The Cost-Benefit Analysis of Solar Energy Essay -- alternative energy,

In recent decades, much debate has ensued about the vast amount of natural resources and ecological services society depletes. Moreover, the debate has evaluated how society depletes these natural resources at a faster rate than the environment can replenish. It also assesses how society can mitigate these environmental issues in order to preserve our natural resources for the prosperity of future generations. Research suggests that the natural resources we currently use, such as coal and petroleum, could be fully depleted within the next 25 and 100 years respectively (Byrd, 2012). Given that society has a tendency to over-consume natural resources, many economists have suggested that the use of alternative energy could alleviate the effects of overconsumption and the environment's ability to replenish. Therefore, this study evaluates the potential of solar energy (SE) on society and the environment by evaluating a cost-benefit analysis between solar energy technology (SET) and conve ntional energy resources. Electricity and The Call for Solar Technology: Research on conventional energy resources has shown that the demand of electricity has drastically increased in recent decades, and will continue to increase in the future (Zweibel, 2010). Moreover, by evaluating business as usual models, where the annual growth rate of demand for electricity ranges from 2% and 3.2%, research has suggested that annual world demand for electricity will soar from around 20 trillion kWh (kilowatts) in 2010 to 60 trillion kWh in 2050 and 200 trillion kWh by 2100. Additionally, the average growth rate of renewable resources has only increased about 1.6% per annum, in comparison to the 4% annual growth rate of conventional energy resources. (Lloyd & F... .... Solar Photovoltaic Installation in California: Understanding the Likelihood of Adoption Given Incentives, Electricity Pricing and Consumer Characteristics. Duke University, USA. [Found using CRS, Wiser, R., Barbose, G., & Peterman, C.] Sarzynski, A., Larrieu, J., & Shrimali, G. (2012). The impact of state financial incentives on market deployment of solar technology. Energy Policy, 46, 550-557. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.04.032 [EL] Tsoutsos, T., Frantzeskaki, N., & Gekas, V. (2005). Environmental impacts from the solar energy technologies. Energy Policy, 33, 289-296. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0301-4215(03)00241-6 [Conceptual] Zweibel, K. (2010). Should solar photovoltaics be deployed sooner because of long operating life at low, predictable cost? Energy Policy, 38(11), 7519-7530. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2010.07.040

African Americans in American Society 1920s Essay

Throughout US history, there is an abundance of racism, segregation and discrimination towards the African American people. In 1619, the first African slaves were brought to Jamestown to produce tobacco, tea, cotton, coffee and other precious commodities. In this time period, 12 million Africans were forcibly transported to the Americas, where they worked as slaves until 1865, where the 13th Amendment abolished slavery. Although suppressed by whites and organisations such as the Ku Klux Klan, African Americans in the 1920s began to work towards social, economic and political independence as well as freedom from segregation and discrimination. From this decade, groups in favour of ending prejudice towards African Americans were formed, such as the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) led by W. E. B. DuBois and the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) led by Marcus Garvey, who, in their own rights, continued the legacy of Booker T. Washington who had worked towards Black rights in the 1890s. * â€Å"We must canonize our own saints, create our own martyrs, and elevate to positions of fame and honor black men and women who have made distinct contributions to our racial history† – Marcus Garvey World War I was a perfect opportunity for African Americans to prove themselves to their white neighbours, and fulfil the policies of Booker T. Washington, that in order to achieve acceptance, equality and freedom, they must first prove that they are worthy of their rights, which was done through service in the armed forces. However, instead of being accepted by white society, African Americans found that racial tensions only grew during the 1920s. Starting from the 1910s, a phenomenon had been occurring known as the Great Migration – the movement of African Americans from Southern cities to Northern ones as a result of extreme racism, the threat of lynching and the general aggression from whites. The African American population grew from 44 000 in 1920 to 234 000 in 1930 in Chicago, and Black Chicagoans gained access to city jobs, expanded their professional class and even won elective office in local and state government. However, in places such as Harlem, New York City, many African Americans were forced into small ghettos due to the unavailability of housing to them. Despite this, migration to the North meant that African Americans had become a powerful voting group, one that many white politicians took interest in (such as the Communist Party of America) and also pushed for civil rights of African Americans as they realised that racism was not just a Southern problem. Another side effect of the Great Migration, and ghettos was the flourishing of African American culture in the Black, or Harlem Renaissance. This movement was characterised by the idea of the ‘New Negro’ whose intellect through music, art and literature would challenge racism and stereotypes to promote progressive politics