The Inventor of Duct Tape

The Inventor of Duct Tape During the second world war, U.S. troops in the heat of battle had a strangely impractical way of reloading their weapons. Cartridges used for grenade launchers was one example. Boxed, sealed with wax and taped over to protect them moisture, soldiers would need to pull on a tab to peel off the paper tape and break the seal. Sure, it worked... except when it didnt, soldiers were left scrambling to pry the boxes open. The Story of Vesta Stoudt Vesta Stoudt had been working at factory packing and inspecting these cartridges when she got to thinking that there had to be a better way. She also happened to be a mother of two sons serving in the Navy and was particularly perturbed that their lives and countless others were left to such chance. Concerned for the welfare of sons, she discussed with her supervisors an idea she had to fabricate a tape made from strong, water-resistant cloth. And when nothing came of her efforts, she penned a letter to then-President Franklin Roosevelt detailing her proposal (which included a hand-sketched diagram) and closing by making a plea to his conscience: We cant let them down by giving them a box of cartridges that takes a minute or two to open, enabling the enemy to take lives that might be saved had the box been taped with strong tape that can be opened in a split second. Please, Mr. President, do something about this at once; not tomorrow or soon, but now. Oddly enough, Roosevelt passed Stoudts recommendation on to military officials, and in two weeks time, she received notice that her suggestion is being considered and not too long after was informed that her proposal had been approved. The letter also commended her idea was of exceptional merit. Before long, Johnson Johnson, which specialized in medical supplies, was assigned and developed a sturdy cloth tape with a strong adhesive that would come to be known as â€Å"duck tape,† which garnered the company an Army-Navy E Award, an honor given out as a distinction of excellence in the production of war equipment. While Johnson Johnson was officially credited with the invention of duct tape, it’s a concerned mother who will be remembered as the mother of duct tape.  Ã‚   How Duct Tape Works The initial iteration that Johnson Johnson came up with isn’t much different from the version on the market today. Comprised of a piece of mesh cloth, which gives it tensile strength and rigidity to be torn by hand and waterproof polyethylene (plastic), duct tape is made by feeding the materials into a mixture that forms the rubber-based adhesive. Unlike glue, which forms a bond once the substance hardens, duct tape is a pressure-sensitive adhesive that relies on the degree in which pressure is applied. The stronger the pressure, the stronger the bond, particularly with surfaces that are clean, smooth and hard. Who uses duct tape? Duct tape was a huge hit with soldiers due to its strength, versatility and waterproof properties. Used to make all sorts of repairs from boots to furniture, it’s also a popular fixture in the world of motorsports, where crews use strips to patch up dents. Film crews working on-set have a version called gaffer’s tape, which doesn’t leave a sticky residue. Even NASA Astronauts pack a roll when they go on space missions. Besides repairs, other creative uses for duct tape include strengthening cellular reception on the Apple iPhone 4 and as a form of medical treatment for removing warts called duct tape occlusion therapy, which research hasn’t been proven to be effective. Duct tape or duck tape? In this case, either pronunciation would be correct. According to Johnson Johnson’s website, the original green sticky cloth tape got its name during world war II when soldiers started calling it duck tape for the way liquids seem to roll off like water off a duck’s back. Not long after the war, the company launched a metallic-silver version called duct tape after executives discovered it can also be used to seal heating ducts. Interestingly enough, however, scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory conducted field tests on heating ducts and determined that duct tape was insufficient for sealing leaks or cracks.

How to Teach Your Students to Write Biography Poems

How to Teach Your Students to Write Biography Poems Biography poems, or Bio poems, are a quick and easy way for young students to learn poetry. They allow students to express their personality and introduce themselves to others, making them a perfect activity for the first day of school. Bio poems can also be used to describe someone else, making them perfect for history lessons or other subjects where students might be studying key historical figures. You will see in the examples below that students can research someone like Rosa Parks, then create a Bio poem on her. Example Bio Poems Here are three examples of Bio Poems. One is about a teacher, one is about a student, and one is about a famous person that students researched. Sample Bio Poem of a Teacher Beth Kind, funny, hard-working, loving Sister of Amy Lover of Computers, Friends, and Harry Potter books Who feels excited on the first day of school, sad when she watches the news, and happy to open a new book Who needs people, books, and computers Who gives help to students, smiles to her husband, and letters to family and friends Who fears war, hunger, and bad days Who would like to visit the pyramids in Egypt, teach the world’s greatest third graders, and read on the beach in Hawaii Resident of California Lewis Sample Bio Poem of a Student Braeden Athletic, strong, determined, fast Son of Janelle and Nathan and brother to Reesa Loves the Diary of a Whimpy Kid books, sports, and Baked Beans Who feels happy when playing with friends, and happy when playing sports and being with his family Who needs books, family, and Legos to by happy in life Who makes people laugh when someone is sad, who likes to gives smiles, and loves hugging Fears the dark, spiders, clowns Would like to visit Paris, France Resident of Buffalo Cox Sample Bio Poem of a Person Researched Rosa Determined, Brave, Strong, Caring Wife of Raymond Parks, and mother of her children Who loved freedom, education, and equality Who loved to stand up for her beliefs, loved to help others, disliked discrimination Who feared racism would never end, who feared she wouldnt be able to make a difference, who feared she wouldnt have enough courage to fight Who changed history by standing up to others and making a difference in equality Who wanted to see an end to discrimination, a world that was equal, and respect was given to all Born in Alabama, and resident in Detroit Parks

