Essay On DonT Judge A Book By Its Cover - 1195 Words

I have been called many names without people getting to know me - all have been negative. Bully, shady, mean, and seems to think she’s too good is a few words that my friends have described me before we meet. But when they got to know the type of person I am, they tend to say I m kind and shy. I describe myself the same way, but it s hard to think that some time ago my friends thought of me as a person who isn’t worth getting to know. If my friends didn’t go against their initial judgment of me, we wouldn’t have met. If we believe our initial thoughts of others, we won t get to form relationships: family, friends, couples. Judging others is what s stopping us as a society from coming together. I believe in the phrase â€Å"don’t judge a†¦show more content†¦What if they want to wear certain clothes and do a certain style because it builds their confidence or that they just like it. When and where we can wear fancy clothes also seems to be a problem. Some individual wears fancy clothes on casual nights, and others wear casual clothes on select nights. When we don’t wear â€Å"appropriate† clothes for an event, it comes off as disrespectful. Based on appearance only, we also determine how attractive someone is, and this is taken into consideration when we approach a potential spouse. We tend to focus on how they look and not who they are, which could lead to problems later on in a marriage. A few relationships tend to be based solely on their partner’s level of attractiveness. We determine how attractive someone is, â€Å" the prejudice of deciding what to do based solely on outward appearance could cost the pursuer the chance of a meaningful relationship† (Modern Day Adages). Although someone is â€Å"better† looking doesn’t mean anything when it comes to their character and personality. An â€Å"average† person can be more beautiful on the inside than a â€Å"better† looking person. As a society, we need to give others the opportunity to show themselves even if they’re â€Å"average.† Society has been stereotyping people based on their culture, race, and religion. If we end these stereotypes, then we can be closer on coexist in peace. Stereotyping tends to labelShow MoreRelated Dont Judge a Book by the Cover Essay615 Words   |  3 Pagessimply cannot know a person by looking at them and observing what they eat. Such a thought is ridiculous. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Instead of looking at clothing and what one is eating, character should be the basis for opinion. Judging a book by the cover only leads to surprises, and in this case, judging a human by dress can lead to surprises as well. Just because a man or woman may not dress as nicely, they’re not necessarily bad or even poor. The particular individual may not care what anyoneRead MoreFrankenstein Study Guide14107 Words   |  57 Pagesthrough a tiny hole in the wall, he was moved by their love for each other. As they taught a foreign friend how to speak their language, the creature also learned along with her. The creature also learned about what it means to be human by reading three books he found. He gathered his courage to approach the blind man alone. He was received sympathetically, but when the others returned they drove him away in fear. From that moment, the creature vowed revenge against humankind and especially his creatorRead MoreTop 1 Cause for Pr oject Failure65023 Words   |  261 PagesNicollet ; PMP I think the number 1 reason for a project failure has to be option #8 - Lack of Monitoring of Plan.... I think if the plan is correct and is monitored closely, it would cover risk, HR, communication, sponsor s involvement and all other aspects listed above. A good project management plan would cover all aspects of possible failure and monitoring it closely will make sure the project stays on track. In other words, a good PM plan is key to a successfull project. †¢ [pic] Bill

Essay on Race, Racism and My Community - 1715 Words

Racial issues are an important part of any city in America today. America is a racially diverse country but still seems to have many problems as far as racial equality, race relations, and encouraging diversity. My community is in, what I think, is a fairly unique situation in terms of race. According to the census and other sources I found on the internet, the population of Cedar Hill, Texas is approximately 32,093. The city is growing and very much like the other upscale surburbs in Dallas. Cedar Hill offers satisying opportunities for both indoor and outdoor activities and a very family orientate city, the chity has an amusement park, a skating rink, a 14- screen Cinemark Movie Theather and a studio for arts†¦show more content†¦There is an Asian family that live on the coner and I just love the way the grandmother walks every morning and plant flowers in her yard, keep it water and cared for. I have a white family that lives directly across the street from me, that’s mad a America and he has his flag hung upside down, I ask why did he do that and he says because the United States is upside down because of our president. I could not understand that because I feel that we should love our country no matter what. I still speak and he still gives