StartMIT IAP for Entrepreneurs

StartMIT IAP for Entrepreneurs IAP (Independent Activities Period) is a really neat time at MIT, because you get to see where all the creative energy of the student body goes when it’s not tied up doing psets. A lot of people participate in hackathons like MakeMIT and programming competitions like Battlecode. Or they trade in courses in physics and math for wonky classes like Science of Cooking and How to Make a Bike. Or those who want to explore a new field may take on a full-time research project. But for a lot of students, their energy takes an entrepreneurial bent. That’s why MIT began StartMITâ€"an intensive entrepreneurship workshop that runs over IAP, open to any member of the MIT community at any stage in the process of of starting a companyreally. My current stage of starting a company could best be described as enthusiastic interest, so I submitted a proposal with only modest hopes of being accepted. To my surprise, I got in, and I signed myself up! Best decision so far of 2016. StartMIT is basically a playground for aspiring entrepreneurs. It’s a 2 ½ week long, full-time workshop that touches on everything to do with turning an idea into a commercially viable businessâ€"from market research to finding a team to prototyping to fundraising to hiring to marketing. We heard speeches from successful startup founders, visited startups in the Boston/Cambridge area to see what a real nascent company looks like, and were introduced to many of the monetary and mentoring resources available to student entrepreneurs. Plus, we got to meet other like-minded students and hear about the projects they were working on…which in some ways was the coolest part of the program. Prof. Anantha Chandrakasan, Ph.D., head of MITs EECS Department and program director of StartMIT, speaks to participants of the program. Photo credit: Rose Lincoln. StartMIT is technically a for-credit class, but its “teachers” are a series of MIT alums or professors who have already founded their own businessesâ€"which means that we got to interact with some of the coolest and most forward-thinking entrepreneurs in their field. Imagine learning about marketing from someone who started a company to sell marketing software. Or getting pointers on how to commercialize research from someone who has done it successfully ten times. The guest list of StartMIT ran the gamut from veteran professors to current undergraduates, from engineers who learned business to businessmen who adopted technology, from venture capitalists to experts on intellectual property, from freshly-minted CEOs to veterans who have been leading companies for over 60 years. Just to give you a taste of the types of speakers at the program: Drew Houston  explained how working at startups in high school and his frustration with forgetting USB drives at home inspired him to found the enormously popular file-hosting site Dropbox. Biotechnology superstar and serial entrepreneur Robert Langer explained the technology behind just 7 of the many companies based on his discoveries. He has 1100 issued and pending patents. That’s one patent for every 23 days of his LIFE. Prof. Robert Langer explains one of the many research discoveries that he and his students successfully commercialized. I was particularly blown away by the talk given by Sangeeta Bhatia, M.D., Ph.D., and the founder of 10 biotechnology companies. She explained in fascinating detail how her lab developed tiny artificial livers for use in drug testing and channeled that innovation into a viable company by navigating patent law and the needs of pharmaceutical companies. And then, halfway through her speech, she casually mentions that (on top of everything else shes done) that she’s the mother of two children. You could hear jaws hit the floor. I don’t know how she does it. Prof. Sangeeta Bhatia discusses how she applied her new micro-livers for use in drug safety testing. Photo Credit: Justin Knight. President Reif even stopped by to give his support and encouragement for the entrepreneurial culture at MIT. President Reif is a fan of StartMIT! Photo credit: Rose Lincoln. In addition to the scheduled lectures, StartMIT also hosted a special event on Empowering Innovation, which featured a reception and a panel of five outstanding female entrepreneurs. The panelists came from diverse backgrounds and industries, and it was uplifting to see how these motivated women were each able to find different paths to being thriving leaders. One thing I noticed about StartMIT as a whole is that the lecturers were predominantly male, but women were very well-represented among young speakers in their 20s and 30s. For instance, the recent graduates panel, which was composed of young founders who were not too long ago in our shoes, was made up of a majority of women. While entrepreneurship is still a male-dominated field, it’s clear that more women are being inspired to start companies, which is awesome. The five speakers from the Empowering Innovation panel, from left to right: President Emerita of MIT Susan Hockfield; Payal Kadakia, CEO and co-founder of ClassPass; Prof. Dina Katabi, whose work in wireless networks and mobile computing has lead to startups like PiCharging and Emerald; Helen Greiner, CEO and founder of CyPhy Works and co-founder of iRobot; and Jesse Draper, creator and host of The Valley Girl Show. Photo credit: Rose Lincoln. The full speaker list for StartMIT is here. You could burn hours on Google just reading up on the incredible things these people have done. Most importantly, these seasoned entrepreneurs were generally very open to talking to students about specifics of their experience. They would leave time for QA and would often hang around after their talks to answer individual questions. Some even stayed for lunch. Dozens of experienced entrepreneurs, all in one place, willing to field questions from an overeager freshman? That’s an opportunity I couldn’t pass up! I asked a lot questions and tried to chat with speakers afterwards. I learned a lot, both about entrepreneurship and about how to approach people, from asking them about their experiences. Plus it was a lot of fun. Alice Brooks told me about being on Shark Tank, I had Bernard Gordon try to convince me to go into industry and gain experience before founding