American Airlines Flight Essay Example for Free

American Airlines Flight Essay Through his 1997 Airframe novel, Michael Crichton describes Casey Singleton’s response after a plane that was manufactured by Norton Aircraft experiences an accident while in flight. Singleton is a quality assurance officer at Norton Aircraft. Does the story accurately portray an aircraft manufacturer’s response to an accident? By demonstrating that following the accident, Norton Aircraft works hard to ensure that it (Norton Aircraft) does not only ascertain the genesis of the accident, but also to try to exonerate itself from any culpability, Crichton presents an accurate picture of aircraft manufacturers’ reaction to plane accidents. To illustrate, Singleton puts forth great efforts to investigate the facts behind the accident (Crichton, 1996). It is notable that a Singleton is not interested in the numerous aspects that usually surround pane mishaps. Rather, she seeks to establish who erred with regard to the accident. This is the typical reaction of aircraft manufacturers after plane accidents; they seek to apportion blame rather than solve the problem. Does the story accurately portray the media’s response to an aircraft accident? Crichton also presents a credible description of how the news-hungry media usually responds after plane accidents. It is undisputable that media houses jostle to present that so-called ‘exclusive’ story to the public after air accidents. This trend is clearly exhibited by the plans by a local media house to air a sensational news program that has somewhat maliciously dubbed the ill-fated plane a ‘deathtrap’. The author thus describes and critiques the sensational attitude that the media shows towards plane accidents. What was your overall impression of the story? After studying Crichton’s story, I was pleased with the author’s description of events that closely resemble real-life aviation accidents. For example, in describing the circumstances as well as the cause of the accident, Crichton draws parallels with the American Airlines Flight 191 fatal crash. In addition, Singleton’s investigations reveal that the accident was partly caused by the captain’s error of allowing his inexperienced son to take charge of the aircraft. Similarly, the Aeroflot flight 593 mishap in 1994 originated from the pilot’s mistake of permitting his inexperienced son to man the flight. Discerning such parallels to real-life events makes me to like the novel owing to its seeming applicability in contemporary mishaps. On the other hand, after closely examining Crichton’s plot, I have deduced several themes which make the author’s text very significant. For example, the author describes events that seek to show that air accidents are usually blamed on the wrong parties. In this case, John Marder and his associates try to place the blame for the accident squarely on Singleton. After her investigations, Singleton however detects that the fault was in the person who was operating the aircraft, particularity the pilot. The author thus demonstrates that innocent and vulnerable parties usually unjustly carry the blame for plane accidents. This candid portrayal of the blame games that accompany plane accidents is an aspect that makes the author’s work worthy of praise. In addition, I marveled at Crichton’s demonstration that humans, as opposed to mechanical failures, are the main cause of plane accidents. The author thus eradicates the popular notion that machine failure is normally the major culprit behind plane accidents. To illustrate, the aircraft is functional as per Singleton’s investigations. Human error, in form of improper maintenance coupled with operational errors; make the plane to have the accident. Crichton thus debunks a popular myth related to aircraft accidents through the novel’s events. This aspect makes me to really like the author’s bluntness and originality. References Crichton, M. (1996). Airframe. New York: Knopf.

Internet Crimes :: essays research papers

The new discipline of computing and the sciences that depend upon it have led the way in making space for women's participation on an equal basis. That was in some ways true for Grace Murray Hopper, and it is all the more true for women today because of Hopper's work. Grace Brewster Murray graduated from Vassar with a B.A. in mathematics in 1928 and worked under algebraist Oystein Ore at Yale for her M.A. (1930) and Ph.D. (1934). She married Vincent Foster Hopper, an educator, in 1930 and began teaching mathematics at Vassar in 1931. She had achieved the rank of associate professor in 1941 when she won a faculty fellowship for study at New York University's Courant Institute for Mathematics. Hopper had come from a family with military traditions, thus it was not surprising to anyone when she resigned her Vassar post to join the Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) in December 1943. She was commissioned a lieutenant in July 1944 and reported to the Bureau of Ord nance Computation Project at Harvard University, where she was the third person to join the research team of professor (and Naval Reserve lieutenant) Howard H. Aiken. She recalled that he greeted her with the words, "Where the hell have you been?" and pointed to his electromechanical Mark I computing machine, saying "Here, compute the coefficients of the arc tangent series by next Thursday." Hopper plunged in and learned to program the machine, putting together a 500-page Manual of Operations for the Automatic Sequence-Controlled Calculator in which she outlined the fundamental operating principles of computing machines. By the end of World War II in 1945, Hopper was working on the Mark II version of the machine. Although her marriage was dissolved at this point, and though she had no children, she did not resume her maiden name. Hopper was appointed to the Harvard faculty as a research fellow, and in 1949 she joined the newly formed Eckert-Mauchly Corporation. H opper never again held only one job at a time. She remained associated with Eckert-Mauchly and its successors (Remington-Rand, Sperry-Rand, and Univac) until her official "retirement" in 1971. Her work took her back and forth among institutions in the military, private industry, business, and academe. In December 1983 she was promoted to commodore in a ceremony at the White House. When the post of commodore was merged with that of rear admiral, two years later, she became Admiral Hopper.

