the beachcomber :: essays research papers

The Beachcomber She dug her hand deep into the cool damp sand and closed her eyes. Squishing the moist grains with her fingers in the fury of the day reminded her of afternoons just laying in bed wrapped up in clean, white sheets, waiting for an answer. They gave her one of course, or else she would have never left that room, but she knew that something was left unsaid. Something was just terribly, terribly wrong, and although she couldn’t seem to put her finger on it back then, she knew. The silence was okay, she could’ve lived with that. But it was the coldness that scared her; the coldness suspended in the air between them: her mommy washing dishes in the kitchen, head bent, hair swooped to the side, hiding her left cheek, and her daddy, sitting on the sofa reading the Sunday paper in silent indifference. She was caught in the middle, with her toys scattered around her, shivering at the coldness of it all. She knew. They told her it would be fun having two houses. Imagine, two of everything! Two beds, two television sets, two dollhouses†¦ Her mommy’s hands were trembling. â€Å"But I don’t want two of everything. I just want both of you.† They were quiet for a moment. Her mommy stared blankly at the wall, following a crooked line of marching ants. Her eyes were swollen and red. Below the corner of her left eye were (what seemed to the little girl) smudges of pink and purple pastel crayons. Her daddy held her shoulders gently and whispered in her ear, â€Å"I love you so much princess.† And as her daddy hugged her tight, she wondered why princesses had to live such terrible lives. Pretty soon she was living in two houses with two of everything, just like they said. She lived with her daddy and Tita Carmen in Alabang, and with her mommy in their old house in Manila. Her daddy said that Tita Carmen was very much like her mommy in Manila in that she would take care of her and love her and play dolls with her all afternoon (if she wants to). Her mommy in Manila did not say anything. She tightened her fist filled with sand, and forced herself to think of something else. Think happy. Think happy. Think strawberry ice cream with chocolate syrup. Think new dresses for Mimi, her favorite doll.

