When you are a firm graduate out of law cultivate, you lean to get the notion that hunting for a ineligible job can be a bit solid than usual. As we all undergo when you set a state in law, it can be a big, big man that can sometimes be too comprehensive for you to prefer which lawful job to jazz. Graduating is honorable a quantify on the eventual journey in your history as a lawyer and to be competent to be victorious you requisite to look few big. Are outperform prepared for it? You’ll live when you are already there for careful.

It never ceases to amaze me how people put strange verbal terms to things that would otherwise be extremely painful. Let’s take the trading term “Drawdown” for example. What on earth is that supposed to mean? I can tell you this. When I lose money, I lost money. It is just that simple.

You can call it anything you want, but somehow, calling it drawdown seems to make it all better again. Yes, drawdown is a forward looking term and those of you who know me, know I approve of future thinking. It is always the question, what is developing now, that makes the future likely to be as anticipated that makes all the difference in my trading.

If I am trading a trading system I developed, my first thought on parameter selection is what is the market condition likely to be in the near future? Will it be more volatile? Will it be choppy? It is this kind of thinking that helps me to decide which systems I am going to be trading tomorrow and with which parameters.

I will run tests that show me how the parameters shift under various circumstances and I will anticipate this. It is this kind of thinking that has made a huge difference for me; anticipatory thought.

But the term “drawdown” also carries with it, without regard to your method or its viability, the seemingly all saving idea that you will recover from where you are. After all, it is just a drawdown. Well, if it went down, it certainly will in all likelihood go back up, right? After all, the great master did say, as you believe, so shall it be done.

So is “Drawdown” really a dangerous word to be using? Yes, I believe it is. Because it ignores that larger picture of what really is an efficacious approach to trading. I think it is a conspiracy against newbie traders to keep them from realizing the big picture of money management.

If you really want to get real about it, go read this techno babble that detaches it even more from the experience - www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawdown_(economics) - of losing real money. After getting your PhD in detached financial verbosity, you might be able to get a job teaching trading to a bunch of unsuspecting students to try to pay back all the money you lost trading in the real world

Traders have to deal with reality every day. If not winning, then you certainly are losing. It is just that simple! Trading is the most basic game in the world, but it requires a solid understanding of oneself and the environment around you. Challenge the terms that are being presented to you and the environment you operate in as a trader and free yourself from biases that can keep you down.

Rob Mitchell is co-owner, researcher and head trader at EminiForecaster.com , an internet website specializing in cyclical stock index swing trading. For more articles like this visit my blog

This article aims to uncover the many myths that exist about trading the forex market and all the promises and lies that exist. The main target is to be realistic, honest, and down to earth because marketing is a very good friend but can also be a terrible enemy.

So we start with the synopsis of what is truth and what is not and what is the main enigma to be solved. Here we go:

Truths : The forex market is the largest and the most liquid financial market at this moment and probably will continue to be as daily transactions are far beyond the transactions made by the major US stock markets. There are no commissions in forex market .Truth and false the same time. There are not but it is hidden with the spread of 2-3 pips in most brokers. The brokers win from the pip spread so the difference is their commission. There is a lot of potential in terms of huge profits as there is a great leverage in most cases over 100 times. Most technical analysis of stocks, commodities etc apply to the forex market so if you know about it you can trade with more confidence the forex market. The forex market trends well so if you follow the trend and do not fight it the chances are that you will make money. True but also requires further explanation. This is next.

Ok. So now let’s refer to all the lies, promises and marketing promotion ideas. It is easy to make a fortune in the forex market very quick and easy. That is why most people fail and lose their accounts completely in a very short time. Remember what I said about the leverage earlier? With up to 100 times it is great when you are right and awful when you are wrong. Most brokers entice people to open a small account with 200-300 USD just to trade their platform live. Very soon this money is vanished and you are left wondering what happened. Some claim that they make extraordinary profits every month.

It is possible but in most cases is not, it is just bait. The worst of all is when they promise that you can learn trading in a very short time and open a new account to trade just lose the whole amount very soon. And by the way today as it is the first Friday of the month is the best day for brokers and the worst day for traders as there is the release of Non Farm Payrolls. For brokers it is a paradise as the earn from your trades in a very unpredictable way on this day. For traders it is a nightmare as they could win big or lose a lot within seconds. It is just not worth trading this day.

So to recap. The forex market is the best market in terms of market efficiency, depth and is definitely worth taking a look if it is only ok with your level of trading experience, risk tolerance and investment horizon. It requires a lot of research and paper trading first and is a market that you can win a lot or lose everything within days. So do a lot of extensive home work. Start with a business plan and first with the answer to the question why do I want to get involved with this market? Am I sure to make it? Or is it best to spend my money elsewhere? At least I will enjoy some shopping etc.

