Transindentalism essays

Transindentalism essays To describe what transcendentalism is to someone would just take too long and knowing my skills of explaining, I won t even try. So, to sum it up as short as possible. I would have to use one single phrase from the movie Dead Poets Society. Its said by Mr. Keatings on one of his first days teaching. As hes standing behind a group of kids and he tells them to seize the day. That to me describes all of what transcendentalism is, it tells them to have no regrets, to stop and smell the roses, dont follow rules just because theyre there, do it because they mean something to you, follow your gut instincts. I find all these meanings in that one little phrase. Most people are afraid to do what Mr. Keatings had told them to do. Seizing the day would mean that you would have to be yourself, to make your own choices. With a school like Welton people did become afraid and they lashed back, trying to get people back to the original rules and the everyday routines. In the beginning of the movie, all the boys did as they were told, they said the four pillars as they were told and they followed what ever there parents had told them even if it wasnt something they wanted. One good example of this would be when Neil Perrys father had told him to drop out of his Yearbook editing class. No one, not any one of them had the guts to go against what there fathers wishes. Later when Mr. Keatings showed up, he taught them that they had a mind of there own and that they could use it on there own. He had also taught the boys how to see things from there own perspective, to let them see what life had in store for them. When the boys found out about the Dead poets society they were all excited to rebel and to rebuild this once lost society of reading old poems and to be free at the same time out in an open cave. This was only the beginning of finding themselves. ...

Explore Antarcticas Hidden Lake Vostok

Explore Antarcticas Hidden Lake Vostok One of the largest lakes on planet Earth is an extreme environment hidden beneath a thick glacier near the South Pole. Its called Lake Vostok, buried beneath nearly four kilometers of ice on Antarctica. This frigid environment has been hidden from sunlight and Earths atmosphere for millions of years. From that description, it sounds like the lake would be an icy trap devoid of life. Yet, despite its hidden location and terribly inhospitable environment, Lake Vostok teems with thousands of unique organisms. They range from tiny microbes to fungi and bacteria, making Lake Vostok a fascinating case study in how life survives in hostile temperatures and high pressure. Finding Lake Vostok The existence of this sub-glacial lake took the world by surprise. It was first found by an aerial photographer from Russia who noticed a large smooth impression near the South Pole in East Antarctica. Followup radar scans in the 1990s confirmed that something was buried under the ice. The newly discovered lake turned out to be quite large: 230 kilometers (143 miles long) and 50 km (31 miles) wide. From its surface to the bottom, it is 800 meters (2,600) feet deep, buried under miles of ice. Lake Vostok and Its Water There are no subterranean or sub-glacial rivers feeding Lake Vostok. Scientists have determined that its sole source of water is melted ice from the ice sheet that hides the lake. Theres also no way for its water to escape, making Vostok a breeding ground for underwater life. Advanced mapping of the lake, using remote sensing instruments, radar, and other geologic research tools, show that the lake sits on a ridge, which may be harboring heat in a hydrothermal vent system. That geothermal heat (generated by molten rock beneath the surface) and the pressure of the ice on top of the lake keep the water at a constant temperature. The Zoology of Lake Vostok When Russian scientists drilled cores of ice out from above the lake to study the gases and ices laid down during different periods of Earths climate, they brought samples of frozen lake water up for study. Thats when the life forms of Lake Vostok were first discovered. The fact that these organisms exist in the lake water, which, at -3 ° C, is somehow not frozen solid, raises questions about the environment in, around, and under the lake. How do these organisms survive in these temperatures? Why hasnt the lake frozen over? Scientists have now studied the lakes water for decades. In the 1990s, they began to find microbes there, along with other types of miniature life, including fungi (mushroom-type life), eukaryotes (the first organisms with true nuclei), and assorted multicellular life. Now, it appears that more than 3,500 species live in the lakes water, in its slushy surface, and in its frozen muddy bottom. Without sunlight, Lake Vostoks living community of organisms (called extremophiles, because they thrive in extreme conditions), rely on chemicals in rocks and heat from the geothermal systems to survive. This isnt terribly different from other such life forms found elsewhere on Earth. In fact, planetary scientists suspect that such organisms could thrive very easily in extreme conditions on icy worlds in the solar system. The DNA of Lake Vostoks Life Advanced DNA studies of the Vostokians indicate that these extremophiles are typical of both freshwater and saltwater environments and they somehow find a way to live in the cold waters. Interestingly, while the Vostok life forms are thriving on chemical food, they themselves are identical to bacteria that live inside of fish, lobsters, crabs, and some types of worms. So, while the Lake Vostok life forms may be isolated now, they are clearly connected to other forms of life on Earth. They also make a good population of organisms to study, as scientists ponder whether or not similar life exists elsewhere in the solar system, particularly in the oceans beneath the icy surface of Jupiters moon, Europa. Lake Vostok is named for Vostok Station, commemorating a Russian sloop used by Admiral Fabian von Bellingshausen, who sailed on voyages to discover Antartica. The word means east in Russian. Since its discovery, scientists have been surveying the under-ice landscape of the lake and the surrounding region. Two more lakes have been found, and that now raises the question about connections between these otherwise-hidden bodies of water. In addition, scientists are still debating the history of the lake, which appears to have formed at least 15 million years ago and was covered over by thick blankets of ice. The surface of Antarctica above the lake routinely experiences very cold weather, with temperatures dipping down to -89 ° C. The biology of the lake continues to be a major source of research, with scientists in the U.S., Russia, and Europe, studying the water and its organisms closely to understand their evolutionary and biological processes. Continued drilling poses a risk to the ecosystem of the lake since contaminants such as antifreeze will harm the organisms of the lake. Several alternatives are being examined, including hot-water drilling, which may be somewhat safer, but it  still poses a danger to lake life.

