Monday, December 30, 2019

The Pirate Hunters

During the Golden Age of Piracy, thousands of pirates plagued the seas from the Caribbean to India. These desperate men sailed under ruthless captains like Edward Blackbeard Teach, Calico Jack Rackham and Black Bart Roberts, attacking and pillaging any merchantman unfortunate enough to cross their path. They did not enjoy complete freedom, however: the authorities were determined to stamp out piracy in any way they could. One of the methods was the employment of pirate hunters, men and ships specifically chartered to hunt pirates down and bring them to justice. The Pirates Pirates were seamen who had tired of the harsh conditions on board naval and merchants vessels. The conditions on those ships were truly inhuman, and piracy, which was more egalitarian, appealed to them greatly. On board a pirate ship, they could share more equally in the profits and they had the freedom to elect their own officers. Soon there were dozens of pirate vessels operating all over the globe and particularly in the Atlantic. By the early 1700s, piracy was a major problem, particularly for England, which controlled much of the Atlantic trade. Pirate vessels were swift and there were many places to hide, so the pirates operated with impunity. Towns like Port Royal and Nassau were essentially controlled by pirates, giving them the safe harbors and access to unscrupulous merchants they needed to sell off their ill-gotten loot. Bringing the Sea-Dogs to Heel The government of England was the first to seriously try to control the pirates. The pirates were operating out of bases in British Jamaica and the Bahamas and they victimized British ships as often as those of any other nation. The English tried different strategies to get rid of the pirates: the two that worked the best were pardons and pirate hunters. The pardons worked best for those men who feared the hangman’s noose or wanted to get out of the life, but the true die-hard pirates would only be brought in by force. Pardons In 1718, the English decided to lay down the law in Nassau. They sent a tough former privateer named Woodes Rogers to be Governor of Nassau and gave him clear orders to get rid of the pirates. The pirates, who essentially controlled Nassau, gave him a warm welcome: notorious pirate Charles Vane fired on the royal navy ships as they entered the harbor. Rogers was not intimidated and was determined to do his job. He had royal pardons for those who were willing to give up the life of piracy. Anyone who wished could sign a contract swearing to never again return to piracy and they would receive a full pardon. As the penalty for piracy was hanging, many pirates, including famous ones like Benjamin Hornigold, accepted the pardon. Some, like Vane, accepted the pardon but soon returned to piracy. The pardons took many pirates off the seas, but the biggest, baddest pirates would never willingly give up the life. Thats where the pirate hunters came in. Pirate Hunters and Privateers For as long as there have been pirates, there have been men hired to hunt them down. Sometimes, the men hired to catch the pirates were pirates themselves. This occasionally led to problems. In 1696, Captain William Kidd, a respected ships captain, was given a privateering commission to attack any French and/or pirate vessels he found. Under the terms of the contract, he could pretty much keep the spoils and enjoyed the protection of England. Many of his sailors were former pirates and not long into the voyage when pickings were scarce, they told Kidd that he had better come up with some plunder†¦or else. In 1698, he attacked and sacked the Queddah Merchant, a Moorish ship with an English captain. Allegedly the ship had French papers, which was good enough for Kidd and his men. However, his arguments did not fly in a British court and Kidd was eventually hanged for piracy. The Death of Blackbeard Edward Blackbeard Teach terrorized the Atlantic between the years of 1716-1718. In 1718, he supposedly retired, accepted a pardon and settled down in North Carolina. In reality, he was still a pirate and was in cahoots with the local governor, who offered him protection in exchange for part of his loot. The Governor of nearby Virginia chartered two warships, the Ranger and the Jane, to capture or kill the legendary pirate. On November 22, 1718, they cornered Blackbeard in Ocracoke Inlet. A fierce battle ensued, and Blackbeard was killed after taking five gunshot wounds and twenty cuts by sword or knife. His head was cut off and displayed: according to legend, his headless body swam around the ship three times before sinking. The End of Black Bart Bartholomew Black Bart Roberts was the greatest of the Golden Age pirates, taking hundreds of ships over a three-year career. He preferred a small fleet of two to four ships that could surround and intimidate his victims. In 1722, a large warship, the Swallow, was