The Well-Readheads Help You Cope with the Holidays

The Well-Readheads Help You Cope with the Holidays RJS: Well, my little snuggle bug, it’s the most wonderful time of the year again: the season of lights and spiked cider and compulsory family togetherness. I love me some holidays, but sometimes they can be stressful. And since it’s frowned upon to start drinking at breakfast, we need some books to help us cope with family craziness. What’s your flavor: books about families that are even crazier than yours, or good old-fashioned escapism? LH: I have the perfect book to start with: the aptly-named All Families Are Psychotic by Douglas Coupland, a darkly funny novel of a seriously messed-up family that will make your situation look a little more normal. The members of the Drummond family are reuniting after a long estrangement but absence doesn’t necessarily make the heart grow fonder. This is not just my favorite of his books, but it’s one of my favorite books, period. RJS: Maggie O’Farrell’s latest novel Instructions for a Heatwave might be set in the middle of a sweltering summer, but the dysfunctional Riordan family is chillingly realistic. When Gretta Riordan’s husband of four decades goes out for the paper one morning and doesn’t return, the children gather at the family home to air some long-hidden dirty laundry and try to figure out where their father went. I read it on a family beach trip this summer, and I can vouch for its ability to take you away from wherever you are and transport you to 1976 London. LH: Yes! I love that book. And it takes place on the day I was born. RJS: While we’re talking about the-gang-gets-back-together family stories, we also have to mention Seating Arrangements. Family dysfunction during a wedding weekend! That’ll give you some perspective when you think holidays are hard. LH: I love that book, too! And I’m super-excited for her new one. Moving on, a recent favorite of mine is Handling Sin by Michael Malone. It’s one of the funniest books I’ve read. This is a madcap road trip book, in which a free-spirited, ailing old man runs away from home, and tells his son that he will come back if his son completes a set of tasks that require him to drive around the country. There are some of the craziest, zaniest characters and encounters in this book. It’s my go-to book at the store when someone requests a “funny” read. RJS: My go-to funny rec, particularly for people who work in books, is How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely. A dude sets out to write a bestseller based on advice from formulaic books, and it actually works. It’s a hilarious satire about some of the all-too-true patterns in publishing, and it’s a rollicking good time. In a totally different vein, I want to love on Rosie Schaap’s memoir Drinking With Men. If you’ve gotta booze your way through the holidays, Rosie Schaap is the best company you could ask for. Do you have any fun favorite memoirs for holiday reading? LH: First I would just like to point out for the court that I love both those books! (Are we the same person?) Also, if you want to know how NOT to behave at a wedding, read the Hely. I’m cringing just thinking about it. As far as memoirs, if you like fun family nuttiness, there’s one of my favorites, Five-Finger Discount: A Crooked Family History by Helene Stapinski. In it, Stapinski recounts how she grew up in a family of criminals in Jersey City during the height of the city’s political corruption. I absolutely adore this book to pieces. Getting back to fictional families, there’s The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson, one of the oddest. The Fangs are into staging performance art pieces, and the parents are really wacky. The Fang children just want to be normal, but have to go along with their parents’ crazy ideas. There are some laugh-snort moments, for sure. RJS: Family Fang is so, so great, and it’s going to be a movie starring Jason Bateman and Nicole Kidman, and I just cannot contain my muppet flail excitement about that. LH: Holy cats, that will be crazy! RJS: And so awesome. I really hope they cast some kids as well and do flashbacks to the Fang family’s bonkers childhood. Speaking of bonkers childhood, maybe our readers should take David Sedaris or Augusten Burroughs along for their holiday travel? LH: Any of their books of essays will do, but they both have hilarious holiday-related books, too: Holidays on Ice and You Better Not Cry, respectively. I can’t speak for the Burroughs, but I know the Sedaris is worth getting on audio no one reads their own work better than he does. Now, for more dysfunctional fictional fun, I just read Josie and Jack by Kelly Braffet, and it was fantastic! It’s about a brother and sister whose beastly professor father mostly leaves them to their own devices in a big rambling house, stopping by just on weekends to home-school them. This book is delightfully smart and disturbing in equal measure. Loved, loved, loved it. It’s a little Cement Garden, a little Secret History and a whole lot of awesome. Now, kitten cheeks, there’s another effed-up family favorite that’s about to be a new Lifetime movie, right? RJS: No book puts the fun in dysfunctional quite like Flowers in the Attic. Lifetime’s movie remake (with Ellen Burstyn, Heather Graham, and Mad Men’s Kiernan Shipka) looks deliciously dark and twisty. It comes out in January, so you can dig out your tattered copy from middle school and give it a re-read over the holidays under the guise of brushing up before the flick. It doesn’t get any weirder than this, so we’d better call it a day. Tell us, readers, what will you be reading this holiday season? _________________________ Sign up for our newsletter to have the best of Book Riot delivered straight to your inbox every two weeks. No spam. We promise. To keep up with Book Riot on a daily basis, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, , and subscribe to the Book Riot podcast in iTunes or via RSS. So much bookish goodnessall day, every day.

