Search for My tongue and Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan Essay Example

Search for My tongue and Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan Essay Example Search for My tongue and Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan Essay Search for My tongue and Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan Essay Essay Topic: Poetry This essay is comparing two cultural poems, both written by people who have been taken from their home culture, to another one, which is different. The poems-Search for My tongue and Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan- are similar in some ways, but different in others. This essay will compare the two cultures, and the similarities and differences. Moniza Alvi wrote Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan. She was born in Pakistan in 1954 but was moved to England when she was a young child. As Moniza grew up in England she was separated from her origins and never felt entirely at home. This is shown in the poem half-English When Moniza revisited Pakistan she felt very English her cultural background was affecting her more than she realised. I feel that Moniza wrote the poem to show others how different it is to change cultures, to half belong to one and half belong to another culture. She mentions in a BBC interview her poem is autobiographical and reflects her growing up. At the start of the poem there is a strong sense of image, which helps to build up a feeling of adoration and beauty. We first see the idea of culture of culture in this poem in the clothing from Pakistan, which shows a rich sense of colour and beauty. When these clothes are later compared to with the cardigans from Marks and Spencers it is easy to see how one culture appears to splash out with colour in the various items of clothing, like the Salwar Kameez (loose trousers and a tunic, woven and worn traditionally by women). In the first stanza (verse) the beautiful clothing and strong visual continue but this beauty also has a dangerous side -the bangles she receives snap and cut her giving a slight sense of confusion which builds up slowly throughout the poem, coming back at stages. In stanza two it is obvious that the clothing is not what she wants. She feels that it doesnt suit her, that it is gorgeous but also too exotic alien in the sitting room line 17, suggesting that she prefers a more dull type of clothing, as shown in the second part of the stanza. I longed for denim and corduroy line 20-21 shows that her British clothing is what she prefers. The Pakistani clothing sets her aflame and she cant rise out of its fire. This part of the poem describes her and the clothing like a phoenix. She then describes herself as half-English. This may suggest that she feels that she doesnt fit in, she has no home. However, in stanza three there are some things that she likes about Pakistan, the camel skin lamp (Although this may not be from Pakistan it has more exotic qualities than English ones). She admires the transformation of camel to lampshade and the colour produce by it. Her mothers jewellery is described to make it look beautiful and precious. It almost seems inevitable that it will be stolen, as it shows a sense of danger, as do some of the other items from Pakistan, like the bangles. The items in the wardrobe give a good image of the differences between the two cultures. The dull, plain wardrobe and the dull, plain English clothing are completely opposite from the vibrant, bright Pakistani clothing, which stands out immensely. Her school friends are unimpressed with her clothing and want to see her weekend clothes. This shows a major cultural difference between her and her friends. She, However, admires the clothes and the mirror work. The poem moves into a flashback of her early childhood, as she is moving to England. She is left alone in her grandmothers dining room, suggesting that even in her early life she is isolated and separated from everyone else. In the poem, Moniza portrays a bad image of her homeland. The pictures that she has are from the time of her youth, though they are not described in the poem, show where she was born. They are different from the newspaper reports she reads later in her life when Lahore is a war torn country, a fractured land. She has pictures of Lahore in her mind; expectations of her country should be like to her. The environment she pictures shows a sexist environment, where the women and the men are separated. In the final stanza, we see that Moniza is isolated, left with the beggars and the sweeper girls, of no fixed nationality. It seems that wherever she goes, there is no sense of home, no place that she can belong to. All throughout the poem, there is a strong sense of wanting to belong, but in no way being able to belong, a sense of disappointment and regret. Search for my Tongue was written by Sujata Bhatt. She was born in India in 1956. Her family moved to America, where she was educated, and she now lives in Germany. The poem was first printed in her book, entitled Brunizem, in 1988 (The word Brunizem is a soil, a dark prairie soil which is found in Asia, Europe and North