The makeup of a good research question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The makeup of a good research question - Essay Example 3). Examples of these questions would involve the why’s and how’s of the object being studied. The data format of the answers derived from these questions is textual in nature. Quantitative research questions, on the other hand, aim to â€Å"quantify variation, predict causal relationships, or describe the characteristics of a population† (Mack et al., 2011). Questions that explore the differences, relationships, and characteristics of the object being studied, therefore, are quantitative in nature. The answers generated from these questions are usually numerical in nature. These questions sometimes aim to quantify otherwise unquantifiable objects by transforming them into measurable variables and relationships. Another defining characteristic of a quantitative question is its reliance on experiments and surveys as research methods. While quantitative and qualitative research questions differ in the way they attack a research problem, combining them can lead to a more insightful and comprehensive research study. Some studies, for instance, begin with a quantitative question to uncover manifest characteristics of an object being studied and then proceed to a qualitative one to delve deeper into the meanings and relationships within that object. References Brikci, M., & Green, J. (2007). A guide to using qualitative research methodology.

Infectious Diseases within Inmate Populations Essay

Infectious Diseases within Inmate Populations - Essay Example The research has been carried out this way to give more of an interpretation on the realism of the prison environment and what is currently proving adverse and hard to control. The conclusion summarizes the main points and brings emphases to the strategies that have been implemented in the last few years to keep down the rate of infectious diseases among the inmate population. In just the past five years the amount of people being incarcerated in America has increased dramatically, topping the statistics of other countries who incarcerate individuals on a yearly basis. Because of this continuing problem disease has become eradicate in the prison environment and there are times when the attempt to control it is overwhelming to prison and public officials (Needels et al 2005). However, in years dating back to the mid 1900's, the spread of disease in prison was even more intensive than it is today. The only difference was the occurrence of disease was kept concealed and many people were exiting the prison system with infectious diseases without being aware of them. ... Therefore in order to appropriately detour disease in the prison and jail systems in the future there needs to be extreme precautions and remedies put into affect in today's time before this issue expels over into the community as an epidemic of disease related illnesses. Of course, one of the most difficult infectious diseases within the prisons in the United States is the wide spread illness of HIV. In fact it has been a difficult disease to try and combat for many years but this is due to the fact of the activities within the prison systems that can lead to the acquisition of HIV in the inmate population. For instance, many prisoners engage in activities such as homosexual acts, unsterilized needle usage for tattooing and drug use, unsanitary habits, etc; within the prison environment which leaves them open to contracting a major disease such as this one and therefore the contraction of it within an inmate population is extremely high and very difficult to keep at a minimal level. However peer education has proven to be an essential way to provide prisoners with literary materials that help them to understand how to protect themselves from contracting such serious illnesses like Hepatitis and HIV (UNAIDS 1996). Nevertheless, there are still many p rison and jail systems that are highly lacking in intervention methods to control infectious diseases. This poses many concerns for the officials who work inside the prison for not only are the inmates health issues a concern but the health of those trying to maintain law and order within the prison environment, and those who visit inmates from the neighboring communities becomes a major problematic area for health officials trying to keep disease to a minimum. This is why it was previously stated that