sent to get rid of Roberts. When Roberts first sighted the Swallow, he sent one of his ships, the Ranger, to take it: the Ranger  was overpowered, out of sight of Roberts. The Swallow later returned for Roberts, aboard his flagship the Royal Fortune. The ships began firing on one another, and Roberts was killed almost immediately. Without their captain, the other pirates lost heart quickly and surrendered. Eventually, 52 of Roberts men would be found guilty and hanged. The Last Journey of Calico Jack In November of 1720, the Governor of Jamaica got word that notorious pirate John Calico Jack Rackham was working the waters nearby. The governor outfitted a sloop for pirate hunting, named Jonathan Barnet captain and sent them off in pursuit. Barnet caught up with Rackham off of Negril Point. Rackham tried to run, but Barnet was able to corner him. The ships fought briefly: only three of Rackhams pirates put up much of a fight. Among them were the two famous female pirates, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read, who berated the men for their cowardice. Later, in jail, Bonny allegedly said to Rackham: If you had fought like a man, you need not have hanged like a dog. Rackham and his pirates were hanged, but Read and Bonny were spared because they were both pregnant. The Final Battle of Stede Bonnet Stede the Gentleman Pirate Bonnet wasnt really much of a pirate. He was a born landlubber who came from a wealthy family on Barbados. Some say he took up piracy because of a nagging wife. Even though Blackbeard himself showed him the ropes, Bonnet still showed an alarming tendency to attack ships he could not defeat. He might not have had the career of a good pirate, but no one can say he didnt go out like one. On September 27, 1718, Bonnet was cornered by pirate hunters in the Cape Fear inlet. Bonnet put up a furious fight: the Battle of Cape Fear River was one of the most pitched battles in the history of piracy. It was all for nothing: Bonnet and his crew were captured and hanged. Hunting Pirates Today In the eighteenth century, pirate hunters proved effective at hunting down the most notorious pirates and bringing them to justice. True pirates like Blackbeard and Black Bart Roberts would never have given up their lifestyle willingly. Times have changed, but pirate hunters still exist and still bring hard-core pirates to justice. Piracy has gone high-tech: pirates in speedboats wielding rocket launchers and machine guns attack massive freighters and tankers, looting the contents or holding the ship ransom to sell back to its owners. Modern piracy is a billion-dollar industry. But pirate hunters have gone high-tech as well, tracking their prey with modern surveillance equipment and satellites. Even though pirates have traded their swords and muskets for rocket launchers, they are no match for the modern naval warships which patrol the pirate-infested waters of the Horn of Africa, Malacca Strait and other lawless areas. Sources Cordingly, David. Under the Black Flag New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996 Defoe, Daniel. A General History of the Pyrates. Edited by Manuel Schonhorn. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1972/1999. Raffaele, Paul. The Pirate Hunters. Smithsonian.com.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Cia And The John F Kennedy Assassination - 2456 Words

The CIA and the John F Kennedy Assassination John F Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, had been drumming up support for the upcoming election. Tragically, he was brutally gunned down by Lee Harvey Oswald. At first glance, this assassination seems like a simple murder. A communist defector simply was angry with JFK and decided to kill him. Many people have failed to notice, however, that the CIA not only had motive to kill JFK, but they also attempted to cover up many details about Lee Harvey Oswald, and JFK in general. If the general populace continues to believe what the CIA wants them to, we will never understand who truly was responsible for his death. The CIA played a large role in John F Kennedy’s death because of the CIA’s motive to kill him, the CIA coverups in the investigation following his death, and promising unfollowed leads that the investigators have ignored. A brief history of the investigations of the JFK murder is required to be able to understand the timeline of events. On November 22, 1963 John F Kennedy was assassinated. Seven days later, Lyndon B Johnson authorized the Warren Commission to perform an investigation of JFK’s murder. After about a year of investigation, the commission determined that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in killing the president; however, this lead to many conspiracy theories about JFK’s death. One popular theory, or the magic bullet theory, states that as both JFK and another passenger were shot, so Oswald couldShow MoreRelatedThe Cia And The