a company, and Jamie Goldstein, a venture capitalist, gave me a few pointers on my product pitch. Jeremy Wertheimer, SM ’89, PhD ’96, VP, Google, talks with students enrolled in StartMIT following a talk on creating company culture. Photo credit: Rose Lincoln Some speakers were even kind enough to let us tour their companies in the Boston area. During the second week of the program, we got to take field trips to entrepreneurial hubs like Kayak, Ministry of Supply, Hopper, Hubspot, and Mass Challenge. But I give credit to President Reif for summing up the most incredible part of StartMIT. “What is MIT?” he asked. “It is you. You are here in this room to work with us, and your presence is what gives me confidence that if there is a way to solve the world’s challenges, it is here.” Indeed, the most inspiring part about the program was interacting with my peers. Being around such a diverse, ambitious, talented group of students was exciting and mind-opening. The course is open to pretty much anyone in the MIT community: undergrads, grad students, post-docs, businessmen with established careers, engineers, MBAs, cofounders who have an up-and-running company and aspiring entrepreneurs who came up with an idea the day before the application was due. Over the course of the program I met people from every corner of MIT’s campus, people I probably would never have spoken to otherwise, ambitious people who were at a variety of places in their lives and careers and who all had different ideas for their future. It made me think about the paths that I could pursue for myself. And I was exposed to a lot of different models and attitudes about what entrepreneurship is and how to go about implementing itâ€"which is the purpose of the program. During the third week of the p rogram, when we were delivering our startup pitches in front of the rest of the StartMIT class, it occurred to me that in ten years (or less) these same students might end up sharing their experiences as instructors, instead of participants in, StartMIT. Over the course of the past 2 ½ weeks, I heard more advice about business development, intellectual property, finding cofounders and mentors, fundraising, prototyping, company culture, and market research than I can fit into a single blog post. But I also learned a lot about MIT’s distinctive brand of startup culture, and I thought I would share a few aspects that are specific to entrepreneurship at MIT. 1. There are different types of entrepreneurship, and MIT has a specialty. MIT really encourages innovative entrepreneurshipâ€"companies that are founded based on a novel technology or a new way of doing things. Many MIT entrepreneurs are inventors. They get involved in startups because they came up with a better model or product for doing something important. MIT is involved in the type of commercialization that will change and advance the world. 2. Academics and entrepreneurship are not mutually exclusive. I’m from the West Coast, where the archetypal startup founder is a college dropout with some coding skills and a hot idea. At StartMIT, a lot of the founders were very well-educated engineering or business experts with advanced degrees and significant research or industry experience. You definitely don’t need a Ph.D. to start a company, but having one changes the type of company you’re able to start. These people invent, and commercialize, the type of technological innovations that only expertise can produceâ€"from self-driving cars to printers for OLED screens to new cancer therapies. 3. There are resources; use them! Just last Monday MIT announced a new initiative, the Sandbox Innovation Fund, to make startup funding broadly available to as many members of MIT as possible. The program is designed to be non-competitive; all you have to do is submit a project and budget proposal in order to receive seed funding ranging from $1000 to $25k. That means that any member of MIT with a startup ideaâ€"even if it really is just an ideaâ€"can get the first kick they need to get their company off the ground. MIT’s Dean of Engineering, Professor Ian Waitz, unveiled the new program to StartMIT, and he explained a little bit more of the mentality behind it. Our goal with Sandbox is to have students leave MIT able to be more effective as entrepreneurs and innovators by giving them realistic experience, connections with knowledgeable mentors, education tailored to their needs, and money to move their ideas forward. The money is really just a small part of the program. We want to create an educational experience for innovative students of all types. If they have an idea they are passionate about that serves a market or social need, we would like to help. But Sandbox isn’t the only resource available to entrepreneurs. MIT has a variety of programs in place to help startup founders get the funding, mentorship, and publicity they need to grow their business. The Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship offers classes on entrepreneurship (including a new minor for undergraduates), speaker series, a network of advisors, and maker spaces. They also host the MIT $100k Competition and run GFSA, a student venture accelerator. The Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation provides researchers with grants, guidance, and encouragement to bring their transformative technologies to market. The Venture Mentoring Service is open to any member of the MIT community and matches entrepreneurs with a network of experienced business founders to guide and advise them. The list goes on. 4. Your classmates here are an incredible resource. Everyone at MIT is talented and driven. In a couple decades, they are going to be the people who are running some of the most impactful organizations in the world. Or they could be the people who start a company with you today. Being in an environment where every one of your peers has something to offer is an incredible gift. When I applied for StartMIT, I was nervous about being a freshman with no entrepreneurial experience. But by the end of the program, being a freshman didn’t seem so much a disability as an opportunity. I have 3 ½ more years to reap all the resources here at MIT, and the rest of my life to use those resources to do something awesome. That’s a really, really exciting prospect.

