Graduation Speech: I Was a Thrift Store Kid :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

I grew up a thrift store kid. We took trips in a beat up station wagon, but I went to school in Shallow Creek. I was considered a little different. We are all different. Later we will find that we are all the same. It will not matter later in life who we were friends with or what clubs we belonged to. It will not matter what our grades were, or what kind of clothes we wore. It will not matter what kind of cars our parents drove. It will not matter what our dreams were, but what dreams we accomplish. We realize that cliques are lame and that they don't matter in the real world. In the real world where we have to choose what we do all day. There are no longer laws or our parents to make us get to school every morning at 7:30. For some of us it was hard and for others it was easy. I was one of the people who didn't know until this last semester if I'd graduate. It's hard to believe that you can do something if someone tells you it's not worth it. The advice given to me my entire senior year was to drop out and get my GED, because too many people had a high school diploma that didn't mean anything. That person had no idea what they were talking about. Just getting a diploma means everything, it's what we have been working for all of our lives. Maybe that person's goal was for me to take those words and prove them wrong. I did, but I had to convince myself not to take that advice. Many people helped me get here. Many people helped all of us get here. Thank you mom, for the countless phone calls to the school, and to the superintendent when my credits were messed up and no one listened to me. Thank you dad, for getting on my case even when I got an attitude. Thank you to my teachers who put up with our talkin g even when it wasn't an appropriate time. Thank you to my friends who gave me all the strange nicknames that only we could understand. We all have our thank you's because none of us did it alone. Whether you know it or not, at least one person helped you get here. Take a minute right now to look around this room.

The World’s Most Understood Crop: Industrial Hemp and Its Economic Benefits

Ms. Bonner English 290 16 December 2011 The World’s Most Understood Crop: Industrial Hemp and its Economic Benefits When most people hear the word hemp the first thing that comes to mind is marijuana. While hemp and marijuana are of the same plant species, Cannabis Sativa, they are different plants with their own chemical makeup. Hemp has been known as one of the world’s greatest agricultural crops of all time with a wide variety of uses. Unfortunately the United States still sees hemp as drug and the manufacturing of hemp is still illegal today.The United States is outlawing one of the most economically beneficial and functional crops of all times because of its cousin marijuana. Hemp was the world’s greatest agricultural crop for more than 1000 years before Christ until 1883 AD (Herer). The manufacturing and cultivation of hemp has been used for thousands of products and many different industries including producing a majority of the world’s fabric, fibe r, oil, paper, and even food. The earliest known fabric was made of hemp around 8000 BC (Herer).Ninety percent of all ships' sails from at least the fifth century BC until long after the invention of the steam engines in the mid- to late-19th century were made from hemp (Herer). Many of the ships’ logs, maps, and charts were made on hemp paper from the time of Columbus to the early 1900s (Herer). In the first century AD, the Chinese found that hemp paper lasted 50 to 100 times longer than most preparations of papyrus and that it was 100 times easier and cheaper to make (Herer).Eighty percent of all humankind's textiles and fabrics for clothes, tents, linens, rugs, drapes, quilts, bed sheets, towels and diapers were made principally from cannabis fibers in much of the world until the 20th century (Herer). Presidents Washington and Jefferson both grew hemp and Americans were even legally bound to grow during the Colonial Era and Early Republic (Hemp Facts). With all these uses for hemp, from almost the beginning of the known world, why would hemp be illegal today? Marijuana and industrial hemp come from the same species of plant, Cannabis Sativa.The species can yield two different plants, marijuana and industrial hemp. Comparing marijuana and industrial hemp is like comparing field corn and sweet corn. While they are both from the same species, the chemical makeup and final product is very different. Cannabis produces two major cannabinoids-THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) (West, Hemp and Marijuana). THC is the one responsible for the psychoactive effect that you get from smoking marijuana. CBD, on the other hand, has been found to block the effect of THC in the nervous system (West, Hemp and Marijuana).Marijuana usually contains 3 to 15 percent THC, while industrial hemp being grown normally contains less than 1 percent THC (Industrial Hemp in the United States). Many people believe that if industrial hemp was allowed to be grown that many people would still try and smoke it, but if one was to smoke industrial hemp, which is high in CBD and low in THC, it would actually counter act the THC and block the effect of a marijuana high. This shows that not only is hemp not marijuana but could possibly even be called â€Å"anti-marijuana. Even with this scientific information and the United States continues to outlaw the manufacturing of hemp. Other countries have recognized the difference between marijuana and industrial hemp. Current hemp varieties being grown in Canada and Europe are certified to have THC levels below 0. 3 percent (West, Hemp and Marijuana). The certification system was originally developed in Europe to allow for the commercialization of industrial hemp and takes into consideration the ratio of CBD to THC as well as the absolute percent THC (West, Hemp and Marijuana).The original THC threshold was 0. 8 percent. When varieties with lower levels of THC were developed by French breeders, the breed ers were able to persuade the European Union to reduce the tolerance further (West, Hemp and Marijuana). In the United States, Cannabis with any measurable trace of THC is illegal, CBD concentration is not considered at all. The United States is outlawing this potentially economic beneficial crop with no just cause and they are completely overlooking all of its uses and benefits. The United States’ laws have not always treated marijuana and hemp the same.The 1937 Marijuana Tax Act outlawed marijuana. The 1937 Marihuana Tax Act defined marijuana as: â€Å"(A)ll parts of the plant Cannabis sativa L. , whether growing or not; the seeds thereof; the resin extracted from any such plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant, its seeds, or resin; but shall not include the mature stalks of such plant, fiber produced from such stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of such plant, any other compound, manufacture salt, derivative, mi xture, or preparation of such mature stalks (except the resin xtracted there from), fiber, oil, or cake, or the sterilized seed of such plant which is incapable of germination. † The Act outlawed marijuana and punished people who grew it, without infringing on the rights of hemp growers. The act did not make hemp illegal but simply just put a tax on hemp. Dr. Andrew Wright, an agronomist with the University of Wisconsin's Agriculture Experiment Station and steward of the Wisconsin hemp industry during the first half of the twentieth century, wrote in 1918, â€Å"There are three fairly distinct types of hemp: that grown for fiber, that for birdseed and oil, and that for drugs. (West, Hemp and Marijuana). This shows that even in the early 1900s, we knew and understood there being a difference between hemp and marijuana. However, in 1970, the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act repealed the Marihuana Tax Act and instead changed its definition: â€Å"The term â⠂¬Ëœmarihuana' means all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa (L. ), whether growing or not, the seeds thereof, the resin extracted from any part of such plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant, its seeds or resin; . . † The key difference in this provision was that the 1937 Act used a system of taxation that allowed the government to punish the marijuana growers without punishing hemp growers. The 1970 Act abolished the taxation approach and effectively made all Cannabis cultivation illegal (West, Hemp and Marijuana). This act lumped marijuana and hemp into the same category. Why did the United States change their definition of the word and make hemp illegal? Why the United States changed its mind and decided to make hemp illegal is not really clear.There are not any definite answers. It could be that they realized that they couldn’t tax it anymore, the war on drugs, or that people that were growing hemp were abusin g their rights and also growing marijuana. It is up for anyone to speculate on. The only thing that is clear by hemp being illegal is that the United States is ignoring the economic benefits and uses of one of the most functional crops of all times. Hemp has been used for a wide variety of products for almost 3000 years.Overall, hemp is the strongest, most durable, and longest lasting natural soft fiber on the planet, which makes its fabric longer lasting, tougher, cheaper, cooler, and more absorbent than cotton (Herer). Hemp seed can be pressed into a healthy oil, which contains the highest amount of essential fatty acids of all plants. The byproduct of the pressed hemp seeds can be baked into cakes, breads, and casseroles and contains high quality protein (Hemp Facts). Another use for hemp is that it can be made into fuel.Hemp is the Earth’s number one biomass resource, capable of producing 10 tons of biomass per acre in only four months (Hemp Facts). This biomass can be co nverted into methane, methanol, or gasoline at a cost very similar to the cost petroleum (Hemp Facts). It can also produce 10 times more methanol than corn (Hemp Facts). Since hemp is a natural plant, the use of hemp as a fuel makes it better for the environment. It does not add to global warming. Not only is hemp as a fuel better for the environment, but using hemp fiber for paper is also better for the environment.One acre of hemp produces as much fiber as 4. 