and social integration. One such example of the New Negro is Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican-born founder of the UNIA, who acted the part of a Negro king, established the African Orthodox Church and promoted a policy of separatism and a move of all African Americans back to Africa. The Harlem Renaissance saw a new culture develop in Harlem, the ghetto backstreets of New York City, where African Americans would reach back to their rich cultural heritage and produce creative works to express their feelings in the 1920s, such as Jazz music, which employed the minds of Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington and many more. Other famous figures include Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston and Countee Cullen, who inspired African Americans to remain strong despite the threat of racial violence. As a result of the Harlem Renaissance and the culture produced there, African Americans through taking pride in their heritage found empowerment, which lead to the beginnings of groups such as the Civil Rights Movement, and also, due to the significant effect they had on white culture (such as the development of modern music) it was impossible for white Americans to ignore the achievements occurring in Harlem and other black communities, and allow segregation to continue at such a large scale. Despite the cultural developments in Harlem and the formation of the African American identity, white culture found it extremely difficult to accept their black neighbours, leading to racial tensions, and often as a result, lynchings. One such example of racial tension leading to horrific consequences was the Tulsa Race Riots. In 1921, Tulsa Oklahoma was experiencing an economic boom thanks to the discovery of oil. Due to this African Americans also prospered, although confined to the Greenwood section of the city, also referred to as the Black Wall Street, due to a number of wealthy black entrepreneurs residing there. At this time, membership in the Ku Klux Klan was rising and there was an active chapter in Tulsa. On Memorial Day, a riot was triggered by a report in several white newspapers that a white, female elevator operator had been allegedly raped by black youths. In response to this, rumours circulated around the city that a mob was going to attempt to lynch the youths, then a group of armed African Americans bolted to the local police station in order to stop the lynching mob, that did not exist. A confrontation followed where shots were fired and several whites killed. As news of the events spread through Tulsa, thousands of whites caused uproar through Greenwood as they ran through the Black Wall Street, killing African Americans and vandalising, burning and looting homes and businesses. However, when the National Guard was called in, only blacks were arrested (around four or five thousand), and as a result of the day’s violence, around 35 blocks of Greenwood were destroyed, $1. 5 million worth of damage caused, and reports of up to 300 African Americans killed, and only 20 whites. Today, white citizens of Oklahoma have only recently accepted the blame for the hundreds of deaths as a result of the Tulsa Race Riots. * â€Å"I was frequently whipped and also put into an electric chair and shocked and strangling drugs would be put in my nose to make me tell that others had killed or shot at white people and force me to testify against them† – Alf Banks. One of the many goals of the NAACP was to make Black Americans aware of their political rights, including their right to vote. They also wished to see an end to the lynching of African Americans throughout the US, and with the help of the Tuskegee Institute compiled information that revealed that from 1890 to 1921, there had been more lynchings than executions, and that of the 4096 known lynchings, 810 of those had been for rape or attempted rape. In 1922, the law known as the Dyer Anti-Lynching Law was passed through the House of Representatives with more than two-thirds in favour of the bill, but failed to make it through the Senate, due to the lack of political will in the 1920s to see an end to lynching, and also because of the influence of the Southern Democrats. However, due to the research undertaken by the NAACP and the Tuskegee Institute being released in the press, and thus, to the general public, the outcry leads to a decrease in lynchings. In 1923, the NAACP gained an impressive legal victory against the courts of Arkansas in what is known as the Moore versus Dempsey case. In the Elaine, Arkansas riot of 1919, 5 whites were killed, allegedly by African Americans. As a result of this, over 700 African Americans were arrested, 67 sent to prison and 12 sentenced to death, after being tried by an all white jury. Walter White, a member of the NAACP, took interest in the case and after travelling to Arkansas posing as a newspaper reporter, and into Phillips County where the ‘massacre’ took place, he published what he had found. The NAACP then hired black and white lawyers, who argued that due to the mob that had circled the courthouse on the day of the trial, the 12 men had not received a fair trial. On the 19th of February 1923, the Supreme Court decided in the favour of the NAACP, the case was handed down to the lower courts and all 12 men were freed. * â€Å"Until your produce what the white man has produced, you will not be his equal† – Marcus Garvey Marcus Garvey, the founder of the UNIA believed that the only way to establish African Americans as an independent group was through capitalism. On January 30 1920, the Negro Factories Corporation was created in Delaware, whose purpose was to help African Americans rely on their own efforts. By May the same