TSA3

With new technology, comes new ways to kill each other; mankind is always looking for more efficient ways to kill. With every passing generation the tools of war are improved tenfold. We went from [|stones, to swords, to cannons, and now a new generation of weapons] is introduced in World War One. Weapons that are significantly more efficient and more brutal. Weapons that rip men in half, that cause men to go blind, and force men to fear both the sea and air. The world’s smartest men not only upgraded the weapons of the past, but invented entirely new technology, all for the purpose of killing. Because of these vast new technological improvements, such as the tank, poison gas, and submarines, World War One was the bloodiest, and most lethal war yet. Weapon of Mass Destruction, it is not a term thrown around lightly when discussing the tools of war, but in World War One the “Machine-Gun” was deemed one. The machine-gun was one of the most fearsome weapons in war. [|Hiram Maxim]invented the machine-gun in 1884. Since then it has been vastly improved upon. A single machine gun could fire up to 600 rounds a minute, equivalent to 250 men using rifles. At the time, all rifles were bolt-action, and had to be reloaded manually after every shot. (Michael Dufft, Weapons of War: Machine Gun) If the first shot missed, a solider would be given ample time to take cover. This was not the case with the machine gun though, with its ability to fire 10 rounds a second, for once a machine gunner had a solder locked in his sights, he was as good as dead. A single machine-gun could put suppressive fire and lock down a No-Mans-Land territory between the trenches, making it a deathtrap for enemy soldiers. The machine gun was rightly named a Weapon of Mass Destruction. The machine-gun’s only flaw was that it was prone to over-heating if fired too much, this could be remedied though by cooling it. Cooling was necessary because when the machine-gun over-heated it would cease to fire until it cool-down. This was a major design flaw, and allowed many soldiers to over-run machine gun positions once they over-heated and became temporally useless. In the beginning of the war all the machine guns were generally cooled using water-cooling. A water-jacket, which held one gallon of water, would be attached to the machine-gun to keep it from over-heating. Water-cooling proved to be not very effective, and soon the soldiers gave up on the new technology and took to urinating on the machine gun to cool it down. Later in the war though, air-cooling was put into action, and they would cut little air vents and slits into the gun to help it cool down. (Michael Dufft, Weapons of War: Machine Gun)

The real danger of the seas isn’t the storms, but the ships that lurk beneath. These ships were called submarines or as the Germans would say “[|Unterseeboot].” The submarine was a ship that was able to maneuver underwater. They were called the wolves of the water, and were able to sneak up on ships and fire their underwater missiles or torpedoes. The submarines were able to strike fear into the most seaworthy of sailors with their ability to strike from beneath the water. The danger of submarines was so strong that America had to completely over-haul their shipping methods into a convoy system, forcing all ships to travel with armed escorts to protect them from submarines. Submarines were able to enforce blockades on whole countries, effectively shutting down all ports and naval trade for a country. These submarine enforced blockades were able to stop all the much-needed supplies from entering a country. The submarine was truly the wolf of the sea. (Otto Weddigan, The First Submarine Blow is Struck) When soldiers envisioned how they could possibly die in the war they pictured death by bullets, or artillery, or even bayonet. Nobody even began to imagine the horrible death inflected by one of the newest, and most brutal inventions of the war,[|poison gas.] This new advance in technology, made even breathing dangerous. A single breath of chlorine gas would destroy the victim’s respiratory organs and cause them to have fatal choking attacks. Besides worrying about chlorine, they also had to worry about mustard gas. Mustard gas was known to cause inflammation, burning and even blindness. It also caused yellow blisters to appear on the skin. Sneezing, coughing, and sinus pains were also symptoms of mustard gas inhalation. If enough mustard gas was breathed in, then it could cause vomiting and also diarrhea. The gas was not meant to be lethal, but if a large dosage were breathed in, it would become fatal. (Tucker Spencer, New Weapons of World War One)