1 acres of trees (Herer). While trees cut down to make paper usually take about 50 years to grow, hemp is ready to be harvested in about 120 days (Hemp Facts). Since hemp takes less time to be ready to be harvested and it can produce more fiber per acre, hemp could possibly be the answer to the deforestation problem. Only eight out of about one hundred known pests cause problem to the plant so hemp is normally grown without herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides (Hemp Facts).Hemp is also a natural weed suppressor due to the fa st growth of the canopy causing a blockage of the sun that does not allow for the weeds to grow (Hemp Facts). All of these things make hemp a cheaper, more environmentally friendly crop. Hemp has been one of the most widely used crops, all around the world, for more than 3000 years. With hemps thousands of uses, it could possibly save our country in this time of deficit. However, the United States still refuses to recognize it has being a potential economically beneficial crop because of a plant of the same species.Works Citied â€Å"Hemp Facts. † HempUSA. org. HempUSA. org, 1 June 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. Web Herer, Jack. â€Å"The Forgotten History of Hemp. † Earth Island Journal 5. 4 (1990): 35. EBSCOhost. Web. 12 Nov. 2011. Web Industrial Hemp in the United States: Status and Market Potential. Rep. no. AGES-ERSAGES001. Ers. usda. gov, Jan. 2000. Web. 25 Nov. 2011. Web West, David P. Hemp and Marijuana: Myths and Realities. Prescott, Wisconsin: North American Indust rial Hemp Council, 27 Feb. 1998. PDF. The World’s Most Understood Crop: Industrial Hemp and Its Economic Benefits Ms. Bonner English 290 16 December 2011 The World’s Most Understood Crop: Industrial Hemp and its Economic Benefits When most people hear the word hemp the first thing that comes to mind is marijuana. While hemp and marijuana are of the same plant species, Cannabis Sativa, they are different plants with their own chemical makeup. Hemp has been known as one of the world’s greatest agricultural crops of all time with a wide variety of uses. Unfortunately the United States still sees hemp as drug and the manufacturing of hemp is still illegal today.The United States is outlawing one of the most economically beneficial and functional crops of all times because of its cousin marijuana. Hemp was the world’s greatest agricultural crop for more than 1000 years before Christ until 1883 AD (Herer). The manufacturing and cultivation of hemp has been used for thousands of products and many different industries including producing a majority of the world’s fabric, fibe r, oil, paper, and even food. The earliest known fabric was made of hemp around 8000 BC (Herer).Ninety percent of all ships' sails from at least the fifth century BC until long after the invention of the steam engines in the mid- to late-19th century were made from hemp (Herer). Many of the ships’ logs, maps, and charts were made on hemp paper from the time of Columbus to the early 1900s (Herer). In the first century AD, the Chinese found that hemp paper lasted 50 to 100 times longer than most preparations of papyrus and that it was 100 times easier and cheaper to make (Herer).Eighty percent of all humankind's textiles and fabrics for clothes, tents, linens, rugs, drapes, quilts, bed sheets, towels and diapers were made principally from cannabis fibers in much of the world until the 20th century (Herer). Presidents Washington and Jefferson both grew hemp and Americans were even legally bound to grow during the Colonial Era and Early Republic (Hemp Facts). With all these uses for hemp, from almost the beginning of the known world, why would hemp be illegal today? Marijuana and industrial hemp come from the same species of plant, Cannabis Sativa.The species can yield two different plants, marijuana and industrial hemp. Comparing marijuana and industrial hemp is like comparing field corn and sweet corn. While they are both from the same species, the chemical makeup and final product is very different. Cannabis produces two major cannabinoids-THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) (West, Hemp and Marijuana). THC is the one