Nature Essay Example Essay Example

Nature Essay Example Paper Nature Essay Introduction Nature Essay Body Paragraphs Nature Nature has always been a force to reckon with because of the power it has to either create or destroy. Despite humans being ecologically dominant in the world, their survival has always been connected to nature. This connection originates from the interaction that humans have with nature, which constantly surrounds them. For instance, humans need air, water and food for their survival. All these factors are part of nature, and it is because of this fact that it is crucial for man to attempt and understand his natural surroundings. The understanding of nature is beneficial because it enables one to gain an understanding of one’s self and the dynamics of human society. Nonetheless, a conflict usually arises among freethinkers when the power of nature over man is questioned. However, historical events often suggest that it is impossible for man to conquer nature. The book Into the Wild by John Krauker is a perfect example of the man vs. nature conflict. The book is based o n the account of Chris McCandless life and death as he attempted to conquer nature. It highlights the story of a 24-year-old college graduate who after renouncing most of his possessions including his vehicle and life savings, decides to explore nature and the experiences it presents. He sets out from home leaving his family behind to accomplish his quest, which was inspired by his heroes Jack London and John Muir. This book attempts to analyze the relationship between man and nature by following the trail left behind by Chris McCandless during his adventure while putting emphasis on his tragic death. While this book is a good literal material, its analysis is relevant in revealing the power of nature and its relation to the survival of man. In the book Into the Wild by John Krauker, Chris McCandless has an interesting relationship with nature. His interpretation of nature conceives society as not part of nature. The separation of society from nature in his mind is evident when he d ecides to live in the wilderness because of his contempt towards the society, which had caused him too much pain and disgust. He believes that nature is a different entity as compared to society. It is because of this reason that he sees the decision to seclude himself from society as an action that will give him the self-awareness and social progress that is lacking in the confines of society. To him, nature is a retreat that has already been explored by denouncers of the society like Henry David Thoreau and John Muir. In addition, Chris McCandless is in constant conflict with himself on whether he can conquer nature. It is evident from the beginning of the book that Chris McCandless had the urge to prove to himself that he had power over nature. It is partly because of this unsettling urge that he decides to live in the wilderness. However, through out history nature has always bested man except for isolated cases where man chose to work according to the fundamental principles of nature. This is evident in the book when he changes his ideology and decides that nature is only a refuge for a short while and that true happiness can only be shared. This change of mindset by Chris McCandless shows how his relationship with nature had evolved since he first set foot into the wild. Apparently, he seems to agree with the fact that nature is a dominant force that has power over man. One dominant perception about nature in the book â€Å"Into the Wild† is that nature is neither benevolent nor nurturing. This is a fact that is in perfect agreement with reality with an exception of isolated cases. It is well known that nature’s principle of natural cause and effect can work against man or for man depending on the circumstances presented by a situation. A majority of people share the misconception that nature is kind and caring but only because they have no first hand experience of life in the wilderness. Life in the wilderness can be chaotic and threatenin g to human beings especially if the human being is isolated from the society. This is because nature is composed of uncontrollable and powerful forces that often create an environment that reduces the odds that favor human survival. These forces include weather, natural calamities and the environments natural inhabitants like disease causing microorganisms. In the book, certain instances clearly elaborate on the harshness of nature to man. When Chris McCandless first comes up with the idea of retreating to the wild, his views towards nature are of positive form. He sees the wilderness as an environment that is pure and free from the evils that are present in the modern society. However, as the tale unravels in the subsequent chapters, the true nature of the wilderness is revealed. In October 1990, Chris McCandless encounters a flash flood while driving across the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. This force of nature forces McCandless to abandon his vehicle and part of his luggage , which were very crucial for his survival in the wilderness. Another extreme example that can be used to show the cruelty of nature is the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Chris McCandless. Apparently, McCandless suffers from food poisoning after eating poisonous potatoes because he was starving. His demise in the hands of nature acts as proof that nature is the least bit benevolent or nurturing. Moreover, the author of the book strives to portray nature as unpredictable. Given the technological advancements made in the field of science today, it is possible to predict certain elements of nature like weather and natural calamities like earthquakes. However, nature still has some sense of unpredictability. It is not possible to predict the specific conditions that nature will present at a certain specific time. For instance, earthquake-warning systems can only manage to provide warnings within a few seconds of a severe earthquake. Therefore, this shows that science has not adequately captured the dynamics by which nature functions. In the light of this fact, it is virtually impossible for an individual isolated from society to survive in the confines of nature if he does not understand nature itself. This lack of understanding amplifies the extent to which nature can present itself to an individual as harsh. In this book, the unpredictability of nature has been featured well by the author. In chapter one, Jim Gallien tries to convince McCandless to reconsider his plan to live in Denali National Park in Alaska. Gallien tries desperately to make McCandless understand that nature is unpredictable because in his mind he is certain that McCandles is not ready for the harsh conditions of life in Alaskan outdoors. McCandles even goes as far as declining Gallien’s offer to buy him decent gear and in the end, McCandles dies in the hands of nature because he thought he could easily predict and adapt to nature. Apparently, his body is discovered on th e sixth of September in1992 at a broken down bus in Denali National park. The police department found the body of Chris McCandless, 5 rolls of exposed film, the SOS note that he had written and a diary with 113 entries. Later an autopsy revealed that McCandless starved to death with his corpse weighing only sixty-seven pounds. Even though nature may be unpredictable, the book also uses other examples to show that man can indeed triumph over nature. A good example is the story of John Waterman, which shows how he triumphed over nature against all odds. John Waterman successfully climbs Mt. Denali in Alaska with very little gear despite being diagnosed with a mental condition that forced him to spend time in a psychiatric hospital. The isolated case of John Waterman can only be explained by speculating that he was lucky or that he was in harmony with the principles of nature. Other examples include Jack London and John Muir who were popularly known denouncers of society. It is from th ese two people that Chris McCandles drew his inspiration. Nature can indeed be tamed through scientific methodologies. This enables man to improve his relationship with nature and creates further understanding of the phenomena that nature possesses. Like all species, humans have exercised their impulse to interact with nature. In doing so, man has been able to domesticate landscapes and ecosystems in ways that enhance food supplies while at the same time reducing exposure to predators and natural disasters. The net results of the domestication of nature have been mostly positive with man finally having the ability to harness nature’s full potential. Taming of nature is indeed beneficial to humans because they can eliminate the factors in nature that they do not prefer, therefore, shaping the universe to their own liking. Although nature can be tamed, it is usually wiser to preserve with exception to adventurous exploration. The use of science to tame or domesticate nature oft en presents challenges. There are usually significant and unforeseen changes in the ecosystem’s attributes, which can lead to natural disasters. Natural disasters like earthquakes and landslides are in most cases a result of unsuccessful attempts by humans to domesticate nature. For instance, scientists often make unwise decisions while quantifying the tradeoffs among ecosystems, which cause the imbalance of nature. It is because of this reason that nature should be preserved for the purposes of distant or close exploration. It is only through close exploration that nature can be properly tamed for the benefit of man. In this book, the author uses the attempts by McCandles and others like him to explore nature as illustration that the idea is always unwise. A good example is the story of Gene Rosellini who was commonly known as the Mayor of Hippie Cove by Alaskan locals. Rosellini tried to explore the wild while independent of modern technology. She later concluded that his a ttempt to live off the land was a failure after thirty years and then committed suicide. McCandles is also a good example because his story resonates perfectly well with that of Gene Rosellini. McCandles who had been driven to the wilderness by his contempt towards the society tried to explore the wild to no avail. His entire life in the wild was marked with tragic incidences like the flash flood incident, which robbed him of his car and personal belongings. He later succumbed to death when he tried to prove that he could triumph over nature by trying to explore the harsh conditions that existed in Alaska with very little gear. In conclusion, nature remains a mystery that is beginning to unravel due to the influence of technological developments in the field of science. However, its strong forces continue to dominate man due to their ambiguity and unpredictability. The book â€Å"Into the Wild† by John Krauker has perfectly captured this fact by broadly addressing the man vs. nature conflict through real life accounts of people who had first hand experience with nature. Through the illustrations in this book, one can be able to analyze whether nature is a phenomenon that can be tamed by man. One can also be able to determine if the preservation of nature for adventure or observation has any advantages to man. Despite the answers to those questions, it is clear that the human vs. nature conflict is not over, at least not yet.