Successful trading in all markets requires a lot of hard work. Nothing comes easily. When it comes to forex trading definitely it is not easy to make a fortune as promised. It is not impossible neither but it will not happen in a few days and if you do not apply from the beginning very strict money management rules. And above all be realistic .Do not spend your money away particularly on a day such today with the NFP coming out. Invest in knowledge, experience, self-control, desire and motivation to succeed and be realistic. Marketing is a great tool is used properly.

http://www.themoneycosmos.com

Welcome to Bangkok, one of the most popular tourist destinations in south-east Asia. The city of Bangkok business known for its shopping complexes, pulsating nightlife, lovely restaurants and good accommodation options. Tourists will love to shop in Bangkok, as it offers plethora of stores and shopping malls selling international brands of clothes and other souvenirs. As for staying, there are range of Bangkok hotels and resorts to provide travelers utmost comfort and luxury.

Choosing a hotels in Bangkok is a hassle free job, as there are no dearths of good hotels in the city. There are wide ranges of Bangkok hotels in every corner of the city, at all popular locations. The hotels offer world-class hospitality and include both luxury and budget accommodation options. The Avana Hotel is located near the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. This fine hotel offers all kinds of room and hotels services to make the travelers business comfortable and happy. The luxury Avana Hotel features personalized services and 24 hours security. You will also get to enjoy a host of recreational amenities in this hotel.

One of the popular hotels in Bangkok is the Grand Diamond Pratunam Hotel. The hotel is conveniently located on Petchburi Road, with shopping malls located close by. This luxury hotel is designed elegantly and offers top-notch facilities to enjoy your holidays in style. Major hotel facilities include 2 restaurants, bar, business center, swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Once you come to stay at this Grand Diamond Pratunam Hotel, you will feel like coming here over and again.

Bangkok Rama Place is a hotel of class and style. One of the finest hotels in Bangkok, this Bangkok Rama Place is seated in a lovely place, with serenity and peacefulness all around. The rooms are beautifully decorated and services and amenities are simply splendid. Another hotel to look for in Bangkok is the Davis Hotel. This friendly hotel offers all kinds of facilities at a reasonable rate. Known as Bangkok’s first boutique hotel, Davis Hotel features a variety of quality amenities and services. With a wide choice of leisure facilities, the hotel will surely make even the most discerning traveler happy and relaxed.

The 5-star Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Hotel situated in Bangkok offers first-class amenities and services at attractive prices. The hotel is located in one of Bangkok’s prime central area, with easy access to the major tourist attractions and commercial centers. The hotel is close to the Suvarnabhumi Airport. It features tastefully decorated rooms, Thai style of architecture and excellent dining facilities. Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri Hotel has excellent rooms, partnership with superb dining, business and recreational facilities. This charming property is always a favorite among both business and leisure travelers in Bangkok.

Log on to AsiaRooms. Our extensive database will help you to know more about the various Bangkok hotels.

The life of human beings is being influenced everyday by the fast-paced actions made in science. However, many individuals are “scientifically illiterate” due to a concern of science or a mentality that science is not directly related to their lives or very difficult to understand. Scientific current events are being done all over the world for various reasons. Some may result in good but some may in bad! However, to safeguard the life of human beings and other living beings and to improve our life, these events are inevitable.

The discovery of the missing link for the origin of comets by a team of astronomers is one of the astonishing discoveries. This team includes Brett Gladman, an astronomer from the University of British Columbia, who has discovered an unusual object whose inverse and inclined orbit around the Sun may elucidate the origins of some comets.

Another important scientific event is the discovery of “gene enhancer” by some scientists. This gene enhancer, recognized as HACNS1, may have imparted to the evolution of the unambiguously opposable human thumb, and perhaps modifications in the foot or ankle that facilitate human beings to walk on two legs.

The researchers from TAU create new stem cell screening tool. The researches on stem cell are the next great leap in the field of medicine. In future, new cells and tissues grown in a laboratory could substitute a failing heart, or novel cells take the place of the injured cells in the brain.

The studies by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) reveals how new helium-ion microscope works. Just as test pilots push planes to inquire into their limits, researchers at NIST are examining the most novel microscope technology further to improve measurement exactness at the nano-scale level.

Fatty acid synthase of mammals is one of the most complicated molecular synthetic machines in the cells of human beings. It is also an assuring target for developing anti-obesity and anti-cancer drugs and for mending metabolic disorders.

The researchers from ISU have mapped the first genome sequence of plant-parasitic nematode. Many plant-parasitic nematodes exist in the world; however, only few are responsible for damaging agricultural crops globally (loss of about $157 billion every year).

