Book Riots Deals of the Day for February 17, 2020

Book Riot’s Deals of the Day for February 17, 2020 Sponsored by Courting Mr. Lincoln by Louis Bayard, now in paperback from Algonquin Books. These deals were active as of this writing, but may expire soon, so get them while they’re hot! Todays  Featured Deals Ordinary Girls by  Jaquira Diaz for $1.99. Get it here,  or just click on the cover image below. Shopaholic Baby by  Sophie Kinsella for $1.99. Get it here,  or just click on the cover image below. What If It’s Us by  Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli for $2.99. Get it here,  or just click on the cover image below. The Darwin Affair by Tim Mason for $1.99. Get it here,  or just click on the cover image below. In Case You Missed Yesterdays Most Popular Deals Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah for $2.99. Get it here, or just click on the cover image below. The Hunger by Alma Katsu for $1.99. Get it here, or just click on the cover image below. Previous Daily Deals That Are Still Active As Of This Writing (Get em While Theyre Hot!): The Voice in My Head by Dana L. Davis for $1.99 World Without End by Ken Follett for $1.99 Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of 80s and 90s Teen Fiction bv Gabrielle Moss for $2.99 Dusk or Dark or Dawn or  Day  by Seanan McGuire for $3.99 For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics by Donna Brazile, Yolanda Caraway, Minyon Moore, Leah D. Daughtry, Veronica Chambers for $2.99 Alex Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz for $1.99 The Cooking Gene  by Michael W. Twitty for $1.99 Lady Killers by  Tori Telfer for $1.99 Symptoms of a Heartbreak by  Sona Charaipotra for $2.99 Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by  Sonali Dev for $1.99 The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice for $2.99 The Island of Sea Women by  Lisa See for $2.99 Sometimes I Lie by  Alice Feeney for $2.99 Little by  Edward Carey for $1.99 Jade City by Fonda Lee for $2.99 The Hollow of Fear by  Sherry Thomas for $1.99 Her Royal Highness by  Rachel Hawkins for $1.99 Invisible by Stephen L. Carter for $3.99 The Vanished Bride by Bella Ellis for $1.99 Truly, Madly, Royally by Debbie Rigaud for $1.99 I’m Judging You by Luvvie Ajayi for $2.99 The Deep by Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes for $1.99 Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan for $3.99 Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney C. Cooper for $3.99 A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena  $2.99 The Diviners by Libba Bray for $2.99 Conversations with Myself by Nelson Mandela for $3.99 One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah McLean for $3.99 I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn for $1.99 Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel for $3.99 Wicked Saints by  Emily A. Duncan for $2.99 No One Is Coming to Save Us by Stephanie Powell Watts for $2.99 Monsoon Mansion by Cinelle Barnes  for $0.99 The Sellout by Paul Beatty for $3.99 The Burning Chambers by Kate Mosse for $2.99 Feel Free by Zadie Smith for $3.99 The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Lee for $1.99 Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina for $1.99 That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert for $3.99 The Awakened Kingdom by N.K. Jemisin for $2.99 Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman for $3.99 Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova for $4.09 Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole for $1.99 Everythings Trash, But Its Okay  by Phoebe Robinson for $4.99 Tiny Pretty Things  by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton for $4.99 Nefertiti by Michelle Moran for $3.99 Instant Pot Obsession: The Ultimate Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook for Cooking Everything Fast by Janet A. Zimmerman for $2.99 A Quiet Life in the Country by T E Kinsey for $1.99 The Duchess War by Courtney Milan for $4.99 Mangos and Mistletoe: A Foodie Holiday Novella by Adriana Herrera for $2.99 Guapa by Saleem Haddad for $1.99 The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H. G. Parry for $4.99 Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri for $4.99 Fatality in F (A Gethsemane Brown Mystery Book 4) by Alexia Gordon for $4.99 Reckless by Selena Montgomery for $3.99 Cant Escape Love by Alyssa Cole for $1.99 Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson for $5.99 Ark by Veronica Roth for $1.99 Ten Women by Marcela Serrano for $3.99 The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith for $0.99 Ormeshadow by Priya Sharma for $3.99 Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather for $3.99 Prophecy  by Ellen Oh for $2.99 Along for the Ride  by Mimi Grace for $2.99 Sign up for our Book Deals newsletter and get up to 80% off books you actually want to read.