America This may reflect on the fact that she has lived in these areas. ) Search for my Tongue can be split into three parts. The first part is the lines 1 to 16, the second part is the Gujerati (lines 17 to 30) and the last part is lines 31 to 38. The first part of the poem describes how she has lost her tongue or her language. She describes two tongues in the poem, the mother tongue and the foreign tongue. The mother tongue is in reference to her original language, Gujerati and the foreign tongue is her new language, English (At the time the poem was written, Sujata as living in America). The lines You could not use them both together even if you thought that way show that even if you commonly use both languages, one can still dominate and possibly destroy the other one, leaving you with only one tongue. In the second half of the first part of the poem, we can tell that the mother tongue has gone rotten and died, causing the person to spit it out. However, the seed of the tongue is still in the person and comes back to her when she dreams. This part of the poem reflects some of the ideas bought forward by Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan. Both of the poems show a sense of cultural loss, one that is hard to regain. The Gujerati in section two is there for two reasons. One is to isolate the people who cannot speak Gujerati. Although the text can be read without this section, it helps to build up a sense of atmosphere in the poem. The other reason for the Gujerati to be there is that it shows the impact of the dream. It interrupts the poem, like a dream would interrupt, showing that the comeback is sudden, and cannot be controlled. Section three is an extended metaphor, a reflection of what section two is. The language is described as a plant, which has died, but left a seed for a new plant to grow, whilst another plant has taken its place. The first plan t grows from this a takes its place back from the other plant, and strengthens itself grows strong veins as time goes on. This is a way of succouring itself against the foreign tongue. The image the poem gives of both the plants is a very different one. The foreign tongue is given the image of a weed, one which has choked and held back the mother tongue, which is given a more beautiful image of blossoming. There are many similarities and differences between the poems. The ideas of culture are strong in each one, both contributing to the ideal culture of the writers, one which everyone is welcome and can speak the same way, without feeling isolated. Both the poets have been taken from their original, home cultures and thrown into a harsh society to them, one that prevents them from fully finding themselves. Both the poems have strong imagery, which is vivid. An example of this is the phoenix reference of rising from the ashes to be reborn, something both writers either wish to experience or have experienced. The main differences between the poems is the fact that in Search for my Tongue the person recovers their culture, whilst the other person in Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan loses their culture. I feel that Search for my Tongue is a more metaphorical poem, a dream-like one which discusses the aspects of a lost language, a major part in any culture. I feel that it has more influence than Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan as this is more literal and I dont fell has the depth of Search for my Tongue. The culture in both of the poems has shown how moving from one country to another can have a major impact on peoples lives and can affect them in a way which they do not understand or want.

Go Mobile

Go Mobile According to tech monitor SmallBizTrends.com, over 60 percent of online traffic now comes from mobile devices. Unbeknownst to you, your own website may - right now! - be looking like a bad bowl of alphabet soup: text indecipherably tiny, images disproportionately huge, menus misaligned and the contact form stretched out of bounds of a finger-tap. There goes your chance of that interested editor getting in touch with you for a possible commission or that writers group wishing to purchase your book in bulk for their next reading project! With more people buying smart-phones every day, you need to capitalize on this fast-growing market on the Web: ensure you can reach your mobile audience and they can reach you. The easiest way to do this is to create a mobile-optimized website. This is a version of your desktop website customized for the constraints of mobile viewing, especially the small size of the screen and vertical page alignment. While mobile websites are cost-effective and have a wide reach (anyone with a browser can access a website), they do have two constraints: They are limited in what they can do because they are browser-dependent, and features like Flash and Javascript can be tricky to incorporate. Start your website plan Other considerations will include your available budget, your intended purpose and your must-have features. Want to tout your latest award? Or are you more interested in collecting rave reviews for your debut novel? Perhaps youd like to highlight