responsible for the psychoactive effect that you get from smoking marijuana. CBD, on the other hand, has been found to block the effect of THC in the nervous system (West, Hemp and Marijuana).Marijuana usually contains 3 to 15 percent THC, while industrial hemp being grown normally contains less than 1 percent THC (Industrial Hemp in the United States). Many people believe that if industrial hemp was allowed to be grown that many people would still try and smoke it, but if one was to smoke industrial hemp, which is high in CBD and low in THC, it would actually counter act the THC and block the effect of a marijuana high. This shows that not only is hemp not marijuana but could possibly even be called â€Å"anti-marijuana. Even with this scientific information and the United States continues to outlaw the manufacturing of hemp. Other countries have recognized the difference between marijuana and industrial hemp. Current hemp varieties being grown in Canada and Europe are certified to have THC levels below 0. 3 percent (West, Hemp and Marijuana). The certification system was originally developed in Europe to allow for the commercialization of industrial hemp and takes into consideration the ratio of CBD to THC as well as the absolute percent THC (West, Hemp and Marijuana).The original THC threshold was 0. 8 percent. When varieties with lower levels of THC were developed by French breeders, the breed ers were able to persuade the European Union to reduce the tolerance further (West, Hemp and Marijuana). In the United States, Cannabis with any measurable trace of THC is illegal, CBD concentration is not considered at all. The United States is outlawing this potentially economic beneficial crop with no just cause and they are completely overlooking all of its uses and benefits. The United States’ laws have not always treated marijuana and hemp the same.The 1937 Marijuana Tax Act outlawed marijuana. The 1937 Marihuana Tax Act defined marijuana as: â€Å"(A)ll parts of the plant Cannabis sativa L. , whether growing or not; the seeds thereof; the resin extracted from any such plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant, its seeds, or resin; but shall not include the mature stalks of such plant, fiber produced from such stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of such plant, any other compound, manufacture salt, derivative, mi xture, or preparation of such mature stalks (except the resin xtracted there from), fiber, oil, or cake, or the sterilized seed of such plant which is incapable of germination. † The Act outlawed marijuana and punished people who grew it, without infringing on the rights of hemp growers. The act did not make hemp illegal but simply just put a tax on hemp. Dr. Andrew Wright, an agronomist with the University of Wisconsin's Agriculture Experiment Station and steward of the Wisconsin hemp industry during the first half of the twentieth century, wrote in 1918, â€Å"There are three fairly distinct types of hemp: that grown for fiber, that for birdseed and oil, and that for drugs. (West, Hemp and Marijuana). This shows that even in the early 1900s, we knew and understood there being a difference between hemp and marijuana. However, in 1970, the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act repealed the Marihuana Tax Act and instead changed its definition: â€Å"The term â⠂¬Ëœmarihuana' means all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa (L. ), whether growing or not, the seeds thereof, the resin extracted from any part of such plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant, its seeds or resin; . . † The key difference in this provision was that the 1937 Act used a system of taxation that allowed the government to punish the marijuana growers without punishing hemp growers. The 1970 Act abolished the taxation approach and effectively made all Cannabis cultivation illegal (West, Hemp and Marijuana). This act lumped marijuana and hemp into the same category. Why did the United States change their definition of the word and make hemp illegal? Why the United States changed its mind and decided to make hemp illegal is not really clear.There are not any definite answers. It could be that they realized that they couldn’t tax it anymore, the war on drugs, or that people that were growing hemp were abusin g their rights and also growing marijuana. It is up for anyone to speculate on. The only thing that is clear by hemp being illegal is that the United States is ignoring the economic benefits and uses of one of the most functional crops of all times. Hemp has been used for a wide variety of products for almost 3000 years.Overall, hemp is the strongest, most durable, and longest lasting natural soft fiber on the planet, which makes its fabric longer lasting, tougher, cheaper, cooler, and more absorbent than cotton (Herer). Hemp seed can be pressed into a healthy oil, which contains