The gas was a technologically advanced killing tool, but luckily for the soldiers an equally advanced countermeasure was created, the gas mask. The British were able to invent a way to defend their soldiers from the vicious gas attacks through the “hypo” gas mask. The mask was dipped in anti-gas chemicals such as Sodium Hyposulphite, washing soda, glycerin and water. The mask was very crude though, and came with a fragile eyepiece that broke frequently, thus rendering the gas mask useless. Because of their vast pool of geniuses and inventors, the British were able to make a new and improved gas mask called the “small box respirator.” This new mask was a huge success and, by January1917, was issued to every one of their soldiers. The counter-technology worked well and reduced the total death count of all British soldiers to 8,100. (Tucker Spencer, New Weapons of World War One)

The machine-gun, the tank, and poisonous gas were all the pinnacles of technology during World War One. They were the symbols of how far mankind has come, all the way from stones and spears to submarines and gas. These inventions were made to put a quick end to the war, but instead pro-longed it, and with that the death count of the triple entente, the central powers, and even civilians increased. These new improvements in war technology have brought nothing good for humanity, only furthering the ideals of death, and destruction. Even though amazing advances were made in weapon technology, it was all for the worst of mankind, and sent us on the short trip to our own demise. One of the smartest men in the world, [|Albert Einstein] once said "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” With every step forward we take in weapon technology, we take one giant leap towards our eventual [|mutual destruction].

media type="youtube" key="8gwWPL1YAck" height="344" width="425"

MLA CITATION

Spencer, Tucker C. TANKS. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2004. History Reference Online. ABC-CLIO. 17 Nov. 2008 .

American Decades, 1910-1919. Detroit: Gale, 1996.

Weddigan, Otto, Lt. "The First Submarine Blow is Struck." WWI. 18 Nov. 2008 .

"World War One Weapons- New Technology." Revesion-Notes. 18 Nov. 2008 .


 * ESSAY #1**
 * Assignment: Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.**

Interestingly enough, I fall in the middle of these statements. I believe that one should remember the past and learn from those events. However, I also believe that many bad memories harm the present and the future. The only way to continue, many times, is to forget and forgive.

My brother, who is college, has proved to me the importance of getting good grades and actively participating in extracorrecular activities. These two ideas helped him to get into the prestegious college of the University of Notre Dame. His education there will allow him to have a prosperous career as an adult. Reviewing these facts and ideas has led me to believe if I do the same, I will have a similar promising career. Consequently, I have gotten good grades and have seen interest from many prestigious programs.

Through my knowledge, I have learned that in many bad instances, time to forget is very important. Ireland, for example, had been persecuted for many hundreds of years from 1000 AD to 1900 AD. After being granted the Irish Free State, they attacked many parts of Britain for retribution of those many years of being oppressed. Consequently there has been on going hostility between the two peoples. This hostility has cost the lives of many hundreds of people. A quote once said, "Violence begets violence" is the perfect phrase for this warfare. The only way to stop the loss of life is to forget and forgive; start anew.

Different situations require different actions to proceed in a positive manner. Many times, people are required to use both elements. For example, let's forget this part and concentrate on how to bring this positive part into light. Both of the ideas on remembering and forgetting have their reasons for existing and both are positive.

Land of The Rising Sun: The Rise of the Japanese Militarists Fate was not kind to Japan after World War One; their government and economy were in shambles. The combination of "[|The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923"] and the world-wide "Great Depression" turned the the once strong Japanese economy to rubble.The people of Japan looked into the government to fix economic problems, but they were too weak to accomplish this. So in 1932, a group that consisted of military officers rose to power taking many positions in government, even the position of prime minister. The Japanese Militarists took policies of censorship in both media and education to further their power. They also assassinated many of their political opponents using their [|secret police force] so their power would be furthered secure. The Militarist also persecuted many communists. They were a totalitarian government that [|glorified war and empire]. The Japanese militarists were interested in gaining over-seas. colonies so they could obtain raw materials like coal and oil. So on September 18th, 1931, the Japanese Militarist invaded Manchuria, which is a province in the Northern region of China. This angered the League of Nations, but they did except condemn the Japanese for thier use of force in the invasion. In 1933 China acknowledged the loss of Manchuria. This just the first of many aggreisve actions Japan would take under the leadership of the Japanese Militarists.

