My Spring Break

My Spring Break Excited for the spring break? Spring Break or Midterm Break, as some people call it, is a week given to the students at universities and schools in some countries. People usually go out of the city to relax and enjoy their time. The vacation meets with the weekend holiday of St. Patrick's day. Therefore, I decided to go with my sister to watch the parade in South Boston. Going there was challenging for us. While we were in the train station, everyone was going in the same direction. We were in the middle of the crowd when suddenly everyone stopped.It was really crowded and we couldn't move until the train came and some people got on it. When we got close to the train, we had to wait for another one. The transit police were telling people to move forward for more space to the upcoming crowed. Finally, we got on the train with all that pushing from people. It took us 30 minutes to arrive at our destination. It was my first time seeing the parade. I did not know what to expect there. My sister and I stood there for about an hour waiting to see something until one man shout â€Å"I see the flags†.At that moment, I was very excited to see what was next. A three young men appeared holding huge flags. That was followed by different performances such as Irish traditional music and dancing. Also, the parade included some soldiers' groups from the Army and the Navy. Furthermore, there were several politicians who participated in the parade as well. It was fascinating to watch all of that. You can tell that the people were ready to celebrate. On our way, we noticed how most of them were wearing green and heading there with family and friends.Some of them wore big green hats and necklaces, especially the kids. Others wore unusual costumes and painted their faces. People were getting drunk and enjoying their time. The day was not only celebrated by the Irish but also by people from different countries. In conclusion, going to the parade was a great ex perience for me. I learned about the Irish culture and religion. Additionally, I realized how it is important for them to celebrate this day. It was great sharing that with them and getting to know them up close. I definitely enjoyed my day.

Fiero’s Greek Civiliation

I believe Fiero’s first humanist actually seems to start in early Greek civilization. † Greeks were called the humanists of the ancient world†. (Fiero 30) The Greeks were known for their art, literature, as well as their religious culture. Fiero also refers to the humanistic period in which the great historian Thucydides wrote â€Å"The History of The Polynesian War† (Fiero 37) which we see celebrates the Greek culture in Athens during the Polynesian War. I believe this was a great example of the humanist in the Greek culture by showing the true spirit of Greek patriotism and community of the Greek people.We also see Fiero use the Greeks use what was called â€Å"symmetry†, on their statues and paintings. They believed the true aspect of the human being should be shown in actual form. They also show such detail and the proportion was correct. They also show that the human body was a work of art. We also see Fiero use the example of the â€Å"Partheno n† as the Greeks style of architecture. On the actual â€Å"Parthenon† they had the four horsemen, water bearers, and the showing of the festival in which the tribute to Helen was shown. This shows me that the Greeks were all about depicting the greatness of their civilization.The Romans basically copied the art and most of everything else so I will go straight to the Renaissance. Fiero refers to the Renaissance as the revival of the Greco-Roman culture. (Fiero 183) This was revised by the Aquinas. They were looking at this as the† fulfillment of the human potential†. (Fiero 183) This is what I see in the art of the Renaissance is that the pieces had depth and perception and proportion and symmetry just like the Greco-Roman style. Fiero comments that new Renaissance humanists have religion in their lives but look at their intellectual curiosity has appealing and appeasing.According to Fiero the most Renaissance Humanists was â€Å"Francesco Petrarch†. (Fiero 184) I believe Francesco was a restorer of early Latin works. I believe he was trying to bring to life the old classics of the Greek world. I think he wanted to show that he was a great poet as Cicero. I think he was torn on whether he was a great believer or reasoner. I believe he chose to be a believer. In his sonnet I think he was torn on his love for his lover or his love of words. I see these as examples of Fiero’s humanism.

A Detailed Speech Outline

This page explains how to make a detailed outline of a speech. It should be remembered that depending on the type of speech, the outline may vary. However, if you base your speeches on this outline you should be able to make a successful speech. In order to make a detailed and useful outline you must understand the structure of a speech. The basic structure of a speech and how to make a simple outline has been explained on another page. On that page it was shown that there are three main parts to a speech; The Introduction, The Body, and The Conclusion. These three parts can be further broken down.The structure of these three main parts can be seen in the outline below. A presentation outline is a way to organize your material logically and clearly. You should make an outline before you start to write a speech. In fact the writing of a speech comes towards the end of the speech creation process (see '11 Steps to Creating a Speech'). By using a presentation outline, you can â€Å"see † your speech and determine where you need to add or revise information. It provides the structure for the introduction, body, and conclusion of your speech. In addition, it can serve as your speaking script.This outline consists of Four parts; The Header, The Introduction, The Body, and The Conclusion. Before you start writing your speech you should make an outline using these 4 headings and their sub headings. 1. Header Topic Decide on your topic. Audience Analyze your audience. What do they already know about your topic? Are they interested in the topic? Refine and limit topic Based on your analysis of the audience you may need to slightly change you topic, by either changing the focus, or the scale of the topic. Purpose Statement Write down a clear statement of what it is you intend to achieve.What is the purpose of your speech. For example; The purpose of this speech is to inform the audience how to travel in Japan without spending to much money. Organizational Method or Pattern There is no single way to organize a speech. The pattern you will select will be determined by the information you have and the specific purpose you want to achieve. There are six basic patterns for organizing a speech: Logical or topical Chronological Spatial Classification Problem-Solution Cause-effect Once you have completed these five parts of the ‘Header', you are then ready to start planning the speech itself. . Introduction Greeting and Attention getter How will you greet the audience? How will you get the audience's attention? Think of a sentence that will make the audience sit up and listen. Thesis Statement The ‘purpose statement' is where you simply state what your goal is. However, it is not possible to use this in the speech. You need to convert it to a ‘thesis statement'. A thesis statement is one sentence in the introduction in which you declare your purpose and topic. For example, a thesis statement of the above purpose statement would be; à ¢â‚¬ËœTraveling in Japan need not be an extravagance. Credibility If the audience do not know who you are, you will not only need to introduce yourself, but you will also need to ‘establish your credibility'. This means you will have to explain to the audience why you are ‘qualified' to speak about the subject. Outline of main the points – overview What are your main points? Why? Tell your audience why you think your presentation will be useful to them. 3. The body Transition Think of a sentence that will make it clear to the audience that you have finished the introduction, and are now about to start the body of the speech.Main points and ideas Main ideas Supporting ideas Details & Examples Visuals Write your main points and ideas hereWhat ideas will you tell the audience to support your main points? What details or examples do you have? Will you have any visuals to help explain your points? main ideas = sub-topics supporting ideas = sub-sub topics evidence = det ails and examples 4. The conclusion Transition Think of a sentence that will make it clear to the audience that you have finished the body and are now coming to the end of the speech. Restatement of main pointsSummarize your main ideas and think of which piece of information you really want the audience to remember. Closer Think of a final sentence to help the audience remember your speech. Note that the presentation outline is not a word-for-word script for the speech but an outline of ideas to serve as an organizational and presentation tool for the speaker. Once you have finished the outline you are then ready to start writing. Copy this into a word processor document, and use the headings to make your own outline for your demonstration speech.

The Battle of Tours Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Battle of Tours - Essay Example The Battle of Tours occurred in October of 732. The participants were the Frankish leader Charles Martel and Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi of the Umayyad Empire. The Franks were one of the first Germanic tribes to convert to Christianity and the Umayyad Empire was the strongest Muslim empire of the day. The Franks were located in Central and Eastern France. They forged a close alliance with the remnants of the Christian Church located in Rome. The Church helped provide money so that Charles Martel could train his soldiers year round. This was necessary because of the advances of the Muslim Caliphate into Western Europe (Wood, 1999). The Umayyad Empire was established after the original Muslim Empire founded by the Rightly Guided Caliphs collapsed. The Umayyad Empire conquered the whole of the old Persian Empire, much of the Byzantine Empire and all of Northern Africa. They crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and slowly conquered the while of the Iberian Peninsula. Ever seeking to expand the E mpire and Islam, general Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi built upon the acquisition of lands on the other side of the Pyrenees Mountains. His plan was to push North and East, eventually surrounding Rome and ending the presence of Christianity in Western Europe. The only army that was large enough to withstand the assault of the Muslim invaders was that of Charles Martel (Cantor, 1994). Rome was still reeling from the German invasions of the century before. The Roman Empire was defunct, so Charles Martel and his army of 30-40 thousand soldiers was the last line of defense for European Christianity. Some historians today argue that the Battle of Tours is overrated. They say that it was really nothing more than the defeat of a small Muslim exploratory party. The fact is Muslim and Christian historians and chroniclers of the battle have produced many sources that dispute these modern day historians. The Battle of Tours was very important for the history of Christianity. Part of the reason Charl es Martel was able to win the Battle of Tours was the element of surprise. The Franks had leaned from experience that the only way they could battle the military might of the Umayyad forces was to catch them overconfident and off guard. Duke Odo had done this nearly two decades earlier at the Battle of Toulouse. Under siege, he surprised the Muslim warriors with a counter attack that took advantage of their sloppy preparation and overconfidence. It was Odo’s recent defeat on the battlefield that convinced Charles Martel to organize his troops for a surprise attack on the invaders. After forcing a pledge of allegiance from Odo, Martel began the expansion of the Carolingian empire by organizing his troops for counterattack against the Umayyad troops. Charles Martel organized his troops on a semi-wooded hillside near where two small rivers converged in the Loire valley. He needed this place because it gave him the high ground and the trees provided cover for his troops. The tree s served the purpose of breaking up the charges by the Umayyad cavalry and concealing the true number of his troops. When the Muslim troops arrived in the plain at the food of the plateau he occupied, they were completely surprised to see their way blocked by the Franks. One stroke of luck enjoyed by Charles Martel was the fact that the rapid advancement of the Umayyad troops up the Loire valley had separated them from their supply chain. As a result, the entire army had broken into several