The Long, Bitter Trail - 1195 Words

Samuel Pinkhasov The Long, Bitter Trail The Indian Removal Act was very controversial during its time, receiving influence from individuals, local, state and mostly by the federal government. This act gave the president, Andrew Jackson, the authority to make transactions with Indian tribes in the Southern region of the United States. The Indian Removal Act was a deal made by President Andrew Jackson with the Indian tribes, forcing them to leave their occupied land, which happened to be federal territories west of the Mississippi River. President Andrew Jackson’s primary method in Indian Removal was his speech to Congress regarding his opinions on the act, which included many positive outcomes that would happen if the Indians were to leave the territory. He claimed that this act would not only benefit the United States as a whole, but it would also benefit the Indian people. This benefit was called â€Å"Manifest Destiny† or the idea of the United States expanding its territories from the Atlantic Ocean to th e Pacific. This expansion would benefit the country not just economically, but agriculturally as well. However, â€Å"Manifest Destiny† was only an idea, and in order for this idea to become a reality, the governments had to take action. This action in entirety was the removal of the Indian tribes from the southern regions, making them travel through very harsh conditions so that Americans could settle in their former homeland. Overall, the American government wanted to rid theShow MoreRelatedThe Long, Bitter Trail, Andrew Jackson And The Indians Essay1292 Words   |  6 Pageswere now under the control of the United States government. As the population continued to climb in numbers, individuals along with the United States government decided to take actions for the removal of these natives. Throughout the book, The Long, Bitter Trail, Andrew Jackson and the Indians by: Anthony F.C. Wallace, the events leading up to, during, and the effects of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Read MoreChildhood Memories of the Mountain Essay1176 Words   |  5 PagesSpruce and maple trees wiz by as I look out the backseat window. Beside me is my twin brother, Tim, and up in the front are my dad and sister of six, Charlotte. Our destination is a mountain in northern Vermont, Camel’s Hump. It’s a long drive, the longest I’ve been on in my short three year life. My dad has decided to introduce nature to his children while they are young. We will climb this mountain this weekend, and many times in the future. My dad will take us up this mountain more than a dozenRead More Ameican Cowboys Essay1538 Words   |  7 Pages). People came from everywhere to become cowboys. Some came from eastern American states, others from the Midwest, and the rest came from states in the South. They came to work on ranches and drive cattle on the trail. ?Many were ex-rebel sol diers who maintained that attitude on the trail. There was also a flood of renegades from both north and south that went to Texas. This is how Texas got a reputation for lawlessness and violence? (The Cowboys). Being a cowboy, for some, had a special status. CowboysRead MoreDescriptive Essay - My Family And I Were Vacationing1565 Words   |  7 Pagesgraduation trip in the summer of 2014. The Caines Head Coastal Trail, in Seward Alaska, was designated as one of the top 20 hikes in Alaska so we could not pass up the opportunity to adventure into the Alaskan wilderness (Best Hiking in Alaska). The trailhead begins at the entrance of the rainforest. The trail continues along the rocky shores of Resurrection Bay and then ascends to Fort McGilvray. Although, the first two miles of the trail was easy, the vivid green colors of the natural forest floorRead More The Trail of Tears Essay2169 Words   |  9 PagesThe Trail of Tears â€Å"The Trail of Tears† was a despicable event in American history because of our government’s inhumane treatment of the Cherokee Nation. To the Cherokee Nation, the journey west, called by them â€Å"The Trail Where We Cried,† was a bitter pill forced upon them by a state and federal government that cared little for their culture or society, and even less about justice. To the white settlers, it meant expanding horizons, hope, dreams of riches, and a new life. It wasRead More Jack Londons To Build a Fire Essay example1103 Words   |  5 PagesJack Londons To Build a Fire In his short story entitled To Build a Fire, Jack London portrays a bitter conflict between man and nature. The nature in this story is the harsh environment of the Yukon Trail. London chose to use nature as the antagonist, almost as a force working against the main character in his struggle for survival. London accomplished this personification of nature by giving the environment many human characteristics, by creating numerous thingsRead MoreMajor General Benedict Arnold Is Without A Shadow Of A Doubt1299 Words   |  6 Pageshistorians even believed that it was doomed from the beginning as the trail to Quebec was long and deadly. Even when Arnold reached Quebec the cold wet weather lead to disease and discontent within his regiment. Things soon turned for the worse as an intercepted British letter told of more redcoat reinforcements were on the way. Arnold elected to postpone the attack until his backup, Colonel Montgomery, showed up. But the trail up to Quebec had not been very nice to Colonel Montgomery forces who showedRead MoreTheme Of A Fire By Jack Londons911 Words   |  4 Pagesthe idea of represents about the way we think in a dire situation. The opening scene establishes our main character’s inability or lack of care towards his own survival. ‘To Build a Fire’ begins with our main character, a man, hiking the Yukon trail on a bitter cold day. He had no supplies and did not care. â€Å"It was a clear day, and yet there seemed an intangible pall over the face of things, a subtle gloom that made the day dark, and that was due to the absence of sun. This fact did not worry the manRead