially when getting older and knowing you won't be able to work and support your family. Situation like those can lead to depression, emotions, and can sometime lead to violent in the family. Most elderly realize that they cannot depend on social securit y tax anymore. Financial Exploitation on Elderly According to Shells L. Jackson and Thomas L.Haberdasher (2012), financial exploitation is defined as the illegal or improper use of an elderly person's funds, property, or assets. It is said that elderly victims annually loss $2. 9 billion to financial exploitation in Midlife 2009. Those lost can be very effective on the elderly because these are something they worked for their life. Retirement is what every individual wants so they can rest and enjoy what they worked for. But how do they lead to depression? As a retire person it is hard to replace a lost assets. Therefore it can lead to loss of independence and security for an elderly person.With that situation the person have to rely on a family member, or even going far as getting on social welfare. For that season it can lead to self-decline, depression, even suicide attempt. What leads to Depression on Elderly? Depression does not really start with someone already at the age of 6 5. It can start with a person at age of 17 and follow till they are in their ass's. According to The relationship between stress and depression, Vivian Kraal], Simms Seekers, and Ella Remains state that life events in relation to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and maltreatment during childhood.For example, a 16 year old girl lost both parents at that age she will most like be depress and might affect her life going forward. Elderly depression can also come from lack of financially assistance at a young age. A person who can work, or work and not save enough for the future can lead to depression. Because at the age of 50 they to worry about who will take care of them, they'll to worry about going to nursing home. Causes of Physical Abuse on Elderly Elderly people experience more physical abuse then others. Some causes of physical abuse on elderly are domestic violence and caregiver problem. Family issues come with domestic violence.The process of an elderly person living with a spouse can be trustful especially if the elder is sick or have mental issues. Sometime it can be financial problem. Buying all the medication, the food, and cloths. If the spouse not doing to responsibility it is consider as an abuse. The next one is caregivers. Sometime caregivers are having their own problem. It may be personal issues, psychological issues, and mental issues. The risk is very high when someone with these situation life with an elder. Physical Abuse can come when a sick elderly refuses to take his or her medication especially when it is at a consistence rate.The receiver can become to scream, names calling, and sometimes lead to hitting the elderly person. Conclusion Most elderly people are committing suicide because of how they are treated, how abuses people are to them, losing the asset makes them believe life is not worth living. Stress and depression mostly causes heart attack on elderly people. People work hard and save to live in the future, so let them liv e to the fullest of it. Reference Page Anderson, A. C. , Carnage, L. N. , & Banks, J. (2003). Exposure to violent media: The effects of Songs with violent lyrics on aggressive thoughts and feelings.

How the practitioner should respond to parents Essay

P8. 1 In a setting it is very often that practitioners will receive enquiries from parents and carers. It is therefore important to respond in the appropriate way. It is very important to follow up any enquiries from parents as this will show them that you care about their concerns or questions. Every practitioner should show and reassure the parents that their opinions and circumstances matter and will always be addressed to. As a student practitioner with children, it is most likely necessary to refer parents to supervisors who they may be more acquainted with and who may be able to help them more in order to ensure best practice. As a practitioner, it is my role to know the policies and procedures of the setting as to what to do if parents ask for my advice or need help with a matter. This is important because it offers a professional approach and will show consistency in practice with all the other staff members. If I would not read the policies and procedures, it could show a lack of communication between practitioners and parents may lose respect or trust for the setting. Knowing the policies and procedures will also safeguard practitioners from any abuse or strange practice as they would have followed the correct procedures for the situation. It is important for practitioners to be aware that all parents have individual needs and circumstances thus needing an individual response. Whilst doing so, it is important to remember to carry out inclusive practice and not to judge or show any prejudice attitude, but instead to show genuine care and interest in helping them. A way in which practitioners can respond to parents is to make sure they know to make appointments for a set date to discuss matters unless it is an emergency. Practitioners must also maintain that they keep to this format and do not let parents change the procedures, as this would not be beneficial to anyone. In my setting A class teacher became very stressed when having to deal with a parent’s enquiry because the parent would not listen to the advice given to them. This then resulted in the other children of the class being unattended because the teacher was being harassed. There needs to be mutual respect and it is the practitioner’s role to instigate this in their speech and conduct. It is important for practitioners to know and understand their role in order to create the best environment for children and their families. It is important to know the policies and procedures, whilst also knowing their role so that they can be confident in their practice and will deal with matters rationally and professionally. Making a mistake in what their role involves can result in the harm to the children or legal action being taken. P8. 