my family a cake every Christmas. And I send fruit and a card. But the real problem with him is that he is very predioucs and don’t like any other race, other than white. â€Å"This is what his 34 year son says†. But despite his feelings about other races he still shows that he care at Christmas time. In my community, I feel that it is a rainbow of people. I have contact with everyone, if it’s just a wave as I pass by, but not much communication. I don’t consider myself a minority. I would say I interact with a white and Hispanic person maybe 6 days a week. There are of course differences in appearance even when people are of the same race. It’s really hard to say how different people in my community are from one another because they are all generally the same in terms of appearance. We have many people of White descent or Polish descent who are just as different as someone who is of Japanese descent. Because of the color of theirShow MoreRelatedRace, Racism and My Community Essay1461 Words   |  6 PagesToday’s concepts of race are usually done by categorizing different people into different populations, religions or groups. Most of the time, they are broken down by their physical traits like the color of their skin, texture of their hair, or facial features. In This autobiographical research paper the subjects to analyze is the influences of race as it relates to my present community. The paper is a first-person account of the interpretation of human interactions in my community. I will be takingRead MoreMartin Luther King, Jr.949 Words   |  4 PagesAs a child, my first memories with race were when my mother was trying to integrate more Native American representation in my early media. However, the lack of Native American representation in children’s books and movies made her search to find fitting and accurate role mod els for me difficult. In the end, I only had Disney’s Pocahontas and a series of books about Kaya, an American Girl doll. Although she wanted me to learn more about my Native American heritage, these two examples were the onlyRead MoreEssay on Exploring Race and Challenging Privilege1610 Words   |  7 PagesExploring Race and Challenging Privilege I thought I understood racism well enough. Since early childhood I’ve learned from parents and teachers that racism is a sense of racial superiority, a way of making judgments about people based on their skin color before you get to know them, and a cause of hate crimes and foul language. I think I’m not racist, and as a white woman I’m not likely to be the victim of racism, so I usually think racism has nothing to do with my life. But I’m uncomfortableRead MoreIn any community, as in everyday life, many challenging issues can arise. In intercultural900 Words   |  4 PagesIn any community, as in everyday life, many challenging issues can arise. In intercultural communities a large portion of these challenging issues are in some way, related to two-forms of racism. Our book notes that racism could be self-imposed due to low feelings of self-worth or a feeling of helplessness. This is called internalized racism(Oetzel, p.293). The second type, instituti onalized racism, stems from the in-group. When a majority feels superior or uses acts rejection towards the minorityRead MoreEssay on Racism1251 Words   |  6 PagesRacism Racism has often played a central role in conflicts between groups of people. Racism is the intentional or unintentional use of power to isolate, separate and exploit others as defined in the Webster dictionary. People generally respond to others differently based on what they know, which may include superficial characteristics often associated with race. This paper will express my opinion of how racism will effect America. I will base information from Webster’s definition of Racism, readingRead MoreGrowing Up As A Latino Child1678 Words   |  7 Pageswithin my community in the city of Baldwin Park. I attended public schools with students that came from the same background and struggles as my own. It made sense living in an area with similar Latino families because I thought that was the way things were supposed to be. Even today in America. communities are segregated and made up of people with similar backgrounds. I never questioned why we were not surrounded by people that were African American, Asian, or any other race differing from my own.Read MoreRacial Reconciliation, By Dr. Mitzi Smith760 Words   |  4 Pagesbit of conversation. My initial point said, â€Å"Racial reconciliation is an existential lie that pushes the oppressed to enter back into the hell they have been trying to escape.