MoreEssay about Critical Analysis of Beowulf997 Words   |  4 Pagesliquid gold and it stung Grendels ears. He howled a mournful, drawn-out growl in pain. After several days of the Earthwalkers continuous celebration, Grendel was becoming steadily impatient, thirsting for retribution. How he longed to taste the bitter, metallic blood that coursed through their veins, and how his whole body ached to cause mayhem. The enormous demon was growing weary of hearing about how the world was created. He was tired of them drinking, and celebrating, all while he sufferedRead MoreNative Indians And The Native Americans1491 Words   |  6 Pagesaround and never had a place they could love and call a home. Indian Territory a place of peace for the Native Americans somewhere they could stay and not be bothered. The downside to this territory was that the Indians could not preserve it for so long until settlers started to want the land.†Subsequent treaties and laws gradually reduced the size of the territory† (Powers 1). The reduction of Indian Territory gradually decreased at a fast rate. For Example, due to the settlers pushing the government

Reggae Drumming Essay - 612 Words

Discuss the theoretical and technical concepts of reggae drumming, with reference to its historical context (500-600 words) Reggae is a music style (genre) which developed in the Caribbean (Jamaica) in the late 60s, which originated from the development of â€Å"Ska† and â€Å"Rocksteady†. Reggae is recognized worldwide by the rhythmic accents provided from the off-beat pattern (usually played by the guitar or piano) it is also known as the â€Å"Skank†. This pattern accents the 2nd and 4th beat in each bar (or on the ‘amp;’ of each beat all depending on how the music/ piece is counted) and combines with the drum that emphasises on beat 3 creating a unique feel. Reggae music usually has a 4/4 time signature, with a low tempo. For the drums, 8th†¦show more content†¦- The Emphasis is entirely on the 3rd beat of the bar. (Usually on the snare, or a rim-shot combined with the bass drum). - Bob Marley â€Å"One Drop† is a perfect example of this beat â€Å"Rockers†: Another style of drumming is called â€Å"Rockers† which was invented by the Drum and Bass duo (Sly and Robbie). This style emphasises on the bass drum being played on the 1st and 3rd beat instead of just the 3rd alone. Everything else is consistent with the â€Å"One Drop† style. This gives a much harder sound, and increases the song drive more. - It plays a similar beat to that of the guitar. - An emphasis can be found on the 1st and 3rd beat of the bar. - At times, counter rhythms can be played over the beat, but the 1st and 3rd beat are always noticeable. â€Å"Steppers†: The last common reggae drumming style is called â€Å"Steppers†. This is when the beat includes the bass drum hit on all 4 quarter notes, creating a stronger driving pulse. This style has a stronger sound than ‘Rockers with an even stronger beat. - It is probably the most simple of the beats. - Its defining characteristics are a solid 1-2-3-4 of the bass drum. - A good example of the Steppers beat can be found through a piece by Bob Marley, titled: â€Å"Exodus†. Here is an example of a â€Å"One Drop† rhythm/ Style: Here is an example of a â€Å"rockers† rhythm/ Style: Here is an example of a â€Å"steppers† rhythm/Show MoreRelatedThe True Beauty Of Music1430 Words   |  6 Pagesthrough their songs and music. â€Å"Nations in Latin America were beginning a process of rapid urbanization. Cultural nationalism was widespread and expressed itself in musical nationalism† . Music developed greatly after independence, art forms like Reggae, diaspora, Samba, Tango, and Calypso that were established in the twentieth century are still practiced and celebrated today all around the world. Music helped the Caribbean people express thoughts that were suppressed during the times of slaveryRead More An Overview of Reggae Music Essay1268 Words   |  6 Pages Reggae is a genre of music that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. It is known for the heavy and strong emphasis on the bass within the background beat. Reggae was perceived as a kind of music used to express feelings about the social, political, and economic hardships in Jamaica du ring the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was performed by musicians from black ghettos who used unhurried beats to make a style of music of their own. Reggae became an important part of the lifestyle of manyRead MoreHistory of Jamaican Music1268 Words   |  6 Pageslater by English colonists. (Megan, R.) Jamaicans possess a musical heritage that comes from their African and European roots. Reggae music is Jamaica’s best sound. These thumping sounds are rich and infectious and encompass expression of private freedom, independence, religion, and gossip. Jamaica’s most well-known is Bob Marley whose influence helped bring Reggae music in to the Jamaican main stream. (Cultural Attraction Tour in American (2010).) Jamaicans also are proud of their artistic styleRead MoreBob Marley And The Wailers1654 Words   |  7 PagesReggae is a music genre that evolved from the Jamaican music style called ska, and was influenced by American rhythm and blues. Reggae contains many references Rastafarianism, which many consider the result of Bob Marley’s practice of integrating reggae with Rastafarian ideology. This paper serves to examine reggae, with special emphasis on a lyric analysis of Jamaican reggae band Bob Marley and the Wailers. The major question this paper addresses the social context that led to the dominance ofRead MoreMusic in the Caribbean1264 Words   |  6 Pageslink music. Music bridged the gap between the different ethnicities Music is part of everyone’s culture especially here in the Caribbean. Our culture is recognized worldwide for its music. The Caribbean has different genres of music such as calypso, reggae, dance hall, zouk and many others. Our music has roots in both African and European cultures. The drum rhythm comes from the African influence and the melody from the European influence. Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music originated in TrinidadRead MoreThe Great Bob Marley1537 Words   |  7 Pages If someone was asked to name the first famous reggae artist that came to mind, the majority of people would say one name, Bob Marley. Robert Nesta Marley, commonly known as Bob Marley, is undoubtedly the most famous reggae artist of all time. Additionally, he is responsible for bringing reggae to the masses, and he did this through his unique style, raspy voice, guitar playing and drumming. Bob Marley is known around the world for not only his music, but also his greater message of peace. FurthermoreRead MoreEssay on Hip-hop, Reggae, and Politics5105 Words   |  21 PagesHip-hop, Reggae, and Politics Introduction Music is an art form and source of power. Many forms of music reflect culture and society, as well as, containing political content and social message. Music as social change has been highlighted throughout the 20th century. In the 1960s the United States saw political and socially oriented folk music discussing the Vietnam War and other social issues. In Jamaica during the 1970s and 1980s reggae developed out of the Ghetto’s of Trench town andRead More Discontent Expressed through Blues, Jazz, Reggae, and Hip-hop5489 Words   |  22 PagesDiscontent Expressed through Blues, Jazz, Reggae, and Hip-hop In cultures all over the world, music can be seen encompassing many aspects of life for many individuals. It is a form of mass communication thatspeaks directly to society as a cultural form, and often reflects a collection and pattern of personal experiences (King 19). Music is so influential because it communicates on three different levels: the physical, emotional, and cognitive. Not only does it operate in a nondiscursive way, byRead MoreEssay on The Mirroring Lives of a Jamaican and a Rastafarian4081 Words   |  17 Pagesthere are many different distinct characteristic that represent Rastafarianism that make it possible to differentiate between a true Rastafarian and a Jamaican unlike Catholicism. It is most often associated with dreadlocks, smoking of marijuana and reggae music, the Rastafarian religion is much more than simply a religion of Jamaica. With its beginnings in the Jamaican slums, Rastafarianism has spread throughout the world and currently has membership of over 700,000 (Barrett, viii). Although RastafarianismRead More African Music of the Rastafari, the Rasta Community, the Dreads4350 Words   |  18 PagesAfrican Music of the Rastafari, the Rasta Community, the Dreads Nyabinghi music played at Rastafarian grounations, which includes drumming of at least three hand drums, chanting, dancing, spiritual use of the holy herb, and praise to Jah Rastafari, are considered the most important and inspirational meeting of Rastafari. The term nyabinghi is said to have come from a religious, spiritual, and political movement in East Africa beginning in the 1850’s until the 1950 led by a series of spiritually

American Architecture Free Essays

Beaux Arts, French for â€Å"fine arts,† describes a type of American architecture that was popular from 1890 to 1920. They have two roof styles: flat or low-pitched hip roof or a mansard roof. These buildings often feature decorative garlands, floral patterns, or shields on their walls. We will write a custom essay sample on American Architecture or any similar topic only for you Order Now The facade often has quoins, pilasters, or columns with Ionic or Corinthian capitals, and masonry walls of light-colored and smooth stone. Arched, pedimented windows were common. The first story uses stonework joints that are exaggerated, giving it a rusticated look, although the facade is usually symmetrical. There are several reasons why Beaux Arts style was a dominant choice of public building architecture from 1890 to 1920. Beaux Arts buildings were a popular architecture choice in prosperous urban settings in cities such as Washington, D. C. , New York, Boston, St. Louis and San Francisco, as well as Newport, Rhode Island. They were big, elaborate buildings to build, and their construction one was a way to show off your wealth if you were rich. Beaux Arts buildings were the style of choice for rich American industrial barons, for example. However, when the Great Depression hit in the late 1920s, these large buildings became too costly to build and maintain, and over time several were destroyed. Some have been preserved as public museums, schools, and clubhouses. Another reasons why they were dominant in public building style in America is the French influence. Americans who served in France during World War I saw examples of these buildings and helped make the style popular when they returned home. Americans who studied at France’s Ecole des Beaux-Arts, the best architectural school in the world at that time, advocated for this style of building when they returned to America. The Ecole also favored formal planning for the spatial relationships between buildings. This helped drive the American City Beautiful movement, which was popular during this time period. This idea also influenced AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE PAGE 3 the Beaux Arts-style employed by designer Richard Morris Hunt for Chicago’s 1893 World Columbian Exposition. After this, other large cities, including Cleveland, Philadelphia and Washington D. C. , used these formal design ideas in planning suburbs with massive parks and boulevards that were lined with landmark Beaux Arts-style houses. A further reason why Beaux Arts was a popular architectural choice is their roof’s appearance. The mansard roof became popular in attached urban town houses because it reduces the apparent height of the upper-floor living space as compared to other nearby buildings. It also gave the homeowner a full upper story of attic space to use, and so it became popular to use this style of roof in remodeling older buildings as well as for new