Who Was Yuri Gagarin

Every April, people around the world celebrate the life and works of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. He was the first person to travel into outer space and the first to orbit our planet. He accomplished all this in an 108-minute flight on April 12, 1961. During his mission, he commented on the feeling of weightlessness that everyone who ever goes into space experiences. In many ways, he was a pioneer of spaceflight, putting his life on the line not just for his country, but for the human exploration of outer space.   For Americans who remember his flight, Yuri Gagarins space feat was something they watched with mixed feelings: yes, it was great that he was the first man to go to space, which was exciting. His was a much-sought-after achievement by the Soviet space agency at a time when his country and the United States were very much at odds with each other. However, they also had bittersweet feelings about it because NASA hadnt done it first for the U.S.A. Many felt the agency had somehow failed or  was being left behind in the race for space. The flight of Vostok 1 was a milestone in human spaceflight, and Yuri Gagarin put a face on the exploration of stars.   The Life and Times of Yuri Gagarin Gagarin was born on March 9, 1934. As a young adult, he took flight training at a local aviation club, and his flying career continued in the military. He was selected for the Soviet space program in 1960, part of a group of 20 cosmonauts who were in training for a series of missions that were planned to take them to the Moon and beyond. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin climbed into his Vostok capsule and launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome—which remains today as Russias premier launch site. The pad he launched from is now called Gagarins Start. Its also the same pad that the Soviet space agency launched the famous Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957. A month after Yuri Gagarins flight to space, U.S. astronaut Alan Shephard, Jr., made HIS first flight to and the race to space went into high gear. Yuri was named Hero of the Soviet Union, traveled the world talking of his accomplishments, and rose quickly through the ranks of Soviet Air Forces. He was never allowed to fly to space again, and became the deputy training director for the Star City cosmonaut training base. He continued flying as a fighter pilot while working on his aerospace engineering studies and writing his thesis about future space planes. Yuri Gagarin died on a routine training flight on March 27, 1968, one of many astronauts to die in space flight accidents ranging from the Apollo 1 disaster to the Challenger and Columbia shuttle mishaps. There has been much speculation (never proven) that some nefarious activities led to his crash. Its far more likely that erroneous weather reports or an air vent failure led to the deaths of Gagarin and his flight instructor, Vladimir Seryogin.   Yuris Night Since 1962, there has always been a celebration in Russia (Former Soviet Union) called Cosmonautics Day, to commemorate Gagarins flight to space. Yuris Night began in 2001 as a way to celebrate his achievements and those of other astronauts in space. Many planetariums and science centers hold events, and there are celebrations at bars, restaurants, universities, Discovery Centers, observatories (such as Griffith Observatory), private homes and many other venues where space enthusiasts gather. To find more about Yuris Night, simply Google the term for activities.   Today, astronauts on the International Space Station are the latest to follow him into space and live in Earth orbit. In the future of space exploration, people may well start living and working on the Moon, studying its geology and mining its resources, and preparing for trips to an asteroid or to Mars. Perhaps they, too, will celebrate Yuris Night and tip their helmets in memory of the first man to head to space.

The Bad Emperors of Rome Essay - 1677 Words

Caring, respectable, valued and honoured are all traits desirable of an emperor. Augustus encompassed all of these and went as far as restoring the Republican government from its once fallen state, but this was all forgotten when Tiberius became emperor. Tiberius was corrupt by power and Rome began to live in an era of destruction. As well, the subsequent emperors, Caligula and Nero followed in the same path, portraying violence and negatively impacting the city of Rome. Their reign caused them to be unpopular as each marginalized pietas, the duty towards the Gods, family, homeland, and followers, which is highly valued by the romans. This can be seen through the actions and behaviours throughout their time as they were destructive†¦show more content†¦His accessibility to the people became nonexistent as he declared he would no longer assist anyone. A hatred for his brother Drusus formed and he treated his wife poorly, depriving her of the dowry left to her by her fat her and forbidding her to go outside of the house or talk to any men. As well, when his mother became very ill, Tiberius showed no priority to visit her. When she died, he refused to attend her funeral establishing a lack of respect and honour for her. Also outlining the betrayal of his family is the starvation of his three grandsons. He destroyed every bit of family he had, thus destroying the support of his followers as