John F Kennedy Assassination2436 Words   |  10 PagesThe CIA and the John F Kennedy Assassination The day November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, would soon become known as a tragic day in US history. John F Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, had been drumming up support for the upcoming election. Tragically, he was brutally gunned down by Lee Harvey Oswald. At first glance, this assassination seems like a simple murder. A communist defector simply was angry with JFK and decided to kill him. Many people have failed to notice, howeverRead MoreThe Cia Planned John F. Kennedy s Assassination1101 Words   |  5 Pagessee the credibility of the persuader. Logos is used to appeal to logic using maps, detailed facts, and charts. Finally Pathos, which is used to show sympathy and empathy a reader feels while reading the essay. In the essay, â€Å"The CIA Planned John F. Kennedy’s Assassination,† author Steven Hager, editor of High Times magazine uses many examples of the three elements to help illustrate the specific details in his article. To begin, Hager used ethos in his essay to help his readers be convinced theRead MoreNoah Cooper. Mrs. Sites. English 10A. 15 April 2017. Lee1749 Words   |  7 Pageswhen he was shot and thus silenced (â€Å"The JFK Assassination† 2.) The assassination of John F. Kennedy has been a topic of debate for many years. The aforementioned quote is a prime example of why many individuals feel the JFK assassination was a conspiracy. The particulars of the JFK assassination are sometimes hazy, but the essentials of the assassination are well founded. The ideas disproving the involvement of other individuals in the assassination of JFK are fairly abundant. On the other handRead MoreJohn F. Kennedy s Assassination1739 Words   |  7 Pages John F Kennedy grew up in a wealthy and very political family. His assassination was a shock to many. It was a time of Cold War and the peak of US involvement in Vietnam. It is important to understand the John F. Kennedy regime including both its national and foreign policy. You also need to look into his personal life. This would help to create motives, and find the primary aspect to consider when looking into any homicide, assassination or murder. He was the first president who was a Bo y ScoutRead MoreThe Assassination of John F. Kennedy1076 Words   |  4 Pages The assassination of John F. Kennedy is one of the most controversial and debated topics in American History. JFK was one of the most beloved presidents of our time. It was November 22, 1963 when JFK was assassinated. Unlike previous presidential assassinations, the JFK assassination is the most conspiracies of all time. The theories are the Government cover up, Mafia influence and Cuban President Fidel Castro. Imagine one person can do all this planning which Lee Harvey Oswald. There is no wayRead MoreThe Assassination Of President John F. Kennedy1242 Words   |  5 PagesBlown Away, What Else Do I Have to Say?†- Billy Joel, â€Å"We Didn’t Start the Fire† How the CIA Killed JFK November 22nd, 1963: The assassination of President John F. Kennedy is an event in American history that will forever as one of the nation’s darkest days. The brutal murder of the President is seemingly terrible enough, but suspicious decisions of the federal government in regards to investigating the assassination alienated American youths from being able to trust the government, and is partiallyRead MoreThe Assassination Of John F. Kennedy1626 Words   |  7 PagesThe Assassination of John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was assassinated on November 22, 1963 at 12:30 p.m Central Standard Time in Dallas, Texas while riding in a motorcade in Dealey Plaza.[1] Kennedy was fatally shot by Lee Harvey Oswald while he was riding with his wife, Jacqueline, Texas Governor John Connally, and Connally s wife, Nellie, in a presidential motorcade. A ten-month investigation by the Warren Commission from November 1963 to September 1964Read MoreTo Kill A Kennedy954 Words   |  4 Pagesassassinating President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Today, the vast majority of Americans believe Oswald’s words, claiming that there was more behind the tragic assassination than the United States government once portrayed. Many have disregarded everything the government had told the world and have come up with their own theories, forming the greatest conspiracy in the history of America, a conspiracy that the world is still butting heads about. With the assassination of P resident Kennedy, the United StatesRead MoreConspiracy Theories Related to the Assassination of John F. Kennedy1200 Words   |  5 PagesStates of America, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Lee Harvey Oswald was charged with the crime, but was shot and killed two days later by Jack Ruby before he could be taken to trial. The Warren Commission officially determined