Events Leading Up To World War 2 Essay

World War II killed more people, destroyed more property, disrupted more lives, and probably had more far-reaching consequences than any other war in history. The war, which ended in 1945, eventually involved 61 countries, claimed 50 million lives, and completely changed the geopolitical landscape. The causes of World War II can be easily traced back to many of the unsolved issues from the end of World War I and the treaties that ended it also created new political and economic problems. Forceful leaders in several countries took advantage of these problems to seize power. The desire of dictators in Germany and Italy, and Japan to conquer additional territory brought them into conflict with the democratic nations. After World War I ended, representatives of the victorious nations met in Paris in 1919 to draw up peace treaties for the defeated countries. When the Germans heard about the Treaty of Versailles anger raged throughout the country. They had not been allowed to take part in the talks yet, they were being forced to sign the treaty. The Germans felt they were not to be blamed for the war. Even the soldier sent to sign the Treaty refused to sign it â€Å"To say such a thing would be a lie,† and only after the treat of being invaded did they sign. The Treaties were worked out in haste by these countries with opposing goals; and failed to satisfy even the victors. Of all the countries on the winning side, Italy and Japan left the peace conference most dissatisfied. Italy gained less territory than it felt it deserved and vowed to take action on its own. Japan gained control of German territories in the Pacific and thereby launched a program of expansion. But Japan was angered by the peacemakers’ failure to endorse the principle of the equality of all races. The countries that lost World War I–Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey–were especially dissatisfied with the Peace of Paris. They were stripped of territory, arms and were required to make reparations (payments for war damages). The Treaty of Versailles, which was signed with Germany, punished Germany severely. The German government agreed to sign the treaty only after the victorious powers threatened to invade. Many Germans particularly resented  the clause that forced Germany to accept responsibility for causing World War I. World War I seriously damaged the economies of the European countries. Both the winners and the losers came out of the war deeply in debt. The defeated powers had difficulty paying reparations to the victors, and the victors had difficulty repaying their loans to the United States. The shift from a wartime economy to a peacetime economy caused further problems. Italy and Japan suffered from too many people and too few resources after World War I. They eventually tried to solve their problems by territorial expansion. In Germany, runaway inflation destroyed the value of money and wiped out the savings of millions of people. In 1923, the German economy neared collapse. Loans from the United States helped Germany’s government restore order. By the late 1920’s, Europe appeared to be entering a period of economic stability. A worldwide business slump known as The Great Depression began in the United States in 1929. By the early 1930’s, it had halted Europe’s economic recovery. The Great Depression caused mass unemployment, wide spread poverty and despair. It weakened democratic governments and strengthened extreme political movements that promised to end the economic problems. Two movements in particular gained strength. The forces of Communism, known as the Left, called for revolution by the workers. The forces of fascism, called the Right, favored strong national government. Throughout Europe, the forces of the Left clashed with the forces of the Right. The political extremes gained the most support in countries with the greatest economic problems and the deepest resentment of the Peace of Paris. Nationalism was an extreme form of patriotism that swept across Europe during the 1800’s. Supporters of nationalism placed loyalty to the aims of their nation, above any other public loyalty. Many nationalists viewed foreigners and members of minority groups as inferior. Such beliefs helped nations justify their conquest of other lands and the poor treatment of minorities within their borders. Nationalism was a chief cause of World War I, and it  grew even stronger after that war. Nationalism went hand in hand with feelings of national discontent. Many Germans felt humiliated by their country’s defeat in World War I and its harsh treatment under the Treaty of Versailles. During the 1930’s, they enthusiastically supported a violently nationalistic organization called The Nazi Party. The Nazi Party declared that Germany had a right to become strong again. Nationalism also gained strength in Italy and Japan. The Peace of Paris established an international organization called The League of Nations to maintain peace. Each country backed its own interests at the expense of other countries this prevented The League from working effectively.. Only weak countries agreed to submit their disagreements to The League of Nations for settlement. Strong nations reserved the right to settle their disputes by threats or, force. The political unrest and poor economic conditions that developed after World War I enabled dictatorships to arise in several countries. Especially in those countries that lacked a tradition of democratic government. During the 1920’s and 1930’s, dictatorships came in to power in the Soviet Union, Italy, Germany, and Japan. They held total power and ruled without regard to law. The dictatorships used terror and secret police to crush opposition to their rule. People who objected risked imprisonment or execution. In the Soviet Union, the Communists, led by Lenin, had seized power in 1917. Lenin had set up a dictatorship that firmly controlled the country by the time he died in 1924. After Lenin’s death, Joseph Stalin and other leading Communists struggled for power. Stalin eliminated his rivals one by one and became the Soviet dictator in 1929. In Italy, economic distress after World War I led to strikes and riots. As a result of the violence, a strongly nationalistic group called The Fascist Party gained many supporters. Benito Mussolini, leader of the Fascists, promised to bring order and prosperity to Italy. He vowed to restore to Italy the glory it had known in the days of the ancient Roman Empire. By  1922, the Fascists had become powerful enough to force the king of Italy to appoint Mussolini premier. Mussolini, who took the title il Duce (the Leader), soon began to establish a dictatorship. In Germany, The Nazi Party made spectacular gains as The Great Depression deepened during the early 1930’s. Many Germans blamed all their country’s economic woes on the hated Treaty of Versailles, which forced Germany to give up territory, resources and pay large reparations. In 1933, Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazis, was appointed chancellor of Germany. Hitler, who was called der Fuhrer (the Leader), soon made Germany a dictatorship. He vowed to ignore the Versailles Treaty and to avenge Germany’s defeat in World War I. Hitler preached that Germans were a â€Å"superior race† and that such peoples as Jews and Slavs were inferior. He began a campaign of hatred against Jews and Communists. He promised to rid the country of them. Hitler’s extreme nationalism appealed to many Germans. In Japan, military officers began to hold political office during the 1930’s. By 1936, they had strong control of the government. Japan’s military government glorified war and the training of warriors. In 1941, General Hideki Tojo became premier of Japan. During the 1930’s, Japan, Italy, and Germany followed a policy of aggressive. They invaded weak lands; that could be taken over easily. The dictatorships knew what they wanted, and they grabbed it. The democratic countries responded with timidity and indecision to the aggression of the dictatorships. Japan was the first dictatorship to begin a program of conquest. In 1931, Japanese forces seized control of Manchuria, a region of China rich in natural resources. Some historians consider Japan’s conquest of Manchuria as the real start of World War II. Japan made Manchuria a puppet state called Manchukuo. In 1937, Japan launched a major attack against China. It occupied most of eastern China by the end of 1938, though the two countries had not officially declared war. Japan’s military leaders began to speak about bringing all of eastern Asia under Japanese control. Italy looked to Africa to fulfill its ambitions for an empire. In 1935, Italian troops invaded Ethiopia, one of the few independent countries in Africa. The Italians used machine guns, tanks, and airplanes to overpower Ethiopia’s poorly equipped army. They had conquered the country by May 1936. After Hitler took power, he began to build up Germany’s armed forces in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. In 1936, Hitler sent troops into the Rhineland, a region of Germany along the banks of the Rhine River. Under the treaty, the Rhineland was to remain free of troops. In March 1938, German soldiers marched into Austria and united it with Germany. Many people in Germany and Austria welcomed that move. The acts of aggression were easy victories for the dictatorships. The League of Nations proved incapable of stopping them. It lacked an army and the power to enforce international law. The United States had refused to join the League or become involved in European disputes. Great Britain and France were unwilling to risk another war so soon after World War I. The two powers knew they would bear the burden of any fighting. The aggressors soon formed an alliance. In 1936, Germany and Italy agreed to support one another’s foreign policy. The alliance was known as the Rome-Berlin Axis. Japan joined the alliance in 1940, and it became the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis. The Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939. In 1936, many of Spain’s army officers revolted against the government. The army rebels chose General Francisco Franco as their leader. Franco’s forces were known as Nationalists or Rebels. The forces that supported Spain’s elected government were called Loyalists or Republicans. The Spanish Civil War drew worldwide attention. Yet during the war, the dictatorships again displayed their might while the democracies remained helpless. Hitler and Mussolini sent troops, weapons, aircraft, and advisers to aid the Nationalists. The Soviet Union was the only power to help the Loyalists.  France, Britain, and the United States decided not to become involved. However, Loyalist sympathizers from many countries joined the International Brigades that the Communists formed to fight in Spain. The Spanish Civil War served as a military testing grounds for World War II. Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union used it to test their weapons and tactics. The war in Spain was also a rehearsal for World War II, in that it split the world into forces that either supported or opposed Nazism and Fascism. Hitler prepared to strike again soon after Germany absorbed Austria in March 1938. German territory then bordered Czechoslovakia on three sides. Czechoslovakia had become an independent nation after World War I. Its population consisted of many nationalities, including more than 3 million people of German descent. Hitler sought control of the Sudetenland, a region of western Czechoslovakia where most of the Germans lived. Urged on by Hitler, the Sudeten Germans began to clamor for union with Germany. Czechoslovakia was determined to defend its territory. France and the Soviet Union had pledged their support. As tension mounted, Britain’s Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain tried to restore calm. Chamberlain wished to preserve peace at all cost. He believed that war could be prevented by meeting Hitler’s demands. That policy became known as appeasement. Chamberlain had several meetings with Hitler during September 1938 as Europe teetered on the edge of war. Hitler raised his demands at each meeting. On September 29, Chamberlain and French Premier Edouard Daladier met with Hitler and Mussolini in Munich, Germany. Chamberlain and Daladier agreed to turn over the Sudetenland to Germany, and they forced Czechoslovakia to accept the agreement. Hitler promised that he had no more territorial demands. The Munich Agreement marked the height of the policy of appeasement. Chamberlain and Daladier hoped that the agreement would satisfy Hitler and prevent war–or that it would at least prolong the peace until Britain and  France were ready for war. The two leaders were mistaken on both counts. The failure of appeasement soon became clear. Hitler broke the Munich Agreement in March 1939 and seized the rest of Czechoslovakia. He thereby added Czechoslovakia’s armed forces and industries to Germany’s military might. In the months before World War II began, Germany’s preparations for war moved ahead faster than did the military build-up of Britain and France.

