The Life of Henry Knox - 836 Words

The life of Henry Knox Early Life Henry Knox was born on July 25, 1750 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the seventh of ten children to William Knox and Mary Knox. In 1759 William Knox a migrant captain died at the age of fifty after suffering financial difficulties. Three years after the death of his father and at the age of twelve, Henry Knox was forced to leave the â€Å"Boston Latin Grammar school† and went to work to support his family. He was hired as a apprentice to a bookseller were he mastered the trade and opened his own shop, â€Å"The London Book Store† at the age of 21. Henry was an enthusiastic reader and spend his time reading about military topics focusing on artillery. In 1770 Knox was involved in the Sons of†¦show more content†¦The guns and mortars were then transferred by ox- drawn sleds across Massachusetts. This process took them fifty-six days to complete this journey in the bitter winter weather. When they arrived in Boston, Washington place the guns on top of Dorchester Heights which commanded the city and harbor. Rather than face bombardment, the British evacuated the city on March 17, 1776 .After the victory at Boston, Knox was sent to Rhode Island and Connecticut to supervise the construction of fortifications. After the return of the Continental army, Knox became Washington’s chief of artillery. That fall Knox was present during the American defeat around New York , Knox retreated across New Jersey in December with what was left of the army. Knox was made overseer of the army’s crossing of the Delaware river during the attack on Trenton. With the assistance of Colonel John Glover, Knox successfully completed the crossing on time. After his success Knox was promoted to Brigadier General. During the winter break, Knox returned to Massachusetts with a plan to improve weapons production. He traveled to Springfield armory and became a key producer of American weapons for almost two centuries. In the winter at Valley Forge, Knox helped in securing supplies and assisted Baron von Steuben in drilling the troops. For the next two years, Knox was sent north to secure supplies for army and in 1780 served on the court- martial of British spy Major John Andre.Show MoreRelatedTranscendentalism In Peter Weirs Dead Poet Society1017 Words   |  5 Pagesexpected within their prestigious school, versus expressing their individuality and true feelings. With the help of their teacher, Knox and Neil learn to think differently and for themselves for the first time in their lives. In Peter Weir’s Dead Poet society transcendentalist values are depicted through the tho ughts, actions and words of Mr. Keating, Charles Dalton, and Knox Overstreet. Mr. Keating once told his students, â€Å"you will learn to think for yourself† (DPS). The Dead Poets Society takes placeRead MoreThe Transcendentalist Movement Shaped America1603 Words   |  7 Pagesthree revolutionary writers named Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman, three icons who challenged Americans to be individuals. Through his works â€Å"Self Reliance† and â€Å"Nature†, Ralph Waldo Emerson preached of nonconformity and creating a personal destiny. Henry David Thoreau emphasized simplicity and making the most of life by seizing every opportunity presented, in his work â€Å"Walden†. Walt Whitman encourages real life experience and the value of hard work throughout his variousRead MoreCherokee Removal Essays886 Words   |  4 PagesTennessee and Georgia and the Mississippi Territory.quot; By the end of the 1780s, there was a realization by the U.S that the Cherokees military could not be defeated without a considerable amount of money and white mens lives lost. Once Henry Knox entered the picture, his history with the Cherokee and other Indian tribes influenced officials to take action. He had knowledge of dealing with Indian relations, and he knew how matters should be arranged. His belief was that the tribes wereRead MoreThe Most Important Results Of The Reformation994 Words   |  4 PagesEra. Martin Luther 95 theses was one of the most important results of the Reformation Era. Martin Luther came up with 95 theses that secured the church door in Wittenburg. He speaks about the Lord and Jesus word of repent where he longed his entire life to believers to be one of the remorse. The word repent cannot be understood as mentioning to the sacrament of self-punishment which would be satisfaction and confessing as controlled by the clergy. Inner repentance is insignificant except it producesRead MoreThe Cherokee Removal Essay1162 Words   |  5 Pagescalled Indians claimed larger lands. They would use these for hunting deer and gathering material, to live off of. Later these lands were called Virginia and Kentucky. As it is mentioned in the text, these people had their own culture and own way of life. They had their own gender roles and religion; even eating food had a different definition than the white man’s culture. They had equality between genders, and other members of the tribe had equal rights to talk. But still white people called themRead MoreAbortion and the Symbolic Interaction Paradigm1473 Words   |  6 Pages2010, p. 15). Herbert Blumer, whom attended University of Chicago with one of the founders of the symbolic interactionism perspective, George