Monday, September 30, 2019

Discuss the various perceptions of love in Shakespeare’s Romeo Essay

Discuss the various perceptions of love in Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Then choose two contrasting examples from scenes you have discussed and explain how you would stage them to show these contrasts. William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in 1595. When it was written, Shakespeare was quite young, 31, already five years into his career. Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne at the time, and many of the characteristics of Elizabethan lifestyle are included within the play. In the Elizabethan times, it was not unusual for people to get married and have children young. In the play Lady Capulet says, â€Å"By my count, I was your mother much upon these years,† to Juliet, who appears to be about 12 years old. She is telling Juliet that she was already a mother at Juliet’s age, implying she should be getting ready to marry now. Women were also not considered of much importance in those days. They were not as ‘important’ as men, and just used for sex, which plays a big part in the topic of conversation between characters throughout the play. Women/girls also had to obey their fathers until they got married, and then obey their husbands when they did get married. It was a very male dominant era. Romeo and Juliet is partly a comedy, tragedy and history. It is a tragedy obviously because of all the death in it. It is a comedy because of the irony and contrast the characters raise, and also because of the humour some characters like Mercutio and the Nurse bring into the play. It is a history as well because of the fact it was written a long time ago, and has historical contents in it. There is a great deal of love and passion in this play, but not all the same. Different characters have different perceptions of love, and different passions. The play is also as much about hate as it is about love, which is a very important element. Shakespeare puts emphasis on themes such as the relationship of love and hate and old and young. This is what I will be analysing in the essay. The play tells the story of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet; the children of two rival families living in Verona, who fall in love and get married without their families knowing. The hatred felt by their families leads to the death of five people. Two of who are Romeo and Juliet, the star-crossed lovers who die because they want to be together but cant be. It shows the young as they struggle to escape from the morass of hatred created by their elders. The ancient family feud makes Romeo and Juliet’s union even more significant as they both hate each other’s families, but manage to overcome it when they meet each other. This play represents ‘true love’ because it shows pure hatred turn into pure love. Romeo and Juliet went against everything they were brought up with and gave up their lives to be together. Romeo is a very passionate person when we first meet him, and his passion stays throughout the play. We do learn however, that Romeo is very impulsive, and acts on this impulsive streak very often, and it leads him to do some stupid things, which I will show further on in the essay. The first reference to love in the play is in the opening scene where we meet Sampson and Gregory (two Capulet servants). They are both very vulgar and crude characters and show this straight away when they are talking about the Montague women. In lines 17-20, Sampson says, â€Å"Tis true, and therefore women being the weaker vessels are ever thrust to the wall. Therefore I will push Montague’s men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall. † This is where the punning becomes sexual. He is implying that he will assault the Montague maids against the wall. Later on in lines 27-28, he says, â€Å"Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads- take it in what sense thou wilt. † Here he is saying that he will either chop off the heads of the Montague maids, or rape them, depending on what he feels like. Their behaviour shows that they do not actually think of love itself, and only think of sex. They view women as mere objects to serve their pleasure. They are not the only bawdy characters in the play to have this perception of women and love thought. In act two, scene one (lines 34-38); Mercutio is making fun of Romeo’s talk of love for Rosaline. He talks about a ‘Medlar tree’, and describes sex as a ‘Medlar fruit’. He is saying that Romeo really wishes Rosalie were a Medlar fruit, even though he says he loves her, all he really wants is sex. This is probably because this is all Mercutio sees love as. The Nurse is another one of these characters. She constantly talks about the physical side of marriage. To her, love is merely about sex and having babies. For Sampson, Gregory, Mercutio and the Nurse, love is something non-emotional, and they have obviously never experienced love like Romeo and Juliet’s. Love for Romeo and Juliet is very emotionally bonded, and they cannot live without each other. This however does not mean there is no physical element to their relationship. Romeo and Juliet eagerly look forward to the physical side. This can be seen in act three, scene two, lines 1-30, where Juliet is looking forward to her wedding night, or her â€Å"love-performing night. † But even this is altered by their love into something of which Mercutio, the Nurse and the servants know nothing of. In act one, scene one, Romeo’s parents show parental love when they are concerned about him. The first evidence to show they care about Romeo is in lines 118-119, where Lady Montague says, â€Å"Right glad I am he (Romeo) was not at this fray,† meaning she was glad that Romeo was not involved in the fight that had just happened. In lines 133-144, Montague talks about Romeo’s worrying behaviour. He says that he is always crying, distances himself from everyone else, and shuts out light, making himself â€Å"an artificial night†. Montague is obviously worried about his son’s behaviour, and asks Benvolio if he could talk to Romeo because he does not understand him. This doesn’t mean however, that he does not care how Romeo feels, but he evidently does. It just shows the contrast between young and old. The first time we meet Romeo, he seems very sad and down (in the exact state his father describes him to be in). he is sad because he is ‘in love’. For Romeo, being in love (at this stage in the play) is a very painful, negative thing, especially because here there is a situation of unrequited love. However, by studying Romeo’s language in this scene, I believe that he is not in love with ‘Rosaline’, but infact in love with the idea of love itself. The fact that he does not say Rosaline’s name once, but talks about being in love, shows that the she is irrelevant. Romeo’s doting over Rosaline is introduced to show the difference between love and infatuation. He talks about love as a painful situation to be in, as shown in lines 195-196, â€Å"A madness most discreet, a choking gall, and a preserving sweet. † This changes drastically though, when he meets Juliet. From the second he sees Juliet (in act one scene five); you can see he has changed. He suddenly speaks in a more positive tone, with more positive views on Juliet not just of love. â€Å"O she doth teach the torches to burn bright. † Romeo is referring to Juliet as an actual person, whereas before he was talking about being in love (supposedly with Rosaline), but never refers to her as a person. On meeting Juliet he experiences ‘love at first sight’. He goes on to say, â€Å"For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night†. This shows that he has forgotten about Rosaline already, almost like she never existed. Romeo constantly compares Juliet to a saint throughout the play, â€Å"O then dear saint. † He has made Juliet out to be the most important person (to him), in the matter of minutes. In their first meeting, Romeo and Juliet share a sonnet (lines 94-107). This immediately shows the connection of love and harmony that exists between them. In the sonnet, love as a religion seems to be the key subject, and Romeo talks about it so passionately. He refers to Juliet as a â€Å"holy shrine†, and his lips â€Å"Two blushing pilgrims†. By studying Romeo’s language here, and that of which he used when we first met him, you can see that his feelings have gone from being self-centred, self deceiving and essentially negative, to less self-centred, genuine and sincere passion, positively approached when he meets Juliet. The love between Romeo and Juliet is different from any other in the play, because both share the same view on love. It is so strong that they fought through everything to be together and when they weren’t they felt empty and sad. No one else in the play shows love for anything this deep. The words Romeo and Juliet use when flirting with each other emphasise their love for one another. They use words to do with the body â€Å"lips, hands, palms†, religion â€Å"pilgrims, saints, prayer, devotion and holy† then they put both ideas together, â€Å"holy palmers’ kiss† and â€Å"saints lips†. Romeo is trying to ‘woo’ Juliet with romantic gestures.   

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Language is a loaded weapon Essay

Language is that knowledge held by native speakers which, combined with the use of expressive faculties, enables them to communicate in spoken and written forms. Language is creative it can create ambience i. e. harmony, strife and war depending on how we use it, and the intentions of the user. Man is a complex being – each individual made so by unique & common experiences, which colour not only our reception/perception and interpretation of data but also influence our delivery. The way people deliver a message can alter the way we think, our understanding, perception, or approach. Language can be used honestly or dishonestly. To convey truth or to pervert truth, to persuade, to convince, to control, to unite, disunite, to make something clear or to mystify. Language is the tool we use to communicate. Its not just words it includes N. V. C (Non Verbal Communication, signals that we give out in the way we stand and move our body). Some interpretation of language is done at a subconscious level, instinctively. When interpreting the encoder’s message we consider his/her motivation. What are they trying to achieve? i. e. The way in which someone is listening or watching can indicate to you whether or not they are interested, disliking or are bored with what you are saying. You notice this on a subconscious almost subliminal level. If you are the encoder you adjust the way in which you speak so as the receiver decodes your message properly and doesn’t misunderstand what you have said. For example if you shout at someone they may get the impression you are angry with them, however you may have raised your voice to ensure they can hear you. To decode successfully many other aspects have to be considered about the encoder’s background, culture, belief system etc, over and above their motivation. Tone, pitch, volume, intonation, speed, hesitation, accent, emotion, even hormones, all affect both delivery and reception. Hence language is not a neutral tool; it is inadvertently biased in thousands of ways. All mankind is guilty of this fault. A clear example of this is propaganda, mass media, political persuasion, even the way history is written. For example in The Mirror after the September 11th incident, they produced a front page with the heading â€Å"My son the hijacker†. The way this title is worded makes you sympathise with the Mother, and shows us that the hijackers where not just people that had nothing to live for and no family, but people that had families. The subheading to this title was â€Å"I did not bring up my son to hate†¦ he was a good, kind, young man not an evil killer. † This brings reality to the fact that you think you know who and what type of person your son/daughter is, but then a tragic thing like this happens and you find out that perhaps you don’t really know who and what your child is really like. Another example that language is a loaded weapon is in The Sun’s October 4th paper, on page 11 there was a heading â€Å"Scouts leader ‘let boy, 10, die on mountain. † Your first reactions and emotions to this title are anger, hatred and spite towards the scout leader for letting a 10-year old boy die on a mountain. You then read on, to find out that the leader left the boy unsupervised at the rear of the group as they descended Mount Snowdon. This headline favours the boy, where as if the paper were writing in the favour of the leader you would perhaps have a heading more along the lines of â€Å"A young boy strayed on the descent of mount Snowdon, slipped and fell 500ft to his death. † This is an excellent example to show that â€Å"Language is a loaded weapon† this shows us that by simply changing the way in which this title is worded, creates a whole different perspective to the article. It can persuade you to feel sorry for the family of the boy and hatred towards the scout leader or to show consideration to the leader that the boy may have strayed from the path himself, slipped and fallen. Therefore language can be used to manipulate what you feel and in some ways is used to control you. Newspapers tell you what they think you should know not what you would like to know. An example of this was in the Daily Mirror 13th January 1996 page 7. A heading and its article entitled â€Å"Gulp! † took up nearly the whole of the page compared with a little box in the left hand corner which had the heading â€Å"Girls-raped by gang of 14. † When a few years later a similar thing happens to a boy this gets front-page news with the title of â€Å"A gay gang rapes boy, 19† from The Sun. The way these articles have been positioned and the amount they have had written on them manipulates what the mass media wants us to know. The way the second article is written shows us that the media try to control what we think. The heading itself creates a lot of emotions even though his age is given as nineteen, the word ‘boy’ is what immediately grabs your attention and causes your imagination to see a small child rather than a young man. Therefore taking in to consideration all these examples you find that language is not only a loaded weapon but is also â€Å"one thousand ways biased. † It can be used to manipulate what we think and what we think we know. We are told what to think and not asked to think about what we are told.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Safety Culture; Do Safety Incentives Really Work Research Paper - 1

