Minnesota Essays - MinneapolisSaint Paul, Minnesota, Minneapolis

Minnesota Hi! I'm Amanda. I chose to do my report on Minnesota because that's where I'm from. In fact, my whole family is from Minneapolis. I thought it would be interesting to know more about where I came from. So sit back, relax, and enjoy my report on Minnesota. Like all other states, Minnesota has many special qualities of its own. The Norway pine is the state tree. The loon is the state bird. The pink and white lady slipper is the lovely state flower. "Star of the North" is the state motto. Last but not least, the gopher is the state animal. They are all very interesting and unique to Minnesota. Minnesota is a weird name as many might think. That is because Indians made it up. In their language, minne means "water", and sotah means "sky-tinted". In that case, the nickname is "Land of Sky Blue Waters". There are over 4,757,757 people living in Minnesota. The four biggest cities are Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, and Bloomington. Minneapolis is the biggest, but St. Paul is the capitol. Minnesota is surrounded by the states of Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota and Canada. I've visited many of these states, and I can tell you that some of the nicest people live in Minnesota. In Minnesota, there are many interesting places to go. Some of the most popular are the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, the Mayo Clinic, Fort Snelling, the Glensheen Mansion, Ironworld USA, the Minnesota Zoo, Murphy's Landing, the Science Museum of Minnesota, Paul Bunyan Land, The Guthrie Theater, and one of the most popular of them all (especially me), the Mall of America. There are also many lakes, forests, state parks, and sporting events. I never knew there could be so many places to go in one state. Like many other states, Minnesota has its own ways of doing things. With natural resources of fertile soil, important minerals, and thick evergreen forests, the major industries are farming, mining, and the building of roads, office buildings and hotels. The crops farmers grow are corn, oats, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, peas, and many others. With all the big cities, I never knew there was so much farming in Minnesota. Minnesota's climate has four definite seasons. Temperatures average around 68 degrees F in July and 2 degrees F in January. Also, throughout the year, they get about 19 inches of rain and snow. It's a fun place to live if you like both summer and winter activities. There are many historical facts about Minnesota. Long ago glaciers covered most of the land that we now call Minnesota. Two famous French fur traders, Pierre Esprit Radisson and Medart Chouart were the first white men to set foot on this land. Before that, only Indians lived here. Another famous person, Sinclair Lewis (an American novelist) lived in Minnesota. Some other interesting facts about Minnesota are that it has the biggest mall in America (the Mall of America), and one of the most well known rivers in America (the Mississippi river) begins here. There are a lot of interesting things about Minnesota. When I chose to write about Minnesota, I just did it because that's where I was born. Until I did this report, I never knew how interesting one state could be. Now that I picked it, I feel I made a good choice. If I had to chose over again I wouldn't change my mind. After studying Minnesota, I'm very proud to say that's where I'm from.

