Biography of Joel Roberts Poinsett

Joel Roberts Poinsett was a scholar and traveler whose skills as a diplomat were relied upon by five consecutive American presidents in the early 1800s. Today we remember him not because he was taken so seriously by presidents from James Madison to Martin Van Buren, or because he served as a congressman, an ambassador, and in the cabinet as secretary of war. We also overlook that he helped keep his birthplace, South Carolina, from leaving the Union 30 years before the Civil War, during the heated politics of the Nullification Crisis. Poinsett is mainly remembered today because he was a devoted gardener, and when he saw a plant in Mexico that turned red before Christmas, he naturally brought samples back to raise in his greenhouse in Charleston. That plant was later named for him, and, of course, the poinsettia has become a standard  Christmas decoration. An article about plant names in the New York Times in 1938 stated that Poinsett probably would be disgusted with the fame that has come to him. That may overstate the case. The plant was named for him during his lifetime  and presumably, Poinsett did not object. Following his death on December 12,  1851, newspapers published tributes that did not mention the plant for which hes now remembered. The New York Times, on December 23, 1851, began  his obituary by calling Poinsett a politician, statesman, and diplomatist, and later referred to him as a substantial intellectual power. It wasnt until decades later that the poinsettia was widely cultivated and began to achieve enormous popularity at Christmas. And it was in the early 20th century that millions began unknowingly  referring to Poinsett while remaining unaware of his diplomatic adventures 100 years earlier. Poinsetts Early Diplomacy Joel Roberts Poinsett was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on March 2, 1779. His father was a prominent physician and as a boy, Poinsett was educated by his father and private tutors. In his teens, he was sent to an academy in Connecticut administered by Timothy Dwight, a noted educator. In 1796 he began studies abroad, attending, in succession, a college in England, a medical school in Scotland, and a military academy in England.   Poinsett intended to pursue a military career but his father encouraged him to return to America and study law. After engaging in legal studies in America, he returned to Europe in 1801 and spent most of the next seven years traveling through Europe and Asia. When tensions between Britain and the United States heightened in 1808, and it seemed war could break out, he returned home. Though apparently still intent on joining the military, he instead was brought into government service as a diplomat. In 1810 the Madison administration dispatched him as a special envoy to South America. In 1812 he posed as a British merchant to collect intelligence on events in Chile, where a revolution sought independence from Spain. The situation in Chile became volatile and Poinsetts position became precarious. He departed Chile for Argentina, where he stayed until returning to his home in Charleston in the spring of 1815.   Ambassador to Mexico Poinsett became interested in politics in South Carolina and was elected to statewide office in 1816. In 1817 President James Monroe called upon Poinsett to return to South America as a special envoy, but he declined.   In 1821 he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He served in Congress for four years. His time on Capitol Hill was interrupted, from August 1822 to January 1823, when he visited Mexico on a special diplomatic mission for President Monroe. In 1824 he published a book about his journey, Notes on Mexico, which is full of gracefully written details about Mexican culture, scenery, and  plants. In 1825 John Quincy Adams, a scholar and diplomat himself, became president. No doubt impressed by Poinsetts knowledge of the country, Adams appointed him as the U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Poinsett served four years in Mexico and his time there was often fairly troubled. The political situation in the country was unsettled, and Poinsett was often accused, fairly or not, of intrigue. At one point he was labeled as a scourge to Mexico for his presumed meddling in local politics. Poinsett and Nullification He returned to America in 1830, and President Andrew Jackson, whom Poinsett had befriended years earlier, gave him what amounted to a diplomatic mission on American soil. Returning to Charleston, Poinsett became the president of the Unionist Party in South Carolina, a faction determined to keep the state from seceding from the Union during the Nullification Crisis. Poinsetts political and diplomatic skills helped to calm the crisis, and after three years he essentially retired to a farm outside Charleston. He devoted himself to writing, reading in his extensive library, and cultivating plants. In 1837 Martin Van Buren was elected president and convinced Poinsett to come out of retirement to return to Washington as his secretary of war. Poinsett administered the War Department for four years before again returning to South Carolina to devote himself to his scholarly pursuits. Lasting Fame According to most accounts, plants were successfully propagated in Poinsetts greenhouse, from cuttings taken from the plants he brought back from Mexico in 1825, during his first year as an ambassador. The newly grown plants were given as gifts, and one of Poinsetts friends arranged for some to be exhibited at an exhibition of plants in Philadelphia in 1829. The plant was popular at the show, and Robert Buist, the proprietor of a nursery business in Philadelphia, named it for Poinsett. Over the following decades, the poinsettia became prized by plant collectors. It was found to be tricky to cultivate. But it caught on, and in the 1880s mentions of poinsettia appeared in newspaper articles about holiday celebrations at the White House.   Home gardeners began to have success growing it in greenhouses 1800s. A Pennsylvania newspaper, the Laport Republican News Item, mentioned its popularity in an article published on December 22, 1898: ... there is one flower which is identified with Christmas. This is the so-called Mexican Christmas flower, or poinsettia. It is a small red flower, with long highly decorative red leaves, which blooms in Mexico about this time of year and is grown here in greenhouses especially for use at Christmas time. In the first decade of the 20th century, numerous newspaper articles mentioned the popularity of the poinsettia as a holiday decoration. By that time the poinsettia had become established as a garden plant in southern California. And nurseries devoted to growing poinsettia for the holiday market began to flourish. Joel Roberts Poinsett could never have imagined what he was starting. The poinsettia has become the largest selling potted plant in America and growing them has become a multi-million dollar industry. December 12, the anniversary of Poinsetts death, is National Poinsettia Day. And its impossible to imagine a Christmas season without seeing poinsettias.