† Throughout the rest of the day I had conversations with many brothers and sisters about my comment. As I pondered upon the conversations, I started to wrestle with some thoughts about racial reconciliation. It is my sincerest hope that my thoughts will be conveyed with clarity as I attempt to unpack my thoughts. These areRead MoreWhat Causes Racism Persists?1568 Words   |  7 PagesCauses Racism Persists? Could a tree be racist? Could a tree decide, based on race, how much oxygen it’d provide to the people around it? Could a tree emulate the evil of man? Regardless of how you’d answer those questions, trees and racism hold one important parallel: without their roots, they can’t exist. Roots allow racism, like trees, to live, build, and continue. Today racism persists due to the benefit racism offers the white collective, the confusion that inundates race and racism, the failuresRead MoreSocial Justice Issues Take Place At Various Levels : Global, National, Regional, And Local1397 Words   |  6 PagesSocial justice issues take place at various levels: global, national, regional, and local. The article, â€Å"The racist NYPD captain who ruined my career for not targeting enough blacks and Hispanics got promoted,† surfaces a prevalent social justice issue of racism. Racism is holding prejudices on the basis of the race. The issue of racism is complex one bec ause of its far-reaching effects and implications. It makes people feel inferior, creates a gap between the people of the society. The members ofRead MoreEssay on Racism and the Police Force1346 Words   |  6 PagesRacism and the Police Force There were two cops. One said You niggers have to learn to respect police officers. The other one said, If you yell or make any noise, I will kill you. Then one held me and the other shoved the plunger up my behind. He pulled it out, shoved it in my mouth, broke my teeth and said, Thats your *censored*, nigger.(Abner Louima) The police officers that allegedly performed this act of racial violence on August 9, 1997 had no reason to brutally beat and sodomize

Evaluation of Global Hospitality Sector Trends

Question: Discuss about the Evaluation of Global Hospitality Sector Trends. Answer: Introduction With the service sector contributing over 70 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the global economy as of 2010, questions arise as to how the sector appeared unnoticed over the manufacturing industry with regard to economic growth. Despite the realization of the importance of the services sector as an important driver to global economic growth, it is important to understand why the services sector appears to be underutilized by companies in statistical measures thereby being noted as a decline in comparison to the virtual contribution of services sector to the global GDP. The hospitality industry, particularly, has played a crucial role in facilitating global trade growth. The industry can be said to be one of the largest industry globally in terms of driving the global economy and job creation. Despite the realization of the importance of the services sector as an important driver to global economic growth, in practice some businesses within the hospitality sector still c ontinue to struggle even in the advent of global growth. The essay seeks to evaluate and explain the challenges affecting the hospitality industry and how strategies taken to facilitate growth. Hospitality and tourism industry In 2014, the hospitality and tourism sector generated 9.5 percent of the global GDP and creating over 250 million jobs, estimated to be 11 percent of the total employment across the world. The industry continues to grow at a rate significantly higher than the wider economy as well as other major sectors such as financial, automotive and health care sectors. However, the volatility of the hospitality industry is high, as it is heavily dependent on a variety of political, economic and environmental factors. Following the financial crisis experienced in 2009, that saw the industry register a negative growth of 6 percent, the hospitality and tourism industry has shown tremendous turnaround registering growth in 2010 (WTO, 2012). Over the preceding years there have been challenges affecting the hotel industry despite the turnaround. Some of the issues are linked to the reduced activities within the hotel industry. Global Financial Crisis The advent the global economic recession has affected many industries causing a decline in almost all the service sectors. Notably the recession has created a negative impact on job opportunities among many countries globally. There have been cases of job insecurity within the hospitality sector, low working conditions as well as inadequate pay. Additionally, the recession also caused a declined demand in travel and tours in tourist generating countries as well as destinations. The fact that almost 80 percent of the travelers originate from at least 20 countries globally, mainly developed countries, it is important to note that there was bound to be a decline in tourism as well as travels since the developed countries were most affected by the financial crisis(Chu, 2014). It is often realized that people would tend to reduce spending especially in the wake of future uncertainty. On finds that as a result, households are increasingly cutting down on luxuries such as holidays. Conseque ntly, many hotel operators especially recently opened and those dedicated have been experiencing hard times due to lower number of guests leading to inability to maintain sustainable businesses. However, while some of the hotels have been pushed to a point of closing down some remain resilient but are also forced to reduce the price on hotels significantly to attract guests, thus affecting their bottom line. The industry has therefore been affected by the shrinking capital market and decreased spending by corporates and individuals (Global Financial Crisis Bulletin, 2009). High competitiveness with Hotel Industry Previously, before the global financial crisis the hotel and tourism industry remained as one f the fastest growing services industries. With widespread effect on other industries such as the transport industry, the industry has become a great opportunity for investment. As a result, the hotel industry experienced a boom construction of new hotels. In fact, according to Forbes Travel Guide (2014), in the previous year, Total Number of five star and for star hotels rose by 33 percent and 28 percent respectively with the number expected to grow. However, in the event of the global financial crisis, many hotel services providers have found themselves struggling to compete for the declining market through offers and promotional activities that live the some of the small hotels unable to compete. High-end luxury has a great advantage over small and medium hotels. The former enjoys Strong financial bases as well as a wide network of chain hotels thereby finding it cost effective to market their hotels and also offer a wider variety of services globally (Chu, 2014). The small and medium Hotel continue to find it hard to remain competitive since they may not be in a position to offer wide variety of services and still remain sustainable. This situation has led to the closure as well as struggling hotels across the globe. Product offering Due to the increasing competition, hotels are increasingly using offering a wide range of services, facilities as well as amenities to maintain a competitive edge over their competitors. For instance, luxurious hotels around the global offer unique service products that are very diverse to the extent that the hotels become a destination themselves. Inclusion of health reactional center, Shopping complex, sporting grounds, unique hotels suites as well as technological improvements. Hotels going beyond their primary services such as food and accommodation have had a significant increase in walk-ins and bookings. According to the Smith Travel Research (2010), There was an unprecedented turnaround in 2010 followed by a significant growth worldwide. Studies show that this rebound of the luxury hotels is as a result of changing consumer trends who are increasingly preferring spending on experiences. However, this works at the detriment of lesser hotels which are unable to offer such a wide variety. Digitization of hotel rooms to accommodate the new generation of technologically savvy clientele. Hotels lacking such modification are unable to appeal to this new emerging client market. While the number of clientele continues to go up, the bottom-line decreases as a result of higher cost service delivery cost. Prevalence of technology and Social media As Technological advancement continue to improve integration of business activities to positively affect the Hotel Industry, there is a downside with the advent of social media. Technology has allowed the hotel industrys ability to cut costs on promotional services as well as administration services. Hotels generally applying technology in their operation have been able to cut cost on a variety of areas including renewable energy adoption over oil and gas, as well as communication tools such as digital over paper communication. Such effectiveness has been a common trend in Hotel industry that helps improving their bottom-line(Chu, 2014). Even when a there is a lowered number of customer walk-ins, a Hotel has the ability to remain profitable again While social media is used as a personalized marketing tool, it can also create a negative effect in cases of bad service experiences. In the current world, many people share their experience with friends in social media and a negative comme ntary regarding a particular hotel has the potential to spread really fast thereby decreasing the attraction towards the hotel. Additionally, negative information regarding the regions where the hotel is located reduce the hotels appeal, especially when such alerts pose a threat to customers such as political unrest, and violence. Therefore, although technology remains an added advantage to the hotel industry in terms of promotional cost effectiveness, there are concerns where negative publicity creates loss of customers. Political Unrest, and Regulation policies In countries faced with political unrest, the Hotel industry is adversely affected. Some tourism and travel exporting countries often provide travel advisories that may advise their citizens to avoid some tour destinations, which are highly regarded by the tourists. For example, Greece experienced a downturn of its hotel and tourism industry partly as a result of demonstrations as well as civil unrest within the countries. The Hotel industry in the current did not recover until 2013 and is slowly showing growth (OATEN, LE QUESNE, SEGAL, Deloitte LLP, 2012). However, it is expected that some with the slow recovery, some hotels may be unable to sustain themselves. Turnaround strategy in the Hospitality industry In the hospitality industry, the management of the financial crisis management has proved to be an unpredictable event requiring continuous analysis and improvement of organizational performance