ones. There were tax implications for this style here as well: in France, where the mansard roof originated, expanding a home ‘s â€Å"footprint† – adding additional rooms on the ground and increasing square footage – meant that the owner would be required to pay heavier taxes on the structure. Building â€Å"upward† – expanding square footage vertically rather than horizontally – constituted a â€Å"loophole† which helped the property owner to avoid increased taxation on his home. The Great Depression may have brought an end to the cost feasibility and popularity of these lovely structures. From about 1933 onward, homes that were constructed were smaller, plainer and more utilitarian. Fortunatly for us, but happily several of the old Beaux Arts have been preserved for our enjoyment and study in cities across the country, including San Francisco, Portland Oregon, Chicago and Rochester New in cities across the country, including San Francisco, Portland Oregon, Chicago and Rochester New York. Even in times during which real estate markets fall, classic old homes such as Beaux Arts houses and buildings continue to command top prices. How to cite American Architecture, Papers

Creation II Essay Example For Students

Creation II Essay Mrs. Brew 13 May 1996 Intelligent Design of the Universe The search for knowledge about the origin of humanity is as old as its inhabitants. Since the early 1800s mankind has narrowed the debate to creation by a Supreme Being and the theory of evolution. Ever since then, science has been at odds against religion. Now it appears that science is returning to religion. Scientists are finding proof that the universe was created by a Supreme Being. The word evolution refers to the change of something over a period of time(Websters 634). In biology, the theory of evolution is the complex of processes by which living organisms originated on earth and have been diversified and modified through sustained changes in form and function(Valentine). This theory proposes that between 4 million and 10 million years ago, all organisms on earth had a common ancestor and that through a process of evolution, all living organisms descended from this common ancestor(Coyne). Chevalier de Lamarck, a French naturalist proposed a theory of evolution in 1809. His idea did not get much scientific consideration until Charles R. Darwin announced his theory of evolution(Coyne). Darwin published his most famous book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection(Valentine) in 1859. Darwin stated that offspring resemble their parents, yet they are not exactly identical to them. He also noted that some of these differences were not effects of their environment, but actually were passed down from parents to children(Valentine). Darwin is the most well known scientist to write on evolution. There are many different variations on the theory of evolution. Darwin states that natural selection is the main reason for the evolution of life. The fight for food, water and other necessities benefits those creatures who are well adapted for the struggle. Those that cannot survive, die with no offspring to continue their genetic line. Natural selection is also called survival of the fittest. Another related idea to evolution is gradualism. Gradualism is the idea that evolutionary changes do not occur suddenly but over large amounts of time, ranging from decades to millions of years(Coyne). Genetic drift is another way that scientists define evolution. When two of a species mate, their offspring gets 23 chromosomes from both parents. When a gene does not split and combine correctly, a mutation occurs. This mutation will get passed down from the creature to its offspring. In this way a species can permanently be changed(Coyne). Scientists who have accepted the general theory of evolution as fact disagree among themselves about the ratio of importance between natural selection and genetic drift. They also disagree about what caused the apparent gaps in fossil layers. New species abruptly(Valentine) appear in the fossil record with no apparent mutation from another species, then remain unchanged for long periods of time. They do not seem to exhibit the gradual changes that would be expected by modern evolutionists(Valentine).Many people, including those in the scientific community, do not accept the theory of evolution as fact. When Darwin was alive, his theory was attacked by many scientists and religious leaders(Coyne). In the 1900s, United States public high schools began teaching evolution in science classes. By the 1920s, laws in twenty states to ban the teaching of evolution in public schools had been proposed by people who did not want their children being indoctrinated. They considered the teaching of the theory to be part of a dangerous trend toward the separation of religious beliefs from everyday life(Coyne). Several of the proposed laws were passed into effect in states including Arkansas and Tennessee. The ACLU challenged the Tennessee law in 1925 by defending a teacher named John T. Scopes, who had volunteered to stand trial on the charge of teaching evolution(Coyne). The ACLU lost the case but because of bad press, creationists appeared ignorant to science. However, in 1968 the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that laws banning the teaching of evolution were unconstitutional because they made religious considerations part of the curriculum(Coyne). The courts continue to give rulings on creation and evolution in schools, some have come as recently as 1987(Coyne). The fight to keep evolution out of the classroom is still persevering. Those who are pushing to keep evolution out of the public schools are primarily creationists. Creation is the belief that a Supreme Being created the universe and all its contents from nothing(Vawter). Bioethics Essay The differences between other animals in nature and humans are vast. However, many evolutionists claim that we are animals ourselves. Jonathan Swift shows the absurdity of this