Larz Von Tiers Melancholia - 1877 Words

Fade-in. Womans face, sullen, not frowning or smiling. Shes intensely looking into the camera there seems to be no movement, but then birds begin to fall from the sky. This is the opening image of Larz Von Triers Melancholia. This slowed down time being by portraying this woman -who we come to find out after the eight-minute non-diegetic intro- is Justine (Kristen Dunst). Cuts. Establishing shot of setting. Garden, landscape, in the background rocks overlook into a body of water edged by rocks. Painterly. Very lush greens; fourteen trees divided symmetrically mirroring each other. Sun clock in the center of the symmetrical trees cast shadow. There are two lighting points here, Both Melancholia and the Sun are shown above in the sky, the clock also has undesirable time because of reflection from both sides of the moon. This is Von Triers symbolical representation of the end of the world. Time is meaning less; life is meaningless, and nature is uncontrollable. This is Justines percepti on of the world. Shes melancholic. This is Melancholia. Unlike her sister, who sees all she has to loose in the world and how small she is in comparison to world around her. Clair is anxious. Then we see melancholia, a large planet with a swirling blue grey atmosphere that is hiding behind the sun, and comes into orbit with earth. In this essay I will argue that Larz von trier uses and pays homage to the ideals of Romantic Era philosophers and artists to influence to portray his vision of

