BillGatesWhenBillGatesmadehisdecisiontodropoutfromHarvard,hedidnotcaretoomuchoftheresult.GatesenteredHarvardin1973,anddroppedouttwoyearslaterwhenheandAllenstartedtheengineofMicrosoft.ManypeopledidnotunderstandwhyGatesgaveupsuchagoodopportunitytostudyintheworldsNo.1University.However,withsizecomespower,MicrosoftdominatesthePCmarketwithitsoperatingsystems,suchasMS-DOSandWindows.Now,MicrosoftbecomesthebiggestsoftwarecompanyintheworldandBillGatesbecomestherichestmanintheworld.ThomasEdisonWecanlearnfromtheexperienceofthegreatinventorThomasAlvaEdisonthatsometimesaseriesofapparentfailuresisreallyaprecursortosuccess.ThevoluminouspersonalpapersofEdisonrevealthathisinventionstypicallydidnotspringtolifeinaflashofinspirationbutevolvedslowlyfrompreviousworks.MotherTeresaMotherTeresa,winneroftheNobelPeacePrize,dedicatedthemajorityofherlifetohelpingthepoorestofthepoorinIndia,thusgainingherthenameSaintoftheGutters.ThedevotiontowardsthepoorwonherrespectthroughouttheworldandtheNobelPeacePrizein1979.ShefoundedanorderofnunscalledtheMissionariesofCharityinCalcutta,Indiadedicatedtoservingthepoor.Almost50yearslater,theMissionariesofCharityhavegrownfrom12sistersinIndiatoover3,000in517missionsthroughout100countriesworldwide.DianaSpencerLadyDianaSpencer,PrincessofWhales,isrememberedandrespectedbypeopleallovertheworldmoreforherbeauty,kindness,humanityandcharitableactivitiesthanforhertechnicalskills.NelsonMandelaMandela,theSouthAfricanblackpoliticalleaderandformerpresident,wasawarded1993NobelPeacePrizeforhiseffortstoantiracismandantiapartheid.NelsonMandelaisoneofthegreatmoralandpoliticalleadersofourtime:aninternationalherowhoselifelongdedicationtothefightagainstracialoppressioninSouthAfricawonhimtheNobelPeacePrizeandthepresidencyofhiscountry.Sincehistriumphantreleasein1990frommorethanaquarter-centuryofimprisonment,Mandelahasbeenatthecentreofthemostcompellingandinspiringpoliticaldramaintheworld.AspresidentoftheAfricanNationalCongressandheadofSouthAfricasantiapartheidmovement,hewasinstrumentalinmovingthenationtowardmultiracialgovernmentandmajorityrule.Heisreveredeverywhereasavitalforceinthefightforhumanrightsandracialequality.BeethovenBeethoven,theGermanComposer,begantolosehishearingin1801andwasentirelydeafby1819.However,thisobstaclecouldnotkeephimfrombecomingoneofthemostfamousandprolificcomposersinarthistory.Hismusic,including9symphonies,5pianoconcertos,severalsenatesandsoon,formesatransitionfromclassicaltoromanticcomposition.GeorgeBushOnJanuary16,1991,PresidentBushorderedthecommencementofOperationDesertStorm,amassiveU.S.-ledmilitaryoffensiveagainstIraqinthePersianGulf.Inlate1992,BushorderedU.S.troopsintoSomalia,anationdevastatedbydroughtandcivilwar.ThepeacekeepingmissionwouldprovethemostdisastroussinceLebanon,andPresidentClintonabruptlycalleditoffin1993.JimmyCarterPresidentCarterspolicyofplacinghumanrightsrecordsattheforefrontofAmericasrelationshipswithothernationscontributedtoacoolingofColdWarrelationsinthelate1970s.In1980,forthefirsttimeinsevenyears,FidelCastroauthorizedemigrationoutofCubabythecountryscitizens.TheUnitedStateswelcomedtheCubans,butlatertookstepstoslowthetidewhenevidencesuggestedthatCastrowasusingtherefugeeflighttoemptyhisprisons.NevilleChamberlainIn1938,BritishPrimeMinisterChamberlainsignedtheMunichPactwithAdolfHitler,anagreementthatgaveCzechoslovakiaawaytoNaziconquestwhilebringing,asChamberlainpromised,peaceinourtime.ElevenmonthsafterthesigningoftheMunichPact,GermanybrokethepeaceinEuropebyinvadingPoland.AsolemnChamberlainhadnochoicebuttodeclarewar,andWorldWarIIbeganinEurope.WinstonChurchillIntheearly1930s,ConservativeM.P.WinstonChurchillissuedunheededwarningsofthethreatofNaziaggressionfromhisseatonaHouseofCommonsbackbench.WithGermantanksracingacrossFrance,ChurchillspoketotheBritishpeopleforthefirsttimeasprimeminister,andpledgedastruggletothelastbreathagainstNaziconquestandoppression.Inthesummerof1940,thedemocraciesofcontinentalEuropefelltoGermanyonebyone,leavingGreatBritainaloneinitsresistancetoAdolfHitler.TheNazileaderwasconfidentthatvictoryagainstBritainwouldcomesoon,butChurchillprophesiedotherwise,tellinghiscountrymenthattheBattleofBritainwouldbetheirfin