Biography of John Riley - Saint Patricks Battalion

John Riley (Circa 1805-1850) was an Irish soldier who deserted the American army just before the outbreak of the Mexican-American War. He joined the Mexican army and founded the St. Patricks Battalion, a force made up of fellow deserters, primarily Irish and German Catholics. Riley and the others deserted because treatment of foreigners in the US army was very harsh and because they felt that their allegiance was more with Catholic Mexico than Protestant USA. Riley fought with distinction for the Mexican army and survived the war only to die in obscurity. Early Life and Military Career Riley was born in County Galway, Ireland sometime between 1805 and 1818. Ireland was a very poor country at the time and was hit hard even before the great famines began around 1845. Like many Irish, Riley made his way to Canada, where he likely served in a British army regiment. Moving to Michigan, he enlisted in the US army before the Mexican-American War. When sent to Texas, Riley deserted to Mexico on April 12, 1846, before the war officially broke out. Like other deserters, he was welcomed and invited to serve in the Legion of Foreigners which saw action in the bombardment of Fort Texas and the Battle of Resaca de la Palma. The Saint Patricks Battalion By April of 1846, Riley had been promoted to Lieutenant and had organized a unit comprised of 48 Irishmen who joined the Mexican army. More and more deserters came over from the American side and by August of 1846, he had over 200 men in his battalion. The unit was named el Batallà ³n de San Patricio, or the St. Patricks Battalion, in honor of Irelands patron saint. They marched under a green banner with an image of St. Patrick on one side and a harp and emblem of Mexico on the other. As many of them were skilled artillerymen, they were assigned as an elite artillery regiment. Why Did the San Patricios Defect? During the Mexican-American War, thousands of men deserted on both sides: conditions were harsh and more men died of illness and exposure than in combat. Life in the US army was particularly tough on Irish Catholics: they were seen as lazy, ignorant and foolish. They were given dirty and dangerous jobs and promotions were virtually non-existent. Those who joined the enemy side most likely did so because of the promises of land and money and out of loyalty to Catholicism: Mexico, like Ireland, is a Catholic nation. The St. Patrick’s Battalion was comprised of foreigners, mainly Irish Catholics. There were some German Catholics as well, and some foreigners who lived in Mexico before the war. The Saint Patricks in Action in Northern Mexico The St. Patricks Battalion saw limited action at the siege of Monterrey, as they were stationed in a massive fortress that American General Zachary Taylor decided to avoid entirely. At the Battle of Buena Vista, however, they played a major role. They were stationed alongside the main road on a plateau where the main Mexican assault took place. They won an artillery duel with an American unit and even made off with some American cannons. When Mexican defeat was imminent, they helped cover the retreat. Several San Patricios won a Cross of Honor medal for valor during the battle, including Riley, who was also promoted to captain. The San Patricios in Mexico City After the Americans opened another front, the San Patricios accompanied Mexican General Santa Anna to the east of Mexico City. They saw action at the Battle of Cerro Gordo, although their role in that battle has been largely lost to history. It was at the Battle of Chapultepec that ​they made a name for themselves. As the Americans attacked Mexico City, the Battalion was stationed at one end of a key bridge and in a nearby convent. They held the bridge and convent for hours against superior troops and weapons. When Mexicans in the convent tried to surrender, the San Patricios tore down the white flag three times. They were eventually overwhelmed once they ran out of ammunition. Most of the San Patricios were killed or captured at the Battle of Churubusco, ending its effective life as a unit, although it would re-form after the war with the survivors and last for about another year. Capture and Punishment Riley was among the 85 San Patricios captured during the battle. They were court-martialed and most of them were found guilty of desertion. Between September 10 and 13, 1847, fifty of them would be hanged in punishment for their defection to the other side. Riley, although he was the highest-profile among them, was not hanged: he had defected before the war had officially been declared, and such defection in peacetime was by definition a far less serious offense. Still, Riley, by then a major and highest ranking foreign officer of the San Patricios (the Battalion had Mexican commanding officers), was punished harshly. His head was shaved, he was given fifty lashes (witnesses say the count was botched and that Riley actually received 59), and he was branded with a D (for deserter) on his cheek. When the brand was at first put on upside down, he was re-branded on the other cheek. After that, he was thrown in a dungeon for the duration of the war, which lasted several more months. In spite of this harsh punishment, there were those in the American army who felt he should have been hanged with the others. After the war, Riley and the others were released and re-formed the St. Patricks Battalion. The unit soon became embroiled in the constant infighting among Mexican officials and Riley was briefly jailed for suspicion of participation in an uprising, but he was freed. Records indicating that a Juan Riley died on August 31, 1850, were once believed to refer to him, but new evidence indicates that this is not the case. Efforts are ongoing to determine Rileys true fate: Dr. Michael Hogan (who has written the definitive texts about the San Patricios) writes The search for the burial place of the true John Riley, Mexican major, a decorated hero, and leader of the Irish battalion, must continue. The Legacy   To Americans, Riley is a deserter and a traitor: the lowest of the low. To Mexicans, however, Riley is a great hero: a skilled soldier who followed his conscience and joined the enemy because he thought it was the right thing to do. The St. Patricks Battalion has a place of great honor in Mexican history: there are streets named for it, memorial plaques where they fought, postage stamps, etc. Riley is the name most commonly associated with the Battalion, and he has, therefore, gained extra heroic status for Mexicans, who have erected a statue of him in his birthplace of Clifden, Ireland. The Irish have returned the favor, and there is a bust of Riley now in the San Angel Plaza, courtesy of Ireland. Americans of Irish descent, who once disowned Riley and the Battalion, have warmed to them in recent years: perhaps in part due to a couple of good books that have come out recently. Also, there was a major Hollywood production in 1999 entitled One Mans Hero based (very loosely) on the life of Riley and the Battalion. Sources Hogan, Michael. The Irish Soldiers of Mexico. Paperback, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, May 25, 2011. Wheelan, Joseph. Invading Mexico: Americas Continental Dream and the Mexican War, 1846-1848. New York: Carroll and Graf, 2007.

Crime in Urban Areas - 1686 Words

Many factors generate crime. That ‘inner morality’ necessary to resist the temptation to rape, rob, or kill weakens in an environment of broken homes, systemic poverty, ethical relativism, religious decline. Poverty ’causes’ crime in general in the same way that pornography causes sex crimes and television violence causes violence by children: it is a predispositive condition. If the family life could be strengthened, raise the living standard, instill character values this could have an impact on lowering the crime rate. In my research on crime in urban areas versus crime in the suburban areas; I predict that people who live in urban areas will have a much higher crime rate than those living in suburban areas. Poverty is crimes chief†¦show more content†¦Many times individuals act in a desperate manner when they view their situation as being desperate. People living at or below poverty level feel that their chances of getting jobs and pulling themselves out of poverty has a minimal rate of success. Often times these people have less than a high school education, and this means that the only kind of job, if any, that can be secured is entry level. When the economic situation is not good, even this kind of job is hard to find. According to the FBIs final crime statistics for 2006, see chart below, violent crime is up for the second consecutive year, the first time thats happened in over 10 years. Until 2005, violent crime had steadily dropped over 15 years. The new rise in violence is gradual, not a tidal wave. However, it is still sobering for law enforcement agencies that now realize they have been overconfident. In an article in the Detroit News, Sunday, August 15, 2004 it stated that from January 2004 to August 2004 there were more than 800 people that were shot in Detroit a 70 percent jump in gun violence that experts and police blame on a variety of factors, from upheaval and scarce resources in the police department to high unemployment rates among young males and a hip-hop culture that condones gunfire to solve disputes. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report â€Å"National Crime Victimization Survey† (October 2000), it was reported that in 1998 urban residents experienced overallShow MoreRelatedCrime And Its Effects On Urban Areas1968 Words   |  8 Pages Crime is a familiar and perilous concern in American society, and crime damages the foundation of this America. The ongoing population shift from rural to urban areas has helped to facilitate crime in the United States through the decades. 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War Never Changes Of The American Revolution - 959 Words

