Saturday, November 30, 2019
Space Tourism Analysis
Executive Summary The important finding of the study is that there is a significant likelihood for people to travel into space. The descriptive statistics of income allocated to space tourism shows that about 90% of the respondents are willing to allocate the income that they earn within a period of less than a year. Additionally, descriptive statistics of respondentsââ¬â¢ occupations indicate that the majority of respondents are white-collar professionals, blue-collar employees, and students.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Space Tourism Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Chi-square test and multiple regression analysis also shows that the level of education, age, and cost of space tourism are significant predictors of income allocated to space tourism. However, income allocated to space tourism does not vary according to the gender and occupation of potential tourists. In spite of the robust findings , the limitations are biased representation of potential customers and poor responses, which reduce both internal and external validities of the study. Research Objectives To perform descriptive analysis of the income allocated to the space tourism and the current occupation of a potential space tourists. Test the hypothesis using one-sample t-test to establish the willingness of respondents to undertake space tourism. To determine the influence of gender on income allocated to space tourism using independent samples t-test. Perform one-way ANOVA to determine the differences of income allocated among the occupations of respondents. Chi-square test to determine the association between the amounts of income allocated to the space tourism and preferred length of stay in space. Determine predictors of income allocated to space tourism using multiple regression test. Descriptive Statistics Income Prepared to Allocated to the Space Trip Analysis of the proportion of income that potentia l tourists are willing to spend on space tourism is important because it indicates their purchasing power. Gibson (2012) argues that a space tourism company needs to understand the amount of potential money that customers are willing to spend on space tourism so that it can design products and tourism packages that meet the demands of customers, as well as enable the company to optimize profits. Table 1 Statistics Income Prepared to Allocate to a Space Trip N Valid 279 Missing 267 Mean 2.87 Std. Error of Mean .080 Median 3.00 Mode 3 Std. Deviation 1.337 Variance 1.786 Skewness .796 Std. Error of Skewness .146 Kurtosis .641 Std. Error of Kurtosis .291 Range 6 Minimum 1 Maximum 7 Sum 802 From the descriptive table, measures of central tendency are 2.87, 3, and 3 for mean, median, and mode respectively. This means that the majority of the respondents are willing to spend on space tourism income that they earn in 3 months. Regarding measures of di spersion, standard deviation indicates that the majority of respondents are willing to spend on space tourism between one weekââ¬â¢s income and 3 monthsââ¬â¢ income (M = 2.87à ±1.337). Although respondents indicate that they are willing to spend the amount of money that ranges from a monthââ¬â¢s income to 5-yearsââ¬â¢ income, the allocated income skews towards income earned in less than a year. The frequency table indicates the distribution of respondents according to the amount of income they are willing to spend on space tourism. The significant information in the frequency table is that most of the respondents (86) are willing to spend 3 monthsââ¬â¢ income on space tourism, followed by a monthââ¬â¢s income (82), and the third is a weekââ¬â¢s income (38).Advertising Looking for report on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Figure 1 The histogram illustrates the distribution of income among different periods, which shows that most respondents are willing to spend between 3 monthsââ¬â¢ income to a monthââ¬â¢s income on space tourism. Moreover, it illustrates the skewed distribution towards short periods of income. Current Occupation The current occupation of the potential customers is important to the space tourism because it enables marketing managers to understand the nature of customers they are targeting. For the space tourism to be successful, it must target certain kind of customers and define its market niche by targeting customers with specific socioeconomic attributes such as occupation. Table 2 Statistics Current Occupation N Valid 543 Missing 3 Mean 4.22 Std. Error of Mean .109 Median 4.00 Mode 4 Std. Deviation 2.548 Variance 6.490 Skewness .400 Std. Error of Skewness .105 Kurtosis -.935 Std. Error of Kurtosis .209 Range 8 Minimum 1 Maximum 9 Sum 2289 The measures of central tendency in the descriptive tabl e are 4.22, 4, and 4 for mean, median, and mode respectively. These descriptive statistics imply that the white-collar professionals formed the majority of the respondents. Comparatively, measures of dispersion show that the respondentsââ¬â¢ occupations comprise of students, blue-collar, white-collar, contractors and businesspersons (M = 4à ±2.54). The frequency table above shows the distribution of respondents according to their occupations. The leading respondents are white-collar professionals (149) followed by students (123), and then blue-collar employees (73) come third. The histogram illustrates that white-collar professionals and students are major respondents.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Space Tourism Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Figure 2 Testing of Hypotheses The Likelihood of Traveling in Space H0: There is no significant likelihood of the person wanting to travel into space, ha ving the interest, and having undertaking. H1: There is a very significant likelihood of the person wanting to travel into space, having the interests and having undertaking. Table 3 One-Sample Test Test Value = 1 t df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Difference 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper like to do astronomical observation -21.847 314 .000 -.603 -.66 -.55 risks taken in recreation and leisure 37.611 310 .000 2.585 2.45 2.72 Travelled outside Australia 26.418 301 .000 .699 .65 .75 like to play sport -21.278 314 .000 -.590 -.65 -.54 travelled to poles -210.000 210 .000 -.995 -1.00 -.99 like to play in zero g -15.748 314 .000 -.441 -.50 -.39 From the one-sample test table, it is evident that all variables that measure the likelihood of a person wanting to travel into space, having the interest, and having the undertakings are statistically significant (p0.05). This implies that the test rejects the null hypothesis and accepts that alternative hy pothesis, which states that there is a very significant likelihood of the person wanting to travel into space, having the interests and having undertaking. Gender and Income Allocated to Space Hypotheses H0: The amounts of income that male and female respondents are willing to allocate to space tourism are not significantly differentAdvertising Looking for report on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More H1: The amounts of income that male and female respondents are willing to allocate to space tourism are significantly different. Table 4 Independent Samples Test Leveneââ¬â¢s Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means F Sig. t df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Difference Std. Error Difference 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper Income prepared to allocate to a space trip Equal variances assumed .167 .683 1.388 277 .166 .222 .160 -.093 .537 Equal variances not assumed 1.387 273.559 .166 .222 .160 -.093 .537 The independent samples t-test shows that the difference in the amounts of income that male and female respondents are willing to allocate to space tourism are not significantly different (p0.05). Hence, it implies that the independent t-test fails to reject the null hypothesis, and hence, male and female respondents have equal capacities of being space tourists. Current Occupation and Income Allocated to Space Tourism Hypotheses H0: The amounts of income allocated to space tourism have no significant differences across the occupations. H1: The amounts of income allocated to space tourism have significant differences across the occupations.. Table 5 ANOVA Income Prepared to Allocate to a Apace Trip Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Between Groups 26.133 8 3.267 1.871 .065 Within Groups 469.708 269 1.746 Total 495.842 277 The ANOVA table shows that there is no significant difference in the amounts of income allocated to space tourism among respondents in diverse occupations (p0.05). Post hoc analysis also affirms that there is no significant difference in the amounts of income allocated among diverse occupations. Hence, the ANOVA test fails to reject the null hypothesis and affirms that occupations does not influence income allocated to space tourism. The Association between Income Allocated and Preferred Length of Stay Hypotheses H0: There is no significant association between income all ocated to space tourism and preferred length of stay. H1: There is a significant association between income allocated to space tourism and preferred length of stay. Chi-Square Tests Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) Pearson Chi-Square 36.658a 24 .047 Likelihood Ratio 38.128 24 .034 Linear-by-Linear Association 7.572 1 .006 N of Valid Cases 264 The chi-square test indicates that there is a significant association between income allocated to space tourism and preferred length of stay (p0.05). This means that the amount of income allocated determines length of stay in space. Multiple Regression Analysis Hypotheses H0: Level of education, preferred length of stay, cost, and age are not significant predictors of income allocated to tourism. H1: Level of education, preferred length of stay, cost, and age are significant predictors of income allocated to tourism. Table 6 Model Summary Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate 1 .622a .387 .378 1.0 43 The multiple regression coefficient (R) is 0.622, which means that this regression model predicts the income allocated to space tourism. Table 7 ANOVAa Model Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. 