your flexible rates for ghost-writing services. There are a variety of tools, some free, to help you create a mobile-friendly version of your existing website. Google Mobile Optimizer is the most accessible, but also the least customizable. WordPress offers some plugins,  GoDaddy  has an automated system, other online plug-and-play platforms are  GetGoMobi.com  and Onswipe.com. Simply search online for How to set up a mobile website to get thousands of useful results. Do some due diligence, play around with a few options to explore and get a feel of the technology. During implementation, bear in mind the following three key points: 1. Identify . . . the context and content most relevant to your readers/editors. Remember, they are mobile users, which means they are on the move. They dont want to read pages of PDF of sample articles or

BMW Brand Equity Analysis Report(BEAR) Research Paper

BMW Brand Equity Analysis Report(BEAR) - Research Paper Example The introduction provides a brief profile of the company. The report will also provide the current status of the brand as well as its investments in the business sector. Challenges that are being faced by the firm will be provided including recommendations necessary for implementation in order to realize success in the company. The recommendations should be taken into consideration if significant success and consistent quality are to be enhanced. Introduction BMW is short for Bavarian Motor Works which began in the early years of the twentieth century. It first began as an aircraft engine manufacturing in Germany. The success of its 6-cylinder BMW IIIa engine saw it become a publicly traded company (Easton, 2008, p. 1). The license to manufacture automobiles was obtained in the year 1928. Throughout the years, it has been able to gain reputation for innovation, as well as, quality in the automobile, aircraft engines and motorcycle fields. Its reputation has continued to grow owing to its award winning performance and impressive designs. BMW was listed by Forbes.com as the most reputable company in the world in the year 2012. The rankings were obviously based on such issues as people’s willingness to invest in the company, to buy, to work for and to recommend. Their perception of the products and the company were useful in the rankings. The BMW group sponsor is Bundesliga’s club and was also an official sponsor of the London 2012 Olympics. In 2010, it made a six-year sponsorship deal with USOC which is short for United States Olympic Committee. It has also sponsored many European golf events both in Italy and Germany. Status of the brand The brand has the right products that they have put in place, and they have continued to keep them competitive and attractive over the lifecycle. They have a lifecycle that follow a specific nomenclature. The nomenclature is applicable for both the automobiles and the motorcycle (Giuliani, 2012, p. 8). The brand ha s its presence in the global world and has the knowledge to delight customers around the globe. The company is looking into expanding globally to ensure that their innovation is present and known globally. This will also lead to an improvement in their reputation as well as in the loyalty of their customers. Their impressive and unique designs have ensured that the brand sticks to the minds of people. The brand is strong especially in innovation and efficiency of fuel. They have an aim of directing the future of the market using its initiatives. Their innovative initiatives have seen the brand grow stronger and have a competitive advantage over its competitors (Giuliani, 2012, p. 8). They have continued to provide luxury and unique brands that offer a different experience. This means that they have managed to further the joy and fascination of the brand. Their earnings and revenues have grown and have also broken all existing records. This is all in the back of dynamic flourishing o f financial services business and car sales volume growth. The earnings were strong and increased in a tremendous way. This is the reason why the brand is strong as opposed to the other car models. Investments in the business sector The brand is striving for a good balance of growth especially in Europe, Asia and America. This is essential especially if they want to achieve economic success in a volatile environment (Annual Report, 2011, p. 15). The group had discovered that there is future growth in such countries as Russia, Brazil,

Exercise Physiology in Extreme Environments Essay

