THE BIG DIG essays

THE BIG DIG essays Once upon a time there used to be a me. Now there are empty remains where there once was a celebrator of life. Feelings I felt are no longer there. The person I was, is gone. Ive been hiding in an empty grave for such a long time there is no more me. Where there was laughter; there are now tears. I was brave, now I am fearful. Where there was passion, now I am colorless. Where there was compassion, I find contempt. As I reach down within me to find these emotions I am shocked. I have been living like this for over ten years, not totally unaware of my misery but trying to stay on the surface of the grief as best I could without feeling anything. Ten years of mourning for the death of a husband and lover; the father of my children. Ten years that I have been laying in the mud. I can feel the shovel digging at my heart as I excavate the canyons of the soul I have been guarding for so long. The same shovel I used to bury my best friend. English Composition March 8, 2000 THE BIG DIG -Page 2 I look in the mirror and even my physical self does not resemble who I once was. Would I be recognized if I were to be seen by someone who knew the other me? I cant distinguish myself from this ghost Ive been living as all these years. The empty shadows in my eyes are not familiar, for when I looked in them in the yesteryear they glistened. The gray pallor of my skin does not compare with the healthy, vibrant surface that once shone through. My shoulders once aligned are now hunched. The body once sensuous is now lifeless and dull by comparison. As I plod instead of strut through life I do not acknowledge me, for I do not know who I am. My fog filled brain carries me through each day as I search for peace, yearning to escape from pain. I ha ...

Inventor Joseph Bramah Patented a New Safety Lock

Inventor Joseph Bramah Patented a New Safety Lock Joseph Bramah was born April 13, 1748, in   Stainborough Lane Farm, Stainborough,  Barnsley  Yorkshire. He was an English  inventor  and  locksmith. He is best known for having invented the  hydraulic press. He is considered along with William George Armstrong, a father of hydraulic engineering. Early Years Bramah  was the second son in the family of  four sons and two daughters  of Joseph Bramma (different spelling), a farmer, and his wife, Mary Denton. He studied at the local school and after finishing school he completed a carpentry apprenticeship. He then moved to  London, where he began working as a cabinet-maker. In 1783 he married Mary Lawton and the couple established their home in London. They eventually had a daughter and four sons. Water Closet In  London, Bramah worked installing water closets (toilets) which were designed by Alexander Cumming in 1775. He discovered, though, that model being installed in London houses had a tendency to freeze in cold weather. Although it was technically his boss who improved the design by replacing the usual slide valve with a hinged flap that sealed the bottom of the bowl, Bramah obtained the patent for it in 1778,  and began making toilets at a workshop. The design was produced well into the 19th century. Bramahs original water closets are still working in  Osbourne House,  Queen Victorias home on the  Isle of Wight. Bramah Safety Lock After attending some lectures on technical aspects of  locks, Bramah patented the Bramah  safety lock  on August 21, 1784. His lock was considered unpickable until it was finally picked in 1851. This lock is now located in the Science Museum in London. According to lock expert Sandra Davis, In 1784, he patented his lock which for many years had the reputation of being absolutely unpickable. He offered  £200 to anyone who could pick his lock and although many tried it - it was not until 1851 that the money was won by an American, A.C. Hobbs, although it took him 16 days to do it! Joseph Bramah was deservedly  honoured  and admired as one of the earliest mechanical geniuses of his day. The same year as he received his lock patent, he  set up the Bramah Lock Company. Other Inventions Bramah went on to create a hydrostatic machine (hydraulic press), a beer pump, the four-cock, a quill sharpener, a working  planer, methods of paper-making, improved fire engines and printing machines.   In 1806, Bramah patented a machine for printing banknotes  that was used by the Bank of England. One of Bramahs last inventions was a hydrostatic press capable of uprooting trees. This was used at Holt Forest in  Hampshire. While superintending this work Bramah caught a cold, which led to pneumonia. He died at on December 9, 1814. He was buried in the churchyard of St. Marys,  Paddington . Bramah ultimately obtained 18 patents for his designs between 1778 and 1812. In 2006 a pub in  Barnsley was opened named the Joseph Bramah in his memory.