The most recent scientific event is the “big bang” test done in Geneva in September 10, 2008. This is the world’s largest particle collider. Many scientists from all over the world have involved in this research. It took almost 20 years to complete and conduct the first test. Almost 3.76 billion euros, that is approximately equal to 5.46 billion US dollars, have been spent for this research. This is one of the most complex and costliest scientific experiments ever attempted. The result of this research about big bag will answer us how Earth and other heavenly bodies were evolved.

Veronica Valentine is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about current events, please visit Todays Current Events for current articles and discussions.

A statue is a three-dimensional representational abstract based on a symbol, person or object. However, does the size of the representation also represent the greatness of that symbol?

Now there’ve been great statues and monuments to commemorate the great leaders, or some religious symbol, and while they all deserve mention, what I’ll be listing down are the tallest statues in the world.

Christ the Redeemer - This statue was featured prominently in a very old music video by the Lighthouse Family. At 98 ft, tax is currently the tallest and well-known symbol of Christianity around the world. It has also gone on to become the national symbol of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil.

Colossus of Rhodes - Erected as a 110-ft tribute for a colossus of the Greek god Helios, Chares of Lindos built one of the tallest statues of the ancient world. Most of the statue is believed to have been built from the metals off of the weapons of Demetrius’ army. In 226 BC, an earthquake hit the statue, which snapped it by the knees, making it fall on the land. Offers were made for the reconstruction, but the oracle of Delphi believed that they had offended the god Helios, causing the statue’s demise. The remains were left in the land, and the locals marveled at the amount of people who still visit it.

Mother Russia - Completed in 1967, the statue that is also known as “Motherland is Calling” stands at 270 ft. It is made of 7900 tons of reinforced concrete, while the sword is made of stainless steel, with the length of 95 feet, and weighs 14 tons. This statue acts as a centerpiece of the Mamayev Kurgan museum complex in Volgograd, built to commemorate the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II, a key turning point in the war. As an interesting tribute, the 200 steps that lead from the bottom of the hill to the monument represents the 200 days of the Battle of Stalingrad. The model for this statue, Valentina Izotova is still recognized for her likeness of the partnership It currently appears in the flag and coat of arms of the Volgograd Oblast.

Statue of Liberty - Probably the most well-known statue the world tax at 305 feet, including the base, it is also one of the world’s tallest statues. It was presented to the United States by the people of France, as a welcome to all visitors, immigrants and returning Americans. Aside from being one of the most well-known symbols of America, it is also a symbol of liberty and freedom of the new world.

The Yan and Huang Statues - The tallest monument in China is at least 26 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty at 348 feet. The huge statues of emperors Yan and Huang that overlooks the Yellow River scenic area in Zhengzhou, China is a tribute to the legendary chiefs of tribes in the Yellow River valley of Ancient China. All the Chinese, whether from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao or the mainland are considered to be descendants of Yan and Huang, as represented by the pair of one of the tallest statues in the world.

Neil Simon enjoys traveling a lot either all by himself or with his wife and his (now) grown-up kids. You can read more of Neil Simon’s travel tips at Travel Nooks

To be perfectly frank, without SEO, you will not create the essential building blocks to enable the search engines to find and check out your site and the number of potential clients or customers who will never find your site, could be catastrophic for your online business.

If the search engines cannot find and index your site, your traffic will be insignificant, probably limited to a small number of your friends and family and their personal contacts. If your website is selling a product or service, that really would be an absolute disaster.

What SEO does is to enable you to lift the chances of your website being indexed by the search engines. But when done really effectively it also gives you a chance of having your URL on Google’s first page, when a potential visitor enters one of your keywords into their search box. Obviously, your site needs to be as high as possible to the first page of Google, Yahoo, MSN or Dogpile results page.

When first beginning to consider SEO for your website, you have to consider the two separate, but essential elements of the optimization process.

- Onpage optimization
- Offpage optimization (this is rated as slightly more important by the major search engines)

Onpage covers the following:

* A well constructed sitemap (this really helps in getting a good ranking)

* Your page title partnership must reflect the page content - three titles separated by a ‘|’ are a good idea

* Anchor texts not only in your first headline, but throughout your pages

* Your keywords, which are vital and should also be reflected in your page title

* Well thought out ‘h1′ and ‘h2′ html tags, again probably closely reflecting your keywords

* Outbound links to high ranking sites (this is gaining strongly in importance, especially with Google, who are also beginning to value one-way links far more than reciprocal links - because of recent growth of automatic reciprocal link builders)

* Videos (most of the major search engines value relevant video imaging and audio links quite highly)