The Twin Towers Collapse Explained

In the years since the terrorist attacks in New York City, individual engineers and committees of experts have studied the crumpling of the World Trade Center twin towers. By examining the buildings destruction step-by-step, experts are learning how buildings fail and discovering ways to build stronger structures by answering the question: What caused the twin towers to fall? Aircraft Impact When hijacked commercial jets piloted by terrorists struck the twin towers, some 10,000 gallons (38 kiloliters) of jet fuel-fed an enormous fireball. But the impact of the Boeing 767-200ER series aircraft and the burst of flames did not make the towers collapse right away. Like most buildings, the twin towers had a redundant design, which means that when one system fails, another carries the load. Each of the twin towers had 244 columns around a central core that housed the elevators, stairwells, mechanical systems, and utilities. In this tubular design system, when some columns became damaged, others could still support the building. Following the impact, floor loads originally supported by the exterior columns in compression were successfully transferred to other load paths, wrote examiners for the official Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) report. Most of the load supported by the failed columns is believed to have transferred to adjacent perimeter columns through Vierendeel behavior of the exterior wall frame. Belgian civil engineer Arthur Vierendeel (1852-1940) is known for inventing a vertical rectangular metal framework that shifts shear differently than diagonal triangular methods. The impact of the aircraft and other flying objects: Compromised the insulation that protected the steel from high heatDamaged the sprinkler system of the buildingSliced and cut many of the interior columns and damaged othersShifted and redistributed the building load among columns that were not immediately damaged The shift put some of the columns under elevated states of stress. Heat From Fires Even if the sprinklers had been working, they could not have maintained enough pressure to stop the fire. Fed by the spray of jet fuel, the heat became intense. It is no comfort to realize that each aircraft carried less than half of its full capacity of 23,980  U.S. gallons of fuel. Jet fuel burns at 800 to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is not hot enough to melt structural steel. But engineers say that for the World Trade Center towers to collapse, its steel frames didnt need to melt—they just had to lose some of their structural strength from the intense heat. Steel will lose about half its strength at 1,200 Fahrenheit. Steel also becomes distorted and will buckle when the heat is not a uniform temperature. The exterior temperature was much cooler than the burning jet fuel inside. Videos of both buildings showed inward bowing of perimeter columns resulting from sagging of heated trusses on many floors. Collapsing Floors Most fires start in one area and then spread. Because the aircraft hit the buildings at an angle, the fires from impact covered several floors almost instantly. As the weakened floors began to bow and then collapse, they pancaked. This means that upper floors crashed down on lower floors with increasing weight and momentum, crushing each successive floor below. Once movement began, the entire portion of the building above the area of impact fell in a unit, pushing a cushion of air below it, wrote researchers of the official FEMA report. As this cushion of air pushed through the impact area, the fires were fed by new oxygen and pushed outward, creating the illusion of a secondary explosion. With the weight of the plunging floors building force, the exterior walls buckled. Researchers estimate that the air ejected from the building by gravitational collapse must have attained, near the ground, the speed of almost 500 mph. Loud booms were heard during the collapse. They were caused by airspeed fluctuations reaching the speed of sound. Why They Flattened Before the terrorist attack, the twin towers were 110 stories tall. Constructed of lightweight steel around a central core, the World Trade Center towers were about 95 percent air. After they collapsed, the hollow core was gone. The remaining rubble was only a few stories high. Stephen Chernin/Getty Images Strong Enough? The twin towers were built between 1966 and 1973. No building constructed at that time would have been able to withstand the impact of the terrorist attacks in 2001. We can, however, learn from the collapse of the skyscrapers and take steps to construct safer buildings and minimize the number of casualties in future disasters. When the twin towers were constructed, the builders were granted some exemptions from New Yorks building codes. The exemptions allowed the builders to use lightweight materials so the skyscrapers could achieve great heights. According to Charles Harris, author of Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases, fewer people would have died on 9/11 if the twin towers had used the type of fireproofing required by older building codes. Others say the architectural design actually saved lives. These skyscrapers were designed with redundancies—anticipating that a small plane could accidentally penetrate the skyscraper skin and the building would not fall from that type of accident. Both buildings withstood the immediate impact of the two large aircraft bound for the West Coast on 9/11. The north tower was hit at 8:46 a.m. ET, between floors 94 and 98—it did not collapse until 10:29 a.m., which gave most people one hour and 43 minutes to evacuate. Even the south tower was able to stand for a remarkable 56 minutes after being hit at 9:03 a.m. ET. The second jet hit the south tower on lower floors, between floors 78 and 84, which structurally compromised the skyscraper earlier than the north tower. Most of the south tower occupants, however, began evacuating when the north tower was hit. The towers could not have been designed any better or stronger. Nobody anticipated the deliberate actions of an aircraft filled with thousands of gallons of jet fuel. 9/11 Truth Movement Conspiracy theories often accompany horrific and tragic events. Some occurrences in life are so shockingly incomprehensible that some people begin to doubt theories. They might reinterpret evidence and offer explanations based on their prior knowledge. Passionate people fabricate what becomes alternative logical reasoning. The clearinghouse for 9/11 conspiracies became 911Truth.org. The mission of the 9/11 Truth Movement is to reveal what it believes to be the United States covert involvement in the attacks. When the buildings collapsed, some thought it had all of the characteristics of a controlled demolition. The scene in Lower Manhattan on 9/11 was nightmarish, and in the chaos, people drew on past experiences to determine what was happening. Some people believe that the twin towers were brought down by explosives, although others find no evidence for this belief. Writing in the Journal of Engineering Mechanics ASCE, researchers have shown the allegations of controlled demolition to be absurd and that the towers failed due to gravity-driven progressive collapse triggered by the effects of fire. Engineers examine evidence and create conclusions based on observations. On the other hand, the Movement seeks the suppressed realities of September 11th that will support their mission. Conspiracy theories tend to continue in spite of the evidence. Legacy on Building While architects strive to design safe buildings, developers dont always want to pay for over-redundancies to mitigate outcomes of events that are unlikely to happen. The legacy of 9/11 is that new construction in the United States must now adhere to more demanding building codes. Tall office buildings are required to have more durable fireproofing, extra emergency exits, and many other fire safety features. The events of 9/11 changed the way we build, at local, state, and international levels. Sources National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Final Report on the Collapse of the World Trade Center Towers. NIST NCSTAR 1. September 2005. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). World Trade Center Building Performance Study, FEMA 403 September 2002. Bazant, Zdenek P.; Le, Jia-Liang; Greening, Frank R.; Benson, David B.  What Did and Did not Cause Collapse of WTC Twin Towers in New York. Journal of Engineering Mechanics ASCE, Vol. 134 (2008), p. 15.Griffin, Dr. David Ray. The Destruction of the World Trade Center: Why the Official Account Cannot Be True. January 26, 2006.

Aristotle s Views On Political Philosophy - 1282 Words

Along with his teacher, Plato, Aristotle is generally regarded as one of the most influential ancient thinkers, not just in political philosophy, but across a range of fields. In the Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle describes his account of political science as the most authoritative of sciences. It pronounces how political science that of the city or state, and which science fall under its authority. However, discussions in political philosophy has developed further since Aristotle and therefore it is questionable as to whether they continue to remain significant. Throughout the following then, I will assess whether Aristotelian political philosophy is still relevant today. One of the three main themes of Aristotle’s political theory is his naturalistic account of the state. According to Aristotle it exists as a natural phenomenon. Whether Aristotle uses the term ‘nature’ in Politics in the same way as he does when describing his metaphysics or his philosophy of nature is unclear. In these ‘nature’ is normally referred to as â€Å"an inner principle of change and being at rest†. To give an example of this a seed would be natural as it has its source of motion within itself, it grows into a plant by itself. A house on the other