Works Cited

__2Bangkok.com - Almost like being there__. 05 Feb. 2009 .

__About Japan: A Teacherâ€™s Resource | Home | Japan Society__. 05 Feb. 2009 .

05 Feb. 2009 .

"Japanese history: Militarism and World War II." __Japan-guide.com - Japan Travel and Living Guide__. 05 Feb. 2009 .

"Totalitarianism." __Fresno Unified School District__. 05 Feb. 2009 .

HSPA Today you are going to take part of the High School Proficiency Assessment for Language Arts Literacy. The assessment contains different types of text and different activities. In the first part of the test, you will look at a picture and then complete a writing task. In this activity, you have an opportunity to demonstrate how well you can organize and express your ideas in written text. Refer to the Writer's Checklist of important points to remember as you write. Educators who read your writing will consider these important points when they read and score your writing. You will have 30 minutes to complete the writing task. Take a few minutes to think about the task and to plan what you want to say before you begin to write. You may use the prewriting/planning space to plan your text, but your prewriting will not be scored. **Only your writing on the lined pages of your answer sheet will be scored.** Do your best to make your writing clear and well organized. Keep your purpose in mind as you write and use your checklist. You must use a No. 2 pencil. You may either print or write your final copy. You may //not// use a dictionary or any other reference materials during the test. However, youmay use the Writer's Checklist. If you finish before the time is called, review what you have written using the Writer's Checklist to read critically and improve what you have written.

PART 2

You Will have 50 minutes for this part of the test**.** The afternoon grew so glowering that in the sixth inning the arc lights were turned on--always a wan sight in the daytime, like the burning headlights of a funeral procession. Aided by the gloom, Fisher was slicing through the Sox rookies, and Williams did not come to bat in the seventh. He was second up in the eighth. This was almost certainly his last time to come to the plate in Fenway Park, and instead of merely cheering, as we had at his three previous appearances, we stood, all of us, and applauded. I had never before heard pure applause in a ballpark. No calling, no whistling, just an ocean of handclaps, minute after minute, burst after burst, crowding and running together in continuous succession like the pushes of surf at the edge of the sand. It was a sombre and considered tumult. There was not a boo in it. It seemed to renew itself out of a shifting set of memories as the Kid, the Marine, the veteran of feuds and failures and injuries, the friend of children, and the enduring old pro evolved down the bright tunnel of twenty-two summers toward this moment. At last, the umpire signaled for Fisher to pitch; with the other players, he had been frozen in position. Only Williams had moved during the ovation, switching his bat impatiently, ignoring everything except his cherished task. Fisher wound up, and the applause sank into a hush. Understand that we were a crowd of rational people. We knew that a home run cannot be produced at will; the right pitch must be perfectly met and luck must ride with the ball. Three innings before, we had seen a brave effort fail. The air was soggy, the season was exhausted. Nevertheless, there will always lurk, around the corner in a pocket of our knowledge of the odds, an indefensible hope, and this was one of the times, which you now and then find in sports, when a density of expectation hangs in the air and plucks an event out of the future. Fisher, after his unsettling wait, was wide with the first pitch. He put the second one over, and Williams swung mightily and missed. The crowd grunted, seeing that classic swing, so long and smooth and quick, exposed. Fisher threw the third time, Williams swung again, and there it was. The ball climbed on a diagonal line into the vast volume of air over center field. From my angle, behind third base, the ball seemed less an object in flight than the tip of a towering, motionless construct, like the Eiffel Tower or the Tappan Zee Bridge. It was in the books while it was still in the sky. Brandt ran back to the deepest corner of the outfield grass, the ball descended beyond his reach and struck in the crotch where the bullpen met the wall, bounced chunkily, and vanished. Like a feather caught in a vortex, Williams ran around the square of bases at the center of our beseeching screaming. He ran as he always ran out home runs--hurriedly, unsmiling, head down, as if our praise were a storm of rain to get out of. He didn’t tip his cap. Though we thumped, wept, and chanted "We want Ted" for minutes after he hid in the dugout, he did not come back. Our noise for some seconds passed beyond excitement into a kind of immense open anguish, a wailing, a cry to be saved. But immortality is nontransferable. The papers said that the other players, and even the umpires on the field, begged him to come out and acknowledge us in some way, but he refused. Gods do not answer letters.
 * Directions:** In this part of the test, you will red a narrative passage and then respond to the multiple-choice and open-ended questions that follow it. You may look back at the passage and make notes in the margin if you like, but you must record your answers on your answer sheet.