War News Censorship Essay Example for Free

War News Censorship Essay Censorship is a general term used to describe the manner at which control of information and its circulation is being employed within a society. Censorship is often administrated with the goal to implicate political suppression and to deliberately impose moral values on others. It can be implemented through government and private pressures, although government sponsored censorship is rendered unconstitutional (â€Å"What is Censorship† 1 ). In the global context, censorship is employed is various ways and behind different rationales. The earliest argument used to rationalized censorship is with respect to religious context, it inculcates values for conscience and moral entities that can make censorship acceptable to the public. Another, issues on national security and defense is also used to justify the censorship. â€Å"Censorship through intimidation† and â€Å"censorship though consensus† are also possible to be employed (â€Å"What is Censorship† 2) On the context of war news media, censorship is used as a tool for propaganda. In every war, there are two battles fought; one is in the battlefield, and the other is through the minds of the people made possible in the propaganda and news releases that are being circulated. The labeling used between the â€Å"good guys† and the â€Å"bad guys† are done in such a way that the media and the government can influence the minds of their readers and the majority of the people to support their cause, or to develop a sense of legitimacy on why they are really ought to be involved in a war. Misleading the people is possible through (1) only covering selected stories; (2) giving out only partial facts; (3) reinforcing reasons and motivations; (4) narrow sources of â€Å"experts† and other resource persons; (5) demonizing their opponents; and (6) narrow range of discourse (Shah, 2005). Moreover, war news media is being censored to restrict and to minimize occurrences for leakage of war photos which are deemed to be violent. Thus, this aspect of censorship is deemed to have implications on the moral values of the people. In a way, censorship is also employed to eliminate the possibility that people will become violent if continuously, they are exposed to violent images and occurrences behind the war (â€Å"What is Censorship† 1 ). Vietnam Era   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vietnam War was the first war that was given full access and full freedom to the journalists. During this era, the journalists were given the freedom to report the war as they have seen it, and they were able to publish images in order to enable to let the public view the war in the most accurate possible way. The earlier war occurrences were beneficial to the American community. The events before the Tet Offensive were proven to have gathered support for the American offensive. However, the spark of the American Embassy in Saigon, as it been publicly watched by the American people, signaled the defeat of the American troops and consequently they have become doubtful to the then present President Johnson’s credibility. Consequently though, this event has led the American support for the war to decrease and falter (Media’s Role in the Vietnam Era) These turn of events, the complete media access and the full freedom to journalistic reporting has proven to be detrimental to the flight of American troops. The outcome of the media coverage and the humiliating coverage of the American defeat in the war have caused the morale of the US soldiers to surge down; and in turn, have boosted the morale of the Vietnamese soldiers which was during this time, were perceived to be the enemy. Further, the media coverage has implicated that the war was more like a â€Å"Communist victory† rather than just plainly the failure of the Tet Offensive. Thus, the war’s ultimate failure to repress the growing Communist idealism in Vietnam was blamed on television and media – that the public has turned against their support against Vietnam War was due to the media’s accurate depiction of the horrors that were inculcated in the war (Humphreys). Contemporary War: Iraq War   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The war in Iraq is currently viewed as media’s