Alexander is The Greatest Ancient Military Commander - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1603 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/04/07 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Alexander The Great Essay Did you like this example? Alexander the great is debated by many to whether or not he was the greatest ancient world military commander. He had a strategic prowess on the battlefield, he always kept morals among his men high, and had a ruthless attitude where he thought of no accomplishment as unattainable. Although he had his flaws, Alexander is the undisputed greatest ancient world military commander. He had an abnormal upbringing that bred him to be the greatest. Alexander III was born in Pella, Macedonia, in 356 B.C a(Alexander the Great). His dad, Philip II, conquered all Greek city states except for Sparta. He was assassinated and his plans to defeat Persia were passed on to his son Alexander (World History). His dad wanted to cultivate and breed a future king. He gave Alexander the best training in fighting and horse riding. He tamed Bucephalus Untamable a horse when he was 11 (Mark, Joshua J). He passed the two tests of Macedonian manhood: Kill a wild boar and a human enemy .He did both of these before succeeding the throne. He was also a good hunter (Cartledge). Alexander was thrown into the ring at the young age of 20, not only having to fill his fathers shoes but carry out his plans after Philip was assassinated. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Alexander is The Greatest Ancient Military Commander" essay for you Create order Alexanders first battle was the battle of Granicus. It was one of the battles in the Persian wars and he crushed the Persians. Although victorious, Alexander had a near death experience after having to fight his way out of being surrounded by enemy forces. He made himself known In 333 B.C., Alexander and his men encountered a massive Persian army led by King Darius III himself near the town of Issus. They faced each other head on. Alexanders forces were greatly outnumbered in men but not in experience and they all seeked revenge for Persia invading Greece years before (Alexander the Great). Alexander saw Darius with his own eyes and charged him. He injured Darius who fled the battle. Alexanders army had Dariuss on their heels, and were pulling ahead but greatly hurt the Persians after they watched their leader flee. The more even fight turned greatly in the Greeks favor after they all got energized from watching Alexander fight for them and send Darius on a retreat. The Persian army retreated after him, resulting in another Alexander victory, and now Alex was in Dariuss head. He then laid siege to the heavily-fortified island of Tyre in January 332 B.C., after the Tyrians, who werent his enemies, refused him entry. But Alexander had no navy Tyre was surrounded by water (Alexander the Great). Alexander instructed his men to build a path over the water to reach Tyre. All went well until they came came close to the island and were within striking distance of the Tyrians. They stopped Alexanders clever attempt to reach the island and he realized he needed a strong navy to penetrate their defenses(Alexander the Great). He amassed a large makeshift fleet right in front of Tyre, and attacked the citys walls in July 332 B.C. and executed thousands of Tyrians for daring to defy him; many others were sold into slavery. This battle, although not very relevant, is a prime example of Alexanders quick thinking and ability to adapt. In 331 BCE Alexander met Ki ng Darius III on the battlefield at Gaugamela where he once again had a disadvantage of a smaller army (World History). Alexander only had forty seven thousand who were up against Dariuss one hundred and fifty thousand including war elephants and many armored chariots. Any better in vegas would of put all there money on the Persians unless they looked into it. The massive Persian army was not trained, armored, or disciplined as well as Alexanders Greek army. They had no chemistry, as much of their soldiers were Indian and Greek mercenaries. Also, the Greeks had the moral on there side as they watched Alexander chase Darius off the field the battle before (World History). The Greeks won the battle and Darius retreated from the battle field again. As Alexanders armies closed in, Dariuss general murdered him to try and appease Alex and save his skin. Alexander looked down on this action. He had the general executed and felt bad for Darius. Now Alexander went on and captured Perisa. He had the biggest enemy out of the way and fulfilled his dads requests and plans. He now had his eyes set on conquering the entire ancient war. After conquering almost all of the ancient world, he marched to India. There he met the forces