2When dealing with enquiries and information about children and their families, it is very important to maintain confidentiality and this can be executed by many ways. Any information should be stored correctly and safely and only shown to certain necessary adults on a need to know basis. If other adults who know the child want to know any information, it is important that I do not share it with them but tell them to ask the parents who are involved. That way, it is the parents’ right to tell anyone else or not, and I would be respecting that decision and it reflects a professional approach towards others in your practice. It is important to make sure there is no confidential information stored on display boards that strangers and other people could see. To make sure that there is no confusion as to what is confidential, there should be indication on letters, emails and in conversation about the need of confidentiality, therefore creating a safe environment for children and their families. Practitioners can also explain the importance of confidentiality to parents so that they can carry out the same practice in the setting and at home proving a high level of consistency and safety. A lot of the time it is difficult to maintain confidentiality whilst speaking on the phone as neither end of the conversation knows who could be listening. Therefore an effective way to ensure confidentiality is by making appointments to see practitioners or parents face to face in a private area so only the necessary adults are involved and there is less danger brought for the child. In order to maintain confidentiality in the setting, practitioners should provide a use passwords on computers and files so that important and personal information will not be shared with people who are not involved with the family, or who could become a danger to a child and their family. To ensure and maintain confidentiality it is important to not speak about the children in a public place where there are other parents that may know the child or who may be offended by teachers ‘gossiping’. It is also important for practitioners to make sure they don’t speak about children or their families with other practitioners for example students, or practitioners from other agencies and organisations. Whilst in my setting I showed ways to maintain confidentiality while carrying out observations on children; By not stating the child’s name for protection purposes or the settings details so that no traces can be brought back to the child because if it got into the wrong hands there could be serious problematic outcomes. Information that gets out could include medical issues and I would not want to cause any embarrassment to either the parents or the practitioners. Having this confidentiality helps to maintain the trust between the practitioners and the parents and this is very important because you want the parents to feel happy to leave their child in your care. I also made sure that one I finished my observation I put it straight into my back where no one else had access to it. If I allowed the situation for anyone else to get hold of the written observation, it could cause issues that other people would be part of. If any other parents pick it up for example, they now have specific information about another child and they could expose it to other people, causing tension between families and practitioners Lastly, I showed that I maintained confidentiality by only showing my observation to my supervisor in order for her to mark it for me which was a requirement as part of my unit 2 assignments. After it was signed it went straight into my bag in a secure place so I knew where it was at all times. P8. 3 There are many suitable ways to greet and welcome parents to provide inclusive practice and create a positive environment. Practitioners can provide welcome messages in a variety of languages which could include boards of different languages and teaching children phrases to say in other languages. Practitioners can provide a use of interpreters for parents and carers to be able to communicate with practitioners and to make them feel welcome and valued. To greet and welcome parents, practitioner can make it a positive experience by using positive body language, smiling and using kind words when greeting children and their families. It is important to have a positive start to the day and also a positive finish to the day as this will ive parents confidence that their children are being cared for and are in a stimulating and happy environment. As there will most likely be parents from other countries who have different customs, it is important for practitioners to find out how parents want to be addressed. This could mean using a certain title of their choice, or using a greeting from their home land. By finding out this information, practitioners can show they have genuine personal interest in the lives of the parents and this can have a very positive effect on parents who will be happy to leave their children in the care of the practitioners. Having approachable staff is of great importance as this can create a professional but relaxed atmosphere in the setting which will contribute to having positive feedback to the way parents are greeted. Ways that practitioners can show their positive attitude is by having good eye contact with parents and carers, which means listening to their concerns and opinions and responding in a way that will put them at ease. Part of the role of the practitioner includes being aware of cultural differences in gestures and greetings. This is vital because there could be a risk of offending parents and carers by the attitude or gestures that are portrayed in the setting when communicating. When working in an early years setting, there should be an unhurried approach towards the children and the queries of parents, showing them how much you value their opinion. This would mean even if your plans are to go home at that time.