Comedy Of Errors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comedy Of Errors - Essay Example The actions were perfectly organized by the set designer Nina Ball. From the first moment of the play, the audience was hypnotized with the songs and cues, approximating the action to the present days. The touching scene was a shipwreck, which separated the family and created the intrigue over the plot. The role of Dromeo twins was perfectly played by Danny Scheie. The main female characters – Adriana (Nemuna Ceesay) and Luciana (Tristan Cunningham) represented the brilliant scene getting the best lines and the total affection of the audience. Costumes designer Beaver Bauer surprised the audience with the simplicity of dresses suitable for the comical style of the play. The main theme of the play is the loss of individuality represented by the characters of twins. The production concept helps to understand the themes and values of the play. Shakespeares works in the forms of drama, comedy or tragedy are unique because they cover the psychological aspect of the personality. All the production elements came together perfectly to form one whole artistic piece. The play contains a deep interest in the person’s nature, his feelings, inspirations and passions, sorrows and numerable mistakes. Shakespeare’s plays are often really metaphorical and his verves might be difficult to understand. The comedy has some contextual meaning devoted to love, though he term â€Å"love† is not really used in the play. All of us realize what love is and have experienced it at least once in a lifetime, but it is often difficult to define the meaning of love and put the perception of this phenomenon into words. It is even understood differently by people. Rationalists and the adherents of science claim it to be just a chemical reaction in the human brain; cynics insist that this feeling is a disease, but the comedy manages to show it as an art, whereas the author

Talk about the comnponents that make the cell phone work, then talk Essay

Talk about the comnponents that make the cell phone work, then talk about the effect the cell phone has on people and culture in - Essay Example Naturally, this discussion of the production and internal componentry of the iPhone, as well as raw materials, will engage a discussion upon labor standards, working conditions, international trade, and a litany of other topics. It is the hope of this author that such a broad level of discussion will provide the reader with a nuanced understanding of how the globalization of the world is evidenced in something as seemingly simple as a cell phone. Firstly, it must be understood that the cell phone is not singular piece of technology. Rather, is a complex miniature computer that derives its compliments from a litany of different manufacturers in a great number of different places throughout the world. Whereas the previous era saw the flip phone being produced by a single manufacturer in only a handful of different factories, the current era is one in which smartphones dominate the market. By very definition, a smartphone is a type of small tablet PC; capable of light computing tasks, g aming, and processing of various types (Montlake 42). As one might expect, the increased complexity requires that an increased number of manufacturers and complement providers are responsible for providing these parts. Accordingly, the first section of this analysis will be contingent upon where most of the major parts for the iPhone come from. Although it is commonly understood that Foxconn is responsible for putting them together, it is only once these parts have been manufactured that Foxconn enters the equation whatsoever. Although a direct competitor to the iPhone, Samsung electronics is responsible for making the main processor as well as the flash memory that the iPhone relies upon to store data. Naturally, without the flash memory and/or the processor itself, the iPhone would be effectively useless. Samsung has a litany of different factories around the globe; however, the ones that are responsible for making the flash memory and the processor are located within the Peopleâ €™s Republic of China and South Korea (Wright 47). Interestingly, even though the processor is made by Samsung, it is made under license and ultimately legally owned by ARM Holdings; a British firm that originally designed architectural license for the way in which the processor works. Moreover, the iPhone does not simply have one processor; it has a minimum of two. As such, Germany’s Infeneon Technologies is responsible for supplying the second processor that serves as the phones brainstem. Moreover, the same company referenced above is also responsible for providing the transceiver for the iPhone. As such, these compliments are ultimately made within Germany and subsequently sold and shipped to Foxconn/Apple as a function of piecing the iPhone together. Another British firm, Wolfson Microeletronics, is responsible for the creation of the audio processing chip. This audio processing chip is used not for the calls that are made to it from individuals utilizing iPhone; rat her, it is used as a means of providing a transcription for the audio files stored on flash memory and encoding not surprisingly, the same