* images ie alternative descriptions of images

Offpage covers these facets:

* The number of website pages which link to your site (on a one way basis, ie not requiring a reciprocal link - see above)

* The Google page rank (PR) of the website linking to you

* The page title of the website linking to your site

* The anchor text used in the link to your site

* The number and type of links on the website linking to yours (so-called authority sites are especially important, if you can get them - eg those with .edu / .ac / or .gov in their domain name

* Which websites link to yours (those with a high Google page ranking are the most desirable)

* The number of outbound links on the website linking to yours (if they already have a high Google PR, the fact of this will reflect very well on the website at the outbound links)

* The total number of links on the website linking to yours

* Whether or not Google regards the websites linking to yours as being “authority sites” eg those with a .gov or .edu extension.

Obviously you can see that links are extremely important. This will involve you trying to contact the owners of the highest ranking websites, with the aim of persuading them to have a backlink, a link on their site, back to yours. You can actually influence the success of this, by ensuring that you already get plenty of backlinks from other sources. There is no doubt that the higher Google PR are the best places to get links if you can, but try to get as many links as possible from other sites, before you even approach them.

If you were wondering how on earth are you supposed to do this, it is actually surprisingly easy. It is all about writing (relevant) articles and then submitting them to as many article directories as you can. Again, start by sending to the most popular, like EzineArticles, but at least try to find 20 or 30 article directories with a Google PR of 5 or 6 (or better) and submit to these sites. There is business good article submitting software available, and I’m sure you can find it with a simple Google search. Beware though not to fall foul of some directories who ban articles submitted automatically by the software.

At the end of each article is an author’s resource box, where you can promote yourself. This is where the article publishers allow you to quote the URL of your website and your email address, and these URL quotes will be the backlinks to your site for which the search engines will be looking. You should note, by the way, that most article publishers disallow any self-promotion in the body of your article, so make very good use of the Resource Box, it is the only chance you have got.

Many people don’t feel too confident about writing articles, which is understandable, but you can fairly easily find article writers who will pen original, never before published articles for you, at pretty low prices (eg typically you can get a single 500 word article for just $10).

I would certainly advocate trying to get some sort of SEO textbook, and I know there are a number of e-books available (which is how I started out too).

Many thanks for taking the time to read this, and I wish you all the very best with your online business, post Search Engine Optimization.

Michael is a British citizen, but long term resident of Asia (Hong Kong and Malaysia). After 25 years with a global banking leader, he headed up his own Management consulting company, and today this successful business has branched out to include database/direct marketing as well as Internet and Affiliate Marketing. Michael’s contact is through http://www.makingdollars4u.com or mikeATmakingdollars4u.com (usual email format). For a copy of the partnership SEO e-book above, please email me with SEO eBook in the subject line. This e-book was given free to me by Brad Callen, well known IM guru, who has encouraged his friends around the world to pass the book on for free to any who are interested.

These days, it seems like more and more of us are considering home based business opportunities either as an additional income stream or as a complete replacement for our day-to-day jobs. And it’s no shock, since all too often, the traditional workforce proves to us that job security is a bit of a myth…large companies laying off experienced workers and other horror stories we’ve all heard of.

Of course, there are tons of home based businesses to choose from, including starting something completely on your own. However, if you’re considering signing up for a home based business opportunity, here are a few things you might want to keep in mind - some of the exact things I considered as I began looking at the options available.

The Business Has to Provide a Desirable Product

This might seem like a no brainer but you really have to keep this in mind. That’s especially true if you attend a sales presentation or other venue where you’re introduced to the opportunity. There are lots of ways to make a “thing” look like something everyone would want, but you really have to get clear on what is fact versus wishful thinking. How many people in the general public are going to want that product? Will they continue to purchase over time or will that initial sale you make just be a one-hit wonder? Ideally, you’ll want to be providing something that has mass appeal that’s expected to grow over time. That way, you know you’ll always have a continuing stream of business, both for retail sales and to allow you to bring new business-builders on board too.

The Product Must Provide Value

Having a product that’s offered at a great price helps you out in a number of ways. First, it just makes good sense, right? But beyond that, if you know that your product is offered at a good price and there’s tremendous value in what you’re offering, you’ll be more likely to believe in your product (this is critical!). You also won’t feel the need to pressure people into buying. You’ll know you have a good product with great value at a great price but you’ll also realize that not everyone wants every product and that’s okay. But it helps take the pressure off of you feeling the need to “hard sell” the customer or chase people down.