Exercise Physiology in Extreme Environments - Essay Example The term hypoxia refers to a pathological condition in which the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply (Wikipedia, 2006a). Physiologists have long been astonished by the changes that occur with adaptation to altitude as the circulatory system attempts to compensate for the increased hypoxia by enhancing certain characteristics. Common reasoning asserts that if the characteristics of circulation at altitude are better than those of sea-level, then sea-level performances should be enhanced among these athletes. For example, training at altitude, anywhere above 3000 meters, increases the body’s number of red blood cells, thus the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen is greater. It seems reasonable that this would enhance sea-level performance as the high altitude athlete’s body uses oxygen more effectively which enables that individual to run farther and faster (Sutton, 1994). However, these assumptions of high altitude training are just that. Contradictory evidenc e suggests that high altitude training is not only ineffective, but the physiological events that occur in the body as a result can be harmful. Ascent to high altitude is accompanied by a progressive fall in barometric pressure and an accompanying fall in the partial pressure of oxygen. â€Å"As low-level dwellers, we are optimally equipped for existence at normal air pressure of 760 mm of mercury, with an oxygen concentration of 21 percent. With increasing altitude, the concentration of oxygen remains the same, but the atmospheric pressure decreases and with this the partial pressure of oxygen falls. This means that the number of oxygen molecules per breath is greatly reduced and this in turn reduces the amount of oxygen available to the blood and tissues in the body† (Quinn, n.d.). The resulting decrease in arterial oxygen saturation (hypoxaemia) triggers a cascade of physiological disturbances that ultimately result in an

Ben & Jerrys Company Analysis - Short Essay Example for Free

Ben Jerrys Company Analysis Short Essay Companies like Ben Jerry’s could definitely be affected by high inflation because of the consumer spending. When the consumers are forced to pay higher prices for products or services that are a necessity, they cut back on products or services that are a luxury. Luxuries that are not a necessity to live like gasoline for vehicles or gas to heat homes or even food will not be bought. Any company that sells a luxury item that is not a necessity to live can be affected by high inflation. With inflation, the price of everything goes up. With that said, the price for companies to buy supplies goes up, meaning that in order to cover their overhead, they will need to find a way to make that money back which could mean layoffs or raising the price of their goods or products. In a recession, companies like Ben Jerry’s could also face the possibility of being negatively affected because of the demand of consumers. Very much like inflation, recession has the same effect; the consumers do not want to spend their money on luxury items. With the recession, there are more people unemployed who are just barely getting by, therefore, will refuse to spend any money on something that does not decide whether they have a home or not, which includes a luxury item like ice cream. Ben Jerry’s could also be affected because of their stock prices. During a recession, the price of stock usually declines. So, their revenue would be affected as well as their stock, which would result in bad overall performance of the company. Speaking from personal experience, any luxury item that I absolutely do not need, I do not buy. I simply cannot put myself in a position to not pay a bill because I want to â€Å"treat† myself. With all this said, Ben Jerry’s provides a reasonably priced luxury item that I would consider a â€Å"feel-good† luxury item. Everyone loves ice cream, young and old. Consumers still need to have a quality of life with the changing economic conditions and if buying an affordable luxury item gives them that, they are going to splurge and buy it. Unlike other luxury items, such as getting clothing and spa appointments, the consumer still gets to feel good and not go broke. Ben Jerry’s makes a one of a kind product, their flavored ice cream, which makes it an easy buying decision for the consumer. The text book also explains that McDonald’s is not hit as sensitive to the economic conditions for the same reason. Their food is reasonably priced and the consumer still gets to feel like they are â€Å"treating† themselves to restaurant food without breaking the bank. Ben Jerry’s has social, product and economic condition missions that make them popular in their industry. Not only do they care about making a profit, but they care about their people, environment and planet. They have mission statements for each of these and they follow through. As a consumer, I would rather buy my luxury item from a company that cares about something other than making a buck like their competitors. They make their ice cream to support causes like the recent Imagine Whirled Peace flavor that hosted a competition and donated money to them to support their peace cause. They also have a foundation that gives grants to non-profit organizations that are working for progressive social change. They hold fund-raisers and rally days. They provide hope, awareness and celebration. They also use naturally and humanly produced ingredients as part of one of their missions as well, which is something that would usually increase the price of any products, but with this company, it is just part of their offering. All in all, they provide more than just ice cream to the consumers which makes them less vulnerable to the economic shocks.