â€Å"crisis coverage†. This contemporary war occurrence has also proved the innate strong influence of media, as they still have contributed a delicate role in the anti-Iraq hysteria. The media has published sinister images of the Iraqi leaders that connoted the meaning that they are indeed enemies (Smith, 2001). More so, the media’s mainstream performance has caused the Iraq War to become a disaster. The subjective allegations of the Bush administration that were further accepted , published and proliferated by the media have served as direct blows that further hastened the development of the war. And though there were critical journalists who raised questions despite the growing support for the Iraq war, still the damage of unfair reporting and biased presentation of information has caused the war to further burn (Iraq and the Media).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition, aside from the military conflicts and aggression, the Iraq War is more likely a â€Å"war of ideas†, in which the US government has instigated first. The obvious fact is that, the US has anchored their attack solely on the basis of allegations which up to now haven’t been proven to be accurate. And despite the oppositions to the war due to insufficient proofs of Iraq’s direct US threat, the US government has still pushed to the war (Regan 2006). And now, they are under the pressure of winning this â€Å"war of ideas† in order to keep US support from the majority of the world community, which is attainable through strategic dispensing of information and tactical censorship of ideas that are flowing in the global community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, the current war in Iraq has once again instituted the means for media censorship. In contrast to the Vietnam War wherein full coverage was given to access the entire war discourse, the current aggression in Iraq has proven to be rather selective and biased on which issues are to be leaked outside for the media to circulate. Moreover, the media along with the military have also covered up the truth behind the occurrences of war – they have been leaking false tallies of war casualties and other records that are relevant to assess the true status of the war. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   War news censorship indeed plays an integral role in any war occurrences. In Vietnam, less censorship has led to the tumbling down of war support from the US community, due to the adversaries that were shown by the media as they were entitled for full coverage of the war. On the other hand, the war on Iraq which is currently under minimal media coverage, in addition to the highly censored and filtered nature of news standards, the US government is able to gather the support from the global community. Further, war news censorship has also greatly influenced the morale of the people who are directly and indirectly involved in the war. Positive or negative feedbacks gathered from media coverage relatively affects the feelings, attachments and morale of the people involved. Works Cited Humphreys, Donald. War on Television. The Museum of Broadcast Communications. 4 December 2007 http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/W/htmlW/warontelevi/warontelevi.htm Iraq and the Media. 19 March 2007. Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. 4 December 2007 http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3062 Media’s Role in the Vietnam Era. Trinity College, Department of History. 4 December 2007 http://www.trincoll.edu/classes/hist300/media.htm Regan, Tom. Experts: US Must Win â€Å"War of Ideas†. 16 June 2006. CSMONITOR.COM. 4 December 2007 http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0616/dailyUpdate.html Shah, Anup. War, Propaganda and Media. 31 March 2005. Global Issues. 4 December 2007 http://www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/Media/Military.asp Smith, Sharon. â€Å"Targeting Iraq: US Hypocrisy and Media Lies.† International Socialist Review. November-December 2001. What is Censorship?(1) American Civil Liberties Union. 4   December 2007. http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/censorship/26611res20060830.html What is Censorship?(2) 4 December 2007 http://www.gilc.org/speech/osistudy/censorship/