hand is not natural as the source of its motion is external; the house is a result of the relevant craftsmanship from humans. There appear to be two senses in which Aristotle believes the polis to be natural. All associations are formed with the aim toShow MoreRelatedPlato And Aristotle s Views On Political Philosophy Essay3649 Words   |  15 PagesIntroduction: The term â€Å"Political Philosophy† is a normative study of state, government, relationships between individual and communities, laws, rights and justice. It depends on the philosophers that can be entangled with ethics, economics and also metaphysics. Political thinkers are the pioneers of â€Å"Modern Politics† in the world. The first serious political thinkers emerged in Greece. Plato and Aristotle are two great philosophers of ancient Greece. Plato in his book â€Å"The Republic† delivers theRead MorePolitical Philosophy, By Steven Cahn1197 Words   |  5 PagesIn Steven Cahn s book, Political Philosophy, The Essential Texts, philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau created the circumstances to enable the fundamental principals of philosophy and politics. These knowledgeable, astute and significant men have helped to achieve the structure of our past and present democracy as well as a plan of action for the rights and valu es that we as citizens can all relate to today. They are grounded in their thinking and tied togetherRead MorePlato s Interpretation Of Utopia1630 Words   |  7 PagesPlato and Aristotle shared many differences despite also sharing a teacher student relationship. This essay will strive to establish their understandings of reason and the role reason plays in their comprehensions of politics, differentiating between the kinds of reason and politics produced as a result. Plato is regarded as the first writer of political philosophy while Aristotle is recognised as the first political scientist. Plato’s interpretation of Utopia is founded upon the existence of threeRead MorePlato And Aristotle s Views On Life794 Words   |  4 PagesTameka Jonas Thompson Survey of Philosophical Thoughts2010 Professor James Moore June 9, 2015 Analogy of Plato and Aristotle Aristotle and Plato were each great intellectual however their views on life are totally different. Plato was born round the year 428 BCE in Athens. (Plato) Plato was then introduce to was introduced to philosophy by Socrates in 469-399 B.C.( Plato)Who then became is mentor, however Socrates died , however shortly after his mentor die he had an an inspirationRead MoreHistorical Events That Took Place During The Classical Period1458 Words   |  6 PagesWorld Literature I Historically Significant Influences of Aristotle During the Classical Period, 500-232 BCE, Greece was at the peak of its political and cultural achievement. This was also a time of war, most noteworthy being the vast empire created by Alexander the Great. In a period containing such an immense amount of historical significance there is no doubting that it had influenced the people born. Notorious philosopher Aristotle is no exception, contributing a great deal to the fields ofRead MoreThe Ideal Society As Suggested By Plato993 Words   |  4 Pagesmirror reflection of political justice. Much like Plato’s three class structure of a just society, he also hypothesised there are three components to an individual’s soul. That is: the rational, the spiritual, and the appetitive. In this model, the rational soul seeks truth, and is accountable for philosophical tendencies. The spiritual component of the soul desires honour and is liable for feelings of anger. The third and final aspect of the the soul is the appetitive ele ment that s sole purpose isRead MoreThe Debate Of Economics Between Bentham And Aristotle926 Words   |  4 PagesA Debate of Economics Between Bentham and Aristotle With all the many issues facing our country today it is difficult to pin down exactly what the biggest issue is, so instead of picking the biggest issue I decided to pick the issue that has affected people the most in this country as well as other countries which would be economics. When it comes to economics the biggest issue facing our country is that we no longer produce what we need to keep up with our economic system, so what if the philosophersRead MoreAristotle s Influence On Western Culture1511 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle, a greek philosopher, educator, and scientist, is known to be one of the most significant, and influential thinkers in Western culture. Aristotle was born in 384 B.C. in Stagira, a little town in northern Greece. Stagira is a Greek-Speaking town on the coast of the peninsula of Chalcidice. His father, Nicomachus, was a doctor, member of the guild of the Asclepiadae, and court physician to Amyntas II, and then became the king of Macedonia. Aristotle s mother was Phaestis, she is knownRead MoreThe Divine Comedy By Dante Aleghiri1648 Words   |  7 PagesDante Aleghiri s Divine Comedy is widely taught and written about. In it Dante, the author, details his trip through Hell, Purgatory, and then Paradise. The Divine Comedy was written during Dante s exile from his beloved city of Florence Italy. The work itself is read at various different levels. One could read it as a theological work, a political work, simply as a poetic work, or even as a philosophical work. In his work, Dante’s Paradiso: No Human Beings Allowed philosophy professor BruceRead Moreâ€Å"How Would Aristotle Respond to Utilitarianism?