11 Main Challenges Faced By Admin Assistants

11 Main Challenges Faced By Admin Assistants Administrative assistants work in every industry, and their jobs are  extremely demanding. If youre not one, you might not know how hard they work, but don’t underestimate the grueling nature of their day-to-day or the amount of education they needed to get there! And if you are one, you know all too well the struggles that come from this often underappreciated job.Here are a few challenges admin assistants face on the regular.1. Difficult PersonalitiesEver had a bad boss? Yeah, well, administrative assistants are tasked to those bad bosses 24/7. Their whole job is to deal with those demanding, aggressive, socially awkward, self-important, micromanaging lunatics. So show a little respect.2. Devaluation of their JobIf you’re an admin assistant, everybody just assumes you’re not qualified enough to get a real job. That’s mostly because they have no idea what your job actually entails. No one multitasks or juggles better. But admin assistants are too humble to correct you. They know what they know.3. Clean-up Responsibilities for AllThe task of office clean-up, and also the general putting out of everybody else’s fires and fixing of everybody’s messes, almost always falls to admin assistants. Next time you see a handwritten sign taped over the festering sink, think of how many weeks of suffering in silence went on before that sign even went up.4.  Youre Always on CallEven though admin assistants have little authority, they are expected to know almost everything and they can be blamed for almost everything that happens to go wrong. And they are expected to be available whenever anybody needs them.5. Inconsistent Whims and DemandsAdmin assistants aim to please and are always trying to carry out a boss’s wishes and anticipate his or her needs. But so often bosses keep moving the goalposts and changing the rules. It can be enormously frustrating to keep up.6. Inappropriate RequestsIt’s bad enough having to ba bysit your boss and your colleagues. Sometimes you’re asked to actually babysit children when a coworker or your boss brings theirs to work. Or you’re asked to go get someone’s dry cleaning (someone you dont report to) or run another ridiculous errand.7. Shooting the MessengerEven if you didn’t screw up, you’re the one who usually gets yelled at- by everyone. Admin assistants are constantly in the direct line of fire.8. Lack of Trust and TimeYou could either end up with a boss who rides you on every little detail, or even worse, one who doesn’t have any time for you. It’s very hard to do your job if you don’t get at least a few minutes a day of face time to make sure you know what’s needed of you.9. Theres Rarely a ThanksOf all the things you’ll hear said or shouted at you as an admin assistant, â€Å"thank you† is almost never one of those things. Even and especially when you were the one who saved the day .10. No Time to Do It AllAs an admin assistant, your list of tasks- and the stack of papers on your desk- is gargantuan. You make deadlines just fine, but the to-do list never seems to shrink.11. No MoneyPerhaps the biggest injustice done to admin assistants is the egregious lack of compensation. Nobody gets paid less given their work and worth.So next time you feel like yelling at an assistant- or just dumping some thankless jobs on their desk, don’t! Imagine what their day must be like first and show a little love. And if you are one, thanks for all you do. We appreciate you.