â€Å"War. War never changes†. This is a semi-iconic quote from a video-game based in a future world where War has lead to worldwide destruction. However, one does not have to be hundreds of years in the future to understand that the art of war has a pattern. The Civil War and American Revolution, while having great contrasts and a time gap of 78 years, had many similarities. Among these are causes, strategies, and even outcomes. The American Revolution was a defining moment of American history; would America remain as a spawn of the British Kingdom, or would it spread its wings and be free? Obviously the second option was the result, but how did America make it there? The main causes for war are land, wealth, religion, and freedom. 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How Nature And Nurture Influence Substance Abuse - 1259 Words

From John Locke’s blank slate to modern scientists arguments, nature versus nurture is one of the most debated topic in psychology. Nature refers to genes and hereditary features that plays a role in a person’s growth, whereas nurture refers to any environmental stimuli that contribute to the development of behaviors. A lot of people though believe that nature and nurture are separate, only one can influence a person. In this modern era, majority of experts and people will now agree that both equally contribute in influencing people’s behavior and personality. Nature and nurture interact with each other in order to make each individual person unique. This paper is mainly going to focus on how nature and nurture influence substance abuse, memory defect in mice, the progression of prosocial behavior, aggression, empathy, and consciousness. Genetics is a primer for how a person will behave but nurture can easily override nature. Human traits and behaviors are predetermined by genes but environmental factors can easily interact and reshape the person. Addiction is hereditary and children whose parents have drug or alcohol problems are genetically predisposed to be at risk. Although according to University of Georgia, supportive parenting can counterbalance the genetic risks of having substance abuse (Belkin, 2009). University of Georgia proved that having risks does not necessarily mean that the gene will be automatically expressed. According to the research, parenting styleShow MoreRelatedMarijuana On Marijuana901 Words   |  4 Pagesnotes, what are the definitions of nature and nurture? Does Becker see Marijuana use as a problem of nature or a problem of nurture? Why? 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Management Accounting Study of Amcor Limited†Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Management Accounting of Amcor Limited. Answer: Introduction This study deals with a company named as Amcor Limited that is an Australian-based multinational packaging company and headquartered in Australia (Amcor.com 2017). The company is listed in Australian Stock Exchange and creates packaging solutions by using flexible as well as rigid plastics packaging. Amcor Limited is the leader in the packaging manufacturer where they offer customers with sustainable packaging solutions with highest quality as possible. There are two main packaging broad lines of Amcor Limited that is Rigid Plastics as well as Flexibles. Furthermore, Amcor Limited manufactures PET bottles as well as hard plastic containers. Amcor Limited is a global packaging leader where their core values are to attain social responsibility and to conduct long-term business strategy in the most appropriate way. The current segment elucidates the operations of Amcor Limited and how it relates with the present case that is explained in the study (Simons 2013). The Amcor case is one of the popular cases where many criticisms had been noted and this study highlights on one of those cases that need urgent attention by the Senior Management of Amcor Limited. Balanced Scorecard approach and strategy map approach for Amcor Limited has been presented in graphical format that clearly demonstrates the action or initiatives that needs to be undertaken by the management based on four important dimensions, that is customer perspective, financial perspective, learning growth perspective and internal process perspective (Valmohammadi and Ahmadi 2015). The Amcor Case: The Amcor case has been taken from the news article The Sydney Morning Herald that is titled as No compensation for Amcor in court case (Butler 2017). In this particular scenario, it was noted that Amcor Limited is to receive no compensation for breaches of duties by the Senior Executives who secretly purchased two businesses that belongs to the packaging giant. Due to that, Victorian Supreme Court Judge declared that Amcor Limited had failed to show the case where there is a breach by executives that include cardboard box that has damaged Amcor Limited. Addition to that, it was ordered by two of the Executives named as Trevor Barnes and Craig Holihan for paying the packaging company that is half of the profits reaped from one of the business. After the judgment, it clearly to understand that an end long-running litigation was conducted between Amcor Limited as well as Executives that had run up legal bills that estimates more than millions of dollars (Reefke and Trocchi 2013). Furth ermore, Mr. Hodgson had sued Amcor Limited for wrongful dismissal where Amcor Limited responds to the allegations when Executives swindles the company by purchasing two businesses from the knock down prices in the early 2000. After summarizing the judgment, it was noted that executives of Amcor Limited were hiding their interests in the companies that actually was found manifestly incompatible with the employment relationship in a serious dimension. It was the Executives of Amcor Limited who was using the information in improper ways as they have gained from the employees of Amcor Limited. This particular case will return to court on April 2016 for a directions hearing (Rampersad and Hussain 2014). Long-term goals and objectives of Amcor Limited There are five key areas that Amcor Limited desire to achieve as their long-term goal and objectives for attainment of sustainable workplace. These long-term objectives are as follows: Environment- Amcor Limited believes in implementing environmental management systems as well as improving environmental performance. Addition to that, Amcor Limited sets regulatory measures as well as working towards EnviroAction targets (Perkins, Grey and Remmers 2014). Community- Amcor Limited conducts open as well as constructive dialogue with the communities. Addition to that, Amcor Limited supports local community projects as well as utilizes packaging expertise for addressing social and environmental needs (Cooper, Ezzamel and Qu 2017). Workplace- Amcor Limited aims at maintaining safe workplace, engaging as well as developing with the associate through maintaining an assorted workplace and providing equal opportunity (Keyes 2016). Marketplace- Amcor Limited utilizes life cycle assessment capabilities that offer customer responsible packaging as well as supporting sustainability objectives of the customers. Addition to that, Amcor Limited promotes the role as well as benefits of responsible packaging (Cooper, Ezzamel and Qu 2017). Economy- Amcor Limited aims at demonstrating good governance, business continuity management as well as sensible risk taking (Cooper, Ezzamel and Qu 2017). Identification of group of stakeholders The key stakeholder of Amcor Limited include investors, customers and suppliers, co-workers, supplies of capital, industry bodies as well as government and media where the company operates within the stipulated time frame (Kaplan and Anderson 2013). Competitors of Amcor Amcor Limited faces intense competition from the competitors namely, Georgia-Pacific LLC and Silgan Holdings Inc (Cooper, Ezzamel and Qu 2017). Formulating a Balanced Scorecard for Amcor Perspectives Objective Performance Measures Initiatives Lag Lead Financial Perspective Increased shareholder value Low-cost operation Driving growth in the merge market Revenue Growth Lower costs of production process Diversified market Sales Mix Production as well as operation expenses Sales growth by region Initiatives taken for expanding diversified product business units in both packaging as well as materials for driving growth through acquisition of other packaging manufacturers such as Deluxe packages, flexible Americas and Nampak Flexibles (Cooper, Ezzamel and Qu 2017). It means continued focus on new techniques as well as materials for optimizing production Expanding in the high-growth markets where Amcor Limited participation is relatively low for countries such as South Africa and Brazil (Cooper, Ezzamel and Qu 2017). Customer Perspective Expanding customer base Industry leading customer loyalty Positive impact on the community as well as society Market Share Customer Retention Environmental Impacts of packaging Number of new customers Number of retained customers and on-time delivery rate Number of sustainable packaged produced Developing a differentiated range of products by bringing new products as well as production technologies and materials (Cooper, Ezzamel and Qu 2017) Responsible packaging initiatives Maintaining market leadership from number of acquisitions as well as mergers and focusing on knowledge and expertise in getting access to rigid plastics packaging. Internal Business Perspective Product Leadership Strategy Customer Intimacy strategy Operational Excellence Strategy Developing new products Innovating existing packaging products Improving speed to market Customer relationship management systems Customer support service Customer interaction Decreased operation costs as well as cycle time Ensuring high standards of quality as well as delivery time Optimizing supply chain of the packaged products (Coe and Letza 2014) Learning and Growth Perspective Human Capital Information Capital Organization Capital Skills Systems traditions education Databases management awareness Networks configuration and joint effort Strategy Map for Amcor Limited Concluding Statement and recommended suggestions On critical analysis, it is understood that Amcor Limited should adopt the balanced scorecard approach as well as strategy map for monitoring the corporate and the divisional performance (Hoque 2014). Both the mentioned approach considers as one of the important tool for bringing sustainability performance that need proper attention by the Senior Management of Amcor Limited. After that, Amcor Limited should be using ambitious goals for continuously improving the environmental impacts of the operations in case of greenhouse gases emissions, municipal water use and waste that go to landfills. The approach that is recommended to Amcor Limited is identifying as well as implementing environmental improvement opportunities that will help in motivate the staff members of Amcor Limited (Cooper, Ezzamel and Qu 2017). At the end of the study, it is concluded that Amcor Limited offers sustainable packaged materials to the end users. The above analysis has been done by preparing balanced scorecard and strategy map for the company named as Amcor Limited so that the company minimizes the allegations that was faced by them during the past years. The above analysis explains balanced scorecard approach and strategy map approach as it will directly help in minimizing the risk assessment as and when applicable. All the four dimension of balanced scorecard is unique by nature and signifies different perspectives such as customer, financials, learning growth and internal process. By this, it was clear to understand each of the perspective and link it with the case study so that proper measures can be taken for future attainment of goals as well as objectives in the most appropriate way. References Amcor.com. 2017.Amcor - Home. [online] Available at: https://www.amcor.com [Accessed 18 May 2017]. Butler, B. 2017.No compensation for Amcor in court case. [online] The Sydney Morning Herald. Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/business/no-compensation-for-amcor-in-court-case-20120320-1vgv4.html [Accessed 18 May 2017]. Coe, N. and Letza, S., 2014. Two decades of the balanced scorecard: A review of developments.The Poznan University of Economics Review,14(1), p.63. Cooper, D.J., Ezzamel, M. and Qu, S.Q., 2017. Popularizing a management accounting idea: The case of the balanced scorecard.ContemporaryAccounting Research. Hoque, Z., 2014. 20 years of studies on the balanced scorecard: trends, accomplishments, gaps and opportunities for future research.The Britishaccounting review,46(1), pp.33-59. Kaplan, R. and Anderson, S.R., 2013.Time-driven activity-based costing: a simpler and more powerful path to higher profits. Harvard business press. Keyes, J., 2016.Implementing the IT balanced scorecard: Aligning IT with corporate strategy. CRC Press. Perkins, M., Grey, A. and Remmers, H., 2014. What do we really mean by Balanced Scorecard?.International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management,63(2), pp.148-169. Rampersad, H. and Hussain, S., 2014. Personal balanced scorecard. InAuthentic Governance(pp. 29-38). Springer International Publishing. Reefke, H. and Trocchi, M., 2013. Balanced scorecard for sustainable supply chains: design and development guidelines.International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management,62(8), pp.805-826. Simons, R., 2013.Performance Measurement and Control Systems for Implementing Strategy Text and Cases: Pearson New International Edition. Pearson Higher Ed. Valmohammadi, C. and Ahmadi, M., 2015. The impact of knowledge management practices on organizational performance: A balanced scorecard approach.Journal of Enterprise Information Management,28(1), pp.131-159.