European Renaissance & Reformation

Chapter 1 European Renaissance & Reformation Unit 1 – Italy: Birthplace of the Renaissance Revolution – the Italian Renaissance was a rebirth of learning that produced many great works of art & literature. Renaissance art & literature still influence modern thought & modern art. Renaissance – period of European history, 1300-1600, rebirth, a renewed interest in classical culture lead to changes in art, learning, & views of the world.Humanism – Renaissance intellectual movement that focused on studying classical texts, human potential & achievements. Secular – Renaissance society was worldly rather than spiritual & concerned with the ere & now. Patron – a person who supports artists, especially financially. Perspective – an artistic technique that creates the appearance of 3 dimensions on a flat surface.Vernacular – native language; the everyday language of people in a region or country. Italy's Advantages City-States Merchants & the Medici Looking to Greece & Rome Classical & Worldly Values Classics lead to humanism Worldly pleasures Patrons of the arts The Renaissance man The Renaissance woman The Renaissance Revolutionizes art Realistic painting & sculpture Leonardo, Renaissance Man Raphael advances realism Anguish & GentilesRenaissance writers change literature Patriarch & Vacation Machiavelli advises rulers Aviators Colonial Unit 2 – The Northern Renaissance Cultural interaction – in the sass, the ideas of the Italian Renaissance began to spread to Northern Europe Renaissance ideas such as the importance of the individual are a strong part of modern thought. Utopia – an imaginary land described by Thomas More in his book â€Å"Utopia†, an ideal place William Shakespeare – most famous writer of the Elizabethan Age; born in 1562; liked the classics & drew on them for inspiration & plots.Johann Gutenberg – a craftsman from Mains, Germany, developed a printing pres s sing a number of technologies to make it possible to produce books quickly & cheaply; printed a complete Bible in 1455. Artistic ideas spread German painters Flemish painters Northern Writers try to reform society Christian humanists Women's reforms The Legacy of the Renaissance Changes in the arts Changes in society Unit 3 – Luther leads the Reformation Revolution – Martin Lather's protest over abuses in the Catholic Church led to the founding of Protestant churches.Nearly 1/5 of the Christians in today's world Causes of the Reformation Criticisms of the Catholic Church Early calls for reform Luther challenges the church The 95 theses re Protestants. Indulgence – a pardon releasing a person from punishments due for a sin. Reformation – 16th-century movement for religious reform, leading to the founding of Christian churches that rejected the pope's authority.Lather's teachings The response to Luther The Pope's threat The Emperor's opposition Lutheran à ¢â‚¬â€œ member of a Protestant church founded on the teachings of Martin Luther. The Peasants' Revolt Germany at War Protestant – member of a Christian church founded on the principles of the Reformation. Peace of Suburbs – a 1 555 agreement declaring that the religion of each German state would be decided by its ruler. England becomes Protestant Henry VIII wants a son Annul – to cancel or set aside.The Reformation Parliament Consequences of Henrys Changes Elizabeth restores Protestantism Anglican – relating to the Church of England. Elizabeth faces other challenges Unit 4 – The Reformation Continues Religious & ethical systems – as Protestant reformers divided over beliefs, the Catholic Church made reforms. Many Protestant churches began during this period, and many Catholic schools are he result of reforms in the Church. Predestination Calvinist Theocracy Presbyterian Anabaptist Catholic Reformation Jesuits Council of Treats