Christmas Traditions Around Th Essay -- essays research papers

RELIGIOUS PRACTICE AND POPULAR CUSTOMS The Bible provides no guidelines that explain how Christmas should be observed, nor does it even suggest that it should be considered a religious holiday. Because of the lack of biblical instructions, Christmas rituals have been shaped by the religious and popular traditions of each culture that celebrates the holiday. On Christmas Eve, churches around the world hold evening services. At midnight, most Catholic and many Protestant churches hold special candlelight services. The Catholic midnight Mass was first introduced by the Roman Catholic Church in the 5th century.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Greece The Greek Christmas, or Christougenna, pays respect to the Nativity of Christ while also incorporating popular superstitions. On Christmas Eve, Greek children go from house to house knocking on doors and singing Greek songs that tell of the arrival of the Christ child. The family celebration focuses on a Christmas Eve dinner, which, in the Greek Orthodox tradition, follows several weeks of fasting. According to legend, mischievous, often hideous looking elves called Kallikantzaroi wreak havoc in houses for the next 12 days. Burning incense or leaving a peace offering is supposed offer some protection against the elves. Most families decorate a small wooden cross with basil and dip it into a shallow bowl of water. This is believed to give the water holy powers. The water is then sprinkled throughout the house to keep the mischievous spirits away.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Russia After the Russian Revolution of 1917, authorities of the newly formed USSR prohibited the practice of all religions. After the USSR broke up in 1991, the Russian Orthodox Church revived Christmas rituals. Like the Greeks, some Russians fast during a period before Christmas. Then, at the sight of the first star in the sky on Christmas Eve, a 12-course supper begins, with one course for each of Jesus’ 12 disciples. The meal includes , or beet soup; stuffed cabbage; and kutiya, a dish of whole wheat grains soaked in water for hours and seasoned with honey, nuts, and crushed poppy seeds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Italy During the Christmas season Italians perform music at shrines of the Virgin Mary. They also play songs at the homes of carpenters in honor of Saint Jos... ...s and red sashes, and wear crowns of greenery and glowing candles  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Germany The German custom of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmastime has become one of the most popular images of Christmas around the world. At one time, Germany supplied the world with almost all of the decorative glass ornaments for Christmas trees. The Christmas season begins in Germany during the first week of December, when town squares become filled with stalls selling everything from toys to hot spiced wine. On the evening of December 5, children wait for a visit from Saint Nicholas, who brings them gifts. Most children also receive gifts on Christmas Eve. In some parts of Germany, Santa Claus distributes gifts, but in other regions children’s treats are delivered by Knecht Ruprecht, a mythical figure dressed in animal skins. From Christmas Eve through all of Christmas Day and the next day, stores are closed and all work stops as families exchange gif ts, attend church, and wish one another Frà ¶hliche Weihnachten (happy Christmas.) Around the world, every custom celebrates Christmas in a different way...as with famalies in the same culture.