Home Schooling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Home Schooling - Essay Example Looking at the nature of homeschooling it can be noticed that it seriously needs regulation. The regulation comes with challenges. The regulation of homeschooling has over the years had various critics criticizing its necessity. As much as there are various points that successfully explain the lack of necessity for homeschooling, there are arguments with bigger intensity explaining the need for regulating homeschooling. The arguments mainly proves the necessity of regulation of homeschooling to ensure its productivity. Discussion One reason why home schooling should be regulated is because of the high rate at which its rising and the high possibility of it being abused. Some parents might take advantage of homeschooling to serve their own interests. This is a possibility in cases where parents are trying to hide some aspects of their current or past lives. For instance, violent parents might take advantage of homeschooling to hide the inhuman things that they do to their children. Th is way they will be able to hide the bruises that result from the mistreatment that they subject their children to. This will create a scenario where the children will be having their basic rights violated, but no one will come to their rescue because no one knows. This can also be used by parents with criminal records to serve their own interest (Kunzman, 2009). However, it is clearly evident that this can have very minimal effect on the overall effectiveness of the productivity of homeschooling. Homeschooling should also be regulated because of the quality of education that all individuals are entitled to. Researches have it that, without proper regulation, the quality of education given to homeschooling students can easily be compromised. As much as there is always a fixed curriculum to be followed by both homeschool and public school teachers, it is hard to tell whether the homeschool teachers effectively cover the curriculum. This will mean that, in the end, the students would not have attained the intellectual maturity that is expected of a student that has gone through the United States of America’s education system (McMullen, 2002). The ultimate result of this sub quality education is that the students will not be able to keep up with the students going through the standard type of education both at higher levels of education and in various professions. Students who have gone through homeschooling through their high school years are less expected to major in the natural sciences than the non-homeschooled students, and that more attention has to go to this because of the growing number of homeschooled students in the United States of America. Homeschooled students are not exposed to professional science teachers and labs and so do not have as many options, with their growing number this could be a threat the education system (Phillips, 2010). This will definitely call for regulation because the increase in the number of people being homeschooled will, therefore, mean that there is a significant decrease in the number of professionals in natural science, a factor that might affect the country economically, politically and socially. Taking a look at the motives that parents usually have when

Implications of Globalization and Technology on Negotiation Essay

Implications of Globalization and Technology on Negotiation - Essay Example Our world is dynamic in nature and it has become more advanced with the boom in technology and rapid globalization. The basic aim behind globalization is to promote and increase the trading exercises among different countries. This leads to the equal distribution of material wealth, goods and services which enhances the remarkable growth in overall structure of the economy in any country. Furthermore, it also helps in building sound international relations as well as competition at different levels among different countries. Globalization has left its deep effects on regional economies, trading activities, policies, societies and cultures. It has given a new definition to terms such as communication, trade and transportation. It has been commonly thought that factors like technology, economy, politics and other socio-cultural have played an important role in coining the term known to the world now as â€Å"globalization†. We cannot underestimate the importance of technology in today’s world of extreme modernization and advancement. Technology has played a vital role on the horizons of business and more specifically it has left its deeper impacts on international business. But how globalization and technology have their impact on negotiations and what changes are brought about by both of them? It is worth mentioning that globalization has given rise to tough international competition and in today’s world of advancement it has become a game of the survival for many growing economies and more specifically economies of the third-world countries are already considered as under-threat by such tough competition with technology as a second most important element collaborating directly in this game of survival . (Stroper, 1992). The implication of globalization and technology on negotiations can be explained by a very

In the light of the decision in Bankers Insurance Co Ldt v South Essay

In the light of the decision in Bankers Insurance Co Ldt v South (2003) EWHC 380, consider to what extent exclusion clauses in hooliday insurance contracts shou - Essay Example It is the high time to review whether these exclusion clauses are logical and whether the existing regulations are satisfactory, if not what additional regulations are needed in this regard. It requires the regulation of holiday insurance act considering the experience of policy holders in different contexts. However if one analyzes the definition of exclusion clauses, it would be revealed that the legal system has provided several safeguards for the consumers if they are interpreted accurately. Exclusion clause may be defined as a clause which may be inserted into a contract which aims to exclude or limit one partys liability for breach of contract or negligence. However, the party may only rely on such a clause if (a) it has been incorporated into the contract, and if, (b) as a matter of interpretation, it extends to the loss in question. Its validity will then be tested under (c) the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 and (d) the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. This clearly implies that the incorporation of exclusion clause must must not violate the Unfair contract terms act 1977, otherwise its validity will not be considered. Hence the consumers must try to be in full possession of insurance exclusion clause details and attitude history of insurance company in case the problem arises due to exclusion clauses. In the context of recent judgment in bankers insurance company V Patrick South and Ian Gardener, the efficiency of unfair contract terms act 1977, unfair terms in consumer contracts regulations act 1999 and other related acts as far as the accurate interpretation of exclusion clauses has to be discussed. This judgment exposed several drawbacks that are still existing in the present holiday insurance act. Hence the present paper discusses the status of present regulations, inclusion of additional regulations for guaranteeing the fairness in protection of interests of policy holders in the context of above mentioned case. The review