Bay Of Pigs The Failed Invasion Essay

Bay Of Pigs: The Failed Invasion Essay, Research Paper Bay of Pigs: The Failed Invasion The narrative of the failed invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs is one of misdirection, certitude, and deficiency of security. The incrimination for the failure of the operation falls straight in the lap of the Central Intelligence Agency and a immature president along with his advisers. The autumn out from the invasion caused a rise in tenseness between the two great world powers and ironically, 38 old ages after the event, the individual whom the invasion was meant to tumble, Fidel Castro is still in power. To understand the beginnings of the invasion and its branchings for the hereafter, it is first necessary to look at the invasion and its beginnings. The Bay of Pigs invasion of April 1961, started a few yearss before the bombardment of Cuba on April fifteenth by what appeared to be deserting Cuban air force pilots. At 6 a.m. on that Saturday, B-26 bombers bombed three Cuban military bases. The landing fields at Camp Libertad, San Antonio de Los Banos and Antonio Maceo airdrome at Santiago de Cuba were fired upon. Seven people were killed at Libertad and 47 people were killed at other sites on the island. Two of the B-26s left Cuba and flew to Miami, seemingly to desert to the United States. The Cuban Revolutionary Council, the authorities in expatriate, in New York City released a statement stating, ? The bombardments in Cuba were carried out by? Cubans inside Cuba? who were? in contact with? the top bid of the Revolutionary Council. ? The New York Times newsman covering the narrative alluded to something being incorrect with the whole state of affairs. He wondered how the council knew the pilots were coming if the pilots had merely decided to go forth Cuba on Thursday after a suspected treachery by a fellow pilot had precipitated a secret plan to strike. Whatever the instance, the planes came down in Miami subsequently that forenoon. One landed at Key West Naval Air Station at 7:00 a.m. and the other at Miami International Airport at 8:20 a.m. Both planes were severely damaged and their fuel armored combat vehicles were about empty. On the front page of The New York Times the following twenty-four hours, a image of a B-26 was shown along with a image of one of the pilots have oning a baseball chapeau and concealing behind dark dark glassess. His name was withheld. Even at this early phase, a sense of confederacy had begun to unknot the events of that hebdomad. In the early hours of April seventeenth, the assault on the Bay of Pigs began in a cloak and sticker manner. The assault began at 2 a.m. with a squad of? divers? traveling ashore with orders to put up set downing visible radiations. Those visible radiations indicated to the chief assault force the precise location of their aims, every bit good as to unclutter the country of anything that may hinder the chief landing squads when they arrived at 2:30 a.m. At 3:00 ante meridiem, two battalions came ashore at Playa Gir? N and one battalion at Playa Larga beaches. The military personnels at Playa Gir? N had orders to travel west, north-west, up the seashore and meet with the military personnels at Playa Larga in the center of the bay. A little group of work forces were so to be sent North to the town of Jaguey Grande to procure it every bit good. When looking at a modern map of Cuba it is obvious that military personnels would hold jobs in the country that was chosen for them to set down. The country around the Bay of Pigs is a boggy fen land country which would be hard on the military personnels. The Cuban forces were speedy to respond and Castro ordered his T-33 trainer jets, along with two Sea Furies, and two B-26s into the air to halt the invading forces. Off the seashore were the bid and control ship and another vas transporting supplies for the invading forces. The Cuban air force made speedy work of the supply ships, droping the bid vas, Marsopa, and the supply ship, Houston, blaring them to pieces with five-inch projectiles. Lost with the Houston was the 5th battalion every bit good as the supplies for the landing squads and eight other smaller vass. With some of the invading forces? ships destroyed, and no bid and control ship, the logistics of the operation shortly broke down as the other supply ships were kept at bay by Casto? s air force. As with many failed military escapades, one of the jobs with this 1 was with providing the military personnels. In th e air, Castro had easy won high quality over the incursive force. His fast traveling T-33s, although unimpressive by today? s criterions, made short work of the slow traveling B-26s of the occupying force. On Tuesday, two were shot out of the sky and by Wednesday, the encroachers had lost 10 of their 12 aircraft. With air power steadfastly in control of Castro? s forces, the terminal was near for the incursive ground forces. During the seventy-two-hour invasion, the Cubans pounded the occupying force of about 1500 work forces. The encroachers? arms were no lucifer for Castro? s 122mm Howitzers, 22mm cannons, and armored combat vehicle fire. By Wednesday the encroachers were pushed back to their landing zone at Playa Gir? N. Surrounded by Castro? s forces, some surrendered while others fled into the hills. One hundred 14 work forces were killed in the slaughter while 36 died as captives in Cuban cells. Others were to populate out twenty old ages or more in those cells for plotting to tumble the authorities of Castro. The work forces of the occupying force neer had a opportunity for success from about the first yearss in the planning phase of the operation. Operation Pluto, as it came to be known, has its beginnings in the last yearss of the Eisenhower Administration and the cloudy clip period during the passage of power to the freshly elected president, John F. Kennedy. In late 1958, Castro was still contending a guerilla war against the corrupt government of Fulgencio Batista. Before he came to power, there was an incident between his military personnels and some vacationing American military personnels from the nearby American naval base at Guantanamo Bay. During the incident, some US Marines were held confined by Casto? s forces but were subsequently released after a ransom was in secret paid. This episode soured dealingss between Castro and the United States. The head of U.S. Naval Operations, Admiral Burke, suggested sending in the Marines to destruct Castro? s forces, but Secretary of State Foster Dulles disagreed. Originally Castro was non a Communist ; he even had meetings with Vice President Richard Nixon. Fearful of Castro? s revolution, people with money, including physicians, attorneies, and the Mafia, left Cuba for the United States. To forestall the loss of more capital Castro? s solution was to nationalise some of the concerns in Cuba. In the procedure of nationalising some concern? he came into struggle with American involvements. Legitimate U.S. concerns were taken over, and the procedure of socialisation begun with small if any talk of compensation. Following rumours of Cuban engagement in be aftering to occupy Panama, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, the US Government refused Castro any economic assistance. After being rejected by the Americans, he met with Russia? s foreign curate Anasta Mikoyan to procure a $ 100 million loan from the Soviet Union. It was in this ambiance that American Intelligence and Foreign Relations communities decided that Castro was tilting towards co mmunism and had to be dealt with. In the spring of 1960, President Eisenhower approved a program to direct little groups of trained Americans, Cuban exiles, to work in the resistance as guerillas to subvert Castro. By the autumn, the program was changed to a full invasion with air support by expatriate Cubans in American supplied planes. The original group was to be trained in Panama, but with the growing of the operation and the accelerating gait of events in Cuba, it was decided to travel things to a base in Guatemala. The program was going rushed and this would get down to demo. The adult male in charge of the operation, CIA Deputy Director Bissell said, ? There didn? T seem to be clip to maintain to the original program and have a big group trained by this initial cell of immature Cubans. So the larger group was formed and established at La Finca, in Guatemala, and at that place the preparation was conducted wholly by Americans. ? By now it was autumn and President John F. Kennedy had replaced President Eisenhower. President Kennedy could hold stopped the invasion if he wanted to, but he likely did non make so for several grounds. First, he had campaigned for some signifier of action against Cuba and it was besides the tallness of the cold war. To endorse out now would intend holding groups of Cuban expatriates going around the Earth claiming the Americans had backed down on the Cuban issue. In competition with the Soviet Union, endorsing out would do the Americans appear as chickens on the international scene. On the domestic place forepart, the new president would be seen as endorsing off from one of his run promises. The failure at the CIA led to Kennedy doing hapless determinations, impacting future dealingss with Cuba and the Soviet Union. Three grounds caused failure at the CIA central office. First, the incorrect people were managing the operation ; secondly, the bureau in charge of the operation was besides the one supplying all the intelligence for the operation ; and thirdly, the operation had security jobs. In charge of the operation was the Director of Central Intelligence, Allan Dulles and chief duty for the operation was left to one of his deputies, Richard Bissell. In an intelligence community geared chiefly for European operations against the USSR, both work forces lacked experience in Latin American personal businesss. Those in charge of Operation Pluto based this new operation on the success of the Guatemalan escapade, but the state of affairs in Cuba was much different than that in Guatemala. In Guatemala, the state of affairs was still helter-skelter and John Arbenz neer had the same control over the state like Castro had on Cuba. The CIA had the United States Ambassador, John Puerifoy, working on the interior of Guatemala organizing the attempt. In Cuba, they had none of this while the Soviet block was providing Castro. Furthermore, after the overthrow of the authorities in Guatemala, Castro was cognizant that this may go on to him every bit good and likely had his guard up waiting for anything that my indicate an invasion was at hand. The 2nd job was the nature of the bureaucratism itself. The CIA was a new child on the block, and experiencing it had to turn out itself, saw its chance in Cuba. Obsessed with secretiveness, it kept the figure of people involved to a lower limit. The intelligence wing of CIA was kept out of it, although their Board of National Estimates could hold provided information on the state of affairs in Cuba and the opportunities for an rebellion against Castro one time the invasion started. Besides kept out of the cringle were the State Department and the Joint Chiefs of Staff who could hold provided aid on the military side of the escapade. In the terminal, the CIA kept all the information for itself and passed on to the president O nly what it thought he should see. Lucien S. Vandenbroucke, in Political Science Quarterly of 1984, based his analysis of the Bay of Pigs failure on organisational behaviour theory. He says, ? The CIA supplied President Kennedy and his advisors with chosen studies on the undependability of Castro? s forces and the extent of Cuban dissent. ? Of the CIA? s behaviour he concludes, ? By fall backing to the typical organisation scheme of specifying the options and supplying the information required to measure them, the CIA therefore structured the job in a manner that maximized the likeliness the president would take the bureau? s preferred option. ? The CIA made certain the deck was stacked in their favour when the clip came to make up ones mind whether a undertaking they sponsored was sound or non. President Kennedy? s Secretary of State at the clip was Dean Rusk. In his autobiography he stated, ? The CIA told us all kinds of things about the state of affairs in Cuba and what would go on one time the brigade got ashore. President Kennedy received information that merely was non right. For illustration, he was told the elements of the Cuban armed forces would desert and fall in the brigade. Besides there would be popular rebellions throughout Cuba when the brigade hit the beach, and if the expatriate force got into problem, its members would merely run into the countryside and go guerillas, merely as Castro had done. ? As for senior White House Plutos, most of them disagreed with the program every bit good, but Rusk said, ? Kennedy went with what the CIA had to say. ? As for himself, he said, ? He did non function President Kennedy really good, ? and he should hold voiced his resistance louder. He concluded, ? I should hold made my resistance clear in the meetings themselves bec ause he ( Kennedy ) was under force per unit area from those who wanted to proceed. ? When the president was faced with colored information from quiet advisers and the CIA, there was no inquiry why the president decided to travel in front with the operation. For an organisation that deals with security issues, the CIA? s deficiency of security in the Bay of Pigs operation is dry. Security began to interrupt down before the invasion when The New York Times reporter Tad Szulc? . . . learned of Operation Pluto from Cuban friends. . . ? earlier that twelvemonth while in Costa Rica covering an Organization of American States meeting. Another dislocation in security was at the preparation base in Florida. Local occupants near Homestead Air Force Base had seen Cubans boring and heard their speaker units at a farm. As a gag, some bangers were thrown into the compound. The resulting incident saw the Cubans firing their guns and the federal governments holding to convert the local governments non to press charges. Operation Pluto was get downing to be blown broad unfastened, the advantage of surprise was lost even this early in the game. After the initial bombardment foray of April fifteenth, and the landing of the B-26s in Florida, images of the planes were taken and published in newspapers. In the exposure of one of the planes, the olfactory organ of it is opaque whereas the theoretical account of the B-26 the Cubans truly used had a Plexiglas olfactory organ. The CIA had taken the planes to mask the B-26 with? FAR? markers ( Cuban Air Force ) . The bureau overlooked a important item that was spotted instantly by professional perceivers. Castro? s people merely had to read the newspapers to larn something was traveling to go on. The planes that bombed them were non their ain but American. In The New York Times on the twenty-first of April, stories about the beginnings of the operation in the Eisenhower disposal appeared with headlines, ? CIA Had a Role in Exiles? Plan s, ? uncovering the CIA? s engagement. By the twenty-second, the narrative is broad unfastened with headlines in The New York Times saying, ? CIA is accused by Bitter Rebels? and on the 2nd page of that twenty-four hours? s issue is a full article on the inside informations of the operation from its beginnings. The decision one can pull from the articles in The New York Times is, if newsmans knew the whole narrative by the twenty-second, it can be expected that Castro? s intelligence service along with the Soviet Union knew about the planned invasion every bit good. Tad Szulc? s study in the April 22nd edition of The New York Times says it all, . . . ? As has been an unfastened secret in Florida and Central America for months, the CIA planned, coordinated and directed the operations that ended in licking on a beachhead in southern Cuba Wednesday. ? It is clear now ; portion of the failure of the operation was caused by a deficiency of security and attending to detail on the portion of the Central Intelligence Agency, and misinformation given to the president. On the international scene, the Bay of Pigs invasion lead straight to increased tensenesss between the United States and the Soviet Union. During the invasion, messages were exchanged between Kennedy and Khrushchev sing the events in C uba. Khrushchev accused the Americans of being involved in the invasion. Stating in one of his messages, ? That a alleged? little war? can bring forth a concatenation reaction in all parts of the universe. We shall render the Cuban people and their Government all necessary aid in crushing back the armed onslaught on Cuba. ? Kennedy replied, giving American positions on democracy and the containment of communism. He besides warned against Soviet engagement in Cuba, stating to Khrushchev, ? In the event of any military intercession by outside force we will instantly honour our duties under the inter-American system to protect this hemisphere against external aggression. ? However, this crisis passed, but it set the phase for the following major crisis over Soviet atomic missiles in Cuba and likely led to the Soviets increasing their military support for Castro. In the disposal itself, the Bay of Pigs crisis led to a few alterations. First, person had to take the incrimination for the matter and, as Director of Central Intelligence, Allen Dulles was forced to vacate and left CIA in November of 1961. Internally, the CIA was neer the same, and although it continued with covert operations against Castro, it was on a much-reduced graduated table. Harmonizing to a study of the Select Senate Committee on Intelligence, ? Future operations were to nurture a spirit of opposition and alienation which could take to important desertions and other byproducts of unrest. ? The CIA besides now came under the supervising of the president? s brother Bobby, the Attorney General. Harmonizing to Lucien S. Vandenbroucke, the result of the Bay of Pigs failure besides made th e White House suspicious of an operation that everyone agreed to, made them less loath to oppugn the experts, and made them play? annoy? s advocators? when oppugning them. In the terminal, the lessons learned from the Bay of Pigs failure may hold contributed to the successful handling of the Cuban missile crisis that followed. The long-run branchings of the Bay of Pigs invasion are a small harder to measure. The ultimate indicant of the invasion failure is that 38 old ages subsequently Castro is still in power. This non merely indicates the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion, but American policy towards Cuba in general. The American policy instead than sabotaging Castro? s support, has likely contributed to it. As with many wars, even a cold one, the leader is able to beat up his people around him against an attacker. No longer having aid from the Soviet Union, things were get downing to alter. He has opened the Cuban economic system for some investing, chiefly in telecommunication s, oil geographic expedition, and joint ventures. In an effort to remain in power, he is seeking to accommodate his state to the new world of the universe. Rather than stamp downing the educated elite, he is giving them a topographic point in steering Cuba. The inquiry is, will they finally want more power and a right to command Cuba? s destiny without Castro? s counsel and support? If the prostration of past governments is any indicant, they will finally desire more power. When Castro came to power in 1959, his major American oppositions, as with Guatemala, were the concern involvements who were losing out as a consequence of his constabularies. The major force per unit area for the Americans to make something came, non merely from the Cuban expatriates in Florida, but from those concerns. Today, the tabular arraies are turned and concerns are losing out because of the American trade stoppage against Cuba. It is estimated that if the trade stoppage were lifted, $ 1 billion of concern would be generated for US companies the first twelvemonth. As of now, 100 houses have talked to Cuba about making concern at that place after the trade stoppage is lifted. Will American policy alteration toward Cuba because of force per unit area from concern involvements and turning jobs with refugees from Cuba? Given the grounds why the United States got involved in Latin American political relations in the first topographic point, it is really likely their place will al ter if they can happen a face salvaging manner to make so. American policy at this clip though is still stuck in the cold war. The president of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jesse Helms said, ? Whether Castro leaves Cuba in a perpendicular or horizontal place is up to him and the Cuban people. But he must and will go forth Cuba. ? Misinformation and misdirection caused the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion. The effects were the? egg in the face? for the Americans and an addition in tenseness between the world powers at the tallness of the cold war. We will merely hold to wait and see if the Americans have truly learned their lesson and will non lose another chance to put things right in Cuba. ? This image was taken of President Kennedy walking with three Cuban Exiles in 1961. Fedarko, Kevin. ? Bereft of Patrons: Desperate to Rescue his Economy, Fidel Turns to an Unusual Solution: Capitalism. ? Time Magazine, hebdomad of February 20th, 1995. Internet, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.timeinc.com, 1995. Meyer, Karl E. and Szulc, Tad. The Cuban Invasion: The Chronicle of a Disaster. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, Publishers, 1962 and 1968. Mosley, Leonard. Dulles: A Biography of Eleanor, Allen, and John Foster Dulles and their Family Network. New York: The Dail Press/James Wade, 1978. Prados, John. Presidents? Secret Wars: CIA and Pentagon Covert Operations Since World War II. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. , 1986. Ranelagh, John. CIA: A History. London: BBC Books, 1992. Rositzke, Harry, Ph.d. The CIA? s Secret Operationss: Espionage, Counterespionage, and Covert Action. New York: Reader? s Digest Press, 1977. Rusk, Dean and Richard. As I Saw It. New York and London: W.W. Norton and Company, 1990. The New York Times. 16 April to 22 April, 1961. New York: The New York Times, 1961. Vandenbroucke, Lucien S. ? Anatomy of a Failure: The Decision to Land at the Bay of Pigs. ? Political Science Quarterly, Volume 99, Number 3, Fall 1984.