well, as Romans did not respect those who could harm their family in such a way. While in Capri, Tiberius was alone enjoying his privacy when a fisherman approached him. Tiberius, being irritated by this disturbance, ordered his face to be mutilated with the claws of the crab from which the fisherman made an offering. The people of Rome were fearful of Tiberius, such that when they were called to trial, they stabbed themselves in their homes. One day, both women and boys were strangled to death by Tiberius’ executioner, but according to ancient custo ms, it is unlawful to kill a virgin in such a manner. So the executioner raped the young girls not long before strangling them. He came up with multiple ways of torturing people, such as hanging men by their genitals and stoppingShow MoreRelatedThe Fall Of The Roman Empire950 Words   |  4 PagesThe Roman Empire was undoubtedly the most powerful Empire the Mediterranean area had ever seen. However, the inevitable Roman Empire was destined to fall after the series of problems that made the once prominent empire fade away. Rome was easily the center of the world at its time and the idea that such an influential empire would eventually fall was unheard of. The Roman Empire was not built in a day; therefore it was not destroyed in one day. The powerful empire declined for many reasons, but theRead MoreCorrupted Imperial Rome1089 Words   |  5 PagesImperial Rome was an era that had drastic political benefits and deficits. There were a variety of different dynasties that ruled duri ng this period. All of the dynasties ruled after the assassination of Julius Caesar. He was thought to be a conspirator of corruption, but his death was to promote corruption. Among the leaders of Rome, corruption was widespread. Augustus was one of many leaders that supported corruption. Julius Caesar was executed for supporting corruption. Coincidentally, JuliusRead MoreEssay on Commodus1453 Words   |  6 PagesSome claim that Commodus was the worse emperor in the history of Rome. The fact that his father, Marcus Aurelius, was a popular and successful ruler may have raised the precedent that Commodus had to live up to. But for whatever reason, Commodus proved a disconnected and self indulgent leader. At the age of five Commodus was named Caesar, and at the age of seventeen he became co-Augustus with his father. He spent his childhood accompanying Marcus Aurelius on political campaigns, and learned a lotRead MoreReflecting on Why the Roman Empire was Great Essay838 Words   |  4 PagesAs one reflects back on history Rome is an empire that stands out for its greatness, however many question on how and what caused them to have this greatness, was it the leaders, its location on earth, its military or was it the ability to change. It could be assumed that is the leadership that passed through Roman history that made it great but a greater question is are these leaders great through pedigree and lineage or was it by accountability. Rome was a land that started with kings moved toRead More†¢ When Christianity first began they adopted all sorts of pagan religious aspects in to their ways800 Words   |  4 Pagesbecause of romans, only christens got sympathy from other people. †¢Although Christianity caused many problems for Rome it is not the only cause of the fall of Rome. Rome fell from a combination of many different problems including Christianity. †¢Christianity was a peaceful religion and as more and more people converted there where less and less people willing to fight in Romes armys so Rome had to hire soldiers. †¢These hired soldiers were not cheap and that lead to budget problems which lead to moreRead MoreWas Justinian A Good Or Bad Emperor881 Words   |  4 PagesWas Justinian a good or bad Emperor In almost any leader in history we can see a combination of good and bad qualities. The Byzantine emperor Justinian was such a leader he was born a peasant and had a 40 year reign, two years before taking the throne he married Theodora who was a former concubine, he exhibits traits showing both great talents and great personality flaws. Emperor Justinian is sometimes referred to as the last of the Roman Emperors and he desired to return Rome to all of her formerRead MoreThe Entertainment System Of Ancient Rome Essay1028 Words   |  5 PagesSystem of Ancient Rome Christian Goodrum English II Miss Charles October 13, 2016 In ancient Rome the crazed dictator, Julius Caesar, came up with the idea to make slaves fight against wild animals or other slaves. These slaves, often unarmed, would get brutally slaughtered. During the reign of Julius Caesar tensions in the Roman Republic high tensions could shift power away from the line of Caesars. Caesar used these gladiators to entertain the middle class of Rome called the â€Å"Plebeians†Read MoreChristianity And The Roman Empire979 Words   |  4 Pagesetc†¦ But it was after the third century when Christianity started to form part and get a place in the Roman Empire. Christianity made a huge impact in Rome. Also, followers of this religion suffered from emperor’s thoughts and conclusion about Christianity. Furthermore, the Christians were in persecution for many years; however, after the emperor Constantine with the constantinian dynasty, everything seems to be effective for the Christians. The long years that took the Christian people t o achieveRead MoreEmperors of the Roman Empire1028 Words   |  4 PagesEmperors In