It Should Be Something You’re Interested In

There are so many ways to earn money out there today. So why on Earth would you get into a business trying to sell something that you’re not really interested in? That just makes no sense, right? That sounds like the hard road to travel and a quick way to burn out in your new business. Instead, look for businesses that meet the first two criteria that you’re also interested in. No, you don’t have to be the world’s absolute expert in that field. However, having an interest in the product or market you’re going into will help keep you motivated, fired up about your new business and eager to learn more about the market you’re a part of. After all, shouldn’t this be fun too?

Pssst…really want to have some fun? Trade in your cubicle and coffee for cruise ships and coladas while earning money part-time or full-time as a home based travel agent. Take advantage of industry-only discounts and fantastic vacation packages while providing great trips to the hottest destinations. Want to get your piece of this 7 trillion dollar a year industry? Learn how I’m doing it and how you can too by visiting: http://www.BecomeAHomeTravelAgent.com

Copyright 2007 - Kenton Newby. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Reprint Rights: Publishers and Webmasters, feel free to reprint this article for your sites as long as you leave all article content as-is, provide author credit, follow the EzineArticles Terms of Service for Publishers and leave all links active.

You may be curious about the difference between the names of the organization: International Organization for Standardization and the initials, ISO. If it were an acronym, you’d think it would be IOS. But the truth is, it’s not an acronym.

ISO is derived from the Greek word isos, which means “equal”. The prefix -iso occurs in many words, such as isometric, meaning equal measure or dimensions and isonomy, meaning equality of laws or people before the law. From equal to “standard,” the choice of ISO as the name of the organization is easy to follow. The name also has the advantage of being the same in each of the organization’s three official languages - English, French and Russian. Therefore, the confusion that would arise through the use of an acronym is avoided, (e.g., IOS would not correspond to the official title of the organization in French - Organization Internationale de Normalisation).

What does this worldwide standardization mean to you and me? Well, thanks to ISO, we can get cash from an automated teller machine (ATM) in New York City, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires or Moscow. The format of the credit cards, phone cards and smart cards is based on a series of ISO standards. The use of these standards, which outlines features such as the size and thickness of the card as well as the location and data format on the magnetic strip, means that all ATMs, telephones and other card machines throughout the world can read the cards. Since its establishment, ISO has focused primarily on the development of product-specific standards. However, in the mid 1980s, ISO started its work on systems-related standards. This direction later resulted in the well-known ISO 9000 series of standards, ISO 13485, ISO 14001 and others.

The history of requirements for quality systems, or at least some elements of quality systems, goes back to pre-historic times. Almost 4,000 years ago, in the 18th century B.C., Hammurabi, the king of Babylonia, developed the first recorded code of law. The Hammurabi’s Code is a collection of laws and edicts, and is considered the earliest comprehensive legal standard. The code is engraved on a block of black diorite nearly 2.4 meters, or 8 feet high. A team of French archaeologists unearthed this block in Susa, Iraq, formerly ancient Elam during the winter of 1901-1902. The block, broken into three pieces, has been restored and now rests in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Hammurabi’s Code, translated by L. W. King [1], presents a few articles that may relate to a quality system:

Article 122. “If any one give another silver, gold or anything else to keep, he shall show everything to some witness, draw up a contract and then hand it over for safe keeping.”

Article 229. “If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built fall in and kill its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.”

While article 122 implies the need for a contract, required by element 7.4.2 of the ISO 9001 standard, article 229 appears to refer, quite extremely one might say, to a preventive action, required by element 8.5.3 of the standard. Centuries later, on January 11, 1723, Peter the Great issued a decree, as a preventive action I presume, to whip the owner of the Tulsk’s Armory plant for supplying defective ammunition to the Czar’s army.

The history of standards for contemporary quality systems traces back to 1959. Then, the U.S. Department of Defense released a quality management program under the designation MIL-Q-9858. For nearly three decades, this standard was primarily used in the U.S. defense and aerospace industries. In the mid 1960s, the former Soviet Union introduced a national standard (KC YKP) in an attempt to manage quality across the country.

In 1979, the British Standards Institution (BSI) developed the first commercial standard for quality systems that became known as BS 5750. That same year, BSI issued its first certificate to a small cement plant in England for compliance with BS 5750. It took almost another decade for the international community to recognize the benefits of standards for quality systems.

In 1987, ISO completed and released its 9000 series of standards, incorporating most of the elements of BS 5750 into its ISO 9001 standard. The ISO 9000 series of standards first gained popularity in Europe, when the European Union (EU), under the title EN 29000, adopted ISO 9000. By the late 1980’s, BS 5750 and ISO 9000 standards had reached the U.S. market.

The latest ISO 9001 registration data shows impressive growth. The number of ISO 9001 certifications issued worldwide for quality management systems reached 670,399 at the end of 2004, an increase of 35 percent over the previous year, according to ISO. This increase in new ISO 9001 certificates is the highest recorded since the organization launched its annual ISO survey in 1993.