Barack Obama s President Obama Essay Example For Students

Barack Obama s President Obama Essay In the present time, no one could imaged that the Senator Barack Obama won the presidential election because of the speech to make a more perfect union. President Barack Obama is the 44th president and the first African American to serve as U.S president. He was elected second terms over former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. On March 18,2008, president Obama gave famous speech about the political, religion issues of race in the United States. he speaking at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. This speech bring more hopes to the black people, and opposed to former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, which offended the rights of blacks and whites. The speech encourages the black people to fight for their freedom, to overcome the difficulties to created more strong union by united together, to solve this problem. In his part of the speech, he used a quote from the Constitution, â€Å" we the people, in order to from a more perfect union,† He manipulate the audience by used rhetorical questions, the powerful allusion and simile, to gain the support mostly from the farmers, scholars, statesmen and patriots.(Obama). President Obama uses manipulative language to address racial inequality between blacks and whites in America. President manipulates the audiences through the used of rhetoric questions. Rhetoric question draws people attention to the issues of race, to tell the people his point of views on the statements addressed by pastor â€Å"Reverend Jeremiah Wright†. â€Å"Did I know him to be occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of Course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes, did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Abso. .ce in this country. A More Perfects union, like Obama s others speeches and writings, was a masterful example of what David A. Frank calls the rhetoric of consilience. Accordingly, understanding results thought translation, mediation, and an embrace of different languages, values, and tradition.† The languages used in Obama’s speech make the speech more powerful, as well as the word democracy and freedom. He used rhetoric language to point out the equality and identified the political issues Obama toward the speech. Obama s thirty-minute speech was unlike anything one customarily hears from politicians. It was more analogous to a thoughtful history and sociology lesson that offered some context for Wright s remarks.† Obama’s speech in responses to the pastor Wright and offers more conservative opinion on the issues.