Homeric Parallels of Greek and Trojan Culture

The Parallels of Greek and Trojan Culture Homer’s The Iliad paints an epic and gruesome picture of the Achaeans and Trojans civilizations warring over a ten-year span. If one were to compare these once great cultures, the striking similarities would suggest friendship rather than enemies. Not only did both nations perform similar rituals and sacrifices, but also these rites were directed to the same group of gods. Specifically the Trojans and Achaeans had a tremendous respect for the dead and the Underworld.Also, the philosophies of both cultures centered on, arete, which for a warrior was excellence determined by a man’s prowess as a soldier during wartime or as an athlete in peace (Chiekova 9/11). Another parallel of the cultures was hubris, and the refusal to admit one’s wrongdoing because of pride. A final irony is the fact that Apollo is considered to be the â€Å"most† Greek of all gods, and yet he fought for the Trojans. Essentially both nations pra yed to the same gods, performed identical rites, followed the same core set of principles and yet from all these similarities, neither nation could find a way to form a truce.The first parallel of Achaean and Trojan culture stems from praying to shared gods. It was common knowledge of the ancients that if one were to honor the gods with sacrifices, the god would eventually reciprocate. And so both nations attempted to win favor. â€Å"At once we’ll sacrifice twelve heifers in your shrine, yearlings never broken, if only you’ll pity Troy, the Trojan wives and all our helpless children,† exclaims Theano, a Trojan Priestess (The Iliad, Book 7, page 180), while the Greeks also relied on divine intervention.Nestor recalls past sacrifices hoping the gods will once again return to the Achaeans, â€Å" There we slaughtered fine victims to mighty Zeus, a bull to Alpheus River, a bull to lord Poseidon, and an unyoked cow to blazing eyed Athena,† (The Iliad, Book 11 , page 266). Not only are the Trojans and Greeks sacrificing the same animal but also in this instance they are praying to the same goddesses. Another example of the same religious practices regards to paying tribute to the dead.Both believed that a soul remained restless and was unable to cross the River Styx and enter the underworld until burial rites were conferred. An example of the importance of proper burial occurs at the end of Book 7, after the duel between Hector and Great Ajax, â€Å"†¦If you are willing come, we’ll halt the brutal war until we can burn the bodies of our dead,† (The Iliad, Book 7, page 196). The mutual respect for the process of death is just another instance of the parallels between societies.The next example of how the Achaeans and Trojans were eerily similar is in regards to cultural beliefs. In order to become a great man or hero, one must possess arete. Arete is earned by performing exceptional feats and in turn gaining glory for on e’s name and country. To understand how important arete was to the ancient Greeks, the story how Achilles was brought into battle can be recalled. Achilles, mother Thetis, hid him amongst the women of Lycomedes. Achilles remained hidden until Odysseus arrived at the island with various gifts.Achilles was the only one interested by the fine swords and shields Odysseus brought, and thus revealed himself. Odysseus then continued to remind Achilles of his destiny, that if he enters the Trojan War he would die, but earn himself immeasurable glory on the battlefield (Chiekova 9/28). Earning arete was more important than living for not only Achilles and the Achaeans but also the Trojans. Hector earned his arete by proving his intense loyalty and returning to battle even though he knew he was going to die, too.Andromache pleads â€Å"Yes, soon they will kill you off, all the Achaean forces massed for assault, and the bereft of you, better for me to sink into the Earth,† (The I liad, Book 6, page 183). Another common theme found in both cultures is of hubris. Countless examples of characters making choices based on pride can be found throughout the epic. One specific example of pride influencing choices of the Achaeans is when Menelaus calls his men cowards for not volunteering to battle with Hector. What disgrace it will be-shame, cringing shame, if not one Danaan, now steps up to battle Hector. You can all turn to earth and water-rot away! † (The Iliad, Book 7, page 190). This is a classic example of challenging ones pride or shaming one into action. For the Trojans, even when it seems that the city is about to fall, he refuses to return Helen to Menelaus. He proclaims â€Å"I say no, straight out- I won’t give up the woman,† (The Iliad, Book 7, page 197). Paris would rather see the entire of city of Troy fall then return his prized Helen and damage his pride.The final great irony of the Trojan War is the concept that Apollo was the m ost Greek of all gods, and yet he fought for the Trojans (Chiekova 9/25). Apollo epitomizes everything the Achaeans strived for. He is often depicted as a young man perfected in beauty and grace and referred to as the sun god. Besides being a great archer, Apollo had many noble characteristics including being the god of healing, music, archery, and crafts. He is often identified by his iconic laurel wreath lyre, and bow. The Achaeans viewed all of Apollo’s traits as virtuous and emulated themselves after him (Chiekova 9/21).The great paradox is that the Greeks offend Apollo by refusing to return the daughters of one his priests. This causes Apollo to side with the Trojans and deliver a vicious plague upon the Greeks. Homer writes, â€Å" The arrows clanged at his back as the god quaked with rage, the god himself on the march and down he came like night. Over against the ships, he dropped to a knee let fly a shaft and a terrifying clash rang out from his great silver bow†¦He cut them down in droves- and the corpses-fires burned on, night and day, no end in sight,† (The Iliad, Book 1, page 88).Comparing Achaean and Trojan society it becomes quite apparent that the cultures were more similar than different. Each society practiced the same religion, strived to achieve greatness and respect in battle, and had a unique respect for Apollo. The parallels between civilizations almost seems as if the Achaeans and Trojans should have been allied with one another, but it seems that there eerie similarities almost led to conflict.