The function and mechanism of AlkB Research Paper

The function and mechanism of AlkB - Research Paper Example Iron is known to interfere in the assays due to instability of AlkB/Fe+2 complexes in aerobic conditions; a problem that is overcome by replacing iron with other metals or performing assays under anaerobic conditions. The presence of iron bound to 2-oxoglutarate in the core of the enzyme has been established through over expression and isolation of native protein. Like all other Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase superfamily enzymes AlkB too has a metal center exhibiting a UV-Vis band range of 52-580nm; that in absence of DNA is a five coordinate Fe2 center and changes to six coordinate center in presence of single stranded DNA. Like other members of the superfamily, AlkB too has a core jelly roll fold that is formed of 8 beta strands at the carboxy-terminus. The catalytic domain is contained within the carboxy-terminus; however additional features for substrate specificity lie outside the catalytic domain and the jelly roll fold. At the N-terminus additional beta strands an d alpha helices form a support scaffold for the catalytic domain and also the outer walls of Binding groove for DNA/RNA. In addition to these and many other structural similarities of AlkB to other members of Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase superfamily; certain characteristics unique to AlkB include nucleotide binding lid, flipping mechanism motif. A common double stranded beta helix (DSBH) fold comprising of a large and a small beta sheet with iron core in between has the enzymes’ conserved residues. The first of the two distinct regions of DSBH includes a highly conserved iron binding region H131XD133XH187, wherein iron is bound to the 2-oxoglutarate in a bidentate form. The DSBH present the substrate binding site interacting exclusively with the damaged DNA/RNA strand through 2 amino terminal alpha helices and beta sheet loops that form a secondary structure called ‘lid’ (nucleotide recognition lid) over the active site. The flexible conformation o f the lid allows it its amino acids (Thr51, Tyr76 and Arg161) to bind to varied alkyl groups on its nucleotide substrates through H-bonding to phosphate group in the nucleotide backbone. As a consequence of this interaction the catalytic core of the AlkB, the enzyme loses its flexibility; undergoes a conformational change that disallows oxygen to reach the active site thereby preventing the oxidation of iron. It can thus be proposed that DNA binding if occurring after iron would lead to access of oxygen to active site. DNA/RNA repair mechanism of AlkB involves oxidative demethylation of nucleotides at the site of lesion which is accomplished through hydroxylation of methylated bases through oxidative decarboxylation of 2-oxoglutarate in the enzyme core. The latter as result is converted to succinate and CO2, and methyl group is released as formaldehyde. Though the actual mechanism is yet to be established, on the basis of studies on another enzyme of the same superfamily, TauD; the probable mechanism involving an oxidative intermediate to Trp178 has been proposed. The mechanism also verified through in vitro assays on purified AlkB involves the binding of Fe2 and 2-oxoglutarate to the enzyme core followed by binding of methylated middle base to the ‘lid’. This allows oxygen to reach the iron and form nucleophillic superoxo anion (OÂ ­2-) –Fe3. This then forms a bridged peroxo-type intermediate along with 2-oxoglutarate, that through decarboxylation of 2-oxoglutarate and cleavage of O2 forms Fe4-oxygen intermediate. Coupled to oxygen cleavage is formation of succinate and CO2 from 2-oxoglutarate. The intermediate on the other hand hydoxylates the methyl group at the nucleotide forming

Aerobic Sisyphus and the Suburbanized Psyche Essay

Aerobic Sisyphus and the Suburbanized Psyche - Essay Example The paper has identified that Rebecca Solnit used strong words to push her arguments to the readers’ thoughts like in: "Too, the estate was on a sale that permitted walking without leaving the grounds; the suburban home was not, but suburbs would eat up the countryside and diffuse the urban anyway." The way she sounded when she mentioned the words â€Å"eat up the countryside† was more like saying that the suburbs are more of an animal trying to devour and consume the countryside or the old way of living. The industrial revolution, as a reason of suburbanization, led to the absurdity of mankind of the way of its culture has come. Walking, before, was almost you could say â€Å"their life†. It was a monotonous indoor and outdoor struggle to live their lives and to earn for it. â€Å"Sub-urbanization has radically changed the scale and texture of everyday life, usually in ways inimical to getting about on foot†. An improvement in cities and an invention of s idewalks created safe streets to walk, yet people were discouraged by the improvement and they felt unsafe: such as the threat of acquainted people and industrial pollution. Solnit also mentioned: "The most perverse of all the devices in the gym is the treadmill (and its steeper cousin, the Stairmaster). Perverse, because I can understand simulating farm labor since activities of rural life are not often available - but simulating walking suggests that space itself has disappeared. That is, the weights simulate the objects of work, but the treadmill and Stairmaster simulate the surfaces on which walking takes place.† where she points out that walking nowadays is done indoors only. Unlike in the past centuries where it has the freedom to be, walking... The paper tells that work and family became separated. In the past, early artisans used to have shops in their houses, that is before there were factories that poor families could work and large markets that produce a huge amount of goods an artisan’s shop could produce. People have to work; they will go out, drive a car or get on a train to go to work far from their families to earn money to provide their family something to eat. Home in the 19th century, for workers, is not a place for family but more like a place to rest, a place to prepare for another day’s work. Wanting to earn, workers have to spend money to ride along to get to factories, it made them even poorer than they were before as common countryside or neighborhood shop artisans. People in the early centuries as the living countryside was healthier than they are the time factory systems arose. Factories and industrial plants polluted almost all of the wide green plains and blue seas. Children who use to play outside in the gardens with a smile on their faces tend to stay inside and watch television than to go outside and breathe polluted air. Healthy fishes, which used to provide fishermen food and living, now floats in the seas for their habitats are covered with dirt and oil from factories and industrial power plants. Suburbanization and technology influenced, as well as changed, our culture. Several inventions and discoveries led to the creation of machinery and toys that reduces human efforts.

The Value of Money Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Value of Money - Essay Example Compound interest is different from the simple interest on the grounds that it takes into account the accumulated interest that has to be paid over the years and the principle for compound interest assumes that interest should also be paid on the accumulated interest. Compounding can be done annually, semi-annually or quarterly depending upon the circumstances. Using compounding interest method, there are gigantic changes in the amount of interest that is received. The amount of interest gained, when comparing the gains from the compound interest method to the simple interest, magnifies to an enormous extent. When calculating future value transactions, the value increases by a greater extent. The concept of time value of money can be termed as the foundation of the field of finance. This concept talks about the increase in the value of money with the passage of time; Which means that the dollar that you hold in your hand right now, is worth more than it will be worth in the future, the reason being that you can conveniently invest it somewhere and earn additional money over that dollar. Another important concept that the time value of money put forward is, that the future value of the principal amount and the interest collected over a period of time can be summarized into a value today; just like you can calculate the value to which a certain amount of money today will convert into on a future date. Mortgage loans are Mortgage loans are an example of the proper application of the time value of money; reasons being the loans are given by deciding the series of future payments that are to be paid to the lender for a house that is bought. More interest is paid in the beginning because the procedure follows compounding interest method. In this case, with each payment, as the principle amount to be returned decreases, the interest that has to be paid on it decreases too. The terms that are being used to give off the loan are of immense importance; more terms mean more compounding of the loan, resulting in extra payment of interest. This law holds true for varying interest rates as well. As the terms are increased, consequently the interest rates increase too. There is a multiple effect on the payments of interest when both the factors increase. Bond Prices and Interest Rates At a glance, one would feel that there should be a direct relationship between the interest rates and bond prices. However, there exists a negative relationship between the two and this seems highly inappropriate. Bonds actually pay a certain amount of money over a period of time till the bond matures (Ken, 2008). To understand the inverse relationship between the two, let us consider the zero-coupon bonds which give no coupons but their value is determined by the difference in the value at the time of purchase to the time of maturity (Ken, 2008). As bonds provide a set interest over them, when the interest rates of the market increase from the set interest on the bond, the value of the bond has to be decreased to such an extent that the yield becomes equal to the market interest rate. For

Aol Time Warner Merger By Nina Munk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Aol Time Warner Merger By Nina Munk - Essay Example During the same year the group's recording and music publishing arm was sold for US$2.6 billion to a consortium led by Edgar Bronfman (former head of Universal), becoming Warner Music. ''Fools Rush In,'' by Nina Munk, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, is the best so far. Marrying exemplary reporting with lively, lucid writing, she makes a convincing and devastating at the same time case that Levin wrecked the legacy of Henry Luce, the founder of Time Inc., in the service of his ego. Levin wanted to redeem his weak performance at the company's helm with what he liked to call a transforming transaction. He had already transformed Time once, in 1990, when he helped engineer its merger with Warner Communications. That was another lousy deal. What he transformed in the AOL merger was $200 billion of his shareholders' money into nothing. Munk's entry to the growing list of books about the AOL Time Warner merger provides a thorough recap of the catastrophe, with the author coming to her own conclusion on the causes behind the merger's failure. After more than 100 pages of the obligatory background on AOL and its chairman, Steve Case, and Time Warner and chairman Jerry Levin, Munk begins to make her argument that Case and Levin, who ran their companies with few checks and balances, bear the greatest responsibility for orchestrating a deal that had little chance to succeed. She presses her case by hitting hard on the fact that few Time Warner executives knew about the pending deal until hours before it was announced, and that even fewer executives supported the proposal. That due diligence for the $165-billion merger only took three days and that many of the merged company's top managers sold large chunks of stock (including Case who sold shares worth $100 million) shortly after the deal closed is further proof to Munk that the combination was not well thought out and that many managers had doubts about its success from the very beginning. For readers looking for a quick review of events surrounding the AOL Time Warner merger, Munk's book fits the bill, but for those who are already well versed on the subject, Munk (a contributing editor at Vanity Fair) adds little new information. Many readers will find Munk's book comparable in terms of entertainment value (especially humor) as well as quality of thinking and writing. Both were thoroughly researched. The completion of each was aided and enriched by dozens of rigorous interviews of key participants. However, there is one significant difference: senior-level executives at Enron (notably Jeffrey Skilling and Andrew Fastow) have been accused and some charged with serious illegalities whereas none of those involved with the merger of AOL and Time Warner have, at least until now. "This is a the story of how two men, Jerry Levin and Steve Case, caused what may be the biggest train wreck in the history of corporate America." Munk goes on to suggest that "In broad terms, the disastrous merger of Time Warner and AOL epitomizes the culture of corporate America and Wall Street in the late 1900s." Part Three The Big Deal: AOL and Time Warner, 1999-2000. Step-by-step, Munk traces the process which eventually resulted in "the biggest train wreck in the history of corporate America." I was fascinated to learn about the nature and extent of Ted Turner's involvement amidst corporate intrigues which would have made the Medici envious. Part Four