Fedex Organizational Structure free essay sample

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE MBA 640: Organizational Behavior Nicholaus R. McNeal April 26, 2011 INTRODUCTION Organizational behavior is vital to the success of any organization. When the organization’s behavior is not effective, there is a chance the company will suffer. This paper will evaluate the organizational structure of Federal Express, in particular FedEx Express (FedEx, 2011). ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE (FORMATION AND EFFECTS) FedEx has acquired a reputation for possessing a strong customer-service organizational culture. The textbook states, â€Å"Organizational culture is what the employees perceive and how this perception creates a pattern of beliefs, values, and expectations† (Ivancevich, Konopaske, Matteson, 2011, p. 40). Since its inception in the 1970s, FedEx’s culture has centered on the customer. â€Å"If employees are to transform to be customer-focused, the idea must first begin with the leadership team and filter through the organization. As the idea trickles downward, employees make a conscious decision to modify self to align with the established culture† (Morrow, 2003, p. ). This, along with other concepts has helped form FedEx’s culture and continues to do so today. Another concept that has shape FedEx’s culture is â€Å"specifying and reinforcing the behavior employees are expected to deliver, both with external customers and coworkers† (Morrow, 2003, p. 1). Employees receive daily reminders of expectations via video messages from executive management on televisions scattered throughout the corridors of FedEx. The messages cover a wide range of information that illustrates how an employee remains in compliance with â€Å"The FedEx Way. Reinforcements play a great role in the effects of FedEx’s culture, outcome, and effectiveness. The textbook states, â€Å"If quality customer service is important in the culture, then individuals are expected to adopt this behavior, and if adhering to a specific set of procedures in dealing with customers is the norm, then this type of behavior would be expected, recognized, and rewarde d† (Ivancevich, Konopaske, Matteson, 2011, p. 42). This statement is exemplified in FedEx’s culture. â€Å"The rewards and recognition system is used to encourage employees who exhibit a â€Å"FedEx Attitude† and sends a message to non-performers† (Morrow, 2003, p. ). Examples of reinforcements at FedEx include Bravo Zulu awards, Purple Promise awards, and Five-Star awards just to name a few. Each award is accompanied with an innovative styled trophy, the employee getting his or her name mentioned in the company newsletter, and money. FedEx’s reward and recognition system successfully motivates employees to exhibit the desired behaviors to improve the business. The aforementioned items, formation of FedEx’s culture, rewards and recognition, along with diversity and promotion from within has guided the FedEx into awesome outcomes. Fortune 500 reports, â€Å"FedEx has a seven percent voluntary turnover rate† (CNN, 2011). In addition, FedEx was named the Best Cargo Hub for 2010. Employees receive reminders of these things daily as they enter the facilities and see banners hung wall to wall of numerous FedEx awards. PROCESSES (Communication, Decision-Making, and Leadership) The communication process at FedEx is a fundamental process. The organization relies heavily on the communication process to organize employees into a unified team focused on achieving company goals. The company’s communication philosophy integrates electronic media with the person-to-person communication process inside each organization code and work group. This creates synonymous dialogue globally. FedEx depicts communication as a two-way process. The two-way describes the transporting of information. In the process, an individual sends information and feedback while another individual receives the information and dialogues concerning feedback. This process results in shared information and understanding. FedEx puts forth great effort in training employees to apply correct judgment and decision-making skills. When faced with a situation, employees are encouraged to apply the F. A. D. E. process. F stands for focus. In this stage, employees identify the situation or issue. A stands for analyze. In this stage, employees investigate the situation to determine the root cause of the situation. D stands for develop a solution. Based on the information from the investigation, the employee makes a sound decision based on facts and applies good judgment. E stands for execute the process. Once a decision is made, the employee is to implement the solution. When it comes to leadership, FedEx is one of the best. FedEx’s leadership team has guided the organization through tough times, especially, within recent years. Quality leadership is essential to success at any organization. Quality leadership involves expressing a vision, mission, values, goals, and strategies; supporting business plans and policies. FedEx encourages every leader to coach and develop employees by modeling behavior that demonstrates the leader’s commitment. ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE (DESIGN) An organization’s design is pertinent to the well-being of the entire organization. â€Å"Organizational design is the decisions and actions that result in an organizational structure† (Ivancevich, Konopaske, Matteson, 2011, p. 482). These decisions include, but are not limited to determining goals, mission, operational plans, job functions, and salary. FedEx’s organization structure is compromised of seven subsidiary organizations. The subsidiary organizations are FedEx Corporation, FedEx Services, FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, FedEx Custom Critical, and FedEx Trade Networks (FedEx, 2011, p. ). Each subsidiary organization has values and ideas that represent the entire organization; however, the objective of each subsidiary is to ensure: 1. The organization’s values and strategy is consistent with the division’s function 2. Invent and inspire innovation 3. Survey employees to gauge satisfaction 4. Improve workgroup performance 5. Dev elop and retain employees 6. Select and promote best employees 7. Determine organization direction (FedEx, 2011, p. 1) The remainder of the paper will discuss a main point from each of the aforementioned objectives. VALUES / STRATEGY Objective one is to ensure FedEx’s values and strategy lines up with the organization. Values and a strong strategy can guide an organization in all economic situations. FedEx has a proven background of being an organization being dedicated to its values and strategy. FedEx Express’s values have made it a top organization in today’s society. The values also contribute positively to the organization’s overall goal. The values are people, service, innovation, integrity, responsibility, and loyalty. Each value carries its own objective. 1. People Values people and promotes diversity in the workplace and thinking 2. Service A positive spirit puts the customer at the heart of everything 3. Innovation Invent and inspire services and technologies that improve work 4. Integrity Manage operations and finances with honesty and efficiency 5. Responsibility Champion safe and healthy environments for communities 6. Loyalty Earn the respect and confidence of employees, customers, and investors in everything (FedEx, 2011, p. 1). FedEx’s strategy is simple. It works seamlessly and simultaneously on all levels. FedEx’s strategy is â€Å"compete collectively, operate independently, and manage collaboratively† (FedEx, 2011, p. 1). INNOVATION Objective two is to invent and inspire innovation. â€Å"Creativity produces innovation and innovation is the lifeblood of a growing number of organizations† (Ivancevich, Konopaske, Matteson, 2011, p. 87). FedEx’s innovation properly aligns with the organization because it helps the organization stay ahead of other organizations. Innovation is a trademark that has garnered FedEx top ratings around the world. FedEx’s innovation can be contributed to several reasons. First, is the avoidance of reinventing existing solutions. Everyone is expected not to waste time or money on reinventing something that has already been discovered and tested. The second reason is setting stretch goals. Inaction and past success lead many organizations to plan for the future in similar patterns. Without some outside incentives, the goals for improvement are likely to improve by a minimum margin. This does not cut it in FedEx’s world. The company believes in order to be the best; the best must be put forth in every effort. The third reason is to anticipate and head off competitors. If goals are set based on current industry standards, any competitor can take the helm at any time. EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION Objective three is to gauge employee satisfaction. This objective aligns with the organization because it gives leadership the opportunity to hear the voice of employees, which can ultimately aid in retaining employees. Employees at FedEx are given the opportunity to voice whether he or she is satisfied or dissatisfied with the organization. Employee satisfaction is a component of an employee psychological contract. Psychological contracts were introduced by Argyris (1960) to refer to employer and employee expectations of the employment relationship, i. e. mutual obligations, values, expectations and aspirations that operate over and above the formal contract of employment† (Smithson, Lewis, 2003, p. 1). Employee opinion on decisions concerning employee jobs is another factor in the psychological c ontract. When an employee feels their opinion is counted it engages and motivates the employee to put forth the utmost effort. FedEx applies this concept in its Survey-Feedback-Action (SFA) process. In this process, FedEx surveys all employees to classify strong points and areas to improve. The survey guarantees leadership is aware of concerns and provides avenues for improvement. The process is broken into three (3) parts. The first part of the process is survey. The survey is an unidentified questionnaire given to all employees. The survey items were created to collect information about what assists and hold back employees at work. Survey results are tallied and returned to management. The manager, then, shares the results with employees. The second part is feedback. Management schedules a meeting with employees to dialogue about survey results. The aim of the meeting is to point out concerns, determine causes, and formulate a plan to tackle concerns. The final part of the SFA is action. All suggestions made in the meeting become the action plan. The plan was created to address employee concerns and provide a direction to improvement. The aim of the action plan is to act as a link of communication and steer the implementation process. In order for the SFA process to be a success, employee must work towards resolution. CHANGE MANAGEMENT Objective four is improving workgroup performance. This objective aligns with the organization because it continually gives management and employees a higher level, in which to aspire. This is a reason why FedEx changes frequently. A commonly used FedEx phrase is â€Å"The only thing constant is change. † Employees know never get accustomed to one way of doing things because it will change. Influencing change transpires in several ways at FedEx. One way is every employee is encouraged to embrace the idea of change management. Change management is the planning and delivery of tactics to bring about the desired change. Employees take several courses aiding in accepting change in different situations. Another method of influencing change is leadership exemplifying and driving the change into the organizations’ cultural. As employees see management embrace and adjust to the idea of