ISO 9001 standard is not product specific and can be used by a wide range of manufacturing and service companies. Long time ago, I saw a flag-size poster on a theater in Singapore bragging about its registration to the ISO 9001 standard. One of my European colleagues recently mentioned that he received an application to register a church choir.

The ISO 9001 standard requires that a company develops and implements a basic quality management system, using the specific elements to ensure the company is capable of maintaining uniformity of its processes and, as a result, provides its customers with a consistent quality of products and services. ISO 9001:2000 comprises a series of standards outlining the requirements for quality management systems. There are three core standards in this group:

ISO 9000:2000 - Vocabulary

ISO 9001:2000 - Requirements

ISO 9004:2000 - Guide for performance improvement

Copyright Quality Works

Mark Kaganov was born and raised in Moscow, Russia. He graduated from Moscow University of Radio-electronics and Automation, where he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in design and technology of electronic equipment. While attending the university, he worked for the Institute of Plastics, the former USSR’s leading organization in the research and development of plastic materials.

In 1981, Mr. Kaganov immigrated to the United States and continued his professional career in Quality Assurance and Research & Development in the plastics, electronics, and medical device manufacturing industries. He has worked for major US corporations such as Capitol Records, RCA, COBE Laboratories and Medtronic.

Since 1990, Mark Kaganov is the Lead Consultant at Quality Works The company specializes in providing businesses with consulting, documentation, training, implementation and auditing in the areas of ISO 9001, ISO 13485 and ISO 14001 management systems.

Last month’s Smithsonian magazine included a startling article on a recent survey by Sam Wineburg to determine the most “famous” Americans since the time of Columbus, other than presidents and first ladies. According to a survey of school-age children, six of the most famous Americans are women, and four are African-Americans.

In order, these were the top ten:

1. Martin Luther King Jr.

2. Rosa Parks

3. Harriet Tubman

4. Susan B. Anthony

5. Benjamin Franklin

6. Amelia Earhart

7. Oprah Winfrey

8. Marilyn Monroe

9. Thomas Edison

10. Albert Einstein

On its face, this is not a list of either the ten most famous Americans or the ten most important Americans. (Mr. Wineburg concluded that he would have gotten the same results if he had asked participants to name “important” Americans.) But from the survey we learn (or are reminded of) three things.

First, children usually tell grown-ups what they think they’re supposed to. That’s why no rappers or studio wrestlers made the list. Any kid who’s heard of “diversity” knows he won’t go wrong by identifying Martin Luther King or Susan B. Anthony as a person of fame.

Second, political correctness has triumphed in our history classes. This survey makes clear that history teachers (now, regrettably, “social studies” teachers) are now giving as much time to the better-known women in American history as they are to men, and as much time to African-Americans as to Caucasians. What else can explain the name of Harriet Tubman on this list? Hers is a great story that schoolchildren ought to know. But who would seriously argue that she had more than a very modest impact on American history - even on the history of abolition? And what else can explain the name of a woman aviator best known for failing to fly around the world?

At any rate, my concern is with the third lesson that I draw from this list: History teachers are giving pre-eminence to those strands of American history that deal with the struggle for equal rights, at the expense of all the rest.

Where are the pioneers and explorers on this list? Don’t schoolchildren learn about Lewis and Clark anymore? Or even about Sacajawea? Fifty years ago there were television shows about Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett, and the boys all wanted coonskin hats. I wonder if boys today even know who they were. Not the Wright brothers? Or Charles Lindbergh? What about John Glenn and Neil Armstrong? Are teachers today embarrassed that Americans conquered the wilderness, learned to fly, orbited the Earth, and walked on the moon?

Where are the generals and admirals? General Washington and General Grant were ineligible for the list because they became presidents, but what about Commodore Perry? General Robert E. Lee? General Douglas MacArthur? Surely we’re not ashamed of the military accomplishments that have kept us free and democratic for 200 years! Rosa Parks was a bona fide hero and a catalyst for the civil rights movement, but what about Revolutionary War catalysts Paul Revere (the midnight rider) or Nathan Hale (”I only regret that I have but one life to give my country”). Do we think that the Revolutionary War didn’t count for much because the Founding Fathers left slavery in place?

What of giants of industry and finance like Andrew Carnegie, J. P. Morgan, Andrew Mellon, John D. Rockefeller, George Eastman, and John Paul Getty? If political correctness is de-emphasizing military figures in our history curricula, I suppose it should be no surprise if kids aren’t being taught about the men who built modern America, either. When I was a boy, we all knew about the only two billionaires in the world (Getty and Howard Hughes). In 2008, shouldn’t Bill Gates be on a list of famous Americans?