A paper about Apollo 13 Essay

On April 11, 1970, three men were scheduled to fly to and land on the moon. The mission labeled Apollo 13. Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchell made-up the original crew members of Apollo 13, but because of an inner-ear surgery, Alan Shepard felt unprepared to fly Apollo13. Jim Lovell, the commander of Apollo 14, was then approached and asked if he would mind switching flights with Shepard. Jim did not think there would be a great difference between the two flights and wanted to get back to the moon. He agreed and his crew began training. (Lovell and Kluger, 60-61) Jim’s crew included Fred Haise, Ken Mattingly, and himself. They gladly accepted their mission. Little did these men know, however, their flight was going to be riddled with problems and be forever remembered for them. The three men should have known that their mission was fated for mishaps when at the last minute Ken Mattingly was removed from the crew because of an accidental exposure to German measles. He was replaced by the â€Å"playboy† Jack Swigert. Jack, who was not taken very seriously by the public, became a huge asset to the crew of Apollo 13. The chosen men of Apollo 13 were to become the second group of men launched towards the moon. Their mission was clear: Get to the moon. Apollo 13 planned to land in the Fra Mauro Formation, an extensive geologic unit covering large portions of the moon. The men were to exit the spacecraft and perform numerous experiments for NASA. These experiments would give information on the composition of the moon’s surface and its formation. Age dating would have been done when the samples returned to earth. This shows the age of the formations and provides an idea of where the moon falls on the geologic time scale. (Godwin, 63) Ken Mattingly, Jim Lovell, and Fred Haise were ready for their mission. This is what they had trained their whole lives for. Devastatingly, Ken Mattingly was not allowed to fly with the crew of Apollo 13 to the moon. Seventy-two hours before the flight launched into space, NASA informed Ken that he had been exposed to the German measles and would not be able to continue with the mission. (JSC) The entire crew including the back-up crew was exposed to the disease. Back-up LEM pilot, Charlie Duke, became sick after being exposed to the disease because of his son.  Even though the entire crew, including the back-up crew had been exposed, Ken Mattingly had not been immunized and would endanger the flight if he were to become sick while in space. (Lovell and Kluger, 88) NASA has strict rules about such things and knew that a sick crew member could not be trusted completely as an operator of a spacecraft. Ken’s crew rallied behind him and fought NASA so that Ken could join them on this mission. Unfortunately, NASA disregarded the crew’s arguments. Jim Lovell became Mattingly’s number one supporter, however. He wanted his friend with him and did not understand why Ken could not go into space. He asked the flight surgeon, â€Å"How long is the incubation period for this thing?† The surgeon replied, â€Å"About ten days to two weeks?† After more discussion about the fact that during lift-off Ken would be fine and when they reached the moon Ken would be healthy, Lovell asked, â€Å"Then what’s the problem? If he starts running a fever when Fred and I are down on the surface (of the moon), he can have that whole time to get over it. If he’s not better by then, he can just sweat if out on the flight home. I can’t think of a better place to have the measles than in a nice cozy spaceship.† (Lovell and Kluger, 89) When Lovell finished ranting, the surgeon still bumped Mattingly from the flight. Jack Swigert replaced Ken for the April 11th launch. Jack Swigert took the place of Ken Mattingly as Command Module pilot. Jack had a reputation as a rambunctious bachelor and had an energetic social life. The public knew of his behavior and during the flight, instead of watching late-breaking news, they watched talk shows that belittled him for such behavior. On April 13th, two days after the launch, ABC was showing The Dick Cavett Show. Dick had one comment about the space flight. He said, â€Å"And speaking of girl watching, did you know our first bachelor astronaut is on his way to the moon? It’s Swigert, right? He’s the kind of guy who they say has a girl in every port. Well, that may be, but I think he’s kinda foolishly optimistic taking nylons and Hershey bars to the moon† (Lovell and Kluger, 4). America knew him as â€Å"the bachelor.