year, the corporation had taken over the management of the steam laundry in Harlem, and was also opening millinery. Soon afterwards in June, the organisation had commenced the production of UNIA uniforms and insignia at the Universal Tailoring and Dress Making Department. Throughout America, UNIA branches were encouraged to buy into their own buildings and open their own businesses, such as the Panama branch, which ran a bakery. The shares however, of these establishments were open to only to members of the UNIA. In 1921, the Negro Factories Corporation fell victim to organisational mismanagement, and ceased operations. Although the company never reached the height of Garvey’s vision, it gave hundreds of African Americans hope by providing people with employment in Harlem, as well as assistance through aid societies, small loans and death benefits. Another organisation set up to help stimulate the African American economy was the National Urban League, although established in 1910, helped African Americans migrate from rural to urban areas during the 1920s, its purpose being â€Å"to promote, encourage, assist and engage in any and all kinds of work for improving the industrial, economic, social and spiritual conditions among Negroes†. In 1921, the Department of Research was created by the League for the purpose of surveying Black populations in northern cities, resulting in the discovery African Americans faced regarding employment, sanitation and hygiene, and education. By addressing these problems, the League quickly grew, and is still in action today. One of the main problems facing African Americans when seeking employment was that union membership was discouraged throughout the 1920s, by the American Federation of Labor (AFL). This, along with the increased job competition brought about by migrants, lead to a weakened labour movement in the US. All African American unionists were banned from condemning the activities of the Ku Klux Klan, and the anti-labour behaviour of capitalists (who believed African Americans were associated with the increased industrialist power) lead not only to increased racial tension, but also further economic competition between lower classes. The Communist Party of America had hoped through their own establishment, the American Negro Labor Congress that all African American unionists would be brought together, in order to assist their own political fortunes. This movement however had little support, with less than 200 African American members in 1928. Due to the difficulties African Americans had with finding work should they be part of a union, as well as the increased racial tensions brought about with taking up their rights to be part of a union, memberships declined from 5 million to 3. 5 million by the end of the 1920s. Despite the difficulties African Americans had finding work, when actually in employment, the pay differences between white and black workers, especially in factories, were small. Unfortunately, the jobs open to African Americans were generally limited and concentrated around unskilled labour, which was often unpleasant, and dangerous, such as working in blast furnaces in steel plants, or in the killing and cutting departments of meat packing plants. Also, because of the reluctance of blacks to join unions (many employers banned union membership) they were more likely to be hired at times of strikes. The Ford Motor Company hired large amounts of African American factory workers, starting with only 50 in 1916, and increasing to over 10 000 in 1926. Unlike motor companies in Detroit who refused to hire African American workers, Ford treated their black employees with the same policy as their white employees, including the amount of working hours paid, with only a 40 hour, 5 day week for workers, unlike companies in the steel industry which supported a 12 hour day. The lack of education in African Americans, with the average standard of highest education being the 5th grade (the average for whites being 8th grade), lead many to seek work at the Ford Motor Company, and by the end of the 1920s, accounting for 7% of the total workforce. * As a result of all that occurred in the 1920s African American USA, many examples of what were achieved, and what happened can be seen today, in modern America. For example, the Harlem Renaissance which saw the flourishing of Jazz Music in New York, helped lead to the music we hear today. The NAACP which gained legal victories, such as the Moore versus Dempsey case, and helped win Blacks civil rights, is still operating today, as America’s oldest and largest civil rights group for ethnic minorities. The Great Migration, and willingness for black workers to prove themselves, established African American populations in all major cities in America, making them a huge driving force in politics, and incorporated them into what we now see a slightly less racist, more accepting society. America, as we know it, would never have occurred unless African Americans had been there to influence the growth of one of the largest capitalist societies in the world. Bibliography †¢ Harlan, L. R. (1974 – source). History Matters. [on-line]. Available from: http://historymatters. gmu. edu/d/39 [accessed 16 Aug. 2010] †¢ South Dakota Alliance for Distance Education. (2002). The 1920s. [on-line]. Available from: http://doe. sd. gov/octa/ddn4learning/themeunits/1920s/americans. htm [accessed 18 Aug. 1010] †¢ Manning, C. (2005). African Americans. [on-line]. Available from: http://encyclopedia. chicagohistory. org/pages/27. html [accessed 18 Aug. 2010] †¢ Educational Broadcasting Corporation. (2002). [on-line]. Available from: http://www. pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/ [accessed 18 Aug. 2010] †¢ Ogunyemi, B. (2009). Tulsa Oklahoma’s Greenwood District. [on-line]. Available from: http://traditionofexcellence. wordpress. com/2008/02/08/tulsa-oklahomas-greenwood-district-black-wall-street/ [Accessed 24 August 2010] †¢ Schultz, S. (1999). Civil Rights in an Uncivil Society. [on-line] Available from: http://us. history. wisc. edu/hist102/lectures/lecture26. html [accessed 24 August 2010] †¢ Ellsworth, S. (2010). The Tulsa Race Riot. [on-line]. Available from: http://www.tulsareparations. org/TulsaRiot. htm [accessed 24 August 2010] †¢ Van Leeuwen, D. (2000). Marcus Garvey and the UNIA. [on-line]. Available from: http://nationalhumanitiescenter. org/tserve/twenty/tkeyinfo/garvey. htm [accessed 19 August 2010] †¢ Maloney T. M. (2010). African Americans in the 20th Century. [on-line]. Available from: http://en. net/encyclopedia/article/maloney. african. american [accessed 19 August 2010] †¢ Library of Congress. (2009). African Americans and Consumerism. [on-line]. Available from:

70s Fashion Began Where the 60s Left Off

70s fashion began where the 60s left off. Mini skirts were popular and theflower power influence was everywhere. 60s' trends first adopted by the beautiful people filtered into mainstream wear. Trousers were flared and shirts had big collars. For men, the kipper tie was soon standard wear with a suit. These girls (above) are at a party in the summer of 1970. They show that the mini skirt was far from dead. 70s' fashion took on a multitude of different styles and influences. As well as the hippy style of the late sixties, there was nostalgia for the past. First for the 20s and 30s, then the 40s and 50s and finally the Edwardian era. There was also concern for the environment and strong ethnic influences. Men's fashion adopted a look that would have been considered too feminine a few years earlier. Shirts were tight fitting with big collars and were brightly patterned. There was also a trend towards unisex clothes. The formal suit was still expected to be worn to a dinner party in the 70s; for younger men it was usually only worn in the office or for formal occasions. Jeans, increasingly flared, were popular with men and women for everyday wear. By the end of the decade, change was on the way. Punk rejected everything that had gone before. Mini, midi or maxi The popularity of the mini skirt was challenged in the early 70s and a group of (male) truckers even organised a campaign to bring it back in 1970. However, the mini remained popular in the early years of the 70s, but women now could chose between, mini, midi, (mid-calf length) or maxi (full length) skirts. Hot pants, ultra short shorts, sometimes with a bib and braces, were a variation on the theme. The girl on the above, right, is wearing a pair of navy hot pants with long white socks. Her blouse is in a floral pattern and has a big collar with rounded corners. Longer dresses, inspired by the hippy era of the late sixties, were also in fashion, with paisley or floral patterns being popular. I lived in Portsmouth in 1970/71/72 and was aged 16-18 at that time so had the best of it. Hot pants, mini skirt/dress, long dress and maxi coat, wide brimmed hats, seed bead jewellery and a headband round my head!! I was a true hippy to begin with and went to the Isle of Wight pop festival in 1970. Chris Flares and platform soles Two trends defined the 70s in a fashion sense: flared trousers and platform soles. Flares were derived from the hippy fashion for loon pants of the late 60s. They were worn by men and women. The flare was from the knee and reached exaggerated proportions in the middle years of the 70s. The trousers were often hipsters, sitting on the hips rather than the waist, and tight fitting. The combination of flares and denim made flared jeans the fashion phenomenon of the decade. Platform soles were mainly worn by women and more fashionable men. There were health warnings about damage that could be caused to the back in later life, but the fashion did not last long enough for that to have an effect. There was an element of thirties retro in the style of some of the shoes, which echoed the thirties' love of two-tone or co-respondent black and cream or brown and cream colours. Bright colours also gave the shoes more of a space age look. Platform soles on eBay Nostalgia Nostalgia had a big influence on fashion in the 70s. Barbara Hulanicki's Biba label popularised a look derived from the 20s and 30s. There was a brief fashion for loudly checked tweed Oxford Bags for men and women from around 1972. These were usually worn with platform soled shoes in 30s style two-tone patterns. Biba took over venerable, old London department store, Derry and Toms, in 1973 and turned it into an Art Deco palace. The Biba store became a hip meeting place and a complete lifestyle emporium. The Biba look was a long cotton skirt, worn with a long sleeved shirt or smock, and topped with a floppy brimmed hat. Biba was ahead of its time in providing a complete lifestyle store. However, Biba did not make commercial sense; it was more of a place to hang out than to shop. A large part of the store's floor space was not used to sell merchandise. Big Biba, as the store became known, closed two years later. Laura Ashley, founded by Bernard and Laura Ashley in the 1950s, looked back further when they introduced British women to Edwardian style dresses and nineteenth century inspired floral prints in the mid-70s. Laura Ashley, unlike Biba, was commercially successful and is still going strong today, although sadly Laura Ashley herself met an untimely death in 1985. Formal occasions The 70s were more relaxed than the 60s. However, on formal occasions and in the office men still wore suits. The