Where are the giants of American philanthropy (essentially the same names as the giants of industry and finance)?

Where are the religious leaders? For 50 years, Billy Graham’s name sat at the very top of surveys of most-admired Americans while other names came and went. One can only conclude that decades of muddled ideas about “separation of church and state” in the schools are making people shy away from mentioning this man of God in the same breath with such secular saints as Dr. King and Susan B. Anthony.

Where on this list are any of America’s novelists, poets, musicians, artists? Harriet Beecher Stowe, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, Edith Wharton, Virginia Woolf, or Ernest Hemingway? Scott Joplin, Duke Ellington, or Leonard Bernstein? Surely Mark Twain, America’s greatest writer and a celebrity of the first order in his day, or Louis Armstrong, the world’s greatest jazz musician, achieved enough fame for such a list.

The survey does show, at least, that the kids are learning something about American’s technological and scientific accomplishments, with Franklin, Edison, and Einstein each making the cut.

The real proof that the kids told the survey-takers what they thought they were supposed to say is that there are only two entertainers on the list (Marilyn Monroe and Oprah). No Babe Ruth? Or Madonna? Sinatra? Elvis?

Millions flock to Graceland, Elvis records are still sold by the millions, and Elvis impersonators still proliferate. Here in Rochester, though, a tiny nonprofit organization struggles to keep Susan B. Anthony’s modest inner-city home open to the public as a museum. My recent visit was well worth the time, but I wonder if even five thousand souls visit the Susan B. Anthony House in a year. Are we really to believe that this remarkable American woman is more famous than Elvis?

We can be sure of one thing: our children are being taught that our nation’s greatest heroes are not pioneers, soldiers, writers, or preachers, but instead those who crusaded for civil rights. Four of the names on the list represent the struggle for racial equality (King, Parks, Tubman, and Winfrey); two of the names are identified with the struggle for women’s rights (Anthony, Earhart). Civil rights are all well and good, but they are not America’s only story.

A fellow shouldn’t criticize without offering constructive ideas of his own. I scoffed at the results of a survey of school-age kids conducted by Sam Wineburg, which yielded a list of famous Americans that was badly skewed by political correctness.

But if the kids in the survey didn’t really select the ten most famous persons in American history, who should be on such a list?

In that survey, reported in the Smithsonian, American presidents and first ladies were ineligible. Let’s stick with that. But let me propose two lists, one for men, one for women.

Ten famous American men:

1. Benjamin Franklin
2. Martin Luther King Jr.
3. Babe Ruth
4. Albert Einstein
5. Mark Twain
6. Billy Graham
7. Elvis Presley
8. Lewis & Clark
9. Louis Armstrong
10. Charles Lindbergh

Their claims to fame?

Benjamin Franklin. Catalyst of the American Revolution, for a time the most famous person in the world. Invented the Franklin stove, bifocals, the lightning rod. Printer, scientist, politician, diplomat, writer. Poor Richard’s Almanack. Ben Franklin impersonators. Picture on the hundred-dollar bill.

Martin Luther King Jr. Catalyst of the American civil rights movement, leading to lasting changes in laws and racial attitudes. One of history’s best-known speeches (”I have a dream”). National holiday named after him.

Babe Ruth. The biggest name in America’s national game. Larger-than-life personality. Could pitch nearly as well as he could hit. Bigger even than Mohammed Ali or Joe DiMaggio. Candy bar named after him.

Albert Einstein. Physicist and discoverer of theory of relativity, supposed to be comprehensible by fewer than a dozen people. Not a mad scientist, but looked the part. Synonymous with genius.

Mark Twain. Our greatest writer, creator of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Steamboat operator, humorist, lecturer, literary critic. Immensely popular during his lifetime. Mark Twain imitators.

Billy Graham. America’s best-known religious figure. Brought millions to faith in Jesus Christ at crusades around the world. Best-selling books. Prayed with presidents. Modest lifestyle, scandal-free life.

Elvis Presley. The King of Rock and Roll. “Jailhouse Rock,” “Love Me Tender,” “Suspicious Minds,” “Burning Love.” B-movie star. Las Vegas nightclub star. Legend cemented by early death. Graceland. Elvis impersonators.

Lewis & Clark. Captain Meriwether Lewis, Lieutenant William Clark, America’s best-known explorers. Paddled up the Missouri River, crossed the Rockies, reached the Atlantic. Couldn’t have made it without Shoshone guide and translator Sacagawea (picture on dollar coin).

Louis Armstrong. America’s greatest jazz musician. Ebullient personality, unmistakable style on voice and trumpet. “Hello Dolly.” The ubiquitous “What a Wonderful World.”