of King Porus. They had a stalemate across a river where neither side budged. At night, Alexander sent his cavalry a few miles down the river. They made lots of racquet and noise, and then went back to the camp. Porus then sent his armies down to fight, but they found nothing. With Patience, Alexander pulled this stunt for weeks. Poruss kept sending his armies after the noise who kept finding nothing. Porus then fell right into the trap and stopped reacting to the noise. One night the cavalry flanked successfully without being met by the Indian armies and Alexanders forces crossed the river. They crushed the Indians. This battle showed how clever and strategic Alexander is. Alexander wanted to conquer china when his troops, who had been away from there families for 10 years, refused (Giottos). He died sometime later and the cause is still argued about among historians. He died in Babylon at the age of 32 on June 11 323 BCE after ten days of high fever. The historians argue theories concerning the cause of his death which are poisoning, malaria, meningitis and bacterial infection from drinking dirty water (Mark, Joshua J). Some think that a general poisoned him because Alexander would not turn around and end the fighting until he had conquered the entire ancient world (Romm, James). His death created a power vacuum amongst his men because there wasnt a designated heir to his throne.The generals battled it out and ultimately weakened the massive empire (World History). These areas fell to the Roman empire, who adopted the Greek culture (World History). The empire only stayed strong for about ten years after his death. Even though he died prematurely, he s till left behind a great legacy. In Egypt, he founded the great city of Alexandria, which would become a center of Hellenistic culture and a major seaport (World History). Thanks to Alexander, Greek Language, architecture, mythology, and philosophy became widespread. There was many Greco-Buddhist art in South Asia. Temples all over the ancient world had Greek architecture (World History). The library built in Alexandria. It was the largest library of the ancient world (World History). Alexander is thought of by some as not a great leader. Some of the major points brought up against him include how ruthless and vicious he was. Alexander executed thousands of enemy soldiers and conquered villagers at a time. These mass executions were not necessary. Some say he was over the top, and a brutal savage who showed no empathy for others. This point is not relevant because times have changed along with military rules. Most generals did things back in ancient times that are not allowed today and he did show empathy. Darius fled and was assassinated by his own troops. Its said Alexander was sad when he found Dariuss body and gave him a royal burial (Alexander the Great). Also he is considered a bad leader because he experienced two mutanies in his career due to his over the top ambition. Alexs army refused to go on in 324 at Opis when he wished to go on and conquer the Arabs and Carthaginians. Alexanders men would not take a step more. They refused to go on. Besides pushing his men too hard, he had always kept there morals high. He was leading his troops through a dessert on the way to another battle (World History). Thousands of them plowed through for days without food or water in the blazing heat. Alexander sent some men to try and find water, and they returned with only a helmet full of it (World History). Word spread quickly that Alexander had water. Alexander turned to his crowd of men, and threw the helmet into the sand spilling the water. The army erupted into cheers and they all pushed through the desert. Alexander was different from other leaders who thought of themselves as gods and royalty. They would of taken that water and drank it (Wor ld History). He had a way with his army that no other leader had, and thats why they all beat the odds so many times. They all fought as one and for each other because they knew they had a leader that was looking out for them (World History). Also, Alexander always rode into battle at the head of his army unlike Darius and most other kings. He is often compared to Hannibal, a Carthaginian general, and Scippio, a Roman general. He surpasses both of them because of many reasons. He was a general that was respected by all of his troops who all wanted to fight for him. He was ambitious, strategic and very wise. Lastly, he is the only general that never lost a battle. In my opinion, if it were not for his premature death, the world as we know it today would be different. If he wouldnt have met such an early death he would of conquered the entire world. Although he had his flaws and may have been too ambitious, Alexander is the greatest ancient world military commander.

