Abstract
This paper examines theories related to the evolution of vertebrate flight--the arboreal and the cursorial theories--and explains how they are assumed to have led to flight, as well as why scientists disagree about their validity.

From the Paper
"Flight in the animal kingdom takes place when an animal flaps its wings and thus creates aerodynamic forces that enable it to soar through the air. The evolution of vertebrate flight is in many respects a black box. Studying vertebrate flight after the fact requires scientists to make educated guesses about how and why flight developed. The only data with which modern scientists have to work is the fossil record so scientists must fill in the gaps by hypothesizing how today's flying..."

Tags:vertebrate, flight, fly, evolution, arboreal, cursorial, animal, theory, fossil record

Abstract
This report is a short investigative paper into what happened to United Airlines Flight 173 that crashed on December 28, 1978, into a heavily wooded but populated suburban area of Portland as it attempted to approach the Portland International Airport. It looks at how crash reconstruction experts, on-flight recorders and eye witness accounts were used to help provide insights into why the tragic event occurred.

From the Paper
"In the flight crew's defense, they were said to have been completely preoccupied with a landing gear malfunction and therefore overlooked the fact that they were in serious trouble due to the fuel shortage. The obvious question that comes to mind about this tragedy could be that weren't there other options such as a gear up landing? There have been successful gear up landings in the past and with foam technology today, the runway could literally have been made to resemble ice. Of course fuel combustion is a major concern for gear up landings. "A commuter jet, carrying 52 passengers was forced to circle Wichita's Mid-Continent airport for 1-? hours Saturday morning."

Tags:flight, recorders, malfunction, portland

Abstract
This paper analyzes the work of Ishmael Reed, "Flight to Canada." The work tells of the importance of re-writing the slave narratives. In this work, there is a juxtaposing of genres, as poetry and prose are combined to tell different versions of the same story. In the end, both versions are valid, although the poetry allows the reader to see into Quickskill's emotions.

From the Paper
"Ishmael Reed's Flight to Canada is a telling work regarding the themes of the re-writing of history and an exploration of the African American experience. Reed is decidedly not interested in the Caucasian historical accounts of African American history, as is illustrated in this piece. One significant element of this work is the poems which are interspersed in between the story. These poems tell of the same details from the prose, yet they vary in features and in effectiveness. In Ishmael Reed's Flight to Canada, the opening poem, also entitled "Flight from Canada" tells of Quickskill's escape from slavery, and, although this tale is also related through the prose, the elements and thematic effectiveness of the poem allow the readers to understand Quickskill's character through a variety of means. Through the differences in the elements of the two genres, the reader ..."

Tags:flight, canada, reed

Abstract
There are 933 flight schools in the United States, ranging from private facilities mostly located at airports to complete two- and four-year programs at some of the nation's colleges and universities. How well does each prepare its students to become commercial pilots for airlines or small, local and regional carriers? In this paper, I will discuss some selected pilot training schools and show what they offer students. In addition, I will touch on the area of minority recruitment and the presence of minorities and women in commercial aviation.

Tags:role, flight, schools

Abstract
This paper takes a brief look at what characterizes American Airlines and the tactics they will have to employ if they hope to survive their current economic situation. This paper also takes a look at the reluctance of Americans to fly as a result of 9/11 and other terror attacks.

From the Paper
"The airline industry is characterized by very complex pricing dynamics, depending on travel distance, type of traveler, and domestic and international flights, to name a few of the many factors that determine the degree of price elasticity or inelasticity (Air travel demand elasticities: Concepts, issues and measurement). For long-haul international business travel, demand is not sensitive to fare changes because there are few close substitutes. On the other hand, long-haul domestic business travelers have much higher elasticities than international business travelers. Telecommunications has become more acceptable as a substitute in domestic markets due to common culture, laws, contracts, etc. Likewise, international leisure travelers have greater elasticity than do international business travelers. These consumers are more likely to either postpone their trips in response to higher fares or seek locations that are not as expensive. "