Existentialist exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Existentialist exercise - Essay Example Rasheed’s focus on existentialism encompasses so many aspects. For instance, his pedagogical outlook encourages inclusivity and non-discriminative system which is fair in terms of race, gender, and other biases inherent in societal setups (Rasheed, 2007). The following discourse analyses educational leadership and pedagogical models based on the views presented by Rasheed (2007). Enforcing the new curricular standards that have been legislated by the government on the initiative of the state education agencies, according to few individuals, increases the problem of indiscipline; moreover, insofar as these ethics are enforced successfully, they tend to divide the students into what can be termed as an â€Å"academically successful minority† and an â€Å"academically discredited majority†(Connel, 1831). By neglecting the fact that classroom contain information as well as people, educators working within the formalistic paradigms have developed a technocratic curriculum that, instead of upholding critical thinking, fosters uncreative, repetitive education concept. As Theodore Sizer speculates; â€Å"Maybe Americans don’t want unnecessary questions for people who need answers. Perhaps in summary, the unchallenged mindlessness of so much of the status quo is truly acceptable; it does not make waves (Sizer, 1992). † Any teacher within this set-up who wants all her students to know more is principally concerned with giving her students more of what she, the skilled knows. Typical of this kind of education then is the teacher lecture. The text books normally provide information and the expert teacher clarifies or embellishes this particular information for her students. Students simply listen and capture notes. â€Å"Testing is generally the characteristic form of assessment, and the test questions characteristically have only one correct answers† (Sizer, 1996). The teacher remains alone as authority, an expert

LPN to RN transition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

LPN to RN transition - Essay Example LPNs perform the role of providing the basic nursing care to their patients. This mainly involves monitoring of patient’s health, providing basic care like inserting catheters or changing bandages etc., and discussing and reporting patients’ health concerns to RNs or doctors. RNs on the other hand perform enhanced functions like recording patients’ symptoms and medical histories, setting up care plans for patients, assistance in performing diagnostic tests and administering medications and educating patients and their families. Additionally, they have the responsibility to arrange consultations with doctors and also with professionals of other disciplines in a given health care setup. The transition from the role of LPN to RN demands that a better understanding of the ‘family as unit’ is developed. With the improvement in health care delivery services, the role of family in the overall process of care continues to play a critical role (Duncan & DePew, 2011). A registered nurse is therefore expected to take into account the function of the family to get an insight into the health status of her patient. Since the focus of job shifts from mere reporting to analysis of clinical situations, the professional role of RN is attributed to the development of more enhanced analytical skills. The habit of thinking critically, to derive useful results from clinical information is essential, if the role of a RN is to be performed effectively. It should be understood that transition is divided into three distinct phases: endings, neutral zone and beginnings (Harrington & Terry, 2009). For a transition to begin, it is essential that the connection with a previously ongoing process be brought to an end; this may equate to separation from a previously established social condition, losing older identity, disenchantment and disorientation. This follows a condition when the person in transition is ‘in limbo’; this allows renewal and

How did the wars between the French Republic and the monarchies of Research Paper

How did the wars between the French Republic and the monarchies of Europe lead to the Terror and the Napoleonic Empire - Research Paper Example This war was later dominated by Napoleon who fought against the seven coalitions of European states. The origin of this war trace back to the ousting of the monarchy Louis XVI by the revolution (Wilde 1). The revolution installed a government that was not favorable with the rest of Europe. This led to ideological differences as the monarchies and empires were against the newly instituted rule. There was objection from the families and relatives of affected individuals. The nations of central Europe were against declaration issued by Austria and Prussia in 1791 of restoring the monarchy as they had an interest of dividing Poland amongst them (Waller 75). In fact, they changed the wording of declaration of Pillnitz so that they could avoid war. However, France misunderstood the document and launched a protective mechanism against the nations on April 1792 (Wilde 1). Initially, the war was faced by difficulties especially after an invading Germany took Verdum and moved close to Paris. H owever, the French managed to push the advancing enemies back. On November 19 of the same year, the National Convention assisted people who were willing to regain their lost freedom (Wilde 1). This was a justification to the creation of allied buffer zones around France. On December 15 on the same year, they made a vow that the revolutionary laws of France were to be advanced abroad by use of their armies. Additionally, France engaged in an initiative of territorial expansion. They felt that they would be protected by opposing and overthrowing any king in authority. Consequently, the association of European state came together to oppose these developments as a first coalition (Waller 75). This led to combat that lasted over two decades that eventually led to the fall of the revolution. This paper seeks to focus on how the war led to the terror and the Napoleonic Empire. Reign of Terror The war between the French republic and monarchies of Europe led to the rise of the reign of terro r. This reign lasted from 1789 to 1799. When France went to war against Austria, there was a need for more men to fight the approaching enemy. As a result, Danton that called for more men to join the French army instituted a convention. This led to serious revolts that were against the deliberations of the convention. Major revolts were experienced in Vendee as the peasants defied the authority of the meeting and design of revolution (Bastille Day History 1). They agitated for the reestablishment of the monarchy. They led to rise of civil war between the Vendeen and the guards of the established republic. As a result, over 100, 000 people died (Bastille Day History 1). On April 6 1793, a committee was created and led to the establishment of the new government led by Robespierre. Serious measures were put to counter resistance locally and French military defeats in Belgium. The Girondists were accused of military crisis, and 22 of its members were guillotined (Bastille Day History 1) . This was the decline of the true revolution ideas. The reign of terror spread to the rest of the country on September 1793. Consequently, hundreds of French were killed to instill frightening trend of anger and decadence. Those perceived to be the enemy of the revolution were arrested and executed without trial. This led to the death of over 40,000 people in a period of 15 months (Bastille Day History 1). The period after this saw the death of many other people through Guillotine. One of those was the wife of

Gender, income and wealth Essay Example for Free

Gender, income and wealth Essay Gender is a term that has been used many times to describe the different social roles that men and women play in the society. It is also used to explain the biological difference between a man and a woman. However, gender violence, whether on men or on women varies with different communities. Even up to date, there are some societies that still emphasize on the roles and tasks that only men or women can do. Scientific studies on the social life of humans have shown that we are the ones who create inequality amongst ourselves by defining the roles that we should take and leaving those that we dont want to others. Gender difference is however important because it gives the rights and privileges to both women and men. But if viewed from a negative perspective, gender inequality can be defied as a world wide problem. Gender is one of the many determinants of what income a person should be given. In some countries, it is easy for men to get well paying jobs over women. This is especially the case in the developing countries; where the level of education does not really matter when it comes to job hunting. The situation gets even worse where the big jobs can only be given to the men because it is believed that they are better at decision making than women. Statistics have proved that 46 percent of all labor consists of women. However, women represent 75 percent of all the laborers with the lowest income or wages, and only 13 percent represent women of the best paid laborers. The gender factor is also seen to take effect at many homes, where many people believe that a husband should be earning more than the wife. Many husbands feel inferior, especially when they are unable to provide for their families and the wives take on the role of the provider. They believe that they should be the heads of the family and should be in charge of the major activities, including making important decisions. The fact that wives should be submissive to their husbands should not be mistaken as a reason to be discriminated. In general we can say that the world is facing major challenges because of gender inequality. (Karuna Jaggar, 2007) It is not so easy to measure the relation of gender to wealth. This is because most of the wealth is common within members of the same house hold, which consists of both a man and a woman. However, it is a fact that men are likely to own more assets than women. Women dont normally own such investments as bonds, stocks or other financial assets as much as men do. Furthermore, most men have retirement accounts, while most women do not have such accounts, and in addition to that, the pensions of women in most cases are less than those of the men. The gender factor also shows that non married households are not as wealthy as the married households. Also, divorced women contribute more to the labor market as compared to the married women. Married women will feel financially secure because of their husbands, but after they are divorced, their economic condition is affected a lot. The same case applies to widowed women. However, divorce does not have a big effect on the men as it has on the women, because they are always working so their wealth is not affected so much. Women who have never been married own the least wealth of all the house holds. They are said to own only a quarter of the wealth that the non married men own. From the late 1980s, the women initiatives have been helping the women to improve their financial security by advising them to start up small micro enterprises. The reason behind the start of the businesses is because they have very low start up costs, and are hence affordable to the women. Micro enterprises are competent, marketable, and require simple management by the owners. These businesses help women with low wealth and poor incomes to improve their financial status. (Karuna Jaggar, 2007) In general, we can say that gender inequality is a factor that is pulling the efforts to civilization behind and needs to be addressed. References 1) Chang, Mariko, 2007, His and Hers: Explaining the Gender Wealth Gap, retrieved on 1/30/2009 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p109260_index.html 2) Edlund Lena, Kopczuk Wojciech, 2007, Women, wealth and mobility: National bureau of economic research, New York, Cambridge press 3) Karuna Jaggar, 2007, The Race and Gender Wealth Gap, retrieved on 1/30/2009 from http://urbanhabitat.org/node/2815