Safety Culture; Do Safety Incentives Really Work - Research Paper Example The purpose of this project is to examine the fundamentals and background of the safety culture at business organizations. Assuming the role of an investigator, I anticipate that the project will meet the learning objectives of the study. These objectives pertain to the learning of safety culture, its purpose and significance, along with the achievements that the organization and employees will have from the various safety incentives. The secondary research and personal observation has been invested to conduct the research at hand. I have examined the concept and implementation of the safety culture in various large scale organizations. In the light of such observations, the study brings a greater knowledge of concept. Thus, the argument and research presented in the study depicts a greater understanding of the flexibility and purpose of the safety issues at the workplace. Every organization manages a particular culture regarding the business and work affairs at the workplace. Safety culture is just one similar part of the organization’s safety management connections. The term ‘Safety Culture’ is used to refer to the manner in which the workplace is managed for safety and protection. It frequently replicates "the attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and values that employees share in relation to safety" (Cox and Cox, 1991). It was after the Chernobyl disaster that the trend of the safety culture developed. The disaster brought into focus the significance of the safety culture and the effects and influence of the human and managerial elements upon the safety performance. INSAG in the year 1988 had introduced the usage of the term ‘safety culture’ in its ‘Summary Report on the Post-Accident Review Meeting on the Chernobyl Accident’. In this report, the safety culture was originally defined as the assembly of

Friday, September 27, 2019

Function of place in Mad Max 2 by Georgre Miller 1981 (film) Movie Review

Function of place in Mad Max 2 by Georgre Miller 1981 (film) - Movie Review Example The cinematography of Mad Max 2 makes very little use of interiors but instead invites the audience to a wide open desert space, reminiscent of the blue skies, red sand and rugged canyons that were common in traditional westerns. The characters in their black leather or white canvas clothing move around this desolate space, and the impression that is given is deliberately edgy and harsh. The sun beats down on the settlers’ camp, and the bikers circle like marauding Indians, and all of the humans appear to be in a frontier between civilization and a deadly wilderness. The way the camera approaches the action is very different from the predictable and safe western style, however. Car chases are filmed with the camera low to the ground, and the vehicles approaching at speed and this draws the audience right into the danger. The main character played by Mel Gibson, is a drifter, neither one of the robbers, nor one of the homesteaders with their homely pigs and chickens. This locat ion does not symbolize the pioneers taming the wilderness, but rather the wilderness has the upper hand and the settlers are very much at its mercy. This film uses location to underline the destructiveness of industrialization and the precariousness of human survivors after an apocalyptic war.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Barriers to Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Barriers to Communication - Essay Example Recent research has shown that many recruiters now rate communication skills as the most important characteristic sought for in job applicants during selection (Yate, 2009). In this paper, I will be illuminating on the most important barriers that must be understood in order for organizations improve on the communication skills of their people and ultimately efficiency. I will begin by defining what communication is before discussing the process through which occurs with the intention of helping all readers of the report to better utilize the communication function for better personal and organizational performance. Communication can be well defined as a method of exchanging information and common understating between individuals. Unless a mutual understanding is generated from exchange of information, communication will not take place smoothly. The most important necessities in every communication process are the sender and the recipient. The sender will usually start the communication. The recipient is that particular person for which a message is intended. Message refers to the outcome and it may take any form from verbal to nonverbal or written or Language. The flow of information between senders may be hindered by noise, which includes perceptions, barriers in form of language, emotional issues, physical interruptions and attitudes held by the different parties. Feedback occurs at the point when the receiver provides a response to the initial message by a sender. Feedback is crucial to the process of communication as it tells Communication as well as methods that can be used to better improves the daily communication. The common types of barriers that I will be addressing include language barrier- Language is a very important aspect of communication as it plays the role of mediation allowing humans to effectively understand

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Recommendation for a Jewish School and Synagogue for Students with Essay

Recommendation for a Jewish School and Synagogue for Students with Disabilities - Essay Example Public schools are supposed to provide a certain percentage of their funding for needy students in private schools, and the Jewish schools can benefit from the information provided by an IEP in terms of the difficulties faced by the needy students. In spite of this, parents are often reluctant to share the IEP of their children with disabilities. Therefore, one way of supporting students with disabilities in Jewish schools is for the parents and guardians of students with disabilities to provide their IEP. Most parents fail to see the relevance of the IEP in their children’s Jewish education, especially in schools where only Hebrew and Judaics is taught. Parents must provide information that may assist those teachers to provide learning experience for their child that is effective (Reamer 185). According to Reamer 102), another thing that needs to be done in such schools is to take measures for countering stigmatization. Most parents are reluctant to take their disabled childr en to Jewish schools as they feel that their child will be labeled. Parents say that they wish their child to be in a place where the child will not be singled out for labeling and where he can feel positively about his Judaism. The parents are not interested in reading and writing Hebrew, but with the maintenance of the Jewish connection. The school should therefore come up with a policy that discourages labeling of students as with disabilities and also encourage parents to instill self confidence in their children to avoid the effects of stigmatization. One problem facing many Jewish schools is the qualification of their staff members. Most do not have staff members who are special educators. The special educators are adequately trained to handle children with a wide range of disorders and disabilities, therefore giving them a better chance of successfully teaching the children what they have to learn. Hence, for a Jewish school and synagogue to support the inclusion of students with disabilities, they must employ trained special educators as part of their staff. Despite supplemental Jewish education programs such as these schools providing excellent Jewish experiences, parents wishing their special need children to have a Jewish environment everyday often have to fend for themselves with little school support. Those with the ability to afford it have to hire tutors and shadows, a solution that has not always been successful. In most cases, the parents have to make that difficult choice of taking their children out of Jewish schools. Thus to avoid this, the Jewish school and synagogue should provide the necessary support to parents of their students to ensure that raising and educating children with disabilities is not a wholesome burden (Reamer 322). In order to initiate services for students with special needs, the staff and school administration of a Jewish school and synagogue should follow certain laid down guidelines for all learning disabilities. One vital guideline is understanding that both social and academic behaviors of students with disabilities are symptoms of a disability and not flaws in characters or intentional acts. The teachers should allow time extensions for the completion of assignments and tests, and should not be impatient in case of delays in the completion of homework and such. They should also apply the use

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Nursing Leadership and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nursing Leadership and Management - Essay Example are most concerned about planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling their departments within set structures (Cherie & Gebrekidan, 2005, p. 81). Managers basically deal with ‘doing the right things’ while leaders deal with ‘doing things right.’ Nurse leaders must focus on theories of leadership as tools to reform the current staffing problems in many nursing facilities in the world. Theories of leadership that can be applied in nursing are behavioral theory, contingency theory, trait theory, and power and influence theories. Behavioral theory is concerned with what a good leader does rather than who he/she is. Nurse leaders who operate under this theory are inactive and passive, allowing their staff to determine their actions. Other leaders here can be democratic, giving equal voice to their staffs and accepting group decisions. Still under behavioral theory, nurse leaders can be autocratic, being the sole decision makers and adopting commands t o staffs rather than being open to suggestions (Cherie & Gebrekidan, 2005, p. 86). Shortage of nurses and dis-interest in this industry is attributed to the main reason that nurses do not feel appreciated or motivated enough in compensation and in recognition of their efforts. Nurse leaders and managers can begin to address this issue by creating work environments that are encouraging to their staffs. Leaders are central to motivation, and they should create environments that are open to interaction and understanding of nursing teams. Managers should, on the other hand, utilize management styles that are democratic and participative rather than autocratic or laissez-faire. Discouraged and demotivated nurses will respond better to suggestions and shared decision-making rather than to commands and one-person... This essay approves that changes in nursing practice are unending, and a shift is needed from the over-management of nursing staff to a leadership model that is adaptive and flexible. The nursing practice is heavily dependent on formal education programs from which staffing and new skills are derived. A best approach that will address personal and professional concerns of nurses in practice is the way forward in reducing staff shortages and turnover. Nursing that is led by a model ‘more leadership than management’ is the ultimate solution. This is the transformational model of leadership that is intent on creating nursing leaders and staffs who ‘work together’ and not ‘one for the other’ for better health care services. Future trends for the nursing practice in the twenty-first century indicate that the high shortage and turnover of nurses can only be permanently ended by a class of nurses who are multi-talented and supported to acquire new skil ls. Transformational leadership in nursing practice is the key to attracting such class of nurses and developing leaders who can effectively manage their resources for better output. This report makes a conclusion that the transformational leadership approach suits best my leadership style that is flexible to different situations. The situational-contingency theory of leadership maintains that no leadership style is the best one and that situation influences good leadership. It is certain that nursing will in the future be affected by changes in medical practice, policy, technology advancements, and alternative therapies among other changes. The extent of these effects or what they will be is not conclusively known; thus, no leadership approach can solely be the most suitable.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Empiricism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Empiricism - Essay Example Recent philosophical knowledge has often argued that man’s senses can often fail to gain true knowledge. This is manifested in the film Matrix, when the story’s main character, Neo, realized that what he perceived to be real is actually not real. The world he has thought to live is actually a computer simulation program that has set to make an illusion of man’s existence. Hence, in this case, if we are to gain true knowledge through sensory experiences, yet our senses can fail us, then how are we to achieve true knowledge? According to Hume’s An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (p. 728), our senses inform us of the color, weight, and consistence of bread. It is through these very senses that man have come to know the world around him, and all the things in it. This is the basic premise of empiricism, which states that: †¦a theory of knowledge, which emphasizes those aspects of scientific knowledge that are closely related to experience, especially formed through deliberate experimental arrangements (Wikipedia, 2006). Everything that man learns is the product of his experience. David Hume regarded lively and strong as experiences and perceptions. On the other hand, he defined less lively events as beliefs or thoughts. This could explain the fact that people have learned to define and appreciate the very essence of love, happiness, sadness, and loneliness. Love and happiness are often associated with events that thrill and excite people with someone very close of meaningful for them such as experiences related to one’s first kiss, marriage proposal, giving birth, and the like. On the other hand, sadness and loneliness are usually related to experiences such as unattained goals and aspirations, fight and arguments, sickness, and even death. It is no doubt that children would easily recognize the definition of sadness