Ancient Rome, the government was controlled by an emperor starting with Julius Caesar. After his death, men jockeyed for power throughout the next several centuries. Each emperor had his own strengths and weaknesses which made them either beloved or hated by their people. If loyalty to the people and doing what is best for the citizens of the nation or state is the most important criteria on which to judge an emperor, then the success or failure of the emperor can be judged by comparingRead MoreSex in the City-the Roman Empire1579 Words   |  7 Pagesmuch less taboo than it is in todays society. If you could go back in time and walk around the streets of Rome you would find sex everywhere. From graffiti on walls, to brothels in the middle of town, sex just did not have the stigma and guilt that we associate with it today. No men took advantage of this more than the men with the most power, the emperors. Although many of the Roman Emperors were perverse you only have to look at the first three to find how the morals for the Roman Empire were

Stefan’s Diaries Origins Chapter 22 Free Essays

The week of the Founders Ball came with a cold spell that settled into Mystic Falls and refused to leave. Ladies walked around town in midafternoon in wool coats and shawls, and the evenings were cloudy and starless. Out in the field, workers fretted about an early frost. We will write a custom essay sample on Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 22 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Still, that didn’t stop people from as far away as Atlanta coming into town for the ball. The boarding-house was full, and the entire town had a carnival-like air in the days leading up to the event. Damon was back at Veritas, his mysterious tenure with the brigade over. I hadn’t told him that Katherine and I were attending the Founders Ball, and he hadn’t asked. Instead, I’d busied myself with work, feeling renewed vigor about taking over Veritas. I wanted to prove to Father that I was serious about the estate and about growing up and assuming my place in the world. He’d been giving me more responsibility, allowing me to look over the ledgers and even encouraging me to go to Richmond with Robert to attend a livestock auction. I could see my life, ten years from now. I’d run Veritas, and Katherine would run the inside of the home, hosting parties and playing the occasional card game at night with Father. The night of the ball, Alfred knocked on my door. â€Å"Sir? Do you require any assistance?† he asked as I swung the door open. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I was dressed in a black long-tailed coat and tie, with my hair slicked back. I looked older, more confident. Alfred followed my gaze. â€Å"Looking smart, sir,† he allowed. â€Å"Thank you. I’m ready,† I said, my heart fluttering in excitement. Last night, Katherine had teased me mercilessly, not giving me any clues as to what she was going to wear. I couldn’t wait to see her. I knew she’d be the most beautiful girl at the ball. More important, she was mine. I headed down the stairs, relieved that Damon was nowhere to be found. I wondered whether he was attending the Founders Ball with some of his army friends or perhaps one of the town’s girls. He’d been distant lately, impossible to find in the morning and at the tavern at night. Outside, the horses were pawing at the drive. I entered the waiting coach, which clip-clopped its way to the carriage house. I glanced out the window, and noticed Katherine and Emily standing at the front door. Emily wore a simple black silk dress, but Katherine †¦ I had to press my back into the carriage seat to keep from jumping out of the moving coach. Her dress was emerald green, nipping in at the waist dress was emerald green, nipping in at the waist before flowing over her hips. The bodice was low and tight and showed off her creamy white skin, and her hair was pulled back on the top of her head, exposing her graceful, swan-like neck. The second Alfred pulled back on the horses’ reins, I opened the door of the coach and hopped out, smiling broadly as Katherine’s eyes caught mine. â€Å"Stefan!† Katherine breathed, lifting her skirts slightly as she glided down the stairs. â€Å"Katherine.† I gently kissed her cheek before I offered my arm to her. Together, we turned and walked toward the carriage, where Alfred stood with the door open. The road to Mystic Falls was filled with unfamiliar coaches of all shapes and sizes, leading to the Lockwood mansion on the far end of town. I felt a thrill of anticipation. This was the first time I’d ever escorted a girl to the Founders Ball. In all previous years, I’d spent most of the evenings playing poker with my friends. Invariably some sort of disaster happened. Last year, Matthew Hartnett had gotten drunk on whiskey and had accidentally unhitched the horses from his parents’ coach, and two years ago, Nathan Layman had gotten into a fistfight with Grant Vanderbilt, and both ended up with broken noses. We slowly made our way up to the mansion, finally reaching the front walk. Alfred stopped the horses and let us out. I laced my fingers with Katherine’s, and together we walked through the open doors of the mansion and headed toward the dining room. The high-ceilinged room had been cleared of all furniture, and the candlelight lent a warm, mysterious glow to the walls. A band in the corner played Irish reels, and couples were already beginning to dance, even though the night was young. I squeezed Katherine’s hand, and she smiled up at me. â€Å"Stefan!