according to Paraskevas (2013). Notably, in crisis management, awareness of potential crisis, prevention and mitigation of the crisis are essential for organizations within a particular industry to apply corrective measures as well as adapt to change. Such strategies have allowed the hospitality industry to successfully recover from the recession and emerge stronger. Adaptation of sustainable business practices that added value to the hospitality industry have enable the sector to become resilient to economic pressures. Several trends within the hospitality and tourism industry have enabled its survival. Factors that have led to the rapid Recovery of the Hospitality industry Despite this decline, the tourism industry has proven resilient where it registered a significantly rapid recovery in the 2010 registering 5.3 percent tourist exports. The figure has remained consistent over the years. It is fortunate that the hospitality sector has been able to take advantage of the crisis in a bid to mitigate the impact the recession as well as preventing redundancy (World Economic Forum, September 2011). Hospitality companies are consistently innovating new ways and strategies in order to remain competitive that have allowed growth within the industry. Favorable economic conditions such as the fall of oil prices has in turn caused a reduction in travel cost prompting more people to afford travel fare. Additionally, the financial crisis has awakened the hospitality companies in working more efficiently which includes cutting cost while providing more quality services to customers (OECD, 2007). Some companies have had to streamline their management structure to reta in only the essential department. Additionally, the current crisis has served as an opportunity for the service industry to implement proactive ways increase communication with consumers and also attract skills development within the industry. In the job creation areas, for example, tourism industry in Italy made efforts to improve working condition by subcontracting companies in charge of providing seasonal employees on a contractual basis during peak seasons for a moderately higher pay. Development and emergence of other markets have helped widen the variety of services products offered by the hospitality and tourism industry. For instance, it is notable that developing countries registered growth even during the recession. This was facilitated by proactive strategies to develop tourism and ultimately the hospitality industry. Repackaging and rebranding of sustainable tourism such as promotion of culture, arts and heritage within developing countries was a significant factor that allowed rapid recovery of the sector (Levy Hawkins, 2010). Additionally, the hospitality industry has also seen shift in the trends among consumers towards more experiential products services over material products including health, environment and business tourism. strategically, the hospitality industry has continued to seek new ways of adding value to the sector as investment within the sector continues to be affected by the slow recovery of the financial sector. Notably the rise in per capita income of the middle class has seen a high affinity for luxurious activities. For this reason, Luxury hotels are increasingly formulating product service packages that are affordable to the middle class. Investment in fully serviced hotels has increased allowing tourist to gain greater satisfaction from their experience. Increase in Demand for such high-end services as well as development of a culture embodying the strategic goals of the hotels have allowed the hospitality and tourism industry to continue showing consistent. Global integration and networking among the hotel industry has created an eco-system that allows hospitality companies to market and offer a wider variety of product through mutually beneficial partnerships. Although large multi-national hotels are in a better position to quickly adapt to changing industry condition such as shifting trends, small and medium hospitality businesses do not share the same luxury, lacking the resources competitively targeting new customer. However, the advent of the internet and new technology has opened new innovative ways where small hospitality businesses can effectively market their business as well as network and cooperate with other small business to provide a wide variety of products services, collectively (Wirtz, 2000; Wirtz and Ehret, 2013). Marketing platform for Bed and breakfast businesses are now visible as a result of online platforms that promote them according to location and mutually beneficial payment arrangement creating more employment opportunities. Advent of Smartphones and application allow personalized communication to potential customers. Communication between client and small business hotels is possible as well as immediate feedback (Miroudot, 2016). Information collection about taste and preference of target clients is possible and easily available and reliable in making strategic decisions within the hospitality industry which help to match customers expectation. Similarly, mergers and acquisition have also allowed the integration of the hospitality at a global level which in the past was