Critical Analysis of Ageing Biomarkers

Critical Analysis of Ageing Biomarkers Introduction Biomarkers have been used since 1980, in aging and age related diseases. The use of biomarkers helps increase the understanding of a disease and help in diagnosis. Biomarkers can investigate a disease from early manifestations to final stages and can characterise biological age. Aging results in the deterioration of functional capacity and exposes people to diseases over time. The biomarkers should be measurable in the blood, tissues or cells and should be easily obtained from blood or urine samples. Biomarkers of exposure and biomarkers of disease are the two key types of biomarkers used in clinical settings. The effect and rate of aging is reliant upon individuals (Strimbu and Tavel, 2010). A reliable biomarker should be a predicator of life span not chronological age, should work on animals and humans and be frequently tested. There are three key types of biomarker; determine chronological age, predict life expectancy and disease predisposition. Biomarkers can enable the development of drugs to reverse or slow down the progression of a disease. Example of biomarkers of aging are cellular senescence, hormonal deregulation and oxidative stress (Sergievsky, 2004) and (Strimbu and Tavel, 2010) Biomarkers Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels have been associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. C reactive protein (CRP) biomarker is an acute phase reactant produced in the liver, following tissue injury, inflammation and infection is released into the bloodstream. An indication of cardiovascular disease risk could be the elevations in CRP levels in the blood, people with a higher or lower cardiovascular disease risk can be identified by measuring CRP levels in the blood. Elevated CRP levels cause inflammation and oxidative stress regardless of metabolic syndrome (Horiuchi and Mogi, 2011) and (Abraham et al, 2007). The data was analysed from 12 European countries and included patients over 50 years that had at least one cardiovascular risk factor with no history of cardiovascular disease. Diabetics were also analysed. Glycated haemoglobin levels were positively correlated with CRP levels and there was a negative correlation with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Women that had increased cardiovascular disease risk factor and more metabolic syndrome markers had elevated CRP levels. 30% of diabetic patients that were not receiving statin therapy had CRP levels ≠¥3mg/L and 50% CRP levels were ≠¥2mg/L, subjects with intermediate levels of cardiovascular disease risk. Mean CRP levels were ≠¥4.2mg/L in the overall population, levels were similar to subjects with diabetes. Subjects were over 50 years however no association was found between elevated CRP levels and age. Almost 50% subjects regardless of cardiovascular disease risk factor had CRP levels of ≠¥2mg/L. Increasing CRP levels were associated with metabolic syndrome markers. There was an association between raised CRP levels and greater cardiovascular risk (Halcox et al, 2014). This study looked at age related increase in compartments of visceral fat and the association with harmful changes in blood lipid profile and insulin sensitivity in non-obese women. Visceral fat has been suggested to be a predictor of variations plasma lipid levels, lipoprotein and plasma glucose-insulin concentrations. Abdominal adiposity increase helps identify age related decline in insulin sensitivity and plasma lipid levels. 178 women were categorized into four age groups, visceral and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue areas, body composition, blood lipid profile, glucose disposal and aerobic fitness were directly analysed. With age, there was an increase in abdominal adipose tissue. An age related proliferation was detected in total cholesterol (p The study investigated age related fluctuations in cutaneous sensation, areas of the palm and dorsal surface of the hand and nerves in the hand were observed. In eight sites of the glabrous skin and two on hairy skin on both hands cutaneous perceptual threshold was tested. 70 subjects aged between 20-88 years were used. Three tests were used von Frey thresholds, two point stimulations and Texture discrimination. The threshold for cutaneous sensation increased significantly with age (P Two point stimulation, showed increased threshold with age (P=0.046), lowest thresholds were observed in 20s (5mm) and in 60s had highest (7mm). Each area had increased loss of sensitivity with age. No significant increase was observed for threshold for texture discrimination, there was a stable surge until the 80s. From the 20s (0.27mm) up to 70s (0.44mm) an increase was observed however in the 80s (31mm) there was a decrease.No difference was seen between various sites of the hand, non-dominant/dominant and sexes. After the age of 60 males and 70 for females, there was an accelerated decline in cutaneous sensation (Bowden and McNutty, 2013). The obvious sign of aging is the decrease in muscle mass, function and increase fatigability in old age, it is suggested that there is a decline in myosin heavy chain synthesis with sacropenia. The synthesis rate decline highlights functional consequences of a weakened remodelling process. Muscle mass is regulated by muscle protein synthesis and breakdown, a lower synthesis rate compared to breakdown may result in diminished muscle mass. The loss of lean mass and decreased performance highlights metabolic changes that occur with sacorpenia. Myosin heavy chain is involved in the hydrolysis ATP to ADP, it is vital for muscle contractile functions. Myosin heavy chain synthesis rate was measured instantaneously with rates of mixed muscle and sarcoplasmic proteins. In young to middle aged people a decline in synthesis rate of mixed muscle protein (p Age related bone loss in men and women is the result of decline in hormones such as oestrogen and estradiol. It is understood that tissue growth and metabolism is regulated by insulin like growth factor (IGF) and binding proteins. The growth endorsing regulatory system IGF is growth hormone dependant and independent, it is a complex system. Six IGF binding proteins included in the IGF system as well as IGF-I and IGF-II. Osteoblastic diversity and bone development is improved by IGF-I and IGF-II which are abundant growth factors in bone tissue. These factors upsurge the production of type1 collagen fibres and apposition rates of bone matrix, degradation of bone collagen is reduced. The effects of IGF-I and IGF-II maybe potentiated or repressed by IGFBPs although they are anabolic. Metabolic activity and clearance of IGF-I and IGF-II is regulated by IGFBPs, IGF independent action that can inhibit or stimulate cellular function by four IGFBPs. Osteoblasts are able to synthesize all six IGFBPs. The role of serum levels of IGF-I and IGF-II, and IGFBP-1, 2 and 3 on bone mineral density was examined on various skeletal sites, in an age stratified random sample of 344 males and females. IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels declined with increasing age in males and females, IGFBP-2 levels increased with age. Associations between IGFBP-2 and lateral spine BMD were not observed however with age adjustment IGFBPs with BMD were significant for males and females. The most significant independent predictor of bone mineral density was IGFBP-2 amongst all the ones studies in males and females (Amin et al, 2004) Alterations in brain tissue and grey matter can help in diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer disease, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia etc. Aging has a profound effect on the brain. Grey and white matter contrast functionally and anatomically as well as having different patterns in brain development. MRI imaging is an effective way of investigating brain morphometric in vivo enabling the production of accurate and reliable information. Investigations have looked at age specific effects on various brain regions findings from the analysis have revealed brain tissue loss with age may vary between the various brain regions and hemispheres. 55 healthy volunteers aged between 20 and 86 were separated into two groups (20-49 and 50-86). Current or existing neuropsychiatric illness and substance abuse was excluded by a neurologist in an interview. Evaluations were done using MRI imaging and 50 separate brain volume images were under review. Results revealed reduction in grey matter with increasing age in males and females, deterioration begins at 20 years of age. Increasing age results in significant loss grey matter (4.9%). Increase in white matter is observed however accelerated decline in instigated around age of 40. A significant difference was observed between the two age groups (p=0.38), older people had significantly lower grey and white matter in the intracranial space as compared to younger ones (p Discussion Elevations of the biomarkers were helpful indicators in the development of disease and understanding age related changes in the body. Elevated CRP levels were observed in majority of patients regardless of cardiovascular risk. However, CRP is a non-specific inflammatory marker and elevations could be due to other biological processes. Amplified CRP levels is not the foremost casual factor for cardiovascular disease the levels (Halcox et al, 2014). Abdominal fat accumulation were seen to be an independent factor of age related change in plasma lipid levels and insulin sensitivity. Results revealed that abdominal visceral fat increased with age. The findings were consistent because age had an effect on insulin sensitivity (DeNino et al, 2001). Cutaneous sensation deteriorates with age, differences are also observed between sexes and hands. The extent of deterioration may have been undervalued this could have affected the results. There was difficulty in the assessment of skin hydration and the role of skin mechanics was inadequate. The associations between fine motor control and cutaneous sensation could be an area to study (Bowden and McNutty, 2013). There was an age related decline in myosin heavy chain synthesis but average synthesis rates were measured. Muscle mass decline was associated with incapacity for the skeletal muscle to remodel. Insulin resistance could have a role in declined myosin heavy chain synthesis due to its chronic effect. Differences between males and females were established. Data was normalized to whole body protein turnover to fat free mass because normalizations to body composition were fraught. Future research should investigate whether age related decline in synthesis rate could be retreated by use of replacement hormones (Balagopal et al, 1997). Age related bone loss was evident in males and females; the predictor for bone density was IGFBP-2. The results were not generalizable to the cognitively impaired. Correlations were observed between serum levels of IGF-1 and tissue levels within bone but there was limited understanding of the action at a local level. Future research should be directed towards investigating the complex role of the IGF system influence on bone metabolism (Amin et al, 2004). The exclusion of subjects with neurological conditions made comparisons difficult between young and old. An estimation of brain tissue loss can be done in healthy living subjects. The findings from the study were consistent with longitudinal studies (Robert et al, 2002). References Anti aging team . (2014). Biomarkers of aging . Available: http://www.anti-aging-guide.com/62biomakers.php. Last accessed 28th Feb 2015. Gertrude H. Sergievsky. (2004). Biomarkers: Potential Uses and Limitations. Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain,. 1 (2), 182-188. Jacob Abraham, Catherine Y. Campbell, Aamir Cheema, Ty J. Gluckman, Roger S. Blumenthal, Peter Danyi,. (2007). C-Reactive Protein in Cardiovascular Risk Assessment:. The Journal of Cardiometabolic Syndrome. 2 (2), 119-123. Jocelyn L. Bowden Penelope A. McNulty. (2012). Age-related changes in cutaneous sensation in the healthy. American Aging Association. 35 (2), 1077-1089. Julian PJ Halcox1,2*, Carine Roy3, Florence Tubach3,4, Josà © R Banegas5,6, Jean Dallongeville7, Guy De Backer8,. (2014). C-reactive protein levels in patients at. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders. 14 (25), 1-9. Kyle Strimbu and Jorge A. Tavel. (2010). What are Biomarkers?. Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 6 (5), 463-466. Masatsugu Horiuchi, Masaki Mogi. (2011). C reactive protein Beyond Biomarker of Inflammation in. Hypertension. 57 (1), 672-673. P. BALAGOPAL,1 OLAV E. ROOYACKERS,1 DEBORAH B. ADEY,1. (1997). Effects of aging on in vivo synthesis of skeletal muscle. American Physiological Society. 1 (1), e790-e799 Shreyasee Amin,1 B Lawrence Riggs,2 Elizabeth J Atkinson,3 Ann L Oberg,3 L Joseph Melton III,2,4 and Sundeep Khosla2. (2004). A Potentially Deleterious Role of IGFBP-2 on Bone Density in Aging Men. JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH. 19 (1), 1075-1081 Walter F Denino, Andre Tchernof, Isabelle J. Dionne, Michael J. Toth, Philip A. Ades, Cynthia K. Sites, Eric T. Poehlman, . (2001). Contribution of Abdominal Adiposity to. Diabetes Care. 24 (5), 925-932. Yulin Ge, Robert I. Grossman, James S. Babb, Marcie L. Rabin,. (2002). Age-Related Total Gray Matter and White. American Society of Neuroradiology. 23 (1), 1327–1333.