Tags:aeroplane, aircraft, fuel, budget, flight, destination, pricing

Abstract
This paper describes the war that existed in the Philippines after the Spain's defeat at the hands of the United States during the Spanish-American War. As a direct result of the war, the Philippines were given to the United States and the Filipino people who originally believed that they were fighting a war for freedom and independence against the Spanish begin to turn against American troops who they view as simply another occupying force. The first part of the paper gives a background to the Filipino insurgency and its main leader, General Emilio Aguinaldo. Aguinaldo's tactics of fighting a guerrilla war against American troops is examined, as well as the effectiveness of these attacks on shocking the American public back home. Feeling betrayed by America who promised the Filipino people freedom after the Spanish were defeated, Aguinaldo embarked on a series of deadly attacks on American soldiers in the Philippines. As a result, American troops responded with equal brutality in their reprisals with very little organized military command holding them back. Diaries are heavily cited in this section of the paper, giving primary sources that tell of how desperate the American soldiers were at the time and how they needed to racially dehumanize the enemy in order to commit such vicious acts of reprisal. The second part of the paper deals with how the American press responded to the war. Numerous newspaper articles and other criticisms of the war are given as examples, some written by the early 20th century's most prominent figures such as Mark Twain. The general point of this section is to show how deeply divided the American public was over the war in the Philippines and how many felt that it would lead to American involvement in other world affairs. A direct parallel is also drawn to the Iraq War in modernity. Finally, the paper ends with a detailed account of how individual soldiers from both sides viewed the conflict. The Filipinos clearly viewed the insurgency as a necessary action in order to preserve their promised independence, while many American soldiers were disgusted and frustrated with why they were in the country to begin with, and often responded violently towards the natives since they began to view them as subhuman. The psychology of warfare is briefly discussed, as soldiers often dehumanize the enemy as a means of justification of their own violent behavior. The end of the insurgency is also discussed, with American troops brutally putting down the rebellion and establishing a tight control over the entire area for decades.

From the Paper
"On April 11th, 1898, the President of the United States William McKinley went to Congress and asked the elected body to declare war on Spain for their role in oppression overseas and to accommodate public opinion that was strongly anti-Spanish due to the sinking of the United States battleship Maine only a few months earlier that was blamed on Spanish agents. Congress eventually sanctioned the war, and the Spanish-American war commenced with several battles over Spanish colonies such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. The war itself was over fairly quickly, as hostilities were ended only a few months after war was officially declared. The involvement in the former Spanish colonies clearly demonstrated that America had shifted to a strong imperialistic attitude when it came to the Western Hemisphere and indeed the world in general, and would be forced to endure all of the benefits and tribulations that came from being an imperialistic power."

Tags:aguinaldo, american, emilio, filipino, history, philippines, spanish, war, wars

Abstract
One of the most poignant quotes in American literature comes from Donald Briscoe, who stated that "To understand American Literature, it is necessary to examine both its fiction and its non- fiction because the key to the American Spirit can be found in both." This paper assesses Briscoe's quote through addressing two works of American fiction and two works of American non- fiction with the intent of proving how the spirit of the American people is reflected in both types of literature.

Tags:assessing, the, american

Abstract
This paper uses extensive information about colonial America and discusses the issue of an American identity. Analysis of the film 1776 and Thomas Paine?s Common Sense is used to demonstrate the strength of this identity. The thesis is as follows: As the film 1776 clearly demonstrates, during the American Revolution an American identity was stronger than it had ever been.

From the paper:

"Early American colonies were viewed as very individual and indeed in many instances had much closer ties to England than they did with each other. However, ties with England began to fray due to the poor of the colonies by England. Early examples of this were the Navigation Acts of 1660, which regulated commerce and ensured that ?everything went through England.? From this time, an American identity began to form. As tensions between England and the colonies grew stronger other factors arose to further the development of an American identity. ?Choice? in shopping and material possessions and the ?standardization of consumer behavior? (similar goods being available throughout the colonies ) enhanced unity throughout America. As the film 1776 clearly demonstrates, during the American Revolution an American identity was stronger than it had ever been."

Tags:1776, american, common, fathers, founding, independance, revolution, sense

Abstract
This paper looks at David Griffin's book, "The New Pearl Harbor", which discusses theories that the World Trade Center could not have been totally destroyed by two jets and that the Pentagon may have been hit by something other than American Airlines flight 77.

Tags:9/11, Bush, World Trade Center, United Flight 93, hi jacking, American flight 77, conspiracy, timed explosion, Patriot Act, terrorism, Bush administration

Abstract
One of the main questions asked by the American public regarding the 911 terror attacks, was: Why was nothing done to prevent this? The 911 Commission Report is a bipartisan analysis set out to answer this question and many others. This paper discusses how the extensive thirteen-chapter review looks at everything from the history of al Qaeda and other terrorist networks, to the exact approach the FAA, NORAD and our countries' leaders took in deciphering the attacks as they happened. It shows how, in the closing chapters, the commission gives advice on reorganizing the U.S. government's foreign as well as domestic policy as to better suit societies changing ways. This essay evaluates all these circumstances leading up to September 11, as well as evaluates the entire volume as to the author's opinion of the 911 Commission Report.

Paper Outline:
The History of the Attack and our Response
Fanatic Islam
Counter-terrorism
Recommendations of the Commission
My Opinion

From the Paper
"While I can agree with the commission's foreign policy recommendations, their recommendations with regard to domestic security are somewhat suspect. I can accept a biometric screening system for foreign nationals; however their recommendations with regard to identity documents sound like a national ID system. While for border security this is not too big a concern, the creeping reach of government programs means it will eventually be used for tracking citizen's movements within the US. That is not acceptable, no matter how many people terrorists kill."

Tags:CIA, FBI, Bin, Laden, Flight, 77, FAA, PATRIOT, Act