Decline of Michael Jackson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Decline of Michael Jackson - Essay Example he nature of media exploitation and public opinion, the reputation of a talented musician was devastated, contributing to his ill health and leading to his death. In the following dissertation, the topic of the facts of the controversies in comparison to the public perception will be discussed in order to find context for the events that occurred and the truths that they represent. Michael Jackson, named by the music industry as ‘the king of pop’ was a talented, but tormented man who had started his lustrous career in his prepubescent years out of Gary, Indiana in the United States. His career spanned his lifetime and his meticulous attention to detail and his innovative styles supported a talent that was broad and powerful. However, the public image that was created for him and the subsequent events of his life led to public humiliation and suspicions of both madness and deviant behaviour. The nature of celebrity gossip, however, creates stories out of unsupportable concepts and a life that is not led traditionally is open to accusations that are unsupportable and, therefore, suspect. This paper will endeavour to examine the ways in which the rumours and suspicions measure against facts and truths that were not as sensational, but could have clarified and refined the public image that led to Jackson’s downward spiral. The nature of the life of Michael Jackson was a long history of having his life framed by a public ‘brand’ which worked against him both personally and professionally in the end. In the 1980s he had a signature look which included one white glove and white socks. It was said of him that he slept in a hyperbaric chamber and the image that was created around him translated into a feeling of magic and mystery. He was an enigma, strange and mystical with talents that matched the message of his position as someone beyond the average human. What did not help his image was the evolving state of his face as he had multiple plastic surgeries and