that Oswald was the lone assassin, however, this conclusion has not been accepted by many. In fact, a 2003 poll reported that 75% of Americans do not believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. Most believe that the assassination was the result ofRead MoreCauses and Effects of the Assassination of John F. Kennedy Essay1347 Words   |  6 Pagespresident, John F. Kennedy always motivated and encouraged America to strive for the best. Until a horrible silence struck the American people, he was removed from society in 1963. There were many believed causes regarding Kennedy’s death. There is the belief that Oswald shot him as a lone gun man. There are also other theories that state that there could have been more than one gun man. Some people even believe that the CIA is hiding the real story. Some effects of the assassination were fatal to

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Physics 122 Midterm (Fall 2010) Free Essays

University of Waterloo Department of Physics Astronomy Physics 121 – Midterm Fall 2010 Instructors: Dr. Robert Mann (sections 2,3) Dr. Guenter Scholz (section 1) Date: November 4 , 2009 Time: 19:00-21:00 Duration: 2 hours (120 minutes) rh Instructions Important: Write your name and student ID on each page. We will write a custom essay sample on Physics 122 Midterm (Fall 2010) or any similar topic only for you Order Now If necessary you may use the back of the page to continue your answer but not the back of the previous page. The pages may be separated as part of the marking process. 5 questions constitute a complete paper. Each question is of equal value. All questions will be counted. The last page contains some constants and formula that may be useful. You may remove and keep this page as a souvenir. Aids Permitted calculator writing implements Question Points Score 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total: 20 20 20 20 20 20 1. a Up, up, and away [15] A balloonist can’t resist throwing a drink to another balloonist. The ‘thrower’ is moving at v = -15j m/min while the ‘catcher’ is moving at v = 15j m/min. At the instance the former throws the drink the ‘catcher’ is at (3i – 10j) m from the ‘thrower’. If the throw is horizontal, at what speed does the drink need to be thrown to be caught? 1. Logging [10] Estimate, via a reasonable calculation, the number of trees that need to be cut down to supply the pulp for one day’s edition of the major newspaper â€Å"The Record† in Kitchener-Waterloo 2. Circus performance A pivoting pulley hanging from the center tent top allows a lady artist (m = 40 kg) to rotate freely while her partner (M = 100 kg) supports her via a rope over the pulley. he rope length, measured from the pulley, holding the rotating artist is 3. 0 m and the helper is not accelerating. [4] (a) Draw a Free Body Diagram of each performer and the pulley; clearly indicate the forces. 5] (b) What is the tension in the rope? [5] (c) At what angle, with respect to the vertical, is the lady’s supporting rope? [6] (d) What is the period (time for one revolution) of her revolution? 3. Going Fishing Because of inclement weather, a boater needs to travel as quickly as possible across a channel from a fishing spot at ‘A’ to the harbour at ‘B’. The harbour is 10. 0 km East and 15 km North of his fishing spot. A tide is flowing at 3. 0 km/hr 45 to the South of East, and the boat’s speed is 8. 00 km/hr relative to the water. B A [5] (a) What is the heading of the boater for the shortest trip? clearly indicate this angle on an appropriate diagram) [5] (b) Find the boat’s speed relative to the shore. [5] (c) What is the shortest time for the trip? [5] (d) If there were no tide, how much time would the trip require? m F 4. Blocked Up M ! A small block of mass m rests on the incline of a wedge of mass M and angle ! , whose coefficient of static friction is  µ. The wedge is on a frictionless surface. [8] (a) If m = 1 kg and M = 20 kg, what is the minimum force, F, you need to apply to the wedge that will prevent the small block from sliding down the slope if  µ =0 and ! 45 o ? [12] (b) For general values of m, M ,! and  µ, find the minimum force that you need to apply to the wedge that will cause the small block to just begin to move up the slope. 5. Piano Moving Doofus and Diligent are moving a piano of mass M = 300 kg using the pulley system shown in the diagram. The rope around the pulley hold ing the piano, is tied to the axle of the top pulley which in turn is fastened to the ceiling. Diligent is holding the rope at the left, suspending the piano 10 metres above the ground. [4] (a) Draw free-body diagrams of the piano and of each pulley. Be sure to include all relevant forces. [7] (b) How much force is Diligent applying to keep the piano suspended? [6] (c) Doofus tries to help Diligent by climbing onto the upper platform and taking the rope off of the hook attaching the uppermost pulley to the platform, thinking he can help pull from there. How much force must he exert to keep the piano suspended? [3] (d) Doofus finds that he cannot support the weight and lets go of the rope. How long does Diligent have to dodge the piano before it hits the ground? 