Essay --

Joseph J. Ellis is a known historian of early American history, and an award-winning author. In 2001, he won the Pulitzer Prize in History for his book Founding Brothers. Ellis has authored several other history books about the Revolutionary generation, including: The Character and Legacy of John Adams; American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic; His Excellency: George Washington; and many more. Ellis earned his B.A. from the College of William and Mary in 1965. He then received a Master of Arts, a Master of Philosophy, and a PhD from Yale University. Ellis is also a regular contributor to several notable publications including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The New Yorker. His Excellency: George Washington was published in 2004, Ellis intended to seek the major periods of Washington's life in order to offer a profile of the man "first in War, first in Peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Ellis sta tes that his goal in writing His Excellency was to not produce a work that examined not George Washington's life, but his personality and how his life shaped it. Ellis focuses on very specific questions here, namely how George Washington’s character influenced his public decisions, and how he came to be the symbol of not just American leadership but, earlier, of the entire Revolutionary cause. He traces Washington's life from his youthful, energetic, impulsive military decisions and a string of near-catastrophic mistakes, to his later, steady leadership of the fledgling American republic. Ellis demonstrates the parts of Washington's character such as his ability to turn down offered powers, which then he turns into not just his own personal success bu... ...uccessful in his initial strategy for the War of Independence, losing almost every engagement fought against the British and their Prussian allies. He serves throughout the entire war unharmed by bullet, blade, or bomb, seemingly lucky or perhaps protected by divine providence. The colonists are joined by France and win a critical battle at Saratoga, New York. Overall 8 long years would pass and the Continental Army would suffer from disease (smallpox), lack of supplies, low morale, and no pay before finally striking the winning blow at Yorktown, Virginia against General Cornwallis. Washington, weary and much aged from the years of battles and deprivation, he then â€Å"retired† to his landholdings and slave labor estates. Despite his previous withdrawal from public life Washington accepts the Presidency when elected and cements his legacy as the â€Å"father of our country.†