Analysis Of The Poem At The Round Earth s Imagined...

Throughout human history, communion has been used in churches all over the globe. It serves as a time to repent of personal wrongdoings and sins, and to give up all to the Lord. But today, in the twenty- first century, we put the church on the sidelines and let our God down. It is now the time to get ready, to be prepared and to repent and to be ready for the coming of our precious Savior. This Traditional sonnet, â€Å"At the round earth’s imagined corners†, contains fourteen lines of free verse iambic pentameter, using an ABABCDCDEFEFGG rhyme pattern, with a complaint and resolution. In this traditional English sonnet, â€Å"At the round earth’s imagined corners†, it contains ten syllables of iambic pentameter. For example, in the first line of the stanza, the poet states† At the round earth’s imagined corners, blow.† This is a ten syllable line, with round, imagined, corners, and blow being stressed syllables. The poem also uses a ABABCDCDEFEFGG rhyme pattern. But, it also files a complaint and a resolution. The speaker tells the angels to arise from death, and to never taste death no more. The poet also files a resolution for waking up from the dead, to learning how to repent, so one can be ready for the world’s evil and God’s judgement at hand. Next, the poet starts off with angels arising from death and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is coming soon. The poet proclaims to the people of the universe to let them sleep for a while, because it is too late to ask for God’sShow MoreRelatedConfucianism in Jo urney to the West31834 Words   |  128 PagesUniversity of Leiden 14 June 2012 Department: Language and Culture of China Course: Visual Political Communication (BA3) Semester: Summer Semester 2011/2012 Lecturer: Florian Schneider Journey to the West A Textual-Visual Discourse Analysis Name: Stefan Ruijsch (Student No. 0620203) Major: Chinese Studies, BA 3 E-mail: s.ruijsch@umail.leidenuniv.nl Phone: 06-48369645 Address: Vrijheidslaan 256, 2321 DP Leiden Word Count: 9,387 Table of Contents pageRead MoreGeorge Orwell23689 Words   |  95 Pagespretend that all human beings are very much alike, but in fact anyone able to use his eyes knows that the average of human behaviour differs enormously from country to country. Things that could happen in one country could not happen in another. Hitler s June purge, for instance, could not have happened in England. And, as western peoples go, the English are very highly differentiated. There is a sort of back-handed admission of this in the dislike which nearly all foreigners feel for our national wayRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pageslooking at alternative actions that can be taken, then considering the probable good consequences of each action and the probable bad consequences while weighing the positive and negative impact of each consequence. It’s a kind of cost-benefit analysis. Exercises 1. Columbus Day is an American holiday. Write a short essay that weighs the pros and cons and then comes to a decision about whether there should be more or less public celebration (by Americans and their institutions) on ColumbusRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesand permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturers

What makes a family Free Essays

Family It was three pickoff In the morning on a cold spring night In 1988. My parents woke me up and told me it was time to get ready to go to the airport. We were leaving Russia to move to the united States. We will write a custom essay sample on What makes a family or any similar topic only for you Order Now My grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins had moved to the United States a few years back. I was ecstatic to be once again reunited with my relatives especially with my cousin Yang who I was very close to. I Jumped out of bed with so much excitement; I can almost see my heart pumping out of my chest. It was a matter of minutes until I was standing by the door wearing my Black oat and a suitcase next to me. Prior to my relatives leaving, we would spend every weekend, holiday and special occasion together. I would Impatiently Walt for the weekend to come so I can see my cousin Yang and my grandparents. My grandmother would bring little gifts every time she saw me and my grandfather was my hero, regardless of the situation I can always count on him to take my side. Upon moving to Brooklyn, I expected that everything would continue to be the same as It once was In Russia. Within a few months, I realized that this was not the case. My grandparents were occupied with their jobs and other responsibilities. Yang lived to ar of a distance to walk so our time together was limited. We no longer had time to see each other on weekends or spend holidays together. My parents had also become extremely busy trying to construct a new life and part of that process required for them to work on weekends. My father was struggling to accept that he was once a business owner in Russia and now a blue collar worker. He soon began to channel his anger and frustration on me. â€Å"l wish you were a boy’ he said, â€Å"l could have taught you manly things. † However, he never took the time to Inquire about my life or teach me about life. Soon, I did not Like spending time at home. I would often find myself feeling lonely and wishing I had a brother or a sister that I can be close to. I wanted to feel what it would be like to be loved again. During my first summer in Brooklyn I felt