6. Safety First Doofus and Diligent are going to a party. They each buckle themselves in with seatbelts Diligent is hold a 25 kg keg of beer on his lap while Doofus drives. [4] (a) While travelling 60 km/hr, Doofus has to make an emergency stop over a distance of 45 m. How much force will Diligent’s arms have to exert on the keg during this deceleration period so that it stays on his lap? [4] (b) The trip continues and the car turns a corner onto a highway, going at 90 km/hr. Suddenly Doofus sees a car heading toward them. He panics, locking the brakes and veering off to the right onto a very steep and muddy road allowance with a grade of 35%. The car slides up this nearly frictionless hill and comes to a stop at a cliff edge. How much distance does it cover? [7] (c) From the top of this cliff they can see the location of the party a 2 kilometers east and 1000 meters above where they are. Diligent wants to walk the rest of the way, but Doofus proposes to use the motorized hang-glider in the back of the car to fly over there with the keg. He says he can fly straight there with a speed of 40 km/hr using its 6 horsepower motor, and sets off with the keg. While he is getting ready, Diligent, knowing that a horsepower is 750 Watts, calculates how much mass the glider can carry. He looks at the package and sees that air buoyancy alone can always support the glider as long as it is not carrying anything; but Doofus weighs 75 kg. Can Doofus carry the keg this way? [5] (d) As Doofus takes off, Diligent shouts out how slow he must fly to get to the party. What does he shout?. Useful Formulae Kinematics (a=const) Work, WKE, Power ! ! ! 1! r2 = r1 + v1 (t2 ! t1 ) + a (t2 ! t1 ) 2 2 ! ! ! v2 = v1 + a (t 2 ! t1 ) ! ! W = F † ! = Fx ! x + Fy ! y + Fz ! z (constant force) ! ! ! 2 v2 ! v12 = 2a † (r2 ! r1 ) Circular Motion K= 1 2 mv 2 Kinetic energy Wnet = K f † K i = ! K ar = ac = v2 r at = dv dt (uniform motion) P= P= !W ! t ! ! dr ! ! dW =F! = F ! v dt dt T U = 2! r dist = speed v Newton’s Laws ! F net = ! F = ma ! ! F12 = ! F21 ! ! Fg = mg Math ! ! ? A + B = ( Ax + Bx )i + ( Ay + B y ) ? j ! ! A ! B = Ax Bx + Ay B y Fs (x) = ! kx sin 2 ! + cos 2 ! = 1 f s ! f s ,max =  µ s n f k = µ k n Relative Motion sin A sin B sin C = = a b c a 2 = b 2 + c 2 ! 2bc cos A ! ! ! v AB = v A ! vB How to cite Physics 122 Midterm (Fall 2010), Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Children of Heaven free essay sample

Watching the movie entitled â€Å"Children of Heaven† made me realize how a simple plot/ story can be as heart-warming and inspiring as any other film available out there in the market. It doesnt take an elaborate story with so many twists and turns to make a terrific film for everyone to appreciate. Although the movie has some parts which are heavily dramatic like the scene where Zahra was crying due to Ali losing her shoes, the movie still has a predominant light tone. The film makes the audience including myself feel sympathy towards the main characters – portrayed by Ali and Zahra, two siblings who sincerely care for each other. This technique of touching the emotion of the audience is surely effective since it makes them want to go on and finish the film (as I did when the earlier mentioned scene was shone in the very beginning of the film). We will write a custom essay sample on Children of Heaven or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Captivating the audience, however, does not stop there. Including certain exciting and problematic moments in their life makes the story more interesting and natural. Examples of which are: the scene when the sneakers fell off Zahra’s foot then landed into the canals so she had to follow where the waters went to recover it and the scene when Ali was at the sprint race about to win when another boy bumped him off the course. More than that, the film also brings the audience to capture the daily lifestyle and culture of the Iranian people (as this film was set in that country). Having a background of the characters helps me understand their values and way of thinking. Therefore, I could comprehend the film in an easier way since it has this characteristic. Capturing the realistic view of the world aided me in relating to the film even though I am foreign to the concept it was showing. Having so many values encompassed in the story, I have learned many things regarding determination, compassion and familial love. These values were interspersed in the different scenes of the story. There were some in the beginning about familial love when both Ali and Zahra agreed that they share the sneakers since they attend school in separate shifts – a natural dramatic device for