The creation of Clinical pathologic coorelation Research Paper

The creation of Clinical pathologic coorelation - Research Paper Example Neoplasms result from misfolded protein accumulation in the cells cycle, which have the consequential effect of altering clinical characteristics (Wiebe et al. 1158) Why spend time reading relevant clinical history? The determination of the nature and cause of patient’s illness by a health practitioner is called diagnosis. This diagnosis is based on evaluating the patient’s symptoms, the physical findings, and the results of various laboratory tests, together with other diagnostic procedures. Once a diagnosis is reached, a prognosis could be offered, and that would establish the most suitable course of treatment, which serves the patient’s best interest. In pathologic diagnosis, pathologists serve as consultants to the physician. They work with all other medical specialists, using the tools of laboratory medicine to provide information that is essential to problem solving in clinical practice, by interpreting fast and accurate results. In addition, because of the new and highly complex tests increasing in recent years, clinicians rely more on the pathologists to give a comprehensive diagnosis that would enable them to develop an optimal plan of treatment. However, pathologists’ first responsibility is toward the patient. Thus, the importance of clinical information and pathological correlation is highly emphasized and recommended. The emphasis and recommendation stem from the fact that the latter deals with the study of biological recesses with abnormal traits such as infectious diseases, hormone sites, disease manifestation, and exhibited patterns. Therefore, the clinical history is an imperative tool in the evaluation process; it aligns with cytomorphologic features and other molecular findings. Unfortunately, Clinicians and surgeons do not understand the subjectivity of microscopic diagnosis, and it gets more meaningful only when the pathologists are fully informed and cognizant of

Embryology and foetal development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Embryology and foetal development - Essay Example It only takes 12 to 24 hours for the egg to live after which shedding of the unfertilized egg occurs (menstruation), compared to the sperms that can last up to 48 hours depending on individuals (Hatasaka, n.d.). Unlike one egg that is released in each ovulation, there are many sperms released during the sexual intercourse. The sperms ascend into the ampulla section of the fallopian tube to the matured egg. The egg is covered by protective layer called zona pellucid, mainly composed of glycoproteins, which the sperm that comes into encounter with the ovum penetrates through biochemical events. It entails the release of a digestive enzyme onto the layer that the sperm plasma membrane penetrates to fuse with that of the egg, causing the sperm nucleus to move into the ovum. When the nuclear membrane of the sperm and egg fuse, their nuclear genomes combine together to form a zygote. The zygote is a diploid cell and has to undergo differentiation as the development of the embryo occurs. The zygote is moved down to the uterus for implantation and within few days, the zygote undergoes cell division to form a group of cells called blastula, whose cavity is filled with blastocoel fluid. It is termed the morula stage and comprises of first cell differentiation where the inner cells of the blastula separate to form the embroblast and outer the trophoblast, which develop into the embryo and placenta respectively (Embryology.ch, n.d). More hundreds of cells are cleaved from the blastula, some of which contain maternal chemicals, while others do not. The presence of chemicals influences the gene expression of each cell in the embryo’s development. Certain genes in the cells are turned on while others off, and depending on the location of the cell during the early embryo development, the type of the cell is determined. As the patterns of gene expressions are altere d, the cells are differentiated into brain, blood, bone and

Evaluating Human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Evaluating Human resource management - Essay Example But quite often a distinction is drawn between the Human Resources Management (HRM) and the labour management concentrating on the industrial relations of the large enterprises. However in the context of globalization the pressures exerted on HRM and labour Management initiatives have really changed the nature and scope of these distinct functions. "Changes in IR practices (rather than in institutions and systems) such as increased collective bargaining at enterprise level, flexibility in relation to forms of employment as well as in relation to working time and job functions have occurred as a result of such factors as heightened competition, rapid changes in products and processes and the increasing importance of skills, quality and productivity." (S.R.de Silva) These factors also seem to have an impact on the policies and practices of the HRM. In this context this paper presents an overview on the problems of labour management to the extent it affects the growth and progress of an organization and the role of the HRM in providing effective solutions to the problems being encountered in the labour management. "Enterprises driven by market pressures need to include in their goals improved quality and productivity, greater flexibility, continuous innovation, and the ability to change to respond rapidly to market needs and demands" (S.R.de Silva). Such enhanced organizational goals increase the efforts and commitment of the HRM in realizing the management goals. For this purpose the HRM has to shift its focus to largely depend on individualism rather than collectivism that result in the alignment of the pay systems to the individual performance and skill sets. Thus realizing the improved organizational goals call for an effective change management, larger involvement of employees, increased commitment from the employee side, provision of more training, soliciting more employee participation to exhibit team work and cooperation which are all the important HR initiatives. At the same time all these can be viewed as potential industrial relations issues needing an effective labour management. With this increased responsibilities "The dominant position towards which HRM is moving points to a "change in power relations and highlights the supremacy of management. The management prerogative is rediscovered but in place of command and control the emphasis is on commitment and control as quality, flexibility and competence replaces quantity, task and dumb obedience. To put it another way: the managerial agenda is increasingly focused on innovation, quality and cost reduction. Human resource management makes more demands on employees, work is intensified .... there is less room for managerial slack and for indulgency patterns." (John Purcell) 3.0 Objectives of Labour Management and HRM: In order to have an appreciation of the ways in which HRM can provide solutions to the labour management issues, it is important to understand the basic objectives of the labour manage

Criminal Law Term Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Criminal Law Term - Essay Example He was released the next day when it was confirmed that he had paid the fine. He sued BCJ and ECCF under 42 U.S.C. Â § 1983. The case1 primarily challenged the authority on his rights under Fourth Amendment to strip search procedure on minor offense. The court upheld the appeal that strip search in minor offense violates the individual’s rights under Fourth Amendment. This verdict was reversed by the Unites States Supreme Court in 2012 and allows law authorities huge leverage to conduct search, including strip search even for minor offense. The court verdict was supported by 5-4 majority. Issue The main issue is that of rights granted to citizens of America under Fourth Amendment which challenges jail authorities to conduct strip search of individuals arrested for minor offense without solid reasons. The privacy rights of individuals are therefore at stake. Rule 42 U.S.C. Â § 19832, popularly known as Section 1983, provides citizens of United States, as injured party in the court of law, to sue and claim redress for violations of their rights, privileges and immunities as granted by the Constitution and Laws of the nation. The Fourth Amendment3 promotes privacy rights and explicitly forbids search of individuals including in their persons, house, paper, and effects that violates rights to be secure and says that no warrants shall be issued unless supported by oath and affirmation. Thus, authorities can conduct search only when they have reasonable suspicion or affirmation to the facts that individual has violated the law. Analysis The case is important because it questions the validity of Fourth Amendment and defines the parameters of rights of citizens under it. The verdict supported strip search. The petitioner contended that minor offense, which actually did not apply, was not sufficient reason for the humiliating strip search that he had undergone twice within a period of seven days in Burlington jail and Essex correctional center. The section 1983 and the fourth amendment, both call for reasonable suspicion for search. Indeed, rights if citizens under Fourth Amendments has been controversial for long. Supreme Court has yet to analyze and define the reasonable clauses that justify rights of citizens under Fourth Amendment for strip searches in jails and detention centers4. In Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Burlington, the Supreme Court verdict upheld the legitimacy of strip search and declared that detention centers must have substantial power so as to maintain safety and order in the place. They also maintained that the threat of contraband being brought inside the jail or detention facilities is critical issue that substantially outweighs the privacy interests of the detainees or the petitioner. It can be argued that reasonable suspicion is important ingredient that needs to be considered within the wider scope of fourth amendment and was also considered in this case. The petitioner was already onc e arrested in 1998 in Essex for fleeing police and charged with obstruction of justice and use of deadly weapon. He was fined when he pled guilty. In 2005, he was arrested for defaulting in the fine, which was already paid but somehow not updated in the record. The petitioner was not searched in the police station but in the Burlington jail when was to share his cell with others. Thus, for security purpose, the search was necessary. Indeed, as

