<p>Prompt: What is your view of the idea that even our best plans are always at the mercy of unexpected, chance events?</p>
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<p>Humans make errors; this is an inescapable truth. It is therefore inevitable that even the best of plans can go awry due to unexpected events.</p>
<p>NASA's recent Colombia tragedy exemplifies how such carefully planned events are vulnerable, unfortunately, to unexpected events. The launching of an spacecraft is a carefully managed event. Literally hundreds of technicians work together to make the spacecraft sucessfully launches and lands, as lives and millions of dollars are at stake, making launches among th most careful of plans. However, even all of the equipment checks, software checks, and systems analysis were not enough to foresee the inpending destruction of Colombia. Just a piece of the wing, ever so small and completely unexpected, fell close to the engines and erupted in flames, causing Colombia to explode, and ultimately the terrible loss of life.</p>
<p>In J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, protagonist Holden Caulfield makes plans to meet a girl he knew when he was younger, hoping to watch a movie together. To Holden, his plan was flawless - just meet the girl in a cafe and ask her out. Human personality, however, is probably one of the most unexpected of events. The girl who shows up does not live up to Holden's expectations of just agreeing to run away with him, as he had planned. Instead, she refuses his proposal, and the night ends in tears. </p>
<p>Failing of plans does not need to have a negative aspect, however, as the outcome can actually be beneficial. Take, for example, Coca-Cola. The original beverage was actually intended to be a cough syrup. However, when people began to enjoy the taste, the drink became known as a refreshing drink, instead of medicine. </p>
<p>Perfect plans are hard to come by, and maybe ever impossible. How many times do audiences hear movie characters say "this is a perfect plan," only to have the plan go awry? Too many factors are involved in making plans, and the best one can hope for is a succesful plan.</p>
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<p>i fed this into the rocketreview essay grader, and it gave me a 12... i dont think i really should get a 12 tho. dunno, wudda you guys think..</p>