† I whirled around and saw Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright. I dropped Katherine’s hand immediately. Mrs. Cartwright’s eyes were red, and she was positively gaunt compared to the last time I saw her. Meanwhile, Mr. Cartwright seemed to have aged ten years. His hair was snow-white, and he was walking with the aid of a cane. Both wore purple sprigs of vervain–a tuft stuck out of Mr. Cartwright’s breast pocket, and the flowers were woven into Mrs. Cartwright’s hat–but other than that, they were clad entirely in black, for mourning. â€Å"Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright,† I said, my stomach clenching with guilt. In truth, I’d nearly forgotten that Rosalyn and I had been engaged. â€Å"It’s good to see you.† â€Å"Y could have seen us sooner if you’d come ou to call on us,† Mr. Cartwright said. He could barely hide the contempt in his voice when his gaze landed on Katherine. â€Å"But I understand you must have been in deep †¦ grief as well.† â€Å"I will come now that I know you’re taking visitors,† I said lamely, tugging at my collar, which suddenly felt quite tight around my neck. â€Å"No need,† Mrs. Cartwright said icily as she reached into her sleeve to pull out a handkerchief. Katherine clasped Mrs. Cartwright’s hand. Mrs. Cartwright looked down, an expression of shock on her face. A wave of apprehension ran through me, and I fought the urge to step between them and shield Katherine from their anger. But then Katherine smiled, and amazingly, both Cartwrights smiled back. â€Å"Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright, I am so sorry for your loss,† she said warmly, holding their gazes. â€Å"I lost my parents during the Atlanta siege, and I know how hard it is. I didn’t know Rosalyn well, but I do know she will never be forgotten.† Mrs. Cartwright blew her nose noisily, her eyes watering. â€Å"Thank you, dear,† she said reverentially. Mr. Cartwright patted his wife on the back. â€Å"Y thank you.† He turned to me, compassion es, replacing the scorn that had occupied his eyes just moments earlier. â€Å"And please take care of Stefan. I know he’s suffering.† Katherine smiled as the couple rejoined the crowd. I gaped in amazement. â€Å"Did you compel them? † I asked, the word tasting bitter in my mouth. â€Å"No!† Katherine placed her hand over her heart. â€Å"That was good, old-fashioned kindness. Now, let’s dance,† she said, tugging me toward the large ballroom. Luckily, the dance floor was a crush of bodies and the lighting was low, so it was almost impossible to make out specific people. Flower garlands hung from the ceiling, and the marble floor was waxed to a sheen. The air was hot and cloying, with the scent of hundreds of competing perfumes. I put my hand on Katherine’s shoulders and tried to relax into the waltz. But I still felt jumpy. The conversation with the Cartwrights had stirred my conscience, making me feel vaguely disloyal to Rosalyn’s memory, and to Damon. Had I betrayed him somehow by not telling him that Katherine and I were at the ball together? Was it wrong that I’d been grateful for his prolonged absences? The band stopped, and as women adjusted their dresses and grasped their partners’ hands again, I headed toward the refreshment table in the corner. â€Å"Are you all right, Stefan?† Katherine asked, gliding up beside me, worry lines creasing her lovely forehead. I nodded, but I didn’t break my stride. â€Å"Just thirsty,† I lied. â€Å"Me too.† Katherine stood expectantly as I ladled the dark-red punch into a crystal tumbler. I passed the glass to her and watched as she drank deeply, wondering if that was what she looked like when she drank blood. When she placed the glass on the table, she had the slightest trace of red liquid around her mouth. I couldn’t help it. With my index finger I wiped the drop off the side of her bow-shaped mouth. Then I put my finger in my own mouth. It tasted sweet and tangy. â€Å"Are you sure you’re all right?† Katherine asked. â€Å"I’m worried about Damon,† I confessed as I poured myself a glass of punch. â€Å"But why?† Katherine asked, genuine confusion registering on her face. â€Å"Because of you,† I said simply. Katherine took the tumbler from me and led me away from the refreshment table. â€Å"He’s like a brother to me,† she said, touching my brow with her icy fingers. â€Å"I’m like his little sister. Y know ou this.† â€Å"But all those times when I was sick? When you and he were together? It seemed like †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It seemed like I needed a friend,† Katherine said firmly. â€Å"Damon’s a flirt. He doesn’t want to be tied down, nor would I want to be tied to him. Y ou are my love, and Damon is my brother.† All around us, couples swirled in the semi- darkness, dipping in time to the music and laughing gaily at private jokes, seemingly without a care in the world. They, too, had to worry about attacks and the war and heartbreak, but they still laughed and danced. Why couldn’t I as well? Why did I always have to doubt myself? I glanced at Katherine. A dark curl had come loose from her updo. I tucked it behind her ear, relishing the silky feel of the strands between my fingers. Longing coursed through me, and as I stared into her deep brown eyes, all feelings of guilt and unease vanished. â€Å"Shall we dance?