Comparing Women in Anna Akhmatova’s Lot’s Wife, Crucifixion, and Rache

Powerful Women in Anna Akhmatova’s Lot’s Wife, Crucifixion, and Rachel â€Å"But Lot's wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt† (New Geneva Study Bible, Gen. 19. 26). â€Å"Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and Zebedee's wife, the mother of James and John† (Matt. 27:56). â€Å"Jacob went over to the well and rolled away the stone and watered his uncle's flock. Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and tears came to his eyes†¦But when Jacob woke up in the morning – it was Leah! ‘What sort of trick is this?’ Jacob raged at Laban. ‘I worked seven years for Rachel. What do you mean by this trickery?’† (Gen. 29). These are among the few verses dedicated to three women of the Bible. No commentary or insight into their inner persons is given. Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt, Mary was present at her son’s crucifixion, and Rachel’s older sister took her place in the marriage bed. Plain and simple, these are the cold, hard f acts. In her poems â€Å"Lot’s Wife,† â€Å"Crucifixion,† and â€Å"Rachel,† Anna Akhmatova breathes life into these women by delving into their emotions and painting a picture of them in their surroundings. The Biblical account of Rachel and Jacob’s relations gives only the details of their encounters and the fact that Jacob loved Rachel so much that he was willing to work for seven years in order to have her as his wife. When he is deceived and takes Leah instead, the Bible makes no mention of Rachel’s feelings, which were undoubtedly overpowering. The beautiful young daughter, Rachel, who is stabbed in the back by her sister and father, demands more detail; how deeply did this deception affect her? Through imagery, use of detail, and figurative language Akhmatova begins to op... ...tegrating as her legs were stuck to the ground. The last stanza despairs that that no one mourned the death of this woman who dies for the love of her home and emphasizes that women like Lot’s wife should not be forgotten. Masterfully, Anna Akhmatova takes three flat women from the pages of the Bible and paints their deepest emotions. These three women deserved to have their inner hearts revealed, and delicately, Akhmatova justifies them to her readers. In her readers’ minds, Mary, Lot’s wife, and Rachel are no longer objective women, but true-to-life women who suffer pressing trials. Works Cited Akhmatova, Anna. "Rachel". Trans. D. M. Thomas.  Anna Akhmatova: Selected Poems. New York: Penguin, 1985. New Geneva Study Bible. New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995. PID 8047 1 Marlow Engl. 12. Sect. 37

Economics for Sa

The balance-of-payments (BOP) accounts of a country record the payments and receipts of the people of the country in their transactions with people of other countries. If all transactions are included , the payments and receipts of each country must be equal. I. E. Net Exports (NIX) always equal Net Capital Outflow (NCO). Although this is rarely the case. The BOP statement divides international transactions into three accounts: the current account, the change in reserve assets/capital account and the financial account.The current account and financial account are impacted by export/import of odds and services. Every international transaction results in a credit and a debit. Transaction that causes money to leave a country is a debit. Q: How many economists does it take to change a light bulb? A: Eight. One to screw it in and seven to hold everything else constant. Source: http://enter. Mac. AC. UK/ Joke. HTML When the US purchases South African diamonds, the AS Current Account will h ave a credit and the US current account a debit.However AS will have a surplus of Dollars and so will purchase US assets example US Bonds. This transaction will be recorded in the financial account in the balance of payments. If South Africa buys US Dollars or any other foreign currency as an asset, then this is also recorded in the financial account. 2. 2. 1 Net Capital Flows If South Africa buys more US assets I. E. Invests more in the foreign market than what foreign markets invest in South Africa, then South Africa has a POSITIVE net capital outflow.According to our example in the Market for AS Diamonds in the US , if South Africa has a trade surplus or current account surplus with the US then it will have POSITIVE net capital outflow as it will use the surplus of US dollars to purchase US assets. 2. 2. 2 South Africans Current Account Deficit Please refer to Diagram 4 in the Appendix. A current account deficit meaner that a country is importing more goods and services than it e xports. This is an indication that an economy is â€Å"investing more than it is saving† and is borrowing from other economies to finance its spending.We are an emerging/developing economy so we borrow in order to produce more BUT our current account deficit is growing – and this is concerning. This is an indication that our economy is â€Å"unbalanced† and the governments' efforts to redress this imbalance can be seen as they try to grow our local manufacturing industry. The deficits have been among the main reasons for the recent rand weakness as investors worry about South Africans ability to finance them. We will now examine developments in the foreign exchange markets and how they have impacted South Africa. 3.Please refer to diagram 9 for the historical trend of the last 5 years of the Sara's exchange rate against the USED, YUAN, GAP and EURO. Economists can supply it on demand. Source: http://enter. Mac. AC. UK/Joke. HTML You can immediately notice that t he Rand (CAR) is rapidly moving between peaks and roughs. This meaner that the Rand is not stable I. E. It is volatile. This is because South Africa is considered an emerging market. Any sudden change politically or globally will result in investors investing in more stable economies like the US (USED) or United Kingdom (GAP).We have greater † financial volatility because we swing between economic prosperity and economic decline. † The USED, GAP and Euro (RUE) are currencies of the most stable economies in the world and are predictable and considered a ‘safe bet' by investors. Their currencies float freely. China however pegs TTS currency to the USED and deliberately keeps the YUAN weaker than the USED so that it can encourage exports of its goods and services. Please refer to Diagram 5&6. From Mid 2010 we see a consolidation or recovery of most countries from the 2008 Global Recession.This is due to the 2010 FIFE World Cup that created positive sentiment toward AS . This also created investor confidence which led to steady Direct Foreign Investment. This event was an ideal marketing platform for the tourism sector in AS. We see a peak in tourism during the World Cup. (Diagram AAA) This growth culminated at the end of 2010 (Diagram b), this reign interest increased the demand for AS goods and services which in turn increased the demand for the CAR which caused an appreciation of the CAR against foreign currencies.