Motorcycles Are Dangerous

English 101 3131 10 November 2012 Motorcycles Are Dangerous The road is filled with cars and motorcycles but what makes motorcycles seem dangerous, is it the motorcycle itself, is it the drivers who are driving side by side with motorcycles or is it the dare devils riding motorcycles? There is a saying for motorcycles, â€Å"Its not if one fall, its when one falls. † This is said because beginners are notorious for dropping their motorcycles. Motorcycles themselves are not dangerous.It’s the non-experienced drivers and the drivers around them, that pose a threat to motorcycle riders all over the world. The thing with both motorcycles and cars, is if one were to take all the safety classes and course, they would then be less likely to come across accidents on the road. It’s also surprisingly important to know about the vehicle that you drive. Whether that be a car or a motorcycle, because if you know about the mechanics behind it, there is less of a chance that on e would get into an accident caused by a mechanical error.Riders who peacock (the act of dressing in color, very noticeable) and wear proper gear are less likely to be in an accident or be hurt in one. Drinking and riding is a big no-no, on a motorcycle the rider need to have full control of the motorcycle and surroundings, drinking even the legal limit will impair a rider far more than in a car. The standard thought is motorcycles are dangerous, but the truth is they are as dangerous as drivers make them or can be even safer than cars if the driver takes the proper initiative and audited.A motorcycle is a tool of transportation, the way it is used determines whether it is dangerous or safe. If an inexperienced person gets on a motorcycle and expects to go on a ride, most likely that person will end up in an accident and in the hospital. It is important to learn to use the tool, what it can do and how knowing all the right steps to staying safe. Motorcycleminds. org recommends that every rider take the beginning rider education class and advanced education rider class to protect oneself and others on the road.These educational classes teach one everything from tire pressure to lane sharing properly. One of the acronyms taught in these classes that beginning to expert cyclist use every time they hop on a motorcycle is T-CLOCS and it stands for tires and wheels, controls, lights, oil, chassis, stands. T-CLOCS is a MSC (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) checklist to keep siders alert and safe. The full in depth checklist can be found on http://www. msf-usa. org/downloads/t-clocsinspectionchecklist. pdf . Without T-CLOCS riders might be going out on and unsafe motorcycle asking for an accident to happen.Knowing how a motorcycle works is just half the game, practice allows for one to perfect the technique of riding making safer and safer every day but still realizing that one always need to be in control but the same can be said for drivers of cars even pedestrians on bicycles. All a motorcycle is a tool and like any other tool it can be classified as dangerous only if miss used and abused. A nail gun can be very dangerous if used improperly but when used properly it can do a professional clean job without any accidents.Broken, worn out parts can be replaced, a human life can't, safety is only as safe as the driver makes it motorcycles are not dangerous. Choosing proper riding gear will increase minimizing damage in an accident and will maximize how visible the rider is to others on the road. This is where Peacocking and safety should unite to minimize falling in blind spots of other drivers. Covering oneself in riding gear may not seem very stylish but it beats being cheese in a cheese grinder. When driving a car the people in it use seat belts and like to have airbags with outstanding crash ratings.To provide the same level of protection as a car, motorcycle riders should consider wearing proper DOT (Department Of Transportation) approved gear to ensure crash test ratings. When it comes to gear and its expenses it is important to think that the gear is the only thing between the rider and asphalt in an accident. Starting out from ground up with gear, proper boots that have ankle support and have close toes is very important. Having proper boots will prevent skin burns and many accidental rolled ankles.Depending on the kind of riding being done leg and knee pads can be bought but thick jeans or protective riding pants suffice in most cases. Hands that are not protected in an accident can be badly damaged but it is easy to prevent this by having sturdy gloves deigned for the type of riding going on. Jackets can be safe, flashy and fashionable, why not have all three working together? Most motorcycles jackets do, they will provide protective padding, materials that are comfortable but can handle road rash so that skin doesn't, and while being fashionable usually they make riders more visible to others.As Basem Wasef Writer o f Motorcycle Gear 101 on about. com said,â€Å"An old saying goes something like this: If you've got a $20 head, buy yourself a $20 helmet. † DOT approved helmets that provide three quarters to full face helmets are crucial in providing proper protections. Having all the appropriate riding gear makes falls that will happen, be less harsh and cuts the dangers of riding by a great deal. People wearing gear properly will be safe like a driver driving in a car with good crash ratings. Accidents happen in cars and motorcycles, being ready for them take many of the danger out of riding motorcycles.The most dangerous thing on a motorcycle is a fatal crash. Most people don't realize is that a majority of fatal motorcycle accidents are caused by the misuse of motorcycle or riding under the influence. â€Å"One out of three motorcycle accidents involves a rider who is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Thirty-five percent of fatal motorcycle accidents involve a speeding motorcycle rider. † Keller and Keller law firm. Sixty-eight percent that leaves about thirty-two percent for other fatalities to be cause by things cars, trucks and motorcycles fault accidents.Following the law will prevent most motorcycle accidents. All vehicles on the road can be dangerous, if misused, not just motorcycles. Falling on a motorcycle happens but riders keep their head held high just like a teen that crashes their first car. Remembering T-CLOCS can save a riders life and the life of the surrounding people. Dressing to what, a peacock-cock-cock peacock allows on to standout and stay safe on the road. Motorcycles are not dangerous vehicles used properly, skateboards and BMX bikes can be more dangerous.As a avid motorcycle rider of four years I strongly urge anyone interested in riding in MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation). Keep the roads safe for future generations. Works Cited http://www. msf-usa. org/downloads/t-clocsinspectionchecklist. pdf http://dsc. discover y. com/cars-bikes/top-10-ways-to-stay-safe-on-your-motorcycle-2. html http://motorcycleminds. org/? p=847 http://ridingsafely. com/ridingsafely1. html http://motorcycles. about. com/od/gearreviews/tp/Motorcycle-Safety-Gear-101. htm http://www. 2keller. com/library/motorcycle-accident-statistics-motorcycle-acci