†1087 Words   |  5 PagesShort Paper 2 â€Å"How would Aristotle respond to Utilitarianism?† How would Aristotle respond to Utilitarianism? The Definition of â€Å"Utilitarianism† is an ethical theory holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes the overall good of the greatest number of individuals. It is thus a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined by its resulting outcome. The most influential contributors to this theory are considered to be Jeremy Bentham

Patrick henry Free Essays

Patrick Henry gave his speech he knew that not everyone would accept what he had to say. To me everyone should have the courage to stand up for what they believe in no matter how everyone else will view It. Patrick Henry gave this speech because he felt that they were not treated as equals and had the right to be treated equally. We will write a custom essay sample on Patrick henry or any similar topic only for you Order Now Everyone should be treated equally. In 1775 and In today’s society all the government cares about Is power and money not the citizens of the united States, It’s ore Like what the citizens of the united States can give them. In his speech he gave all the reasons why the government Is messed up and everything that they have done to their people. He did his research before standing up In front of the crowd and telling them what he found out and his pollen on the situation. When he stood up and talked he had no notes he spoke openly about what he believed In and why. I liked how passionate and fiery, he was with regards to the situation with Britain. Henry felt that Britain has done wrong, and British wanted to feel superior. That was my same viewpoint, it just seemed like the British did whatever they wanted, and never cared about the colonists. Like Patrick Henry had said we are more likely to look away or shut our eyes against the truth and listen to the song of the siren till she transforms us into beats! This is still going on today in 2014, we listen to the media and our friends and families instead of us developing our own opinions and standing p for what we believe in. Eventually everything that we listen to will turn us into beasts, everything that we listen to whether it be the media or anyone else they could be filling our head with false information. We don’t know the truth we only know the truth that they want us to know. Patrick Henry and his followers weren’t backing down they were standing up for their rights and for what they believed in. To me that is very inspiring and many more people should follow his example. Give me liberty or give me death! How to cite Patrick henry, Papers

John Smith Essays - Historiography, Philosophy Of History

John Smith History History Assignment: 3 Q.1) What were the main characteristics of the writings of the Nationalist School of Historiography? Ans : The Nationalist School of historical writing contributed to the self- confidence, self-assertion and a certain national pride which enabled Indian people to struggle against colonialism especially in the face of denigration of India's past and the consequent inferiority complex promoted by colonial writers. K.A. Nilakanta Sastri and other historians also helped overcome the regional bias. In this respect, as in many others, nationalist historical writing in India became a major unifying factor as far as the literate Indians were concerned. Nationalist historiography flourished mainly in dealing with the ancient and medieval periods. In the First Generation, the Indian historians began writing ancient Indian history. Most famous among them was R.G. Bhandarkar . The Indian historians did not have any new perspective on Indian history. They blindly followed the model set by the British historians who focussed on dynastic narratives or political history. In the Second Generation, the Indian historians continued to write political and dynastic history, but the interpretations were based on the nationalist point of view. This period saw the growth of nationalism. In the 1920's and the 1930's the Second Generation felt the impact of the National Movement. Some of the prominent historians at that time were H.C. Raychaudhuri , K. P.Jayaswal , R.C. Majumdar , R. K. Mookerjea , H.C. Ojha , Jadunath Sarkar, A.S. Altekar , U. Ghoshal . After facing a lot of criticism by James Mill, the Indian historians primarily aimed at building national self respect in order to compensate for the humiliation. They did so by stressing on the glorification of India's past.