1 Regression 175.352 4 43.838 40.290 .000b Residual 277.459 255 1.088 Total 452.812 259 Moreover, the multiple regression coefficient is significant (p0.05). This means that the regression analysis rejects the null hypothesis and accepts the alternative one, which states that level of education, preferred length of stay, cost, and age are significant predictors of income allocated to tourism Table 8 Coefficients Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t Sig. B Std. Error Beta 1 (Constant) .757 .287 2.638 .009 highest level of formal education .106 .051 .107 2.099 .037 preferred length of stay in space .089 .060 .074 1.478 .141 pay for 2-day trip 1-night stay .585 .054 .559 10.872 .000 age .095 .053 .090 1.801 .073 The c oefficient table shows that all the independent variables are significant predictors except preferred length of stay. Hence, regression model has the following equation: ââ¬â Income allocated = 0.757 + (0.106 Ãâ" education level) + (0.089 Ãâ" preferred length of stay) + (0.585 Ãâ" Cost) + (0.095 Ãâ" age). Discussion, Interpretation, and Implications of the Findings The descriptive statistics of the income allocated to the space tourism indicates that most potential tourists are willing to spend less than a yearââ¬â¢s income on space tourism. Specifically, most of the respondents are willing to spend between 6 monthsââ¬â¢ income and a weekââ¬â¢s income on space tourism. This implies that marketing managers need to tailor products of space tourism to suit the purchasing power of the potential customers, which should not exceed a yearââ¬â¢s income. If the marketing managers design products that suit a yearââ¬â¢s income, they will target about 90% of the poten tial customers, which is quite significant. Regarding the descriptive statistics of the current occupation, the occupations of the majority of the respondents are white-collar professionals, blue-collar employees, and students. This means that marketing managers need to target people with these occupations because they are potential customers who are willing to travel in space. According to Crouch (2001), estimation of the market size is a considerable challenge that space tourism is facing. In this view, the descriptive statistics indicate that white-collar professionals, blue-collar employees, and students are the potential customers, and thus enabling marketing managers to focus their attention on them. Hypothesis testing to establish if there is a very significant likelihood of the people wanting to travel into space, having the interests, and having undertaking gives robust findings to the space tourism. The hypothesis indicates that the existence of the significant likelihood that potential customers want to do astronomical observation, take risks in recreation and leisure, travel to the poles, play sports, and travel to space. These findings have considerable implication to space tourism as it informs marketing managers of the existence of a huge market, which they need to tap and utilize in expanding space tourism. Gender is demographic factor that may influence the distribution of resources and consequently income allocated to space tourism. In establishing if there is any significant difference in the allocation of income between male and female respondents, the findings show that the difference is insignificant. Jordan (2008) asserts that gendered space tourism creates an exclusive environment, which has detrimental effects on the growth of space tourism. In this view, marketing managers should target potential customers equally, irrespective of their gender because they have equal capacity in allocating their income to space tourism. Analysis of va riance indicates that the allocation of income to space tourism does not vary according to the occupation. Given that occupation does not influence allocation of income to space tourism, marketing managers should target potential customers equally without considering their occupations. Moreover, marketing managers should understand that what matters to the space tourism is the purchasing power of customers, and not their occupation. Hjalager (2007) states that economic globalization is a driving force of tourism, which marketing managers need to harness in targeting potential customers. The chià -square test established that there is a significant association between preferred length of stay and income allocated. This information is important to marketing managers because it helps them in designing tourism packages according to the purchasing power of customers and preferred length of stay. In this view, marketing managers should understand that those who plan to use income earned in a short period want to take a short period in space, while those who plan to use income earned in a long period want to stay for a long period in space. Multiple regression analysis shows that the level of education, cost of space tourism, and age are significant predictors of income allocated to space tourism. These predictors correlate positively with the income allocated to space tourism. Hence, marketing managers need to understand that educational level, pay for a two-day trip and one night stay, and age determine the amount of income that potential tourists allocate to space tourism. This means that potential tourists with different education levels and different ages require unique packages that suit their needs. Botterill and Platenkamp (2012) argue that the tourism industry should customize their products according to the unique needs of their customers. Hence, marketing managers should utilize these findings in customizing their products according to the needs of space tourists. Conclusion Descriptive analysis of income allocated to space tourism shows that about 90% of the respondents are willing to spend income that they earn within a period of less than a year. Moreover, descriptive statistics of occupation indicate that the majority of respondents are white-collar professionals, blue-collar employees, and students. Importantly, the findings indicate that there is a significant likelihood for people to travel into space. The chi-square test indicates that the length of stay associate with the income allocated to space tourism. Multiple regression analysis also shows that the level of education, age, and cost of space tourism are significant predictors of income allocated to space tourism. However, income allocated to space tourism does not vary according to the gender and occupation of potential tourists. The limitation of the analysis is that most of the respondents are white-collar professionals, blue-collar employees, and students, and thus do not significantly represent the potential customers of space tourism. Additionally, about half of the respondents did not answer the questionnaires well regarding income allocated to space tourism; hence, making statistical analysis to have low internal and external validities. References Botterill, D Platenkamp, V 2012, Key Concepts in Tourism Research, SAGE Publisher, New York. Crouch, G. 2001, ââ¬ËThe Market for Space Tourism: Early Indicationsââ¬â¢, Journal of Travel Research, vol. 40 no. 2, pp. 213-219. Gibson, D 2012, Commercial Space Tourism: Impediments to Industrial Development and Strategic Communication Solutions, Bentham Science Publishers, Sharjah. Hjalager, A 2007, ââ¬ËStages in the Economic Globalization of Tourismââ¬â¢, Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 34 no. 2, pp. 437-457. Jordan, F 2008, ââ¬ËPerforming tourism: Exploring the Productive Consumption of Tourism in Enclavic Spacesââ¬â¢, International Journal of Tourism Research, vol. 10 no. 4, p p. 293-304. This report on Space Tourism Analysis was written and submitted by user ShaneYamada-Jones to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Free Essays on The Missionary Practice Of Paul
The Missionary Practice of Paul Born in a city in Cilicia, Paul, with a former name ââ¬Å"Saulâ⬠, was raised and educated in the city of Tarsus. Afterwards, he moved to Jerusalem to receive an ideal Jewish education at the feet of Gamaliel, and finally became a member of pharisaic sector of Jewish society. As a Pharisee, Paul was like any other Pharisees persecuting Christian. On his way to Damascus for persecuting the Christian church over there, he confronted the vision of risen Jesus Christ himself, was converted to a Christian, and was given a commission by Christ in person to preach the massage of salvation to the gentiles. Then, Paulââ¬â¢s life turned over, he became an apostle of Christianity. During his apostle career, Paul insisted his missionary practice as Jesus Christ commanded, to preach the Godly massage to the gentiles, under the up rising tensions between Jewish and Gentile Christians of his three visits in Jerusalem Church, by his effective use of profound method of preaching and excellent use of his various personal characteristics. On his first visit to the Jerusalem church, Paul was rejected by some of the Jewish Christian not only for his Pharisee background, but also for his point of not emphasizing the law to gentile converts. ââ¬Å"For Gentile Christians, according to Paul they did not need to become Jews to be Christians. This led to one of the first major split within Christianity.â⬠His first missionary journey was not approved by Jerusalem church. Afterwards as Paulââ¬â¢s influence grew rapidly among gentile Christian, his idea of not using Law to gentile Christian was strengthened and largely accepted by gentiles. Thus, he made his second visit to Jerusalem Church with his student Titus, a gentile Christian without circumcision, as a successful test sample of converts. Although the test was passed, the tension was getting stronger. It breaks out when Peter had dinner with gentile Christian in Paulââ¬â¢s Galatians... Free Essays on The Missionary Practice Of Paul Free Essays on The Missionary Practice Of Paul The Missionary Practice of Paul Born in a city in Cilicia, Paul, with a former name ââ¬Å"Saulâ⬠, was raised and educated in the city of Tarsus. Afterwards, he moved to Jerusalem to receive an ideal Jewish education at the feet of Gamaliel, and finally became a member of pharisaic sector of Jewish society. As a Pharisee, Paul was like any other Pharisees persecuting Christian. On his way to Damascus for persecuting the Christian church over there, he confronted the vision of risen Jesus Christ himself, was converted to a Christian, and was given a commission by Christ in person to preach the massage of salvation to the gentiles. Then, Paulââ¬â¢s life turned over, he became an apostle of Christianity. During his apostle career, Paul insisted his missionary practice as Jesus Christ commanded, to preach the Godly massage to the gentiles, under the up rising tensions between Jewish and Gentile Christians of his three visits in Jerusalem Church, by his effective use of profound method of preaching and excellent use of his various personal characteristics. On his first visit to the Jerusalem church, Paul was rejected by some of the Jewish Christian not only for his Pharisee background, but also for his point of not emphasizing the law to gentile converts. ââ¬Å"For Gentile Christians, according to Paul they did not need to become Jews to be Christians. This led to one of the first major split within Christianity.â⬠His first missionary journey was not approved by Jerusalem church. Afterwards as Paulââ¬â¢s influence grew rapidly among gentile Christian, his idea of not using Law to gentile Christian was strengthened and largely accepted by gentiles. Thus, he made his second visit to Jerusalem Church with his student Titus, a gentile Christian without circumcision, as a successful test sample of converts. Although the test was passed, the tension was getting stronger. It breaks out when Peter had dinner with gentile Christian in Paulââ¬â¢s Galatians...