The Problem with Exotic Pets in America

Abstract Many Americans love to have exotic pets, not thinking of the consequences of ownership. Right now there is a widespread problem in America: In places such as Florida, numerous types of exotic pets are becoming an invasive species as a result of being released back into the wild. The Problem with Exotic Pets in America.Exotic pets have always been a concern to a variety of people: health care officials who treat bites from these animals, insurance companies who have to cover businesses that employ performers who have live exotic animals In their acts (such s ‘Siegfried and Ron and customs agents who Inspect cargo ships for Illegal animals Just to name a few. The problem however, has taken a turn for the worse recently as a result of several things which have occurred not Just in the past year, but also In the past decade. Exotic animals are becoming a problem In the US and a hazard to people, pets, and livestock.Some background Information will now be provided. Almost e veryone above the age of 20 remembers what happened to Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy when Monterey, the tiger Roy was working with, bit him on the neck and dragged him away. This brought Into focus the warning about -you can take the animal out of the wild, but you can't take the wild out of the animal. † As reported by Miguel Marquee (2003) to CNN, Roy horn was critically injured as a result of the attack and audience members Initially thought It was part of the act until they heard Rosy scream behind the curtain.Some say this act alone brought an end to performers using live animals, not just exotic animals, in their acts. According to the National Invasive Species Center's website (n. D. ). , one form of exotic pet that became an invasive species is the Northern Snaked. This species of fish, originally from mainland China, was brought to the US as an Import and was sold mostly in Asian fish markets as food but also in some pet shops as an exotic pet. When it was discovered in a lake in Maryland in 2002 and in other places such as the Potomac River, it was outlawed and labeled an invasive species.This was mostly due to Its rapid reproduction rate and high level of aggressiveness. Because It had no known natural predators, It soon became the apex predator In the waters where It lived and devoured the local indigenous fish. Like the Asian Carp, Northern Skinheads continue to be a problem on the east coast, but unlike the Asian Carp, their numbers are decreasing through the efforts of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.For purposes to this essay, the impact the Burmese Python NAS and on southern Florida will be used to demonstrate the problem with exotic pets. On October 27, 2011, a 16 foot Burmese Python was captured by South Florida Water Management workers in the Everglades National Park. This snake was credited with being â€Å"one of the largest ever found in southern Florida† and after killing the Python wit h a hooting, a 76 pound adult deer was discovered inside (Douglas, B. 2011). Considering the size of the deer this particular snake was able to eat, one needs to ask the question of what could have happened if this snake had been captured in an inhabited rural area. Considering the size of the snake and its diet, it would no doubt seek out easy prey such as pets or even small children. Sadly, this is not the first time a large snake such as a Python was captured in the wilds of Florida and the problem is not exclusive to Just snakes.Although snakes form the predominant indigenous return being caught, Florida is also plagued with the Nile Monitor Lizard and several aggressive species of iguanas such as the spiny-tailed iguana and the green iguana (National Biological Information Infrastructure, n. D. ). In an article written by Seal and Carmela (2009), Florida instituted a program called the ‘Python Patrol,' in which members of the Park Ranger Service and several other agencies actively look for creatures such as Pythons and other invasive species.The article describes some of the duties and responsibilities of the ‘Python Patrol' and also discusses some of the problems they face and their concerns. An example of one of the things the ‘Python Patrol' looks for in the Everglades are nests and states that the everglades are a perfect habitat for the Burmese Python. They also cite in one instance how the largest cache of eggs found was 83 eggs. Another problem they cite in the article is that in the everglades, the snakes are able to grow at an accelerated rate due to the abundance of food.One thing to note about the Burmese Python is that it can reach up to 20 feet in length and weigh as much as 200 pounds when fully grown. This fact makes it an extremely dangerous predator. The one key thing that links all of the previously discussed information together is that these animals all started off as exotic pets. The problem is more prevalent in Flor ida then in other areas as most of these animals were released by their owners back into the wild rather than being given to a zoo or other appropriate agency for safekeeping and care.In 1992, according to an article written by B. Coronet (2009), Hurricane Andrew destroyed several pet shops containing numerous snakes and other exotic pets. In the aftermath of the storm, many of these snakes escaped into the countryside and have been breeding for 19 ears (an interesting side note to this article is the picture on the website where the article is located showing a Burmese Python in a struggle with an American Alligator). However, for every snake caught how many more remain unaccounted for in the wild and how large have they grown?When one considers that a Python is a stealthy ambush predator, trying to take a census of the Burmese Python population is practically impossible and rather silly: In the wild, the Python's skin coloration and pattern make it virtually invisible to the naked eye. In closing, the capture and eradication of the Burmese Python may never truly be accomplished. As man expands and encroaches upon what little wilderness remains, there are bound to be encounters and clashes with wildlife. The Burmese Python is no exception: it NAS been captured on roads in Florida towns near marshes, under brush piles in backyards, and in several homes.When one does appear in a Florida neighborhood, local authorities are notified and a specially trained crew is sent to retrieve the animal. This would appear as only a stop-gap measure at best: Currently, attempts to control the spread of the Python have met with somewhat positive results, but as previously stated, the more man encroaches on nature the more request these encounters will occur. The best we can hope for is that these encounters do not result in violence or the death off child.

Descriptive Essay - Original Writing - 895 Words

[Note: Instead of [Y/N] or third point of view, it is now first point of view to receive the best experience in reading!] The evening sky glister down to the reflection of the streets covered in white snow, little crystals shining brightly as ever. I reached Chiyoda where Itachi told me to meet up. As I was waiting in front of the Tokyo station, I watched strangers with their families, friends or beloved ones laughing and chatting. Additionally, I notice that the city transform into a sparkling winter wonderland as millions of colorful lights are displayed in trees, on and around buildings. It was truly a remarkable and unbelievable sight. I hummed to a variety of Christmas song to keep me occupy and of course, bring my Christmas spirit. A small smile appeared on my face as I couldn’t stop to think that I will be spending time with Itachi, best of all experience Marunouchi Illumination. It was told from my research that there will be an elegant and eco-friendly evening stroll spot. As you wander down the tree-lined of Marunouchi naka-dori, you’re suppose to feel like a princess or a queen as possible 200 roadside trees of LED bulbs with their original shade of champagne gold, twinkling elegantly on the trees lining. I giggled to myself, envisioning the picture perfect and the â€Å"date†. It’s going to be truly amazing! â€Å"Hey, sorry I’m late! How long did you wait?† Itachi asks, huffing and puffing. I stared lovingly to his onyx eyes. His nose were red like the uniqueShow MoreRelatedDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1110 Words   |  5 PagesI don’t know how I got to where I am, but I’m here now, and I have to win if I want to live. I am in a game, and in order to live, I have to escape. That’s the thing, though: I don’t know how to escape. I was running for my life around this old house that looked like it came straight out of a horror movie. I doubled over and held my head in pain as I saw the static, which meant it was coming. 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