An Analysis of the Semiconductor Industry

An Analysis of the Semiconductor Industry The semiconductor industry began when the first transistor was built in 1947 by Bell Labs. This first use was as a hearing aid. In 1971 Intel introduces microprocessors which are the brains of the computer onto one chip for the first time. Then in 2005 the semiconductor industry reaches sales of $227 Billion dollars (SIA. 2011). In 2010 the sales were about $300 Billion dollars. The growth of the semiconductor industry has been tremendous. Semiconductors are everywhere. They are used in computers, electronics, telecommunication, industrial machines, transportation, wireless systems, medical, and military. The semiconductor industry is spread out internationally. There are major manufactures in the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and Europe. You can see the scope and geography of the semiconductor industry is immense and meets us at nearly every aspect of our lives. Its hard to comprehend how much of an impact this industry has made on the way we interact with one another on a regular basis. Semiconductors can do several things. In general, semiconductors process and display information, handle power, store data, condition signals, and alternate between light and electrical energy sources (PPRC, 2008). These processes are unseen but very present in areas mentioned in the above paragraph. The top three semiconductor producers as ranked by isupply.com are Intel, Samsung Electronics, and Toshiba. Intel and Samsung Electronics are set apart from all the others in terms of revenues as you will be able to see in a graph representing this data within the five forces framework section of the report. This industry is very competitive. As technology changes consistently, industry competitors fight to bring the latest and greatest products to market. The semiconductor industry is well known for their innovations and volatile environment. The Industry structure Supply chain End products G-STEP Global In the 1980s, Asia was primarily a place for low-cost semiconductor assembly and low-end consumer electronic product sales. Today, the region not only leads in electronic equipment production-from low-end to advanced products-but it is also a significant consumer of sophisticated electronics. China is now the largest market for cellular handsets, representing 20 percent of demand, and the second largest market for personal computers. South Korea has the most advanced nationwide cellular network in the world. The electronic equipment and semiconductor industries have evolved into a truly global market. Sociocultural Demographic Children have started getting exposed to electronic devices at a much younger age, than ever before. The electronic device manufacturers, also, use the technology to create things targeted towards children as young as 2-3 years old. This indicates that the market for these devices is continually increasing, hence, higher use of semiconductors. Another trend that we see is people switching to smartphones, which again use comparatively more semiconductors that their current phones. In companies, increasing use of cloud computing to store data also helps the sales of semiconductors go up. In general our lifestyle is changing to a world where we use a lot of semiconductors. (Rephrase the last statement) Efficiency will drive the industry. Lower power consumption wins!   doent really matter, its a very global industry. And everyone uses it. The workplace is already filled with people of different ethnicities. (What can I say about it?) (Read income distribution again!) Technological The semiconductor industry is heavily driven by the technological advancements in the products, processes and materials within the semiconductor domain. It is the technological upgrade rate that makes the industry highly cyclic. The industry is constantly striving for low cost, high speed, energy efficient and smaller chips. The technological upgrades are a prime reason for the barriers to entry in the fab segment of the industry, as the change of the fabrication process is a very expensive affair. But since then our public investment levels have been dropping. In 2011, federal investment in research and development has dropped below 1% of GDP. (http://www.scienceprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/SciProgResearchandDevelopment-101.pdf) (Page 3 graph) With the emergence of associations like SEMATECH, SEMI and SIA some of the burden was taken off of the individual companies. Intellectual property is now much more perishable than ever before and there are too many challenges to solve alone. We must recognize that alliances in the early stages of technological innovation are imperative to achieving breakthrough results that will deliver against the top and bottom line. John Warlaumont, VP of Advanced Technolog http://www.sematech.org/corporate/annual/annual09.pdf In the  semiconductor industry, for example, a confluence of cost, technology and demand trends is creating a shakeout in manufacturing. Indeed, the fixed costs and minimum scale associated with building a new chip fabrication plant have risen almost as precipitously as unit costs (under Moores Law) have fallen. As a result, few companies can still make the next leap to fabs costing $4 billion apiece. This has created a new set of fabless semiconductor companies, along with the foundries, which focus on manufacturing chips designed by others. Semiconductor companies will need to carefully weigh their strategy. http://www.bain.com/bainweb/consulting_expertise/industries_detail.asp?indID=14 Economic The economy of the country has an indirect impact on this industry. As the economy does poor the wages go lower, unemployment increases. This in turn affects the sales of electronic goods in which these semiconductors are used. However, if the economic health of the country is good, the industry is rewarded. The projected growth in the industry from 2011 2013 seems to be about 10.5%. (http://www.bharatbook.com/detail.asp?id=87078rt=Semiconductor-Industry-Forecast-to-2012.html). During the past recession the wages of the Silicon Valley tech workers dropped down by 10%. (http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=157950) Political/Legal In the past five years, information technology, fueled by faster and cheaper chips, has reduced the U.S. inflation rate significantly and has doubled the nations productivity growth rate. http://www.sia-online.org/cs/about_sia Semiconductor design and manufacturing facilities are strategic to our nations economic growth. However, our industry is faced with fierce global competition and our policymakers and regulators must ensure that we have balanced tax, regulatory and trade policies to allow our industry to continue to flourish in the U.S. and remain Americas largest export industry, Brian Toohey, President SIA concluded in 2010. http://www.sia-online.org/cs/papers_publications/press_release_detail?pressrelease.id=1869 The president of SIA proposed a RD tax credit for the US companies. This is in the favor of the industry, as they can spend more money in RD. (Recent paper 17th news) Industry analysis Financial Performance Based on the U.S. semiconductor companies revenues and net incomes 2007 2010 (Figures A,B,;;) the profit margins in the industry generally low. Some companies like AMD and Freescale were making losses even in 2007 before the recession hit. The three biggest U.S. semiconductor suppliers, Intel, Texas Instruments and Qualcomm, have been profitable during all the last four years. The smaller companies by revenue have clearly had worse financial performance. That suggest that the bigger players would have some advantage. Of the top three companies Intel is integrated device manufacturer wheras Texas Instruments (Not Fabless IBM REPORT) and Qualcomm are fabless companies (see Strategic Groups section). There is no clear evidence that one of the strategies would be better than the other based on the recent financial performance. Figure XXX. Top 9 U.S. Semiconductor Companies Revenues and Net Incomes 2007. Data from WRDS COMPUSTAT. Figure XXX. Top 9 U.S. Semiconductor Companies Revenues and Net Incomes 2008. Data from WRDS COMPUSTAT. Figure XXX. Top 9 U.S. Semiconductor Companies Revenues and Net Incomes 2009. Data from WRDS COMPUSTAT. Figure XXX. Top 9 U.S. Semiconductor Companies Revenues and Net Incomes 2010. Data from WRDS COMPUSTAT. The annual data for the rest of the 9 companies is not currently available. Market Shares The Top 20 Semiconductor industry players had a combined 65.2 % market share in 2010 (Figure XXX). The semiconductor industry overall is very fragmented, especially the product development. However, the amount of cutting edge technology chip manufacturers seems to be decreasing. Globally American companies hold about half of the market share. Japan and Asia-Pacific companies have about 20 % each and the rest is EMEA companies. Semiconductor business is a very global business. The importance of Asia-Pacific region has been increasing during the recent years. Figure XXX. Preliminary Estimate Semiconductor Suppliers Revenue Share % 2010. Data from iSuppli (Ford, 2011) Figure XXX. Preliminary Estimate of Global Semiconductor Revenue Share % 2010 by Headquarters Location. Data from iSuppli (Ford, 2011) Porters Five forces Threat of New Entrants Traditionally, because of the huge capital expenditures for startup, it is very difficult for those new entries to be successfully invading the semiconductor industry. Obviously, it is great news for those large companies who can control the market in their favor by using their economies of scale. Besides, the pointed end research and development are other two indispensable barriers for new entries. (Ciolli, 2011)However, recently, with the evolvement of the industry, smaller players could move their attention from manufacturing to research and development. Benefit from the subcontracting of manufacturing, smaller companies has more resources and capital to invest into research of new technologies. The cooperation of subcontracting eased the financial burden of the smaller players and reduced the barrier of semiconductor industry to them. (Investopedia, 2011) This is extremely significant for those smaller entrepreneurial corporations even for the whole structure of the semiconductor industry. Moreover, except the high technology requirement for new entry, another significant barrier to entry the semiconductor market is the software compatibility. As a powerful semiconductor player, they are required to not only create physical technology, but also need to design convenient and compatible software which could collaborate with their processors well so customers could enjoy their product. ? What is the source for this paragraph? Power of Suppliers In terms of large semiconductor companies, they have inherent advantages when choose suppliers from thousands of them (Investopedia, 2011). The large diversified companies usually use enough number of suppliers to minimize the power of each. However, in the specialized semiconductor industry, in which the fabless manufacturing model is used by most of the companies. As a result, fabless companies play an important role in this specialized sector. Besides, not every sub-contractor has the capability to satisfied the needs of the specialized companies, so suppliers are much powerful than those in the large generic semiconductor sector (Ciolli, 2011). There are several supplier groups present to the semiconductor industry. A few of those groups are; capital equipment makers, suppliers of silicon, chemicals, gases, water, energy, metals and other materials are used in manufacturing semiconductor products (PPRC, 2008). Rivalry Among Industry Players The semiconductor industry is very highly competitive. The firms within this industry compete on a daily basis to produce or manufacture a product that is smaller, faster and cheaper. The industry changes rapidly as technology changes rapidly. This keeps it competitive as each competitor can seek and opportunity to create something great before the others do. Within this competitive industry there is a constant pressure to come up with better products. The products of this industry are much undifferentiated as the products they are trying to create are essentially improvements to similar products that already exist. The accomplishments of the products change very little. The methods of production is where can see differentiation. The players are trying to come up with innovative ways to do the same things only in a smaller, faster, and cheaper manner (Investopedia, 2010). Comment by Joona: I disagree with this paragraph to some extent. For example ARM has gained very much competitive advantage with is mobile chip technology, similarly Intel has been the number one in the laptop microprocessors becaus of superior product performance The result of an industry that is this competitive is emerging technology that is cutting-edge. The technology is constantly changing into something better so for competition it makes it hard to remain at the top. What tends to happen in this type of an industry is that there are several industry players with similar size rise as the larger players. This is because no one player can keep excelling with the newest, fastest, and cheapest product available. The four main products of the semiconductor industry are memory chips, microprocessors, commodity integrated circuit, and complex SOC (system on a chip) which is a combination of a system of semiconductors compacted into one small product. The following are the top ten ranked semiconductor industry leaders as of 2010: Intel, Samsung Electronics, Toshiba Semiconductors, Texas Instruments, Renesas Electronics, Hynix, STMicroelectronics, Micron Technology, Qualcomm, and Elpida Memory (Ford, 2010). The graph below shows how these competitors are doing against each other in terms of revenue. It gives a basic understanding how they sit against each other and who are the major players. Figure XXX. Top 20 Semiconductor Suppliers Revenues 2010. Data from iSuppli (Ford, 2011). Power of buyers The buyers of the semiconductor industry are endless. There is a buyer at literally every corner. The switching costs of the buyers in the commodity semiconductor market is small as they can purchase from any semiconductor industry player who is representing the lowest cost available as long as the technology is compatible. The strong role of the industry giants like Intel and Samsung limits the bargaining power of buyers. Computers are definitely the largest piece of demand presented by the buyers in 2011, although it is declining due to the rising sales of smart phones and media tablets (Mutschle, 2011). Buyers in the semiconductor tend to be very price sensitive as the industry is constantly producing products at a lower cost to push the demand of their product. Within the buyers, there are several buyer groups that should be mentioned. The computer industry takes of the bulk of buyer demand, mobile devices and tabloids, and the medical industry to mention a few. These buyers make purchases from the semiconductor industry to continue in daily operations as they are a large part of ongoing business. Joona: This sentence needs clarification. Threat of substitutes The industry has the ability to change in a very short time. This takes away opportunities from substitutes to enter the market segment. It would not take the semiconductor industry very long to respond to a successful substitute as they would find a way to produce the product themselves. The problem that would be present is the money constraint. It can be done but at a cost. The industry players can find themselves spending a lot of money to research and develop new products just to find that their competition beat them to it by a few months. This keeps the business environment volatile and competitive. Joona: This paragraph would need some sources to back the claims up. In addition I found it hard to understand some of the logic. Strategic groups Joona: This is one way to classify the industry. I dont know if it is necessarily the best way to do it. Product line based classification is at least one alternative, but it requires some effort. Groups Based on Level of Vertical Integration Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDM) Some companies, such as IBM and Intel, have both semiconductor design and manufacturing capability. They try to achieve efficiency through vertical integration. Foundry Companies Merchant manufacturers do manufacturing for companies that do not have own manufacturing capacity. Cutting edge semiconductor manufacturing process technology is getting more and more expensive, and thus less and less companies can afford to have own production capacity (Jelinek, 2010). The largest foundry company is Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). It is a pure play foundry, which means that it only offers manufacturing services without designing own products. Fabless The fabless companies do not have manufacturing capacity. They design chips and buy manufacturing capacity from foundry companies. The fabless companies do not have as large risks relating to manufacturing technology, but as the amount foundry companies decreases, the foundry companies bargaining power will likely increase. This group includes companies like Qualcomm, AMD, Nvidia, Broadcom and MediaTek (Osborne, 2010). Key Success Factors What would it take for some firm to compete successfully in the industry(9) Joona (these guesses are just out of my head, no sources, no proof of validity): Ability to constantly develop new, better, cheaper faster designs Ability to produce breakthrough innovations Ability to form effective networks and partnerships in order to gain advantage of the resources of the collaborating companies New opportunities and threats What are the major emerging trends in the industry that may impact the industry firms in a significant way?(8) The New Threats and Opportunities The most critical treat for semiconductors industry is the rapid price declines due to more player enter the market and the substitute products become available. (Joona: Are new players really a threat given the resources and money needed to enter the industry?) The research by Ross Seymore (A Deutsche Bank Equity Research analyst) suggested that compare with the 30% revenue growth in last year, the chip industry faces a 25% revenue drop due to lower average selling prices for chips and the cyclical demand for semiconductors hits a lull. Seymore also mentioned that a largest average selling price drop may be waiting for the the memory segment which could cause risk to margins across the industry following 2010s record levels as well. ( KAWAMOTO,2011). However, there are some news opportunities for semiconductors players as well. One is the Smart Grid which could save resources in the busy time to balance the application amount of the power. Currently, about two-thirds of power is wasted because of the power grid aging. Inevitably, those aging power grid will be substituted by Smart Grid, which will give a new profit growth point to semiconductors industry. (Xiaona, 2010) Another significant technical innovation will benefit the semiconductors industry is the Immersion lithography which probably will drive the the lithography solution for semiconductor devices manufacturing in the following generation. Who can grasp this new technology will take a vantage point in the next decade of competition.(JVSTB, 2004) Joona: We should try to find some big picture opportunities and threats that have could have a significant impact on the industry Predictions (Next 5 years) How dynamic is the industry, stage of its life cycle? What is the likely demand situation during the next five years?(7) High inventory levels in Q4 2010 According to iSuppli the semiconductor suppliers inventories reached the highest levels in two and a half years during the fourth quarter of 2010. If the the semiconductor industry growth slows in 2011, this could bring troubles to the companies. (Stiefel, 2011) This is another example of the cyclicality and weak predictability of the industry. Joona: Could we somehow combine this with the previous section. More predictions needed. My best guess is that the industry is going to end up in a somewhat stable situation. 2010 was a boom because of the recession 2008-2009 and low inventory levels. ************** Future : http://isscc.org/doc/2010/ISSCC2010_TechTrends.pdf http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/19/intel-to-spend-5-billion-on-new-14nm-fab-in-arizona-creating-4/ Ravi: The fortunes of the semiconductor industries are ultimately tied to the demand of the end products. (Dirk Meyer, president and CEO of AMD, NDTV, interview) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpDx7LPdhqsfeature=related   Semiconductor design and manufacturing facilities are strategic to our nations economic growth. However, our industry is faced with fierce global competition and our policymakers and regulators must ensure that we have balanced tax, regulatory and trade policies to allow our industry to continue to flourish in the U.S. and remain Americas largest export industry, Brian Toohey, President SIA concluded in 2010. http://www.sia-online.org/cs/papers_publications/press_release_detail?pressrelease.id=1869 Intellectual property is now much more perishable than ever before and there are too many challenges to solve alone. We must recognize that alliances in the early stages of technological innovation are imperative to achieving breakthrough results that will deliver against the top and bottom line. John Warlaumont, VP of Advanced Technolog http://www.sematech.org/corporate/annual/annual09.pdf