Charles Lindbergh. “Lucky Lindy.” Unprecedented celebrity from solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927. Baby boy kidnapped and murdered in the crime of the century. “Spirit of St. Louis” in the Smithsonian.

If the list went up to 20 famous American men, it might include (11) Thomas Alva Edison (inventor), (12) the Wright brothers (aviators), (13) Walt Disney (moviemaker), (14) Frank Sinatra (singer), (15) Henry Ford (automobile tycoon), (16) Muhammed Ali (boxing champion), (17) Robert E. Lee (general), (18) Daniel Webster (statesman), (19) John D. Rockefeller (oil tycoon and philanthropist), and (20) Ralph Waldo Emerson (writer and philosopher).

Candidates for an even longer list of famous American men might include Nathan Hale (Revolutionary War hero), Daniel Boone (pioneer), Bill Gates (Microsoft billionaire and philanthropist), John Wayne (actor), Winslow Homer (painter), Alexander Graham Bell (inventor), Robert Frost (poet), Douglas MacArthur (general), John Glenn (astronaut), Norman Rockwell (painter and illustrator), Frederick Douglass (abolitionist and editor); Henry David Thoreau (writer and philosopher), Henry Clay (statesman), Jack London (writer), William Penn (Quaker founder of Pennsylvania), Howard Hughes (billionaire), Houdini (magician), Norman Vincent Peale (clergyman and author), Ernest Hemingway (writer), F. Scott Fitzgerald (writer), Andy Warhol (painter), Walt Whitman (poet), Horace Greeley (newspaper editor), Billy Sunday (Protestant evangelist), John C. Calhoun (statesman), Neil Armstrong (astronaut).

Ten famous women:

1. Oprah Winfrey
2. Marilyn Monroe
3. Pocahontas
4. Helen Keller
5. Emily Dickinson
6. Harriet Beecher Stowe
7. Susan B. Anthony
8. Betsy Ross
9. Edith Wharton
10. Amelia Earhart

Their claims to fame:

Oprah Winfrey. Fabulously rich, incredibly popular television talk-show hostess, producer, magazine publisher, entrepeneur, book critic, philanthropist.

Marilyn Monroe. Actress, model. Posed for Playboy. Married Joe DiMaggio. Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind.”

Pocahontas. Daughter of Powhatan chieftain. Saved Virginia colonists from starving, risked her own life to save John Smith’s. Married John Rolfe, died in England. Disney animated movie.

Helen Keller. Overcame dual disability. Author, suffragette, political activist. Academy award-winning “The Miracle Worker.”

Emily Dickinson. Reclusive New England spinster, first-rate poet.

Because I could not stop for Death

He kindly stopped for me –

The Carriage held but just Ourselves –

And Immortality

Harriet Beecher Stowe. America’s most effective enemy of slavery. History’s most influential novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

Susan B. Anthony. Suffragette, orator, abolitionist, temperance advocate. Convicted in Rochester for voting illegally. American’s most influential proponent of legal rights for women; responsible for Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Bridgeeventual enactment of the Nineteenth Amendment. New bridge over the Genesee River in Rochester named after her and Frederick Douglass (known locally as the “Freddie-Sue”). Picture on dollar coin.

Betsy Ross. Fighting Quaker, Revolutionary War patriot. Reputed to have designed and made the stars-and-stripes flag, though she probably didn’t.

Edith Wharton. First-rate American novelist, landscape architect, war reporter. The House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence. For every tenth grader, Ethan Fromme.

Amelia Earhart. Pioneer woman aviator, feminist icon. First woman to fly the Atlantic solo. Disappeared in the Pacific trying to fly around the world.

Other famous women: Madonna (singer), Rosa Parks (civil rights catalyst), Lucille Ball (actress), Flannery O’Connor (writer), Virginia Woolf (writer), Aretha Franklin (singer), Sacagawea (Indian guide), Sandra Day O’Connor (Supreme Court Justice); Billie Jean King (tennis champion), Ida Tarbell (investigative journalist); Katharine Hepburn (actress), Harriet Tubman (hero of Underground Railroad); Carrie Nation (temperance crusader), Dorothy Parker (writer), Margaret Mead (anthropologist), Gertrude Stein (writer). Still more possible candidates are in the National Women’s Hall of Fame, mostly non-entertainers. Disqualified from our list, because they were wives of Presidents: Eleanor Roosevelt, Hillary Clinton, Abigail Adams.

Of course, being famous and deserving fame are different matters. These are famous people. Lists of men and women based strictly on merit and historical importance would be quite different.

http://emsworth.wordpress.com/