Friday, November 22, 2019
Writing Your Medical School Essay
Writing Your Medical School Essay Medical school essays are designed to push potential students to explore their own desires for wanting to study medicine while communicating those desires in a creative manner. While not intended to be lengthy, med school essays should be informative, unique, and profound. Easier said than done, right? Fortunately, med school hopefuls are not along in their essay attempts; they have plenty of professional editors to help! If you are thinking about applying to medical school, I strongly encourage you to investigate the possibility of hiring a professional editor. College admissions editors are easy to find and relatively inexpensive in their services. While professional editors are not there to write your paper for you, they can be tremendously invaluable when it comes to proofing and offering suggestions. When considering an editor to help with your med school essay, make sure to choose one who has a great deal of experience. Ask to see his/her references and double-check to ensure that the agency for whom the editor works has a good track record. Feel free to ask for client feed back and/or samples of work. Using a professional editor to help with the process of writing a medical school essay can prove tremendously helpful. For more information about medical school personal statements or if you would like to know where you can find an editor to help with your residency statement, please dont hesitate to access the link provided.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
See attachment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
See attachment - Essay Example At first, I will simply count the matchsticks to determine the number in each of Gemma's patterns. I want to find a way to accurately establish the number of matchsticks in a set of patterns without having to physically count them, especially for large diagrams. I think this method will most likely result in a formula. To start with, I will answer the first task which instructs me to determine how many matchsticks are in each of Gemma's pictures. My method will be to simply count the number of matchsticks in each diagram, so that I can have a basis for comparing the number of matchsticks in each pattern and then investigate how they relate to the number of matchsticks in patterns with different widths. I can show my initial results as follows: I notice that there is a relationship between the width of the pattern and the number of matchsticks used. Obviously, as the picture gets wider, more matchsticks are used; but they are not in a direct relationship. In a direct relationship, if a diagram that is one matchstick wide has 6 matchsticks, then it could be expected that one that is 2 matchsticks wide would have 12, and one that is 3 matchsticks wide would have 18. Mathematically, this could be expressed as the number of matchsticks (n) is equal to 6 times the number of widths (w), or: n=6(w). This formula works for the first picture, but is not accurate for the other two. Clearly, there is a relationship of increasing linear proportions, but it is made more complicated by the fact that each pattern of matchsticks shares a common side. This explains why the sequence is not 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36. Any mathematical or formula representation will have to account for the fact that after the first unit, each additional unit of width lacks the two matchsticks it has in common with its neighbor. I think I should use algebra to try and explain this relationship because it is useful in understanding quantitative relationships, and I think a simple linear function will work. The first unit of 1 width has six matchsticks. A second unit (or 2 widths) would share two of those matchsticks already in place and add four more. It would look like this: || ||| |_| 6 Matchsticks |_|_| 10 Matchsticks If the formula can account for the initial width having 6 matchsticks and all other additions having four, it would be a reliable expression. This could be accomplished by representing the total number of matchsticks as a function of the first width having six and all others having four. By simply adding the number of the first width
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Personal Health Lab Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Personal Health Lab - Essay Example The issue of financial benefit from Lacksââ¬â¢s cells continues to be raised. Her heirs are the antithesis of a Norman Rockwell American family. Since many of them live at a subsistence level and often without health care, there is considerable irony in the fact that millions of dollars have been made on Lacksââ¬â¢s genetic material. Those who carry her genes have not seen one cent of that windfall. Decades passed before the family even knew of the continued existence of their mother, in her extraordinary cells. Not only is this famous woman buried in an unmarked grave, but also her family is ââ¬Å"unmarkedâ⬠with the monies her cells have generated. One of the incidents Skloot relates concerns her ongoing relationship with Lacksââ¬â¢s youngest daughter, Deborah. When Skloot began her research, Deborah was in her sixties. Deborahââ¬â¢s approach to the revelation about her mother was mixed. On one hand, she had many sober questions about her motherââ¬â¢s illness, her ongoing ââ¬Å"life,â⬠and its contributions to science as well as about the implications for her own health. On the other hand, she feared that her motherââ¬â¢s cells felt the effects of the diseases they were employed to study. At times Deborah believed her mother to be, in some sense, alive and capable of feeling the pain and other accompanying effects of AIDS, Ebola, and other diseases. She had read that her motherââ¬â¢s cells had been used for researching cures for these diseases. She vacillated between a cooperative and friendly attitude toward the author and a paranoid and distrustful stance. Skloot stuck with Deborah through her bouts with depression, hysteria, and severe cases of hives. The author once even came to blows with Lacksââ¬â¢s daughter, and she was present when Deborah was exorcized. By the time the book was published, Deborah had died.Ã
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Us History World War II Research Paper Essay Example for Free
Us History World War II Research Paper Essay Technology played a key role in determining the outcome of World War II. The high military demand for more advanced technology acted as a catalyst for the development of technology in the interwar years of the 1920ââ¬â¢s and 1930ââ¬â¢s. Scientists and Engineers alike poured massive amounts of research and development time into supporting the war effort, and more advanced technology was developed at an alarmingly rapid rate. One notable fact about technology in World War II is that World War II is the first war in which many military attacks were designed specifically to sabotage the research efforts of the enemies. In the bombing of Peenemunde, the Eighth Air Force executed a bombing run to destroy hydrogen peroxide that was being used to fuel the V-2 Rocket. Another example is the Norwegian heavy water sabotage in which a group of Norwegian soldiers destroyed a heavy water plant to inhibit the Nazi development of nuclear weapons (heavy water or, deuterium oxide, can be used to produce nuclear weapons). Yet another example is when Niels Bohr, a brilliant Danish physicist who understood and even contributed to the discovery of atomic structure, was evacuated from German-controlled Denmark and brought to Britain in 1943. The allies made all of these efforts to deter Nazi Germany from further developing much-needed technology, and this shows just how important technology and the research of technology was during the War. Almost every type of technology was utilized in the war, but the most notable technological advances involved five main categories: Weaponry, Industry, Medicine, Communication, and Transportation. More advanced weaponry came in the form of magnetic detonating torpedos, ââ¬Å"Tank destroyerâ⬠missile rounds, jet fighters, jet bombers, V1 autopilot bombs, proximity fuzes for shells and rockets, HEAT anti-tank warheads, aiming utilities for guns, and napalm. [1] Plastic explosion devices such as C2 were also developed in this time. Still more weapon developments came in the form of industrial advances. Many car factories significantly lowered the number of cars being manufactured and focused instead on the creation of guns, tanks, jets, and ammunition in order to better support the war effort. The stamping, riveting, and welding of guns were all new techniques that came into use during World War II and revolutionized the creation of guns. Design and production methods had advanced enough to manufacture weapons of reasonable reliability such as the PPSh-41, PPS-42, Sten, MP 40, M3 Grease Gun, Gewehr 43, Thompson, and the M1 Garand rifle. World War II also marked the dawn of the semi-automatic rifle, and more importantly, the dawn of the assault rifle. These new rifles were much more accurate than other firearms of their time, and proved especially lethal. Although modern day military forces donââ¬â¢t use the same weapons as they did in World War II, they do still use variations of the assault rifle. The idea of the assault rifle developed in World War II has stood the test of time, as assault rifles are still the most effective form of infantry weaponry due to their balanced weight, firepower, accuracy, and stopping power. In terms of advances in transportation, aircrafts, vehicles, and ships were all tremendously improved. This category of technology was one of the most important factors in determining the outcome of the war. The Jeep was invented in World War II. It was used firstly and primarily as a basic troop transport vehicle, although after the war it became popular as a public transportation vehicle too. Tanks were also created not only as a source of extreme firepower, but also as armored transports. By the end of the war, the allies had developed their own personal brand of tank that transported troops through areas under heavy fire with the protection of tank armor. These transportation vehicles were integral to the success of the allies in World War II, because without the ability to move troops from point to point, attacks would be weak and disorganized. Another noteworthy development pertaining to ground vehicles is the development of synthetic rubber. Previously, all rubber products had been made of natural rubber which was harvested in the south Pacific. During World War II, Japan cut off the U. S. from this supply of rubber which forced the U. S. to develop synthetic rubber. This turned out to be a cheaper and more practical alternative. Synthetic rubber was and still is used in the wheels of cars, as well as many other vehicles. This is just one of many lasting effects World War II has had on the US. Ships were also revolutionized during the World War II era. Naval technology was very poor at the time, but once radar technology was developed, navigation and detection was made much easier for submarine and ship pilots. The invention of radar was still very new ââ¬â being developed only 2 years prior to the start of World War II. Hours of experimentation and development were poured into enhancing radar technology so that the allied forces could better combat the Nazi fleet. Aircrafts were also made more advanced during World War II. Aviation in general was very new at the time, so optimizing what basic aircrafts we had at the time for battle (by equipping them with guns and bombs) was a challenging feat. Considering the first powered flight had taken place only in 1903, only 40 years before World War II, both the axis and allied air force engineers had their work cut out for them. Biplanes were the most common planes leading up to the war, and engineers improved them to become stronger, more efficient, and faster. Fighters were developed first, and ran off of a single engine. They were generally outfitted with a front machine gun and supported one or two pilots. Fighter jets were not developed until the end of the war, and saw little use on the battlefield because of this. Another type of aircraft developed during World War II was the Bomber. These enormous planes were flown deep into enemy territory where they released bombs to wreak havoc on the enemy below. Bombers