Pasternak Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pasternak - Essay Example In the writings of these two poets readers can see true reflection of the â€Å"shifting biographical, cultural, historical, and sociopolitical circumstances† (Hasty, 591) within which they developed their relationship. Ciepiela based his book on numerous authentic materials that have given the picture of how the two poets immensely influenced each other’s creativity along with the complexities in their relationship. Ciepiela has explored the way gender has been illustrated by the poets in their writing which provides a new perspective in the manner that the poets can be understood like their traditions and cultural backgrounds. One work of Boris Pasternak that was published in the year 1929 was The Tale. This prose is considered as one of the most complex short proses of Pasternak and hence has not been much studied by scholarly articles. While in the views of the scholar A. Livingstone the work is considered as â€Å"unfinished, untidy and confusing†, in the views of M. Aucouturier it is one of the most cleverly written works of Pasternak. However, the complicated structure of the prose is emphasized when it is studies in the backdrop of its literature and history. It was initially conceived under the title Revolution and the story was set in the period between pre-war summer of 1914 and before the beginning of 1917. The Tale is written in the style of â€Å"triple-frame narrative† in which there are two inner tales that act as counterpoint to the outer story. In the innermost tale, the story revolves around a young man who sacrifices all comforts of life as protest against all injustices in the world. Such careless sacrificial gesture of the protagonist â€Å"anticipates the compromised idealism of the coming era† (Swift, 114). In this way Pasternak has made the novel a reflection of the Russian revolution. One of the most popular works of Boris Pasternak outside Russia is Doctor Zhivago which was published in the

Ideaistic versus materialistic motivations Essay Example for Free

Ideaistic versus materialistic motivations Essay Behind every great society, there is always a story. Today, the nation of America is referred to as God’s own land. With population of approximately 293,500,000 and land mass of GDP of approximately $10. 98 trillion per year, the country commands the respect of many of its fellow nations. The question that readily comes to heart is that; has this always been so? What we see in the nation of America today did not just start in a day. It was a process – one that was filled with patriotism from dedicated hearts. In fact, the wonderful story we hear of the great nation all started from the period called the American Revolution of 1775 when the then thirteen colonies of America gain independence from the British colonial power. Many people have from different schools of thought hold different views about this revolution. Some are of the idea that the revolution was based on the mere idealistic and scholarly works of some philosophers and sages of that time. On the other hand, some are of the opinion that these seeming patriots were merely motivated by their materialistic class interest. To this, I will say both sides have a point. I state the reason for my assertion in the following paragraph. Evidently, ideological belief in the notion of individual liberty and human equality was part of what motivated the revolution. This can be seen in the works of John Locke and Montesquieu. We can also see this in the declaration of independence. On the other hand, looking at it critically, some patriots of this revolution knew that the independence will bring political position to them. Some of the we motivated by the savour of power and authority that will be passed into their hands However, I think that no matter what the motivation was, it was a good fight. Generations to come will forever be grateful to them that they did and their name will be in the sand of time. Reference: Fleming, T. (1997). Liberty! : The American Revolution. New York: Viking.