USS Alabama (BB-60) in World War II

USS Alabama (BB-60) in World War II USS Alabama (BB-60) was a South Dakota-class battleship that was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in 1942. The last ship of its class, Alabama initially served in the Atlantic Theater of World War II, before receiving orders to shift to the Pacific in 1943. Largely serving as protection for American aircraft carriers, the battleship took part in all of the U.S. Navys major campaigns in the Pacific Theater. In addition to covering the carriers, Alabama provided naval gunfire support during landings on Japanese-held islands. In the course of the war, the battleship did lose a single sailor to enemy action earning it the nickname The Lucky A. Alabama currently a museum ship moored in Mobile, AL. Design Construction In 1936, as the design of the North Carolina-class neared completion, the U.S. Navys General Board gathered to address the two battleships that were to be funded in Fiscal Year 1938.  Though the Board was leaning towards building two additional North Carolinas, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral William H. Standley preferred to pursue a new design.  As a result, the building of these vessels was delayed to FY1939 as naval architects began work in March 1937.   While the first two battleships were officially ordered on April 4, 1938, a second pair of vessels was added two months later under the  Deficiency Authorization which passed due to increasing international tensions.  Though the escalator clause of the Second London Naval Treaty had been invoked permitting the new design to mount 16 guns, Congress requested that the battleships stay within the 35,000-ton limit set by the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty. In laying out the new South Dakota-class, naval architects designed a wide spectrum of plans for consideration.  A key challenge proved to be finding approaches to improve upon the North Carolina-class while staying within the tonnage restriction.  The answer was the creation of a shorter, by approximately 50 feet, battleship that utilized an inclined armor system.  This offered enhanced underwater protection relative to earlier vessels.   USS Alabama (BB-60) in Casco Bay, ME, during her shakedown period, circa December 1942.   US Navy History and Heritage Command As naval leaders called for vessels capable of 27 knots, designers sought a way to obtain this despite the reduced hull length.  This was achieved through the creative layout of boilers, turbines, and machinery.  For armament, the South Dakotas matched the North Carolinas in carrying nine Mark 6 16 guns in three triple turrets with a secondary battery of twenty dual-purpose 5 guns.  These were supplemented by an extensive and constantly changing array of anti-aircraft weapons.   Construction of the fourth and final ship of the class, USS Alabama (BB-60) was assigned to Norfolk Naval Shipyard and commenced on February 1, 1940.  As work moved ahead, the United States entered World War II after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Building of the new vessel proceeded and it slid down the ways on February 16, 1942, with Henrietta Hill, wife Alabama Senator J. Lister Hill, serving as sponsor.  Commissioned on August 16, 1942, Alabama entered service with Captain George B. Wilson in command.   USS Alabama (BB-60) Nation:  United StatesType:  BattleshipShipyard: Norfolk Naval ShipyardLaid Down: February 1, 1940Launched: February 16, 1942Commissioned: August 16, 1942Fate: Museum Ship, Mobile, ALSpecificationsDisplacement:  35,000  tonsLength: 680.8 ft.Beam:  108.2 ft.Draft: 36.2 ft.Propulsion:  30,000 hp, 4 x steam turbines, 4 x propellersSpeed:  27 knotsComplement: 1,793 menArmamentGuns9 Ãâ€" 16 in.  Mark 6 guns (3 x triple turrets)20 Ãâ€" 5 in dual-purpose gunsAircraft2 x aircraft Operations in the Atlantic After completing shakedown and training operations in the Chesapeake Bay and Casco Bay, ME that fall, Alabama received orders to proceed to Scapa Flow to reinforce the British Home Fleet in early 1943.  Sailing with USS South Dakota (BB-57), this action was necessary due to a shift of British naval strength to the Mediterranean in preparation for the invasion of Sicily.  In June, ​Alabama covered the landing of reinforcements in Spitzbergen before taking part in an attempt to draw out the German battleship Tirpitz the following month.   Detached from the Home Fleet on August 1, both American battleships then departed for Norfolk.  Arriving, Alabama underwent an overhaul in preparation for redeployment to the Pacific.  Departing later that month, the battleship transited the Panama Canal and arrived at Efate on September 14. Covering the Carriers Training with carrier task forces, Alabama sailed on November 11 to support American landings on Tarawa and Makin in the Gilbert Islands.  Screening the carriers, the battleship provided a defense against Japanese aircraft.  