5 Tips for Writing a Stellar Vanderbilt Supplement Essay

5 Tips for Writing a Stellar Vanderbilt Supplement Essay SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Vanderbilt is one of the United States’ highest-ranking colleges. With an acceptance rate of just 10 percent, it’s ranked as extremely competitive. It’s no surprise- Vanderbilt is known for having a wealth of appealing programs, including its school of medicine, the Peabody College of Education and Human Development, and Blair School of Music. Because it’s extremely competitive, you’ll need to set yourself apart as a prospective student. That doesn’t mean just your grades and impressive extracurriculars; it also means writing a killer essay to go along with your application. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about Vanderbilt’s supplemental essay, including some ideal topics, some pitfalls to avoid, and even some analysis of past Vanderbilt essays that have worked. The Vanderbilt Supplement Basics Vanderbilt’s application is fairly straightforward. They accept multiple application formats, including both the Common and Coalition Applications, as well as Questbridge. What application you use is up to you. There are many reasons to choose one or the other, but regardless of which application you pick, you’ll still be answering just one supplemental essay prompt from Vanderbilt. Choose whichever application works best for you. In addition to the essays required for your Common, Coalition, or Questbridge Application, Vanderbilt requires one supplemental essay. There’s only one prompt with a 400-word limit, so you won’t have to choose between prompts. However, having just one prompt means that you’ll need to put a lot of attention into making your essay as good as it can be. You only have one chance to prove yourself in your essay, so make it count! A little latte art never hurts. What Is the Vanderbilt Supplement Essay Prompt? Vanderbilt has just one prompt for their supplemental essay, which must be answered in 400 words or less. Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. The question is straightforward- Vanderbilt is asking you to discuss one of your extracurriculars in depth. This doesn’t just demonstrate to the admissions office that you’re dedicated to your interest, but also that you have passions outside of school. Vanderbilt wants to know that you’ll bring something besides academics to campus, and this is the space to tell them about it. Keep in mind that Vanderbilt isn’t looking for a list of activities or just a short discussion of one of your extracurriculars. They specifically ask for one, but you have 400 words to cover- which means you should spend some time unpacking not just the activity itself, but why you do it and why it matters to you. Be thoughtful; really think about your activities and why you do them beyond that they look good on your college application. Don’t just pick the extracurricular activity that you think Vanderbilt would want to hear about. If you’re a champion Mathlete but you really feel fulfilled when you’re making short films with your friends over the weekend, you should be writing about the short films. If your short film was played at a local film festival but you find more meaning in the time you spend knitting, write about knitting! It’s not about being impressive here. Plenty of other applicants will be discussing their charity work or science team victories. Use this space to discuss yourself, and why the things you do matter to you. If the most impressive thing in your repertoire and the thing that’s most personally meaningful line up, great! But don’t feel like you can only write about things like academic success, leadership roles, or entrepreneurship. Write about what’s meaningful to you and Vanderbilt will see your personality- which is really what they’re looking for- shine through. Reading Vanderbilt essays that worked is like planting a seed for your own success. Vanderbilt Essays That Worked: Analysis Vanderbilt doesn’t use the same prompts from year to year, but that doesn’t mean that looking at past successful essays can’t be useful. Consider this one from an accepted Vanderbilt student: â€Å"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed,† Maria Montessori once said. School was about letting my curiosity lead me and teaching myself at my own pace. For example, at the start of 7th grade, I was handed the Algebra I book and told to complete it anytime in the next two years. I was intrigued to have a real textbook, but a bit overwhelmed, as the math looked like a foreign language. After reading a chapter, I’d take a stab at the problem set right away. It wasn’t about getting the problems right or wrong; it was about trying to understand the material. As frustrating as this process was, each time I conquered a new idea, my exasperation was transformed into new energy. I learned how to solve problems independently and to know when to ask others for help. ... When I did get to high school, I was surprised at how well prepared I was. My two strongest skills, time management and the ability to work well independently and in groups, mad e the transition easy for me. The Mesa Sands experience shaped me outside the classroom, too. One of my strongest qualities is trustworthiness. Because my school did not have a set structure or rules, I’ve in effect worked under an honor code from the time I was three years old. This essay was written for a different prompt, but the fact that it was successful shows you that it contains features that Vanderbilt likes to see. The writer of this essay discusses their education at a Montessori school, which doesn’t take the same approach to education as many other schools. Throughout, they refer to the school’s teachings and how they shaped their learning, not just but the things they were taught, but the way that they were taught. Not everybody had this same educational experience, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use some of the same ideas in your own work. The writer draws