How Did Field Marshal Erwin Rommel History Essay

How Did Field Marshal Erwin Rommel History Essay Europe 1914, a continent at the brink of total war. The British Empire and France had for long been political allies against the newborn German nation. In 1914, this political unrest escalated into bloody war when the Austrian Prince was murdered in Bosnia. The First World War was triggered. And the young Erwin Rommel was quickly ordered to the front.  [1]   Erwin Johannes Rommel was born in Heidenheim, November 15th 1891. As a boy, Erwin was a bold and athletic character. At age 14, Rommel and a friend built a full-scale glider that was able to fly short distances. Rommel even considered becoming an engineer and throughout his life displayed extraordinary technical aptitude. Acceding to his fathers wishes, Rommel instead joined the local Infantry Regiment as an officer cadet in 1910 and was sent to the Officer Cadet School in Danzig. He graduated in 1911 and was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1912. While at Cadet School, Rommel met his future wife, 17-year-old Lucia Maria Mollin (commonly called Lucie). They married on 27 November 1916 in Danzig and few years later they had a son. Throughout the Second World War he wrote letters to his wife sharing with her his experiences.  [2]   During World War I, Rommel fought in France as well as in Romania and Italy, first in the Infantry Regiment, but through most of the war in the Mountain Battalion of the elite Alpenkorps. He gained a reputation for great courage, making quick tactical decisions and taking advantage of enemy confusion. He was wounded three times and awarded the Iron Cross, First and Second Class. Rommel also received Prussias highest award, the order of Pour le Merite, after fighting in the Battles of the Isonzo in the north-eastern Alps on the Isonzo river front. The award was for the Battle of Longarone and the capture of Mount Matajur and its Italian defenders, which totaled 150 officers, 9 000 men, and 81 artillery pieces. In contrast, Rommels detachment suffered only 6 dead and 30 wounded during the two engagements, a remarkable achievement.  [3]   Germany surrendered in 1918, all the hard fight was over. However, Rommel among most of the German military felt they had been stabbed in the back. Not by someone from outside, but from the inside. The Allied nations (GB, US and France) created the Versailles Treaty, a set of conditions for Germany which limited all their influential powers and to prevent Germany from starting another war in future. Since the defeat in 1918, Germany continued under strict rules from the Versailles Treaty. A dramatic change came, when a nation was forced to become a republic. Versailles Treaty was political humiliation that would continue as long as it existed. It left a mood of anger throughout Germany as it was felt that as a nation Germany had been unfairly treated. Above all else, Germany hated the clause blaming her for the cause of the war and the resultant financial penalties the treaty was bound to impose on Germany. Erwin Rommel continued his career as an instructor in the new German army: Reichwehr. However, it was not easy with anti-military policy the Republic had established. After years with the new Republic the German people wanted change and on January of 1933 that change came in the form Adolf Hitler when he was elected as the new chancellor of Germany. Improvements were immediately performed which made Germany great again. Rommel and the German people cheered happily. Rommel himself was satisfied with the positive economic change that Hitler rule brought. He named Hitler the new Bismarck and soon admired him for his efficiency. When Rommel was promoted, he met this new idol. From 1935 to 1938, Rommel held commands in Potsdam War Academy. Rommel later wrote a book and published about infantry strategy (Infantry attacks) which caught Hitlers greatest attention, and cemented the friendship between the two. However in 1934 Hitler did something that broke with Rommels morals. Night of the Lo ng Knives, Hitler ordered elimination of all political opponents, including communists. Rommels negative reaction told Hitler that he could never inform Erwin about his war crimes in later years. Rommel never joined the Nazi Party and he did not support Nazi ideals, but he supported Hitler as a strong leader.  [4]   In late 30s, Germany became great again with a powerful army, air force and an effective and flourishing industry. In 1938, Adolf Hitler occupied Austria and the German parts of Czechoslovakia to reclaim the lost German lands. Then in 1939 he was ready to attack Poland in order to expand Germany. Great Britain and France immediately told Hitler, that if he attacked Poland, they would declare war on Germany, Hitler ignored their threat continued on with his plans. In Poland, Rommel was one of Hitlers staff officers. Rommel was put in command of Adolf Hitlers personal protection battalion, assigned to protect him during his visits to occupied Czechoslovakia and Memel. It was during this period that he met and befriended Joseph Goebbels, the Reichs minister of propaganda. Goebbels became a fervent admirer of Rommel and later ensured that Rommels exploits were celebrated in the media. The Second World War had begun and within weeks Poland was occupied thanks to the new Blitzkrieg (lighting war) tactic. In 1940, Hitler promoted his new campaign: Invasion of France. Nazi Propaganda claimed that France was the aggressor. Rommel, who was blind to reason due to his admiration to Hitler, believed it. Rommel was put in command of his requested 7th Panzer division. The division later became known as The Ghost Division due to the speed with which it executed attacks. Rommel was first ordered to cross the river Meuse. He led the division with amazing speed and if he encountered any resistance in his way he would order his tanks to charge head on with guns blazing relying on the shock element to break enemy morale and force them to surrender. Once he arrived river Meuse the two bridgeheads were destroyed and the French had entrenched themselves on the other side. Rommel had to find another way to cross the river so he orders his soldiers to use inflatables and cross it during the night. However they were spotted, and were fired upon. The German engineers build ferries which were used to send the tanks over, he then set the French building of fire and used the smoke as cover. When the engineers completed the construction of the bridgeheads, troops were sent over. Rommel succeeded, and continued fighting his way through France with amazing speed.  [5]   On 21 of May, Rommel met tough British tank resistance near Arras. British tanks attacked Rommel to stop the German attempt to trap the Allies near Dunkirk. Rommel, seeing the British counter attack, was able to quickly figure out a plan on how to stop the British tanks. He used unorthodox tactical method. He established two frontlines: one for targeting the light cavalry and one targeting the heavy cavalry. He also used the 88mm to hit tanks instead of airplanes, something that was never done before in World War 2 but later became a very common practice of German commanders. 88s proved to be extremely effective anti-tank weapons, even thou they were designed as anti-air. 88s were destroying British tanks one by one, mostly thanks to the fact that they out ranged the British tanks and were much more powerful. After a while, the British withdrew, and suffered 35 tank casualties. After a brief stop, Rommel continued his advance.  [6]   On 21st of May 1940 the Germans reached the English Channel, and therefore created a pocket in which 400 000 British soldiers and officers were trapped, by June 1940 the French were on their own. After a German offensive, the French front collapsed and so did the army. On June 23 same years, Erwin Rommel walked in the streets of Paris. France was defeated and it is important to note that thanks to Rommels ability to coordinate air and ground power, as well as his skill, the fall of France was so quick. By the late 1940, Rommel had captured 97 650 soldiers, 227 field artillery guns, 450 tanks and more. Goebbels immediately used his success for Nazi Propaganda. Because of this, Rommel was suddenly adored by soldiers. Rommel loved the adoration; he even agreed to let Goebbels make a film, glorifying his actions and battles. Thus making him even more popular among German people and parsing him as a national hero and as a patriot to his country. But his success did not end there, Rommel was about step into a battlefield that would define him for generations to come and make him an important historical figure. Germany was allied to Italy, a nation which wanted to gain domination in the Mediterranean. Mussolini invaded Egypt hoping to throw the British out of North Africa. However the Italian troops were defeated and driven back. In spring 1941, Mussolini called for aid from Hitler, in order to attempt another attack. Hitler plan was to send a German force to Libya only to secure the area from the Allies, not for a demanding campaign. Hitler sent German soldiers south but quickly needed someone to lead them. He had to choose between Manstien and Rommel to command the Afrika korps. He chose Rommel for the task. Rommel was excited and he immediately departed to Tripoli to talk to the Italian commanders. But up his arrival he discovered they were too passive and so he ignored their devices. Meanwhile, the Allies expected Rommel would wait for the rest of his Afrika korps to arrive to Africa, before Rommel goes on offensive. But Rommel had no plans of waiting, with only 5th German division and two Italian, he started his offensive. The British, who had been weakened by troops being withdrawn to fight in the Battle of Greece, fell back to Mersa el Brega and started constructing defensive works. Rommel decided to continue the attack against these positions in order to prevent the British from building up the fortifications. After a day of fierce fighting, the Germans prevailed and the advance continued as Rommel. The British Commander General Archibald Wavell, overestimating the strength of the Axis forces ordered a withdrawal from Benghazi in early to avoid being cut off by Rommels thrust.  [7]   Rommel, seeing the British reluctance to fight a decisive action, decided on a bold move: the seizure of the whole of Cyrenaica despite having only light forces. He ordered the Italian armored division to pursue the retreating British while the 5th Light Division was to move on Benghazi. Divisions commander, protested this order on the grounds of the state of his vehicles, but Rommel brushed the objections aside. Quickly, but after fierce battles, he captured Derna, Benghazi and El Me chili. However the Germans lacked knowledge on how to move in the desert and this caused serious problems for Rommel. Never the less he had shocked the Allies and forced them to retreat to Tobruk. Tobruk was heavily fortified and guarded by a total of 30 000 determined Australians and British. Tobruck was importante to Rommel for two main reasons: One, it had natural, deep harbor and huge airfield, making it ideal for supply. Two, It was strategically placed. The only way to make it to Egypt, was through Tobruck. However, Rommel was convinced that the Allies would flee shortly. There was to be wasted a lot of lives before he would admit his misjudgment. The first major attack on 13-14th April was repulsed and all following attempts to storm Tobruck were unsuccessful as well. Although Rommel didnt succeed in storming Tobruk, he now surrounded it, hopping to force surrender. The siege stalled for almost 8 months with preparations. Meanwhile, the Allies launched Operation Crusader; to liberate Tobruck. It started with German and Allied tanks smashing together in a tank battle. British tanks were quickly outmaneuvered, soon after they quickly retreated. The Rommels forces hurried to finish of the withdrawing British, but were confused and spread due to inexperience in desert combat. Several skirmishes broke out in the desert. Rommel was then informed that supplies would be delayed for many weeks. He couldnt possibly carry on without supplies, so he pulled back. It was a bitter retreat for Rommel. The situation was critical, and morale was low. The Germans left land they really struggled to conquer. However, Rommel would not let it end l ike this. He resumed his desert campaign on January 21, 1942.  [8]   With reinforcements and supplies finally reaching Rommel, he began his new offensive. He hit the Allies hard and recaptured Cyrenaica within days and once again, the road to Tobruck was open. However the Allies had constructed a heavy defense line at Gazala, West of Tobruk. This was Rommels last chance to push in and succeed. As the battle began, German divisions suddenly appeared behind the Allies. Rommel outflanked them the night before the attack. The Allies tried to outmaneuver Rommel in return, but this was unsuccessful. Rommel found a weak point in the enemy line and consecrated his attack there. By the end of June, the British were lost 50 000 men and 1 800 tanks, while as Rommel lost only 3000 men. Days later, Rommel finally captured Tobruck. This was a fantastic victory for the Axis powers. His Afrika korps had succeeded against all odds. Thanks Rommels brilliant generalship, he was able to hit Allies were they least expected. He had been so flexible that Allies gave him a n ickname. A nickname that would come to define him: The Desert Fox.  [9]   By summer of 1942 Rommel had enjoyed successful, although demanding, campaign. As he progressed, he required more supplies. But supplies were constantly delayed due to unending fight in Russia. And if that was not enough, by this point in time Allies had also decoded the German communication systems. This allowed them to further hinder Rommel by bombing German supply routes. Although promoted Field Marshal, Rommel almost begged Hitler for more supplies but Hitler strictly ignored him. If Rommel could reach the Suez Canal, he would have access unlimited amount of oil from Arabia, which was vital at this point. The Allies knew this, and had therefore concentrated their forces near El Alamein. Rommel had to face an Allied force of 220  000 infantry, 1000 tanks, 1500 anti-tank guns, 1000 artillery guns and 530 planes, while he only had 116  000 infantry, 500 tanks, 500 anti-tank guns and 350 planes at his disposal. Expecting an attack he deployed 450  000 mines in front of his line, and backed it up with tanks and 88mm guns, expecting an attack. He then ordered his infantry to dig ditches, similar to those of World War 1. Satisfied with his defenses, Rommel left for Europe due to a bad health. A month later Montgomery, the British Commander, opened his attack.  [10]   On the night of 23rd October 1942, 1000 British artillery guns opened fire at German positions, meanwhile British engineers started clearing a way though the German minefields. Germans troops quickly spotted them and opened fire at British engineers and infantry causing heavy casualties. Despite this British engineers were able to clear mine lanes for thousands of men and hundreds of tanks to advance through but once on the other side they met stiff resistance. At dawn, Montgomerys attack began to waiver, while the German positions remained intact. Montgomery then performed a false attack further south to lure the Axis forces and it was successful. Germans were confused and didnt know where the main attack would be coming from. On the evening of October 26th, a sick Rommel was back on the battlefield. However, Montgomery still didnt manage to break through. Waves of British soldiers were repulsed. On the same day British tanks performed a major attack on the Italian division, Rommel then understood where the Allies were aiming to break through. Dramatic fighting occurred near Kidney Ridge. Rommel sent the best force at his disposal to stop the breakthrough. At this point Rommel was running out of supplies, and so on November 2nd Montgomery launched the final attack with the rest army. This was too much even for Rommel and his Afrika korps. He asked Hitler for permission to retreat so that he can save his army from annihilation. Hitler denied, stating that they must not retreat even if it means death. Rommel refusing to sacrifice his men in a pointless fight retreated from Egypt, thereby directly ignoring Hitler. Rommel had lost 23  000 men and about 350 tanks. Montgomery had lost 13  000 men with 9000 w ounded, and 500 tanks. With minimal forces, supplies and equipment Rommel had no choice than to keep retreating. It is important to note that was not simply retreating but he was retreating with perfection. The British were unable to engage his retreating forces. Due to extreme lack of supplies and fuel Germans had to abandon fully functional tanks and equipment. Rommel pleaded Hitler constantly for permission to evacuate his forces form Africa, but with no luck. Rommel confides increasingly to his wife about his loss of faith in Hitlers sanity. In 1943 the Americans invaded Morocco and Algerie, left without options forced an evacuation despite Hitlers aggression. Make the conclusion! (for conclusion I will just say what Rommel did after, very briefly, and finally finish up with how he died. After I add the usual: this investigation was able to demonstrate and answer the topic question) Quotations, not finished: We have a very daring and skillful opponent against us, and, may I say across the havoc of war, a great general Winston Churchill about Rommel. I chose Rommel because he has the ability to inspire his troops().That is a completely essential ability for a man who is to lead a unit which is going to fight in such special climates as in North Africa.() An incredibly tough commander.. Adolf Hitler Tobruk must be held to the last drop of blood, without a single thought of retreat! Churchill to the British Commander Wavell. Self-restraint, even chivalry distinguished the combatants on both sides throughout the North Africa campaign The leading exemplar of this code was Rommel himself. When orders from Hitler mandated the execution of captured British commandos, Rommel tossed the document in the trash. He insisted that the Allied prisoners receive the same rations he was given. He even wrote a book about the conflict called Krieg ohne Hass (War Without Hate). Memoirs of the North Africa campaign attest that, fierce and brutal as much of the fighting was, relations between individual enemies retained a quality of forbearance that seems, today, almost impossible to imagine. Steven Pressfield, in We have some though days ahead of us. The dead are lucky. For them, it is all finished. Our destiny is in Gods hands now. Good bye to you and our little son. Erwin Rommel in letter to his beloved wife, Lucie Rommel. The war (WW2) is lost.(à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) We have already lost the battle of Stalingrad and now we are going to be defeated in Africa(à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) The only thing Hitler demands is that every soldier either wins or dies. At this moment, there are only one warrior that is able to lead a unified Europe, and that is Churchill. Rommel to his friend Hans von Luck. The experience which I had gained during this advance through Cyrenacia formed the main faundation fo my later operations Erwin Rommel The Rommel Papers (p.120) Text, not finished: Source List, not Finished: YouTube, s. v. Battle of El Alamein | Generals at War | Battlefield Documentary, accessed June 10, 2012, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7cmXUeJMio YouTube, s. v. Clash of Warriors- Rommel v Montgomery (El Alamein), accessed June 17, 2012, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpAoDhPmYuc YouTube, s. v. Secrets of World War II What Really Happened to Rommel, accessed June 18, 2012, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC9bDPoiXao Eye Witness to History, s. v. Erwin Rommel, accessed June 22, 2012, http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/rommel.htm Jewish Virtual Library, s. v. Erwin Rommel, accessed June 23, 2012, http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Rommel.html Military History, s. v. Erwin Rommel, accessed June 26, 2012, http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/1900s/p/rommel.htm Armchair General, s. v. Erwin Rommel, accessed June 12, 2012, http://www.armchairgeneral.com/erwin-rommel-roots-of-victory-seeds-of-defeat.htm Wiki Quote, s. v. Erwin Rommel, accessed June 14, 2012, http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Erwin_Rommel#Quotes_about_Rommel History Learning Site, s. v. Erwin Rommel, accessed June 29, 2012, http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/erwin_rommel.htm Encyclopedia Britannica, s. v. Erwin Rommel, accessed June 9, 2012, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/508989/Erwin-Rommel