kipper tie, favoured by the fashionable in the late sixties, became a standard men's accessory. For women, long dresses were often worn for formal occasions. This wedding, left, is from 1970. The lady's floppy hat and long dress drew inspiration from the hippy era as well as nostalgia for the 1930s. The brown colour, also derived from the 1930s, was very popular throughout the 70s. Long hair was fashionable for both men and women. Beards were also popular. This again was a hangover from the flower power years of the late 60s. In many peoples' minds psychedelia was very much in, although the pop music scene had moved on by then. Jeans and the casual look In the more relaxed mood of the 70s, jeans were increasingly popular. Initially little changed from the sixties, but by the mid seventies most people were wearing flares. Printed t-shirts were also increasingly popular in the 70s, as were trainers and canvas shoes. Late 70s fashion By the end of the 70s, flares were still mainstream fashion. This group, left, shows two younger men with long hair. One wears a suede safari jacket with a wide collar and brown, flared trousers. This look was favoured by Brodie and Doyle in the TV series, ‘The Professionals'. The other young man with a short leather jacket and flared blue jeans is more casual and younger looking. The older man has a beard (a very fashionable look in the 70s) and wears a wet-look type anorak. The woman is wearing a suit. Flares, denim, long hair and cheesecloth shirts were the staple of 70s men's fashion throughout most of the decade. Inspired by the hippy movement of the late sixties, this look, echoing the hippy dream of Free Love and optimism, did not fit with the closing years of the 70s, but mainstream fashion was unable to change. 70s Punk fashion Punk came to most people's attention from 1977 onwards through the publicity surrounding the original Punk band, The Sex Pistols. The Sex Pistols' promoter, Malcolm McLaren, together with his partner, designer Vivian Westwood, created the original Punk look. Their shop at 430 Kings Road, originally named ‘Let it Rock', a Ted revival store, was called ‘Sex' at the time the Sex Pistols band appeared. The look was based on a sexual fetish for black leather, mainly for its shock value, combined with ripped t-shirts carrying slogans designed to provoke. McLaren and Westwood changed their shop's name again to ‘Seditionaries: Clothes for Heroes' at the end of 1976. The new name heralded a wholly Punk outlook. The stock featured bondage trousers, bondage dresses and a new t-shirt featuring the Punk message, â€Å"Destroy†. Punk was a rejection of anything that was considered good taste. Ripped and bleached clothes were part of the look, as was spiked hair, dyed in bright colours. Black make up and safety pins as earrings were often worn. For most Punks, quite a few of whom were unemployed, the look could easily be created from modifying second-hand clothes rather than from a trip to the Kings Road. Punk itself lasted into the early 80s. Its importance though, was as a catalyst for change in the fashion world. Punk rejected the flared jeans and cheesecloth shirts which were popular mainstream fashion. It rejected the hippy style and the hippy view of the world. Vintage Punk fashion on eBay Late 70s fashion trends The end of the seventies saw the appearance of a number of youth cults formed formed in the wake of Punk. Amongst those was a revival of the Mod style of the sixties, as well as the Teddy Boy look of the fifties. Mainstream youth fashion also changed dramatically; the 1980 film, ‘Gregory's Girl' illustrates how quickly. One of Gregory's mates, who is a year older, has left school and got a job as a window cleaner. He has saved his money to buy a white jacket with enormous lapels. Gregory's contemporary, Steve, has a white jacket with lapels an inch wide. There was always a particular way to wear a school tie. In 1979 the knot was tied very near the wide end. The 3 inch long tie was tucked into a pullover, to give the impression it was a kipper tie. From 1980, it was folded in half length ways to reduce the width and pressed with an iron so it stayed put. By 1980, school ties were often worn ‘back to front' so that the ‘thin end' was prominent. The fat end was tucked into the school shirt, behind the knot. A bit uncomfortable, but very trendy. Al I was coming into my teens in 1979, but the punk look was still very much for the minority and most kids still had longish hair, shirts with big collars and flared trousers, although the flares were becoming smaller. Locally the mod revival at the end of 1979 killed off this fashion rather than punk. By 1981 seventies fashions and music had become a total joke and almost no one under 50 would be seen dead in flares. Even punk was being classed as old hat and too seventies. Glenn A High fashion was very different at the end of the 70s. Ralph Lauren designed the clothes for the hit Woody Allen film, ‘Annie Hall' in 1977. There was a distinct 80s feel to the outfits worn by Annie (Diane Keaton), who wore crumpled socks, full skirts and layered jackets. Young people dropped flares and wide collars with breath taking speed. Older people were slower to change from the 70s look, but by around 1983, the archetypal 70s style was extinct. 70s fashion reference Fashion of the 70s is another great Taschen 25. It is packed with adverts from the decade. You will find flares, hot pants, platform soles, denim, slacks, microphone hairdos, wide collars and kipper ties. There is also a short introduction to fashion in the 70s. The book is colourful and very entertaining. The adverts are all American ones, but this does not detract much from a great piece of nostalgia.