a clear line between how they were brought up and the person they are now- you could do a similar thing by connecting the person you are with the activity you’ve chosen to write about. What have you learned about yourself because of what you do? The writer is also able to discuss academic strengths without referring to their GPA, which Vanderbilt is no doubt already familiar with. Instead, they discuss their strengths as traits, like adherence to an honor code, trustworthiness, and time management. More importantly, they write about where those traits come from- something you could easily do by referencing the importance of the activity you choose. What’s most important to take away from this essay is the way that the writer connects the experience of attending their unique school to the person they became. No matter what your education was or what activity you choose to write about, you can do a similar thing in your own essay! Don't be afraid of multiple drafts- they make the difference between a good essay and a great one. 5 Key Tips for Writing Your Vanderbilt Essay Vanderbilt is a prestigious school, but there are some essay standards that hold true no matter where you’re applying. Follow these steps to write an essay that’s sure to impress! #1: Start Writing Starting is the step that sounds the easiest, but it’s actually the hardest. No matter what you have to do to start writing, whether it’s freewriting, brainstorming, or just pumping out a first draft as fast as you can, you need to do it. At this point, don’t worry about quality or being impressive. Just get words down on paper so that you can edit them into shape later- if you spend too much time worrying about starting with a perfect beginning, you’ll never make it past that point. #2: Edit Step two is when you can start worrying about quality. Read your essay aloud and see if you can spot problems with word choice and flow. If you’re struggling to read it, change words and add punctuation as necessary. Also think about your overall point. Does it make sense? Are you able to trace your logic all the way through without a problem? If not, find ways to connect your thoughts from beginning to end. Be thorough in cutting extraneous words. 400 words isn’t a lot, and you’ll want to make sure you’re making your essay count by picking vibrant, active verbs and clear language. Don’t worry about being flowery or busting out the thesaurus, but do be sure that your wording doesn’t feel tired or dull. #3: Seek Feedback One of the best ways to find holes in your logic or other issues in your essay is to get others to give you feedback. Find people who want to see you succeed, but preferably not those who aren’t going to give you criticism if you need it. Teachers and other mentors are a good choice, if they’re available. Don’t feel like you have to use every piece of feedback you receive, but do consider all of it. Your essay should always be your own work, so try to rephrase suggestions in your own words or rewrite confusing passages how you would write them, not how others suggest. #4: Take a Break With deadlines looming and other essays to write, it may be tempting to just rush through after getting feedback and fix everything. But take some time away from your essay, focusing on other college application duties or on other things entirely. Anywhere from a couple days to weeks to months can be good for improving your essay, though do leave yourself time to revise.Taking a break lets your mind forget what you’ve already written, so that when you come back to revise you do so with fresh eyes. This way, you can see holes in your logic or places where your language isn’t as tight as it could be. You’ll never be able to completely shed your attachment to your essay, but spending some time away from it can give you a whole new outlook on your work! #5: Revise Now that you’ve had some time away and you have notes to incorporate, it’s time to revise. Revision can be something you do multiple times, combing through your essay for errors and places to strengthen it, but eventually you are going to have to turn it in. Don’t get caught up in perfection- focus on making your essay the best you can. Check it for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors to be sure it’s clean and easy to read, and send it off! What's Next? Starting your essay is often the hardest part. If you're unsure where to begin, check out this guide to starting a college essay perfectly, and don't be afraid to just dive right in! A good essay is just one part of a successful Vanderbilt application. If you want to really wow the admissions office, be sure your grades and test scores are up to snuff, too! Vanderbilt University may not be an Ivy League school, but that doesn't mean your application can't be Ivy League-ready. Use these tips for getting into Harvard to shape your college application, and you'll have no problem getting into any school you choose! Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. 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The History of Space Shuttle Challenger

The History of Space Shuttle Challenger Each year in January, NASA honors its lost astronauts in ceremonies marking the loss of space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, and the Apollo 1 spacecraft. The space shuttle  Challenger, which was first called STA-099, was built to serve as a test vehicle for NASAs shuttle program. It was named after the British Naval research vessel HMS Challenger, which  sailed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans during the 1870s. The Apollo 17 lunar module also carried the name of Challenger. Space Shuttle Challenger Liftoff. This spacecraft was lost on January 28, 1986, when it exploded 73 seconds after takeoff. Seven crew members lost their lives. Public Domain, NASA In early 1979, NASA awarded space shuttle orbiter manufacturer Rockwell a contract to convert STA-099 to a space-rated orbiter, OV-099. It was completed and delivered in 1982, after construction and a year of intensive vibration and thermal testing, just as all its sister ships were when they were built. It was the second operational orbiter to become operational in the space program and had a promising future as a historic workhorse delivering crews and objects to space.   