change, they (employees) will also. Sustaining organization change can be a challenge but with effort, it can be done. FedEx leadership maintains a positive outlook on change, whether the idea is agreed upon or not. From a personal viewpoint, management has undergone several major changes within recent years and employees have never seen management in the dumps about any of the changes. The day leadership downplays change the employees will follow. DEVELOP AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES Objective five is develop and retain employees. This objective aligns with the organization because it aids the organization in cultivating and maintaining talent. New hires undergo what is called the process of organizational socialization. Starting work at a new organization can be exciting for a new hire. The textbook states, â€Å"The process model of organizational socialization illustrates how a new employee, through a combination of seeking information and experiencing socialization tactics from the organization, can adjust to his or her role and gain social acceptance† (Ivancevich, Konopaske, Matteson, 2011, p. 48). The process has five stages. Stages one and two are â€Å"New employee joins organization† and â€Å"Employee is exposed to socialization tactics† (Ivancevich, Konopaske, Matteson, 2011, p. 48). FedEx has an engaging process to socialize new employees. The textbook states, â€Å"Socialization is the process by which organizations bring new employees into their culture. There is a transmittal of values, assumptions, and attitudes from older employees to new hires† (Ivancevich, Konopaske, Matteson, 2011, p. 47). The socialization process begins with new hire orientation. In orientation, â€Å"new hires are given the employee handbook, the Purple Path manual, and the Workplace Violence Prevention pamphlet† (FedEx, 2011, p. 1). Each of these sheds light on how FedEx operates. Second, the new hire receives information on FedEx’s benefit package. FedEx offers benefits for health, life insurance, disability, vision, and more† (FedEx, 2011, p. 1). Third, the new hire is shown a short video of momentous FedEx moments in FedEx history. Employees view the hub in Memphis, the global map of all FedEx airplane routes, clips of FedEx shipping high profile packages such as the Titanic exhibit and the Gulf Turtle Rescue mission. Each of these items helps paint a picture to the new hire that he or she does not work for a mom-and-pop shop, but for a high-profiled organization. After orientation, the new hire attends FedEx’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics class (COE). This class offers guidelines to ensure employee behavior on the job supports the reputation FedEx has earned as one of the most respected brands in the worldâ€Å" (FedEx, 2011, p. 1). In addition to the COE, the company’s alert phone number is given to new hires in case he or she has a question(s) about his or her role in the company or the company itself. The alert line fits into stage three of the Process of Organizational Socialization. Stage three is â€Å"New employee seeks information about role and culture† (Ivancevich, Konopaske, Matteson, 2011, p. 48). Stage four is â€Å"New employee adjusts to role and is accepted ocially† (Ivancevich, Konopaske, Matteson, 2011, p. 48). In this stage, the n ew hire attempts to sprout his or her wings and fly solo. This stage also finds the new hire being socially accepted and bonding with other employees in the organization. Stage five is similar to the adult phase in life. The new hire claims his or her share of responsibility in the organization. In addition, the new hire grasps the concept of the job and possibly finds ways to do the job better. Lastly, this stage finds the new hire becoming a better fit in the organization as he or she become more satisfied with the job. FedEx even has programs for employees that desire to further his or her professional career. One program is called eCompetencies. In this program, â€Å"employees provide personal perception on how well he or she displays certain behaviors listed in 150 categories. Employees are encouraged to be honest and use the full range of the rating scale. The scale starts at one (substantial development is required) through five (highly effective)† (FedEx, 2011, p. 1). All ratings will be disclosed with management and the employee will be placed within the correct program to develop areas needing development. SELECT AND PROMOTE EMPLOYEES Objective six is select and promote employees. This objective aligns with the organization because, like, objective five, it aids the organization in cultivating and maintaining talent. Employees receive the opportunity to bid on jobs before outside talent is considered. FedEx sponsors a program called the ASPIRE to management program. ASPIRE stands for Assessment of Skills, Performance and Interest Required for Entry into Management. â€Å"Any employee interested in applying for a management level position must first go through this programâ€Å" (FedEx, 2011, p. ). In this program, employees must complete ten steps. The first four steps are only classes. The classes are management training, diversity, writing with intention, and peer Leadership. Step five is the employee must lead a 15-20 minute workgroup meeting. After the meeting, the employee must receive feedback from management and peers. Step six is serving as manager for one complete shift. Eve ry task management completes in a shift, the employee must complete including all meetings, conference calls, etc. Step seven is complete an individual development plan (IDP). An IDP is a written plan that outlines what development goals an employee would like to accomplish and what steps he or she plans to use to meet the goals† (FedEx, 2001, p. 1). Step eight is complete the eCompetencies Assessment. Step nine is print all screens that provide proof all of the previous steps have been completed, which leads to step ten where the employee can apply for an open manager position. â€Å"Certain jobs on the open position board are catered just for ASPIRE candidates† (FedEx, 2011, p. 1) ORGANIZATION DIRECTION Objective seven is determining organization direction. This objective aligns with the organization because it is a compass guiding the organization into the future. This objective is important to employees because it will give them a heads up on where the organization is headed. Under the objective, FedEx engages in a process called Analyzing the Gaps. â€Å"The Gap Analysis is a creative thinking process that identifies the major gaps between the current reality and the future state of the organization† (FedEx, 2011, p. 1). This process includes four steps. Step one is reflect on the current reality and the future state of the organization. As an individual reflects, it gives him or her opportunity to perform step two. Step two is identifying the major gaps between the present and the future and determines what is needed to complete the gap. Step three is focus on the macro â€Å"big picture. † As employees focus on the big picture, it will continually give employees something, in which to aspire. The last step is developing a list of the top ten Gap Areas. Potential gap areas include services, skills, technology, and processes (FedEx, 2001, p. 1). RECOMMENDATION FedEx is an extraordinary organization on the move doing extraordinary things. While on this extraordinary move, constant improvement and innovation is necessary to remain in the forefront of the industry. Speaking from a personal viewpoint, one recommendation would be to discontinue the use of the FedEx Shuttle Bus service. Every day, all employees enter the employee parking lot, parked his or her vehicle, and wait for a shuttle bus to transport the employee to a security screening facility. After completing the security screen, employees must wait for another shuttle bus to transport to the employee’s workstation. This has been an ongoing complaint of employees for years. If an employee is running late, the wait for a shuttle bus can seal the deal and ensure a late. IMPLEMENTATION To implement the recommendation, it is suggested to build an overhead employee walkway from the employee parking lot to the security screening facility. The walkway will tower over the adjacent streets to keep down on employees weaving in and out of traffic. This suggestion will rid FedEx of the bothersome shuttle buses and it will encourage employees to walk, which is an exercise needed in today’s obesity-filled country. In 9 states Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia obesity affects over 30% of its population† (Somdatta, 2011, p. 1). As employees begin to walk to and from work, the idea will encourage a healthier lifestyle. A special ramp and escalator will be provided for workers who have a disability and are not able to climb the sta irs to the overhead walkway. In order for this suggestion to come to fruition, some construction work must take place. In order to build the overhead walkway, most of the construction work will have to take place at night when traffic is bare to minimal. The present security screening facility will have to relocate to a building across the street from the employee parking lot. This suggestion is doable. It is suggested FedEx gives the shuttle bus company a two three month warning concerning discontinuing the bus contract as soon as the new security screening facility is completed and the overhead walkway is approaching completion. This will give all shuttle workers time to find other means of employment. In the end, this suggestion is a win/win for FedEx and its employees. FedEx will save money from having to pay the shuttle bus company and this will promote a healthier lifestyle to FedEx employees. CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW Genesis 2:15 reads, â€Å"And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. † This scripture is indicative of an organization. Executive management puts leaders in charge of the organization and expects the leaders to monitor, manage, and maintain the organization. WORKS CITED Smithson, J. , Lewis, S. (2003). Psychological contract. Sloan work and family research network. Retrieved March 3, 2011, from http://wfnetwork. bc. edu/encyclopedia_entry. php? id=250 Kozlowski, SWJ. , Ilgen, DR. (2006). Enhancing the effectiveness of. Unpublished manuscript, Michigan State University, Michigan. Retrieved from http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? hid=17sid=afde589e-7cc7-48d0-bfe0-c0218bec79a7%40sessionmgr15vid=15 Ivancevich, J. , Konopaske, R. , Matteson, M. (2011). Organizational culture. Organizational behavior and management (9th ed. , p. 40-48). Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies. Morrow, P. (2003, April 25). Values of a customer service culture. Retrieved March 8, 2011, from http://hronline. corp. fedex. com/trainingdevelopment/qualityu/recent_news_3955. shtml CNNmoney. com. (2011). Fortune 100 best companies to work for. Retrieved March 9, 2011, from CNN website: http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/snapshots/502. html Department, F. H. (2009). FedEx new hire orientation. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from FedEx website: http://hrservices. web. fedex. com/new_employees/new_employees. php FedEx Corporation. (2011). Diversity. Retrieved March 11, 2011, from FedEx website: http://home. fedex. com/corpwide/diversity/ Somdatta. (2011, March 14). Obesity in america: Statistics of a growing epidemic. Retrieved April 29, 2011, from Trialx website: http://trialx. com/curetalk/2011/03/obesity-in-america-statistics-of-a- growing-epidemic/ FedEx Corporation. (2011). Organization behavior. Retrieved March 25, 2011, from FedEx website: http://home. fedex. com/corpwide/organizationbehavior/ FedEx Corporation. (2011). Management. Retrieved April 19, 2011, from FedEx website: http://home. fedex. com/corpwide/management/