Asddsa dsadasd s Free Essays

Men’s employment status is still their main source of self-worth (Bronzed and Herrmann 1999; Broodier 2001; Connell 2002; Hear 2004), and thus advertising, which aims to convince men that they should take consumption more seriously needs to place commodities in the context of public achievement – particularly if these also involve purchases for the sterilization of men’s own bodies, their personal appearance and the personal realm in general. Yet, even the growing impact of male lifestyle magazines – mainly addressing younger men – has not been totally successful in persuading mainstream adult men that they should consume in a more conspicuous way: on the one hand more like women, yet still distinctively as ‘real’ men. Therefore, advertising uses all tricks of the trade to masculine its products through its promotional appeals, to invoice the male target group that it Is no longer enough Just to be a man and act like a man: the message is that men must demonstrate and legitimate dominant status by masculine ways of consumption (Williamson 1986; Nixon 2003, Gristle 1998). We will write a custom essay sample on Asddsa dsadasd s or any similar topic only for you Order Now In her study of popular media from a feminist perspective, van Zone maintains that as a cultural form, ‘advertising displays a preoccupation with gender that Is hardly matched In any genre’ (1994: 67). Referring to Saffron’s seminal work of 1979 on gender and advertisements, van Zone underlines the obsession with gender which is typical for advertising as a form of popular culture: ‘This obsession Is said to spring from the â€Å"signifying power† of gender. Advertisements and commercials need to convey meaning within limited space and time and will therefore exploit symbols that are relevant and salient to society as a whole. As one of the most deeply felt elements of subjectivity and the social structure, gender provides such symbols most effectively (1994: 67). The typical conventions In advertisements addressing either men or women reflect he structural gendered differences based on the private/public dichotomy. Stereotypically, female audiences are addressed with fantasies of Woman as body, as object or provider of physical pleasure for others, whether In sexualities or non- sexualities ways. The personal, Intimate context and the care for self or other are always emphasized, either 220 Martha convince the male target group that it is no longer enough Just to be a man and act status by masculine ways of consumption (Williamson 1986; Nixon 2003, Sureties hat as a cultural form, ‘advertising displays a preoccupation with gender that is hardly matched in any genre’ (1994: 67). Referring to Saffron’s seminal work of 1979 which is typical for advertising as a form of popular culture: ‘This obsession is said to The typical conventions in advertisements addressing either men or women reflect the structural gendered differences based on the private/public dichotomy. Object or provider of physical pleasure for others, whether in sexualities or non- sexualities ways. The personal, intimate context and the care for self or other are How to cite Asddsa dsadasd s, Papers

Pisces Iscariot free essay sample

For most people, the Smashing Pumpkins is either a band you love or hate. I worship this Chicago-based band. With their newest and quite possibly their best album, pisces iscariot, the popularity of the Smashing Pumpkins has soared to new heights. Although the majority of songs on this CD were released previously in the United Kingdom, many are new to the United States. Perhaps the reason for such popularity is the Smashing Pumpkins completely original style. Billy Corgan, the lead singer/songwriter, has great musical talent and the ability to redo old hits by classic groups like Fleetwood Mac. Landslide, written by Stevie Nicks, was recorded at the BBC. In my opinion, this was a great song when performed by Fleetwood Mac, but is tremendously improved when sung by Billy. One of the greatest qualities of the Smashing Pumpkins is their ability to combine light and heavy tunes. This is extremely evident on pisces iscariot which includes tracks like Soothe and Frail and Bedazzled. We will write a custom essay sample on Pisces Iscariot or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If you have ever considered buying any of the Pumpkins previous albums (Siamese Dream or Gish) put pisces iscariot right at the top of your list. Anyone who is a true Smashing Pumpkins fan will definitely love this CD

