Jordan essays

Jordan essays The NBA is one of the oldest leagues in the history of sports, and the Chicago Bulls one of the oldest and most famous teams in the history of basketball. The one person who has taken the Chicago Bulls to such heights is none other than Michael Jordan. Despite his self imposed temporary retirement in 1993, which lasted more than a year, Michael Jordan has once again established his reputation as one of the best players in the long history of the National Basketball Association. Now that he is back, Jordan leads the league in scoring with 31.2 points per game (through Tuesday, March 19, 1996). Michael has also lead the Chicago Bulls to defend the United Center, Home of the Chicago Bulls, with no losses so far; the home record being 33-0. Furthermore, Jordan was once again the Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game held this year in San Antonio. What is the difference between "Air" Jordan (as he is popularly known) two years ago, when he retired, and in 1996, one year after his return to the game he loves the most? Anyone can easily say "none". Can Air Jordan still fly? Of course he can! Just because he did not participate in the Slam-Dunk Contest in San Antonio, it doesn t mean he cannot fly anymore. He is capable of doing the same dunks he use to; only his legs are a little older. By far, Jordan still leads the NBA in scoring as he used to thirty months ago. Right now he leads the league with 31.2 points per game; thirty months ago, he led the league with 32.3 points per game -preretirement lifetime average for 667 games. The new average is after only playing 65 games. "From a statistical standpoint, Michael Jordan is virtually the same player he was before his retirement", commented Terry Armour of the Chicago Tribune (Armour 5). Just ten days after his comeback, Jordan scored a season-high 55 points as the Bulls beat the New York Knicks 113-111. In the long and illustrious history of Madison Square Garden Michael ...

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.