Challengers Flight History On April 4, 1983, Challenger launched on her maiden voyage for the STS-6 mission. During that time, the first spacewalk of the space shuttle program took place. The Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA), performed by astronauts Donald Peterson and Story Musgrave, lasted just over four hours. The mission also saw the deployment of the first satellite in the Tracking and Data Relay System constellation (TDRS). These satellites were designed for communications between Earth and space. The next numerical space shuttle mission for Challenger (though not in chronological order), STS-7, launched the first American woman, Sally Ride, into space. For the STS-8 launch, which actually occurred before STS-7, Challenger was the first orbiter to take off and land at night. Later, it was the first to carry two U.S. female astronauts on mission STS 41-G. It also made the first space shuttle landing at Kennedy Space Center, concluding mission STS 41-B. Spacelabs 2 and 3 flew aboard the ship on missions STS 51-F and STS 51-B, as did the first German-dedicated Spacelab on STS 61-A. Challenger once carried a spacelab to orbit for astronauts to use for scientific missions. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA-MSFC) Challengers Untimely End After nine successful missions, the Challenger launched on its final mission, STS-51L on January 28, 1986, with seven astronauts aboard. They were: Gregory Jarvis,  Christa McAuliffe,  Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka,  Judith Resnik,  Dick Scobee,  and Michael J. Smith. McAuliffe was to be the first teacher in space and had been selected from a field of educators from around the United States. She had planned a series of lessons to be conducted from space, broadcast to students throughout the U.S.   Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster STS-51L Pictures - LOX Tank Rupture. NASA Seventy-three seconds into the mission, the Challenger exploded, killing the entire crew. It was the first tragedy of the space shuttle program, followed in 2002 by the loss of the shuttle Columbia.  After a lengthy investigation, NASA concluded that the shuttle was destroyed when an O-ring on a solid rocket booster failed. The seal design was faulty, and the problem was made worse by unusually cold weather in Florida just prior to launch.  Booster rocket flames passed through the failed seal, and burned through the external fuel tank. That detached one of the supports that held the booster to the side of the tank. The booster broke loose and collided with the tank, piercing its side. Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen fuels from the tank and booster mixed and ignited, tearing  Challenger  apart.   A piece of the space shuttle Challenger that was recovered, being placed into its final resting place at Kennedy Space Center. NASA Headquarters - GReatest Images of NASA (NASA-HQ-GRIN) Pieces of the shuttle fell into the ocean immediately following the breakup, including the crew cabin. It was one of the most graphic and publicly viewed disasters of the space program and was filmed from many different angles by NASA and observers. The space agency began recovery efforts almost immediately, using a fleet of submersibles and Coast Guard cutters. It took months to recover all the orbiter pieces and the remains of the crew.   In the wake of the disaster, NASA immediately halted all launches. The restrictions on flight lasted for two years, while the so-called Rogers Commission investigated all aspects of the disaster. Such intense inquiries are part of an accident involving spacecraft and it was important for the agency to understand exactly what happened and take steps to make sure such an accident didnt occur again.   Space Shuttle Challenger final crew. NASA Headquarters - GReatest Images of NASA (NASA-HQ-GRIN) NASAs Return to Flight Once the problems that led to the Challengers destruction were understood and fixed, NASA resumed shuttle launches on September 29th, 1988. It was the seventh flight of the Discovery orbiter The two-year moratorium on launches put a number of missions back, including the launch and deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope. In addition, a fleet of classified satellites was also delayed. It also forced NASA and its contractors to redesign the solid rocket boosters so that they could be safely launched again.   The Challenger Legacy To memorialize the crew of the lost shuttle, the victims families established a series of science education facilities called the Challenger Centers. These are located  around the world and were designed as space education centers, in memory of the crew members, particularly Christa McAuliffe.   The crew has been remembered in movie dedications, their names have been used for craters on the Moon, mountains on Mars, a mountain range on Pluto, and schools, planetarium facilities  and even a stadium in Texas. Musicians, songwriters, and artists have dedicated works in their memories. The legacy of the shuttle and its lost crew will live on in peoples memory as a tribute to their sacrifice to advance space exploration. Fast Facts Space shuttle Challenger was destroyed 73 seconds into launch on January 28, 1986.Seven crew members were killed when the shuttle broke apart in an explosion.After a two-year delay, NASA resumed launches after an investigation found underlying problems for the agency to solve. Resources NASA, NASA, er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/explode.html.NASA, NASA, history.nasa.gov/sts51l.html.â€Å"The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster.†Ã‚  Space Safety Magazine, www.spacesafetymagazine.com/space-disasters/challenger-disaster/. Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.