Montar Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples

Montar Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples The Spanish verb montar is a regular -ar  verb like cenar, ayudar, or bajar.  It has several different meanings, but the most common is to mount. This article includes the conjugations of  montar  in the indicative mood (present, preterite, imperfect, future and conditional), the subjunctive mood (present and past), imperative mood, and other verb forms such as the gerund and past participle. Meanings and Examples of the Verb Montar The verb montar  is a cognate of the English verb to mount, so it can mean to mount or to put on. For example, Voy a montar el televisor en la pared is translated as I am going to mount the television on the wall, and  Ellos van a montar una obra de teatro  means They are going to put on a play.   Another meaning of  montar is to ride a horse or a bicycle. For example, A ella le gusta montar a caballo  (She likes to ride horses) or  A à ©l le gusta montar en bicicleta  (He likes to ride bicycles).   Yet another meaning of the verb  montar  is to put together or to assemble. For example,  Tengo que montar los muebles que comprà © en Ikea  (I have to assemble the furniture I bought at Ikea.) This meaning can even be used for putting together or starting a business. For example,  Vamos a montar un negocio de vender frutas  (We are going to start a business selling fruit.) The verb  montar  can also be used as a reflexive verb,  montarse,  in which case it means to get on something or to climb into something. For example, you can talk about  montarse en el bus  (get on the bus),  montarse en el carro  (get in the car),  montarse en el avià ³n  (get on the plane),  montarse en el caballo  (get on the horse), etc. Montar Present Indicative Yo monto I mount Yo monto mi bicicleta para ir al trabajo. T montas You mount T montas a caballo en la finca. Usted/l/ella monta You/he/she mounts Ella monta el cuadro en la pared. Nosotros montamos We mount Nosotros montamos una obra de teatro. Vosotros montis You mount Vosotros montis los muebles rpidamente. Ustedes/ellos/ellas montan You/they mount Ellos montan una tienda de zapatos. Montar Preterite  Indicative The preterite tense can be translated as the English simple past. It is used when talking about actions in the past that have been completed. Yo mont I mounted Yo mont mi bicicleta para ir al trabajo. T montaste You mounted T montaste a caballo en la finca. Usted/l/ella mont You/he/she mounted Ella mont el cuadro en la pared. Nosotros montamos We mounted Nosotros montamos una obra de teatro. Vosotros montasteis You mounted Vosotros montasteis los muebles rpidamente. Ustedes/ellos/ellas montaron You/they mounted Ellos montaron una tienda de zapatos. Montar Imperfect  Indicative The  imperfect  tense can be translated to English as was mounting or used to mount.  It is used to talk about ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Yo montaba I used to mount Yo montaba mi bicicleta para ir al trabajo. T montabas You used to mount T montabas a caballo en la finca. Usted/l/ella montaba You/he/she used to mount Ella montaba el cuadro en la pared. Nosotros montbamos We used to mount Nosotros montbamos una obra de teatro. Vosotros montabais You used to mount Vosotros montabais los muebles rpidamente. Ustedes/ellos/ellas montaban You/they used to mount Ellos montaban una tienda de zapatos. Montar Future  Indicative Yo montar I will mount Yo montar mi bicicleta para ir al trabajo. T montars You will mount T montars a caballo en la finca. Usted/l/ella montar You/he/she will mount Ella montar el cuadro en la pared. Nosotros montaremos We will mount Nosotros montaremos una obra de teatro. Vosotros montaris You will mount Vosotros montaris los muebles rpidamente. Ustedes/ellos/ellas montarn You/they will mount Ellos montarn una tienda de zapatos. Montar Periphrastic Future  Indicative Yo voy a montar I am going to mount Yo voy a montar mi bicicleta para ir al trabajo. T vas a montar You are going to mount T vas a montar a caballo en la finca. Usted/l/ella va a montar You/he/she is going to mount Ella va a montar el cuadro en la pared. Nosotros vamos a montar We are going to mount Nosotros vamos a montar una obra de teatro. Vosotros vais a montar You are going to mount Vosotros vais a montar los muebles rpidamente. Ustedes/ellos/ellas van a montar You/they are going to mount Ellos van a montar una tienda de zapatos. Montar Conditional  Indicative The conditional  tense can be translated to English as would mount.  