† Swigert, however, was quiet, unassuming, and hard-working. The only astronaut unmarried in NASA’s history, Swigert knew this was bad for his image in the 1960’s, but NASA kept him on because he was such a good pilot. Swigert and NASA knew that he was a good pilot, but his lifestyle not his qualifications had been publicized for the public to judge him by. Swigert served in the Air Force after graduating from the University of Colorado. During this time he was a fighter pilot in both Japan and Korea. After earning a Masters of Science from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1965, Swigert was selected by NASA in 1966 along with Ken Mattingly, Fred Haise, and nineteen other astronauts. (Godwin) The crew had trained for a good year before the flight was to be launched. During this year, the crew became so close that Lovell and Haise could interpret the nuances and inflections in Mattingly’s voice. This would become valuable when Mattingly would only be shouting commands at the two men while they tried to steer their lander. (Lovell and Kluger, 89-90) So it wasn’t that the crew of Apollo 13 did not believe in Swigert’s abilities, but they had trained with Ken Mattingly for so many months that they were afraid they would not be as successful. To their surprise, Swigert fit into the crew nicely. Forty-eight hours before they were to launch, NASA certified Jack to fly. (Lovell and Kluger, 89-90) With Mattingly left behind in Mission Control, Apollo 13 launched on April 11, 1970 with full faith it would make it to the moon. NASA launched Apollo 13 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2:13 p.m. (Godwin, 81) The launch went well. The only problems the crew encountered were with fuel cells and the fact that Swigert had not filed his tax returns yet. The Capcom, Joe Kerwin, asked the guys if they had completed their income tax forms. Swigert replied, â€Å"How do I apply for an extension?† Joe laughed. â€Å"Joe, it ain’t too funny. Things happened kinda fast down there and I do need an extension. I may be spending time in another quarantine when we get back, besides the medical one they’re planning for us.† After cracking up the entire mission control, Joe came back on saying, â€Å"We’ll see what we can do, Jack† (Lovell and Kluger, 92). The crew continued with regular business. Little did they know they would be dealing with much bigger problems than Jack’s taxes, but they would also be glad that they had him along. â€Å"Houston, we have a problem† (History Channel). Most people know this saying  well. They’ve said it when things go wrong in their own lives, but for the three men of Apollo 13 and the world it was the scariest phrase they had ever uttered or heard. Quickly after the ship was launched, a NASA technician discovered higher pressure on a helium tank than there was supposed to be. Nothing was done. After liftoff, Apollo 13’s second engine cut off two minutes early. To make up for this, the astronauts â€Å"burned the other four engines an additional 34.† (Space Exploration History) This resulted in a 1.2 feet per second speed gain. On April 13, 1970 after a television broadcast, the men were sent this message from mission control, â€Å"We’d like you to err, stir up you cryo tanks. In addition err, have a shaft and trunnion, for a look at the comet Bennett if you need it.† Jack Swigert did as he was told. (Space Exploration History) This le d to his now infamous phrase, â€Å"Houston, we have a problem† (History Channel). Jim Lovell described the explosion like this, † Fred was still in the lunar module. Jack was back in the command module, in the left-hand seat, and I was half way in between, in the lower equipment bay, wrestling with TV wires and a camera, watching Fred come on down, when all three of us heard a rather large bang – just one bang.† (Compton) All the men thought that the explosion was a joke being played by Fred Haise, but they quickly realized something was seriously wrong. Jim continues to describe his feelings by saying, â€Å"I guess it’s the kind of interesting to know what the feelings of the crew are when something like this happens. When you first hear this explosion or bang†¦you don’t know what it is. We’ve heard similar sounds in the spacecraft before that were for nothing†¦my concern was increasing all the time. It went from â€Å"I wonder what this is going to do to the landing† to â€Å"I wonder if we can get back home.† (Compton) The â€Å"bang† came from oxygen tank #2. The tank supplied oxygen used in the fuel cells, the primary energy source for Apollo 13. The astronauts were eighty-seven hours from home with only ten hours of back-up battery power. The battery power had to be saved for reentry into earth’s atmosphere. (Compton) With the help of mission control on the ground, the crew of Apollo 13 devised a plan to get back to earth safely. In 1968, NASA commissioned twenty-one panels to research aspects of the  Apollo spacecrafts. One of these panels included Jim Lovell and Jack Swigert. Their particular panel was to investigate in-flight fire emergency procedures. (Lovell and Kluger, 31) Jack had even written the procedures for malfunctions in case of such for the Command Module. (CD-ROM) So he and Lovell knew somewhat they way to get them back home safely. They planned to use the Lunar Module to survive. The LM was designed to separate from the Command and Space Module, land two astronauts on the moon, sustain them while they were on the moon, and carry them back to the ship in orbit. (Compton) The Command Module