comparison in the fourth book of Gullivers Travels. Guliver is living between two extremes: the reason based Houyhnhms and the savage Yahoos. Gulliver tries so hard to fit in with the Houyhnhms, or horses. They conclude that Gulliver must be a perfect Yahoo'(Suits 116), yet Gulliver believes that he is more Houyhnhm. This struggle can represent the origin struggle.The evolutionists say that humans were once like the Yahoos, but by saying that humanity evolved because of an haphazard accident, they are claiming that humans are now the superior being in the universe. They claim we are like the Houyhnhms(Sagan). Humans are not like that. The Houyhnhms are divorced of passion. They have no shame, no temptations, no conception of sin(Williams 62). Marriage is one of the necessary actions in a reasonable being'(63). These definitely do not identify humanity. Gulliver understands none of this(72). Humans have the ability to use reason and humans have certain inherent desires that cannot be reasonably explained: love, marriage, and a sense of right and wrong. Still the debate continues. It seems the double standard at work here is breathtaking(Glynn 32). Scientists who believe in evolution are free to use detailed accounts of what happened 4 billion years ago and base it on Darwin(Sagan). But the moment scientists begin marshalling rather considerable and persuasive evidence for the opposite case, their speculation risks being branded by colleagues as unscientific'(Glynn 32). This parallels the third book of Gullivers Travels. The ways of the respected Laputan people were very precise, according to Gulliver. All their wise men reject what seems obviously the best way preform a task(Williams 49). Member of the Academy are seen trying to weave with spider web and make ice into gunpowder(Swift 196). Such acts of stupidity are Swifts attack on the Royal Society of England in Swifts time; however the apply perfectly to many of the scientists who reject what they do not want to see. The argument about the origin of the universe will definitely continue. There will be those who argue both sides until this world comes to its end. To what extent people believe the Biblical teachings or what some scientists teach is a personal decision. Darwin concluded his book: There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved(Miller 32). The more science seems to dig and research about the origins of humanity, the less likely it is that Earth and all the creatures on it were an accident. All the precision, consistency and detail point to an universal architect, a Supreme Being, God.Bibliography (please disreguard my mess for now) Coyne, Jerry A. Evolution. World Book. CD-ROM Eve, Raymond A. Creationism World Book. CD-ROM Glynn, Patrick. Beyond The Death of God. National Review May 6,1996:28-32. Limbaugh, Rush. The Way Things Ought to Be. New York:Pocket Books, 1992. Miller, Kenneth R. Lifes Grand Design. Technology Review. Feb./March 1994:24-32 CD-ROM. 1996 SIRS. SIRS 1994 Life Science. Article 59 Sagan, Carl. Snowflakes Fallen on the Hearth: The Evolution of the Earth. Planetary Report. Jan./Feb. 1993:4-9 CD-ROM. 1996 SIRS. SIRS 1994 Earth Science. Article 53 Schneider, E.D, Kay, J.J. Life as a Manifestation of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Mathematical and Computer Modelling 1994: 25-48. Suits, Conrad. The Role of the Horsesin A Voyage to the Houyhnhnms. Modern Critical Interpretations, Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York:Chelsea. 116-125 Swift, Jonathan. Gullivers Travels. New York:Penguin,1960. Valentine, James W. Evolution. Encarta. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corp:1994 Vawter, Rev. Bruce. Creation. Encarta. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corp:1994 Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary. Second Edition. 1983 Williams, Kathleen. Animal Rationis Capax. Modern Critical Interpretations, Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York:Chelsea. 37-82

Commissioned Officer Essay Example

Commissioned Officer Essay Example Commissioned Officer Essay Commissioned Officer Essay I would like to start by emphasizing that it is my goal to become a Commissioned Officer, and I am determined to face whatever odds to achieve this goal.In my opinion, being a Commissioned Officer is being a Leader, in its truest essence, and in the tradition of the U.S. Coast Guard. I believe that if there is any organization where effective leadership must be cultivated and developed, it is in the military. In view of this, I could say that I am up to satisfying what the position requires.I desire to become a Commissioned Officer with Leadership as my battlecry, both as an end, and as a means. As an end, it has always been my passion to become a leader of men. Serving as a Commissioned Officer would become a realization of this passion. Meanwhile, leadership has become a means for me because I exercise the desired leadership traits to get every man on my team to work for the accomplishment of every mission. Leadership is entwined with my values, both as a man in uniform, and as a p erson.In the past, I have exemplified leadership by serving 4 years in the US Marines. There, I have earned the respect, confidence, and loyal cooperation of other Marines by demonstrating leadership traits such as Justice, Judgement, Dependability, Initiative, Decisiveness, Tact, Integrity, Enthusiasm, Bearing, Unselfishness, Courage, Knowledge, Loyalty and Endurance.I have also displayed skills, specifically in communication and information gathering, as a linguist under a DEA contract. This specialty on the field of intelligence adds to my credentials as an Officer Candidate and as a leader. I am fluent in other languages such as Italian and Spanish, and these excellent communication skills would serve as helpful additions to my skills if ever I am able to become an Officer. I believe that it is crucial that a leader knows how to communicate with his men and with other people to whom duty calls