Ancient Greek Medicine Essay -- Greek History

Ancient Greek Medicine While Greek Medicine particularly from the 5th century B.C onwards, increasingly used scientific method to develop cures, there still however remained people that considered medicine to be a religion. The ancient Greeks (Hellenic) made important discoveries about the human body and health, so by the sixth century BC, medicinal practices focused largely on a more clinical approach involving observation. Their discoveries were made by firstly studying the human anatomy using dissection and vivisection, finding ways to heal using things such as plants and herbs, then finally practising surgery on the human body using different instruments. Before the scientific method developed, most people still saw medicine as a religion, and believed that superstitions, evil spirits and punishments caused illness from the gods. The best-known ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, made several important medical discoveries in Ancient Greece. He was born on the island of Cos, living from 460 B.C. - 377 B.C., and is revered as the 'Father of Medicine'. He was the first man to make medicine a profession and to see medicine as a science and not a religion. Hippocrates devised an oath, which every new doctor still swears to this day. Hippocrates and his followers looked at the cause of the disease rather than the symptoms. Hippocrates saw that diseases came from natural causes; he discovered that thought came from the brain and not from the heart, and he saw that the body needed to be treated as a whole and not just a series of parts. The theory of the four humours originated from the works of Aristotle. The idea of Humours is usually credited to Claudius Galen, a Greek physician of the second century A.D. But although he organized the idea more accessibly, he was probably not its creator. Centuries earlier, in the fourth century B.C., Hippocrates wrote of the bodily humours in his Hippocratic Corpus. The physician believed that the body was made up of four components or â€Å"four humours†. The four components are: Blood formed at the heart – Spring – Air, Phlegm in the brain – Winter – Water, Yellow Bile in the liver – Summer – Fire and Black Bile in the spleen – Autumn – Earth. Hippocrates argued that when these four fluids were out of balance disease occurred. The ideal place for a good balance of humours was (naturally) found in the centre of Greek ... ...that the strigil, a curved piece of metal with a handle used for scraping oil and sweat off the body after exercise was often used to get into small openings, so as Galen said, â€Å"After having heated the fat of a squirrel in a strigil, insert it into the auditory canal.† The invention of these instruments meant they improved as new shapes were devised. Gradually new metals and alloys were found to provide sharper edges and cheaper equipment. Most instruments were made of bronze and occasionally silver. Iron was never used as it was forbidden by the Greeks and so never used on religious grounds. Some instruments were manufactured by specialist blade makers who specialized in medical instruments rather than by an ordinary craftsman. The Romans employed many Greek physicians and through them the Greeks discoveries in medicine gradually spread throughout the ancient world. Greece was a country that gave birth to some of the most important medical pioneers in human history. Through Continuous studies, they changed people from seeing medicine as a religion. Their study of disease and the human body to the scientific method has resulted in the advanced medical knowledge we have today.