11, The author of the narration uses many literary techniques 12. This story is about a famous baseball player's last at bat.
 * Directions for open-ended questions 11 and 12:** Write your response in the space provided on the answer sheet.
 * Identity two literary methods used by the author.
 * Did the author do a good job of capturing the moment? Why or why not?
 * What is your "shining" moment?
 * Would you rather go out with a bang, or leave quietly? Why?

11. The author uses nonessential commas and metaphors to greatly increase the quality of his writing. I think the author did do a good job of capturing the moment. He explained in detail the crowds reaction when he was getting up for his final at bat, and showing how he was acting as if it was just another at bat made it even better.

12. My shining moment would be when me and Lee Marcus won our tennis state sectional finals match. I would definitely rather go out with a bang; not in the sense that we were bragging and yelling, but that we were excited and happy and we showed it. The crowd would be cheering instead of clapping, which for me, would make the moment all the more enjoyable.

PART 3

. =A Safe, Secure and Dwindling Arsenal= The Obama administration is studying whether to move the nation’s huge nuclear weapons production and maintenance complex from the Energy Department, its host for more than two decades, to the Defense Department. The more important question is how it can best contribute to a safe reduction of the nuclear arsenal. Two decades after the end of the cold war — and nearly two decades after the country stopped building weapons — the complex is costly, antiquated, oversized and badly in need of an overhaul. President Obama needs to clearly promulgate a strategy that downgrades the role of nuclear weapons and demands that the weapons complex focuses clearly on its mission: guaranteeing the security and reliability of a shrinking arsenal. And he needs to ensure that the complex (and Defense Secretary Robert Gates) abandons any illusions of building a new warhead — a strategically and scientifically unnecessary program that would be disastrous for American credibility. The main reason for considering a transfer is apparently a desire to let the Energy Department focus exclusively on energy issues, one of the administration’s highest priorities. That is a worthy objective. While the National Nuclear Security Administration is officially semiautonomous, it eats up two-thirds of the Energy Department’s budget. Every time it encounters problems, the energy secretary is inevitably distracted. But transferring the complex to Pentagon control could have unfortunate consequences. The already highly secret complex could lose even the limited transparency currently afforded by Congressional committees that oversee the Energy Department. The national laboratories, which do substantial work for civilian clients, might find their mission narrowed and their ability to attract scientific talent diminished. The Office of Management and Budget has asked the departments to jointly assess the costs and benefits of a transfer. The study would be wise to consider a middle option, letting the nuclear administration stand as an independent agency whose importance could be underscored by having it report to the president. Neither department has done a particularly capable job. The Energy Department has a poor record in managing costly and complex programs. Under its control, the national laboratories have had repeated security lapses. The Defense Department also has proved to be a less-than-reliable steward. Lax management allowed intercontinental ballistic missile components to be shipped inadvertently to Taiwan in 2006 and nuclear bombs to be flown across the country in 2007 without anyone realizing it until after the fact. Wherever the weapons complex is situated bureaucratically, it will have to be modernized, reduced in size and managed a lot more carefully.