Herbert Mead, developed one of the most prominent versions of the perspective (McClelland, 2000). Mooney, Knox, and Schacht explained Blumer’s theory of the symbolic interactionism perspective. According to Blumer, social problems develop in stages. The first stage is â€Å"social recognition†, when the social problem first happened. The second stage is â€Å"socialRead MoreHow the Quotations and Poems Demonstrate the Main Themes or Ideas of the Film Dead Poets Society1610 Words   |  7 Pagesconsidered in one’s daily life. The film teaches to enjoy oneself and live life to the fullest. It also demonstrates the value of friendship, which is dealt with in the film as loyalty, betrayal, forgiveness, and love. Dead Poets Society also shows the significance of poetry and how it expresses many emotions frequently experienced by people. Mr. Keating informs the boys that poetry helps people understand themselves, feel alive, and appreciate life. Another message in theRead MoreChapter Twelve Of The Marriage And Family Textbook By David Knox1632 Words   |  7 PagesChapter fourteen of the Marriage and family textbook by David Knox, covers divorce and remarriage in today’s society. It discusses how the attitudes towards divorce have changed dramatically from how it was viewed by our parents and grandparents. Not only have society’s views changed on divorce but also on the functioning roles of the family and its structure. The author also goes into how the child custody issues have changed and what things affect children who have divorcing parents. He then goesRead MoreReasons for the Reformation in England Essay1958 Words   |  8 PagesCatholic Church could not kill the new protests because they spread messages around the world so quickly that people agreed with them, and that there soon became too many of them. Martin Luther was the not only person involved, John Calvin and John Knox were involved too. John Calvin was inspired by Martin Luther’s ideas and beliefs concerning Christianity. He was a French Protestant theologian during the reformation. Calvin was a developer of the system of Christian theology called Calvinism. HeRead MoreThe Enlightenment s Influence On The Cherokee Nation1311 Words   |  6 Pages1830s may not have met the cutoff to be considered part of the Enlightenment, but it took place within a short enough span of time to where some of its more distinguished philosophers should still have had an influence on political proceedings. Henry Knox, the United States’ Secretary of War from 1789 to 1794, wrote a report in 1789 about a conflict between a group of Native American peoples who lived near the Wabash River, and although this group was not tied to the Cherokees, it offers a lot of

Politics and The English Language George Orwell´s...

The persona which Eric Arthur Blair fabricates through George Orwell, meticulously implements a paradoxical set of literary devices throughout his thesis, which has arguably forged him as one of the greatest social commentators of modern history. The thesis which spans over the body of Orwell’s work extrapolates upon the integral influence that writing has on society and to reinstate the integrity of the writer. Orwell’s essays have sparked a plethora of adverse and auxiliary opinions regarding the imperishability of his work, from those whom believe that his efforts are archaic, to those who believe that his craftsmanship of language addresses issues which had once been hidden. No matter what side of the social spectrum one categorises†¦show more content†¦In this way, Orwell then begins to correlate the fact that â€Å"language merely reflects existing social conditions†, engaging the reader by defining the main problems which plague modern literature, as they move away from concreteness and a tendency to â€Å"gum together long strips of words which have already been set in order by someone else.† To demonstrate this, Orwell illustrates how words like â€Å"Democracy† which is embedded with positive connotations yet is â€Å"often used in a dishonest way.† Roger Fowler critics on Orwell’s masterful use of his own unique style in â€Å"Language of George Orwell† by stating that Orwell is an â€Å"omniscient author† and that his â€Å"style connotes authority and passionate rectitude† yet simultaneously, Orwell satirically exemplifies the subject matter which he opposes by writing as a â€Å"pastiche of a genre of political speaking, the rhetoric of totalitarian lying.† These strategies employed by Orwell regarding the influence of writing on the masses is accentuated through our contemporary realm, especially in regards to the concept of â€Å"Doublethink† which Orwel l specifically amplified through ‘Democracy’, how one can agree with two contradictory viewpoints simultaneously due to the exploitation of forced positive connotations implied by the superpowers. This allows Orwell’s message to transcend his context due to the coherent use of persuasive language throughout his body of work, enhancing his overall textualShow MoreRelatedLanguage, And A Better Understanding1251 Words   |  6 PagesKevin Yousif Mr. Brown AP English Language and Composition 17 November 2015 Language, and a Better Understanding Language is a topic that will never cease to adapt, from slang being developed in suburbs of urban cities, to new additions to the Oxford