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Sukhoi Superjet Essay Example for Free

The Sukhoi Superjet Essay The Sukhoi Superjet 100 is fly-by-wire regional jet with 75 up to 95 seats[1]. Since the jet industry faces many competitors, it is an important action to design an effective marketing strategy, which includes a SWOT analysis. Strengths: *Equipped with two Saturn/SNECMA PowerJet SaM146 turbofans1 *has   10-15% lower operation costs than its competitors, which areEmbraer E-Jets and   the Bombardier CSeries programs1. This will enable Sukhoi Superjet 100 to sell at a lower price and hence making it more affordable. As a result higher sales, profits and market share occurs. *has a wider cabin and thus offers more comfort1. Not only is it cheaper but also more comfortable, hence establishing a competitive advantage for the Superjet 100. *The Superjet 100 airliner family is being developed based on the principle of maximum standardization of frame assemblies and systems1. This will enable Superjet 100 to perform more economically while keeping expenditures at a rational level. *The aerodynamics and design of the aircraft of the family are based on proven advanced technology to minimize technical risks at the stage of design, testing and operation1. A higher security attracts more satisfied customers, which could lead to positive publicity and thus higher demand and value of its shares. Weaknesses: *Completion of the deal to order 25 Sukhoi Superjet 100 with Dalivia was delayed2. Dalivia could consider to buy from its competitors, hence this would provide Superjet’s 100 competitors with a competitive advantage, sales, profits and market share. Opportunities: *Air France3, Lufthansa4, SAS5, Iberia6, UTair Aviation, MDLR Airlines and Merpati Nusantara Airlines7 are potential customers. *Malev Hungarian Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines System are reported to finalize their orders and an Indonesian airline is reported to be the airliner1. *Alliance Air of India has also showed interest in the Sukhoi Superjet 1008. *Armavia signed a multimillion-dollar agreement to buy four Sukhoi Superjet 100 planes for regional flights1. These orders will offer Superjet 100 to reach more customers, since if passengers feel satisfied; hence it could lead to repeat sales an word-of-mouth advertising, which then creates higher demand, sales and profits; hence airlines will then purchase more of the Sukhoi Superjet 100. Threats: *Its competitors Embraer and Bombardier offer much more comprehensive after-sales and maintenance network9. After-sales service is important for maximizing customer satisfaction and it can also lead to having a competitive advantage. In fact a research showed that 1 dissatisfied customer tells 11 others who then 5 others10, which would worsen the image of the product quickly, and thus lower sales, profits and market share occurs. [1]Sukhoi Superjet 100.[online].http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Superjet_100, cited as ’19.5.2008’ 2 Airliner World, January 2007 3 [online].http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRNews1/FRNews03/FR030323.htm#RRJ, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 4 Suchoi wants to sell 40 SuperJets-100 and negotiated with Lufthansa.[online]. http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=donett=urlintl=1fr=bf-hometrurl=http%3A%2F%2Fde.rian.ru%2Fbusiness%2F20070517%2F65659192.htmllp=de_enbtnTrUrl=%C3%9Cbersetzen, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 5Scandinavian Airlines seriously mulls Sukhoi RRJ for SAS regional affiliates.[online]. http://www.sukhoi.org/eng/news/company/?id=606, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 6 Sukhoi Chief on RRJ program.[online]. http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2005/russia-050405-rianovosti08.htm, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 7   [online].http://lenta.ru/news/2007/10/24/ssj/, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 8 Paris Air Show: Sukhoi Civil-Alliance Air talks for SuperJet 100 at an advanced stagenews.[online]. http://www.domain-b.com/aero/june/2007/20070622_sukhoi_civil.htm, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 9 Export driven: The Sukhoi Superjet.[online]. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/02/06/211879/export-driven-the-sukhoi-superjet.htm, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 10 2005. Stephen Chapman, Cassy Norris, Natalie Devenish, Llian Merritt. Business Studies in Action, chapter 9

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Communication Barriers Essay Example for Free

Communication Barriers Essay The problem that is to be addressed will be the communication barriers between employees and management. Some people have a problem with the way they receive the conversation or the way people talk to them and other people have a problem with the way they use their verbal and nonverbal communication skills. There are many ways to determine the proper way to communicate and to miscommunicate. Solving the problem of non-communication in the work place can be easy, but at the same time it can be very costly. The movie Devil Wears Prada is a great example of miscommunication. The main owner, editor or â€Å"CEO† of that corporation talks to the new girl as if she has worked there for years. The new girl is given directions and does not know how to proceed with them because she was not trained properly. In the movie the CEO makes a statement â€Å"Emily? Emily? † Finally someone tells the new girl that the CEO means her and the new girl goes into the office. CEO states â€Å"Get me that guy I talked to yesterday about the skirts and scarfs on the phone. † The new girl goes back out of the office to her desk and starts looking for a phone number, but she has no idea who to look for, the first assistant, just coming back from lunch, asked the new girl â€Å"What are you doing? † The new girl tells the first assistant what the CEO said and within seconds the CEO was talk to the guy she spoke to yesterday about the skirts and scarfs. In this incident, there was minimal communication and there are also many ways to fix this. For instance, the first assistant should have taught the new girl about the phone directory, terms, and where to find other things that could be useful. If the new girl was trained correctly, then while the first assistant was at lunch, the new girl would have been able to handle the phones, but would still have problems not knowing what person the CEO talked to yesterday about the skirts or scarfs. With this part of the communication barrier, the CEO should have been more informative on the information that she gave the new girl. For instance, if the CEO had given the name of the person she talked to, then it would have narrowed down the people she to yesterday or vise-versa, or the CEO could have given the company name and with the correct training could have determined the person she talked to the day before. There are many ways to work on the communication between the CEO, manager, and another associate. The main objective should be to train the person properly before â€Å"throwing them to the wolves,† or putting them â€Å"on the sales floor† If the person is trained properly then they will learn the terminology, phone directory, and also know where to find other things related to going the job. When giving tasks to carry out, you would need to give specifics on what you want and names or descriptions of what is expected. When receiving the tasks, if you do not understand, then ask questions on what the other person is looking for or how to go about doing getting the job done.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Mechanised Infantry Past Present And Future History Essay