Adi Godrej

Personal Profile Adi Godrej †¢Birth Name: Adi Burjorji Godrej †¢Common Name: Adi Godrej †¢Date of Birth: April 3, 1942 †¢Zodiac Sign: Aries †¢Sex: Male †¢Hair Color: White †¢Nationality: Indian †¢Religion: Hinduism †¢Education: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Family Adi Godrej †¢Father: Burjorji Godrej †¢Mother: Jai Godrej †¢Brother: Nadir Godrej †¢Spouse: Parmeshwar Godrej †¢Son: Pirojsha †¢Daughter: Tanya Dubash, Nisa Godrej Career Adi Godrej †¢Profession: Businessman Trivia Adi Godrej †¢. Submit View All Trivia Quotes Adi Godrej Recently Godrej Industries and our consumer division outsourced their IT architecture to HP. Each division/group works independently, and so the decisions were also independent. All the same, each department has a different skill set. We wanted to benchmark and balance those. – Unknown submitted by – Vaibhav Dhiman †¢We deployed ERP more than a dec ade ago to connect with vendors and customers. Today, the ERP covers all modules even the HRD. We further expanded the scope in customer relationship by bringing CRM online.With eCRM, we have taken it a step forward. We refresh the technology regularly. From an MFG Pro ERP ten years ago to SAP, we have come a long way. – Unknown submitted by – Sanjeev Dhiman †¢No. I only use the email and occasionally access the internet. † I have a Blackberry Bold as a personal tool. I do not have a laptop. I work on a desktop. – Unknown submitted by – Sanjeev Dhiman †¢Very important. However, he is not a business strategist, a CEO is responsible. CIO is a part of the business strategy team, and is a part of the business decisions.It should be understood that technology does not dictate business, business dictates technology. A business should be able to leverage technology. BI is also a very important tool to understand customer behaviour. Information is collected and used well. However, technology modules cannot be the center of business. Innovation in prod – Unknown submitted by – Sandeep Sandeep Singh †¢We are in many businesses. We will continue to expand in the B2B segment, and our major areas of growth are the FMCG and property divisions.We are growing at a faster rate then the competition in the FMCG market. In the property market, there is a huge scope for all players to grow. It is a vast market with huge growth potential. – Unknown submitted by – New ID Submit View all Quotes ‘Joint ventures and strategic aliances are not necessarily forever' Biography Adi Godrej Last Updated: Wednesday, February 13, 2002 . The Godrej products were among the first indigenously manufactured products to move entrenched overseas brands.