† asked Katherine, taking my hand and pressing it to her cheek. Through the crowded dance floor, I spotted Father, Mr. Cartwright, and the rest of the Founders whispering furiously in a far corner. â€Å"No,† I whispered huskily. â€Å"Let’s go home.† I grabbed Katherine’s shoulder, and we whirled around the dance floor until we reached the kitchen, where servants were busily preparing refreshments. Hand in hand, we tore through the kitchen–much to the confusion of the servants –and exited at the back of the house. We sprinted into the night, oblivious to the cold air, the shrieks of laughter from the mansion, and the fact that we’d just run out on the social event of the season. The coach was tied near the Lockwoods’ stable. Alfred was no doubt playing craps with the other servants. â€Å"After you, my lady,† I said, lifting Katherine by the waist and placing her in the passenger seat. I hoisted myself up to the driver’s seat and cracked the whip, which immediately caused the horses to start clip-clopping in the direction of home. I grinned at Katherine. We had an entire evening of freedom in front of us, and it was intoxicating. No having to sneak into the carriage house. No skirting the servants. Just hours of uninterrupted bliss. â€Å"I love you!† I yelled, but the wind stole the words as soon as they left my mouth. I imagined them traveling with the breeze, floating through the entire world until every person in every town knew of my love. Katherine stood up in the coach, her curls whipping wildly around her face. â€Å"I love you, too!† she shouted, and then collapsed into giggles on the seat. By the time we got back to the carriage house, we were both sweaty and red-cheeked. The second we reached Katherine’s chambers, I pulled the dress off her slim frame and, seized by my passion, gently ran my teeth against her neck. â€Å"What are you doing?† She stepped back and stared at me sharply. â€Å"I’m just †¦Ã¢â‚¬  What was I doing? Playacting? Trying to seem as if Katherine and I were the same? â€Å"I guess I wanted to know how you feel when you †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Katherine bit her lip. â€Å"Maybe someday you’ll find out, my innocent, sweet Stefan.† She lay back on the bed, arranging her hair on the snow-white goose-down pillow. â€Å"But right now, all I want is you. â€Å" I lay down next to her, tracing the curve of her chin with my index finger as I put my lips to hers. The kiss was so soft and tender that I felt her essence and mine combine, creating a force that was larger than ourselves. We explored each other’s bodies as if for the first time. In the dim light of her chambers, I was never sure where reality ended and my dreams began. There was no shame, no expectation, just passion and desire, and a sense of danger that was mysterious and beautiful and consuming. That night, I would have allowed Katherine to consume me entirely and claim me for her own. I would have gladly offered up my neck if it meant that we could have stayed locked in that embrace for all of eternity. How to cite Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 22, Essay examples

Compare World Music free essay sample

Abstract: The comparison between African and Javanese Music Throughout the music history, Western music has dominated to the world a number of regional music, and one of these is African music, which was considered to have the biggest influence because of the history of slavery. Besides, Java, an island that belongs to Indonesia, has a little impact on the development of Western music. Although several common factors still exist between them, there are several contrasts related to musical characteristics, religion and social development. African and Javanese music in general are completely different from Western music, because Westerners tried to impose their own definition of music and norms into different musical dimensions. In the gamelan music in Java, all notes can be marked on a closed circle, and end is exactly a beginning of a new cycle as time cyclical. Meanwhile, in the system of African music, Time Unit Box System has been shown to be very successful with African rhythm. We will write a custom essay sample on Compare World Music or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If Westerners make their music as slave of times, which means people do certain things at certain time, Africans do therwise. Time to Africans is not linear, and they do not think chronologically because time is not merely sensed by a clock with moving hands. In African Music Traditional and Contemporary, the author said that A major difference between African music with Western music is African music always tries to integrate itself with the society. (Agordoh, 29) In Africa, everyone can participate in making music, thus, African music is not described as a high art form. For Java music, it is also cited as an xpression of the essence of culture, so it is used in ritual ceremonies and other purposes rather than everyday life as in Africa. After going through some aspects related to music, we can recognize some common factors and contrasts in African and Javanese music through their history although there is no connection between them. It creates a variety of musical characteristics in World music, and understands how their music is passed through generation. Word Cited: Alexander Akorlie Agordoh, African Music Traditional and Contemporary, Nova science Inc, 2005