Mechanised Infantry Past Present And Future History Essay An armoured personnel carrier or an APC is a vehicle designed to carry men along with their weapons and equipment into the battlefield. It provides them limited protection against small arms and possesses some degree of fire support in the form of medium calibre weapons. Some of them are also referred to as Battle Taxis. In addition to these lightly protected versions there are also the heavily armed types commonly called the Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Armoured tanks, though lethal and well protected, are extremely vulnerable on the battlefield if operating independently. These threats range from the missiles launched from aerial platforms to the single infantryman carrying a hand held anti tank weapon. Therefore, a need was felt to group infantry along with the armoured tanks to provide them with protection against local threats while also allowing them to advance through areas cleared by this infantry element. To obviate the mobility differential between the two, this infantry was provided with vehicles to match the speed and reach of the tanks. This may be called the genesis of the APC or the Mechanised Infantry as it is now commonly referred to. The Mechanised Infantry has proved itself time again in various theatre of operations since its inception. Their importance has only been confirmed by their regular employment in a host of conflicts. Be it the Arab- Israel wars, the conflicts in Africa, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the present day insurgencys in Iraq and Afghanistan, these vehicles have proved their mettle time and again. Despite their potential, in the context of the Indian army there is a reluctance to take this arm seriously. Though this may not be true in the upper echelons of the organisation, within the middle rung there is a lack of comprehension and confidence in the capability of the mechanised infantry to carry out their task. Having personally witnessed the effect a platoon of ICVs can have on a belligerent force in Congo it can be confidently averred that an ICV/APC is the best platform to be employed in such tasks without the threat of an escalation in the conflict spectrum. This article will t race out the history of the mechanised infantry, discuss it role and employment in the present context and the likely future trends. It will also discuss the relevance of this arm in context of the Indian army and the methods to increase its employability. Role of the Mechanised Infantry The role of the Mechanised Infantry has more or less remained the same since its origin. The Wehrmacht during the Second World War carried out an analysis of its Panzer force and identified certain weaknesses. To overcome the shortcomings the following regulation was framed for the collaboration of the tanks and Panzer grenadiers. the tank fights the enemy tank and destroys other weapons. The Panzer grenadier looks for hidden anti-tank guns and fires on them. He prevents close quarter attack on the tanks. Covered by the tanks, he clears the enemys position. Mutual assistance is essential. In good country, the armour moves by bounds from cover to cover, giving fire protection to the panzer grenadiers following. In wooded areas, the Panzer grenadiers precede the tanks. and destroy the enemy with the weapons they carry on their vehicles.  [1]   The same field service regulations further explained the role of the panzer grenadiers: Every other arm is dedicated to helping the tank advance Tanks cannot completely clear the enemy from captured ground, and scattered groups of the enemy may combine to continue the fight. The Panzer grenadiers regiments follow the tanks in elongated echelon, and, collaborating with the second armoured wave, annihilate enemy remnants as well as carrying out the tasks of guarding and securing the rear and flanks of the armoured units. Panzer grenadiers hold the areas captured by tanks. Where a tank is obstructed by difficult terrain or by artificial barriers, the Panzer grenadiers advance first. The conditions for this are: (a) attacking across rivers; (b) in heavily wooded areas, swamp or badly cut-up terrain; (c) minefields, anti-tank ditches and other tank obstacles: (d) when breaking through enemy anti-tank fronts. The tanks will give supporting fire to the Panzer grenadier advance. Once past the obstacles, the tanks resume the leadership of the advance .  [2]   The role, task and method of employment of the mechanised infantry have more or less remained the same since then with only refinements in the drills and tactics. However the equipment has evolved with time and what once a primitive machine with limited firepower and protection is today a weapon with tremendous destructive and capability and adequate protection to allow the infantry to operate with relative comfort and safety. History of Mechanised Infantry The history of the tank and the APC/ICV are entwined. They can be traced to the First World War with the development of the ____________. Though this is referred to as the first modern tank, history is replete with examples where commanders have utilised the concept of heavily armed soldiers on chariots and elephants provided with adequate protection taking on the enemy. Ziska, a great warrior of his days, employed the Wagon-Lagers during the Bohemian Wars of 1410-20 against the Catholic Crusaders. These wagon mounted cannons were extremely effective against the German armies. The Scots, in 1456, invented a wooden cart that encased its crew and protected them. Horses, enclosed in wood for protection, were used to propel these carts. However, it was only after the Battle of Somme in 1916 that the potential of the tank was realised and they began to be regarded as the deciding factors in combat engagements throughout the world. The introduction of the tank at the later stages of World War I did not bring about any change in the war fighting methods being employed. They were simply regarded as a means to end the indecisiveness of Trench Warfare. Large scale casualties with no tangible territorial gains led to the development of this weapon system, designed to cross the miles of barbed wire and torn up earth between the two opposing forces. Success in such form of warfare was also only achievable if the foot soldier could move over the inhospitable terrain with speed and protection and exploit the breakthroughs achieved. The tank was found to be the most suitable means of gaining the desired breakthrough. However, this too had it its inherent shortcomings, with the primary one being that of sustaining the success. Even though the tank was capable of gaining the initial foothold, it was by itself vulnerable to individual/ group of soldiers who could close in with it and destroy it. The British were the first t o realise it and developed the first armoured personnel carrier the Mark IX, essentially a redesigned and lengthened version of the Mark V Male tank. The initial idea was to provide some protection to the infantryman from the machine gun fire so as to allow them to cross the battle field and thereafter serve as the eyes and ears for the tanks as well as providing it with protection. Development of Mechanised Infantry The inter war years were a period of stagnation in the field of armoured warfare for the US and most of the European countries. They persisted with the employment of tanks as supporting arm for the infantry in a piecemeal manner. The Germans, under the guidance of Guderian, developed their own employment philosophy, that of Blitzkrieg. Accordingly they built the SdKfz25, a half track, to be used to carry the infantry behind the rapidly moving tanks. These combined task forces gave the Germans their famous victorys and changed the face of armoured warfare. They were referred to as the Panzer grenadiers, a forerunner of the present day Mechanised Infantry Concurrently, the US developed their M2 and M3 half tracks while the British made the Bren Carriers. Often, APCs were armoured cars with the capacity for carrying troops, but they subsequently evolved into purpose-built vehicles to suit the demands of motorised warfare of the Second World War. Thereafter, subsequent development of the Mechanised Infantry was done on the basis of the employment philosophy being followed by the respective countries. The US and the USSR went about developing their own versions of the APCs which differed in both design and use. USSR/Warsaw Pact Countries The USSR continued development on ICVs after the end of the world war and developed the vehicles as per their doctrine. Based on the experience of the World War, they identified the need for greater protection and firepower to the APC than the US and introduced the Infantry Fighting Vehicle The aim was to achieve a breakthrough to allow the infantry to get through with speed and exploit the available opportunity. The increased lethality of the anti tank missiles demanded greater protection to the infantry soldier sitting inside the vehicle. The soldier sitting inside was provided the ability to bring to bear his personal weapon while under fire. Accordingly, the BMP-1 was designed which catered for all the above requirements. It had a 73 mm gun, the Malutka anti tank missile and machine guns. There was also the provision of port hole in the stick compartment that allowed for use of the personal weapons while sitting inside the vehicle. The BMP intended to pin down the enemy soldiers while on attack and to provide fire support with the heavier weapons while the infantry was dismounted. The Israel-Arab conflict of 1967 and 1973 exposed some vulnerability in the vehicle which saw the development of the BMP-II. The 30 mm cannon replaced the 73 mm gun while the missile was upgraded to the second generation AT-4/5s. The commander was given additional protection and the strength of the section was reduced from 11 to 10. Thereafter, the Russian built the BMP-III which was less of an ICV and more of a light tank with a 100 mm gun, an additional 30 mm cannon and a gun barrel launched missile system. It enjoys better armour protection and is still light enough to be transported by air. NATO/US APCs The US developed their version of the vehicle on a different doctrine. Their concept involved the vehicle to provide mobility to its infantry while simultaneously protecting it. Emphasis is not on firepower as the same would be catered by the tanks moving ahead. Accordingly they built the Armoured Personnel Carrier or the APC. This operated on the concept of Battle Taxis. The vehicle was meant to carry the infantry into battle and thereafter was left out of battle. The most popular of these was the M113 box on tracks. They were introduced in service in 1960 and since then almost 80,000 of these have been built. They were used effectively for the first time in the Vietnam conflict. There were a number of variants build alongside the primary version. These were used as Command Posts, mortar carriers and ambulance APCs. Because of their versatility, these have been used very effectively used by commanders for tasks they were not designed for. For instance, M-113s were used to lead the a ttack on the Vietcong in the absence of tanks. This family was extremely popular among the US allies and a large number were inducted in almost 50 other nations. With the introduction of the BMP-1 in the Soviet army the US had to rethink their approach. The large number of A vehicles (tanks and ICVs) available with Russia forced the US army to concentrate on increasing their anti tank capability. They introduced the TOW missile into their force. However the TOW didnt possess any protection leaving the firer vulnerable to return fire while he tracked the missile to the target. The US built the M2 Bradley as a counter to the Russian BMP-I. They revised their existing philosophy and built a vehicle with heavy armament and armour protection. It was given a TOW missile launcher with the operator under armour. It had an additional 25mm Bushmaster cannon and portholes for the infantry to fire from. It was fairly heavy by the standards of an APC and was supposed to fight behind the infantry and not operate as a Battle Taxi. The Army believed that the Bradley, initially known as the MICV, was essential so the Army could adopt an armour doctrine that was similar to German doctrine and appropriate to a mechanised battlefield characterized by highly lethal modern weapons and numerical superiority of the enemy. They have proved their value in numerous theatres be it Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. But these have been service since 1964 and the US army has been looking for an alternative. This led to the introduction of the Stryker family of vehicles. This is an eight wheel drive combat vehicle and the focus of the US armys Transformation. It provides enhanced protection to the soldiers from RPG and IED attacks. It has operated extensively in Operation Iraqi Freedom to the tune of six million miles. It is planned to enhance the armour protection by adding reactive armour modules. The US army plans to induct 2691 vehicles for the seven Stryker Brigade Combat Teams that it is r aising. Despite the performance of the Stryker, it does a have its share of detractors who warrant against the replacement of the M-113s and M2 Bradleys. The major disadvantage with the Stryker is the weight of the vehicle which reduces its strategic/tactical mobility. As a comparison, the C-17 can carry four combat ready M-113s against two Stryker vehicles. There are other inherent disadvantages with the Stryker family, however the US is keen to continue using them and there have been mixed reviews regarding their performance from the soldiers on ground. Other Nations The development of APC/ICVs has not remained with only the US and the Russians. Other nations have also built/ developed models base on their requirements and doctrines. The French army is using the Và ©hicule de lAvant Blindà © or VAB (Armoured Vanguard Vehicle in French). This is an extremely popular wheeled APC in service since 1974. Its popularity can be gauged by the fact that the US is using the same for their own police departments. One more vehicle that merits attention is the Israeli Achzarit which is based on the Soviet T-55 tank. The IDF modified the tanks they had captured from the Arab armies by removing the turret and modifying the chassis for troop carriage by adding a rear door. The engine was replaced and reactive armour installed. This design of APC was contrary to the existing philosophy of light vehicles. The IDF considered troop protection to be the primary factor and hence the heavy protection at the cost of weight. Availability of strategic mobility not being an imperative IDF could afford to build these heavy APCs. Mechanised Infantry for Indian Army The Indian army acquired its first Mechanised unit in 19__. Since then it has raised the Mechanised Infantry Regiment and converted the Brigade of the Guards to a mechanised profile. These units are primarily meant to operate in the Western Theatre, both in the desert and the plains sectors. They are trained to operate as per the new Indian Cold Start Doctrine which envisages the armour and mechanised infantry forming Integrated Battle Groups to launch into an adversary. However there is a school of thought within the army that questions the utility of the ICV. With better mobility available with the infantry, their being able to keep pace with the tanks is no longer an issue. In addition, the BMP-II does not have enjoy adequate protection against the adversarys anti- tank capability. Therefore, it may be argued that the infantry may be able to perform the tasks meant for the mechanised infantry. In any case, grouping an infantry battalion with the armour to carry out Encounter Cross ing on the water obstacle to overcome the shortfall of mechanised infantry is an option occasionally practised. If that be so, can the infantry replace the Mechanised Infantry outright? This line of though needs to be negated at the earliest. The more logical question that needs to be asked is that can the mechanised infantry do tasks traditionally associated with the armoured tanks. Before addressing that question let us first reemphasise the importance/relevance of the mechanised infantry. The mechanised infantry is traditionally expected to follow in the wake of the leading armoured column and thereafter clear/ mop up the remnants. This envisages the mechanised infantry moving close behind in relative safety. The ICVs though vulnerable to anti tank missiles provide adequate protection against aimed small arms weapons and artillery splinters in comparison to motorised infantry. Therefore it is unlikely that motorised infantry could replace the mechanised infantry. The employment of infantry for tasks such as Encounter Crossings on obstacles is due to the non availability of mechanised infantry and hence logically, there is a need to raise more units of the same. Both in plain and the desert sector, it is envisaged that certain built-up areas will have to be cleared to open the axis. This will entail the initial isolation/investment being done by the mechanised columns and thereafter the infantry soldier supported by tanks carrying out the physical clearance of the town/village. This tactics though possible in theory is unlikely to succeed in practise. This was best illustrated in Operation Iraqi Freedom where in the battle for the town of Fallujah the initial operations were carried out by the M1 Abrams and the Bradleys both, with the infantry man only being employed in the last phase. Based on this experience of fighting in built up area, it may be confidently averred that own mechanised infantry will have to be committed for the clearance of these areas which as of now do not factor in the troops to task. The mechanised infantry is relieved by the follow up infantry to allow them to reach the projection area at the earliest. Clearing of a built up area in the adversarys terrain is unlikely to involve fighting only regular enemy troops. The local population is likely to put up a resistance as well, similar to what is being seen in both Afghanistan and Iraq. If that be the case the ICV will assume greater importance and may have to be employed for a longer period to overcome the resistance. This merits a greater availability of mechanised infantry to allow for the dual task of fighting the Projection area battle while simultaneously clearing the inter objectives to open the axis at the earliest. Similarly, Corridor Protection will be of extreme importance and ICVs may have to be employed in larger numbers. All these only reinforce the requirement of a larger strength of mechanised infantry. India desires to be recognised as powerful global player both economically and militarily. The same has been reflected in the Army Doctrine which states Indias desire to be able to conduct Out of Area Contingencies. This capability requires the force to possess adequate strategic mobility. There is a need to have the air/sea assets to move this force in the envisaged time frame and adequately strong force to be put on ground capable of achieving its aim till such time the remainder force is built up. The sheer weight of the tank precludes it being available to such a force in the desired numbers. Therefore the next best alternative is the ICV which though much less destructive is still better than the unprotected infantry. Even the US faced this problem while deploying in Iraq despite having the best air assets in the world. Against an initial plan of a heavy infantry division of 15,000 soldiers and 1,500 armoured vehicles, they could only achieve 2000 airborne soldiers supported by less than two dozen Bradleys and M1 Abrams. This was primarily due to the absence of rapidly deployable light armoured vehicles.  [3]   India is not a rich country, it has to weigh its options, prioritise and then select the best compromise. It would be futile to expect a large increase in the number of mechanise infantry battalions. Similarly, keeping the constraints of finances, equipment management and training in mind, it would be difficult to have different vehicle for different roles. The best option would be to have a single family of vehicle capable of conducting multiple tasks. This leads us to the next question, is it time to replace the BMP-II with something better (if not better, then more suitable). I would like to suggest that it is time to phase out the BMP-II and replace it with the more superior BMP-3. The BMP-3 can be, at a stretch, grouped under the nomenclature of a light tank. With its 100mm cannon, barrel launched missile and an additional 30 mm cannon, it packs considerably more fire power than a BMP-II and only a little less than a tank. It has better armour and NBC protection than the BMP-II while being only marginally heavier (18.7 Tons against 14.4 Tons). It can easily be transported by air and on landing is adequately strong to perform in the absence of tank support. It is able to carry seven infantry soldiers, similar to the BMP-II. It is the most suitable vehicle for any Rapid Action Force that India plans to raise for conducting Out of Area operations. The Israel-Lebanon conflict of 2006 reinforced the vulnerability of armoured tanks in Low Intensity conflicts noticed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The high profile Merkava was targeted repeatedly by the Hamas insurgents along its vulnerabilities leading to material damage and loss in morale. In these circumstances, it is imperative that tanks operate in conjunction with infantry. The inherent disadvantage of a tank operating in a built up area is its lack of visibility and arc of fire, both vertically and horizontally. The BMP-3 can traverse vertically from -6 to 60 degrees which is a major requirement for clearing of h igh buildings. The presence of seven infantry soldiers moving in close proximity provide the requisite close protection, while the 100mm gun and 30 mm cannon are sufficient to destroy any target. It may be argued that the BMP-3 may preclude the requirement of a tank to be grouped along, thus freeing them for more important tasks. The BMP-3 has recently been tested in UAE against the US Bradleys and British Warriors. Their performance has been appreciated and the Arabs are looking to induct them though they have traditionally relied on the US and British for military equipments. The BMP-3 may be considered for induction in the Indian army to bridge the gap between the ICV and the heavy tanks thus filling a long felt absence of an interim vehicle. The next important aspect to be considered is the required increase in the number of mechanised infantry units. India has a large land boundary with different terrain features. Economics and world pressure do not allow it to increase the strength of its standing army. The next likely option is to convert more infantry units to a mechanised profile. This against has its disadvantages, as there would be lesser number of units available for standard infantry tasks along the Line of Control, the International Boundary and the Line of Actual Control. There would be greater pressure of the units and the present turn over period of 2-3 years would further reduce. There is, however, one more option worth considering. This option envisages ICVs to be considered as part of sector stores in the Western theatre. The infantry battalions would be dual trained i.e. holding ICVs when deployed in Plains/deserts while reverting to infantry in mountains leaving their mechanised equipment behind for the unit relieving them. Training a fully operational mechanised battalion takes time; therefore this is an option that will only work in a long run. There are likely to be equipment management issues as well for such an option. Feasibility of this can only be gauged after detailed analysis and study. In the meantime the mechanised infantry has to continue to function in its present form. Conclusion The importance of mechanised infantry cant be stressed upon more. It is an integral part of the mechanised forces and has its tasks delineated. For all the fire power and protection available to the tank, it still needs the infantry sitting inside the ICV to operate. The tanks have relied heavily on the mechanised infantry since Second World War for their survival. This reliance is stated in a memorandum by the German Oberkommando des Heers( OkH): There can be no doubt that, without the closest cooperation of the panzer grenadier and the tank, the latter is of limited value It is even said by some that commanders would prefer to lose tanks rather than their infantry..  [4]  Regardless of how the panzer grenadier arrived in the battle, these mechanised infantrymen were indispensable to the German concepts of combined arms and manoeuvre warfare as the Wehrmacht practiced them during the Second World War.  [5]  The tenets of mechanised warfare have not changed in the intervenin g years. Therefore what was true of mechanised infantry then remains so today. Instead of questioning the relevance of mechanised infantry, there is a need to increase its numbers and provide it with a better platform to allow it to perform its task better.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Ireland Essay -- essays research papers