Creating a Genealogy Research Plan Like a Detective

If you like mysteries, then you have the makings of a good genealogist. Why? Just like detectives, genealogists must use clues to formulate possible scenarios in their pursuit for answers. Whether it is as simple as looking up a name in an index, or as comprehensive as looking for patterns among neighbors and communities, turning those clues into answers is the goal of a good research plan. How to Develop a Genealogy Research Plan A major goal in developing a genealogy research plan is to identify what you want to know and formulate the questions which will provide the answers you seek. Most professional genealogists create a genealogy research plan (even if only a few steps) for each research question. The elements of a good genealogy research plan include: 1) Objective: What Do I Want to Know? What specifically do you want to learn about your ancestor? Their marriage date? Spouses name? Where they lived at a particular point in time? When they died? Be really specific in narrowing down to a single question if possible. This helps keep your research focused and your research plan on track. 2) Known Facts: What Do I Already Know? What have you already learned about your ancestors? This should include identities, relationships, dates and places that are supported by original records. Search family and home sources for documents, papers, photos, diaries, and family tree charts, and interview your relatives to fill in the gaps. 3) Working Hypothesis: What Do I Think the Answer Is? What are the possible or probable conclusions that you hope to prove or possibly disprove through your genealogy research? Say you want to know when your ancestor died? You might start, for example, with the hypothesis that they died in the town or county where they were last known to be living. 4) Identified Sources: Which Records Might Hold the Answer and Do They Exist? Which records are most likely to provide support for your hypothesis? Census records? Marriage records? Land deeds? Create a list of possible sources, and identify the repositories, including libraries, archives, societies or published Internet collections where these records and resources can be researched. 5) Research Strategy The final step of your genealogy research plan is to determine the best order to consult or visit the various repositories, considering the available records and your research needs. Often this will be organized in order of the available records likelihood of including the information youre looking for, but may also be influenced by factors such as ease of access (can you get it online or do you have to travel to a repository over 500 miles away) and cost of record copies. If you require information from one repository or record type to be able to more easily locate another record on your list, be sure to take that into account. A Genealogy Research Plan in Action ObjectiveFind the ancestral village in Poland for Stanislaw (Stanley) THOMAS and Barbara Ruzyllo THOMAS. Known Facts According to descendants, Stanley THOMAS was born Stanislaw TOMAN. He and his family often used the THOMAS surname after arriving in the U.S. as it was more American.According to descendants, Stanislaw TOMAN married Barbara RUZYLLO about 1896 in Krakow, Poland. He immigrated to the United States from Poland in the early 1900s to make a home for his family, settling first in Pittsburgh, and sent for his wife and children a few years later.The 1910 U.S. Census Miracode index for Glasgow, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, lists Stanley THOMAS with wife Barbara, and children Mary, Lily, Annie, John, Cora, and Josephine. Stanley is listed as having been born in Italy and immigrating to the U.S. in 1904, while Barbara, Mary, Lily, Anna, and