dictionary. We, students of English, use different concepts of language almost everyday and most of the time we don’t even realize it. To get a better understanding of the English language and concepts developed within it, one would turn to look at theRead MoreThe s Best Known Works Are? Politics And The English Language?3044 Words   |  13 PagesRucki 12 Rucki Can Language Control Society? Two of George Orwell?s best known works are ?Politics and the English Language? and 1984. In ?Politics and the English Language,? he points out many of the issues with the modern writings of his time, which are still problems today. Nineteen Eighty-Four focuses on the push of totalitarian rule by the government. Orwell?s ideas have been seen before, but he is considered to have presented them in one of the best ways that is still influential todayRead MoreDoes Partisanship Affect Politics Today?1158 Words   |  5 PagesMay Be the Cause for Dysfunction in Politics As a young child, politics has always been a complicated idea that I could never wrap my mind around. Even knowing nothing whatsoever over politics and the government, I could still see that there was something truly wrong with politics, and as I grew older, I began to understand politics as it itself is in a state of dysfunction. The question at hand here is how and why this dysfunction is occurring in our politics today. For many experts, they have foundRead MoreRay Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4511410 Words   |  6 Pagesof the imagination written in English in the last decade or more† (Conklin). The Chicago Sunday Tribune s August Derleth called it a shockingly savage prophetic view of one possible future way of life, while honoring Bradbury in sight of his brilliant imagination (Derleth). In spite of its praise, even sixty-two years after its release, the novel remains highly controversial. P. Schuyler Miller of Astounding Science Fiction described the book as â€Å"one of Br adbury s bitter, almost hysterical diatribes†Read MoreA Marxist Approach Of Orwell s 1984 Essay7236 Words   |  29 Pages ENG 381 12 December 2016 A Marxist Approach to Orwell?s 1984 In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act. - George Orwell George Orwell lived in a time that was highly critical of the oppression that existed as a result of communist power, as seen in Russia?s Soviet Union and Spain?s War of Independence. The mid-20th century was a time where theRead MoreLanguage and Style in 1984 by George Orwell3105 Words   |  13 PagesLANGUAGE AND STYLE We are going to talk about the language and style used in 1984. We studied 3 different aspects of this; firstly we studied the language and style that Orwell wrote the book in; secondly at the language and style in which some of the characters at the different parts of society speak in; and to finish the language created for the book: Newspeak. I. George Orwell / Narrator ¡Ã‚ ¯s Language and Style This novel is written in Orwells typical style. That is to say inRead MoreGeorge Orwells Animal Farm Essay examples2468 Words   |  10 PagesPart A: A satire to some, but a slanderous novella to us: George Orwell’s Animal Farm uses a plethora of satirical techniques to mock our glorious authoritarian regimes. Throughout the sequence of events, the animals live under ridiculous commandments, such as not wearing clothing or sleeping on beds. They are each rightfully voided until one modified version remains: â€Å"ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL / BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS† (Orwell, Animal 133). The trimmings of freedom, although a stellarRead MoreGeorge Orwell Research Paper2355 Words   |  10 PagesGeorge Orwell: The Prophesier George Orwell once said, â€Å"freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear†, that, essentially, â€Å"speaking the truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act†. (â€Å"George Orwell†) Orwell’s words reveal his political views in the absolute truest form. His uninhibited writing style forced readers to not only to listen what he had to say, but to also recognize his writing as the truth. Although his veracity was supposed to be accepted withoutRead More Animal Farm as a Political Satire to Criticise Totalitarian Regimes4636 Words   |  19 PagesAnimal Farm as a Political Satire to Criticise Totalitarian Regimes This study aims to determine that George Orwells Animal Farm is a political satire which was written to criticise totalitarian regimes and particularly Stalins practices in Russia. In order to provide background information that would reveal causes led Orwell to write Animal Farm, Chapter one is devoted to a brief summary of the progress of authors life and significant events that had impact on his political convictions. ChapterRead MoreThe Nsa Secret Documents By Edward Snowden2494 Words   |  10 Pagesforefront of American politics: government surveillance. Snowden unveiled the existence of PRISM, a program which allowed the US government to read massive volumes of private information shared between citizens. The government exploited legislation meant to combat terrorism in the post-September 11th era. The media’s immediate reaction in discussing the National Security Agency was to compare it with 1984’s â€Å"Big Brother.† This term, originates from the 1949 novel by George Orwell. 1984, his most well