often targeted key structures and production facilities to cripple the output of the enemy forces. Even more technological advances were made in the field of communication. The invention of the transistor forever changed the way electronics such as computers and radios worked. Transistors amplify and switch electronic signals. This enabled electronic devices to be manufactured much smaller than before while still being just as (if not more) powerful. Computers that once took up entire rooms could now fit on a desk. Radios that previously lined a whole wall could now be carried by hand. This revolutionized electronic communication, and made for orders to be given and received quickly on the battlefield. Almost all modern day technology utilizes transistors. This is yet another example of how the technological advances made in World War II have trickled down to present day. Other technological and engineering feats achieved during, or as a result of, the war include the worlds first programmable computers (Z3, Colossus, and ENIAC), guided missiles, the Manhattan Projects development of nuclear weapons, and the development of artificial harbors and oil pipelines under the English Channel. The furthering of computer technology is by far the most pivotal, though. Computers have developed even further than radios and televisions. Word processing programs used in the present today have completely trivialized type writers, and the internal processors and software code allows for extremely complex mathematical algorithms to be solved at the touch of a button. However, word processing and mathematics are not the only uses for the computer in the modern day world. Computers are also used for entertainment through video games and online streams, education through online college programs and educational websites, mail through the invention of email, business transactions through the integration of the computer with the cash register, and the free transfer of ideas and news through the Internet. The idea of the computer, though conceived before World War II, blossomed and thrived in the technological boom that was provided by World War II research. Without the research and development performed during World War II, the computer would not be where it is today. These revolutionary advances in communication were not only utilized by the military, but also by the media. Although televisions and radios existed before World War II, they became much more important to the public during the war. News of what was happening on the war front could be conveyed quickly and efficiently throughout the nation. Gone were the days of delivering information via letters and horseback ââ¬â news spread like wildfire through the use of media. For medical science, World War II was a spur to rapid advances. Newly discovered antibiotics such as penicillin, sulfonamide, and other drugs were rapidly made available for research, manufacture, and distribution. This was all made possible by the Governmentââ¬â¢s funding and support in coordination with war-time efforts to reduce the number of casualties on the battlefield. These drugs were extremely useful on the front, and saved countless lives of the wounded and the sick. Soldiers who may have previously died of bacterial infection were instead cured on the spot. The war also showed just how effective the use of psychiatry was on the battlefield. Men who fought on the front lines and experience some of the more gruesome and cruel elements of war were sent to war-time psychiatrists and could often return to the battlefield without going insane. This psychiatry provided before and after battles also greatly reduced the number of post traumatic stress disorder victims there were as a result of World War II. Another revolutionary technique, the extraction and storing of blood and blood plasma resulted in the saving of lives. Downed soldiers who lost fatal amounts of blood were be saved via blood transfusions. This was important, as many soldiers were often shot in non-fatal areas but died because of blood loss. However, with the option to transfuse blood into gunshot victims, many lives were saved. This was a pivotal moment for medics on the battlefield, as fewer soldiers died by bleeding out. Many of these discoveries in blood transfusion were later adapted for peacetime usage. Blood transfusions are used every day at hospitals across the country in order to save lives, and the technology developed in World War II has only developed even further since then. Blood can now be screened for viruses such as HIV/AIDS to ensure the recipient of the transfusions will not be infected. Blood donation is very common at places of employment and sometimes even schools. There is even a blood drive every year at De La Salle! However medicine and blood transfusions were not the only medical improvements made in World War II. Medical education in the United States accelerated during the war years. The training of wartime doctors consisted of three intense years of twelve months each instead of the usual four years of nine months each. U. S. medical schools geared up to produce physicians needed for the war effort more quickly. This ensured that there would never be a shortage of medics on the battlefield so that casualties could be minimized. Many different forms of technology were developed during World War II, and almost all of them contributed in one way or another to the war. Whether it was new forms of transportation being discovered, new medicines being researched, new methods of communication being utilized, new weapons being manufactured, or new production methods in factories being used to revolutionize industry, every form of technology developed during the war has influenced society in some way today.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
explorers from 1500 :: essays research papers
ALBUQUERQUE, AFONSO DEAfonso de Albuquerque (14??-1515) was a Portuguese soldier and explorer who sailed to the Spice Islands (the Moluccas, a group of Islands in Indonesia) in 1507-1511, trying to monopolize trade with this area; from Europe, he sailed around Africa to the Indian Ocean. He was appointed the Viceroy of India by King Emmanuel in 1509. He forcibly destroyed the Indian city of Calicut in January, 1510, and took Goa (in southern India) in March, 1510, claiming Goa for Portugal. AYLLON, LUCAS VAZQUEZ DELucas Và ¡zquez de Ayllà ³n (1475-1526) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who tried to start a colony in North America in 1526. He was the first European colonizer of what is now South Carolina. His attempt to settle the coast of the Carolinas (near the mouth of the Peedee River at Winyah Bay) was unsuccessful. BALBOA, VASCO NUNEZ DEVasco Nunez de Balboa (1475-1519) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer. He was the first European to see the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean (in 1513), after crossing the Isthmus of Panama overland. CABEZA DE VACA, ALVAR NUNEZAlvar Nuà ±ez Cabeza de Vaca [Cabeza de Vaca means "head of a cow"] (1490?-1557?) was a Spanish explorer who sailed to North America from Spain, leaving in 1527. He traveled from Florida to Texas on a raft, then walked from Texas to Mexico City. He also explored the Paraguay River in South America. De Vaca and his fellow travelers were the first Europeans to see the bison, or American buffalo. CABRAL, PEDRO ALVARESPedro à lvares Cabral (1467-1520) was a Portuguese nobleman, explorer, and navigator who was the first European to see Brazil (on April 22, 1500). His patron was King Manuel I of Portugal, who sent him on an expedition to India. Cabral's 13 ships left on March 9, 1500, following the route of Vasco da Gama. On April 22,1500, he sighted land (Brazil), claiming it for Portugal and naming it the "Island of the True Cross." King Manuel renamed this land Holy Cross; it was later renamed once again, to Brazil, after a kind of dyewood found there, called pau-brasil. Cabral stayed in Brazil for 10 days and then continued on his way to India, in a trip fraught with shipwrecks (at the Cape of Good Hope), and fighting (with Muslim traders in India). After trading for spices in India, Cabral returned to Portugal on June 23, 1501, with only four of the original 13 ships.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Thomas Hardy Notes on Hap
Author: Thomas Hardy First Published: 1898 Type of Poem: Sonnet Genres: Poetry, Sonnet Subjects: Suffering, Despair, God, Pain, Good and evil, Gods or goddesses, Fate or fatalism, Life, philosophy of, Life and death, Time, Joy or sorrow, Luck or misfortune The Poem Thomas Hardy has structured ââ¬Å"Hapâ⬠to meet all the requirements of the form of an English sonnet: Its fourteen lines are written in iambic pentameter, the rhyme scheme abab, cdcd, efef, gg is complied with, and the three quatrains are followed by a rhymed couplet to conclude the poem. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Hap ââ¬â Thomas Hardy *If you need to find something quickly, I suggest you hit CTRL + F and type in what you are looking for. * Hap(1) If but some vengeful god would call to me From up the sky, and laugh: ââ¬Å"Thou suffering thing, Know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy That thy love's loss is my hate's profiting! â⬠Then would I bear it, c lench myself and die, Steeled by the sense of the ire(2) unmerited; Half eased in that a Powerfuller than I Had willed and meted(3) me the tears I shed. But not so. How arrives it joy lies slain,And why unblooms the best hope ever sown? -Crass Casualty obstructs the sun and rain, And dicing Time for gladness casts a moanâ⬠¦ These purblind Doomsters(4) had as readily strown Blisses about my pilgrimage as pain. References: 1 ââ¬â Chance (aka Casualty @ line 11) 2 ââ¬â Anger 3 ââ¬â Given 4 ââ¬â Half-blind judges Author: Thomas Hardy (1840 ââ¬â 1928) His works usually show the struggle between nature of man, inside and out, to shape human destiny. only through endurance, heroism or simple act of good can his characters overcome the adversity of unknown forces guiding them through life blindly.Explanation: (My professor once said, ââ¬Å"To truly enjoy what we have before us, we must not be gluttons. We must be mannered beings who adhere to the rules of society an d take in, what we have before us, a morsel at a time. ââ¬Å") {Essentially what he meant was, ââ¬Å"Don't try to understand the entire thing at first. Take it in by sentences, then stanzas and then you will have arrived at the entire idea. But for this poem, we need to look at it semi-collectively} Let us begin with the first 2 stanzas: 1st STANZA If but some vengeful god would call to me From up the sky, and laugh: ââ¬Å"Thou suffering thing,Know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy That thy love's loss is my hate's profiting! â⬠2nd STANZA Then would I bear it, clench myself and die, Steeled by the sense of the ire(2) unmerited; Half eased in that a Powerfuller than I Had willed and meted(3) me the tears I shed. Soâ⬠¦ what did we just read? A lot of mumbo jumbo at first glance. But I promise that there is a meaning here. Our friend Thomas wishes for an angry god to peer down at him and laugh. Because god is such a powerful being that rains down misfortunes on humans, Hardy w ould have someone to target his anger towards.Hardy would know that God made him suffer and so Hardy would be completely alright dying hating god. 3rd Stanza But not so. How arrives it joy lies slain, And why unblooms the best hope ever sown? -Crass Casualty obstructs the sun and rain, And dicing Time for gladness casts a moanâ⬠¦ These purblind Doomsters(4) had as readily strown Blisses about my pilgrimage as pain. Hardy finishes off this poem by hinting that his anger towards god would be unjustified. God does not bring forth only sadness, he also brings forth happiness and hope. If god gives us both, then why does Hardy need to be so depressed?Why can not he be extremely happy? Hardy's answer to his own philosophical question is: It is not some supreme being giving me happiness and then giving me sadness based on my actions. It is just random chance. It is random chance that I have been extremely happy and extremely depressed. Summary: Hardy wishes that god exist but sadly, he doesn't. Because all the good things and bad things that happen to us aren't based, created or assigned by a powerful being at all. It all depends on luck, chance or Hap. My Opinion: Not particularly my favorite poem aesthetically. The idea however is quite challenging.It reminds me of a young philosopher who is questioning why bad things happen to good people. Surely it is chance, but what Hardy is hinting towards is what if it is a bad thing only because we THINK it is a bad thing? It is almost circular. I do not know much about Hardy but what I do know is that he tried really hard to believe in god but in the end, he came out completely agnostic. This poem shows that struggle. ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â- ââ¬Å"Hapâ⬠is a poem by Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) that he wrote in 1866, while working as a trainee architect, and for which he could not find a publisher.It did not reach the general public until 1898 when Hardy included it in his first collection, which was entitled ââ¬Å"Wessex Poemsâ⬠, which only appeared after he had concluded his career as a highly successful novelist. The poem is a sonnet, although it is presented as three stanzas in that the traditional octave is split into two stanzas each of four lines and the sestet is a stanza on its own. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEFFE, which is a variant on the Shakespearean form, although the clean break between octave and sestet is more associated with the Petrarchan sonnet form.The poem can be seen as Hardyââ¬â¢s reaction to the basic thinking that underlies Darwinââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"The Origin of Speciesâ⬠which had been published in 1859. Hardy understood Darwin to imply that the mechanism that drove natural selection was mere accident and chance. Although this is generally held to be a misinterpretation of Darwinââ¬â¢s theory, it was one that was widely held and it was also a re ason why many Victorians regarded Darwinism as being a version of atheism and therefore to be condemned.Hardy had no wish to reject what he understood to be Darwinââ¬â¢s theory, but he wanted to come to terms with it, and ââ¬Å"Hapâ⬠is one such attempt. The opening quatrain is headed by ââ¬Å"Ifâ⬠and the second by ââ¬Å"Thenâ⬠; thus they can each be regarded as separate clauses of the same sentence that seems to propound a statement of logic. The ââ¬Å"Ifâ⬠clause represents a somewhat Old Testament view of ââ¬Å"some vengeful godâ⬠who delights in causing sorrow to mankind and to the poet in particular.It appears that the poet has had a love affair go wrong: ââ¬Å"Know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy, / That thy loveââ¬â¢s loss is my hateââ¬â¢s profiting! â⬠The ââ¬Å"Thenâ⬠clause states that the poet would have accepted the idea that his misfortune was caused by a supernatural force, or would at least have been ââ¬Å"Half-easedà ¢â¬ by the knowledge that he was the victim of one who was ââ¬Å"Powerfuller than Iâ⬠. His attitude seems to be similar to that of Gloucester in Shakespeareââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"King Learâ⬠when he says: ââ¬Å"As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods, they kill us for their sportâ⬠.However, the ââ¬Å"voltaâ⬠, or turning-point, of this sonnet presents the reality which the poet now appreciates in the post-Darwinian world, namely that human misfortunes are not willed by the gods but happen by chance. Hardy can only blame ââ¬Å"Crass Casualtyâ⬠, and ââ¬Å"dicing Timeâ⬠which act as ââ¬Å"purblind Doomstersâ⬠. The point he makes is that these forces are not vengeful like the gods in most mythologies but are completely indifferent. This is clear not only from his choice of adjectives (ââ¬Å"crassâ⬠being used here to mean ââ¬Å"insensitiveâ⬠or ââ¬Å"without thoughtâ⬠) but from the poemââ¬â¢s conclusion: ââ¬Å" â⬠¦ had as readily strown / Blisses about my pilgrimage as painâ⬠.So the question then arises as to which world-view is preferable, that which supposes that the gods are set on destroying manââ¬â¢s happiness, or the cosmos revealed by Darwin in which the forces of nature are mechanical and purposeless and man has as good a chance of happiness as of despair? There is evidence that Hardy stressed to his critics that he was not replacing one source of cosmic oppression with another, and he was in fact quoted as saying that: ââ¬Å"The world does not despise us; it only neglects usâ⬠(See ââ¬Å"The Life of Thomas Hardyâ⬠, by Florence Emily Hardy, p. 8). The implication of this is that man has been dealt an even hand and must play it the best way he can. The new order is therefore a bestowal of freedom, but with freedom comes responsibility. There is a mystery in this poem as to what Hardy meant by ââ¬Å"why unblooms the best hope ever sown? â⬠As mentioned above, the misf ortune that prompted Hardyââ¬â¢s thoughts sounds as though it was a blighted love affair, but, although Hardy had several lady friends who came and went at this time in his career, there were none who were, as yet, potential marriage partners.This suggests that ââ¬Å"the best hopeâ⬠had more to do with Hardyââ¬â¢s failure to get his poetry into print. Hardy believed himself to be a talented poet and was surprised and disappointed that none of the journals to which he sent his work were willing to buy it. Perhaps there is a clue to this failure in the line quoted above ââ¬â an editor who saw ââ¬Å"unbloomsâ⬠instead of ââ¬Å"blooms notâ⬠might have considered that this was not poetic enough.It was certainly not a word that Tennyson would have chosen, and Tennyson was at that time Poet Laureate and the leader of poetic taste in England. An aspiring poet who did not conform to the standard set by Tennyson would no doubt struggle to find an audience. ââ¬â ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â- ââ¬Å"Hapâ⬠would probably not strike the modern reader as being anything particularly remarkable. It is well constructed, with a single train of thought that does not depart down any side tracks. The language is well-controlled, with every word making an impact.However, by not being Tennysonian enough, and expressing a view that seemed to side with Darwinism against the religious orthodoxy of the day, Hardyââ¬â¢s surprise at not being able to publish poems such as this should surely not have been as great as it was. Hardy unveils his determinism in this poem as a refreshing start to the Twentieth Century. This poem seems to take the shape of an altered sonnet. Divided into the three stanza, the poem has a scientific feel due to the start of each stanza sounding like an equation: ââ¬Å"ifâ⬠, ââ¬Å"thenâ⬠, ââ¬Å"but not soâ⬠. The first t wo stanzas are very formulated in an abab rhyme scheme and are very direct.This structure seems to contradict the theme of the poem quite nicely by contrasting form versus the random. The third stanza, however, feels much more colloquial, and is more abstract and personal than the first two stanzas. Hardy uses a caesura, an ellipses, and a rhetorical question to add to the scepticism contained in his argument, and to make the stanza feel more conversational that the other two. The first stanza creates an imaginary being by arguing that IF there was a god to blame for wrongs against him, it would be a vengeful god that rejoices in pain, rather than the opposing notion of a benevolent god.In this poem, Hardy rejects the religious standard of God, and imagines one who delights in loss and suffering. It seems to pervert the previous notion of a divine god by imagining one who states ââ¬Å"know that thy sorrow is my ecstasyâ⬠. By using ââ¬Å"ifâ⬠, Hardy seems to be wishing fo r such a god, for reasons explained in the following stanzas. In stanza two, Hardy describes the presence of this imagined vengeful god as a relief by ââ¬Ëknowingââ¬â¢ the truth as to why he is allotted pain. It is because of this ââ¬Ëknowingââ¬â¢ that Hardy would be able to ââ¬Å"bear it, clench myself, and dieâ⬠â⬠¦ ââ¬Å"half-easedâ⬠.His mention of the unmerited seems in reference to religion again, as it is believed that Godââ¬â¢s mercy is unmerited to the human race, just as Hardyââ¬â¢s vengeful godââ¬â¢s anger is unmerited to him. ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â- Finally, in stanza three, Hardy seems to give his own world view in a colloquial nature. The image of ââ¬Ëunbloomingââ¬â¢ symbolizes hope falling to pieces as a rose may unbloom. Hardy also names fate ââ¬Å"Crass Casualtyâ⬠: chance, and ââ¬Å"dicing Timeâ⬠: either mean t as fragmented time, or a gambling of time.Hardy states that the ââ¬Å"Doomstersâ⬠, or half blind judges of fate (Crass Casualty and dicing Time) randomly allot both pain and pleasure, and with that, he accepts the uncertainty of fate. Thomas Hardy's ââ¬Å"Hapâ⬠After reading Thomas Hardyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Hap,â⬠I was left confused and curious with feelings of doom and questions of lifeââ¬â¢s sufferings. I could not quite grasp what it is the author is trying to say due to either my unfamiliar with the language or the obscurity in his riddles. With some research, I was able to better understand, or better come to an understanding of, Hardyââ¬â¢s message in this piece.Beginning with the title of ââ¬Å"Hap,â⬠and considering it the piece of ââ¬Å"happening,â⬠I read that this word was an archaic simile of ââ¬Å"chance,â⬠or ââ¬Å"luckâ⬠(http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/hap). This is quite important in trying to dissect this po em in that Hardy questions whether the existence of such a ââ¬Å"vengefulâ⬠god is the reason for lifeââ¬â¢s cruelties. Hardy presumes that only with the existence of such a god could there be justification for allowing such evils in the world for their own pleasure and ââ¬Å"ecstasy, that [the characterââ¬â¢s] loveââ¬â¢s loss is [the godââ¬â¢s] hateââ¬â¢s profiting. (1073) However, uncertainty in such the existence of a god is displayed as we identify the structure of the three stanzas (credit to danamercer. blogspot. com for seeing this). The ââ¬Å"If,â⬠ââ¬Å"Then,â⬠ââ¬Å"But not soâ⬠structure is like that of an argument, leading up to a conclusion. The first stanza states that ââ¬Å"Ifâ⬠there is such a god that has pleasure in his ââ¬Å"sufferingâ⬠and ââ¬Å"sorrow,â⬠ââ¬Å"Thenâ⬠he would ââ¬Å"bear it, clenchâ⬠¦ and dieâ⬠meaning he would accept it for he must submit to that which is more ââ¬Å"Power fullerâ⬠who has ââ¬Å"willedâ⬠his ââ¬Å"tears. ââ¬Å"But [it is] not so. â⬠Concluding that there does not exist such a God or any God for suffering is but many of natureââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Hapâ⬠events, and thus the importance of the title. To the character, all of lifeââ¬â¢s pain and suffering is but a ââ¬Å"dicingâ⬠or roll of the dice, a gamble rather. He doesnââ¬â¢t believe in the existence of a god that has ââ¬Å"joy [in lifeââ¬â¢s] slainâ⬠and that allows the ââ¬Å"unblooms the best hope ever sown. â⬠What is the purpose of idolizing and turning to such a God that hates us so?How can there be such a god that is so unjust and morbid? The final answer is that it is just ââ¬Å"Crass Casualty [that] obstructs the sun and rainâ⬠due to only chance itself. This belief is reinforced as Hardy identifies the ââ¬Å"Doomstersâ⬠as ââ¬Å"purblindâ⬠as well as their reasons for his ââ¬Å"pains. â⬠Why is ââ¬Å"doomà ¢â¬ what he encounters although he is searching for the light of god (ââ¬Å"my pilgrimageâ⬠). He is unsatisfied with the existence of such a god as he states ââ¬Å"Steeled by the sense of ire unmerited. â⬠He feels so strong in the rongness of a ââ¬Å"vengefulâ⬠god that only by ââ¬Å"bear[ing] itâ⬠and ââ¬Å"die[ing]â⬠would he accept this. The poem is very dramatic as it represents the authors fight with faith and the existence of a God that could allow the sufferings of life. Conversely, how can there be a God that controls everything, including the free will of humans. Thatââ¬â¢s just one of many arguments against a God that would only allow evil as well as good in the world. Because we are human, and because we have free will, we will always have two sides of the coin, good and evil.And one cannot exist without the other, for they are dependently defined. Hardyââ¬â¢s remaining answer is his realization that chance or ââ¬Å"Hapâ⬠is t he defining justification for lifeââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Crass Casualty. â⬠Hardyââ¬â¢s style is indeed representative of the transition from Victorian/Romanticism to modernistic views in that the ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠does not always win and that ââ¬Å"things [doesnââ¬â¢t] always happen for a reasonâ⬠since he considers chance as one of the answers much traditionalist overlook when they consider ââ¬Å"purposeâ⬠for the answer of all unanswered questions.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