fragmented. Mutually beneficial partnerships ensure that customers gain access to a personalized service among partnering hotels (Pforr Hosie, 2009). The strategy not only creates opportunity but only create added value to customer increasing satisfaction. Therefore, the business structure of the Hotel industry has changed to a more flexible and cost effective model that can easily adapt to change. Conclusion In an era troubled by serious economic pressures, there has been proactive and conscious improvement effort, nationally and internationally to overcome the effects of the financial crisis experienced in 2009. In 2010, the hospitality and tourism industry showed tremendous recovery indicated by the positive growth of tourism exports that rose by 5 percent and has continued to growth at relatively the same rate over the years. While there has been a decrease in accommodation prices, there trend has seen more guest being able to afford luxury hotels thus increasing the numbers of tourists in high end hotels. Globalization has encouraged the integration the once fragmented hospitality industry with mergers and acquisition enabling mutually beneficial partnerships. The reorganization of the hotel industry has also seen an increase in job opportunities along the value chain as well as streamlining employment conditions among employees directly related to the hospitality industry. Demand fo r skilled labor as well as cost efficient model of operation have allowed the hospitality industry to gain rapid growth with technology innovation and prevalence of the digital platforms facilitating integration and cost effective promotional strategies. Although the hospitality industry is highly competitive, companies in the sector strive to provide more diverse services as well as developing new markets that will see the sectors continued success in the future. we find that in accordance to the WTO 2015 findings, the global service sector continues to contribute a significant percentage of the global GDP. This is because services having incorporated in almost every aspect of business including manufacturing. However, in a bid to capitalize on the global opportunities companies are continually adopting different business models that seek to increase efficiency References Bain and Company (2012), AWorld Awash inMoney. Capitol Trends Through 2020, Bain Company,New York, NY. Bell., D., 1973, The coming of the Post-Industrial Society. London: Heinnmen Chu, Y. (2014). A review of studies on luxury hotels over the past two decades. Ehret, M., Kashyap, V. and Wirtz, J. (2013), Business models: impact on business markets and opportunities for marketing research, Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 42 No. 5,pp. 649-655. Eichengreen, B. and Gupta, P. (2012), The two waves of service sector growth, Working Paper Series No. 14968, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Cambridge, MA, May. Fersht, P., Filippone, T., Aird, C. and Sappenfield, D. (2011), The Evolution of Global Business Services: Enhancing the Benefits of Shared Services and Outsourcing, HfS Research, July, Cambridge, MA. Forbes Travel Guide: Star Award Winners. (2014). Retrieved 2/15 2014, from https://www.forbestravelguide.com/about/awardwinners Gonzales, F., Bradford Jensen, J., Kim, Y. and Kyvik Nords, H. (2012), Globalisation of services and jobs, in Lippoldt, D. (Ed.), Policy Priorities for International Trade and Jobs, OECD Publishing, e-publication, Paris, pp. 175-192, available at :www.oecd.org/site/tadicite/50258009.pdf (accessed on July 17, 2015). Gonzlez Mieres, C., ngel Lpez Snchez, J. and Leticia Santos, V.M. (2012), Internal marketing, innovation and performance in business services firms: the role of organizational unlearning, International Journal of Management, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 403-429. Miroudot, S. (forthcoming), Global Value Chains and Trade in Value-Added: An Initial Assessment of the Impact on Jobs and Productivity,OECD Trade Policy Papers, no. 190, OECD Publishing. NSF (2012), Science and Engineering Indicators 2012, Chapter 6: Industry, Technology, and the Global Marketplace, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA. OATEN,S., LE QUESNE,K., SEGAL,H., Deloitte LLP. (2012). Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 - Reports - World Economic Forum. Retrieved from https://reports.weforum.org/travel-and-tourism-competitiveness-report-2015/chapter-1-2-adapting-to-uncertainty-the-global-hotel-industry/ OECD (2007), Globalisation and structural adjustment, Summary Report of the Study on Globalisation and Innovation in the Business Services Sector, Paris. Parakevas, A., et al (2013): Crisis Knowledge in Tourism. Annals of Tourism Research 04/2013; 41:130152 Pforr, C. Hosie, P. (2009). Crisis Management in the Tourism Industry (Eds.). Ashgate, UK World Travel Tourism Council, March 2011, https://www.wttc.org/ (accessed 29 October 2011). WTO (2010), Measuring Trade in Services, A Training Module Produced by WTO/OMC, World Trade Organization, Geneva. WTO (2012), International Trade Statistics 2012, World Trade Organization, Geneva. WTO (2015), Trade in goods and services has fluctuated significantly over the last 20 years World Trade Organization, Geneva.

