Celebrating the Moon Landing

Celebrating the Moon Landing Today is an exciting anniversary July 20, 1969, was the day Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. And because of MITs significant role in the moon landing, folks around here are pretty excited. Start with the short film Giant Leaps, produced for the Giant Leaps Symposium: Its pretty inspiring to see all those folks from the MIT Instrumentation Lab who built the Apollo Guidance Computer and Buzz Aldrin ScD 63 himself (!) talking about their experiences. There has been a lot of coverage of the Giant Leaps celebration, which included a symposium, a Boston pops concert featuring Gustav Holsts The Planets, and more. One article about the celebration in the Boston Glove interviewed astronaut and MIT alumna Cady Coleman 83. (David L. Ryan/Globe Staff) In an article entitled, Her work is rocket science, they started the interview with the question that I guess is on a lot of peoples minds: Q. So how do you pee in space? A. Up in space we use a vacuum. I always tell kids its not something you want to try at home with your vacuum cleaner. Ours is very different, with a special attachment to stick on top of a hose. Some background on Cady Coleman: She graduated MIT with a bachelors degree in Chemistry, lived in my dorm, Baker House, and rowed on the Varsity Crew Team. MIT has a long history of astronauts: More than one-third of the nations space flights have included MIT-educated astronauts, who have logged a total of more than 15,000 hours in space. NASA has chosen more MIT graduates to become astronauts than graduates of any other private educational institution. Only the US Air Force Academy, the US Naval Academy and the US Naval Postgraduate School have had more graduates selected for the astronaut program. Four of the 12 astronauts who walked on the moon during the Apollo program were MIT alumni. They logged a total of 51 hours exploring the lunar surface from 1969-72. In fact, when NASA announced the new class of astronauts a few weeks ago, two of the nine were MIT people. I was particularly excited that one of the new astronauts was Kate Rubins of the Rubins Lab at MIT. Her lab hosts a number of undergraduate UROP research students working on understanding viruses like smallpox. Dr. Rubins is the same age as me, but unlike her, I have never developed the first animal model of human smallpox, done important field studies in the Congo, or been named an astronaut. (Maybe next year.) Currently, two MIT alumni are in space aboard the International Space Station. Robert Thirsk SM 78 MBA 98 has been onboard the station for a while now, and just last week Christopher Cassidy SM 00 joined him. This isnt the largest number of MIT grads in space at one time, though last November, 4 MIT alums were in space at the same time: They are 4 of 34 MIT alumni astronauts on the MIT Astronaut Roster. MITs NASA involvement is pretty deep. One of my other favorite recent MIT-NASA stories is that Kwatsi Alibaruho 95, an MIT graduate in Aero/Astro pictured below, recently became first African-American to lead Mission Control. [Listen to an interview with Kwatsi here] But perhaps the most fitting MIT tribute to the moon landing is MIT hackers paying tribute. At the end of this past academic term, the Apollo Lunar Module landed on the Great Dome: Photo by Eric Schmiedl 09

Comparison of Aristotles View of Human Happiness with Aquinas Free Essay Example, 1500 words

Aristotle indicated that an important factor towards the realization of happiness is a good moral character an individual possesses. An individual must work hard to possess all virtues required towards realizing happiness. He records that a person who is happy lives in agreement with the complete virtue and possesses enough external goods throughout his or her life (Bok, 2010). On the case of Aquinas, he states that imperfect happiness can be maintained on earth. Therefore, he got influenced by the theory of happiness from Aristotle. Aristotle argued that happiness is dependent upon the actualization of an individual s natural faculties (Thomas Regan, 2003). Among the major faculties in the life of a human being is the reason and it can get understood that happiness can get achieved in life in proportion and move to the level of access to reason. Aquinas stated that the ultimate happiness in human beings is comprised of contemplated truth. It is an operation in man and no other ani mal shares the operation (Theron, 2008). Contemplated truth cannot get directed to another end due to the fact that contemplation of truth is required for a person s sake. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparison of Aristotles View of Human Happiness with Aquinas or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page It may be health, friends, knowledge or wealth and results to the perfection of human nature. It also causes enrichment in the life of an individual. Due to that fact, there is a necessity to make choices, and some of the choices may be difficult, the lesser goods have immediate pleasure and are more enticing (Bok, 2010). On the other hand, greater goods are painful and need many sacrifices.

