Wednesday, March 25, 2020

The Ugly Truth About Beauty Essay Example

The Ugly Truth About Beauty Paper M N Matthews, English 21A Section 1225 5 July 2011 The Ugly Truth about Beauty: Summary In the article entitled The Ugly truth about Beauty written by Dave Barry, Barry illustrates how women view differently about their appearance than men. Women have very unrealistic perspectives on beauty. Society and the media, encourages low self-esteem. Making beauty unattainable for women and causing adversely affects upon relationships. Women focus so much on their appearance to say â€Å"not good enough†, purchasing products from the beauty industry. In contrast, Men on the other hand do not spend as much time and effort on their appearance like women; they do not spend countless hours in the mirror trying to figure out why he doesn’t look like Brad Pitt. Instead men would find some way to bolster their self-esteem that doesn’t require the looks of Brad Pitt. However to keep in mind that Dave Barry†; A man has written the article, â€Å"The ugly Truth about Beauty†. Barry implies that women have low self-esteem, yet no matter how much you tell women how great she looks, in her perspective she will stand face to face in the mirror still conclude that something is missing about her appearance. But â€Å"just because WE’RE idiots, that does not mean YOU have to be†. To Agree or Not Yes I do agree with Barry’s assessment of why there are differences in the ways men and women view themselves. The Beauty Industry and the media is a great factor such as television. Celebrities are always on T. V. onstantly becoming a target of what’s next? Kids, men and women watch shows and at times pay close attention to them, wondering what their wearing ,trying to get a clue of what to wear and what not to wear. Media always find ways to a person mind through advertisements. T. V. ads promote clothes, beauty products implanting the idea that, â€Å"you need this product to age young† or â€Å"Have a great body for the summer with Nutri-system† ,â€Å"Turn heads with head and shoulders , New and Improved formula†. Advertisements from the media have a huge impact on men and women. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ugly Truth About Beauty specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Ugly Truth About Beauty specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Ugly Truth About Beauty specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They buy these products thinking that this is what they need to have a body like Jennifer Lopez or having firm skin like a new born baby. In conclusion Men and women have their own personal reasons why they feel the need to give in to the ad’s and purchase products because of what they promise to do. I feel that in some way women and men feel some type of insecurity based on what society and the media pitch, so they buy the products with the promising labels of how to look your best to fit in to the world.