him to speak to. With my excellent language skills, along with the leadership traits t hat I have gained from my experience in the US Marines and from the training in the Officer Candidate School, I am positive that I would be able to communicate ideas and intentions well. I believe this ability is rare among other aspiring leaders.With regards to the rudiments of military and leadership skills, I believe that I have enough competence, and my performance will certainly speak of this. However, since people say that nobody is perfect and that there would always be loopholes into the ideal, I commit to keep on striving everyday to become the Leader that I desire to become. This is my passion. And I hope that through this narrative, I have been able to narrate well about my potentials and capabilities, enough to bring me closer to my goals and objectives.References:Marine Corps Leadership Traits. Competencies Skills. Center for Strategic Leadership Studies. Retrieved 07 Nov 2006 at   6mcd.usmc.mil/ftl_site/Handbook/marine_corps_leadership__traits.htm.http://leadership. au.af.mil/sls-skil.htm#marines:legacee.com/Info/Leadership/LeadershipTraits.html

Display a TopMost System Modal Message Box With Delphi

Display a TopMost System Modal Message Box With Delphi With desktop (Windows) applications, a message (dialog) box is used to alert the user of the application that some action needs to be taken, that some operation was completed or, in general, to get users attention. In Delphi, there are several ways of displaying a message to the user. You can either use any of the ready-made message displaying routines provided in the RTL, like  ShowMessage or InputBox; or you can create your own dialog box (for reuse): CreateMessageDialog. A common problem with all the above dialog boxes is that they require the application to be active to be displayed to the user. Active refers to when your application has the input focus. If you really want to grab the users attention and stop them from doing anything else, you need to be able to display a system-modal topmost message box even when your application is not active. System-Modal Top Most Message Box Even though this might sound complicated, in actuality it really is not. Since Delphi can easily access most of the Windows API calls, executing the MessageBox Windows API function will do the trick. Defined in the windows.pas unit the one included by default in the uses clause of every Delphi form, the MessageBox function creates, displays, and operates a message box. The message box contains an application-defined message and title, along with any combination of predefined icons and push buttons. Heres how the MessageBox is declared: function MessageBox(  Ã‚  hWnd: HWND;  Ã‚  lpText,  Ã‚  lpCaption : PAnsiChar;  Ã‚  uType : Cardinal) : integer; The first parameter, hwnd, is the handle of the owner window of the message box to be created. if you create a message box while a dialog box is present, use a handle to the dialog box as the hWnd parameter. The lpText and lpCaption specify the caption and the message text that is displayed in the message box. Last is the uType parameter  and is the most interesting. This parameter specifies the contents and behavior of the dialog box. This parameter can be a combination of various flags. Example: System Modal Warning Box When the System Date/Time Changes Lets take a look at an example of creating a system modal topmost message box. Youll  handle the Windows message that is dispatched to all the running applications when the system date/time changes- for example using the Date and Time Properties Control Panel applet. The MessageBox function will be called as:   Ã‚  Windows.MessageBox(   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  handle,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is a system modal message#13#10from an inactive application,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A message from an inactive application!,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  MB_SYSTEMMODAL or MB_SETFOREGROUND or MB_TOPMOST or MB_ICONHAND) ; The most important piece is the last parameter. The MB_SYSTEMMODAL or MB_SETFOREGROUND or MB_TOPMOST ensures the message box is system modal, top most and becomes the foreground window. MB_SYSTEMMODAL flag ensures that the user must respond to the message box before continuing work in the window identified by the hWnd parameter.MB_TOPMOST flag specifies that the message box should be placed above all non-topmost windows and should stay above them, even when the window is deactivated.MB_SETFOREGROUND flag ensures that the message box becomes the foreground window. Here is the full example code (TForm named Form1 defined in unit unit1): unit Unit1;interface ​ uses   Ã‚  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes,   Ã‚  Graphics, Controls, Forms, Dialogs, ExtCtrls; type   Ã‚  TForm1 class(TForm)  Ã‚  private   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  procedure WMTimeChange(var Msg: TMessage) ; message WM_TIMECHANGE;  Ã‚  public   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  { Public declarations }   Ã‚  end;var   Ã‚  Form1: TForm1; implementation{$R *.dfm} procedure TForm1.WMTimeChange(var Msg: TMessage) ;begin   Ã‚  Windows.MessageBox(   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  handle,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is a system modal message#13#10from an inactive application,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A message from an inactive application!,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  MB_SYSTEMMODAL or MB_SETFOREGROUND or MB_TOPMOST or MB_ICONHAND) ;end;end. Try running this simple application. Make sure the application is minimized or at least that some other application is active. Run the Date and Time Properties Control Panel applet and change the system time. As soon as you hit the Ok button (on the applet) the system modal topmost message box from your inactive application will be displayed.