New Opportunities in the Online Marketplace - 1900 Words

There are always new opportunities to build our rapidly changing market economy that leaves no one behind. Markets use these opportunities to create an atmosphere of ambition between individuals to exceed one another and in turn generate a more dynamic, self sufficient economy. However, leading more toward a market economy there are greater responsibilities held on many retailer’s shoulders. The market place has grown so much that it is not just actual â€Å"professionals† exchanging/selling goods and services to consumers, but also people that are not necessarily a professional in a business through online markets. When discussing about online markets, many sellers use the advantage of the internet to increase revenues. We use online markets mainly to benefit both the buyer and seller in many ways. One specific benefit that they both find very favorable to them is the fact that there is no sales tax involved in the transactions made in certain online market systems. A mazon, E-bay, and other retailer websites that operate under this certain online market system do not collect sales taxes from customers. The only reason for the exemption of collecting and remitting of sales tax to the state in which they execute a sale in, is that they do not have a physical presence â€Å"nexus† in states where they sell their product to their online customers. This starts to become an issue to traditional businesses that have to collect and remit sales taxes to the state and also the state itself.Show MoreRelatedEbay Is The Leading Global Brand For Online Auctions1182 Words   |  5 Pagesleading global brand for online auctions. The company is a giant marketplace used by more than 100 million people to buy and sell all manner of things to each other. The brand has grown tremendously over the decade or so since its conception. 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In order to understand the business environment of eBay, we will first need to understand eBay’s internal and external environment. In order to do so, we have to analyze the SWOT analysis of eBay. EBay consists of many strengths that have made it one of the top online marketplac e. In contrast, eBay also has many weaknesses that they are unable to overcomeRead MoreBusiness Analysis : Life Without Paypal 1049 Words   |  5 PagesOctober 19, 2014 To: John Danahoe, CEO eBay From: Nicholas Coone, Business Analysis Manager In Reference to: Life without PayPal Our company was the first e-commerce website to revolutionize the way people shop online. eBay allows an individual to reach the global market from the comfort of their own home. Competition has significantly increased and we are no longer the leader in the industry. 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Thus those who have managed to stake out their niche business in the ecommerce market are leaps and bounds above those who are now just starting to see the relevancy of this new market. As businesses and organizations all look for ways to pull their bottom lines up. They are all looking at the ecommerce market place and are taking notice of the ecommerce market leaders and seeing how they can emulate their success (eBay, Annual Report

Employment Letter Free Essays

Dear Sir / Madam, I am writing to express my interest for the following vacancy as it strongly relates to my current qualification. I am graduate from Manchester Metropolitan University with First Class Honours. I have good educational background. We will write a custom essay sample on Employment Letter or any similar topic only for you Order Now Computing and Technology has been my interest. During my educational period, I was always willing to learn new things, ready for a challenges, and a great problem solver. I have applied my theoretical knowledge in to different assignments and projects. I’ve experience of working as an effective member of a team, as well as by my own initiative. I have ability to communicate clearly at all levels verbally and in writing. I have attention to details and can efficiently manage workload. I’m fully committed with my work and highly dutiful with my responsibilities. Please find attached to this email, a copy of my CV, for your kind consideration. I feel I would be an excellent candidate for your above vacancy as it closely matches my skills and experience. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely How to cite Employment Letter, Papers

The Effects of Advancing Technology on Society Essays -

Technology is something that is necessary and very important in the world today. Almost everything uses technology, and almost everyone uses technology. It is even used right now. I am using technology to type this up while you are using it to read. Therefore, it is important to understand something we use in our everyday life properly and discuss whether it has a greater positive or negative impact. Technology has countless positive impacts on society today. Many important processes in the industry and household have been automated and expedited by technology. Technology allowed transportation to improve from animals to modern-day automobiles and aircraft. A lot of jobs once done by humans before are now replaced with robotic devices. We can also do things that are impossible with man alone, such as driving around on Mars. Technology has proved useful in life-risking tasks such as space exploration and mining. The computer technology changed the whole world over night and continues to do so at faster than light speeds. Computers have allowed the software industry to rise and help us save and organize data, as long with a lot of information processing. It is also improved communication which includes Facebook, mobile devices, and satellite communication. Internet also improved entertainment and the industry of advertising. Although most people think technology is really important in their daily lives, they don?t realize that it is also negatively affecting people and society. Technology not only affected industry in a positive way, but also in a negative way. Some businesses are forced to close down since technology took over their job and there are no more demands in that industry. For example, newspaper companies are affected greatly by the advanced technology because news is always available on the internet for free. It also puts lithographical printing into a bind because business and companies use methods of digital printing. Now you don?t have to buy music at stores because you can download them from the internet which closed down a lot of big music stores. This applies to the industry of movies too because less people are buying DVDs when it is available online on the internet. Technology improved communication to be able to contact with almost anyone at any time which seems like something good, but this causes people to not interact personally with each other which has built a wall in between real life communication. Now when you call almost any business, you are connected with a recorded voice and automated answering systems. You could call for a week straight to the same company and never get in contact with a single human being. We no longer have to call up someone to congratulate them. You send your loved ones an electronic message instead of a card for special occasions. There is nothing special about that certain message, than any of the other ones received. Technology makes people lazier so they don?t have the desire to walk out from their home and find entertainment like having a meeting with a friend in a coffee shop. Most teenagers are a huge fan of video games, especially ones that are advanced in technology like Xbox or PS3. But when teens get hooked onto video games at such a young age it can harm the child in many ways. One way it can harm the child is if the child is in love with a violent video game with a lot of gore, it can potentially make the kid want to do what he sees on the screen in reality. A lot of teenagers who join the army do not realize what they really got themselves into because they were influenced from what they saw on the screen when playing a video game at home. If a kid plays a video game at home and reenacts what he does in the game at school, he can get himself or his peers in a lot of trouble. On one website, a 20 year old was killed by a blood clot caused from playing Xbox persistently for days on end until he died. This man chose to sit in his room and play a video game for 12 straight hours. (Chan, 2011) The internet