The Meaning of Death in “The Dead” by James Joyce

â€Å"The Dead† is a story written by James Joyce as a part of the collection that was later on entitled as Dubliners. It is the last story that he composed but certainly was one of the first stories on the â€Å"rivalry between the living and the dead. † It is considered to be one of the best written stories and account of Ireland in terms of the city’s geographical, historical, and political details. It is even said that most of the local references are â€Å"painstakingly exact† as that of the original scenarios in an everyday Dublin life (Joyce, 2008).While the title of the story suggests gloomy scenes such as a funeral or a wake ceremony, a first reading of the story would tell us that the story is all about an annual Christmas gathering where friends and old friends meet to catch up with everything that is happening in their lives. However, if we look at the story real deep, we will notice that the story really revolves into the characters of the cou ple Gabriel and Gretta Conroy. Like all the other couples in the said party, Gabriel and Gretta are an epitome of a happy couple.It can be said that the love of Gabriel to Gretta is so great that instead of traveling home from the party, they decided to stay in a hotel because he was afraid that she might be ill due to the weather. Gretta, on one hand, is giving back the love that she receives from Gabriel. This is evident in the couple’s treatment of each other in the Christmas gathering. However, there is something in the party that made Gretta feel strange. This is when she heard the song that reminds him of a boy she once fallen in love with. It was a young boy I used to know, she answered, named Michael Furey. He used to sing that song, The Lass of Aughrim. He was very delicate (Joyce, 2008). † Gretta confessed this while they were in the hotel room that they rented to stay for a night when Gabriel is anticipating a romantic night with his wife. At first he felt re ally jealous. Furthermore, he inquired into the very nature of their relationship. Gretta confessed everything that made Gabriel angry at one moment.He even suspected that the reason why Gretta would want to that one place is because she wanted to see her first love. However, as the narration progresses, which speaks of Michael Furey’s death by reason of Gretta herself, his anger ebbed to the point of it being replaced with an epiphany in relation to love, death, and the past. He then realized that lost loves are the most difficult thing to let go in ones lifetime (Joyce, 2008). So she had that romance in her life: a man had died for her sake.It hardly ained him now to think how poor a part he, her husband, had played in her life. He watched her while she slept, as though he and she had never lived together as man and wife. His curious eyes rested long upon her face and on her hair: and, as he thought of what she must have been then, in that time of her first girlish beauty, a strange, friendly pity for her entered his soul. He did not like to say even to himself that her face was no longer beautiful, but he knew that it was no longer the face for which Michael Furey had braved death (Joyce, 2008).This epiphany leads Gabriel to recall and reflect on the speech that he had delivered in the party: his idea that the past is dead and that it should be buries in oblivion because it will just bring memories that would either hurt them or impair their anticipation of the future. In the words of Gabriel, â€Å"There are always in gatherings such as this sadder thoughts that will recur to our minds: thoughts of the past, of youth, of changes, of absent faces that we miss here tonight. Therefore, I will not linger in the past. I will not let any gloomy moralising intrude upon us here tonight (Joyce, 2008).However, he also enunciated his admiration of the past especially of the old values of tradition and love in which he said that â€Å"a thought-tormented age: and sometimes I fear that this new generation, educated or hypereducated as it is, will lack those qualities of humanity, of hospitality, and kindly humour which belonged to the older day (Joyce, 2008). † Therefore, the idea of death that the story is trying to paint to us is the death of old traditions and values that are still living to those who have experienced such in the past like that of Gretta.The death in the story is the deterioration of values that the Irish are known for that Gabriel mentioned in his speech. However, this is an irony because while he talked about the old values that should be retained, he himself is not doing his part in this endeavor of preserving the old Irish values and tradition. As observed by Ms. Ivors, he has become a West Briton because he prefers to travel to places like France, and Germany instead of seeing the countryside of Ireland. He denounced his own place of birth in exchange for the West and rejected his own native language.The We st, even though, more industrialized than Dublin, is still a land of ghost and a land of unhappy things. The West is a place â€Å"where the ghost of the past have a terrible hold on the living, where tradition leads to bigoted religion and terrorism (Hodgart, 1978). The death can also be attributed to a death of the traditional love that everybody would want to have. In the story, while it is evident that Gabriel loves Gretta, his love for her is limited to that of the physical love. When they were in the hotel, all he can think of was a romantic night with her.Like distant music these words that he had written years before were borne towards him from the past. He longed to be alone with her. When the others had gone away, when he and she were in the room in the hotel, then they would be alone together (Joyce, 2008). † However, after Gretta had told him the story of Michael Furey, he felt very small and inadequate. This is for the reason that his love to Gretta is nothing co mpared to that of the love of Furey. After hearing the story, he was quick to realize that his love for her is limited and not the kind of love that she has expected of him.His love is so puny to the love that Michael Furey has given his wife. He cannot in any way give up his life just for his love for Gretta. This further suggests that love died along with the death of Furey and that the love that Gabriel offered to Gretta, cannot be considered love in her standards. The image of death in the story is not the same as what we normally perceive, a wake, a funeral, and grief. But the death is on how the glorious past is buried in everyone’s memory that will for a long time or for a lifetime haunt them.