Ireland   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ireland is a small island first settled in early 6000BC. It’s located to the west of Europe close to Great Britain. Through history Ireland has had many different influences and has been occupied by different types of people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the early years, the Celtic people known as Gaels settled Ireland. This was sometime between 600 and 150BC. Gaelic people had many small kingdoms that were separated yet they all shared the common language of Gaelic. The Brehons kept order throughout Ireland, these were men that kept peace and made sure common rules and laws were followed. This system of independent ruling worked longer in Ireland than in other parts of Europe because nobody tried to conquer Ireland therefore there was no outside influence. During the Medieval time period in Ireland came the development of Celtic Christianity, they introduced St. Patrick into their religion. The Tuath(150 small kingdoms in Ireland) still remained and continued to function without European influence. The dark ages of Europe were the golden ages of Ireland. During this time period Ireland sent St. Columba and St. Columban into Europe, many manuscripts and books were written and religious arts and artistic achieve ments took place. In 1014the Irish Tuath formed an alliance against the invading Vikings and won. Brian Boru who was a king of one of the Tuatha kingdoms led the alliance. In 1171 England began its conquest to establish a co...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Accomplish Victory Essay examples -- Economy, Economic Downturn, Reces

What is a recession? A recession is declared once the GDP is negative for two consecutive quarters or more, a few quarters before is actually the start of an economic downturn. GDP is defined as gross domestic product and that basically means the total value of goods the United States has produced, for the year. The first few signs of a recession are negative growth followed by a miniature positive growth. Because American citizens don’t have the money to spend they don’t spend and the consumer spending aspect of the economy takes a drastic downfall. Unemployment rates also have play in determining a recession (22). Proper money management and finances could bring an economy out of a recession. There are major flaws in the way we live that people are doing nothing to fix. Most people are in debt, in late 2005 â€Å"wage growth was shortchanged because 46 percent of the growth of total income in the corporate sector was distributed as corporate profits, far more than 20 percent in previous periods.†(24) Household income had fallen five years in a row and was 4 percent lower. The average wages of Americans are low. The growth of the American population is expanding very rapidly; the job count compared to population growth is almost unrealistic. Only one point nine percent more jobs have come up since the beginning of the last recession. The unemployment rate is four point six percent That means that a lot of people do not have jobs; the percent of people that have a job was one point three percent, So that means that more people are not working than people with a job. (24) Poverty was sky rocketing in two thousand; the rate was eleven point three percent and rose in four years to twelve point seven percent; that is approximat... ...spend then how is making goods and services more expensive going to help? Obama is a very good man with what I believe to be good intentions. But his money managing skills could use a lot of work. I do not see what does not make sense to him if the United States is in debt then does he continually spend money on things that we do not need such as, visiting other countries, flying first class on Air Force One. Instead of trying to make peace treaties with other countries we need to increase education in schools and supply them with the money and resources that they need to educate children and make them able to run a country. Children are our future and if we don’t do a good job at making the future the best it can be then will end up in the same spot we are in today. This should turn this country’s finances around and soon enough we will be living in prosperity.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Recordkeeping System

CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM This chapter of the study presents the problems ascertained from the researchers’ gathered data, the objectives, the scope, delimitations and limitations, and the significance of the study. Introduction Record keeping system is a systematic procedure by which the records of an office/organization are created, captured, maintained and disposed of. This system also ensures the record’s preservation for evidential purposes, accurate and efficient updating, timely availability, and control of access to them only by authorized personnel. A record keeping system has four components namely the records, people, processes and tools. Records are the information resources which can be presented in any format and are the ones needed to document office or organizational activities. On the other hand, people represent the authorized personnel and record contacts who oversee the records management program. Processes are the procedures on how to manage records throughout their life cycle. And tools comprise the computer or software programs, shelving and file cabinets, folders, etc. , all of which keep the records organized. There are basically two procedures on how to manage records. One is manually and the other is through the use of computers and/or software programs. In manual record keeping a pen and paper could work adequately. Inexpensive and pre-formatted record books which are available at most office supply can also do the manual record keeping. While others may imply that manual record keeping are accurate for as long as manual records can be understood or explained if questioned, many others don’t seem to be convinced for several reasons. One, processing of data is slow in manual record keeping because one has to browse over the shelves and filing cabinets all day to search for a single file. Two, retrieving of records sometimes seem impossible because there are no back-up files. So once a record is lost it ends there. These are but few of the problems encountered using the manual record keeping system, both of which contributed to the rise of computerized record keeping. Computerized record keeping works on the same principles as a manual system. The only difference is that the computer automates the process so it is faster and more accurate, thus providing the user with records that are trustworthy. According to researches, trustworthy records are reliable, authentic, complete and unaltered, and usable. But to ensure that the records are trustworthy, the system must preserve the information within the records (content), the circumstances under which the records were created or received (context), and the relationship between the parts of the record (structure). All of which can be acquired preferably when using a computerized record keeping system. Having gathered all those concepts aforementioned above about record keeping, the researchers came up with the idea of proposing a computerized record keeping system for the benefit of the NSTP office since they are currently managing students’ records manually. National Service Training Program or NSTP is a program aimed at enhancing civic consciousness and defense preparedness in the youth by developing the ethics of service and patriotism while undergoing training in any of its three program components namely Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), Literacy Training Service and Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS). NSTP office is among the twenty offices in Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa. It is currently headed by Dr. Armando Mendoza who is also the head of the PE Department. Yet the said office offers the two program components, the ROTC and CWTS respectively. And since all the freshmen in the college are required to take up NSTP as one of their subjects, it can be assumed that the said office handles a lot of student records, hundreds or even thousands depending upon the number of enrollees every academic year. Considering the number of records that the office handles or manages, a need to abide to the different changes such as having a computerized system is highly advisable. More so, having a computerized record keeping system will help the office or its head Dr. Mendoza itself to make trustworthy records and keep track of them and to avoid lost of students records. Statement of the Problem This states the problems ascertained from the researchers’ gathered data. 1. NSTP Office which offers two program components namely ROTC and CWTS manage students’ records using a manual record keeping system. 2. As a result of utilizing a manual record keeping in the NSTP Office, timely availability of files is often unattainable. 3. Employing a manual record keeping system in the NSTP Office cuts down the life cycle of the files because there are no back up copies, so there is basically no solution once a file is accidentally lost. Objectives of the Study This asserts the objectives that correspond to the ascertained problems. 1. The researchers aspire to develop a computerized record keeping system which will automate the process so it is faster and more accurate, providing the NSTP Office records that are trustworthy. 2. Moreover, the researchers also intend to assist the NSTP Office to attain the timely availability of files via the database incorporated in their proposed automated record keeping system. 3. Furthermore, the researchers aim to lengthen the life span of the files managed by the NSTP Office via a system which enables the user to create back up copies for his files. Scope, Delimitations and Limitations of the Study This part presents the coverage, exclusions, restrictions, limits and boundaries of the study. The system proposed by the researchers will focus mainly on the record keeping system of the NSTP office. The researchers intend to mitigate the possible solutions to the problems presented herein by means of developing a system that will assist the NSTP Head in matters that involves students’ records and its maintenance, user-convenience and retrieval. They will rely only on the gathered data and from there will start on reaching their objectives. The proposed system or program comprises a database system which will facilitate in an organized and efficient compilation of students’ records. In addition, the study will also cover the merging of the record keeping system of the ROTC and CWTS Office. However, the proposed system will provide separate modules for ROTC and for CWTS. Different security pin will be assigned for the two modules so that only the ROTC head can access their office’s records and only the CWTS Head can access their office’s records and vice versa. In spite of this, the NSTP Head will have access on both modules. Accordingly, time consumed in compiling, searching and transferring of records will be trimmed down. On the contrary, the study pays no attention to the grading system utilized by the ROTC and the CWTS Office. Thus, the researchers’ proposed system are not liable for the means of evaluation of the students’ grades done inside the office other than the inputting of final grades and the maintenance of students’ records. Furthermore, the study concentrates merely on automating the record keeping system of the NSTP Office which comprises the management of students’ records of all the freshmen who are taking up NSTP as one of their subjects as well as maintaining, and securing them via the proposed system. Significance of the Study This part affirms the importance of the study. The findings of this study are hoped to be beneficial to the following: The NSTP Office. The findings of this study are a concrete appraisal of the implementation of computer programs in their record keeping system. Likewise, the findings of this study could provide them useful and possible solutions to the problems presented herein; The institution. This study can be used as a guide in measuring how well students learned from their classes more specifically on research and application of other theories learned from various related subjects; and The researchers. This study will serve as a guide and reference material that can be used for future research work. The presentation of information provided in this study can be a basis for research students who will be doing research for the first time.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Indiabulls Research Project

No professional curriculum is considered complete without work experience. It is well evident that work experience is an indispensable part of every professional course. In the same manner practical work in any organization is must for each an every individual, who is undergoing management course.Without the practical exposure one cannot consider himself as a qualified capable manager. Entering in the organization is like stepping into altogether a new world. At first, everything seems strange and unheard but as the time passes one can understands the concept and working of the organization and thereby develop professional relationship. Initially it is felt that as if classroom study was irrelevant and it is useless in any concern working. But gradually it is realize that all fundamental basic concepts studied are linked in one or other ways to the organization.But how and what can be done with fundamentals depends upon the intellectual and applicability of an individual. Executive summary Investing in equities in a market like India is speculative and involves risk that may be greater than other types of investment strategies. Before investing an Investor should be careful enough about him investment decision to avoid erosion of wealth. As seen in the recent times the volatility of market is more detrimental to the retail iinvestors as it seems to be lucrative for speculative gains of short duration of time.Hence an investor has to evaluate his options carefully for a prudent investment, keeping long-term horizon in mind. The report has tried to bring out the parameters those are of paramount importance to general public dealing in an equity trading on day-to day and delivery base trading. The working methodology has been discussed i. e. the data collection methods, sampling methods and the survey questionnaire methods. The questionnaire prepared is designed so as to cover a wide range of customer â€Å"touch points† The report given a view about the i investors perception that what thy think while making investments in shares.The questionnaire has been designed for the target group to get the best amount of data possible keeping in view the importance and authenticity of the information and convenience of the respondent. The selection of investor was predetermined in nature Personal contacts were established to conduct a face-to-face interview. Interview was conducted under strict supervision to maintain the standards of the data collected. Research Design Research design is a spacification of methods and procedures for acquiring the information we need to solve the problems.Research design was adopted for the purpose of collection and analysis of data in a manner aimed at getting relevant information. It was conceptual structure within which research was conducted, collected, measured and analyzed. Research Idea To know the market scene of trading and Investment in equities through Indiabulls securities Ltd. Research Question Wh at is the market trend regarding investment? What difficulties and challenges iinvestors are facing while making investments? Research Statement ? â€Å"To get an insight into the mind of iinvestors regarding trading and investment in Equities† â€Å"To get an insight into the mindset of iinvestors regarding the importance assigned to different attributes such as risk, return, liquidity etc. of various investment channels such as equities. In the report this tries to understand the investor’s behavior while trading. † ? â€Å"To study the preferences and perceptions of iinvestors regarding various financial products from the stable of Indiabulls Securities Ltd. so that the firm can benefit from the findings of the report in launching any new investment product in future.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Ethics of Rendition Essay