Migration Law Immigration and Visas

Question: Discuss about theMigration Lawfor Immigration and Visas. Answer: Letter of Advice to Billy Elliot To, Mr. Billy Elliot, Tasmania. Dear Billy, It is clear from the case itself that originally you are a resident of New Zealand. But currently you are residing in Australia being a holder of Special category visa[1]. Hence, you are an immigrant in Australia. You have mentioned in your case that at the age of 21, you came to Australia being a holder of a visa of special category and henceforth you are staying here in Australia. After coming to Australia, you have been working in Tasmanian gold mine with a good behavior and reputation[2]. The scenario that you have been accused of is that you with your few workmate have been to a local pub for having beer in order to celebrate your 36th birthday. While returning back from the pub, you in a drunken condition and without any intention have driven over four teenagers who were returning from a party. The teenagers were also in a drunken state. Because of the accident, three of the teenagers died and one of them was severely injured. The police has caught hold of you and has kept you in the watch house. They found you guilty for the illegal act of driving recklessly that has caused death and also driving under influence, i.e., driving in an intoxicated state. By the time you are accused of this happening, Sally Fields, who happen to be your neighbor, have complained against you for molesting his daughter Emily from a long time. And as of now, you are punished and have been sentenced to imprisonment although you have made several pleas before the court[3]. To get out of the situation there are certain legislations and you should have the knowledge of the same. This case of yours will be guided by the Migration Act, 1958[4]. All the cases that are related with the immigrants are dealt by this Act. The provision of the section that will help you is section 201 and 501 of the said Act. The section 201 mentions that a person being a non-resident of Australia have made an illegal act and also have been convicted for the same illegal act in Australia, that person will be send back to his own nation. Originally being a resident of New Zealand and being a holder of special category visa in Australia at present, according to the provision of section 201, the person committed illegal act during his stay in Australia will be send back to the country. The time period of his staying has to be less than 10 years and also that the penalty imposed to that person must be life imprisonment or death; or imprisonment which shall not be less than 12 months . You will also be guided by the section 501[5], where it has been stated that the Minister has the right to ask to deport you back to New Zealand. The provision of the section states that the Minister, if not at all convince that the said accused person is able to attain success in the character test, he has the power to cancel the visa that has already been granted or refuse to grant any visa. The character test means that a person is not supposed to possess any criminal record, or should not have committed any illegal act at the time when he is already been convicted of a petty illegal act and must not give a try to get escaped from the detention. The definition of criminal background or record is that a person is not supposed to be found guilty of any illegal act for which he has been punished by sending him for an imprisonment for a period of 12 months; or have been sentenced to life imprisonment or death; or is released on the ground of insanity. An illegal act of escape from the detention or manufacturing weapons during detention which contravenes section 197 of the Act should not be done by the person[6]. The Minister should not suspect the person to be associated with such a group that has been suspected of getting involved in any criminal activity. The person should not be accused of harming any community or any person of Australia and is not considered to be a threat for the nation. If the person satisfies all these points, he is considered to have passed the character test. Even after passing the test, the Minister, if not satisfied and thinks that the person is not appropriate for the test, he may cancel the visa granted or even refuse to grant any visa. The satisfaction depends on the Minister and the rule of natural justice is not applicable in his decision. The Minister takes his own decision is not influenced by any other person. The decision made by the Minister cannot be reviewed. Since last 15 years you have been residing in Australia, i.e., your stay in Australia is more than 10 years as has been prescribed in section 201 of the Migration Act, 1958. Therefore, a plea under this section can be taken by you. Your next plea before the court should be that you were driving under influence as you were drunk at the time of driving and hence, this cannot make any illegal act. The complaint for molesting Emily should have been made long ago by Sally Fields. Making of a complaint after being convicted of some other illegal act makes no sense. Plea under section 501 can also be taken. It can be refer here that since you are residing in Australia, you have not been convicted of any illegal act and