Buddhism in the West Essay -- essays research papers

Albert Einstein once said, â€Å"the religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend a personal god, avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both the natural and spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all natural and spiritual and a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description. If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism.†# Many great minds like Albert Einstein have converted or become Buddhists. Many people from the west are turning their attention towards Buddhism because of the Buddha’s simple way to life and the lack of worship or prayer to a divine being. Buddhism has a fascinating history. Like most religions, you must first understand the background to practice the religion. Buddhism started with a young prince named Siddhartha Gautama, he was born in Nepal#. He was born around 563 B.C.# as a young prince his father suddhodana (ruler of the sakya) kept him from the pain and suffering that can occur in life. All of his childhood life he was kept inside palace walls. Until one day he joined a parade to the city. He wondered of into the city streets and got lost. He found himself in an old village. In this village he saw everything his father had kept him from, he saw pain, suffering, old age and death. After this experience he decided to leave his life of riches and high living. At the age of 29 he left his newborn son and wife. He ventured off into the jungle and began to meditate with a group of extremists, who did nothing but meditate. He stayed there for six long years. One day he realized that he was looking in the wrong directi on to end suffering. So he decided to go the middle way. He went all over teaching ... ... is growing in the west he answers, â€Å"it is not difficult to understand why Buddhism should appeal to Americans at this junction of our history. Theistic religions have lost their hold on the minds of many educated Americans and this has opened up a deep spiritual vacuum that needs to be filled. For many, materialistic values are profoundly unsatisfying, and Buddhism offers a spiritual teaching that fit’s the bill. It is rational, experimental, practical and personally verifiable. It brings concrete benefits that can be realized in ones own life: it propounds lofty ethics and an intellectually cogent philosophy. Also less auspiciously it has an exotic air that attracts fascinated by the mystical and esoteric#.† Many people like Bhikkhu Bodhi think these same things about Buddhism, because of its simple way to life without suffering and the lack of a divine being. Buddhism in the West Essay -- essays research papers Albert Einstein once said, â€Å"the religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend a personal god, avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both the natural and spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all natural and spiritual and a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description. If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism.†# Many great minds like Albert Einstein have converted or become Buddhists. Many people from the west are turning their attention towards Buddhism because of the Buddha’s simple way to life and the lack of worship or prayer to a divine being. Buddhism has a fascinating history. Like most religions, you must first understand the background to practice the religion. Buddhism started with a young prince named Siddhartha Gautama, he was born in Nepal#. He was born around 563 B.C.# as a young prince his father suddhodana (ruler of the sakya) kept him from the pain and suffering that can occur in life. All of his childhood life he was kept inside palace walls. Until one day he joined a parade to the city. He wondered of into the city streets and got lost. He found himself in an old village. In this village he saw everything his father had kept him from, he saw pain, suffering, old age and death. After this experience he decided to leave his life of riches and high living. At the age of 29 he left his newborn son and wife. He ventured off into the jungle and began to meditate with a group of extremists, who did nothing but meditate. He stayed there for six long years. One day he realized that he was looking in the wrong directi on to end suffering. So he decided to go the middle way. He went all over teaching ... ... is growing in the west he answers, â€Å"it is not difficult to understand why Buddhism should appeal to Americans at this junction of our history. Theistic religions have lost their hold on the minds of many educated Americans and this has opened up a deep spiritual vacuum that needs to be filled. For many, materialistic values are profoundly unsatisfying, and Buddhism offers a spiritual teaching that fit’s the bill. It is rational, experimental, practical and personally verifiable. It brings concrete benefits that can be realized in ones own life: it propounds lofty ethics and an intellectually cogent philosophy. Also less auspiciously it has an exotic air that attracts fascinated by the mystical and esoteric#.† Many people like Bhikkhu Bodhi think these same things about Buddhism, because of its simple way to life without suffering and the lack of a divine being.