Immigration to the United States Essay

What reasons motivate people to immigrate to the United States? We know that most newcomers leave behind poverty and unemployment in their homelands in search of better fortunes in America. However, research on this subject suggest that the causes of immigration are often more complex and numerous than most assume. The capacity of natural disasters, environmental crises, overpopulation, wars, and civil unrest to uproot and set in motion millions of people around the globe and refugee and asylum policies that extend relief to some non-citizens fleeing political, ethnic, religious, and gender persecution. This is but a short list of the different reasons to mass immigration to the United States today. Evaluating the causes of U.S. immigration can reveal a great deal about recent immigrants, their homelands, and America’s image abroad. Daniel Tichenor from the Rutgers University states in his essay U.S.A. Immigration, â€Å"The story of the American people is a story of immigration and diversity.† Each immigrant in this country has a different reason of why he or she came to the  United States. Throughout the years the reasons change for the new immigrants; according to the American Immigration Web Page, â€Å"from 1607-1830 the major reasons were political freedom, religious tolerance, economic opportunity, people wanting a better life, better job, more money and some were forced to leave because of slavery.† There are two types of motivation for immigration â€Å"push† and â€Å"pull† factors. According to Daniel Tichenor, push factor is â€Å"the need to leave in order to survive.† Push factor is the case of the people that was mentioned before, the people that have to leave their country for political freedom, religious tolerance, and the slavery. An example of this is the case of Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, and Senegal. â€Å"These countries involve men looking for a job education, and escaping from persecution, and over a period the process is followed by family reunification migration and family formation migration†Ã‚  (push and pull factors of International Migration web page). Pull factor is when the people are attracted for what they could have in other country, like economic opportunity, better opportunity of to get a career, they want a better life. It is the case of Mexico. When Mexicans immigrants came to the United States; they are looking for better economic life. The difference between the dollar and the peso (Mexican coin) is too much, one dollar in the actuality are around eleven pesos with fifty cents, so Mexican men came to the U.S.A. to get a job, and they usually send the money they earn to their families in Mexico. In some of the cases after a few years, they bring all their family to the U.S.A. for family reunification. In some cases people have both â€Å"pull† and â€Å"push† motivations to immigrate to the United States; it is the case of Cubans. Cubans come to the United States for political freedom, escaping from Fidel Castro, and looking for a better life and more economic opportunities. As we can see, both â€Å"pull† and â€Å"push† factors in most of the cases end with the same phrase â€Å"family reunification.† Everyone who goes to other country looking for freedom or a better life need more than that, they need a family who share all the good things with, but someone who wants to live in the United States needs a citizenship or at least a residency to do it. Some of the countries have more facilities than others to get the necessary documents to live in the U.S.A. For example, for Cuba it is easier than for other countries to get the residency. â€Å"Until 1985, there was no quota for Cubans entering the United States via normal immigration procedures as there was for other immigrant groups.† In the past, both documented and undocumented Cubans who came to the U.S.A. were welcome, â€Å"Cuban undocumented entrants have always had special status, while entrants from other countries have been required to demonstrate that they were fleeing political persecution to be granted refugee status.† It is known for all around the  world that Cuba has very strong political problems, and this is the reason of why they have this special status, since 1996 â€Å"the Attorney General has had discretionary power to guarantee permanent residency to any Cuban who has been in the United States for a year, including those on visitor’s visas who have overstayed the period delineated in their  visas.† (All quotes are from the Web Page, Cubans have a very strong sense of cultural identity.) For other countries it is more difficult to get the U.S.A. residency, for example the case of Mexico. In the past if a child had been born in the United States, the parents become U.S.A. citizens as same as the child. Over the years this rule changed, in the actuality there are just two ways to become a citizen for the Mexicans, the firs one is that you by yourself submit the application to the U.S.A. embassy, and wait until all the process is ready and they’ll call you for the interview, they the people who works in the embassy, check all your status, and if you cover all the requirements they will give you the U.S.A. residency. The second way is that someone of your family, and it has to be a parent or a brother, send to the embassy a request that say that they want you to be in the country, after this it is the same process than the first one, but you have more opportunity to be accept because one member of your family is requiring you to be in the country. Only after 5 yea rs you can apply for the citizenship. A problem that new generations could find is the lost of traditions. For example in the past, the children of immigrants learned English, but they didn’t learn their parents’ first language. But this problem could be resolve; recently, Americans have placed greater value on diversity, ethnic groups having renewing and celebrating their heritage, and the children of immigrants often growing up being bilingual. The United States has welcomed more immigrants than any other country, more than 50 million in all, and still admits between 500,000 to 1 million  persons a year. Although for some countries is too difficult to be legally in the United States, more  people want to come, and it is good for the country, because we need this people, they are the labors, the workers, important people. It is the people who make the difference in the country. Work Cited Page. Tichenor, Daniel J. U.S.A. Immigration, Rutgers University, February, 2000. (Immigration Web page.) NIDI/EUROSTAT. Push and pull Factor of International Migration, Eurostat. May, 2000 (Push and Pull factors web page.) Cubans have a very strong sense of cultural identity. Cuban Immigration to the United States. February 18, 2004 (Web Page of Cuban Immigration, the date shown is the last day the page was updated.)