that you do not possess any criminal background. Not for once you were detained because of committing a petty illegal act or no penalty of imprisonment for not less than one year have been imposed on you. You have got good reputation and nature in your workplace and also in t he locality. This has been happening for the first time and has not been done with any intention. If all these pleas can satisfy the Minister, he may decide not to deport you back to your country[7]. But if he does not get satisfied, he may deport you back and the decision made by him cant be reviewed or changed. Regards Cancellation of Billys Visa by the Minister under Section 501, 501A 501B of the Migration Act, 1958 and the Avenues that can be Pursued The fact of this case is that Billy Elliot at the age of 21 has migrated to Australia and since the last 15 years he has been staying in Australia being a holder of visa of special category. Previously he was the resident of New Zealand. After coming to Australia, he has been working in the gold mine of Tasmania. On the occasion of his 36th birthday, he went to a local pub with his workmates to have beers. On the way back home, he without any intention drove over four teenagers who were returning form a party. He did this as he were drunk and was driving under influence. The driving caused death of three teenagers and one was badly injured. The police caught and charged Billy of dangerous reckless driving that has caused death and also driving under influence. Billy was also charged of molesting the daughter of Sally Fields who made a complaint against Billy after he was already convicted. After finding Billy guilty of child sex and driving recklessly and also in a drunken state that has caused death, he was send for five years of imprisonment. Billy got worried as he got the information from his few workmates that the Minister might deport him back to New Zealand for the illegal act committed by him. The Minister after having the knowledge about the case may make up his mind to take decision as per the provisions stated in section 501, 501A 501B of Migration Act, 1958. The provision of section 501 is that a visa may be cancelled or refused on the ground of character[8]. Any person who will not be successful in satisfying the Minister by passing the character test, the Minister can cancel the visa granted or refuse to grant a visa. The meaning of character test is that the person is not supposed to have any criminal background and should not be found guilty of petty illegal acts while he is already convicted and even should not try to escape from detention. The Minister should not doubt on him to have been associated to a group that has been suspected of involving in criminal pursuit. If the person satisfies all these points, he is considered to have passed the character test[9]. If he thinks that the said person has not passed the test, he may cancel the visa of the person or re fuse to grant a visa. He may also go for the cancellation of the visa if he founds that cancellation made is for the interest of the nation and the rule of natural justice is not applicable. The setting aside of the cancellation or refusal of a visa and the other alternative decision that can be taken under subsection (1) or (2) of section 501 is mentioned in section 501A. The delegate of the Minister may take the decision whether to execute or not, the power of refusing or cancelling a visa although the delegate is not at all satisfied by the fact that the character test has been passed by the person. The delegate of the Minister applies the rule of natural justice. The decision made by the delegate of the Minister can also be termed as original decision[10]. The Minister, if not satisfied by the fact that the person has succeeded in the character test and the refusal of the visa or the cancellation of the visa that has already been granted is for the national interest, can set aside the original decision which has been made by the delegate of the Minister. This is an exclusive power that is executed by the Minister. The decision whether to execute the power to cancel a visa or refuse to grant a visa completely depends on the Minister and cannot be influenced by others. The Minister is not bound to consider any situation or requests. No request for the consideration of the decision can be made to the Minister as it cannot be reviewed. The provision of cancellation or refusal or setting aside of the visa and the replacement or alternatives of any decision which is not appropriate under section 501 (1) (2) of the act has been mentioned in section 501B. The section states that the Minister may set aside the original decision that has been made by the delegate of the Minister to cancel a visa or refuse to grant a visa. If the Minister is not satisfied that the said person has passed the character test, he may cancel the visa that has been granted to the person. The decision made by the Minister under this section is not reviewable[11]. If the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, after an application made before it, can review the original decision, the Minister can execute his power to set aside the reviewed decision by the Tribunal. With reference to the case, the Minister may cancel Billys visa on the basis of the factthat he could not be successful