Analysis of Elizabeth Keckleys Behind the Scenes Essay Example

Analysis of Elizabeth Keckleys Behind the Scenes Essay Example Analysis of Elizabeth Keckleys Behind the Scenes Paper Analysis of Elizabeth Keckleys Behind the Scenes Paper Brian Lindner Research Writing 109:2 Mrs. Linda Clary 6 October 2010 Analysis of Elizabeth Keckley’s Behind the Scenes The American Presidents have a distinct aura that surrounds them and covers their true identity with a faulty exterior, only portraying stoic, standup men. Elizabeth Keckley in her memoir Behind the Scenes gives us an inside look at President Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, as well as a look into her own life. Elizabeth Keckley was a black slave who bought her freedom, and worked for rich families as a seamstress, including working in the White House for Marry Todd Lincoln. She became close friends with Mrs. Lincoln and one of her only confidantes in the time after President Lincoln was assassinated (Dasher-Alston 1). In her piece Keckley explains how she sees the Lincolns at some of the best times that they have while in the White House as well as some of the worst times they have. Keckleys memoir gives us a deep look into three fascinating people’s true characteristics that would almost be unknown otherwise: Abraham Lincoln was a fun-loving, uncomplicated, caring man; Mary Todd Lincoln was an irritable, brash, strong woman; and Elizabeth Keckley was a hardworking, honest, and loyal woman. Abraham Lincoln gives off the appearance that he is always conducting himself with the up-most character and decorum, nearly always being pictured standing tall with his black suit and top hat however, this is not the case Mr. Lincoln was a fun-loving, uncomplicated man. He seems very relaxed at times almost like any other hard working man of that time. Keckley Lindner 2 accounts of a time where she was helping Mrs. Lincoln dress and he comes into the room: â€Å"Mr. Lincoln came in, threw himself on the sofa, laughed with Willie and little Tad, and commenced pulling on his gloves, quoting poetry all the while† (Keckley 178). Mr. Lincoln was also a simple man with simple pleasures. He owned two pet goats which he loved almost as if they were his own children. Lincoln is describing his goats to Keckley one afternoon and he says, â€Å"Madam Elizabeth, did you ever before see such an active goat? . . . [h]e feeds on my bounty, and jumps with joy. Do you think we could call him a bounty-jumper? But I flatter the bounty-jumper. My goat is far above him† (Keckley 179). In comparison many things are far above bounty-jumpers but to say that his goats can even compare to humans shows his love and shows how he treats them as if they were humans. Bounty-jumpers were men who accepted the cash bounty offered for enlisting in the civil war and then deserted (bounty jumper 1). Mr. Lincoln loved these simple pleasures in life; he was a fun-loving, uncomplicated man. Along with these fun characteristics he was also a caring man. He loved his children and his wife and kept them first in his life, but also had a kind word for all he came in contact with. Keckley gives examples of how President Lincoln laughs with his children, and would be outside playing with his children, and the fun they would share together playing with the pet goats (Keckley 178-79). It shows a lot into the character of the president that as busy as he was he made time for his children. He also treated his wife with an unconditional love. He complimented her and different times recited poetry to her. One instance President Lincoln said, â€Å"I declare you look charming in that dress. Mrs. Keckley has met with great success† (Keckley 178). The President used this playful use of poetry to both compliment his wife and be the romantic poetic husband every woman longs for. Lindner 3 The woman behind the great man was an irritable, brash woman. Mrs. Lincoln expected the best and sometimes perfection from the people she was around. When Keckley was being hired she remembered being in a room with three other dress makers waiting to be interviewed (Keckley 177). Keckley was the last to be seen as all the others could not meet the near perfect requirements that Mrs. Lincoln had set forth. She also made very brash, hasty decisions at different points. Keckley explains this brashness saying, â€Å"After Willie’s death, she could not bear the sight of anything he loved, not even a flower. Costly bouquets were presented to her . . . and [she] either placed them in a room where she could not see them, or threw them out the window† (Keckley 180). This quick, almost inconceivable action of throwing a gift out the window was an almost normal action for Mrs. Lincoln. Behind this brash, irritable exterior was a strong mother, who put up this front to hide pain and suffering. Mrs. Lincoln lost saw the death of one of her child and her husband cut short both of their lives. Following the death of Mr. Lincoln, one of the toughest things to deal with her son Tad pleads with her not to cry, because if he were to hear his mom crying he also would cry and break his heart. Mrs. Lincoln then calmed herself and hugged held her child (Keckley 183-84). Mrs. Lincoln in the time that she was suppose to be getting consoled put her son first, stopped crying, and put his needs before her own. Elizabeth Keckley was a hard working, honest woman. She worked hard to become the dress maker for the first lady. Keckley tells of a time when she was making a dress for Mrs. McClean one of her first customers, and she promised the dress would be made by Sunday. Keckley worked night and day working on that dress saying, â€Å"I would undertake the dress if I should have to sit up all night- every night, to make my pledge good† (Keckley 175). Keckley Lindner 4 did have the dress made by the deadline date keeping her word. It was this hard work and determination that led to her being the White House dress maker. Keckley was also a loyal friend to Mrs. Lincoln as well as her dress maker. She cared for her and Mrs. Lincoln trusted and confided in her. On the night that President Lincoln was shot, Keckley was overwhelmed with concern both for the President but also for Mrs. Lincoln. Keckley says, â€Å"I could not sleep. I wanted to go to Mrs. Lincoln as I pictured her with grief . . . and I must wait till morning (Keckley 182). Her first thoughts as often as they were, were not on herself and what this would mean for her career no longer being in the White House, but for her dear friend Mrs. Lincoln and the pain and grief she must have been going threw at this tragic time. Elizabeth Keckley takes us inside the White House, seeing the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln in a way that would otherwise be unknown, but in her telling us about them she also gives us great detail into her own life and the amazing woman she is. Abraham Lincoln will be remembered as a fun-loving, simple, and caring man, while Mrs. Lincoln will be remembered as brash, irritable, but ever so strong. Elizabeth Keckley who otherwise may be another unknown White House worker will be known for her hardworking, honest, and loyal ways. Beneath all these characters faulty exteriors lies a true interior that only a few can know, and because of Elizabeth Keckley, Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln are now seen in a different way. Lindner 5 â€Å"bounty jumper. † Def. 1. yourdictionary. com. Wiley, 2010. Web. 6 Oct. 2010. Dasher-Alston, Robin M. â€Å"Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley. † Voices From the Gaps. University of Minnesota, 6 Dec. 1998. Web. 6 Oct. 2010. Keckley, Elizabeth Hobbs. Behind the Scenes. Ed. Jay Parini. New York: Norton, 1999. Print.

Response to 3 students posting with 2 references each Coursework - 1

Response to 3 students posting with 2 references each - Coursework Example Therefore, through the support of various articles on the subject, I strongly agree that ‘perhaps a major factor that creates hurdles in dealing with these public policy issues is democracy itself’. As emphasized by Liverani (2009) that â€Å"democracies can be notoriously shortsighted when dealing with long term issues† (par. 4). The rationale for this could be that there are enumerable external factors that could influence diverse issues and so policy makers opt to decide on the most pressing issues given the resources and current macro environmental status of the time. The post was also in response to Dinesh Sah’s Post where we both saw the issue of seeing democracies as recommending policies more on a short-term leash (Liverani, 2009). Sandra’s contention, however, focused on the culture of "instant gratification"; which is also a valid point. According to Rivenburg (2004), â€Å"part of the problem is that technology and pop culture have trained people to expect instant gratification of their desires. So when a temptation comes along, theyre inclined to indulge it† (par. 12). There is so much focus on immediate outcome and results with little foresight being accorded to long term vision of the effects of one’s course of action. Therefore, to see policy-makers in a democratic society to manifest behaviors which exhibit the culture of instant gratification would also explain the lack of forbearance and foresight to resolve climate action on a more lasting and effective manner. De Yudice’s post was interesting in terms of illuminating the power of democracy at its best. Despite the apparent support from various policymakers and different stakeholders of the DREAM Act, the Senate reportedly made the firm decision of seeing it as a threat to being a precursor to invite more illegal aliens and encourage illegal immigration. As policymakers, democratic forces encourage making