lonely. School was out of session and I had no friends. I would be at the playground near my house watching other kids having fun. My English was still not very good and I had trouble approaching the other children. One day I noticed a girl that, like me, was also alone. She was sitting on a bench about ten feet away and noticed her glancing at me. Within a few minutes she approached me and asked in Russian â€Å"what is your name? ‘ â€Å"Lairs. And what Is yours† I replied. Her name was Anna. She was instantly very talkative and continued asking me questions such as â€Å"where are you from? † and â€Å"how far is your home? We ended up staying at the playground until sundown, and it was one of my happiest days from that summer. It did not take us long to become close, We spent every day of that summer together and I realized that her situation was very similar to mine. She had also moved with her parents from Russia not too long ago. Eventually they divorced and her mother gave the responsibility of raising her to her grandparents. Unlike me, however, Anna was stronger and more confident. She had control of her emotions and could not be Influenced by others. The opinion of others also did not matter. Be who you want to be, not who others want you to be,† she said â€Å"But I don’t want to make my father 1 OFF â€Å"He is already always angry, what difference does it make? † she said â€Å"I am scared I will be in trouble† I said â€Å"We will face the consequences together† she said I thought that if I followed her lead, maybe I too can come out of my shell and be as strong as she was. Anna was protective of me and cared for me as if I was her little sister. After school we would often go to her grandparents’ house for dinner and it made me nostalgic of the days my grandmother would cook for me in Russia. After a while her grandparents accepted me as their own grandchild. They invited me to all of their special occasion and holidays. I began spending more time with them instead of my own family. One morning after leaving her grandmother’s house to go to school, Anna stopped unexpectedly. She grabbed my arm and said â€Å"can I ask you a question? † I was confused and hesitantly said â€Å"sure. † â€Å"Do you want to be blood sisters? † she asked. â€Å"How do we do that? † I asked puzzled. Let’s both cut our pinkies, put them together, and we will become sisters by blood† she answered. We felt so strong about our friendship that on May 21st, 1992 we created an unbreakable bond. Anna became the sister I had always wanted. When I needed to turn to someone for advice or for help I turned to Anna. She did not Judge and supported me regardless if I was right or wrong. I have never trusted a person so much in my life. We discussed education, relationships, careers and marriage. This was something I was unable to do with any of my family members. Of course, we would have our disagreements and fights, but through it all our bond always minded strong. We laughed together, cried together and shared life’s ups and downs together. I was blessed to have her in my life. When I reminisce about that day, I realize that although what we did was childish, it also speaks a powerful message. While your parents will always be your family through birth, as you go through life you determine who you can call family. Anna showed me that this can extend to include those that are not your relatives. In my life, Vive formed my family to be people that influence my life, who help me through tough times, and who love and support me regardless of the circumstances. How to cite What makes a family, Papers

Lee Corporation Equity Scenario Essay Sample free essay sample

Lee Corporation is an American company that began operations on January 1. 2004. It has merely completed its 4th full twelvemonth of operations on December 31. 2007. Ending Year Balances for the anterior twelvemonth that ended on December 2006 were as follows: Retained Net incomes: $ 225. 000Common Stock at par: $ 500. 000Extra Paid-in Capital: $ 1. 000. 000Treasury Stock: $ 200. 000 Income before revenue enhancements for 2007 totaled $ 240. 000Effective Tax Rate was 40 % for all old ages of operation including 2007 The undermentioned information relates to 2007: 1. An mistake was discovered during 2007. Specifically. depreciation disbursal was understated in 2005 ensuing in the demand for a Prior Period Adjustment of $ 25. 000 before revenue enhancements. 2. Lee Corporation changed its method of valuing stock list during 2007. The cumulative lessening in income from the alteration in stock list methods was $ 35. 000 before revenue enhancements. 3. Lee Corporation declared hard currency dividends of $ 100. 000 in late 2007 to be paid out in 2008. Lee acquired a Canadian subordinate whose exclusive plus is a piece of land. Lee acquired the subordinate on 12/31/04 for the exact value of the land. We will write a custom essay sample on Lee Corporation Equity Scenario Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page CA $ 100. 000. Lee owns 100 % of the subordinate. Travel to www. x-rates. com and utilize the historic search characteristic to find the exact exchange rates on 12/31/04. 12/31/05. and 12/31/06. Requirements: 1. Prepare journal entries for points 1 to 3 above.2. Calculate and journalize the foreign exchange accommodations for 2005. 2006 and 2007 for the Canadian subordinate. 3. Fix a Retained Net incomes Statement for the twelvemonth ended December 31. 2007. 4. Fix a Statement of Changes in Stockholders Equity for the twelvemonth ended December 31. 2007.