The Philosophy Of God And Religion Theology Religion Essay

The Philosophy Of God And Religion Theology Religion Essay Beings and Human Beings are born in nature. Religion and caste are the creations of men. The need of the millennium is human integration across religions, races and countries by the pursuit of right knowledge about Man, Nature and Society. Religion is the derivative of ancient myths and beliefs passed on from one generation to the other(another) thereby being elucidated into faiths, rituals and traditions. Around 2000-2200 million people believe in Christianity, making it by far the single largest religion in the world. Around 1300-1650 million people believe in Islam, making it the second most followed religion in the world. Around 828-1000 million people follow Hinduism. Around 1000 million people do not have any religion or notion of God, also referred to as atheists. 400 million people follow Buddhism. Irrespective of what these people follow or what notion they hold of God. Religion is something, which was created for the betterment of human society as a whole. But In the 21st century religion has more or less become an instrument of war creating unrest amongst countries and people. Many of the major problems in the present millennia can be attributed to these religious conflicts. These conflicts between major world religions can become a detrimental recipe for disaster wherein they can threaten the very existence of the dominant species on this planet i.e. Homo sapiens sapiens . The reason why I lay emphasis on the genus and sub-genus is that, across the population people may differ on the basis of colour, caste, race, height, weight, gender and religion but what unites them is the sense of belonging to one species i.e. Homo sapiens. My father, a philosopher cum visionary would always say that: Beings and Human Beings are born out of the same bowl called nature. Religion and caste are the creations of man. The need of the millennium is to bridge this void and bring about human integration across religions, races and countries by the pursuit of true knowledge about Man, Nature and Society. Conflict Resolution- Conflict Resolution is the need of the hour and should therefore be given extensive thought and time, following which it should be implemented at a Micro as well as a Macro Level. Envisioning and bringing forth a society whereby individuals and communities work and make decisions for the greater good of mankind on the basis of facts rather than on myths and beliefs. Conflict Resolution amongst world religions in its literary sense cannot be achieved, nonetheless a difference in perception exists about the notion of God/Gods amongst the believers. Human beings should rise against these odds towards greater enlightenment forging ahead a new era of peace and progress. On the flip side, one should also be aware of the origin and fate of the vast expanse known as the universe comprising of millions of galaxies, stars, planets and what is the energy which is keeping all of this intact and that too in a predetermined and fixed path. One should also be aware of the conscious and subconscious state of mind through which we possess this knowledge about each and everything. If the above mentioned points were made clear, all the mere believers in this world will become true rationalists. If one Global Religion were to be followed, it would be on the basis of scientific thinking rather than on blind beliefs. All actions and texts of this religion would be based upon the scientific knowledge and literature available at the time. The theory would be self-evolving in nature to the advancements in science and technology. People should come to an understanding that all Human Beings are created as equals. Nature does not discriminate while nurturing. So as human beings we cannot be discriminative towards the way we look, approach and act towards others belonging to different castes, religions, races, colours etc. I strongly believe Knowledge is a driving force. Knowledge possessed by a certain individual is detrimental towards the way he/she acts in a certain manner. Therefore it becomes imperative to inculcate the right knowledge and values. Being ignorant of the world around is far better than being misinformed. Terrorism is also the outgrowth of this misinformation and the misconceptions about God and his preaching. This is where we need to play a role whereby we expel all the misinformation and bring about a sense of belonging. Human Beings are said to be the building blocks of societies. The kind of knowledge an individual possesses has a direct impact on the way he/she acts or behaves. The way one behaves thereby has an impact on the society as a whole. Knowledge and Behaviour play in tandem and therefore it becomes imperative to give the right Knowledge and eliminate wrong Knowledge. To do this, there are certain prerequisites, Firstly, one should know how to judge between the right knowledge and the wrong knowledge. To do this one should be aware of philosophy and its constituents especially the branch of philosophy which deals with epistemology, logic and origin of the Universe and its existence. But in this world, which has so far existed, every great society has had its fair share of myths ranging from the creation of the world to how it will eventually end. Tales of wonder and imagination abound wherein each myth is filled with magic, mystery, heroism, treachery, courage and faith. These myths are so widely accepted that they have even managed to permeate in the 21st century. Hence it is our responsibility to differentiate between a myth and a tenet. Somehow or the other the terms like god and religion are attributed to philosophy philosophy; Hence we will now discuss regarding the philosophy and what is the origin and fate of the god and religion. Different questions in philosophy which made a strong emphasis for the existence of God and religion:- We each exist but for a very short time. The actions that we do during the tenure of our life and the fruits which we bear from them is considered as life. My father used to tell me , Life is real, simple and short. Humans, being a curious species explore and question everything, we develop theories, we seek answers , we think, we justify things, we have the ability to communicate all these things which in turn makes us the most dominant species on planet earth. After coming through different perceptions of the universe from the earlier times to today, we might have a multitude of questions -: How can we understand the world in which we find ourselves? How does universe behave? What is the nature of reality? Where did all this come from? Did the universe need a creator? What are the different ways of obtaining knowledge ? How many types of matter exist in the universe? What is philosophy? What are the qualities of the different things in the universe? What is reality? What is the ultimate goal of human beings? What are beliefs? What are atoms? How do we know things? What is is a cause? How to explain the properties of a thing? What is space and time? What is justice? What is the truth? What is goodness? How language came in to existense and what is language? What are the reasons behind different things? What is beauty and art? What is perception,inference,verbal testimony? What is mind? What is the origin of religion? Who invented the first god? And countless othersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Traditionally these are the prime questions of Philosophy . Many indian and western schools of philosophy which gave appropriate answers to many of the above questions and near appropriate answers to some of the questions since ancient times , due to lack of availability of means and scope, like instruments and science and technology., but these days however, these questions are answered by the other schools like different branches of Physical sciences and chemical sciences. But during the earlier times these questions were answered by various religions in many different ways. Opinions of Some major Philospohers and Scientists Western Schools of Philsopohy:- When it comes to religion, there are six major figures who have done extensive research on Religions and gods, Namely 1.Friedrich max Muller(1823-1900 He is often called the father of the comparitive religion, Friedrich Max Muller was the son of a German Romantic poet. He studied in Leipzing and in Paris, where he began his first major work, a monumental edition of the Sanskrit text of the Rig Veda, published in four volumes between 1849 and 1862. He settled in England in 1846 and spent most of the remainder of his life in Oxford, becoming Professor of Comparative Philology in 1868. A prolific writer, his later books included Comparative Mythology (1856), Introduction to the Science of Religion (1873) India, What can it teach us? (1883), and many other works, including three series of Gifford Lectures and two volumes of personal reminiscences. He was alo responsible for editing the fifty-volume series of Sacred Books of the East-still an invaluable source for the study of religion. Max Muller brought the religions of the world for the first time to the notice of the English-speaking public, interpreted to the West the ancient and modern religions of India, in a vital, if sometimes idiosyncratic, way. His theories that religion arose through the personification of natural phenomena have, on the other hand, been wholly superseded. 2.Edward Burnett Taylor (1832-1917) In its early years , the study of comparative religion was much concerned with the origin and evolution of religion as a universal human phenomenon. E.B. Tylor, who in 1896 became Britains first professor of anthropology, in the 1860 s coined the term animism to describe what he believed to be the earliest stage in this evolutionary process, a simple belief in spiritual beings. Tylor studied in Mexico; this visit resulted in his first book, Anahuac (1861). He subsequently published Researches into the Early History of Mankind (1865), and his most important work, Primitive Culture (1871), in which the animism theory is cleary stated. Briefly, it is that early mans experiences of dream and trance that led him first to a belief in a separate soul (anima) in himself, and later to postulate the existence of surviving souls (ghosts), and of many such souls in animals, plants, the atmosphere, etc. Out of this belief in souls or spirits, there eventually developed belief in gods. As an evolutionary theory, this is of very little value, but it does represent accurately the way in which primal (and other) peoples (people) look on the unseen world. Tylors example, provided for the first time a way of understanding religion at a basic level, served to point anthropology along a path which it still to some extent follows. WILLIAM JAMES (1842-1910) William James, the brother of the celebrated American novelist Henry James, was chiefly responsible, in the years around the turn of the century, for popularizing the new subject of the psychology of religion. His book The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902) is a classic, and widely read even today. Trained in medicine, he taught both physiology and psychology at Harvard as early as the 1870s, and in1890 published a celebrated textbook, The Principles of Psychology. Most of his others books , including The Will to Believe (1896), Pragmatism (1907) and Human Immortality (1908), were originally courses of lectures. In his Varieties he drew many valuable distinctions between types of religious experience, the best known being that between the optimistic religion of healthy mindedness (typified by Christian Science) and the pessimistic religion of the sick soul (traditional Calvinism). He also had much to say on mysticism, and discussed altered states of consciousness many years before the subject became fashionable. He came from a Swedenborgina background, and his own religon was an indistinct theism, far removed from orhtodox Christiantity. Although he is still worth reading;his approach was too individualistic, and he had little to say about the corporate aspects of religon. His methods, too, were seriously called in question by the depth psychologists (Freud, Jung and their followers), and are hardly applicable today. WILLIAM ROBERTSON SMITH (1846-1894) Robertson Smith , best known for his magisterial book Lectures on the Religion of the Semites (1889), was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. In 1870 he became Professor of Old Testament Studies at the Free Church Colloge in Aberdeen. In the early 1880 he was dismissed from his chair for unscriptural teaching,and in 1883 was elected Professor of Arabic at Cambridge. A liberal evangelical, he was responsible for bringing together traditional philological study of the Bible and the new insights of anthropology. He first visited North Africa in 1879, and was impressed by the existence of totemism among the Sinai Bedouin: this resulted in his first major work, Kinship and Marriage in Early Arabia(1885). In his later Lectures, he concentrated on the concept of sacririce, which he saw less as a legal transaction than as a practical means of establishing communion with deity. He also recognized that in religion, customs and rituals are often more significant than systems of belief, and that it is vitally important that the student be an accurate and sympathetic observer of the practical side of religon. His influence was widespreadd: he inspired J.G. Frazer to study totemism, and was a forerunner of the sociological study of religion- for which reason he, almost alone among his contemporaries, is still respected among sociologists and anthropologists. Despite his brush with ecclesiastical authority, he remained warmly evangelical in his personal beliefs. NATHAN SODERBLOM (1866-1931) The link between comparative