the story. Determination was clearly seen when Ali tried so hard in the race to win the rubber shoes. Compassion was evident in scenes when they took care of the sick neighbor and their mother. Using the typical backdrop and props (as I see it) made everything very earthly. Nothing to fancy was used to show the social status of the family – it was not exaggerated. The objects to be found in the film were ordinarily available in the daily life of everyone. Also, the acting of the characters in the story was very natural. It almost looked like it is a life-story being told and not just a scripted one. I deem that the view of most people regarding those of Iranians will change after seeing this movie. Their genuine care for each other shows how much they appreciate those people and things around them. This contradicts the stereotype given to them as those violent people of the Middle East. Moreover, the film serves as a heart warming meditation about real goodness in humanity – helping balance the negative prejudices that most people project towards Iranians especially nowadays. With all these to be found in the film, I can say that everyone is encouraged to watch it. Not only will they learn family values and self-discipline, the audience could also be inspired to live out their lives to the fullest in each day that passes. Children of Heaven free essay sample â€Å"Children of Heaven† made me realize how a simple plot/ story can be as heart-warming and inspiring as any other film available out there in the market. It doesnt take an elaborate story with so many twists and turns to make a terrific film for everyone to appreciate. Although the movie has some parts which are heavily dramatic like the scene where Zahra was crying due to Ali losing her shoes, the movie still has a predominant light tone. The film makes the audience including myself feel sympathy towards the main characters – portrayed by Ali and Zahra, two siblings who sincerely care for each other. This technique of touching the emotion of the audience is surely effective since it makes them want to go on and finish the film (as I did when the earlier mentioned scene was shone in the very beginning of the film). Captivating the audience, however, does not stop there. We will write a custom essay sample on Children of Heaven or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Including certain exciting and problematic moments in their life makes the story more interesting and natural. Examples of which are: the scene when the sneakers fell off Zahra’s foot then landed into the canals so she had to follow where the waters went to recover it and the scene when Ali was at the sprint race about to win when another boy bumped him off the course. More than that, the film also brings the audience to capture the daily lifestyle and culture of the Iranian people (as this film was set in that country). Having a background of the characters helps me understand their values and way of thinking. Therefore, I could comprehend the film in an easier way since it has this characteristic. Capturing the realistic view of the world aided me in relating to the film even though I am foreign to the concept it was showing. Having so many values encompassed in the story, I have learned many things regarding determination, compassion and familial love. These values were interspersed in the different scenes of the story. There were some in the beginning about familial love when both Ali and Zahra agreed that they share the sneakers since they attend school in separate shifts – a natural dramatic device for the story. Determination was clearly seen when Ali tried so hard in the race to win the rubber shoes. Compassion was evident in scenes when they took care of the sick neighbor and their mother. Using the typical backdrop and props (as I see it) made everything very earthly. Nothing to fancy was used to show the social status of the family – it was not exaggerated. The objects to be found in the film were ordinarily available in the daily life of everyone. Also, the acting of the characters in the story was very natural. It almost looked like it is a life-story being told and not just a scripted one. I deem that the view of most people regarding those of Iranians will change after seeing this movie. Their genuine care for each other shows how much they appreciate those people and things around them. This contradicts the stereotype given to them as those violent people of the Middle East. Moreover, the film serves as a heart warming meditation about real goodness in humanity – helping balance the negative prejudices that most people project towards Iranians especially nowadays. With all these to be found in the film, I can say that everyone is encouraged to watch it. Not only will they learn family values and self-discipline, the audience could also be inspired to live out their lives to the fullest in each day that passes.