It is used to talk about possibilities. Yo montara I would mount Yo montara mi bicicleta para ir al trabajo si viviera ms cerca. T montaras You would mount T montaras a caballo en la finca si estuvieras ms saludable. Usted/l/ella montara You/he/she would mount Ella montara el cuadro en la pared si tuviera las herramientas necesarias. Nosotros montaramos We would mount Nosotros montaramos una obra de teatro, pero no tenemos tiempo para ensayar. Vosotros montarais You would mount Vosotros montarais los muebles rpidamente, pero son muy grandes. Ustedes/ellos/ellas montaran You/they would mount Ellos montaran una tienda de zapatos si tuvieran el dinero para empezar. Montar Present Progressive/Gerund Form The present participle or gerund  for -ar  verbs is formed with the ending  -ando. The present participle is used in  progressive tenses  like the present progressive. Present Progressive of Montar est montando Is mounting Ella est montando el cuadro en la pared. Montar Past Participle The past participle for -ar  verbs is formed with the ending  -ado. The past participle is used in  compound tenses  like the present perfect.   Present Perfect of Montar ha montado  Has mounted Ella ha montado el cuadro en la pared.   Montar Present Subjunctive Que yo monte That I mount El mdico sugiere que yo monte mi bicicleta para ir al trabajo. Que t montes That you mount El jefe quiere que t montes a caballo en la finca. Que usted/l/ella monte That you/he/she mount Mam quiere que ella monte el cuadro en la pared. Que nosotros montemos That we mount El director quiere que nosotros montemos una obra de teatro. Que vosotros montis That you mount El cliente quiere que vosotros montis los muebles rpidamente. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas monten That you/they mount Pedro sugiere que ellos monten una tienda de zapatos. Montar Imperfect  Subjunctive There are two different ways of conjugating the  imperfect subjunctive. The tables below show both options, which are equally correct. Option 1 Que yo montara That I mounted El mdico sugiri que yo montara mi bicicleta para ir al trabajo. Que t montaras That you mounted El jefe quera que t montaras a caballo en la finca. Que usted/l/ella montara That you/he/she mounted Mam quera que ella montara el cuadro en la pared. Que nosotros montramos That we mounted El director quera que nosotros montramos una obra de teatro. Que vosotros montarais That you mounted El cliente quera que vosotros montarais los muebles rpidamente. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas montaran That you/they mounted Pedro sugiri que ellos montaran una tienda de zapatos. Option 2 Que yo montase That I mounted El mdico sugiri que yo montase mi bicicleta para ir al trabajo. Que t montases That you mounted El jefe quera que t montases a caballo en la finca. Que usted/l/ella montase That you/he/she mounted La mam quera que ella montase el cuadro en la pared. Que nosotros montsemos That we mounted El director quera que nosotros montsemos una obra de teatro. Que vosotros montaseis That you mounted El cliente quera que vosotros montaseis los muebles rpidamente. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas montasen That you/they mounted Pedro sugiri que ellos montasen una tienda de zapatos. Montar Imperative   The imperative mood is used to give direct orders. The tables below show the positive and negative commands for  montar. Positive Commands T monta Mount! Monta a caballo en la finca! Usted monte Mount! Monte el cuadro en la pared! Nosotros montemos Lets mount! Montemos una obra de teatro! Vosotros montad Mount! Montad los muebles rpidamente! Ustedes monten Mount! Monten una tienda de zapatos! Negative Commands T no montes Dont mount! No montes a caballo en la finca! Usted no monte Dont mount No monte el cuadro en la pared! Nosotros no montemos Lets not mount No montemos una obra de teatro! Vosotros no montis Dont mount! No montis los muebles rpidamente! Ustedes no monten Dont mount! No monten una tienda de zapatos!