John are also listed as having been born in Italy; immigrating in 1906. Children Cora and Josephine are identified as having been born in Pennsylvania. Cora, the oldest of the children born in the U.S. is listed as age 2 (born about 1907).Barbara and Stanle y TOMAN are buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Glasgow, Reade Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. From the inscriptions: Barbara (Ruzyllo) TOMAN, b. Warsaw, Poland, 1872–1962; Stanley Toman, b. Poland, 1867–1942. Working HypothesisSince Barbara and Stanley were supposedly married in Krakow, Poland (according to family members), they most likely came from that general area of Poland. The listing of Italy in the 1910 U.S. Census is most likely a mistake, as it is the only record located that names Italy; all others say Poland or Galicia. Identified Sources 1910, 1920 and 1920 census for Stanley Barbara TOMAN/THOMAS in Cambria County, PennsylvaniaPassenger lists for the ports of Philadelphia, PA; Baltimore, MD; and Ellis Island, NY.Marriage records for the children born in PolandSocial Security Death Index and Social Security application records (SS-5) for Barbara and Stanley TOMAN/THOMASNaturalization records for Stanley, Barbara, Mary, Anna, Rosalia (Rose)or John Research Strategy View the actual 1910 U.S. Census to confirm the information from the index.Check the 1920 and 1930 U.S. Census online to see if Stanley or Barbara TOMAN/THOMAS were ever naturalized and to confirm Poland as a country of birth (disprove Italy).Search the online Ellis Island database on the chance that the TOMAN family immigrated into the U.S. through New York City (more likely they came in through Philadelphia or Baltimore).Search for Philadelphia passenger arrivals for Barbara and/or Stanley TOMAN  online at FamilySearch or Ancestry.com. Look for the town of origin, as well as indications of possible naturalizations for any of the family members. If not found in the Philadelphia arrivals, expand the search to nearby ports, including Baltimore and New York.  Note: when I originally researched this question these records were not available online; I ordered several microfilms of records from the Family History Library for viewing at my local Family History Center.Check the SSDI to see if Barbara or Stanley ever applied for a Social Security card. If so, then request an application from the Social Security Administration.Contact or visit the Cambria County courthouse for marriage records for Mary, Anna, Rosalia, and John. If there is any indication in the 1920 and/or 1930 census that Barbara or Stanley was naturalized, check for naturalization documents as well. If your findings are negative or inconclusive when following your genealogy research plan, dont despair. Just redefine your objective and hypothesis to match the new information youve located so far. In the above example, initial findings prompted an expansion of the original plan when the passenger arrival record for Barbara TOMAN and her children, Mary, Anna, Rosalia, and John indicated that Mary had applied for and become a naturalized U.S. citizen (the original research plan included only a search for naturalization records for the parents, Barbara and Stanley). The information that Mary had likely become a naturalized citizen led to a naturalization record which listed her town of birth as Wajtkowa, Poland. A gazetteer of Poland at the Family History Center confirmed that the village was located in the southeast corner of Poland—not too terribly far from Krakow—in the portion of Poland occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire between 1772-1918, commonly referred to as Galica. After World War I and the Russo Polish War 1920-21, the area in which the TOMANs lived returned to Polish administration.