Thesis How Accurate Or Inaccurate Were Aristotles Writings On Meteor

Thesis: How accurate or inaccurate were Aristotle's writings on meteorology? Introduction: Aristotle wrote about many subjects that can be grouped into five general divisions: logic, physical works, psychological works, natural history works, and philosophical works. One of the little known physical works concerned meteorology. Aristotle's views on meteorology are fascinating, but many of the views were not accurate. This paper compares only a few of his views to actual meteorological facts. I. Biography A. Birth and growth B. Influence on writings II. Basis of Aristotle's meteorology A. Elements and theory B. Science and facts III. Water vapor and precipitation A. Aristotle's view B. Science and fact IV. Winds A. Aristotle's view B. Science and fact Conclusion: Aristotle explained the various meteorological phenomenon in simplistic terms. The explanations match his theory of how matter and shape were interrelated. Aristotle's ideas on water vapor and precipitation were somewhat accurate, considering that there were no tools to measure the atmosphere in his time. His views on wind, however, were not accurate at all. He wrote extensively on winds, but never fully comprehended how wind occurred. September 5, 2000 Aristotle on Meteorology Aristotle was born in 384 BC, at Stagirus, a Greek colony on the Aegean Sea near Macedonia. In 367 BC, Aristotle entered the Academy at Athens and studied under Plato, attending his lectures for a period of twenty years. In the later years of his association with Plato and the Academy, he began to lecture on his own account, especially on the subject of rhetoric. When Plato died in 347, Aristotle and another of Plato's students, Xenocrates, left Athens for Assus, and set up an academy (Encyclopedia 2). In 342, Aristotle returned to Macedonia and became the tutor to a very young Alexander the Great. He did this for the next five to seven years. Both Philip and Alexander appear to have paid Aristotle high honor. There are stories that indicate the Macedonian court supplied Aristotle with funds for teaching, and with slaves to collect specimens for his studies in natural science (Encyclopedia 4). Aristotle returned to Athens when Alexander the Great began his conquests. He found the Platonic school flourishing under Xenocrates, and Platonism the dominant philosophy of Athens (Encyclopedia 5). Aristotle thus set up his own school at a place called the Lyceum. When teaching at the Lyceum, Aristotle had a habit of walking about as he discoursed. It was because of this that his followers became known in later years as the peripatetics, meaning, to walk about" (Shakian 126). For the next thirteen years, he devoted his energies to his teaching and composing his philosophical treatises. His institution integrated extensive equipment, including maps and the largest library collection in Europe. He is said to have given two kinds of lectures: the more detailed discussions in the morning for an inner circle of advanced students, and the popular discourses in the evening for the general body of lovers of knowledge. At the sudden death of Alexander in 323 BC, the pro-Macedonian government in Athens was overthrown, and a general reaction occurred against anything Macedonian. A charge of impiety was trumped up against Aristotle. To escape prosecution he fled to Chalcis in Euboea so that (Aristotle says) The Athenians might not have another opportunity of sinning against philosophy as they had already done in the person of Socrates" (Encyclopedia 5). In the first year of his residence at Chalcis he complained of a stomach illness and died in 322 BC (Encyclopedia 7). One of Aristotle's writings is about meteorology. His theories are based on his belief that all objects in the world are composed of form and matter and the world is arranged according to the relative standing each object occupies in the universe (Shakian 127). This basis led to his theory that any motion was from the center or to the center (Encyclopedia 28). Aristotle saw the universe as a scale lying between the two extremes: form without matter on one end, and matter without form on the other end. Additionally, he believed all matter is made of four bodies: fire, air, water, and earth (Encyclopedia 29). With this information as a basis, it is no wonder that any remaining theories would probably be incorrect. Scientific fact cannot disprove that all objects are of form and matter. Any one can agree or disagree

Turbografix 16 the beginning Essay Example For Students

Turbografix 16 the beginning Essay In Japan, shortly after the introduction of Nintendos Famicom (Japans version of the NES), the electronics giant NEC entered into the videogame market with the introduction of their next generation system, known as the PC Engine (PCE). The PCE boasted a 16-bit graphics chip capable of displaying up to 256 colors on screen at once, at a number of resolutions. Although its CPU wasnt much more powerful that of the NES, its spectacular graphics chip and six-channel sound bettered the Famicom in every way. It utilized a sleek new card format (PCE games are either HuCards or Turbochips) to hold its software, rather than bulky cartridges. It was also the first console to boast a CD-ROM drive, for full orchestral soundtracks and even (gasp!) full motion video. The PC Engine was immensely popular in Japan, outselling the Famicom by a significant margin. We will write a custom essay on Turbografix 16 the beginning specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In 1989, two years after its Japanese introduction, NEC announced plans to bring the PC Engine overseas, to the booming videogame market of the U.S. With a huge library of Japanese software, it seemed to many as though the system couldnt possibly fail. At the time, the NES was the #1 system in the US. Games were no longer being made for Ataris 7800, and despite the popularity of the Sega Master System in Europe, it failed to capture the hearts of the U.S. gaming public. Arcade and computer games began to set new standards in visual and aural excellence, making the NES seem primitive in comparison. Although MMC (memory mapper) chips allowed the NES to do some pretty spectacular things, the game-buying public was hungry for a new system. Shortly after NEC stated its intention to bring the PC Engine to the U.S., Sega announced that its Mega Drive system (released in Japan a year after the PC Engine) would also be coming to the U.S. as the Sega Genesis. The Mega Drive was slow to catch on in Japan, as the installed user base of PC Engine was so large. In fact, the Mega Drive was spectacularly unpopular with our Japanese friends. Although the Mega Drive boasted superior graphics and sound, the absence of a CD-ROM drive was a definite minus in most gamers minds. Once youve played a CD-ROM game, cartridge games just dont seem as good. At the time, the Genesis didnt seem like much of a threat to the assured success of the TurboGrafx-16 (NECs American name for the PC Engine). The TG-16 had more games, and it took advantage of the massive storage capacity of CD-ROM. The stage was set for the battle of the next generation systems, and in Christmas of 1989 the war began. Sales of both machines were brisk, due to massive national ad campaigns by both Sega and NEC. Sega had its library of arcade hits to back up the Genesis, and the original release of the system boasted the mediocre, but arcade-popular Altered Beast as its pack-in game. Although Altered Beast is just slightly better than terrible, the TG-16s pack-in game (Keith Courage in Alpha Zones), made Altered Beast look like a triumph of video game engineering. To Segas credit, it released the excellent Phantasy Star 2 soon after the Genesis introduction, much to the delight of RPG fans. Conversely, it would be over a year before the TG-16 had its first true RPG. Word began to spread that the TG-16 was not a true 16-bit system, as its CPU was only 8-bit. Though the TurboGrafx had no trouble holding its own against the Genesis as far as graphics, as far as sound and speed are concerned, it was somehow inferior in the minds of many gamers.

The Lexical Approach in Language Teaching

The Lexical Approach in Language Teaching In language teaching, a set of principles based on the observation that an understanding of words and word combinations (chunks) is the primary method of learning a language. The idea is that, rather than have students memorize lists of vocabulary, they would learn commonly used phrases.   The term lexical approach was introduced in 1993 by Michael Lewis, who observed that language consists of grammaticalized lexis, not lexicalised grammar (The Lexical Approach, 1993). The lexical approach is not a single, clearly defined method of language instruction. Its a commonly used term thats poorly understood by most. Studies of literature on the subject often show that its used in contradictory ways. It is largely based on the assumption that certain words will elicit a response with a specific set of words. Students would be able to learn which words are connected in this way. Students are expected to learn the grammar of languages based on recognizing patterns in words.  Ã‚   Examples and Observations The Lexical Approach implies a decreased role for sentence grammar, at least until post-intermediate levels. In contrast, it involves an increased role for word grammar (collocation and cognates) and text grammar (suprasentential features).(Michael Lewis, The Lexical Approach: The State of ELT and a Way Forward. Language Teaching Publications, 1993) Methodological Implications The methodological implications of [Michael Lewiss]  Lexical Approach (1993, pp. 194-195) are as follows: - Early emphasis on receptive skills, especially listening, is essential.- De-contextualized vocabulary learning is a fully legitimate strategy.- The role of grammar as a receptive skill must be recognized.- The importance of contrast in language awareness must be recognized.- Teachers should employ extensive, comprehensible language for receptive purposes.- Extensive writing should be delayed as long as possible.- Nonlinear recording formats (e.g., mind maps, word trees) are intrinsic to the Lexical Approach.- Reformulation should be the natural response to student error.- Teachers should always react primarily to the content of student language.- Pedagogical chunking should be a frequent classroom activity. (James Coady, L2 Vocabulary Acquisition: A Synthesis of the Research. Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition: A Rationale for Pedagogy, ed. by James Coady and Thomas Huckin. Cambridge University Press, 1997) Limitations While the lexical approach can be a quick way for students to pick up phrases, it doesnt foster much creativity. It can have the negative side effect of limiting peoples responses to safe fixed phrases. Because they dont have to build responses, they dont need to learn the intricacies of language.   Adult language knowledge consists of a continuum of linguistic constructions of different levels of complexity and abstraction. Constructions can comprise concrete and particular items (as in words and idioms), more abstract classes of items (as in word classes and abstract constructions), or complex combinations of concrete and abstract pieces of language (as mixed constructions). Consequently, no rigid separation is postulated to exist between lexis and grammar.(Nick C. Ellis, The Emergence of Language As a Complex Adaptive System. The Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics, ed. by James Simpson. Routledge, 2011)