4 Steps to Writing a Kick-Ass Cover Letter

4 Steps to Writing a Kick-Ass Cover Letter The cover letter is a hiring manager’s first line of defense. Some of the more seasoned professionals look at your letter first because it can be the most accurate gauge of how much effort you’ve put into trying to land that job. A good recruiter can tell whether you’ve taken the time to pay attention to details, polish a coherent narrative, and give a glimpse of who you are as a person and an employee. Almost any recruiter can tell when you’ve cut corners or made (and missed) careless mistakes. Even if you’ve written a cover letter  for the ages, there are still subtle pitfalls and hidden opportunities for finesse you may be blind to.1. Get the name rightThis may seem like an insultingly obvious point. But so many letters open with generic â€Å"Dear Sir or Madam† or â€Å"To whom it may concern,† rather than being addressed to a particular person.Step one: figure out the person who will actually be doing the hiring and screening fo r your position. Step two: make doubly- then triply- sure you’ve spelled their name 100% correctly. It’s not hard to get that detail right and it will save the hiring manager the wince when they see a letter or two out of place. You never know what makes the difference in whether or not you make it out of resume pile limbo.  2. Strike a balance between style and substanceSo many cover letters open with snooze-worthy first lines. â€Å"I write to express my keen interest in the X position.† You can do better than this. Try something that will hold any reader’s interest, but be careful- too interesting and you run the risk of it not transitioning well into the rest of your cover letter. Try to find a dazzling opening sentence that seamlessly segues into discussion of your professional qualifications and manages to add insight and context to your application. It’s a tough note to strike, but can really help you knock it out of the park.3. Strike a b alance between flattering them and selling yourselfIt’s important to convey your genuine interest in the company, and to hit home just how much you want to be a part of the team there. Flattery, when done correctly, can get you everywhere. Don’t forget, however, to include some insight into yourself. That is, after all, what they’re looking for. Playing only to their egos will often backfire.4. Be humble, but also bragThere’s a difference between bragging, humblebragging, and being overly humble. And there’s a sweet spot where they overlap. If you have holes in your application, or there are certain qualifications you lack, it’s important to mention these things and be proactive. But don’t give too much space on the page to what you don’t have. Move on quickly and focus on what you can offer to the company, and why you’re uniquely qualified and perfect for the job- even without that one specific skill you don’t qu ite have yet.If you’re at this stage, you already have a good letter. Don’t be scared to take it that extra mile. And, when in doubt, ask. Generous, smarter-than-you friends and paid professionals are out there to help.

Healthcare Programs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Healthcare Programs - Essay Example TRICARE represents the healthcare program utilizing military healthcare systems as the main providers. This program is funded and supported through civilian providers and facilities, and includes provision of healthcare services to military personnel and their families of the USA, past or presently active. The introduction of tricare was primarily a strategy in the eighties and the nineties, in response to the increased healthcare costs in the USA, as well as the changes in the modernization trends. Tricare was perceived to be a feasible and economic way to save costs while improving access and choice to healthcare services. The development of TRICARE has expanded significantly, and has now come to be a part of 40% of the USA hospitals. Increasingly high numbers of healthcare personnel and providers now form a part of the TRICARE provision team. (Carrato, 2003) The effectiveness of Tricare is very evident if comparing to other healthcare systems such as CHAMPVA. The differences run from basic infrastructures of the plans. While TRICARE, formerly CHAMPUS, is a medical insurance program carried out by the department of defense, CHAMPVA is run through VA. The members differ with regards to their status as retired or non retired from military services, tricare being entertaining to the retired personnel. CHAMPVA restricts itself to those who are either 100% disabled personnel, or either dead. This does not to be so for tricare patients. CHAMPVA does not entertain veterans, which forms a large part of the tricare members. Also, CHAMPVA has rules about access and obtaining of prescriptions. The above mentioned differences help to understand some of the key differences that make tricare a much superior healthcare program over others. (Tricare for life, 2001) Tricare has many services at its disposal, which are both comprehensive as well as targeted in their approach to diseases. The triple option benefit in the system allows the enrollment of many people with a wide range of healthcare services. Now it has become active in the advanced medical areas of cancers, along with including age old programs of immunizations etc. The scope of tricare therefore is very vast, with much promise of improvement. Tricare gives these services through a range of programs, which include the Prime Preventive Services, the Pharmacy Program, and Dental Coverage etc. Tricare has proven its worth through its impressive reports of its performances. Perhaps the most demonstrative of Tricare's effectiveness is looking at the claims processing capacity and the speed with which these are carried out. Around 755 of the claims are addressed within 21 days of being placed, an impressive statement of the quality and the efficiency of Tricare. (Bailey, 1999) With the pr ojected increase of health costs by7.3% by the year 2011, Tricare's potential role in reducing these costs is highly promising. (Carrato, 2003) One of the proof that tricare has shown constant delivery with respect to healthcare is its successful maintenance of its enrollment fee. The active duty members have almost no costs for care, which is provided in the military settings. Pay for a service is very high