the highest amount of essential fatty acids of all plants. The byproduct of the pressed hemp seeds can be baked into cakes, breads, and casseroles and contains high quality protein (Hemp Facts). Another use for hemp is that it can be made into fuel.Hemp is the Earth’s number one biomass resource, capable of producing 10 tons of biomass per acre in only four months (Hemp Facts). This biomass can be co nverted into methane, methanol, or gasoline at a cost very similar to the cost petroleum (Hemp Facts). It can also produce 10 times more methanol than corn (Hemp Facts). Since hemp is a natural plant, the use of hemp as a fuel makes it better for the environment. It does not add to global warming. Not only is hemp as a fuel better for the environment, but using hemp fiber for paper is also better for the environment.One acre of hemp produces as much fiber as 4. 1 acres of trees (Herer). While trees cut down to make paper usually take about 50 years to grow, hemp is ready to be harvested in about 120 days (Hemp Facts). Since hemp takes less time to be ready to be harvested and it can produce more fiber per acre, hemp could possibly be the answer to the deforestation problem. Only eight out of about one hundred known pests cause problem to the plant so hemp is normally grown without herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides (Hemp Facts).Hemp is also a natural weed suppressor due to the fa st growth of the canopy causing a blockage of the sun that does not allow for the weeds to grow (Hemp Facts). All of these things make hemp a cheaper, more environmentally friendly crop. Hemp has been one of the most widely used crops, all around the world, for more than 3000 years. With hemps thousands of uses, it could possibly save our country in this time of deficit. However, the United States still refuses to recognize it has being a potential economically beneficial crop because of a plant of the same species.Works Citied â€Å"Hemp Facts. † HempUSA. org. HempUSA. org, 1 June 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. Web Herer, Jack. â€Å"The Forgotten History of Hemp. † Earth Island Journal 5. 4 (1990): 35. EBSCOhost. Web. 12 Nov. 2011. Web Industrial Hemp in the United States: Status and Market Potential. Rep. no. AGES-ERSAGES001. Ers. usda. gov, Jan. 2000. Web. 25 Nov. 2011. Web West, David P. Hemp and Marijuana: Myths and Realities. Prescott, Wisconsin: North American Indust rial Hemp Council, 27 Feb. 1998. PDF.

Description Of A Flight Recorder - 6028 Words

1. Introduction It is very difficult, when an accident occurs during a flight to determine precisely what happened for several reasons: ï‚ § Most of the time, during a flight, an aircraft is not in an environment where people cannot testimony what they saw (over water, high in the sky †¦) ï‚ § When the aircraft crashes, it is often in an area difficult to access (open sea, on a mountain, †¦) ï‚ § When the aircraft is ready to be examined, after being recovered from a difficult crash area or after a potential fire has been extinguished, the pieces are frequently severely damaged. To be able to retrace what happened during the last moments of the flight of the aircraft, before an accident or incident, a flight recorder has been developed. The information collected by this flight recorder can help the investigation teams to understand what happened even when the aircraft is badly damaged or even impossible to use to find answers. But developing a flight recorder is not simple precisely because it has to withstand a severe accident. When an extreme fire starts after a crash for example, the flight recorder has to stay in good conditions until it is recovered by someone on the crash site. Therefore, regulations, certifications and standards have been made to ensure that this element in the aircraft has all the required properties. Nowadays, the flight recorder has an increasing role to play in investigations of accidents because of the number of passengers that can be carried on aShow MoreRelatedDescription Of The Flight Recorder Systems8084 Words   |  33 Pagesreliability in extreme case through tests and certifications. ICAO – A8 - 1.3 The flight recorder systems, when tested by methods approved by the appropriate certificating authority, shall be demonstrated to be suitable for the environmental extremes over which they are designed to operate. 