USS Wyoming (BB-32) - US Navy

USS Wyoming (BB-32) - US Navy USS Wyoming  (BB-32) - Overview: Nation:  United States Type:  Battleship Shipyard:  William Cramp Sons, Philadelphia, PA Laid Down:  February 9, 1910 Launched:  May 25, 1911 Commissioned:  September 25, 1912 Fate:  Sold for Scrap USS Wyoming  (BB-32) - Specifications: Displacement:  26,000  tons Length:  562 ft. Beam:  93.1 ft. Draft:  28.5 ft. Propulsion:  12  Babcock and Wilcox  coal-fired boilers  with oil spray, 4-shaft  Parsons  direct-drive  steam turbines Speed:  20.5  knots Complement:  1,063  men​ Armament: 12 Ãâ€"  12-inch/50 caliber Mark 7  guns21 Ãâ€"  5/51 caliber guns2 Ãâ€" 21  torpedo tubes ​USS Wyoming  (BB-32) - Design: Originating at the 1908 Newport Conference, the Wyoming-class of battleship represented the US Navys fourth type of dreadnought after the earlier  -,  -, and  -classes.   The initial design came about through war games and discussions as the preceding classes had not yet entered service.   Key among the conferences conclusions was the need for increasingly larger calibers of main armament.   Through the latter part of 1908, debate ensued over the layout and armament of the new class with various configurations being considered.   On March 30, 1909, Congress approved construction of two Design 601 battleships.   This design called for a ship approximately 20% larger than the  Florida-class and mounting twelve 12 guns.    Designated USS Wyoming  (BB-32) and USS  Arkansas  (BB-33), the two ships of the new class were powered by twelve Babcock and Wilcox coal-fired boilers with direct drive turbines turning four propellers.   Layout of the main armament saw the twelve 12 guns spread through six twin turrets in  superfiring (one firing over the other) pairs forward, amidships, and aft.   To support the main battery, designers added twenty-one 5 guns with the majority mounted in individual casemates below the main deck. In addition, the battleships carried two 21 torpedo tubes.   For protection, the Wyoming-class possessed a main armor belt eleven inches thick.    Assigned to William Cramp Sons in Philadelphia, work commenced on  Wyoming  on February 9, 1910.   Moving ahead over the next fifteen months, the new battleship slid down the ways May 25, 1911, with Dorothy Knight, daughter of Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Jesse Knight, serving as sponsor.   With the completion of construction,  Wyoming  shifted to the Philadelphia Navy Yard where it entered commission on September 25, 1912, with Captain Frederick L. Chapin in command.   Steaming north, the new battleship finished final fitting out at the New York Navy Yard before sailing to join the Atlantic Fleet. USS Wyoming (BB-32) - Early Service: Arriving at Hampton Roads on December 30,  Wyoming became flagship for Rear Admiral Charles J. Badger, commander of the Atlantic Fleet.   Departing the following week, the battleship steamed south to the Panama Canal construction site before conducting exercises off Cuba.   Returning north in March,  Wyoming  underwent minor repairs before returning to the fleet.   The remainder of the year saw the battleship engaged in routine peacetime activities until October when it sailed for the Mediterranean to make goodwill visits to  Malta, Italy, and France.   Returning home in December, Wyoming entered the yard at New York for a brief overhaul before joining the Atlantic Fleet off Cuba for winter maneuvers the following month. In May 1914, Wyoming steamed south with a contingent of troops to support the US occupation of Veracruz which had commenced a few weeks earlier.   Remaining in the area, the battleship assisted operations  relating to the occupation into the fall.   Following repairs at New York, Wyoming spent the next two years following the  US Navys standard cycle of maneuvers in  northern waters during the summer and  in the Caribbean  in the winter.   Having completed exercises off Cuba in late March 1917, the battleship found itself off  Yorktown, VA when word arrived that the United States had declared war on Germany  and entered World War I. USS Wyoming (BB-32) - World War I: For the next seven months, Wyoming operated in the Chesapeake training engineers for the fleet.   That fall, the battleship received orders to join USS New York (BB-34), USS Florida (BB-30), and USS Delaware (BB-28) in Battleship Division 9.   Led by Rear Admiral Hugh Rodman, this formation departed in November to reinforce Admiral Sir David Beattys British Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow.   Arriving in  December, the force was redesignated the 6th Battle Squadron.   Commencing combat operations in February 1918, the American ships aided in protecting convoys bound for Norway. Continuing similar operations through the year, Wyoming became the squadrons flagship in October after New York collided with a German U-boat.   With the conflicts end in November, the battleship sortied with the Grand Fleet on the 21st to escort the German High Seas Fleet into internment at Scapa Flow.   On December  12, Wyoming,  carrying new squadron commander Rear  Admiral William Sims, sailed for  France where it rendezvoused with SS George Washington which was transporting President Woodrow Wilson to the peace conference at Versailles.   Following a brief port call in Britain, the battleship left European waters and arrived  at New York on Christmas Day. USS Wyoming (BB-32) - Postwar Years: Briefly serving as flagship of Battleship Division 7, Wyoming aided in directing a flight Curtiss NC-1 flying  boats on a trans-Atlantic flight in May 1919.   Entering Norfolk Navy Yard in July, the battleship underwent a  modernization program in anticipation of its transfer to the Pacific.   Designated flagship of the Pacific Fleets Battleship Division 6, Wyoming departed for the West Coast later that summer and arrived at San Diego on August 6.   Conducting maneuvers through the following year, the battleship then cruised to  Valparaiso, Chile in early 1921.   Transferred back to the Atlantic  that August, Wyoming  embarked the Atlantic Fleets commander Admiral Hilary P. Jones.   