After bombarding Nauru on December 8, Alabama escorted USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) and USS Monterey (CVL-26) back to Efate.  Having sustained damage to its port outboard propeller, the battleship departed for Pearl Harbor on January 5, 1944 for repairs.   Briefly dry docked, Alabama joined Task Group 58.2, centered on the carrier USS Essex (CV-9), later that month for attacks in the Marshall Islands.  Bombarding Roi and Namur on January 30, the battleship provided support during the Battle of Kwajalein.  In mid-February, Alabama screened the carriers of Rear Admiral Marc A. Mitschers Fast Carrier Task Force as it conducted massive raids against the Japanese base at Truk.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   USS Alabama (BB-60) en route to the Gilberts and Marshalls to support the invasions of Makin and Tarawa, 12 November 1943. US Navy History and Heritage Command Sweeping north into the Marianas later that month, Alabama sustained a friendly fire incident on February 21 when one 5 gun mount accidentally fired into another during Japanese air attack.  This resulted in the death of five sailors and wounding of an additional eleven.  Following a pause at Majuro, Alabama and the carriers conducted attacks through the Caroline Islands in March before covering landings in northern New Guinea by General Douglas MacArthurs forces in April.   Proceeding north, it, along with several other American battleships, bombarded Ponape before returning to Majuro.  Taking a month to train and refit, Alabama steamed north in early June to take part in the Marianas Campaign.  On June 13, it engaged in a six-hour pre-invasion bombardment of Saipan in preparation for the landings two days later.  On June 19-20, Alabama screened Mitschers carriers during the victory at the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Remaining in the vicinity, Alabama provided naval gunfire support to troops ashore before departing for Eniwetok.  Returning to the Marianas in July, it protected the carriers as they launched missions in support of the liberation of Guam.  Moving south, they conducted a sweep through the Carolines before striking targets in the Philippines in September.   In early October, Alabama covered the carriers as they mounted raids against Okinawa and Formosa.  Moving to the Philippines, the battleship began bombarding Leyte on October 15 in preparation for landings by MacArthurs forces.  Returning to the carriers, Alabama screened USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Franklin (CV-13) during the Battle of Leyte Gulf and later was detached as part of Task Force 34 to aid American forces off Samar. Final Campaigns Withdrawing to Ulithi for replenishment after the battle, Alabama then returned to the Philippines as the carriers struck targets across the archipelago.  These raids continued into December when the fleet endured severe weather during Typhoon Cobra.  In the storm, both of Alabamas Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes were damaged beyond repair.  Returning to Ulithi, the battleship received orders to undergo an overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.   Crossing the Pacific, it entered dry dock on January 18, 1945.  Work finally was completed on March 17.  Following refresher training on the West Coast, Alabama departed for Ulithi via Pearl Harbor.  Rejoining the fleet on April 28, it departed eleven days later to support operations during the Battle of Okinawa.  Steaming off the island, it aided troops ashore and provided air defense against Japanese kamikazes. USS Alabama (BB-60) in Puget Sound, WA, March 1945. US Navy History and Heritage Command   After riding out another typhoon on June 4-5, Alabama shelled Minami Daito Shima before proceeding to Leyte Gulf.  Steaming north with the carriers on July 1, the battleship served in their screening force as they mounted attacks against the Japanese mainland.  During this time, Alabama and other escorting battleships moved inshore to bombard a variety of targets.  The battleship continued to operate in Japanese waters until the end of hostilities on August 15.  During the course of the war, Alabama did not lose a single sailor to enemy action earning it the nickname Lucky A.   Later Career After assisting with initial occupation operations, Alabama departed Japan on September 20.  Assigned to Operation Magic Carpet, it touched at Okinawa to embark 700 sailors for the return voyage to the West Coast.  Reaching San Francisco on October 15, it disembarked its passengers and twelve days later hosted the general public.  Moving south to San Pedro, it remained there until February 27, 1946, when it received orders to sail to Puget Sound for a deactivation overhaul.   With this complete, Alabama was decommissioned on January 9, 1947 and moved to the Pacific Reserve Fleet.  Struck from the Naval Vessel Registry on June 1, 1962, the battleship was then transferred to the  USS Alabama Battleship Commission two years later.  Towed to Mobile, AL, Alabama opened as a museum ship at Battleship Memorial Park on January 9, 1965.  The vessel was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