This study begins by stating that nulla poena sine lege, meaning that no person may be punished except in accordance with the law. In every instance, there must be a law governing and prescribing punishment. Further to that non omne quod licet honestum est, meaning that not everything that is permissible or even lawful is honest or honorable. There are limitations in respect of this maxim. Finally, it would also like to state that apices juris non sunt jura or non congruit de apicibus juris disputare, meaning that legal principles must not be carried to their most extreme consequences, regardless of equity and good sense. This study deems it fit to address the issue of rendition within the three maxims mentioned there above. It is worth while to note that rendition is not only a legal issue but also an ethical issue, so to speak. Therefore this study will take into consideration several ethical theories to enrich the theoretical perspective of this study. The section on findings and discussion will give a critical synthesis between law and morality discussed in this study. This will also be the part where this study will give its own stance regarding ethics of rendition. Research Questions Q. To what extent can rendition be justified? Q. Is it justifiable in law and in morality? Literature Review This section will explore in depth the notion of rendition and its impact on contemporary society. It will look at how different governments feel about it especially in the United States. Rendition is defined as the act of shifting a person from one nation to another for imprisonment and interrogation through the use of torture, which would not be permissible if they remained in a certain country. Extraordinary rendition involves the transportation of suspected foreign terrorists or other persons suspected of crimes, to other countries for interrogation and imprisonment. Looking at the above definition one can already dismiss the rationale of rendition off-hand. Just before even getting to the aspect of torture in it, why would a government take advantage of another country’s laws? Why is it hard for such a government to enact laws friendly to rendition in their own country? There are so many other queries that need to be addressed here. It is believed that the aim of extraordinary rendition is to make suspects provide intelligence information by torturing them. These suspects are either sent to facilities sponsored by the US government or can be left in the hands of foreign governments. As mentioned earlier, suspects are transported to countries whose laws do not prohibit torture and abusive treatment. In this regard, extraordinary rendition allows acts of torture towards detained suspects notwithstanding the fact that torture is an offence, at least, under international law no matter the cost. This practice is believed to have begun back in 1990s but gained its momentum following the September 9/11 attacks on US. It is also believed that this policy re-appeared during the reign of Bill Clinton although it grew in strength during the reign of George Bush. It is estimated that 150 foreign nationals have been victims of torture as a result of rendition in the last few years alone. In most cases this foreign nationals have purportedly been suspected for terrorist acts. After their transportation, detention and interrogation takes place in countries like Jordan, Egypt, Diego Garcia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt and Guantanamo. Robert Baer, the former CIA agent, is on record for having said that if one wants a serious interrogation then the culprit should be sent to Jordan. If the aim is to torture them then the best place would be Syria and if the aim is to make a victim disappear and never to be seen again, then the best place would be Egypt. There are allegations that US intelligence agencies have sent terror suspects for interrogation by security officials in different countries. By so doing, they put them in a situation where they cannot be protected by the American Law. Some persons confess that they were flown to countries like Syria and Egypt by CIA agencies where they were tortured. The US government and its intelligence agencies believe that their operations are legally justified. Even though US officials agree that terror suspects have been transported to other countries for interrogation, they vehemently deny that acts of torture take place when they get there. The former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is on record for having said that all American interrogators act within the UN Convention on Torture. She went further to state that they adhere to this Convention while exercising their duties in US or in another country. There are several documents that detail human rights legislation, for instance: (a)Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions (b) Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR) (c) United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) and (d) US Constitution. Surprising enough is that US government is a signatory of each of these treatises. This study believes that by the fact that United States identifies with the principles in each of these documents it should be the first nation to safeguard victims against acts of torture. Nonetheless, the impression is that US promotes extraordinary rendition in the name of war on terror. Then why would one not accuse US government of hypocrisy or cynical relativism in terms of its commitment to human rights and civil rights laws? Moreover, the fact that US are a signatory to the abovementioned documents it needs to terminate programs that violate human dignity. The Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions The Geneva Convention set the standards for international law as far as humanitarian issues are concerned. Its central concern was the treatment of civilians as well as prisoners of war. Its principles safeguard against human rights violations and establish universally acceptable standards and approaches relating to detained victims in times of war. The Convention forbids any form of physical or mental torture or any other kind of coercion towards suspects in a bid to gather information from them. It further states that even if the prisoners fail to open up during the interrogation process they should not be intimidated or abused or maltreated for that matter. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights The fifth article in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that â€Å"no person shall be put to torturous acts or inhuman treatment or punishment†. Apart from providing an injunction against torture it further restricts the utilization of â€Å"degrading treatment or punishment†. In the sixth article, it states that every person has a right to recognition before the law no matter where the person is or could be. The eighth article invalidates the CIA’s practice of â€Å"extraordinary rendition†. This article states as follows: â€Å"Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law†. This study believes that whenever prisoners are transported to other countries chances that this protocol will be observed are quite minimal. The ninth article prohibits the arrest of persons with no proper justification, including detention or exile. This provision prevents United States from carrying out extraordinary rendition activities. The tenth article essentially invokes what in Latin can be termed as habeas corpus which literally means that one may have the body. It is a writ ordering a person to be brought before a court or judge so that the court may ascertain whether his detention is lawful or not. United Nations Convention against Torture This convention has an international scope on human rights protection. This Convention is greatly endorsed by the United Nations and its observance is extremely mandatory for all the member states who are signatory to it. As mentioned earlier, United States is a signatory of this document so it has no option but to adhere to its provisions. This Convention states that all signatories should create appropriate measures to safeguard against torturous acts within their territories and prohibits countries from transferring persons to other countries so that they might torture them. Article two states that every state ought to exercise appropriate legislative measures, administration and judicial measures to fight any elements of torture under its jurisdiction. It further states that under no circumstances can torture be justified. The circumstances could be a state of war or a threat of war or public emergency. It also does not matter whether such orders come from the top officers, torture remains unjustified. In article three it states that no person may be transported to another state to be interrogated or tortured simply because that country’s laws allow it. The Constitution of the United States It is quite impressive to discover that the practice of extraordinary rendition is not only prohibited as seen in the three Conventions discussed above, but the US constitution is against it as well. The Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Amendments are a clear indication that US holds a no-policy towards extraordinary rendition. These amendments prohibit arbitrary search and seizure of individual and/or property; it also invokes the right to due process of law, as in, the concept of habeas corpus mentioned above. In this light, US government contradicts the spirit of its constitution whenever they indulge in extraordinary rendition. Deontology versus Utilitarianism Deontological moral theory is also a Non-Consequentialist moral theory. While consequentialists believe that the end always justify the means, deontologists assert that the rightness of an action is not simply qualified by maximizing the good alone, it must be that the action fulfils what is considered moral. It is the inherent nature of the act alone that determines its ethical standing. Or better still, utilinitarianism believe that one should always exploit the good in his/her actions while deontologism believes that it is not the pursuit of the good but it is the moral worthiness in the act. Virtue Ethics is not much concerned with rules, consequences and specific acts but it puts more emphasis on the subject of the actions. In other words, it is interested with the person who is responsible for acting. It holds that acting in accordance with given rules; or analyzing the good outcome of the actions is not what should only count. The most primary thing is whether the subject of the actions, in this case the individual, exhibits elements of good character or moral virtues or not. Unlike utilitarianism which is concerned with the maximization of the good in performing a given act, virtue ethics instead, focuses on the moral quality exhibited by the agent of the actions. Therefore, the dictum that the end justifies the means has no place in virtue ethics. On the other hand, deontologism is somehow a normative approach to ethics which typically evaluates the actions of an individual in relation to moral standards in the objective order. Both utilitarianism and deontology focus on the actions of the agent contrary to virtue ethics which is a complete turn to the subject that is acting. Findings and Discussion Throughout this study it can be seen that there is no where that extraordinary rendition has been justified. The reader taking part in this study can clearly ascertain that rendition has no place either in law or in morality. Furthermore, it cannot be justified no matter the circumstance. This study however believes that persons who destabilize peace and stability should be dealt with accordingly. In any way, they should be eliminated in the society. Looking at the intention of extraordinary rendition, it stands justified in that it serves as a deterrent kind of punishment. Literally, it makes the culprits pay for the wrongs they have committed. In the contemporary society crime cannot be something that anybody will brush under the carpet, it is important that preventive measures be put in place. The Conventions discussed in this study clearly indicate that extraordinary rendition is an offence in law. Now, the problem is that this study does not understand to what extent each of these Conventions applies. It was stated very clearly that signatories to these Conventions are bound by them; so do these same Conventions apply to countries like Syria, Jordan or Egypt which are clearly the preferred destinations for acts of interrogation and torture. This study cannot fail to mention that most countries, or instance, Syria or Egypt are sovereign and with authentic constitutions. Could it be that their constitutions allow extraordinary renditions? Or is it that their laws do not care about such practices? This means that a country need not legalize torture but the fact that its laws say nothing about acts of rendition it becomes a reason to practice them. From a utilitarian ethical viewpoint, the end qualifies the means so long as the acts brings desirable end. This means that utilitarianism supports extraordinary rendition insofar as it will eliminate same crime occurring in the future. On the contrary, deontological ethical viewpoint believes that what should be investigated is the act itself not the consequences. As such, torture is immoral whether a nation recognizes it in law or not. This study confidently declares torture an immoral thing and something that should not be used as a form of punishment. Finally, this study would like to reiterate that the contemporary world needs to enact stiff measures to ensure that all criminals have been completely wiped out. No person should disturb another person’s peace. It also believes that due process of law is the best way to deal with criminals. Imprisonment in itself is maximum punishment since it denies such criminals opportunities for further commitment of crime. Conclusion This study has explored the meaning of extraordinary rendition and its implications. So far, there is no where in this study has it been justified. Much of its practice has been adopted by the United States government in its war on terror. From the Conventions it is clear that the practice of torturous acts remains entirely prohibited no matter the cost. It has also been indicated that the major proponents of extraordinary rendition, the United States for this matter, prohibit such practice in their constitution. This study has also highlighted two ethical standpoints namely deontologism and utilitarianism. Inasmuch as utilitarianism justifies the means due to the perceived good it does not offer any justification for extraordinary rendition. So, human dignity should be upheld at all times. This study invites persons with malicious intentions to reconsider their attitudes and evade practices that would make them be treated inhumanly. Bibliography Alfred W. McCoy, (2006). A Question of Torture: CIA Interrogation from the Cold War to the War on Terror (New York, Metropolitan Books) p. 60. Craig R. Ducat, (2000). Constitutional Interpretation: Rights of the Individual, Vol. II (Belmont, Wadswoth/Thomson Learning), E33. 18 Garret T. (2005). Virtue Theory. London International Committee of the Red Cross, International Humanitarian Law – Third 1949 Geneva Convention. http://www. icrc. org/ihl. nsf/FULL/375? OpenDocument> Jeremy Brecher et al. (2005). eds. , In the Name of Democracy: American War Crimes in Iraq and Beyond, (New York, Metropolitan Books) p. 304-5. Korsgaard, Christine M. (2003). Punishment & Legality: Extraordinary Rendition. New York: Cambridge University Noam Chomsky, (1999). The Umbrella of U. S. Power: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Contradictions of U. S. Policy (New York, Seven Stories Press) p. 71. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, http://www2. ohchr. org/english/law/cat. htm> Schumpeter J. (2006). The Understanding of Deontology Moral Theory. Oxford University Press Stephen Grey, (2007). Ghost Plane: The True Story of the CIA Rendition and Torture Program. New York.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