The Unnatural Act of Leadership, Book Review Essay
Odilia Bergh, Peachtree City Police Department Human Resource Management and Development The Unnatural Act of Management February 26, 2013 I began this book like most books, with great anticipation that it was going to be amazing, why else would a qualified instructor assign it. I assumed that it would be a shining example of the finest managerial principals in existence all compacted into a simple to read text with plenty of graphs and helpful handouts. I was certain that I would be a more effective leader for having read it.I spent time strategizing how I would write my paper with great enthusiasm. Then, I read the book. In the first few pages I found myself so caught up with the character development that I quickly lost sight of the big picture. I mean how could I be expected to believe that any one person could accurately describe an entire management team with such accuracy. Richard Thompkinsââ¬â¢ descriptions and predictions were almost humorous. His intuition into his co-wo rkers was uncanny. From their personal relationships to the weaknesses in one fail swoop. I wanted to meet Richard myself.As the story developed I later appreciated the lack of filler material as the characters were introduced and it also made for a quick refresher when I was trying to predict who was going to be effected next by Brentââ¬â¢s plans. I quickly became invested in the ninety day project. I could recognize this was a process being explained with the assistance of a story, or a true manager refusing to have an editor alter his vision. Regardless, I decided to step back and focus on the big picture, the actual process of examining an existing managerial team and operations to evaluating its effectiveness through strong managerial principals.Off we went. Learning about the people you are working with, their qualifications and personality traits is imperative. Understanding how theyââ¬â¢re perceived by their peers is critical. Richard Thompkinsââ¬â¢ descriptions wer e no more than his perception regardless how accurate they might have been. The second part of the equation is the one on one interaction with individuals to develop our own opinions and ââ¬Å"assumptionsâ⬠. As I began to understand the characters I couldnââ¬â¢t help but begin to assign them new names, names associated with people I work with even myself at times.For the sake of this paper Iââ¬â¢ll make up names and rank. Moving into the early chapters I found that my Chief aligns himself strongly with many of the theories and practices that Brent spoke of from conducting effective meetings to managing work stress effectively. Unfortunately prior to his arrival our organization struggled to follow some basic principles that are imperative for success. Basics like ââ¬Å"Read, Listen, Discuss, Observe, or Think. â⬠As police officers, ââ¬Å"readâ⬠stands out as an exceptional oddity. The term ââ¬Å"assumptionsâ⬠was also introduced early in the book and I felt it needed to be developed in more detail.In retrospect, I believe I struggled with the actual term used as ââ¬Å"assumptionsâ⬠as it has always had a negative connotation to me. Who hasnââ¬â¢t heard the phrase, ââ¬Å"When you assume you make and ass out of you and me? â⬠Regardless, I did recognize that assumptions as introduced are made through communication, making it imperative that effective communication occur to reach valid ââ¬Å"assumptionsâ⬠. As with any ideas or assumptions they can be altered rather quickly by a number of factors that arise. Understanding this and managing them closely will avoid mistakes to having any major or lasting impact.As employees grow and learn, regardless of rank or title, our assumptions of their abilities might lag or be clouded unless we are constantly communicating. I feel that managing by assumptions can be more effective if you understand who you are dealing with, regardless if you like them personally or not. I a lso recognize that assumptions can easily be influenced by emotions if itââ¬â¢s not monitored properly. I can recognize my growth as manager significantly in this area. I pride myself on making good assumptions based on factual information available to me.I value the decision making process more now that I align myself more clearly with upper management than the mind set of line officers. As a first line supervisor I fill in the blanks when the plans and processes have been identified. I recognize the overall need to establish goals and objectives that are clear and measurable but as a first line supervisor I usually find myself making suggestions and providing raw data which is manipulated and interpreted above my position. Chapter six, I read the title and got excited, What is Management and When Are You Managing?Yes, now we are getting somewhere! I found some truth early on, kind ofâ⬠¦ Stanley had the position that you learn to be a good manager by managing not by going to school. Before I was promoted years ago I had already obtained my four year degree in Business Management and Organizational Leadership so I felt somewhat prepared. Denial is a nice zip code. Within months of being promoted to Sergeant I was escorted to private meeting room by the two senior officers on my newly appointed team. Truly I donââ¬â¢t remember what they said, but the feeling resonates to this day.YOU KNOW NOTHING, BE QUIET, LISTEN, LEARN AND THEN MAYBE WE WILL LET YOU LEAD. I felt humbled, they had been respectful but firm and the message was clearâ⬠¦this was going to be much harder than I thought. I agree that it is very unnatural to decide to produce results through others, especially if weââ¬â¢re better qualified to produce them. I had been a ââ¬Å"go getter- kick ass and tell my backup to take namesâ⬠kind of officer. As a supervisor the concept that others were going to produce results for me was foreign, I didnââ¬â¢t even know it existed. Educati on would have been beneficial at that point but I didnââ¬â¢t learn that in college.So for that continuing education would have been welcomed, however I may have not been ready to learn the lesson regardless if I had heard it. I loved the management term given in this book. ââ¬Å"Management is a mental process of establishing, and then indirectly achieving the right objectives in the right priority sequence and with sufficient resources. â⬠I have got to admit I felt like that was right on. Over the years I have worked on some level of this definition, but found that at times my priorities were off, or my resources were insufficient or simply the sequence was just not right.I have absolutely no problem in making a decision, with haste. Now I canââ¬â¢t guarantee that it will be a correct decision but as the years pass and the management process becomes more clear my assumptions become more accurate. Of course we should all be tweaking assumptions constantly. Recently our o rganization has been revamping tons of policies, to streamline and make things more efficient. One policy stands out when I think if this management term. As a patrol division we now have a written policy that says that no team can drop below the minimum staffing requirement of six officers.As a patrol supervisor my current team only has seven officers assigned with one deployed over seas. Immediately the problem should be apparent. Each officer is required to flex four hours each pay period, attend training, mange overtime, and ensure vacation time is not carried over. I constantly hear other sergeants complaining that they are below staffing and that they can not operate their teams effectively. They constantly deny leave and training requests which only discourages the officers and causes dissent.I strive not to bring any attention to my teamââ¬â¢s situation because if you provide a problem to another manager they are going to solve it, but probably not to your liking. I simpl y flex my team out in the early hours of the morning when thereââ¬â¢s minimal, to no call load, and theyââ¬â¢re tired anyway. I communicate with the traffic unit supervisor to supplement traffic officers to allow my officers time to attend training. Rarely does a traffic officer have to pick up a call but it allows me not to violate the policy intentionally.I understand that resources are limited and I know my commanders are aware of the problem so reiterating it to them seems counter productive and unnecessary because I feel that we have sufficient resources. I was pleased to read the general rule that said, ââ¬Å"the better the manager, the fewer resources required to be sufficient. â⬠Amen. I believe my organization has shifted the mindset to that of one that measures a good manager/supervisor by the results that are being produced indirectly through our managerial resources.Being encouraged to show ownership while expected to shoulder the responsibility is a welcomed change. I agree that a good manager can manage anything. The next section spoke of determining the difference between stubbornness and persistence; I have to admit I began to sweat. Make no mistake I know that I can be stubborn and quite persistent and no one likes to look in the mirror in the morning. But as I read on I breathed a bit of a sigh. I quickly felt safe, knowing that when I make set an objective that I canââ¬â¢t obtain I will not let it ruin me, and I will bow out, gracefully if possible.I attribute this to an older brother that beat me at EVERYTHING my whole life. As for persistence, I think the word I use is ââ¬Å"heartâ⬠. If a person has ââ¬Å"heartâ⬠they can overcome almost any other deficiencies, from talent to skill and almost common sense (almost). I think of a wonderful officer I had the privilege of supervising right out of the academy. I seem to get the ââ¬Å"tough onesâ⬠but being that I thrive when challenged, and lavish in chaos, I wa s pressed to perform. This officer arrived and with a thick accent and introduced himself.Apparently English was his third language, being from Thailand he struggled with the most basic cultural rituals we enjoy. Even Google was a foreign term. Each night we all worked to help him with everything from his radio traffic to his very poor sense of directions. He would fail, miss the mark, slip, forget, get lost, get made fun of, but he never gave up. He arrived early each night and left late every morning. He smiled, thanked those who helped him graciously, smiled at those who hurt him, smiled at those who he could help and had more heart than any other officer I had ever worked with.He constantly asked questions, never fell into despair and with his determination made everyone respect him. His fortitude was impressive. He says I was his mentor and I taught him so much but I canââ¬â¢t take credit for making him successful because to be honest he taught me every bit as much. He made my need to learn patience rewarding. Under other circumstances I would have resented someone that needed so much assistance to simply function as a first responder. He showed me it was worth the time and effort to give people all you can to help lift them up.He made that lesson for me digestible, even enjoyable. I am proud of the officer he is today, so proud Iââ¬â¢m writing about him years later while working on a ten page college paper on management. So as the book progresses Brent is starting to show his managers that he can make good assumptions. He values and encourages communications. He strives to include and share his thought process with his staff. Now this is certainly a new concept at my organization. Initially when my Chief would begin to explain his thought process I would grimace thinking that when he finished he was going to yell, ââ¬Å"There ya happy! But he never did instead, he looked at me and would ask what I thought. I remember having to condition myself to be prepared to actually participate in the process instead of simply walking away wondering what in Godââ¬â¢s good name is rolling around in that little mans beady little mind. I thought that very thing quite frequently under my old Chief. I on the other hand had been chastised for explaining myself too much and giving too much information to my officers. Apparently just telling them to do something was suppose to be sufficient since they were being compensated so heavily financially.I felt that if your subordinates and supervisors for that