Adjectives vs Adverbs for ACT English Grammar Rule

Adjectives vs Adverbs for ACT English Grammar Rule SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You may recall the good ol’ days of elementary school when you learned about adjectives and adverbs. If you had realized that you would have to know about these parts of speech for the ACT, perhaps you would have paid better attention instead of daydreaming about Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel. Don’t worry. If you’ve forgotten or never learned about these parts of speech, I’ll teach you everything you need to know about them for the ACT English section. In this post, I'll do the following: Define an adjective. Define an adverb. Review the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives. Explain how adjectives and adverbs are tested in ACT English. Provide practice questions to test you on what you've learned. What Is an Adjective? Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns. Here's an example: The movie was boring. The word "boring" is the adjective because it modifies the noun "movie." Check out one more example sentence with an adjective: The diligent student was admitted to the college of his dreams. The word "diligent" modifies the noun "student." Adjectives describe or provide more information about a noun. Now, let's define an adverb. What is an Adverb? In elementary school, you may have learned that adverbs modify verbs, but that's not all. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. This is an example of an adverb modifying a verb: The dancer moved gracefully. The word "gracefully" modifies the verb "moved." Check out this sentence with an adverb modifying an adjective: The reading comprehension passage was incredibly boring. The word "incredibly" modifies the adjective "boring" that modifies the noun "passage." And, finally, this is a sentence with an adverb modifying another adverb: When I'm not in a hurry, I walk extremely slowly. The word "extremely" modifies the adverb "slowly." The word "slowly" modifies the verb "walk." You may have noticed the adverb form is typically created the same way. Adverb Construction Adverbs are usually formed by adding "ly" to the adjective. For adverbs that end in "y," the adverb is formed by adding "ily." Here are some examples: "quick" becomes "quickly," "soft" becomes "softly," "close" becomes "closely," and "hasty" becomes "hastily." So if you say that somebody"talks slow" or "drives careful," you're making a grammar error. You should say, "talks slowly" or "drives carefully." How are adjectives and adverbs tested on the ACT? Adjectives vs. Adverbs on the ACT On the ACT, adverbs and adjectives will be switched with one another. Often, you will be given a pair of underlined words and the first should be an adverb (modifying the adjective) and the second should be an adjective. Here is an example: Unfortunately, the lead performer in the musical is an amazingly poorly singer. A. NO CHANGE B. amazing poorly C. amazingly poor D. amazing poor In the sentence, "amazingly" modifies "poorly." The word "poorly" modifies the singer. Because "singer" is a noun, "poorly" should be in the adjective form. Only adjectives can modify nouns. Because "amazingly" modifies an adjective, it should remain in the adverb verb. The answer is C. Some sentences will use an adjective in the place of an adverb or vice versa: The powerfully summer sun beat down on them. It was the sun that was powerful, not "summer." Because only an adjective can modify a noun, "powerfully" should be in the adjective form. This is the correct version of the sentence: The powerful summer sun beat down on them. How should you go about figuring out adjective vs. adverb questions on the ACT? Strategy Determine what word an adjective or adverb is modifying. Then, determine the part of speech of the word that is being modified to check to see if the adjective or adverb is being used correctly. Adjectives can only modify nouns and adverbs can only modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Make sure that adjectives are in the adjective form and adverbs are in the adverb form. Apply these tips to an adjective vs. adverb question from an actual ACT. Actual ACT Examples Try to correctly answer this adjective vs. adverb question. On each wing, all flighted birds have ten primary flight feathers, each one shaped slight different. F. NO CHANGE G. slight differently. H. slightly differently J. slightly more different Explanation: First, we see that both underlined words are in the adjective form. Next, we have to determine the function of each word in the sentence. Is each word being properly used as an adjective? Let’s start with â€Å"different." What is â€Å"different† modifying? How the feathers were shaped. â€Å"Shaped† is