Overview of United States Government

Overview of United States Government The government of the United States is based on a written constitution. At 4,400 words, it is the shortest national constitution in the world. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire ratified the Constitution giving it the necessary 9 out of 13 votes needed for the Constitution to pass. It officially went into effect on  March 4, 1789.  It was  consists of a Preamble, seven Articles, and 27 Amendments. From this document, the entire federal government was created. It is a living document whose interpretation has changed over time. The amendment process is such that while not easily amended, US citizens are able to make necessary changes over time. Three Branches of Government The Constitution created three separate branches of government. Each branch has its own powers and areas of influence. At the same time, the Constitution created a system of checks and balances that ensured no one branch would reign supreme. The three branches are: Legislative Branch- This branch consists of the Congress which is responsible for making the federal laws. Congress consists of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives.Executive Branch- The Executive power lies with the President of the United States who is given the job of executing, enforcing, and administering the laws and government. The Bureaucracy is part of the Executive Branch.Judicial Branch- The judicial power of the United States is vested in the Supreme Court and the federal courts. Their job is to interpret and apply US laws through cases brought before them. Another important power of the Supreme Court is that of Judicial Review whereby they can rule laws unconstitutional. Six Foundational Principles The Constitution is built on six basic principles. These are deeply ingrained in the mindset and landscape of the US Government. Popular Sovereignty- This principle states that the source of governmental power lies with the people. This belief stems from the concept of the social contract and the idea that government should be for the benefit of its citizens. If the government is not protecting the people, it should be dissolved.Limited Government- Since the people give the government its power, the government itself is limited to the power given to it by them. In other words, the US government does not derive its power from itself. It must follow its own laws and it can only act using powers given to it by the people.Separation of Powers- As stated previously, the US Government is divided into three branches so that no one branch has all the power. Each branch has its own purpose: to make the laws, execute the laws, and interpret the laws.Checks and Balances- In order to further protect the citizens, the constitution set up a system of checks and balances. Basically, each branch of government has a certain nu mber of checks it can use to ensure the other branches do not become too powerful. For example, the president can veto legislation, the Supreme Court can declare acts of Congress unconstitutional, and the Senate must approve treaties and presidential appointments. Judicial Review- This is a power that allows the Supreme Court to decide whether acts and laws are unconstitutional. This was established with Marbury v. Madison in 1803.Federalism- One of the most complicated foundations of the US is the principle of federalism. This is the idea that the central government does not control all the power in the nation. States also have powers reserved to them. This division of powers does overlap and sometimes leads to problems such as what happened with the response to Hurricane Katrina between the state and federal governments. Political Process While the Constitution sets up the system of government, the actual way in which the offices of Congress and the Presidency are filled are based upon the American political system. Many countries have numerous political parties- groups of people who join together to try and win political office and thereby control the government- but the US exists under a two-party system. The two major parties in America are the Democratic and Republican parties. They act as coalitions and attempt to win elections. We currently have a two-party system because of not only historical precedent and tradition but also the  electoral system itself. The fact that America has a two-party system does not mean that there is no role for third parties in the American landscape. In fact, they have often swayed elections even if their candidates have in most cases not won. There are four major types of third parties: Ideological Parties, e.g. Socialist PartySingle-Issue parties, e.g. Right to Life PartyEconomic Protest Parties, e.g. Greenback PartySplinter Parties, e.g. Bull Moose Party Elections Elections occur in the United States at all levels including local, state, and federal. There are numerous differences from locality to locality and state to state. Even when determining the presidency, there is some variation with how the electoral college is determined from state to state. While voter turnout is barely over 50% during Presidential election years and much lower than that during midterm elections, elections can be hugely important as seen by the top ten significant presidential elections.