matter, knew your frame of mind and your thought process they could better manage their ââ¬Å"assumptionsâ⬠(hope youââ¬â¢re proud of me for using the term properly). In turn they could predict your decisions more quickly and learn to make better ones themselves as a result. Span of control was a relevant topic that I found mid way through. Recently our organization was restructured, removing three captains from the top of our command structure. As a first line supervisor I was not effected drastically however my supervisor has shifted completely away from his prior position.With no lieutenants on the patrol shift I find myself with more span of control, unfortunately I feel my support is all but gone. I report to someone I rarely see and no longer have immediate feedback. I recognize the change was necessary and I am striving to find a balance. As for Brent by this point heââ¬â¢s gotten the managers in his corner, heââ¬Ës taking calculated risks, or should I say managing effectively by assumptions. His leadership has been almost too perfect in my opinion. No big blunders he never misspoke and was always right. After supervising for twelve years Iââ¬â¢m going to call the flag.I recognize that my Chief is a good manager because he says that everyone makes mistakes and all you have to do is sit down and watch for a while and youââ¬â¢ll see one. Maximizing Your Leverage with Direct Producers seemed like a lofty way to say, get your people to work for you. The title was a little pretentious but the chapter was actually one of my favorites. As first line supervisors Iââ¬â¢ve grown to simply accept that many direct producers (patrol officers) will never develop a good understanding of management so I work towards building the relationship between them and myself to bridge the gap.I have always excelled and developing loyal relationships based on mutual trust. Unfortunately when trust, the foundation for me is missing, the relationship is essentially doomed. It will be superficial and dysfunctional. For this reason I hold honesty, trust, and moral fortitude in the highest regards as I develop relationships with my co-workers. I feel these three ingredients are our water, oxygen and food we need to survive. Regardless if subordinates understand why your asking them to perform a task, they will perform it for no other reason than you have demonstrated your dedicated to their survival .I have learned over the years that I am not responsible for their happiness that is their responsibility. There was a very interesting couple of paragraphs that outlined the differences between supervisors and managers and he hit the nail on the head when he discussed the first line producers view of the two. It is like the twilight zone. I know that my officers see the sergeants as part of the command staff, however, command staff see sergeants more aligned with the officers. This does pose a difficult position for sergeants who are continuously left out of the communication loop.I always say if you want me to manage your rumors you have to feed me some valid information. Without that, Iââ¬â¢m forced to manage rumors by more misinformation. At least I can mange my own rumors better than those of others. As a first line manager I have finally figured out that my primary duty is to make my officers feel important. I think that could have summed up that chapter. Considering I have a few pages left Iââ¬â¢ll expound a bit since I feel this is where my forte lies. Again, twelve years ago I was clueless; I thought if I could show the guys how great I was they would want to follow me.Instead I learned that if I show them how great they are they will follow me. The biggest compliment I got was when an officer said, in shift change, that he would run into a brick wall if I asked him to. He added that he figured the wall would fall because why else would I order him to go. I was flattered that he would blindly follow my order, however he also indicated that he respected how I make assumptions (I used it again, gotta be worth 10 points). As an inexperienced supervisor I was concerned about each person liking me, the person they were interacting with. I would adjust for each individual subordinate accordingly.I reflect back and can say that that it was not in the way of a servant leader but more of a teenager who wanted to be liked and accepted. With the years I le arned that I was more effective when I was myself. I am a Christian, wife, mother of four, who happens to hold a position at an organization that requires me to guide, teach, and hold myself and others accountable for our actions. That simplified life drastically. I stay enthusiastic about my career, usually. I never ask anyone to do something Iââ¬â¢m not prepared to do myself and I accept responsibility when I make mistakes.I respect those who handle my mistake effectively and use them for what they are, chances to learn. I find disciplining subordinates exciting and challenging. Nothing satisfies me more than to handle a discipline session so effectively that the subordinate still wants to engage me in a personal conversation. The Motivation of Inspiration, deep. I mentioned that our organization went though a drastic structure change recently. I also mentioned that I donââ¬â¢t have the luxury of a lieutenant working with me. On weekends I am alone and during the peak hours of 4:30pm to 7:30pm I have no assistance.The lieutenants developed their own hours and selected 7:00am-3:00pm and 7:00pm to 3:00am. However with the limited supervisors their schedules are constantly changing. Upon returning from a 6 weeks recovery from a foot operation I attempted to meet with my lieutenant on several occasions. I wanted to get an official update on how my team had done along with an update on what was going on with the organization. I had been away from work and had developed some doubts about my current career path. After a few days my lieutenant learned that I was meeting with someone above his rank.He came to me and I confirmed that he had not made me a priority. Frustrated and betrayed he told me that making me ââ¬Å"happy was not his jobâ⬠. I corrected him and assured him he was not responsible for my happiness but was responsible for my career development. I asked him what he felt his priorities were and he wiggled his finger towards the sky in a circl e and said, ââ¬Å"thisâ⬠. Not clear on his term I asked him to define it. He again said, this, the organization. I asked him to define who he felt made up the organization. He got even more frustrated and raised his voice.I asked him to lower his voice and improve his argument. He said he didnââ¬â¢t know what I wanted from him, adding that I was a sergeant he knew could handle anything. I explained it like this to him. My job is to check and fill my guysââ¬â¢ gas tanks as needed each shift. His job, was to fill mine, and I was running on fumes. I conceded that I was a hybrid and could go farther than others but eventually would need fuel. Now, that doesnââ¬â¢t mean that anything is wrong with my vehicle it just needs to be maintained. I think he understood and we both agreed to keep working on communicating with each other.I also believe that people will rise to our expectations of them, another key element in motivating others. I have seen officers that struggle with other supervisors arrive on my shift defeated, ready to continue their struggles. I like to immediately empower them with some responsibilities. Certainly something they can succeed at, and then shower them with praise. The cycle then continues, elevating their tasks and responsibilities exponentially until they believe in the person I have told them I see. I had an officer who struggled with making decisions and his self esteem was shattered with all the discipline heââ¬â¢d received.Being a very emotional person, he took discipline from his prior supervisor as a personal attack. I immediately gave him the responsibility to inspect vehicles when he arrived on my shift. At first he called with question after question. I encouraged him to complete all his inspections and upon completion we would address any questions he had. Inevitably in meeting with the other seven officers on his team many of his questions were resolved and he arrived with few questions and the completed inspec tions. I praised his resourcefulness and assigned him the task for the upcoming month.He was excited to have a leadership role and began to act accordingly. With time he grew to be confident his decision making abilities and learned to accept discipline sessions from me as learning opportunities. Now this leads me into the marginal employee. They are out there and what a pain! I have learned much when dealing with this mess. For years I had a marginal employee working under me. She was not only marginal but she was high maintenance. Now to correct that statement, she was capable of working hard if she was ââ¬Å"happyâ⬠. So what did the under educated but highly experienced supervisor that I was do, thatââ¬â¢s right I kept her ââ¬Å"happyâ⬠.I managed her emotionally to motivate her professionally. Sounds easy enough huh? Unfortunately maintaining her happiness was utterly draining and was a daily time consuming venture. But I felt that proving that I could get impressi ve results out of a marginal employee would validate my ability to supervise. Boy was I dead wrong. I remember Brent giving the lesson in the book that brought it all back. Put those problems right back on them he explained, remove that unnecessary stress from yourself. I was moved away from that officer and she tanked with the next supervisor.Of course she blamed him but I knew better. In the last month the teams were again moved around and after two years she would be reassigned to me. Believing that I could save her from her impending termination, if she could not turn it around, she began our first conversation with how happy she was to be working with me again, blaming her last supervisors for all her problems. She then admitted that she was upset with me because I had not accepted her Facebook request. I took that very moment to make the path ahead very clear to her. I told her in no uncertain terms that I would not be managing her happiness.I would however be holding her acco untable for her actions. I also told her that my Facebook was not a topic for discussion. She chose to become insulted instead of enlightened. Within three weeks of being reassigned to my shift she resigned after sixteen years. I know I was not the reason, but I also feel she lost the comfort she was envisioning on my team. I must say that although personally I liked this person, as I supervisor I was ecstatic she chose to leave the organization. Conveniently a few chapters later I came across a section to deal with problem employees.I felt enamored with the comment that marginal employees are the greatest waste of time, money and opportunities within an organization. I have learned that first hand. Being that I have reached ten pages and donââ¬â¢t want to be too much of an overachiever I want to focus the criticizing of others and termination of employees. I was very surprised when I read that Barbara was scared to fire Chuck. Barbaraââ¬â¢s character development didnââ¬â¢t foreshadow that insecurity. Regardless Brent knew exactly what to say and was able to convince Barbara to handle a situation immediately after their pep talk.Now I can go on and on about several other topics that arose in the latter pages (especially Stress Transfer) but Iââ¬â¢m going to close with this, I enjoyed the lessons shared in this book. However I wouldnââ¬â¢t recommend anyone read this book unless they are borrowing it from me. My book has received full scrutiny and I have highlighted all the pertinent lessons, motivational quotes, managerial theories and terms so there is no need to read all the filler. By the way, I truly think that Brent wears Superman underwear everyday.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Stolen food Essays