The Berlin Wall History

The Berlin Wall History Introduction The Berlin wall was erected by the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR) of East Germany and was essentially designed to separate East and West Germany. It was a result of cold war politics that had also been witnessed subsequent to the Potsdam and Yalta Conferences during which the Allies divided up Germany. West Berlin after World War II was enclosed by East Germany and access to it was always a sensitive matter and a controversial political issue (Andreas 2).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Berlin Wall History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The disagreement was between the soviets and the allied forces of American, French and British, who differed in the reconstruction of Germany after the soviets had inflicted most of the damage during World War II. Plans were underway to rebuild Germany and make it be self-sufficient, a major industrial hub with good infrastructure and a new Germ an currency, but the soviets under Joseph Stalin were of a different opinion. Precursors to the Berlin wall The soviet administration was overwhelmed by a strong opposition in the west where non-soviet zones had been combined into one block under the Marshall plan. Consequently, in 1948, Stalin instituted the Berlin Blockade which cut off food and other requirements from going to the west considering that Berlin was deep into the soviet territory. Owing to East Berlin encircling the west, opinionated and ideological enmity amid west and east made the Western countries which are considered powerful to fly all the required supplies to West Berlin and that was between June 1948 and September 1949, this meant that the supplies were to be air lifted because the Soviets had closed road access. This was later to be known as the famous Berlin Airlift and was orchestrated by United States, Britain, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and several other European countries (Taylor 11). East Germany or the German Democratic Republic (GDR) was under a communist system of governance with all property and industries were nationalized under the soviet rule. This greatly differed from West Germany or the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) which was under a democratic parliamentary system of governance which adopted a Western capitalist approach, transforming into a society with a social market economy. This spurred persistent economic growth with the development of industries, infrastructure, and a better standard of living for the residents. By the early Fifties, thousands of East Germans were fleeing to West Germany on a daily basis, majority of who were accomplished business people and specialists looking for better opportunities in West Berlin, and this lead to heavy losses in manpower in the GDR. Soviets had introduced compulsory Marxism-Leninism doctrines in all East Germany school curriculums, which inturn led to the moving of professors and their students to the west so as to escape such extremist ideology and this led to massive brain drain experienced in the east (Gale 22).Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In 1960, the East Germany exodus now totaling to millions of civilians was predictably damaging to the political integrity and economic capability of East Germany, making it vital to fortify its borders with the west, especially West Berlin for feasibility of the country to endure. Erection of the wall On August 13, 1961, the East German army began to close the border with West Germany, installing barbed wire entanglements chain fences, nail beds, minefields, and other obstacles and barriers along the 155 kilometers strip. Houses and other buildings were demolished in the process to pave way for the blockade. On August 15 1961, the concrete foundation for the wall was laid down and eventually a 106 kilometer and 3.6 meter high concrete section was erected. 43 kilometers of the wall separated east and West Berlin, and a further 37 kilometer section of the wall divided residential vicinities (Prager 13). It was further reinforced with 67 kilometers of wire mesh fencing, 106 kilometers of anti vehicle trenches, 302 watchtowers, 20 bunkers and 126 kilometers of contact fence, effectively shutting off East Germany from the West, as a result transforming West Berlin into an enclave. In June 1962, a second equivalent fence was built about 100  meters deep in East German terrain. All houses and buildings located between the two fences were demolished and the area cleared out (Elander 23). This region was bare and was later covered with raked gravel, rendering footprints easy to detect and extended for 124 kilometers. The aim behind this was to prevent escapees heading to the west from scaling the wall and offered a clear line of fire to the perimeter guards. Any civilian who was spotted in this area was immedia tely shot dead. This place was later came to be known as â€Å"The Death Strip†. Approximately 190 people were killed in this region with a further 200 being injured by gunshot inflicted wounds. Though it was a violation of the postwar Potsdam Agreements, The allied forces did not challenge the existence of the wall, and only committed to protecting serving West Germans in a political move that was aimed at avoiding conflict with the U.S.S.R. The exodus from the east gradually slowed down and majority of East Germans could no longer visit, work or move to west Germany. Families who had their members in both east and west at the time of completion of the wall were separated for more than a quarter of a century.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Berlin Wall History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Other professionals who commuted to work in the west found themselves unemployed since there was no acce ss to their jobs. Protests erupted in West Berlin, and the West Berliners criticized the allied forces for not antagonizing the construction of the wall, although the Potsdam Agreements gave them mandate over the whole of Berlin, (Fred 55). Crossing the wall At first, there was nobody who was allowed to cross over either in the west or east from the time the wall was built but it later changed in 1963. This was brought about by intense negotiations amid GDR and FRG governments that allowed West Germans limited access and restricted visits to the east during Christmas between 1963 and 1966. After 1971 agreements, the borders between east and west became more porous to West Berliners who could then apply for a visa to East Germany, but the East Germans and citizens of other eastern European nations were not allowed into the west apart for a few exceptions, (Prager 28). Permit approval was however not guaranteed for East Germans and GDR also limited the amount of money that they could convert to western currency in an attempt to restrict their financial autonomy while in the west. This was aimed at making sure that those visiting the west would come back due to financial constraint. This led to the introduction West German’s policy of giving a small amount of money known as welcome money every year to east Germans who visited West Germany and West Berlin and this was meant to help assuage their tribulations. However, as a requisite for the post war Four Power Arrangements, allied military employees, diplomatic personnel and civilian officials could enter and exit East Berlin without presenting their documents at East German check points, (Andreas 2). Ordinary citizens of the Western Allied states who had no official association with the Allied forces were supposed to use the approved road or rail check points in and out of East Germany and they were required to present documents to the East German border control units. There were eight border crossings bet ween East and West Berlin that permitted visits by West Germans. Each of the border crossings had a designated nationality group which could pass through and that was only after verification of their identity and citizenship. Certain checkpoints only allowed West Germans; others only processed East Berliners while others were restricted to Allied personnel and foreigners only.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Impact of the Berlin wall The establishment of the Wall had significant supposition for the East German state. By effectively reducing the emigration of people from East Germany, the East German government was able to restore its mandate over the country exterminating financial hardships grounded by a weak currency and an effervescent black market leading to the commencement of substantial economic growth in East Germany. The GDR came to the defense of the wall, asserting that the wall was primarily to limit the belligerence that the west was setting in motion in East Germany. There were allegations that western spies and agents were operating in the east, subverting government programs and initiatives as well as collecting critical information. The eastern administration also claimed that the westerners were flooding the eastern markets to buy government subsidized goods which were cheaper than those in the west, (Alex 39). The allied forces administration saw the construction of t he wall from a different perspective. There were major concerns about the Soviets recapturing part or the whole of Berlin. These concerns were however put to rest by the erection of the wall for the wall would seemingly have been a superfluous undertaking if such a strategy was being considered by the soviets, decreasing the likelihood of a martial collision over Berlin. There was severe labor and brain drain across East Germany before the wall was erected, and most of those who immigrated were among the young and well educated group. The GDR was rapidly loosing their intelligentsia and human resource to the west. East Germany had already lost 9.5% of its working age population among them, doctors, professors, engineers, notary and various other professionals and skilled manpower (Gale 19). This as a result led to the underdevelopment of East Germany both in infrastructure and a depleted education system (Brennan 13). After the wall was erected, majority of the eastern work force st ayed in the west, what followed was a generational gap that had inadequate human resources, and this led to an acute under development of eastern Germany, and of which is currently still evident in some parts of the current Germany. West Berlin’s elaborate train transport system was also adversely affected by the creation of the Berlin wall. Some of the transit routes were divided and eventually several stations had to be closed down, Escapees There were a number of triumphant getaway efforts made during the era of the wall’s existence. They were reported to be more than 4,700 escapees but there were also a significant number of casualties and fatalities recorded. Escapes involved people jumping over the preliminary barbed wire or leaping out of residential houses either from the roofs or through windows. To solve this problem, East German authorities closed off apartments within the vicinity. Later, they introduced the infamous Death Strip that saw the persistent quan dary of escapees come to a grinding halt. Resourceful East Germans however resulted in using discrete methods like digging underground tunnels and using the sewer system to avoid detection (Taylor 36). The East German government gave its border guards shooting orders when dealing with escapees, though such orders were not necessarily equivalent to shoot to kill orders. They were however ordered in an October 1973 circular to regard anyone approaching the wall as a traitor and the border guards should therefore shoot at any person attempting to cross even in the presence of women or children (1999. Fred 55). Falling of the wall and unification of Germany In the late 1980s, the Soviet Union began to weaken, and its collapse was imminent. The opening of Hungary’s borders to Austria in May 1989 may as well be viewed as the trigger that impelled the falling of the Berlin wall. Hungary was immediately flooded by East Germans who then crossed the border into Austria eventually campi ng at the West German embassy in Austria. East Germany was forced to stop any further travel to Hungary but the same case was being witnessed in Prague and Czechoslovakia (Frederick 3). This was followed by protest through out the months of September and October 1989 and such demonstrations were recurrent, with protesters in their millions leading to the East Germans camping in all West Germany embassies being allowed to travel to the west by the East German government (Elander 1). The protests grew by the day and in early November; the East German government was forced to open all borders leading to the west. By 11th November 1989, citizens had begun chipping off pieces of the wall as souvenirs. The official dismantling of the wall was done much later though, on June 13 1990 and it involved bulldozers and the military felling huge chunks of the wall and this went on until November 1991. The East Germany adopted the West Germany currency on July 1 1990 and the unification of Germany became a reality. Conclusion Although the economic state of affairs in the West continued to advance, the one in the East remained as static just like everywhere else in the U.S.S.R. West Germany rebuilt itself into an economic motivating force and the occupational opportunities available were of a large number. This attracted thousands of workers from all over Europe, who essentially flooded the country, giving West Germany a rich and variant workforce. Their eastern counterpart however continued to relish in poverty and abject conditions that were not conducive for significant education or work. The East German government never gave any solid reason for the erection of the wall, but it is widely known that most of the citizens of the GDR were fleeing from the oppressive communist rule. The unification of Germany was well received locally and internationally and only then did the east see an opportunity for potential growth. Work Cited Alex, Bruffeno. â€Å"The History Surroundin g the Berlin Wall†. Wellington. NC. Cruss press. 2003. Andreas, Ramos. â€Å"The Fall of the Berlin Wall: A Personal Account†. Krafts. May 30 2003.Web.: http://andreas.com/berlin.html Brennan, Luann. â€Å"The Fall of the Berlin Wall: Truth or Hype in the Media†. Media Focus. June 25 2004. Web.: is.wayne.edu/mnissani/media/Berlin.htm Elander, Eugene. â€Å"And the Berlin Wall Came Tumbling Down†. Berlin. Nov 2 1999. Web. opednews.com/articles/And-the-Berlin-Wall- came-t-by-Eugene-Elander-091109-87.htm Fred, Willis. â€Å"The Rise and fall of the Berlin wall†. Berlin. Penguin. Frederick,  Ramm.† The fall of the Berlin wall 1989†. Germany. August 14 1999.Web.: remote.org/frederik/culture/berlin/ Gale, Cengage. â€Å"Berlin Wall. The History†. June 2 2002.Web.: encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3045300183.html Prager, Brad. â€Å"The erection of the Berlin Wall†. Chekers. Dec 4 2006. Web. highbeam.com/doc/1G1-138663011.html Taylor, Frederick. â€Å"The Berlin Wall†. Berlin. April 13 2003. Web.: http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-the-berlin-wall-by/