The Jet Stream - An Overview in Geography

The Jet Stream - An Overview in Geography A jet stream is defined as a current of rapidly moving air that is usually several thousand miles long and wide but is relatively thin. They are found in the upper levels of Earths atmosphere at the tropopause - the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere (see atmospheric layers). Jet streams are important because they contribute to worldwide weather patterns and as such, they help meteorologists forecast weather based on their position. In addition, they are important to air travel because flying in or out of them can reduce flight time and fuel consumption. Discovery of the Jet Stream The exact first discovery of the jet stream is debated today because it took some years for jet stream research to become mainstream around the world. The jet stream was first discovered in the 1920s by Wasaburo Ooishi, a Japanese meteorologist who used weather balloons to track upper-level winds as they ascended into the Earths atmosphere near Mount Fuji. His work significantly contributed to knowledge of these wind patterns  but was mostly confined to Japan. In 1934, knowledge of the jet stream increased when Wiley Post, an American pilot, attempted to fly solo around the world. To complete this feat, he invented a pressurized suit that would allow him to fly at high altitudes and during his practice runs, Post noticed that his ground and airspeed measurements differed, indicating that he was flying in a current of air. Despite these discoveries, the term jet stream was not officially coined until 1939 by a German meteorologist named H. Seilkopf when he used it in a research paper. From there, knowledge of the jet stream increased during World War II as pilots noticed variations in winds when flying between Europe and North America. Description and Causes of the Jet Stream Thanks to further research conducted by pilots and meteorologists, it is understood today that there are two main jet streams in the northern hemisphere. While jet streams do exist in the southern hemisphere, they are strongest between latitudes of 30 °N and 60 °N. The weaker subtropical jet stream is located closer to 30 °N. The location of these jet streams shift throughout the year however and they are said to follow the sun since they move north with warm weather and south with cold weather. Jet streams are also stronger in the winter because there is a large contrast between the colliding Arctic and tropical air masses. In the summer, the temperature difference is less extreme between the air masses and the jet stream is weaker. Jet streams typically cover long distances and can be thousands of miles long. They can be discontinuous and often meander across the atmosphere but they all flow east at a rapid speed. The meanders in the jet stream flow slower than the rest of the air and are called Rossby Waves. They move slower because they are caused by the Coriolis Effect and turn west in respect to the flow of air they are embedded in. As a result, it slows the eastward movement of the air when there is a significant amount of meandering in the flow. Specifically, the jet stream is caused by the meeting of air masses just under the tropopause where winds are the strongest. When two air masses of different densities meet here, the pressure created by the different densities causes winds to increase. As these winds attempt to flow from the warm area in the nearby stratosphere down into the cooler troposphere they are deflected by the Coriolis Effect and flow along the boundaries of the original two air masses. The results are the polar and subtropical jet streams that form around the world. Importance of the Jet Stream In terms of commercial usage, the jet stream is important for the airline industry. Its use began in 1952 with a Pan Am flight from Tokyo, Japan to Honolulu, Hawaii. By flying well within the jet stream at 25,000 feet (7,600 meters), the flight time was reduced from 18 hours to 11.5 hours. The reduced flight time and aid of the strong winds also allowed for a reduction in fuel consumption. Since this flight, the airline industry has consistently used the jet stream for its flights. One of the most important impacts of the jet stream though is the weather it brings. Because it is a strong current of rapidly moving air, it has the ability to push weather patterns around the world. As a result, most weather systems do not just sit over an area, but they are instead moved forward with the jet stream. The position and strength of the jet stream then helps meteorologists forecast future weather events. In addition, various climatic factors can cause the jet