1.5 The manufacturer shall provide the appropriate certificating authority with the following information in respect of the flight recording systems: a) manufacturer’s operating instructions, equipment limitationsRead MoreBuilding A Department Of Natural Resources And Environmental Management1143 Words   |  5 Pagesphenomenon, provide extensive variations and abstract, enough to apply to a wide variety of contexts, and provide control in the sense of stating conditions under which the concept of co-management of forest resources is applicable in Liberia with a description of reasonable basis for action. During my final semester in spring of 2017, my research results will be submitted to related peer review journals for publication. I also intend to present my results at the United Nations’ annual summit at its headquartersRead MoreThe Crash Of The Plane Crash1587 Words   |  7 Pagesplane crash occurred on February 12, 2009, approximately 22.17 EST, when the turboprop Bombardier, Colgan Air, Inc., was executing the flight 3407, approaching to the international airport in Buffalo, New York. He crashed into a house in Clarence Center, (NY), five nautical miles to the northeast of the landing site, killing a man on the earth, the passengers and flight crew. Altogether, this tragedy claimed the lives of fifty people. The airplane was destroyed after hitting the ground and because ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Howard Zinn s The United States 1224 Words   |  5 Pagesaccount is misleading and biased. At one point, Zinn takes on a sort-of communist approach when he tells the reader: â€Å"I wanted my writing of history and my teaching of history to be a part of social struggle†¦ to be a part of history and not just a recorder and teacher of history. So that kind of attitude towards history, history itself as a political act, has always informed my writing and my teaching† (Flynn). Readers of A People’s History of the United States learn very little about history. TheyRead MoreThe Cold War By Alexander Zuyev1693 Words   |  7 Pagesa MiG-29 fighter jet and destroying other aircraft on the military base he served at in the process. He hoped that such a high-profile escape would cause his friends and colleagues to question what problems drove him to defecting; he left a tape recorder that explained his problems with the Soviet Union at his apartment in order to influence them as well. On May 20th, 1989, Alexander Zuyev successfully carried out his plans, and land ed his stolen jet in Turkey. He also sought out and was grantedRead MoreThe Vietnam War and Rock and Roll Music Essay1572 Words   |  7 Pages Correspondent Michael Herr catching helicopter rides out to the firebases, cassette rock and roll in one ear and door- gun fire in the other, or crouched under fire in a rice paddy while Jimi Hendrix music blares from the recorder held by the soldier next to him... Grunts linking arms in a beery E.M. club and screaming out the lyrics to the Animals We Gotta Get Out of This Place... The rock and roll war... To most of us, the VietnamRead MoreEssay about Almost Famous: Sex, Drugs, and Rock-n-Roll1503 Words   |  7 Pagesinflated egos and strung out rock stars. However, this is a rare occurrence in Almost Famous. It is a story of a boy, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), becoming a man while learning about the rock-n-roll culture with his only true friend, his tape recorder. William, age fifteen, is traveling with the band Stillwater to interview them for a Rolling Stone article, along the way he has many interesting experiences. Some of these including letting all the groupies stay in his room, almost crashing onRead MoreA Prototype Of Black Box For Vehicle2119 Words   |  9 PagesAbstract— The main purpose of the paper is to develop a prototype of Black Box for vehicle diagnosis that can be installed into any vehicle. Like flight data recorders in aircraft, Black Box† technology plays a key role in vehicle crash investigations. This prototype can be designed with mi nimum number of circuits. This can contribute to construct safer vehicles, improving the treatment for crash victims, helping insurance companies with their vehicle crash investigations, and enhancing road statusRead MoreCase Analysis : Asiana Flight 214 2315 Words   |  10 Pages Asiana flight 214 Name Affiliation Asiana flight 214 Introduction As working within aviation industry requires extraordinary attention and concentration due to being concerned with high risk rates, human factor tends to be one of wide-spread factors, contributing to the emergence of an accident. Since the Second World War, much progress has been made in improving aviation safety with respect to elaborating means of dealing with human factor-related issues. One of most important developmentsRead MoreEssay on Use of the Bird Motif in Invisible Man2374 Words   |  10 Pagesroosters in a barnyard (256).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Chapter 13 there is another image of birds, as the narrator flees after the police break up the eviction gathering:   . . .as I swung over a partition and went brushing past a huge cote and arousing a flight of frantic white birds, suddenly as large as buzzards as they beat furiously against my eyes, dazzling the sun as they fluttered up and away. . .(285).   After the narrator learns his pursuer is Brother Jack, he reflects that his movements were probably