Over the next six years, the  vessel resumed its previous cycle of peacetime training which was only punctuated by a European cruise in 1924 which included  visits to Britain, the  Netherlands, Gibraltar, and the Azores. In 1927, Wyoming arrived at the Philadelphia Navy Yard  for an extensive  modernization.  Ã‚   This saw the addition of anti-torpedo bulges, the installation of new oil-fired boilers, as well as some alterations to the superstructure.  Ã‚  Completing a shakedown cruise in December, Wyoming became flagship of Vice Admiral Ashley Robertsons Scouting Fleet.   In this role for three years, it also aided in training NROTC detachments from several universities.   After brief service with Battleship Division 2, the aging Wyoming was  pulled  from frontline service and assigned to Rear Admiral Harley H. Christys Training Squadron.   Placed in reduced commission in January 1931,  efforts commenced to demilitarize the battleship in accordance with the London Naval  Treaty.   This saw the anti-torpedo bulges,  half the main battery, and the ships side armor removed. USS Wyoming (BB-32) - Training Ship: Brought back to active service in May, Wyoming embarked a contingent of midshipmen from the US Naval Academy and NROTC cadets for a training cruise to  Europe and the Caribbean.   Redesignated AG-17 in August, the former battleship spent the next five years in a training role.   In 1937, while taking part in amphibious assault exercise off California, a 5 shell accidently exploded killing six and wounding eleven.   Later that year, Wyoming conducted a goodwill call to Kiel, Germany where its crew  visited the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee.   With the beginning of World War II in Europe in September 1939, the ship assumed a place in the Atlantic  Naval Reserve Force.   Two years later,  Wyoming  commenced conversion into a gunnery training ship. Beginning this duty in November 1941, Wyoming  was operating off Platts Bank when word was received of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.   As the US Navy expanded to meet the demands of a two-ocean  war, the old battleship remained engaged in training gunners for the fleet.   Earning the nickname Chesapeake Raider for its frequent appearances in the bay, Wyoming  continued in this duty until January 1944.   Entering the yard at Norfolk, it commenced a modernization which saw the removal of its remaining 12 guns and the conversion of the turrets into single and  dual mounts for 5  guns.   Resuming its training mission in April, Wyoming remained in this role until June 30, 1945.   Ordered north it joined the Operational Development Force and  aided in devising tactics to combat Japanese kamikazes. With the end of the war, Wyoming continued to operate with this force.   Ordered to  Norfolk in 1947, it arrived on July 11 and was decommissioned on August 1.   Stricken from the Naval Vessel Registry on September 16, Wyoming was sold for scrap the following month.   Transferred to New York, this work began that December. Selected Sources: DANFS: USS  Wyoming  (BB-32)NHHC: USS  Wyoming  (BB-32)MaritimeQuest: USS  Wyoming  (BB-32)

Unique Ways to Celebrate Graduation

Unique Ways to Celebrate Graduation Graduating from an online university or college can be surprisingly depressing. You’ve worked hard, done well in your classes, and have truly earned your degree. But, without the traditional cap-throwing, gown-wearing, sappy music-playing graduation ceremony, finishing coursework can sometimes feel anticlimactic. Don’t let that get you down. Many online graduates find their own way to celebrate. Viewing some unique graduation celebration ideas may inspire you to mark the occasion in a special way. Throw Your Own Ceremony or Party Even if you can’t attend a traditional graduation ceremony, host your own. Choose a theme, send out invitations, and celebrate your accomplishments with your best friends. Display your diploma on the wall to mark this important milestone and show interested guests. Spend the evening with upbeat music, good food, and interesting conversation, letting those closest to you know that you did, indeed, graduate, and you are in the mood to celebrate. Take a Trip Chances are that you’ve put off some of your vacationing desires to finish your educational commitments. Now that youve completed your online studies, youre not bound by a scheduled graduation ceremony. Since you’re finished with school, take some time to do what you’ve always wanted. Whether it’s a cruise of the world, a vacation to Maui, Hawaii, or a weekend at a local bed and breakfast, you deserve it. Theres no better way to celebrate your graduation than lying on a beautiful beach or enjoying breakfast in bed in a cottage nestled in the woods. Splurge on a Career-Related Activity While you were busy studying, you may have passed up going to an amazing business conference, skipped becoming a member of an elite art museum, or forgone subscribing to a career journal because you needed to spend your money and devote your time to your schooling. If so, now is your chance to celebrate by ordering tickets, planning your trip, or signing up. Not only will you enjoy it, but it may provide unexpected opportunities to progress in your field of work. Renovate Your Study Since you’ve finished with the late nights on the computer and removed the â€Å"Stay Out† signs from your door, take the opportunity to redecorate the room (or corner) you’ve used to study. If you have a large space, consider turning it into a parlor for entertaining, home theater, game room, or home spa. Or, if you made your homework habitat in a little corner of the house, redecorate it with artwork, famous quotes, or posters to inspire you in your career. Give Back   You’ve had amazing opportunities, and your new degree promises to bring even more chances for exciting experiences. Find a way to give back to your community. Think about volunteering at a local school, dishing out at a soup kitchen, tutoring students at the library, or reading at a neighborhood senior center. Sponsor an orphan in the U.S. or in a foreign country or become a member of a civil rights group. Whatever you choose, giving back is sure to offer real personal satisfaction to add to your hard-earned degree.