Bad Reporting VS Government Cover

Bad Reporting VS Government Cover Bad Reporting VS Government Cover-up Essay Bad Reporting VS Government Cover-up Upon the signing of the Constitution, the American people were given many rights and liberties. One of those rights is the right of freedom of speech. Americans tend to think that they also have the right to receive full, correct information from the media. Yet this idea has become seemingly absurd. Even Thomas Jefferson, one of the main contributors of the American Constitution and the third president of the United States once said, â€Å"The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.† This proves that even long ago the public had the understanding that the media readily edits the type, amount, and content of the â€Å"facts† they reveal. The series of events that the media reported during the terrorist attacks of September 11 2001, greatly demonstrate the media’s ability to edit and negotiate facts. Some of the main information that the media reported that day was about the hijacked airplanes. It all star ted at 8:00 am with American Airlines Flight 11 that was carrying 92 people, it departed from Boston and headed for Los Angeles. Just a few minutes after the plane departed, it was hijacked and subsequently redirected towards New York. At 8:14 am, Flight 175 from United Airlines also departed from Boston, but only carrying 65 people, and within five minutes the plane’s identification transponder had been shut off it was also being hijacked and turned away from Los Angeles and towards New York. Next, at 8:21 am, American Airlines Flight 77, carrying 64 people, took off from Washington and also was originally headed towards Los Angeles but was forced to change its course and was redirected toward New York too. Yet, it was not until 8:40 am, that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notifies the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) about the first â€Å"suspected† hijacking of American Flight 11. It took them an astounding 40 minutes to notify the proper authorities. Then at 8:41 am United Air Lines Flight 93, Boeing 757 with 44 people on board, it takes off from Newark with a destination of Los Angeles. It was not until 8:43 am that the FAA notified NORAD about the second â€Å"suspected† hijacking this time of United Flight 175. Sadly, at 8:46am, Flight 11 slams into the North Tower at the World Trade Center, between floors 93 and 99. The aircraft struck the north side of the tower. Continuing at 9:03am the South Tower at the World Trade Center was plunged into, from the south, by Flight 175. By this time, America was in complete devastation and a contributing factor was that there were many conflicting and confusing â€Å"Breaking News† reports being broadcasted. 9:24 am the FAA notified NORAD about another â€Å"suspected† hijacking of American Flight 77. Tragically, at 9:40 am American Flight 77 crashes into Pentagon. Next, United Flight 93 crashes in a field in Pennsylvania at 10:03 am after passengers rus h the hijackers. South towers collapsed at 9:59 am followed by the North tower at 10:28 am. The collapses were massive, with tons of smoke and dust, and watched by an audience of millions. However, the information that the media reported that day was not exactly the whole story. Proven by a statement made by firefighter Louie Cacchioli, who was assigned to Engine 47 in Harlem, reported to the media that, â€Å"We were the first ones in the second tower after the plane struck... On the last trip up a bomb went off. We think there was bombs set in the building. (People Magazine, para.12)† Many of the first reports and the most of the people being interviewed on that day were all saying the same thing, that there were many explosions heard that sounded like bombs. There is even footage of the planes hitting the towers, in slow motion, showing evidence of visible explosions that happen before the planes even make contact with the towers. So what exactly are the reasons for trying to cover-up this information? A