in passing the character test which comprises of criminal record or accusation of petty illegal acts[12], harming or harassing any community or person of Australia, or his involvement in any criminal work with a group that is already suspected to carry on illegal activity that may become a national threat. And also that Billy could not satisfy the Minister in any manner. There is no other way with the help of which Billy can request for review of the decision made by the Minister. Under subsection (5) of section 501B of the Migration Act, he can apply before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for reviewing the original decision. Still if the Minister is personally not satisfied, he can even set aside the reviewed decision made by the Tribunal as he is not compelled to abide by the decision made by the Tribunal. Bibliography: Alrc. (2016). Migration Act. Retrieved from alrc.gov.au: www.alrc.gov.au Publications Austlii. (2016). Miggration Act 1958. Retrieved from austlii.edu.au: www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ma1958118 Australia. (2016). Immigration and visas. Retrieved from australia.gov.au: www.australia.gov.au/information-and-services/immigration-and-visas Australiavisa. (2016). Australian Immigration Law Services. Retrieved from australiavisa.com: www.australiavisa.com/english/compnay_profile.htm Border. (2016). Australian Department of Immigration. Retrieved from border.gov.au: https://www.border.gov.au Comlaw. (2016). Migration Act 1958. Retrieved from comlaw.gov.au: www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2011C00893 Digplant. (2016). Migration Act 1958. Retrieved from digplanet.com: www.digplanet.com/wiki/Migration_Act_1958 Edu. (2016). Migration Act 1958. Retrieved from edu.au: usq.edu.au/studentservices/international/visacomp/~/media/USQ... PDF file Ilo. (2016). Australia- Migration Act. Retrieved from ilo.org: www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex4.detail?p_lang=enp_isn=67436 Legislation. (2016). Migration Act 1958. Retrieved from legislation.gov.au: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016C00128 Unimelb. (2016). Migration Act 1958. Retrieved from unimelb.edu.au: https://blogs.unimelb.edu.au/opinionsonhigh/tag/migration-act-1958-cth Visaaustralia. (2016). migration act 1958. Retrieved from visaaustralia.com.au: www.visaaustralia.com.au/tag/migration-act-1958

Speech Critique Billy Joel Essays - Billy Joel, Grammy Legend Award

Speech Critique: Billy Joel Speech Critique Billy Joel is a very well known musician that is respected and acknowledged all around the world. I think he was an appropriate speaker for a college graduation. He used one question at the beginning of the speech that would catch the audiences curiosity; Why do musicians give so much time to charitable causes? and branched out from there to important issues. I think this showed a sense of organization and importance to the issue of why he was there. From the commencement of the speech Billy Joel set a personal and comfortable tone. He spoke to the graduates on a level of equality using phrases like maybe its because we know, and Our experience is not so different from those who march to the beat of a different drummer. Which also served as a pun. He used phrases like common emotion and referred to musicians like family. He was able to relate to the graduates and made it easy for the graduates to relate to him, giving reused questions like when are you going to get a real job? When are you going to get serious about life? that musicians are often faces with. He also uses the technique of mentioning famous names to catch the attention of the audience. I also noticed that he chose musicians from different types of music and different times in history he went from Beethoven to Milli Vanilli to Bob Marley. So pretty much everyone could relate. Since Billy Joel has been so successful, his past experiences can be a way learning and encouragement for the graduates. He refers back to when he was 19 and explains how his career began. He spoke about his little jobs and how he was barely making enough money to pay his bills. Most of the graduates are probably going through that stage in their life now. I think he referred to this as a sense of motivation for the graduates. Throughout the speech he gives out tips and advice about making it in the entertainment world. Since he is so respected as a musician this advice is valuable to the graduates. He made music sound like the most important thing in the world, which I think gave a lot of importance to the graduates. He called the talent they had a gift that only unique people like them had. The way he explained music, made musicians sound like the center of it all; music heals, encourages, and even persuades people. It gave the graduates a feeling of importance like their role in society can make a difference in the world. Overall I enjoyed this speech. I think it was appropriate since it was so encouraging. These graduates are about to embark on a new stage in life filled with fears and insecurities and they need all the advice an encouragement they can get. He spoke on a very down to earth level, which made it easy to understand and relate. I think every graduate could leave that speech feeling Billy Joel was not only a role model but also a friend.