A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams Essay -- A Streetcar Na

Street Car Named Desire A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams in 1947, has been called the best play ever written by an American. The geological setting of the play, New Orleans, creates a remarkably blended mood of decadence, nostalgia, and sensuality. The plot of the play comes about through the conflict between a man and his sister-in-law who comes to live at his house with he and his wife. Stanley Kowalski immediately captures the attention of the audience through Williams' excellent portrayal of the intensely strong willed character. The portrayal of Stanley Kowalski plays a major role in the success of the play. Williams forms Stanley into an extremely masculine character who will always have his way or no way at all and makes his opinions very clear to those around him. This profound masculinity places Stanley in direct opposition to Blanche DuBois. "The high-minded yet oddly fragile Blanche takes an immediate dislike to the loutish, working-class Stanley, while Stanley immediately recognizes Blanche for what she has become: a woman who finds consolation in indiscriminate sex and alcohol." (Authors & Artists, 165). This clashing forms the conflict which eventually roots itself deeply into the plot of the play. Stanley represents the symbol of the New South. Stanley's aggressiveness leads to his ease in taking total control over a situation. This characteristic also allows Stanley to completely secure the respect of all the men who associate with him, however, his aggression also shines a light upon a very destr uctive side of his character. In many ways, Stanley's brutality leads to the major conflict between Blanche and himself. "And look at yourself! Take a look at that worn out Mardi Gras outfit, rented for fifty cents from some rag picker! And with that crazy crown on! What queen do you think you are?" (Williams, 127). Stanley becomes very blunt in his contempt and aggression towards Blanche. Another view into the excessive aggression of Stanley appears in the third scene. In this scene, Williams provides a look at a very negative side of Stanley. Stanley physically assaults his wife, Stella, after she returns to the house during his poker game. "How anyone could find Stella Kowalski's comatose endurance of Stanley healthy or whole-hearted is, indeed, a subject for wonder." (Drama Criticism, 401). Stanley also shows his vi... ...own here. Stella, Stella!" (Williams, 59). Stanley also appears to fight Blanche for the purpose of saving his life with the woman he loves. "When Blanche threatens Stanley's marriage by cajoling her sister to abandon her husband, Stanley brandishes Blanche's weaknesses for all to see in an effort to preserve his home and family." (Authors & Artists, 165-66). These characteristics show the loving and caring side of Stanley as well as offering a contrasting view to his dark, brutal side. Tennessee Williams creates a brilliant play in A Streetcar Named Desire, featuring an amazing and complex character in Stanley Kowalski. The reader must constantly reevaluate the character of Stanley Kowalski as he presents many questions to the reader throughout the play. During the play, as the conflict develops between Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski, the audience must constantly consider which character portrays the villain and which portrays the victim. "Ultimately, however, Stanley prevails. He has gotten rid of Blanche, who has lost everything, and as we see in the closing lines of the play, he is able to soothe Stella's grief, and their life goes on." (Masterplots, 6316).

Health Risk Assessment Bnt’s Story Essay

To die with dignity should be a given. Death will present itself to everyone eventually and presumably no one in their right mind would choose not to die with dignity. That being said why is it that so many people who would choose to die a good death are no allowed to. For some people no death is a good death, but that is silly because as everyone knows death is inevitable. No one can escape this fact. The controversy herein lies within the circumstances people who are suffering or lingering with a terminal illness that debilitates them such that they have no quality of life are not afforded the comfort of dying with dignity. It seems that this high merit is available to our beloved pets, but not our beloved family members. Aunt Bessie is forced to endure unrelenting pain from here incurable pancreatic cancer. No amount of pain medication is available to treat her pain and allow her to maintain consciousness. She knows her time is limited and she does not feel she should have to wait out the inevitable in such a terrible state. At the same time the family pet Bassett hound is found to have a mass in her intestines. She cannot eat and barely moves as she is in so much pain. The veterinarian has given the option of putting her to sleep or euthanizing her to put her out of her misery as she is suffering so. This sits well with most people. Aunt Bessie requesting euthanization though is out of the question. Why is the question that this paper will attempt to answer and why this is wrong will also be addressed? Euthanasia Defined Euthanasia can bring about different feelings to people depending on the context in which it is used. Mention that good old dog and it is good as they no longer suffering. Change the identity to a person and it is not so easily swallowed. No matter how it is interpreted the true meaning of the act is the same in either circumstance. â€Å"Originating from the Greek terms â€Å"eu† (happy or good) and â€Å"thanatos† (death), euthanasia means literally â€Å"happy death† or â€Å"good death. † (Le Baron Jr. , 1999). Breaking that definition down even further is subdivisions in the definition are voluntary/involuntary and active/passive: â€Å"Voluntary euthanasia is a death performed by another with the consent of the person being killed. Non-voluntary euthanasia is the provision of euthanasia to an incompetent person according to a surrogate’s decision. Involuntary euthanasia is euthanasia performed without a competent person’s consent. Passive euthanasia involves allowing a patient to die by removing her from artificial life support systems such as respirators and feeding tubes or simply discontinuing medical treatments necessary to sustain life. Active euthanasia, by contrast, involves positive steps to end the life of a patient, typically by lethal injection† [ (Le Baron Jr. 1999) ] Euthanasia brings tranquility to death. In euthanasia the suffering prior to death is limited and death is entered more peacefully as opposed to lingering with pain and suffering. Presumably most people would want to end their journey in life without pain and suffering. A more compassionate death is a more desirable death. However to know what euthanasia actually means requires more exploration into the depth of this term. Practical Problems Euthanasia can bring about bad feeling to some people. After all when the term is used it is in relationship to death. In our culture and to numerous people death or speaking about death is taboo. This is an unfortunate fact. What is most unfortunate is that death is inevitable and therefore discussion regarding it should be more open. Essentially the problem with euthanasia is this taboo associated with it. Ethically euthanasia is an appropriate and well warranted act of kindness and consideration. Support of euthanasia will be provided within the context of this paper, and the potential negative issues will also be brought up. Ethics Argument For The ethical principles that can justify euthanasia are many. This is because the premise of euthanasia is based upon the idea of caring. This idea of caring is inherent to most care givers and is the key principle in euthanasia. Such acts of caring resonates through theses ethical principles and frameworks: Respect of persons, Virtue ethics, Utilitarian, Rights based ethics and ethics of caring. These frameworks or principles although many will all show supportive qualities for euthanasia. Respect of Persons In respect of persons the support of euthanasia is found in that the principle here is that individuals are afforded autonomy and able to make their own decisions. When a person chooses not to suffer at the end of their life this is an autonomous decision. â€Å"Respect for persons generally means respecting a client’s autonomy† (Ethical Principles, 2011). That person in the eyes of this principle is just in making that call. The respect of person principle sustains this in its foundation. â€Å"The principle of respect for persons affirms the primary importance of allowing individuals to exercise their moral right of self determination. To violate their ability to be self-determining is to treat them as less than persons. (Bennette-Woods, 2001). Therefore, this principle is then supportive of euthanasia when decided upon by an individual. Virtue Ethics With the act of euthanasia people are seeking the good by allowing a good death. Suffering is not permitted to go on until death. Rather death is allowed to happen prior to a lengthy battle with pain and suffering. Virtue ethics is doing good and for the right reason. Forcing peop le to live with pain and suffering would not be characterized as good. So presumably then allowing for euthanization is good. Because it is done in response to alleviate further pain or suffering it satisfies the right reason aspect. In another view the dying patient is taking a virtuous stance. â€Å"Some dying patients consider it virtuous to spare friends and family the ordeal of witnessing a slow process of degeneration† (van Zyl, 2002, p. 19). This again satisfies the criteria for virtue ethics. Utilitarian In encompassing the utilitarian ethical frame work consideration must be made for the balance of the greatest good. Allowing a person to die a â€Å"good death† will promote the greatest happiness for both the person and for those remaining behind. Sure there will be unhappiness in that there is a loss with the person dying, but the greatest happiness will be in knowing that the person is no longer suffering and that the pain of their disease is not torturing them any longer. This satisfies part of the balance. The other part is on behalf of the individual who is suffering. There is much good in ending a life from pain and suffering. A â€Å"good death† is much more desirable then a death of unrelenting pain and suffering. Therefore the balance of the greater good is established here and the utilitarian frame work is established. Right Based Ethics The right to die is an inevitable right. â€Å"Advocates of euthanasia argue that people have a right to make their own decisions regarding death, and that euthanasia is intended to alleviate pain and suffering†. (Nargus, 2012) It is of the belief of many that all people hold this one true right. Dying is ultimate natural right. â€Å"The patient has the right to make the decision about when and how they should die, based on the principles of autonomy and self-determination† (Nargus, 2012). This alone substantiates the use of rights based ethics and upholds this as an ethical point for euthanasia. Ethics of Caring This is the final ethical stance that will be used to persuade the positive perspective of euthanasia. To care is the essence of this ethical principle. To care would be to not allow suffering with pain at the end of life. Compassion is a must in the ethics of caring and allowing pain and suffering to continue cannot be construed as compassionate. â€Å"The ethic of care demands that we maintain conditions under which caring can flourish†. (Bennette-Woods, 2001) How better to show a sense of caring then by stopping suffering, stopping pain and allowing for a good death. Ethics of caring is the basis for most nursing philosophies and can be equated to most nursing principles. Care is not just in the physical sense, but the emotional sense as well. Care is delivered when euthanasia is allowed. Ethics Argument Against The arguments proposing that euthanasia be allowed were provided and supported. Now a few counterarguments will be analyzed and provided. Kant’s original ethical framework intent was clearly against the use of euthanasia, but a newer vision of Kantian ethics could also be supportive of the act. However, the argument against it in this framework will be what is focused on. Nonmaleficence framework can also be argued against euthanasia. This theory bases itself on doing no harm and depending what is perceived as harm is how this argument can be made. Kantian Ethics â€Å"A moral action is one that is performed solely for the purpose of meeting a moral obligation, and the action itself can only be judged moral in light of the intention behind it†. If the intention produces death it cannot be a good intention. Death although now relieved of suffering is the outcome. With Kantian ethics the end result is not at question. The person no longer suffering perspective is not of any value. The point is euthanizing a person is morally wrong and the outcome (alleviating pain and suffering) has no bearing in the matter. This is why this argument was not used in the pros. The outcome has to matter. Nonmaleficence Ethics â€Å"The principle of Nonmaleficence states that we should act in ways that do not inflict evil or cause harm to others. In particular, we should not cause avoidable or intentional harm. (Bennette-Woods, 2001) While some people feel that causing an earlier death as with euthanasia is harmful not everyone shares this view. â€Å"Professional organizations have invoked professional obligations as an argument against support and participation in assisted suicide and euthanasia†. [ (Ersek, 2004) ]. For those that do this could certainly be understood as argument against euthanasia. However, for others the harm is noted in the continuance of a life of suffering. Catholic Moral Tradition Each human life is considered sacred and deserving of a right to life. This is the position that the Catholic moral tradition stands behind. According to the Roman Catholic perspective, we are not obliged to ward off death at all costs, but we should not deliberately intervene to bring death about (Euthanasia a Catholic Perspective, 1987)†. The church goes on to say that† the end of human life is not subject to a person’s free judgment† (Euthanasia a Catholic Perspective, 1987). This theory protests that as in birth; death can only be implemented by God. However, even the church has come to make exceptions or loop holes that allows for euthanasia to happen. In the double effect principle medication can be given in large doses to relieve pain. The patient will succumb to death as a result of this medication, and that is ok. As long as the intention is to relieve pain, not cause death the Catholic moral traditions is receptive to this. It seems as if the church has struggle d with this issue in the past and the best that they can deliver is this double effect doctrine. (This was actually developed in the 15th century). . Final Justification â€Å"A slow, painful, undignified death is a fate that most of us would not wish on our worst enemies† (Dyer, 1999) yet this fate are often offered to people, loved ones and family members. This categorically should not be. Euthanasia theories have been presented and supported both for and against the act. What it comes down to is how individuals understand things. Some religious factions are adamant that this act is strictly forbidden. This author does not share these views. There is no argument that it is wrong to kill someone. However, there has to be availabilities for exceptions. When an act is done for all the right reason it then becomes a just act. When a person is deemed terminal and is some way suffering then this would create such an â€Å"except†. This is only one of an infinite number of â€Å"except† possibilities. Each case presenting itself must be evaluated for its ethical morality. Evaluation can be accomplished by using the previous theories presented in favor of euthanasia. Should the case lend itself to these proposed theories then it is indeed a just act. Pets are not made to suffer a miserable final existence (associated with the love of them) neither should people. Loved ones, family, friend or foe no one deserves to die suffering when a good death is an option.