stream to shift and dramatically change an areas weather patterns. For instance, during the last glaciation in North America, the polar jet stream was deflected south because the Laurentide Ice Sheet, which was 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) thick created its own weather and deflected it south. As a result, the normally dry Great Basin area of the United States experienced a significant increase in precipitation and large pluvial lakes formed over the area. The world’s jet streams are also impacted by El Nino and La Nina. During El Nino for example, precipitation usually increases in California because the polar jet stream moves farther south and brings more storms with it. Conversely, during La Nina events, California dries out and precipitation moves into the Pacific Northwest because the polar jet stream moves more north. In addition, precipitation often increases in Europe because the jet stream is stronger in the Northern Atlantic and is capable of pushing it farther east. Today, movement of the jet stream north has been detected indicating possible changes in climate. Whatever the position of the jet stream, though, it has a significant impact on the worlds weather patterns and severe weather events like floods and droughts. It is, therefore essential that meteorologists and other scientists understand as much as possible about the jet stream and continue to track its movement, to in turn monitor such weather around the world.

Cosmos Episode 7 Viewing Worksheet - Teacher Resources

Cosmos Episode 7 Viewing Worksheet - Teacher Resources The seventh episode of the first season of Foxs science-based television series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson makes an excellent teaching tool in several different disciplines. The episode, entitled The Clean Room deals with many different science topics (like geology and radiometric dating) as well as good lab technique (minimizing contamination of samples and repeating experiments) and also public health and creation of policies. Not only does it dive into the great science of these subjects, but also the politics and ethics behind scientific research. No matter if you are showing the video as a treat for the class or as a way to reinforce lessons or units you are studying, assessment of the understanding of the ideas in the show is important. Use the questions below to help with your evaluation. They can be copy and pasted into a worksheet and tweaked as necessary to fit your needs. Cosmos Episode 7 Worksheet   Name:___________________    Directions: Answer the questions as you watch episode 7 of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey    1.   What is happening to the Earth at its very beginnings?    2. What date for the beginning of the Earth did James Ussher give based on his study of the Bible?    3.   What type of life was dominant in the Precambrian Time?    4.   Why is figuring out the age of the Earth by counting the layers of rock not accurate?    5. Between what two planets do we find the leftover â€Å"brick and mortar† from making the Earth?    6. What stable element does Uranium break down into after about 10 transformations?    7.   What happened to the rocks that were around at the birth of the Earth?    8. On what famous project did Clare Patterson and his wife work together?    9.   What kind of crystals did Harrison Brown ask Clare Patterson to work on?    10. What conclusion did Clare Patterson come to about why his repeated experiments gave wildly different data about lead?    11. What did Clare Patterson need to build before he could completely rule out lead contamination in his sample?    12. Who are two of the scientists Clare Patterson thanks as he waits for his sample to finish in the spectrometer?    13. What was the true age of the Earth found to be and who was the first person he told?    14. Who is the Roman god of lead?    15. What modern holiday did Saturnalia turn into?    16. What is the â€Å"bad† side of the god Saturn similar to?    17. Why is lead poisonous to humans?    18. Why did Thomas Midgley and Charles Kettering add lead to gasoline?    19. Why was Dr. Kehoe hired by GM?    20. What organization gave Clare Patterson the grant to study the amount of lead in the ocean?    21. How did Clare Patterson conclude the oceans were being contaminated by leaded gasoline?    22. When the petroleum corporations took away their funding for Patterson’s research, who stepped in to fund him?    23. What did Patterson find in the polar ice?    24. How long did Patterson have to fight before lead was banned from gasoline?    25. How much did lead poisoning in children drop after lead was banned?