Using however - Emphasis

Using however Using however ‘However’ is a useful word, however you look at it. [Sorry – Ed.] But readers of our e-bulletin, Write Away, often ask us to clarify the right ways to use it. However we can help, say we. Meaning ‘but’ The most common way of using ‘however’ is to mean ‘but’. This usually comes at the beginning of a sentence, and is followed by a comma. The calendar claimed the month was May. However, the temperature felt more like November. For this use, it’s also correct to put it in the middle of the sentence, with commas either side. It was May. It was, however, very nippy. Or you can put it at the end, after a comma. I am normally wearing shorts by this time of year. I’m afraid of pneumonia, however. But it is wrong to use ‘however’ between two parts of a sentence that make sense by themselves. I look forward to this time of year, however today I have goosebumps is grammatically incorrect. You can use ‘but’ here instead, because it is a conjunction (or joining word). ‘However’ is not a conjunction when it means ‘but’. I look forward to this time of year. However, today I have goosebumps is grammatically correct. Meaning ‘no matter how’ Another, less common, meaning for ‘however’ is ‘no matter how’. You can use it in the middle of a sentence without a comma after it. I couldn’t bring myself to give up my thermal vest, however tired I was of being teased for it. You can also put it at the beginning of your sentence, without a comma afterwards. However you like me to dress, I’ll do the opposite. Be wary of not accidentally putting a comma after ‘however’ in this instance, or you could end up saying something quite different. However, you like me to dress, I’ll do the opposite. [Note: if you do ever want to assert that, while there are people who prefer you clothed, you will always choose to defy them, then that second comma should really be a semi-colon. Or a full stop.] Meaning ‘in whatever way’ In this form ‘however’ can be at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence, with no punctuation around it. I’m kidding. I’ll dress however you’d like me to. It’s your mum’s birthday party. How do I want to travel to Hawaii? However you want. You’re paying. Alternatives When you’re writing a long document, and you need to link from one paragraph to another, it’s easy to fall into the trap of over-using ‘however’ (meaning ‘but’). Here are some good alternatives to keep your writing varied and fresh:         Nevertheless         On the other hand         But         Yet         Despite         In contrast/comparison. If you’re ever in doubt about how to use a particular word, or if you have any other business writing questions, our free 64-page guide to better writing The Write Stuff will help. Click here to download your free copy.

Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Depression - Essay Example Low mood is the primary symptom of depression and often clients in pursuit of getting rid of these negative emotions resort to abusing narcotics that do more harm than good. As it is also observed in patient care units, individuals suffering from depression become so heavily dependent on the narcotic that discontinuation is followed by severe withdrawal symptoms. The individual also resort to increasing the amount of drugs taken, which can lead to the individual dying as a result of an overdose. Drug abuse can also result in the individual partaking in activities that may regretted later that can exacerbate the depression experienced by the individual. (Jaekel et.al. 2009) Drug abuse is equally detrimental as depression and can seriously hamper one’s social and occupational functioning. Therefore, in order to help the individual avoid addictive behavior, the clinician must try to effectively treat the depression and if not, client psycho-education is really helpful in getting them to avoid undesirable behavior. Clinicians must explain to them the detrimental repercussions of drug abuse and their vulnerability to it, so that clients do not indulge in such behavior.