Discuss Gi lyard s bubble theory , Royster s t Essays - Thought

Discuss Gi lyard ' s bubble theory , Royster ' s t Essays - Thought Discuss Gi lyard ' s bubble theory , Royster ' s theory of su bject position and the relationship between them . The question seeks to explore both Gilyard's bubble Theory and Royster's theory of subject position by juxtaposing the two. The bubble that Gilyard makes reference to is the seemingly impenetrable bubble of social inequality among members of present day society. Royster refers to these groups as insiders and outsiders. Outsider groups such as Blacks continue to be marginalized by a society which embraces the principles of White insider privilege. This barrier is upheld by the pervasive societal view of which makes no effort to challenge or pop' this bubble. The meaningless discourse which stems from this ideology neither seeks to highlight the disparities which exist nor to develop new ideologies or ways of thinking in order to level the playing field. The only remedy for this is to seek contrasting ways of life and viewpoints in order to enlarge the bubble; to make it more inclusive and forward thinking so that the bubbly may one day be burst. The salient point within Royster's essay is that " subject position really is everything". Subjectivity and subject position both speak to how a person is seen in the eyes of those around them and the place that society assigns them. Royster also highlights the disconnect between the qualities assigned to a person and the true essence of who they are. She speaks to the feeling of superiority that those around her hold on issues that she knows much more about because she's lived through them as well as the voice that they have assigned to her without knowing what she claims to be her true voice. The they in this scenario is the White Man, the final judge of what one's position in life actually is. Both theories focus on American society and view African Americans as the disadvantaged group that they are. They also highlight the false ideologies that continue to be throughout communities and population and the need for new voices and information to be disseminated. However, while both writers call for persons to act, when given the opportunity to do so, Royster does not lead by the example her words tried to set.

Spring Phenology and Climate Change

Spring Phenology and Climate Change As spring arrives we notice the changing of seasons by the weather, but also by a host of natural events. Depending on where you live, the crocuses may poke through the snow, the killdeer may be back, or the cherry trees may bloom. There is an orderly sequence of events that seem to occur, with various spring flowers appearing in order, red maple buds bursting into new leaves, or the old lilac by the barn scenting the air. This seasonal cycle of natural phenomena is called phenology. Global climate change appears to be interfering with the phenology of many species, at the very heart of species interactions. What Is Phenology? In temperate regions like the northern half of the United States, there is comparatively little biological activity in winter. Most plants are dormant, and so are the insects feeding on them. In turn, animals that rely on these insects  such as bats and birds are hibernating or spending the cold months in more southerly locations. Ectotherms like reptiles and amphibians, which take their body warmth from their environment, also have active phases tied to the seasons. This long winter period constrains all the growing, breeding, and dispersing activities that plants and animals do to a short favorable window. That’s what makes spring so vibrant, with plants flowering and putting on new growth, insects emerging and breeding, and birds flying back to take advantage of this short-lived bounty. The onsets of each of these activities add up to so many phenological markers. What Triggers Phenological Events? Different organisms respond to different cues to initiate seasonal activities. Many plants will start growing leaves again after a set period of dormancy, which very roughly dictates the leaf-out window. Cue that more precisely determine when the buds break can be soil temperature, air temperature, or water availability. Similarly, temperature cues can promote the beginning of insect activity. Day length itself can be the operative trigger for some seasonal events. It is only when there are a sufficient number of daylight hours that reproductive hormones will be produced in many bird species. Why Are Scientists Concerned with Phenology? The most energy-demanding period in the life of most animals is when they reproduce. For that reason, it is to their advantage to coincide breeding (and for many, the raising of young) during a period when food is most abundant. Caterpillars should hatch just as the young tender leaves of oak tree emerge, before they harden and become less nutritious. Breeding songbirds need to time the hatching of their young just during that peak in caterpillar activity, so they can take advantage of this rich source of protein to feed their offspring. Many species have evolved to exploit peaks in resource availability, so all these seemingly independent phenological events are indeed part of a complex web of precise interactions. Disruptions in seasonal events can have profound effects on ecosystems. How Is Climate Change Affecting Phenology? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in a 2007 report, estimated that spring arrived earlier by 2.3 to 5.2 days per decade in the previous 30 years. Among hundreds of observed changes, the leafing out of ginkgo trees in Japan, the flowering of lilacs, and the arrival of warblers have all shifted earlier in the year. The problem is that not all these shifts happen at the same rate, if at all. For example: Winter moths have been timed to hatch just when the young oak leaves burst from their buds. With climate change, both have been happening earlier in the year, but significantly more so for the winter moth hatch. The young emerging caterpillars then starve and die.Some North American migratory songbirds have advanced their arrival data. However, at least one of the main tree species they forage on has shifted its leafing out even earlier. Birds might then be missing the peak in availability of insects that are found on these trees and provide the energy and protein needed by the birds at the beginning of their nesting season. These types of misalignment of important events in nature are called phenological mismatches. There is much research underway currently to recognize where these mismatches might be occurring.