War and Politics: Are both one in the same

His home in England was near the main gathering point for the D-Day invasion. Along with his fathers service in World War I, Keegan felt himself drawn towards the military and its workings. Unfortunately Keegan was unable to serve in the British Military due to a childhood illness. Although Keegan was unable to serve his country, he was determined to find his way into some aspect of the military. With a degree at Oxford, Keegan became a military historian. This essay will take a look into Keegans work, A History of Warfare, and his thesis that war is not a continuation of politics. This essay will refute his thesis with evidence from Clausewitz, fallacies in Keegans novel and military conflicts over the past thirty years. Keegan has dissected the workings of the military and the military soldier. In his novel A History of Warfare, Keegan disputes the Clausewitzen theory that war is the continuation of policy by other means. Keegan supports his theory by giving explanations of how Clausewitzens theory is invalid. To understand Keegans position one must first be familiar with Clausewitz. Clausewitz was a Prussian regimental officer during the Napoleonic wars. Upon retirement, he wrote the book On War. The books main thesis was war is the continuation by policy by other means. Keegan disagrees with Clausewitz by saying: Such at statement implies the existence of states, of state interests and of rational calculation about how they may be achieved. Yet war antedates the state, diplomacy and strategy by many millennia. Clausewitz, a child of Aristotle, went no further than to say that a political animal is war making animal. Neither dared confront the thought that man is a thinking animal in whom the intellect directs the urge to hunt and the ability to kill. Keegan suggests that war precedes states by many millenniums. First, Clausewitzs thesis does not imply there must be existence of states. Perhaps the political entity of the state did not exist but tribal life did. The tribe is a political entity. The bible has many accounts of tribal warfare for political gain. It varies from Moses leaving Egypt to David defeating Goliath. Keegan also states that war precedes diplomacy and strategy as well. The bible also recounts many strategies and diplomacy between tribes and states. Some historians might object to the bible being a reliable source but no one can refute that what happened in the bible was not true or accurate. We are cultural animals and it is the richness of our culture which allows us to accept our undoubted potentiality for violence but to believe nevertheless that its expression is a cultural aberration. History lessons remind us that the states in which we live, their institutions, even their laws, have come to us through conflict, often of the most bloodthirsty sort. Keegan is referring to the statement made by Aristotle in which he said, Man is a political animal. Keegan said that Clausewitz is a child of Aristotle and he believes that a political animal is a war-making animal. Keegan refutes them by saying, Neither dared confront the thought that man is a thinking animal in whom the intellect directs the urge to hunt and the ability to kill. How can he say that he disagrees with Clausewitzs theory when he himself claims that the states we live in now have come to be by conflict Doesnt that support Clausewitzs theory The point about neither Aristotle nor Clausewitz confront the fact that man is a thinking animal is a bit confusing. Yes man is a thinking animal and throughout history there has been countless rulers, dictators and emperors who have used war to gain political control. A prime example would be the conflict between Julius Caesar and Pompey. While Caesar was in Gaul waging war, he used agents to dominate politics in Rome. Caesar used politics and military strength to seize control of Rome and become the emperor. Man is a thinking animal and those in power, especially in the early years of history, were continually thinking on how to get more. Keegans big fallacy is his statement; Politics played no part in the conduct of the First World War worth mentioning. He goes on to say; The Germans, French, British and Russians found themselves apparently fighting war for wars sake. The wars political objects, difficult enough to define in the first place, were forgotten. Political restraints were overwhelmed, politicians who appealed to reason were execrated, and politics even in the liberal democracies was rapidly reduced to a mere justification of bigger battles, longer casualty lists, costlier budgets and overflowing human misery. The Encarta Encyclopedia states the following; The underlying causes of World War I were the spirit of intense nationalism that permeated Europe throughout the 19th and into the 20th century, the political and economic rivalry among the nations, and the establishment and maintenance in Europe after 1871 of large armaments and of two hostile military alliances. The fundamental causes of he conflict were rooted deeply in the European history of the previous century, particularly in the political and economic policies that prevailed on the Continent after 1871, the year that marked the emergence of Germany as a great world power. Keegan fails to give one argument supporting his statement. How he can say that politics played no role worth mentioning is beyond me. He not only gives no arguments but goes on to say, we are nevertheless right to see Clausewitz as the ideological father of the First World War, just as we are right to perceive Marx as the ideological father of the Russian Revolution. The appalling fate that those armies brought upon themselves by their dedication to it may be Clausewitzs enduring legacy. To compare Clausewitz and Marx is stretching it a bit. To blame Clausewitz for World War I is ludicrous. Once again Keegan fails to support his theory. Keegan goes on to say that Clausewitz is the ideological father of World War I. One can concur that if Keegan states Clausewitzs is to blame for World War I then wouldnt he be supporting Clausewitzs theory If war is the continuation of politics and Clausewitz is to blame, then isnt it correct to say that war is the continuation of politics Keegan he was not the only one who had this theory. Radical military writers such as the British historian B. H. Liddell Hart had such theories as well. He accuses him of urging the largest possible offensive with the largest possible numbers as the key to victory. Later Liddells thoughts were dismissed. Keegan, adhering to Liddells theory, once again has himself in a no win situation. He has stated that man is a thinking animal so shouldnt man be intelligent enough to figure out war and conflict without going to the past Shouldnt a general wage his own war, not an officer who wrote a book in the past Keegan concludes his theory with these thoughts; Culture is a prime determinant of the nature of warfare, as the history of its development. Politics must continue; war cannot. That is not to say that the role of the warrior is over. The world community needs, more than it has ever needed, skilful and disciplined warriors who are ready to put themselves at the service of its authority. Such warriors must properly be seen as the protectors of civilization, not its enemies. There is an even greater wisdom in the denial that politics and war belong with the same continuum. Unless we insist on denying it, our future, may belong to the men with bloodied hands. It is great to say that politics must continue but war cannot, but is it realistic For centuries war and politics have gone hand and hand. What events or individuals have given us a hope for change Are recent conflicts a testament to the future The United States involment in Bosnia, Somalia and the Gulf War has proven that. Would Keegan say that politics were not involved in those conflicts Keegan fails to address a few major conflicts in history. The Vietnam War and Korean War are not mentioned at all. The current theory underlying Vietnam and Korea were political reasons for the conflict. It is true that we went to Korea to support the South Koreans who were invaded but why were they invaded Political reasons are why. We were politically obligated to support the South Koreans. Chinas involment was purely political. The United States was not going to invade China. To the Chinese, having communist North Korea on their border was better than having the United States. Saying that Vietnam was not a political conflict does not give a reasonable explanation. The Vietnam War was the United States supporting a helpless South Vietnam and the United States fighting to keep their influence in South East Asia. With Keegans failure to address these major conflicts he leaves the reader wondering why. There are some errors of interpretation and fact in his novel as well. The atomic bomb was not designed to end wars without commitment of manpower on the battlefield as the author contends. The atomic bomb was another weapon, which we potentiality we only discovered after its use. Not until a decade later did nuclear weaponry come to take its place among equals in military establishments, at least in the United States. Keegans main goal was to refute the Clausewitz theory of war and politics. Keegan failed in this task. His inability to discuss such politically orientated conflicts such as Vietnam and Korea aids in his failure. His contention that World War I was not political was refuted by a definition in an encyclopedia. Keegan tries to offer the reader a new concept in studying military history but he is unable to get the reader to follow his train of thought.