11.The essay is about the regulation and number of America's nuclear arsenal in the Obama Era.
 * Directions for open-ended questions 11 and 12:** Write your response in the space provided on the answer sheet.
 * What risks are involved in moving the arsenal? What benefits?
 * How does the author show the challenges involved having such a vast nuclear arsenal?

12. Many Americans are divided on this issue
 * In your own opinion is dealing with the nuclear arsenal a important issue? Why?
 * What do you think should be done with the Nuclear arsenal? Why?

11. Moving the arsenal is like a double-edged sword. It would become more modernized in a safer location, as well as more efficient at doing its job. It would also help take the burden off of the Energy department, as it takes up two-thirds of its budget. Moving would also have its cons. It would take money and man power that we might not be willing to spend. Since we are in a depression, money might be better off elsewhere than rectifying our weapons complex. The Defense Department might be a turn for the worse. I would feel much safer to have my weapons stored with people that simply need to worry about their budget than people that allowed intercontinental ballistic missile components to be shipped to Taiwan.

12. I don’t think that our nuclear arms should be a top priority right now. We have many more things to worry about, and don’t really have any money to be thrown around in things that aren’t necessary. Money that might be used here could instead be used to help get us out of this depression. I think that if there is action to be taken, that it should be left where it is and simply modernized. Moving it to another faulty department would be a waste of man power, and I would much rather have it eat up two-thirds of the energy budget rather than having the Defense department lose track of some warheads.

NAACP PARAGRAPH

The NAACP or known as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was a group formed for the advancement of al civil rights for African Americans. It was founded on Feb 12th 1909 in Springfield Illinois. It was symbolic for this was where Lincoln was born, and where the Race Riots took place. It was founded by W.E.B Dubiois, a famous writer and civil rights activist, and also by Lincoln Steffens, creator of American Magazine, and editor of McClures’s Magazine. The NAACP took place in many activities like protesting, marching, and other peaceful protests.

HIPPIES AND YOU During the 1960s, “[|Hippies”] brought a wave of “counterculture” upon America. Hippies by definition were men and women below thirty, who believed in. honesty ,joy, peace, and love. Hippies could have been [|anyone] from a college graduate to a high-school drop out teenager. The hippies were rebelling against mainstream culture because it was all the happy go-luckiness of the [|1950s,] which most people were sick of. Some of the national and world issues that prompted this surge of counterculture was the emergence of [|Rock N Roll, the Vietnam War, Civil Rights, and the Cold Wa]r. These events rocked the very foundations of the 1950s, causing everyone to question their morals and beliefs of the last generation. This caused the “[|Woodstock]” generation to envision a new world, found on sex, drugs, and rock n roll.

The Hippie movement originated in the fight for American Civil Rights for African Americans, causing a common cause for everyone to gather around. /Hippies did not discriminate each other, so this caused one of the first interracial bonds. To accomplish their goals, the hippies had many tactics, such as sit-ins, protests, and sung protest songs. These protest songs, mostly “Rock N Roll” These high-powered, yelling singers were a symbol of the 1960’s counterculture by the hippies. The music of the 1950s was all serene, peaceful, and moderate, now the popular music was the complete opposite. These protest songs, represented everything the hippies believe in, especially their anti-war beliefs. The symbol of the hippie was a peace sign, showing their envision for love and peace.

To be a full-fledged hippie, you would have to live in a commune. To live in a commune you must shared share your money with everyone, live on the same premises of everyone, giving up your privacy 365 days a week, 24/7. On the plus side though, you were able to be around people cut from the same cloth all the time. The effects of the 1960s counter-culture are still present today. We still listen to bands like “The Doors, and “The Grateful Dead” and Birth-Control Contraceptives are also a effect of the hippies counter-culture