had to be shut down to save the batteries for reentry. Aquarius, the Lunar Module equipped for two men for two days now would have to contain three men for four days. Another problem that arose was the oxygen supply and the falling temperature. If the men continued to breathe normally, they would start breathing in their own carbon dioxide. This would kill them after a period of time. The men had to devise a plan to rid the ship of CO2. The next obstacle they had to tackle was the temperature. It ended up dropping to thirty-eight degrees in the Command Module. As all this was happening, the crew had to maneuver Apollo 13 around the moon, not to the moon, and towards earth. Once the crew was headed toward earth, the men in mission control were in complete control of the crew’s fate. Not only did NASA bring in the normal members of mission control to get the men back safely, but the Apollo 14 crew was there and so was Fred and Jim’s good pal Ken Mattingly. Together they all came up with a way to make an air filter that the crew could use to take away the carbon dioxide. While mission control and the others were hoping to get the men home, Marilyn Lovell and the other wives met at the Lovell home to pray for the crew. Even Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin watched coverage of the tragedy with Marilyn Lovell in her home. (Lovell and Kluger) All of the watchers on were glad when the men finally arrived home safely. The three men trapped in Apollo 13 were on their way home, but first they had to help Fred survive and say goodbye to a friend. Two days before the crew was to say goodbye to Aquarius and the service module, Fred Haise came down with a serious fever. His fever was due to a kidney infection he had  acquired from the lack of liquid intake the crew had been facing. During the time that Fred was battling his fever, the astronauts separated from the Service Module and the Lunar Module, powered up the Command Module, which they would use to return home, and Mission Control said its goodbyes with the famous quote, â€Å"Farewell, Aquarius, and we thank you.† Luckily, the power did return when the crew powered up the Command Module. (Space Exploration History) This had been a worry for the men and everyone at home. Two hours before splash down, Fred Haise reached a peak in his sickness. Jim glanced over at him and he had his eyes closed, hugging himself trying to stop from shivering. At this point Lovell wrapped Haise in a huge bear hug to warm him up. The shivering subsided and they all looked forward to the eighty degree weather in the South Pacific. (Lovell and Kluger) After being held captive in space for eighty-six hours and fifty-seven minutes with no idea if the would ever return home, the crew of Apollo 13 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. They landed only three miles from the recovery ship, Iwo Jima. (Compton) The landing is the most accurate landing in the history of manned space flight. Apollo 13 wasn’t the last flight to the moon, there were four others, but none of the men who had flown with 13 ever went back into space. Ken Mattingly was the closest astronaut to Apollo 13 to ever fly. He was part of the Apollo 16 mission. The men of Apollo 13 all retired from NASA shortly after their fated mission. Jim left in 1973 and went on to work in telecommunications. Fred’s Apollo 19 mission was cancelled and he left the agency in the late 70’s. Jack, the surprise hero of the mission, left the agency immediately after splashdown. He returned to Colorado and entered politics. (Lovell and Kluger, 366-367) In November 1982, he was elected to the U.S House of Representatives. Unfortunately, Jack Swigert died of bone cancer days before he was to be sworn in. For three men who were not supposed to fly to the moon together, the crew of Apollo 13 became closer than any other flight crew before and showed a courage never shown by astronauts. They never copped o ut. When thoughts of â€Å"poison pills† and suicide starting entering their minds, they kept their efforts focused on getting the spacecraft back home. (Lovell and Kluger, 1) They had a pride to up hold. They had the pride of NASA and the United States. All of the men  had been soldiers. Jack Swigert fought in Japan. He knew what it was all about. The mission clearly was to get to the moon, but after the explosion of the oxygen tank the mission became life. It became teamwork. When Fred Haise became ill, the other two crew members made sure they took care of him and brought him home. (Lovell and Kluger) And in return he made sure he got them at the correct angle so that they would not catch on fire or bounce off the earth when reentering the atmosphere. Everyone pulled together in space and on the ground to get these heroes home. They came together like a family in a time of need. For this, they will always be remembered and looked at as heroes of the United States Space Program. For a mission that was forced to be labeled a failure, Apollo 13 was a great success for humanity and NASA.