Facts About the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor

Facts About the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor In the early morning of Dec. 7, 1941, the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by the Japanese military. At the time, Japans military leaders thought the attack would neutralize American forces, allowing Japan to dominate the Asia Pacific region. Instead, the deadly strike drew the U.S. into World War II, making it a truly global conflict. These are the most important facts that should be recalled about this historical event. What Is Pearl Harbor? Pearl Harbor is a natural deepwater naval port on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, located just west of Honolulu. At the time of the attack, Hawaii was an American territory, and the military base at Pearl Harbor was home to the U.S. Navys Pacific Fleet.   U.S.-Japan Relations Japan had embarked on an aggressive campaign of military expansion in Asia, beginning with its invasion of Manchuria (modern-day Korea) in 1931. As the decade progressed, the Japanese military pushed into China and French Indochina (Vietnam) and rapidly built up its armed forces. By the summer of 1941, the U.S. had cut off most trade with Japan to protest that nations belligerence, and diplomatic relations between the two nations were very tense. Negotiations that November between the U.S. and Japan went nowhere. Lead-Up to the Attack The Japanese military began laying plans to attack Pearl Harbor as early as January 1941. Although it was Japanese  Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto  who initiated the plans for the attack  on  Pearl Harbor, Commander Minoru Genda was the plans chief architect. The Japanese used the  code name  Operation Hawaii for the attack. This later changed to Operation Z. Six aircraft carriers left Japan for Hawaii on Nov. 26, carrying a total of 408 fighter craft, joining five midget submarines that had departed a day earlier. Japans military planners specifically chose to attack on a Sunday because they believed Americans would be more relaxed and thus less alert on a weekend. In the hours before the attack, the Japanese attack force stationed itself approximately 230 miles north of Oahu. The Japanese Strike At 7:55 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, the first wave of Japanese fighter planes struck; the second wave of attackers would come 45 minutes later. In a little under two hours, 2,335 U.S. servicemen were killed and 1,143 were wounded. Sixty-eight civilians were also killed and 35 were wounded. The Japanese lost 65 men, with an additional soldier being captured. The Japanese had two major objectives: Sink Americas aircraft carriers and destroy its fleet of fighter planes. By chance, all three U.S. aircraft carriers were out to sea. Instead, the Japanese focused on the Navys eight battleships at Pearl Harbor, all of which were named after American states: Arizona, California, Maryland, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Japan also targeted nearby Army airfields at Hickam Field, Wheeler Field, Bellows Field, Ewa Field, Schoefield Barracks, and Kaneohe Naval Air Station. Many of the U.S. airplanes were lined up outside,  along with the airstrips, wingtip to wingtip, in order to avoid sabotage. Unfortunately, that made them easy targets for the Japanese attackers. Caught unawares, U.S. troops and commanders scrambled to get planes in the air and ships out of the harbor, but they were able to muster only a feeble defense, largely from the ground. The Aftermath All eight U.S. battleships were either sunk or damaged during the attack. Amazingly, all but two (the USS Arizona  and the USS Oklahoma) were eventually able to return to active duty. The USS Arizona  exploded when a bomb breached its forward magazine (the ammunition room). Approximately 1,100 U.S. servicemen died on board. After being torpedoed, the  USS Oklahoma  listed so badly that it turned upside down. During the attack, the  USS Nevada  left its berth in Battleship Row and tried to make it to the harbor entrance. After being repeatedly attacked on its way, the  USS Nevada  beached itself. To aid their airplanes, the Japanese sent in five midget subs to help target the battleships. The Americans sunk four of the midget subs and captured the fifth. In all, nearly 20 American naval vessels and about 300 aircraft were damaged or destroyed in the attack. The U.S. Declares War The day following the attack on Pearl Harbor, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress, seeking a declaration of war against Japan. In what would become one of his most memorable speeches, Roosevelt declared that Dec. 7, 1941, would be a date that will live in infamy.  Only one legislator, Rep. Jeanette Rankin of Montana, voted against the declaration of war. On Dec. 8, Japan officially declared war against the U.S., and three days later, Germany followed suit. World War II had begun.

Developing Strategic Management and Leadership Skills Essay

Developing Strategic Management and Leadership Skills - Essay Example This project stresses that a leader will verify that the salaries are being paid in time; will pursue a system of rewards and bonuses; and, will listen to the employees’ troubles and will try to remove them. This will keep them working at high competence. The leader will make agreements with business partners while respecting their decisions. This confidence between the partners makes the organization grow and maintains its integrity. A leader will know how to schedule his projects keeping in mind the time frame and instructs the team to manage their work schedules accordingly.  From the report it is clear that the goal of leadership is to make the new comers follow the way the leaders work and behave in the organization. The leaders should show such an attitude at the workplace that would inspire others to follow their directions. The ultimate goal of the leadership is to create such teams that work effectively to produce greater results. The most important thing is conside ration about internal and external communication. If leaders want that employees participate in a vigorous collaborative environment where they interrelate with each other in a better way to share their ideas and information, they would have to take steps to improve their communication with their workers, listen to their problems, talk to them and work out their issues. Workers will automatically start following them and the overall organizational culture will improve. This is the transformational leadership. (Brown & Travino, 2006) actually in which the leaders produce such an effect on their subordinates that they inflict a â€Å"transforming effect† on them thus producing â€Å"sweeping changes in organizations and societies† (Priyabhasini & Krishnan, 2005, p.1). Strategic Management Strategic management is the process of determining goals and objectives while recognizing roles and responsibilities and meeting deadlines. It involves the