The Louisiana Purchase Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Louisiana Purchase - Research Paper Example Initially, France owned huge land areas dotted along the Mississippi’s western area. The area is called Louisiana. France owned and managed the Louisiana from 1699 until 1762. In 1762, France gave the Louisiana land area to its Friendly neighbor, Spain. However, the French Conqueror, General Napoleon Bonaparte, retrieved the Louisiana property from Spain. Thinking of dominating the large Louisiana expanse filled Bonaparte’s initial penchant. As time went on, Bonaparte realized some troubling reasons that holding to the Louisiana land area were not viable. One bothering reason was a French Commander’s lost in a battle held in Saint Dominque (current Haiti nation). The Haiti war took lots of French soldier deaths. With the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte’s French army in Haiti, under Bonaparte’s brother in law, Bonaparte was thinking of selling lands to pay for Bonaparte’s continuing European war activities (Fleming 2003). Magdalena Alagna (2004) mentions many of the Haiti –based French troops were dying from Yellow fever during the Haiti war campaign. The same Haiti war drained the French coffers significantly. Continuing to pay for the expenses of the Haiti war would eliminate the connection to the ports of North America’s southern shipping lines. Another bothering reason is the increasing American population. Further, France was forced to sell the Louisiana property. With the population growth trend, France felt that it would be impossible to stop the encroaching American population from overflowing into the French territory of Louisiana. Bonaparte decided to transfer the funds allocated to maintaining Louisiana to pay for the cost of invading

Air Passenger Duty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Air Passenger Duty - Research Paper Example It is expected that at the end of the paper, there shall be a definitive decision taken by the Welsh Minister on the way forward, as far as air passenger duty is concerned. 2 Background The air passenger duty could be said to be the brainchild of the Holtham Commission, which in 2010 came out with a recommendation to the Welsh Government on the need to make significant adjustments to its existing tax policies, especially those on minor taxes2. As part of the minor taxes to be considered was the air passenger duty. But since its imposition, the air passenger duty has come under intense public, academic and professional debate as to whether or not everything is being done right with the tax in terms of the allotment of duties and whether or not the air passenger duty should continue to exist at all. Currently, the air passenger duty is charged as a levy on a group of passengers tagged as chargeable passengers, using a group of aircraft tagged as chargeable aircraft from a United Kingdo m airport3. Even though the passenger may be the eventual payer of the levy, the duty is actually charged to the owner of the aircraft and thus the operator of the aircraft becomes payable to the Welsh Government. The Welsh Government does not therefore have any direct interactions with the passenger as far as the levies are concerned and it will be noted that even with the operator of the aircraft, the charge of the air passenger duty takes effect once the passenger aircraft first becomes airborne4. Currently, there are no fixed rates of duties or levies cutting across all chargeable aircrafts and for chargeable passengers. Rather, there are variations in the charges depending on the destination of the chargeable... It is worth mentioning however that the air passenger duty is currently non-devolved, meaning that not all countries within the United Kingdom are forcibly obliged to be implementers of the law. For example, it will be noted that in the Scotland and Wales, for example, the United Kingdom government is still undertaking a feasibility study to ascertain the likely effects that devolution would have on these countries; and thus the current study that is being undertaken. As part of the feasibility study and review that is taking place is the consideration on the constitutional and financial arrangements in Wales that would enhance or otherwise detract the successful implementation of the duty. It is therefore expected that by the close of the roles assigned to the commission in charge, known as the Silk Commission, there will be a clear statement on how financial accountability can be improved when the duty is brought into enforcement in Wales. Even more, the package of powers that give a constitutional right for the implementation of the duty shall adequately be considered to ensure that the provisions of the law do not conflict with any existing State legislation. It will be based on the findings that further action will be taken on the devolution of the air passenger duty. As pending is made of the final outcome of the commission’s work, it is important that discussions begin on how the air passenger duty will affect the larger Welsh economy and particularly the air transport industry.