William Manchester

William Manchester gained his notoriety in a series of biographies based upon the life of Britain’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Through his writings in this work, Manchester made the colorful life of Churchill come alive as Manchester was able to capture an aspect and human aspect that had been missed by many of the other books on Churchill. The same is the case in this book: The World Lit Only by Fire. The book is divided up into three separate and distinct parts. The first part deals with the typical medieval European mind and all the impediments to free thought and learning that the Catholic Church had over the individual in his opinion. However, out of that time, according to Manchester, there was still able to emerge, some of the greatest minds, along with some of the greatest contributions, the world has ever known in the field of science, religion and philosophy. Manchester makes a list of twenty eight such individuals. Some of these would include Martin Luther, Copernicus, Machiavelli, Erasmus and his hero and the man to whom he will constitute the last third of the book about: Magellan and the great importance that Manchester feels, was the contributions that he gave to medieval Europe. The second aspect of the book deals with the Catholic Church and its role of importance and dominance in Europe during that time as well as the corruption of the Popes and the rise of humanism as a direct response to the Catholic Church. The Europe of the Middle Ages is a very large subject to tackle and Manchester does his best to encompass all of the major themes of that time as he sees it, into one comprehensive study. As the title suggests, Manchester attempts to show the relationship between the Medieval Mind and how it evolves into the Renaissance. This occurs through the evolution of religious thought into a more modern day aspect, a complete look at education and philosophy with major contributions to these fields occurring at this time along with the successes in exploration. However, this transformation would not occur overnight. At the beginning of the section entitled â€Å"The Medieval Mind† Manchester states that the age is plagued with the lasting effects of The Black Death, famine, illiteracy and common daily violence surrounding the courts of Europe. Manchester’s concept of the Medieval Mind also comes from the influence that the church has on almost every aspect of society, an influence that Manchester feels served as an impediment to learning. The example of Saint Bernard Clairvaux is given when he states that: â€Å"the pursuit of knowledge, unless sanctified by a holy mission†¦ Is a pagan act, and therefore vile.†[1] The medieval man or woman was left with nothing else than to contemplate God’s wrath and displeasure at their sin. Manchester stated that the only form of society that a typical man or woman felt was what was offered to them by the church. It is then that Manchester tackles The Reformation. In this, he credits both Erasmus, a moderate on issues of religion and which was ahead of his time in Christian thought and tolerance for other versions of Christian Faith, and Martin Luther, who took the Catholic Church head on and did all that he could to show the corruption of the church and dedicated his life to the education of the people. Due to the fact that the masses were not able and/or not allowed to learn how to read, the version of Christianity that was offered to the typical parishioner was typically void of Biblical truth in favor of Catholic Church doctrine which were sometimes in direct conflict with Biblical truths. Manchester goes into detail about the corruption of the church being allowed to flourish, due in part, to the masses inability to read and to know that what was being taught to them was not entirely true. In response to Pope Leo X who was in need of obtaining a large amount of revenue in order to finish the Basicilla at St. Peter’s, allowed Johan Tetzel to sell indulgences which offered eternal salvation to anyone willing to pay for it, Luther became outraged and sought to attack, possibly not the church as a whole, but this doctrine which was completely in conflict with Romans 1:17 which said that the righteous shall live by faith. The resistance that Luther offered to the Catholic Church eventually turned into the Protestant Reformation and as a result, there are more than 650 million Christians of a Protestant section. Another in the chief contributions that Luther gives to his German people, according to Manchester, is the completion of a German language Bible. In order to complete this, Luther had to be hidden away in a tower out of fear of retribution which would lead to death by agents of the Catholic Church, set on suppressing this which they saw the translation as well as the attacks that Luther made in response to the Catholic Church to be vile and wicked. Manchester, with regard to The Reformation, sees the entire process as being avoidable. Manchester sees the corrupt Popes during that time as well as the rigid rules that were put in place by the Catholic Church as being not only unnecessary, but also doing much to incite the masses against the church once an antagonist, such as Luther comes onto the world stage. However, since it did happen, Manchester sees The Reformation as not only a split between the church but also in history as much of Europe could now be split into one of two groups: persons belonging to the Medieval Mindset of superstition and absolute religious adherence, or a new consensus that allowed for the emergence of Copernicus and Galileo and above all in the mind of Manchester, the explorer Magellan. Manchester, in a continuation of his degradation of the Popes of this age, believes that their behaviors not only led to the religious reformation but also to the rise of the humanists. â€Å"Humanism†¦ led to the greatest threat the church had ever faced.†[2] The new inventions and ideas brought on my men like Da Vinci and Copernicus, according to Manchester, put into question â€Å" the certitude that knowledge had been forever fixed by God.†[3] The assertions by Copernicus as well as Galileo, brought into question the whole of idea of God’s omnipotence. Despite the fact that nowhere in The Bible does it claim that the sun revolves around the earth, since the Catholic Church asserted that this was the case and since the church had placed such a stronghold over the minds of the people, any blow to The Catholic Church and their faulty logic, also bought into question, the validity of Christianity as a whole. As a result, since some felt that God could not be trusted and that the inability to see him made the case for faith even harder, the only other logical source was to become a humanist and to believe in the capabilities of man since that is easier to see and to trust in the minds of the faithless. The corruption of the Catholic Church at that time, coupled with the inventions of Galileo and Copernicus, along with the huge popularity of Luther and Erasmus, a more secular and humanistic world view seemed to emerge and as a result, helped usher in the influence of The Renaissance. This brings us to the last section of the book which Manchester has entitled â€Å"One Man Alone.† A full 1/3 of the book is filled with the actions of the explorer Magellan and how Manchester gives a glowing review to the man and his accomplishments. According to Manchester, Magellan’s circumnavigation of the globe â€Å"was the crowning triumph of the age, the final decisive blow to the past.†[4]Manchester includes this accomplishment as not only the greatest of the Middle Ages but also as part of a bigger picture: the religious revolution brought on by Luther and to a lesser but still important degree, Erasmus, the increase of secular power that Copernicus brought on with his achievements towards science. The majority of this section is a glowing review of Magellan and it seems to be, as one critic said: â€Å" a hero worship of the man.†Ã‚   Of all the people of importance that   contributed to Medieval society, Manchester makes a list of the twenty eight most important people. Some of these include Luther, Copernicus and Erasmus. The man that is seated on the top of this list of notables is Magellan. Manchester regards Magellan as â€Å" the linchpin for the men of the Renaissance.† [5] Manchester does not go into detail concerning what he means by this but rather gives a general review of the age which included both high and low culture. Manchester praises Magellan’s handling of the mutiny aboard ship, overlooks his distance miscalculations and refers to Magellan as the era’s greatest hero. In this hero worship of Magellan, Manchester seems to overemphasize the importance of Magellan and ignored the explorations of others. However, for Manchester, Magellan is the quintessential definition of what a hero is. â€Å"The hero acts alone, without encouragement, relying solely on conviction and his own inner resources.†[6] For Manchester, Magellan has always come to define such ideals. Manchester’s ultimate argument is that Magellan’s voyage is directly connected to the shattering of what he had come to define throughout his book, as â€Å"The Medieval Mind.† That is to mean, in Manchester’s opinion, a world that is ruled by superstitions as well as not only the corrupt Catholic Church but seemingly, most or all organized religions combined. Many reviews of Manchester’s book, The World Lit Only by Fire, does not contain a scholarly opinion of the book as Manchester’s telling of the events and conclusions to those events do not seem to be objective. There is seen within the pages of The World Lit Only by Fire, a great deal of biases, anecdotes and humor that seems out of place in a scholarly work of history. Yet, the book, for fans of Manchester as well as those interested in a fascinating read, will find his book, advantageous to that endeavor. A World Lit Only By Fire is an informative read, yet as its purpose does not possess educational intentions, it tends to include humor, perspectives, biases, and anecdotes that readers may consider not to be objective. In what was supposed to be a forward on a friend’s book about Magellan, is turned into a separate work on the Middle Ages and all that is occurring at that time. Manchester gives a less than glowing opinion of the Catholic Church, from the Popes all the way down to the nuns and places full blame upon the corruption and the questioning of there ever being the need for a Reformation in the first place, if The Catholic Church had remained pure and free from corruption. However, The Middle Ages also saw the rise of the humanists which placed their faith in what they could see rather than in what they wanted to see or were told to see by a dominating force as in the form of the Catholic Church. The achievements of Copernicus, Da Vinci and Magellan helped to usher in the rise of scientific thought that was seen to a great degree in The Renaissance that was to follow the days and events that are portrayed in Manchester’s book. A newly educated class comes out of the Middle Ages which will turn into the humanists. And to an alarming extent, compared to their ancestors from the region, become disillusioned about religion to a degree that is seen still to this day in America and in much of The West. In this regard, Manchester points out, as he does in many of his books, the idea that History is not static. That its importance is not bottled up in a far away land and in a time that does not serve any purpose to contemporary society. Manchester works more like a novelist than a historian as he overlooks anything that could serve as evidence to the contrary of Manchester’s assertion that the average Medieval Mind was pathetic and weak. It seems that Manchester regards as much, anyone during that time that does not have the honor of being on his list of twenty eight notables who lived during the Middle Ages. For those who agree, A World Lit Only by Fire will serve to validate such opinions. For those who feel as though there always more occurring during that time than has the been the consensus among a small but consistent minority of historians, the book will have the reader responding out loud to some of the assertions that Manchester makes. But in the end, William Manchester is a entertaining and, for those that cannot forget his works on Churchill, a great writer. WORKS CITED Manchester, William.   The World Lit Only by Fire. The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance. [1] Manchester, William.   The World Lit Only by Fire. The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance. 8 [2] Manchester, William.   The World Lit Only by Fire. The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance p. 112 [3] Manchester, William.   The World Lit Only by Fire. The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance p. 91 [4] Manchester, William.   The World Lit Only by Fire. The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance p. 294 [5] Manchester, William.   The World Lit Only by Fire. The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance p. 33 [6] Manchester, William.   The World Lit Only by Fire. The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance p. 225