Stolen food Essays Stolen food Essay Stolen food Essay In chapter three, struggling with the guilt of stealing the food, drink, whittles and file, and the good for keeping his promise and caring for a suffering human being, Pip sets off to deliver these things to convict, Pip runs towards the marshes. A boy with Somebody-elses pork pie! Stop him! The cattle came upon me with like suddenness, staring out of their eyes, and steaming out of their nostrils, Holloa, young thief! One black ox, with a white cravat on who even had to my awakened conscience something of a clerical air fixed me so obstinately with his eyes, and moved his blunt head round in such an accusatory manner as I moved round, that I blubbered out to him, I couldnt help it, sir! It wasnt for myself I took it!. Personification is used when Pip is passing the cattle. The cattle begin to speak to Pip calling him a young thief for stealing somebody-elses pork pie. Imbruing his hands in me Pip is worried the young man will stain his hands with Pips blood; Pip is obviously frightened at the thought of it. Sympathy is created here because he is very young and he is worrying so much. The serialised format allows for more tension, suspense and drama, this quote makes us think that Pip may actually be in danger with the young man. Later, Mr. Pumblechook, Mr. Wopsle, Mr. and Mrs. Hubble horribly terrorise Pip in perpetuity during the Christmas dinner. The anxiety grows within Pip in chapter five as he awaits Mrs. Joes discovery of the missing food. The fear Pip has is lifted by the conversation everyone is having about Pip being such a nuisance to raise and that people should feel sympathetic towards Mrs. Joe, which is something Dickens clearly does not want us to feel. They seemed to think the opportunity lost if they failed to point the conversation at me, every now and then, and stick the point into me. I might have been an unfortunate little bull in a Spanish arena, I got so smartingly touched up by these moral goads. In this chapter, Mr. Pumblechook and Mr. Wopsle notice similarities between the pig on the table. They are trying to say that Pip should be grateful for what he has and who he is; otherwise, if he were a pig, then he would be served to an ungrateful person, such as himself. Mr. Pumblechook appears as a self centred fool, Dickens purposely chose a silly name for a silly person. The sympathetic person here is Joe. Joe is too humble and shy to express his sympathy, so he gives Pip extra gravy as encouragement. Dickens has made it clear that Joe is more graceful and charitable than the wealthy Mr. Wopsle and Mr. Pumblechook who claim they themselves are charitable and graceful, while in actuality they hardly are. These moments in Pips childhood seem to be fresh in his memory, pointing out that he is distressed from the guilt he had enforced by Mrs. Joe, Mr. Pumblechook and Mr. Wopsle. Dickens has made us feel sympathetic towards Pip because Pip is very young and at that age he is too innocent to realise that he should not feel guilty and that his accusers should really be feeling guilty. Pip thinks he deserves to be treated in such a manner by his sister, Mr. Wopsle and Mr. Pumblechook, although Pip knows as an adult that he is treated dreadfully by them, he accepts it because of his guilt. Toward the end of chapter four, Mr. Pumblechook has a bit of the brandy Pip has stolen and filled the remainder of the bottle with tar water. Mr. Pumblechook starts to cough and Pip is frightened since he is sure that Mr. Pumblechook will notice. The pork pie that Pip had also stolen was on the menu for dessert, a symbol representing Pips guilt, shame and also misery. Having such a splendid meal is no comfort for having such a miserable day, especially Christmas day. Since the beginning of the novel, Pip also feels a different kind of guilt, a criminal guilt. The first type of guilt is the guilt that Mrs. Joe and others make him feel while this guilt is more pardonable because Pip knows that he should not be doing these things. Pip is constantly bound to being connected with criminals. We do not reprehend Pip because his conscience makes him pay for his crime as he constantly is in guilt throughout the novel. Through Pips agony and guilt, Charles Dickens indicates that Pip is the object of sympathy in the novel. The reader also feels sorry for him because of Pips anguish. The suffering Pip feels is mainly caused by the guilt he feels. He feels guilt from associating with criminals and even by thinking that he was a burden for his sister. He is continuously tormented by Mrs. Joe when he is young. Her views have inclined Pips self imagery, which has caused him to assume that his life causes nothing but despair and disturbance to those around him. Humour and irony are powerful devices in these chapters as most of the narrative is driven by guilt. The guilt has a depressing tone, so to lighten things up a bit of irony and humour is added. An example of humour is in the first chapter, where Pip calls his deceased parents by the only names he knows them as: Phillip Pirrip, late of this parish and also Georgiana, wife of the above. His deceased brothers are described as the five little stone lozenges. Another example of humour is when Pip politely requests that he be held the right way up when he first meets Magwitch and also when Pip expresses his delight when Magwitch enjoys the stolen food. The innocent way pip describes his sisters outbursts that are targeted towards either him or Mr. Joe are comical too. Throughout the first five chapters of Great Expectations, Pips narration stresses his negative characters and attributes, namely his guilt and dishonesty. The fundamental meeting betwixt Magwitch, the runaway convict who made sure that the young man was captured even for the price of his own freedom, and Pip, the young innocent boy who is guilt ridden by his very existence, will turn out to be an unlikely but major relationship in Great Expectations. The cardinal relationship that will be the rousing of Pips Great Expectations. We will also experience his ups and downs through is extraordinarily clear yet intimate narration.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Americaââ¬â¢s Greatest Challenge in the 21st Century Essay Example for Free (#21)
Americaââ¬â¢s Greatest Challenge in the 21st Century Essay Throughout the 21st century, United States of America has been plagued by so many crisis and challenges that put the integrity and strength of its government on test. But perhaps the most harrowing ordeal the country has ever experienced was the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 which claimed more than two thousand lives, mostly innocent civilians. United States has considered terrorism, coupled with nuclear threats, its greatest challenge ever. Organized terrorists from hostile nations target America. Since the nation is very superior in conventional warfare compared to its adversaries, terrorists deviate from non-conventional warfare and resort to nuclear terrorism. Technology is helping these criminals to undertake their evil scheme. In nuclear terrorism, the terrorist use nuclear weapons, including radiological weapons, to cause massive destructions to humanity to attain their political or religious ideals. Terrorists pose great threats by utilizing or exploiting nuclear in a number of ways: 1) They can attack nuclear facilities for the purpose of melting down the nuclear reactor and releasing the toxic substance inside.à The power plant will cause radioactive contamination and will result into great casualties. Such incident my equal or exceed the catastrophe brought by the Chernobyl in 1986. 2) They can create dirty bomb which is loaded with radioactive materials and a conventional explosive. Upon detonation, it releases radioactive and highly poisonous particles in the air. Terrorists find this appealing since it is very successful in instilling fear and panic. Further, its contaminating effect is long-lasting. 3) They can create improvised nuclear device (IND). This bomb uses low-grade nuclear substance but the effect is still devastating. ) They can buy ready-made nuclear weapons in the black market. This way, all they have to do is read the manual, set the weapon and detonate it. Presto! Hundreds of civilians lie lifeless on the street. 5) They can create a full- blown nuclear bomb. This may not be highly probable, but it is still possible. Organized terrorists, including those who are supported by the hostile nations, have the technology, money and capability to design and fabricate a nuclear bomb. The danger is very clear: the spectre of nuclear attack on the American soil looms and it is getting clearer each day. Wrong hands are holding nuclear weapons; the wrong hands who desire nothing but to kill Americans and destroy American power. America is a powerful and rich country. It can easily build a nuclear weapon and bomb those nations who cuddle terrorists. â⬠Fight fire with fire. â⬠However, that is easier said than done. There are several and less violent, yet effective, ways for America to fight nuclear terrorism. First, all nuclear weapons, materials and facilities must be secured and well-protected. This way, it prevents any plan of the terrorists to attack, sabotage or steal these things. This includes the intensive drive of the government to eliminate or confiscate all nuclear weapons and materials held by unauthorized individuals and arrest anybody who is caught selling these deadly things. Second, stiff sanction must be imposed to any nation or country that sponsor any act of terrorism. America should be firm with this one. Without any sponsor and a base, terrorism and terrorist will surely cease to prosper. Third, investigating and counter-terrorism tools must be upgraded to match the sophistication of terrorists. Aside from that, the agencies must not keep the reports to themselves. They must share information not to the public but with the other agencies. They must have transparency to compare notes and information. Lastly, the American citizens must be educated about all kinds of terrorism. Information drive should be conducted. If possible, civilians should be given authority to make an arrest if necessary. This way, ordinary citizen can help distinguish any terrorism even before the act is committed. With knowledgeable civilians around, detection of terrorism will not be limited to the authority alone; thus the long arm of the law is made even longer and prevention rate of terrorism will be much higher. Americaââ¬â¢s Greatest Challenge in the 21st Century. (2016, Sep 25).
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Effects of Food Pricing on Low and Middle Class Americans Essay
Effects of Food Pricing on Low and Middle Class Americans - Essay Example There is a growing the consensus about food prices increase, has been primarily occasioned by three key elements. Firstly, the changes in climatic conditions have been blamed for decreasing farmer's production in the United States. Because of global warming and environmental degradation, the extreme weather conditions have resulted in poor harvest due to reduced rains, harsh snowy conditions that destroy crops and inhibit dairy production in the North America. Consequently, food prices have continued to rise due to fundamental shifts in demand and supply in global markets. The increase in genetically modified foods has resulted in an increase of prices due to expensive technology employed. Besides, many food-processing companies have laid down expensive groundwork leading to high prices of canned food items (French, 841S). In Americaââ¬â¢s social life, the lower-middle class families are struggling just as the families living in poverty since they cannot be able to afford sufficient diet meals due to increasing pricing on such commodities. With the families not able to purchase enough food for the entire family, it results in food insecurity. Food security is widespread in any American societies living in lower-middle class and who have children (Grossmann and Varnum, 81). Since food price is an essential determinant of diet, it is then likely that these families are unable to feed on balance diet, and their nutritional status is compromised. It is not surprising that these families are only able to access, and buy lowest cost diets and these diets are the least unhealthy in the market. With high food prices in the market, such families are not able to meet their costs hence fail to buy the nutrients dense diets that they need. In the market, the diets that are composed of low energy density rich food products are expensive compared to the ones composed if refined grains with added sugars and fats (Powell and Chaloupka, 229). The increase in food pricing thus creates a barrier for the lower-middle income class of American citizens to access the nutrients dense diets.Ã
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