a verb. Therefore, â€Å"different† should be in the adverb form, â€Å"differently." What is â€Å"slight† modifying? The adverb â€Å"differently." Therefore, â€Å"slight† should also be in the adverb form. The answer is H, â€Å"slightly differently." Now, let's take a look at another issue tested on the ACT that involves adjectives and adverbs. Comparatives Vs. Superlatives Comparatives The comparative form of an adjective is formed by adding "er" to the word or "MORE" + the adjective. Examples of comparatives include "stronger," "lighter," and "more interesting." Never use "more" with the "er" form. You can't write "more stronger" or "more lighter." The comparative form is only used when you are comparing two things. Typically, you use the "er" form for words with one syllable and "more" + adjective for words with two or more syllables. One exception is that two syllable words that end in "y" tend to use the "er" form. Examples: "funny" becomes "funnier" and "busy" becomes "busier." Here's an example of a comparative being used correctly: Macs are easier to use than PCs. The comparative "easier" is being used to compare two things: Macs and PCs. So what form do you use to compare three or more things? Superlatives The superlative form of an adjective is formed by adding "est" to the word or "MOST" + the adjective. Examples of superlatives include "strongest," "lightest," and "most fascinating." You can never use "most" with the "est" form. It's incorrect to write "most funniest" or "most strongest." The superlative form is only used when comparing three or more things. Typically, words with one syllable use the "est" form and words with two or more syllables use "most" + adjective. This is an example of a correctly used superlative: Of all the computer brands, Macs are the easiest to use. When using "all" and not specifying a number, it's implied that you're talking about more than two so you should use the superlative form. Check out this example of a superlative being used incorrectly: Between John and Suzy, Suzy is the quietest. Remember that the superlative can only be used when comparing three or more things. There are only two in this sentence: John and Suzy. To fix the error, "quietest" should be changed to the comparative form, "quieter." How does the ACT test your knowledge of comparatives and superlatives? Comparatives and Superlatives on the ACT The ACT tests proper construction of comparatives and superlatives. You must know that comparatives are only used for comparing two things and superlatives are used for comparing three or more. Here are some tips to help you solve comparative and superlative questions on the ACT. Strategy Comparative and superlative rules are relatively basic. Remember this information and you should be able to correctly answer any ACT English question about them. If a comparative is underlined, make sure only two things are being compared. Never use "more" with the "er" form. Use the "er" form for one syllable words. If a superlative is underlined, make sure three or more things are being compared. Never use "most" with the "est" form. Use the "est" form for one syllable words. Use your knowledge of comparatives and superlatives to answer this real ACT English question. Actual ACT Example Here is a comparative/superlative question taken from a real ACT. The two principal types of kayaks are the easily maneuverable white-water kayak and the largest sea kayak. F. NO CHANGE G. very biggest H. more large J. larger Explanation: Because the word underlined is in the superlative form, we need to check to see if the superlative form is being used correctly. What is being compared in the sentence? The white-water kayak and the sea kayak. Only two things are being compared, so you have to use the comparative form. The sentence even says, â€Å"The TWO principal types of kayaks." Also, â€Å"large† is a one syllable word so you should use the â€Å"er† form instead of â€Å"more large." The answer is J. Here are some tips to help you answer all questions relating to adjectives and adverbs on the ACT. General Strategies for Adjectives and Adverbs on ACT English #1: If an Adjective or Adverb is Underlined, Make Sure the Word is Being Used Correctly On the ACT, adjectives and adverbs will often be placed next to each other and both words will be underlined. Make sure that adjectives are in adjective form and adverbs are in adverb form. #2: Determine the Part of Speech of the Word that the Adjective or Adverb Is Modifying Determine if a word is an adjective or an adverb by identifying the part of speech of the word it modifies. Adjectives modify nouns and adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. #3: If a Comparative or Superlative Is Underlined, Make Sure the Word Is Being Used Correctly Comparatives Comparatives only compare two things. Proper comparative structure is the "er" form or "MORE" + adjective. Never use "MORE" with the "er" form. Use the "er" form for one syllable words. Superlatives Superlatives compare three or more things. Proper superlative construction is the "est" form or "MOST" + adjective. Never use "MOST" with the "est" form. Use "est" for one syllable words. Additional Practice I created these realistic practice problems to test your knowledge of adjectives and adverbs on the ACT. Enjoy! 