Friday, March 6, 2020

World War II German Panther Medium Tank

World War II German Panther Medium Tank Armored vehicles known as tanks became crucial to the  efforts of France, Russia, and Britain to defeat the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy in World War I. Tanks made it possible to shift the advantage from defensive maneuvers to offensive, and their use completely caught the Alliance off guard. Germany eventually developed a tank of their own, the A7V, but after the Armistice, all tanks in German hands  were confiscated  and  scrapped, and Germany was forbidden by various treaties to possess or build armored vehicles. All that changed with the rise to power by Adolph Hitler and the start of World War II. Design Development Development of the Panther began in 1941, following Germanys encounters with Soviet T-34 tanks in the opening days of Operation Barbarossa. Proving superior to their current tanks, the Panzer IV and Panzer III, the T-34 inflicted heavy casualties on German armored formations. That fall, following the capture of a T-34, a team was sent east to study the Soviet tank as a precursor to designing one superior to it. Returning with the results, Daimler-Benz (DB) and Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nà ¼rnberg AG (MAN) were ordered to design new tanks based on the study. In assessing the T-34, the German team found that the keys to its effectiveness were its 76.2 mm gun, wide road wheels, and sloping armor. Utilizing this data, DB and MAN delivered proposals to the Wehrmacht in April 1942. While the DB design was largely an improved copy of the T-34, MANs incorporated the T-34s strengths into a more traditional German design. Using a three-man turret (the T-34s fit two), the MAN design was higher and wider than the T-34 and was powered by a 690 hp gasoline engine. Though Hitler initially preferred the DB design, MANs was chosen because it used an existing turret design that would be quicker to produce. Once built, the Panther would be 22.5 feet long, 11.2 feet wide, and 9.8 feet high. Weighing around 50 tons, it was propelled by a V-12 Maybach gasoline-powered engine of about 690 hp. It reached a top speed of 34 mph, with a range of 155 miles, and held a crew of five men, which included the driver, radio-operator, commander, gunner, and loader. Its primary gun was a Rheinmetall-Borsig 1 x 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70, with 2 x 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34 machine guns as the secondary armaments. It was built as a medium tank, a classification that stood somewhere between light, mobility-oriented tanks and heavily armored protection tanks. Production Following prototype trials at Kummersdorf in the fall of 1942, the new tank, dubbed Panzerkampfwagen V Panther, was moved into production. Due to the need for the new tank on the Eastern Front, production was rushed with the first units being completed that December. As a result of this haste, early Panthers were plagued by mechanical and reliability issues. At the Battle of Kursk in July 1943, more Panthers were lost to engine problems than to enemy action. Common issues included overheated engines, connecting rod and bearing failures, and fuel leaks. Additionally, the type suffered from frequent transmission and final drive breakdowns that proved difficult to repair. As a result, all Panthers underwent rebuilds at Falkensee in April and May 1943.  Subsequent upgrades to the design helped reduce or eliminate many of these issues.   While initial production of the Panther was assigned to MAN, demand for the type soon overwhelmed the companys resources.  As a result, DB, Maschinenfabrik Niedersachsen-Hannover, and Henschel Sohn all received contracts to build the Panther.  During the course of the war, around 6,000 Panthers would be constructed, making the tank the third most-produced vehicle for the Wehrmacht behind the Sturmgeschà ¼tz III and Panzer IV. At its peak in September 1944, 2,304 Panthers were operational on all fronts. Though the German government set ambitious production goals for Panther construction, these were seldom met due to Allied bombing raids repeatedly targeting key aspects of the supply chain, such as the Maybach engine plant and a  number of Panther factories themselves. Introduction The Panther entered service in January 1943 with the formation of Panzer Abteilung (Battalion) 51. After equipping Panzer Abteilung 52 the following month, increased numbers of the type were sent to frontline units early that spring. Viewed as a key element of Operation Citadel on the Eastern Front, the Germans delayed opening the Battle of Kursk until sufficient numbers of the tank were available. First seeing major combat during the fighting, the Panther initially proved ineffective due to numerous mechanical issues. With the correction of the production-related mechanical difficulties, the Panther became highly popular with German tankers and a fearsome weapon on the battlefield. While the Panther was initially intended to only equip one tank battalion per panzer division, by June 1944, it accounted for nearly half of German tank strength on both the eastern and western fronts. The Panther was first used against US and British forces at Anzio in early 1944. As it only appeared in small numbers, US and British commanders believed it to be a heavy tank that would not be built in large numbers. When Allied troops landed in Normandy that June, they were shocked to find that half the German tanks in the area were Panthers. Greatly outclassing the M4 Sherman, the Panther with its high-velocity 75mm gun inflicted heavy casualties on Allied armored units and could engage at a longer range than its foes. Allied tankers soon found that their 75mm guns were incapable of penetrating the Panthers frontal armor and that flanking tactics were required. Allied Response To combat the Panther, US forces began deploying Shermans with 76mm guns, as well as the M26 Pershing heavy tank and tank destroyers carrying 90mm guns. British units frequently fitted Shermans with 17-pdr guns (Sherman Fireflies) and deployed increasing numbers of towed anti-tank guns. Another solution was found with the introduction of the Comet cruiser tank, featuring a 77mm high-velocity gun, in December 1944. The Soviet response to the Panther was faster and more uniform, with the introduction of the T-34-85. Featuring an 85mm gun, the improved T-34 was nearly the equal of the Panther. Though the Panther remained slightly superior, high Soviet production levels quickly allowed large numbers of T-34-85s to dominate the battlefield. In addition, the Soviets developed the heavy IS-2 tank (122mm gun) and the SU-85 and SU-100 anti-tank vehicles to deal with the newer German tanks. Despite the Allies efforts, the Panther remained arguably the best medium tank in use by either side. This was largely due to its thick armor and ability to pierce the armor of enemy tanks at ranges up to 2,200 yards. Postwar The Panther remained in German service until the end of the war. In 1943, efforts were made to develop the Panther II. While similar to the original, the Panther II was intended to utilize the same parts as the Tiger II heavy tank to ease maintenance for both vehicles. Following the war, captured Panthers were briefly used by the French 503e Rà ©giment de Chars de Combat. One of the iconic tanks of World War II, the Panther influenced a number of postwar tank designs, such as the French AMX 50.