Gentlemen, Choose Your Weapons

Gentlemen, Choose Your Weapons Gentlemen, Choose Your Weapons Gentlemen, Choose Your Weapons By Hugh Ashton Writing tools can affect your style. In the days of quill and dip pens, the length of sentences (or at least, phrases) was apparently determined by the amount of ink held by the pen, and prose rhythm was dictated by this simple physical constraint. Fountain pens extended the scope of the writer. No longer did (s)he have to pause in the composition of the sentence, reach over to the inkwell and use those few seconds to determine what to write next. Sentences could flow for ever, like those of Henry James. But even with a fountain pen, revisions don’t come easily. In Lamb House, Rye, where James lived for many years, some galley proofs of his works are on display, covered with major handwritten amendments. Whole paragraphs deleted and added, sentences turned on their heads, etc. No publisher today, even with modern technology, would accept such major revisions to a book at galley stage. It would appear, though, that typesetting really does crystallize a writer’s thoughts, and give a firm foundation for the next stage in the writing process. Of course, many authors used typewriters when they became available. Mark Twain, a neophile and early adopter, wrote: The machine has several virtues. I believe it will print faster than I can write. One may lean back in his chair work it. It piles an awful stack of words on one page. It don’t muss things or scatter ink blots around. Of course it saves paper. And as someone who grew up doing a lot of writing (books, articles, etc.) on a typewriter (manual Olivetti portable, and later an electric Facit golfball), I have to agree with Samuel Clemens. Mind you, corrections were tricky. I used a lot of correction fluid and paper, and rewriting a whole sentence often meant starting again from scratch on a new page. The sheer drudgery and physical labor involved in hitting typewriter keys (less with electric than a manual, of course) meant you had to think carefully about what you wrote. Planning a whole page in advance (or at least a paragraph) wasn’t uncommon. Certainly you tended to write a sentence before putting it down on paper, because it was too much trouble to recast it once it had been typed. Of course, all this refers to the first draft. Creating a second draft was often a question of starting again from scratch, or a literal â€Å"cut and paste† job. Another way of writing books was (still is for some) dictation to a shorthand secretary or a dictation machine. Dictation can produce long flowing streams of consciousness, poor style, and very clumsy or sloppy plotting in the worst cases, not to mention novels that are parodies of the author’s own style. But then came word-processors. But that’s for another week. In the meantime, your exercise for the week is to look at some older pieces of writing, and see if you can reconstruct how the authors got the words out of their heads onto paper. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Beautiful and Ugly Words50 Latin Phrases You Should KnowThe Uses of â€Å"The†

Affirmative Action misc4 essays

Affirmative Action misc4 essays Affirmative Action As Nick Catoggio went to his mailbox, he knew that his acceptance letter from Harvard University had arrived. Although Nick was nervous, he knew that his hard work in high school had gained him admission into one of the worlds most prestigious institutions of higher learning. Because of his grade point average of 4.0 in high school, his numerous extracurricular activities, and a combined score of 1440 on his SATs, Nick believed that he would almost be guaranteed admission to Harvard. When he opened the letter however, he was shattered when he read the words, We regret to inform you ... He immediately called his friend Richard Sahk, who had also applied, to tell him his news and to see if Richard had received his letter from Harvard. Richard said, Yeah Nick, I got in! Nick was astonished. Richards GPA was only 3.7, and he receive a combined score of 1100 on his SATs. After a long pause he replied, Its because Im black, Nick, Richard felt bad for his friend. Both he an d Nick had realized that he was accepted by Harvard because of his race. Nick was mad because he was qualified and didnt get in; Richard felt upset because he wasnt as qualified as Nick but was admitted because of his race. This is an anecdotal example of one of the many criticisms of affirmative action. In fact, the whole controversy over preferences based on race and gender has been debated ever since the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964. I believe that Affirmative action should be discontinued, this program is a new kind of discrimination to counter the past discrimination and this defeats the whole idea of the program. Affirmative action is defined, as a program ensuring that a predetermined proportion of jobs or college admissions go to African Americans and presumably, other minorities and women as we...

Not required Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Not required - Essay Example This cohesion between airline companies results to better perform in relation to customer service as well as the air transport. Although the extent of cohesion varies across alliances, it has been observed that they are more profitable to small airline entities. This essay will look at the three major airline airlines that are recognized on the international platform including Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam. Additionally, the essay looks into Alaska airline that is a key flyer in the US and other international destinations. Finally, the paper looks into the advantages and disadvantages of global airlines. This is the first airline global alliance that is discussed in the paper. First, it is the smallest alliance that currently has thirteen members; however, this number is expected to rise in the coming years. The alliance was established in 1999 by the airline companies that were competing with Sky Team (Weber and Sparks, 2004). Examples of these members include: Qatar Airways, Malaysia Airlines, American Airlines and British Airways. The alliance has 981 destinations and it operates in 151 countries. The yearly capacity is 475 passengers; it has a fleet of 3,283 aircrafts and 14,244 departures on a daily. The top five members elect airlines that have the highest number of flights include TAM, British Airways, Iberaia, US Airways and American Airlines (The Points Guy, 2014). It can be argued the alliance is undeniably the best in redeeming domestic and global cabin topnotch awards. Six carriers have well-established global first rate cabins including Cathay Pacific, British Airways, American, Cathay Pacific, Malysian Airline, Qantas and JAL. This is the second global alliance in the airline industry. Based on the recent statistics, the alliance has nineteen members. This alliance was formed in 2000. It operates in 178 nations across the globe and has 1024

Continental and monsoon Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Continental and monsoon - Assignment Example The monsoon wind blowing from the neighboring and oceans are playing a significant role in determining the climatic disparities in different parts of China and other parts of the Asian continent. Continental and monsoon are playing significant role in shaping the climate of China. They have an established relationship where one factor affects the other and intern reflects on the climate. For instance, China has an abundance of mountain barriers and the inland depression results in regional differences in terms of atmospheric circulation, solar radiation, and climate as a whole. A continental climate is associated with bigger land masses and extreme annual range of temperature that prevails in large parts of China (Wang 381). The air reaching China from Atlantic Ocean passing from Europe or Africa loses most of its moisture to the oceans hence coming out dry. These winds play a role in determining the climate of China. Their moisture content shapes the climate patterns of the areas they pass. Although there is some monsoon wind blowing from the north, arctic wind does not have access to the region. Tropical and equatorial air masses predominate in the south of Asia with restriction by the ridges of the mountain belt that stretches from west Asia highlands, through the Himalayas to south China and south Asia Mountains (Science Clarified 4-8). Similarly, the continental monsoon wind is playing a significant role in determining China climate through the way it blows. For instance, dry and cold winter monsoon blows from Siberia and the Mongolian plateau from September to April leading to cold and dry winters. It also results to the differences in temperature experienced in north and south of China (Raman and Sharan 1533). More so, warm and humid monsoon wind blows from the sea to east and south between April and September resulting in high temperatures and plentiful rainfall. It also leads to the little differences in temperatures