Understanding Where Money Goes in the Stock Market

Understanding Where Money Goes in the Stock Market When a stock market price for a company suddenly takes a nosedive, a stakeholder may wonder where the money they invested went. Well, the answers not so simple as someone pocketed it. Money that enters the stock market through investment in a companys shares stays in the stock market, though that shares value does fluctuate based on a number of factors. The money invested initially in a share combined with the current market value of that share determine the net worth of shareholders and the company itself. It may be easier to understand this given a specific example such as three investors - Becky, Rachel, and Martin - entering the market to buy a share of Company X, wherein Company X is willing to sell one share of their company in order to increase capital and their net worth through investors. An Example Exchange in the Market In this scenario, Company X has no money but owns one share that it would like to sell the open exchange market while Becky has $1,000, Rachel has $500, and Martin has $200 to invest. If Company X has an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of $30 on the share and Martin buys it, Martin would then have $170 and one share while Company X has $30 and one less share. If the market booms and Company Xs stock price goes up to $80 per share, then Martin decides to sell his stake in the company to Rachel, Martin would then exit the market with no shares but up $50 from his original net worth to now total $250. At this point, Rachel has $420 left but also acquires that share of Company X, which remains unaffected by the exchange. Suddenly, the market crashed and Company X stock prices plummet to $15 a share. Rachel decides to opt out of the market before it goes any further down and sells her share to Becky; this places Rachel with no shares at $435, which is down $65 from her initial net worth, and Beck at $985 with Rachels stake in the company as part of her net worth, totaling $1,000. Where the Money Goes If weve done our calculations correctly, the total money lost has to equal the total money gained and the total number of stocks lost has to equal the total number of stocks gained. Martin, who gained $50, and Company X, who gained $30, have collectively gained $80, while Rachel, who lost $65, and Becky, who is sitting on a $15 investment, collectively lost $80, so no money has entered or left the system. Similarly, AOL’s one stock loss is equal to Becky’s one stock gained. To calculate the net value of these individuals, at this point, one would have to assume the current stock exchange rate for the stake, then add that to their capital in the bank if the individual owns stock while subtracting the rate from those who are down a share. Company X would, therefore, have a net value of $15, Marvin $250, Rachel $435, and Beck $1000. In this scenario, Rachels lost $65 has gone to Marvin, who gained $50, and to Company X, who has $15 of it. Further, if you change the value of the stock, the total net amount Company X and Becky are up will be equal to $15, so for every dollar the stock goes up, Becky will have a net gain of $1 and Company X will have a net loss of $1 - so no money will enter or leave the system when the price changes. Note that in this situation nobody put more money in the bank from the down market. Marvin was the big winner, but he made all his money before the market crashed. After he sold the stock to Rachel, hed have the same amount of money if the stock went to $15 or if it went to $150. Why Does Company Xs Value Increase When Stock Prices Fall? It is true that Company Xs net value does go up when the stock price goes down because when the price of the stock plunges, it becomes cheaper for Company X to repurchase the share they sold to Martin initially. If the stock price goes to $10 and they repurchase the share from Becky, they will be up to $20 as they initially sold the share for $30. However, if the stock price goes to $70 and they repurchase the share, they will be down $40. Note that unless they actually make this transaction Company X does not gain or lose any cash from changes in the share price. Lastly, consider Rachels situation. If Becky decides to sell her share to Company X, from Rachels perspective it doesn’t matter what price Becky charges Company X as Rachel will still be down $65 no matter what the price. But unless Company actually makes this transaction, theyre up to $30 and down one share, no matter what the market price of that share is. By constructing an example, we can see where the money went, and see that the guy making all the money made it just before the crash happened.

Torsion Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Torsion - Lab Report Example ners, are frequently subject to this perspective of torsion testing mainly for the sake of determining their levels of strength especially under duress (AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING MATERIALS, 1961).   Torsion test may take place under three major categories. These includes; failure testing, operational testing, as well as proof testing. Failure testing has to do with the aspect of material twisting till it breaks (HELLER, 1975).  Proof testing on the other hand plays a role of observing whether specific material can withstand a certain torque load quantity over a given timeframe. Finally, operational testing is meant for testing particular products for confirmation of their elastic limits before taking them to the market. It is often deemed very critical to take records of each and every torsion test result. This is done through creation of a stress-strain graph with both X-axis and Y-axis bearing the values regarding the angle of twist and the torque respectively. With use of a torsion testing device, twisting is done at quarter-degree level of increments with subsequent recording of the torque it can actually withstand. The twist angle corresponds to the strain, and the measured torque corresponds to the stress. A torsion test is often conducted on various materials so as to determine their torsional features. These properties includes; Ductility, shear elasticity, ultimate and yield shear strengths, as well as the rapture modulus. Torsion test performance is mainly done for various distinct purposes and significance (KEETON, 1975).  This is because, by testing products such as switches, biomedical catheter tubing, automotive steering columns, fasteners, among others; manufacturers gets the ability of simulating service conditions, checking of product quality, designs verification, and the aspect of ensuring adequate manufacturing techniques. The material’s elastic limit refers to the point upon which it will no longer return back to its unique size or

The NEGATIVE MESSAGE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The NEGATIVE MESSAGE - Essay Example It is essential that our facility creates a good impression so that the public feels that we are professional and efficient organization. Our product requires that our clients trust us enough to believe that we will reliably insure their possessions and lives, and not let them down. Their first impression of us must be good and the condition of our offices must reflect our professionalism. Often in the last few months, we have found it necessary to contact your company so that tasks would be done that should have been part of every day’s routine. Accidental messes and spills were not taken care of on six occasions at least, during the ordinary cleaning rounds of the crews. We then had to contact your company directly to have the required work done. We also to escalated our communications and did, on two occasions in the last three months, contact you directly. Despite your assurances that the situation would improve, we are still experiencing problems.