1. The young student was disillusioned with school; he found his classes boring, and he thought economics was his most boringly class. A. NO CHANGE B. most boring C. more boring D. more boringly 2. Because my friend is better at math than I am, he can more easily solve complex trigonometry questions. A. NO CHANGE B. more easier C. most easy D. easily 3. Chris Farley was a very gifted entertainer who left an extremely profound impact on Saturday Night Live. A. NO CHANGE B. extremely profoundly C. extreme profound D. extreme profoundly 4. Joe decided to attend Stanford because it was the more prestigious school that accepted him. A. NO CHANGE B. more prestigiously C. most prestigious D. most prestigiously Answers: 1. B, 2. A, 3. A, 4. C What's Next Keep improving the skills that will help you master the ACT English section. Read this article about the best way to approach ACT English. For those of you focusing on learning ACT grammar, I highly you recommend you check out these posts on faulty modifiers and punctuation. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Choose an American film made in the period since 1945 which, in your Essay

Choose an American film made in the period since 1945 which, in your view, can legitimately be described as 'popular' - Essay Example This essay will be exploring some of the textual and contextual criticism on this film. It will also examine the role or place for this film in a social, cultural and industrial context. Let us begin with a brief overview of film history from the mid 1940's up through the late nineties, when Titanic was introduced. During the 1940's, film evolved in a newly post war time and the genre of film noir began. During the 1950's post classical age in film, the introduction of television challenged the idea of film as it had been known. The 1960's brought with it the genesis of independent film which threatened the system of big Hollywood film. It was not until the 1970's that the term and idea of "blockbuster" was invented. By this time, the "new wave" of film was in place and the idea of cinema was changing. The 1980's kept the new idea of "blockbuster" alive with the introduction of teen based films (Breakfast Club, Saint Elmo's Fire). It was not until the 1990's that computer animation was alive and prominent in mainstream films. The movie Titanic arrived as not only a film using then, cutting edge computer animation but also an enormous (one of the largest in film history, a whopping $200 million USD) budget. Prior to this time period, big budget film was not as prominent. As an audience member to a showing of Titanic, one could watch a computer animated version of the famous ship ( The Titanic), slowly sink over a 2 hour period, bottom first followed by the full erecting of the ship in the Atlantic and finally the virtual sinking of the very ship that was never supposed to sink. This film is classified as historical drama or epic film, by most critics. An epic film or a historical drama (one in the same), can be defined as a historically based film that has been recreated and built upon fictionally. Usually, the use of powerful scoring and elaborate costumes can recreate a historical time or legend, so that the audience gains a sense of realism from the piece. In observing some criticism on the film, one critic says of Titanic"By deliberately adopting the stylistics of sentimentality in his screenplay, Cameron recalls yet another, less cynical time in Titanic. As with the golden age of Hollywood musicals or the 1950s-era films of Doris Day and Rock Hudson, Titanic eschews the irony of modernity and the narrative dislocation of post modernity in favor of yet another, more sentimentalized genre in which good inevitably wins out over evil, heroes invariably overcome class barriers, and lovers always find the means to endure despite harrowing odds" (Davis, Womack, 2001). This piece of criticism is referring to the film as viewing a "less cynical time" when that is really untrue. The essential conflict of the film, aside from the immanently sinking ship, is that the newly love stricken Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) cannot be together but, due to their class differences, and Rose's engagement to another man, they are unable t o be together. Certainly, if there is any truth to the circumstances of Jack and Rose, the entire time period was more than cynical. They were kept apart because one had financial means and social status while the other did not. The sentimentality observed by this critic is not necessarily pointing out a less than cynical time. Love, especially unrequited love is timeless and