Space Flight Essays - Apollo Program, United States,

Space Flight On May 25, 1961, John F. Kennedy delivered one of the most memorable State of the Union addresses in the history of the United States. ?I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the earth? (http://www.cs.umb.edu/jfklibrary, President John F. Kennedy's Special Message to the Congress on Urgent National Needs). With those words, Kennedy launched a new era of space exploration in the United States. Although the National Aeronautics And Space Administration was created in 1958 by the National Aeronautics and Space Act (http://www.hq.nasa.gov, Key Documents), and the Russians already launched the first satellite into space in 1957, the US was still at a stand still on the subject. What the country needed was a wake-up call, and that is exactly what it got from one of the most celebrated speakers in its history. The new era promised much, but expected little. From USA's struggle to be the dominant world power in the Cold War Era, to the careless depletion of natural resources in the Information Age, space exploration and astronauts were and will be the real keys to the new millennium and beyond. Before looking into the future, or even evaluating the present, one must look in detail at the history of the space project. The missions that gave scientists and engineers the necessary data and experience to make new, safer, more reliable and intricate equipment were launched long before there was realistic talk of sending probes to Mars. The astronauts that helped shape the training programs, took the beatings of primitive flight tests, and died in order to serve their country were born before World War II. And even the Russian Space Program was crucial to what the space program is today. It fueled competition, and provided more resources for American engineers. Until Apollo 11, they were ahead of the Americans in almost everyway, with their launch of Sputnik, a unmanned satellite in 1957, and their countless firsts in orbiting and space walks. Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space. Although most of the missions that have been launched have been important in their own ways, some missions just stand out, whether it was the first step on the Moon, or the first mission to Mars. NASA's first high profile program was Project Mercury, an effort to learn if humans could survive in space. It was the prelude to the later missions, and it gave NASA the necessary data to build better, and more comfortable ships for humans to stay in space for extended periods of time. The first launch of the Mercury program was the LJ-1 on August 21, 1959. At thirty-five minutes before launch, evacuation of the area had been proceeding on schedule. Suddenly, half an hour before launch-time, an explosive flash occurred. When the smoke cleared it was evident that only the capsule-and-tower combination had been launched, on a trajectory similar to an off-the-pad abort (http://www.ksc.nasa.gov, Mercury: LJ-1). The first mildly successful spacecraft launch occurred September 9, 1959. Although t he BJ-1 ship experienced some problems, and the timing on some of the separation procedures was off, the capsule made it back to earth some seven hours after lift-off. The capsule orbited the earth for approximately thirteen minutes (Mercury: BJ-1). Mercury mission MA-5 was the first to carry live organisms into sub-orbit. Although Enos - a chimpanzee, was not a perfect substitute for a human, he served as a good test for the environmental controls of the capsule. He orbited the earth in total weightlessness for over three hours and upon landing was in perfect physical condition (Mercury: MA-5). On May 5, 1961, Freedom 7 was the first launch to carry humans into space. Alan B. Shepard, Jr. was the only crewmember, and the successful mission lasted for over 15 minutes (Mercury: MR-3). More manned flights from the Mercury series followed, highlighted by the Friendship 7, where on February 20, 1962, John Glenn was the first American in actual orbit, and he orbited the earth three times for a little under five hours (Mercury: MA-6). The last mission from the Mercury project came on May 15,