religion and Christian theology was firmly established in the early part of the twentieth century by a group of scholars of whom Nathan Soderblom was perthaps the most outstanding. Born the son of a Lutheran country minister in Sweden, from 1894 to 1901 he was Swedish legation pastor in Parus; in 1901 he bacame Professor of Comparative Religion in Uppsala in 1914, a post he occupied until his death in 1931. His scholarly work spanned many fields, among them are Iranian studies, Luther studies, mysticism, and General comparative religion. Though few of his many books were translated into English, his Gifford Lectures The Living God (published posthumously in 1931) were widely read in those days. He endeavored to locate historica Protestantism within Christiantiy, and Christianity within the religions of the world. He drew valuable distinctions between mystical and revealed forms of religon, and later between two forms of mysticism, mysticism of personality (Paul, Luther) and mysticism of the infinite (indian religon). As well as this academic work, Soderblom made an invaluable contribution to twentieth-century Christianity as one of the fathers of the ecumenical movement. RUDOLF OTTO (1869-1937) Educated at Ealanged and Gottingen, most of Ottos career was spent in teaching posts at Gottingen, Breslau and Marburg. After early work in Luther studies, he turned his attention to the philosophy of religion, and after 1911 to the philosophy of religion, and after 1911 to the study of Indian religions.His best known and most important work, The Idea of the Holy, first appeared in German in 1917, and in English in 1923. In it, he attempted to show that religion begins with the sense of the numinous, that is, of a mysteriously other deity both fearsome and fascinating (numen=deity). This book became a religious classic. His later Indian studies included -Mysticism East and West (1932) and- Indias Religion of Grace (1930), and a critical edition of the Bhagavad Gita (The Original Gita, 1939). In 1921, convinced of the importance of living, inter-religious dialogue, he inaugurated the Inter-Religious League, which was not a success. In his last years his internationalism caused him to fall foul of the Nazi government in Germany, and he died in 1937. Ottos most lasting contribution to the study of religion lay in his insistence on the importance of -immediate, non-rational experience to any estimate of the nature of religion. Although -The Idea of the Holy was not always well understood, it spoke directly to the mind of the twentieth century, and helped lay the foundations for much later work in the area of personal religious experience and of mysticism. Williams James(1842-1910),William Robertson Smith(1846-94),Nathan s(S)oderblom(1866-1931,Rudolf Otta)1869-1937),When ever we speak regarding religions these people should be remebered by the world.Thier works are really needed for the mankind.They have done a major research in the field of god and religion. At the same time some scientists cum philsophers have also given their valuable opinions on God and religion. Now we shall discuss some of the valuable opinions and some misconceptions. Many people didnt develop theories on practical basis (Quantitative Predictions) .Aristotle and others, made the priniciples that appealed to him intellectually, most people suppressed the facts that they found unappealing. No matter how severely their theories deviated from reality ; they used to alter and never removed the concept. For example -The Greek Christian successors rejected the idea that the universe is governed by indifferent natural law. Some religious dogmas like Epicurus (341Bc-270Bc) opposed atomism on the grounds that it is Better to follow the myths about God than to become a slave to the destiny of natural Philosophers. Aristotle too rejected the concept of atoms because he could not accept that human beings were composed of soulless inanimate objects.But the Indian Philsophers considered Atoms as a kind of matter and there are many concepts and theories developed by Kannada on atoms ; but even the concept of atoms has been curbed in India by Adi Shankara.It is not the context of this essay to discuss more on atoms.(remove the last sentence) Most of the theories developed in the Great India with clear cut concepts of Atoms, Body, Matter, Space ( were destroyed with time and circumstances)what not everything, were just went into wrong hands, either. They were changed and some still lay. Unapproachable to the humans as they were destroyed. ( remove everything after circumstances) The Christian philosopher Thomas Aquiras said, It is clear that inanimate bodies reach their end not by chance but by intention-There is therefore an intelligent personal being whom everything in nature is ordered to its end and that intelligent person is nothing but god. Even as late as in the 16th century the great German astronomer Johanes Kepler belived that planets had sense perception and consciously followed laws of movement that were grasped by their mind. Indeed in 1277 Bishop of Temple of Paris,acting on the instructions of Pope John XXI published a list of 219 errors or heresies that were to be condemned.Among the heresies was the idea that nature follows laws.Because this conflicts with the gods omnipotence, unfortunately Pope John was killed by the effect of the law of gravity a few months later when the roof of his place fell on him due to the gravitations pull of earth. According to Descartes- God could at will alter the truth or falsity of ethical proposition or mathematical theorems but not nature. He believed that God ordained the laws of nature but had no choice in the laws; rather he picked them because the laws we experience are the only possible laws. Moreover Descartes felt once God set the world going ,he left it entirely alone. If nature is governed by laws ,then we all have a set of questions like :- 1-From where did these laws were originate? 2-How can you understand these laws? 3-Do these laws need a creator? 4-Are these laws final ? 5-Can there be exceptions to these laws? These important questions have been addressed by different philosophers ,scientists and visionaries in many different ways. The answer to the first question has been given by the great scientists like Kepler,Galileo,Descartes and Newton. It is that the laws were Designed by God. However, this is no more than a definition of god as the embodiment of the laws of nature ;unless one endows God with some other attributes such as being the god of the old testament . If we consider god as the answer to the first question then the real crunch comes in the fifth question-Are there any exceptions to the laws? Opinions about the answer to the fifth question is quite interesting . Aristotle,the great Greek philosopher clearly mentioned that there can be no exeptions to the laws.But according to the Bibilical view God not only created the laws but also has the power to make changes to those laws ,which contradicts Aristotle. In opposition to the views of Decscartes,according to Bible -by praying one can heal the terminally ill, an enormous cyclone can be just stopped by his signs, premature ends to droughts. In opposition to the views of Decscartes;God has the ability to do any thing in the universe.Even Newton believed in miracles of a sort,he thought that god must be resetting the orbits to avoid the falling of planets into Sun! But there was a rationalist during the time of Napoleon.A scientific law is not a scientific law if it holds when some super natural being decides not to intervene.Here Napolean asked Laplace- How god will fit in to this picture? Laplace replied that- I have not needed that hypothesis.In the same way we also do not need the hypothesis of god and religion;but today religion is made a major point in the hypothesis of the human beings. We can clearly sense that Laplace is a kind of rationalist.,even Albert Einstein is a rationalist, he said that: I believe in Spinozas god, who reveals himself in the lawful harmony of the world, not in a god who concerns himself with the fate and doings of mankind. Indian schools of philosophy:- India sub -continent is having a catholic theories on the God and religion and Above mentioned concepts.(remove this sentence) Different schools of Indian Philsopohy deal the above questions in many different ways. The six orthodox schools of the Indian Philsophy are :- 1.Nyaya,2.Vaishesika,3.Purva mimamasa,4.Uttaara mimasa or vedanta5.Sankahya,6.Yoga were altered in many ways in Ancient India. We do not yet know whether these schools are orthodox or rational;However the concepts which they taught are undoubtedly rational but the crunch comes when these laws are altered in order to protect the religion and god. By the advent of new laws from Kannada,Gautama and many other Philsophers and with the renewed belief in the laws, there were attempts to reconcile these laws along with God. The path of the true philosophy was bifurcated by many religious dogmas in Ancient India and even in the western world. The countries which were the bearers of the torch of discovery, invention, innovation had become calm.The religious dogmas diverted the path of true philosophy and used if for their own selfishness. The quest for knowledge in Ancient India was put off by the religious dogmas from there on great texts literature which are essential for mankind for its progress and development were interpreted in many Unscientific ways. The Great theories like Nyaya-Vaishesika,Astronomy, Mathematics Philosophy, which were developed in India in a course of time were held in very high esteem.If it were allowed to follow its original course unimpeded by the religious dogmas then there might have been be a lot of development In India all the theoeries are somehow or the other attributed to the gods and vedas. But by the advent of the Budhhists,Charvaka,Jain the heteredox schools of the India Philsopohy;there was a big change in the human society but it was again curbed by some religious dogmas in ancient India.Most of the people believe that Nyaya and vaishesika are also the heterodox schools of the indian philosophy. All the orthodox schools of the Indian Philosophy believe in god and Vedas, while Heterodox schools have a rational tendency towards the things. Hence it is clear that each philosopher, scientist, revolutionary, and guru has had a strong craving to change the society of the time to a better one. They have always had a deep insight on the days to come but due to lack of scope many misconceptions have crept into their theories. Now we shall discuss the role of god and religion Role Of God and religion- Day by day we are getting knowledge and we are getting enriched because of it . In the same way each and every text may it be religious or of any other subject should stick totally to recent discoveries and inventions. We know that we get knowledge through our sensory organs. The nerves impulses are carried from each sensory organ to the brain and it is getting processed in our brains. The brain interprets the input from our sensory organs and by that we develop our concepts and develop our own theories ( religions). But there may be difference in which one could perceive the same physical situation, with each employing different fundamental elements and concepts. If all the religions which are developed are totally dependent on the truths ,we are free to follow whichever religion that is most convenient. But this is not happening-different religions teach different things and are based on different concepts. In this sequence of the history of mankind we had found better and better theories(religions). There were gods of love and war, Sun, Earth, Sky, Oceans, Rivers, Rain, Thunder Storms even Earth Quakes and Volcanoes. Ignorance of the people in Ancient time made them to invent gods to seek answers as told before. As we are acurious species ,wherever the answer was not found or finding an answer was difficult a new god was invented and it became as if god came into every aspect of Human life. When the gods were pleased, mankind was treated to good weather, peace and freedom from natural disaster and disease and on the flip side when they are displeased there came drought, war, pestilence and epidemics since the relativity between cause and effect in nature was not in their perception( is beyond their perceptions). The gods became superior and our species was self dragged into the mercy of gods. Hence gods became inscrutable but with Kannada, Gautama and by the thoughts of Buddha about 2600 years ago. The idea arose that nature follows a set of laws and laws and epistemology and the theories of atomicity had came into practice. They developed their system of thought, matter, ways we acquire knowledge, atoms etc. Here it is clear that from the beginning of the mankind till now there have been a number of defintions of god and so many concepts and beliefs were have been developed on god by different scientists philosophers and priests.Some people of the Ancient times didnt develop scientific inquiry in their theories and hence invented false gods and wrong concept based religions. Hence in the 21st century, we the Universsal citizens who belong to the same species Homo Sapiens must enact by assuring the dignity of the Individual and Unity and Integrity of the Universe. Unless and until an(replace an with a)universal Religion and God are established,there cannot be peace in the this universe.I would like to mention one more thing The need of this millennium is human integration with right knowledge about man nature and society. As said by my father All the people on this planet earth should have a Healthy , Happy , Purposeful long life. This is only possible through synchronisation of global religions.

African Minkisi and American Culture Essay -- essays research papers

African Minkisi and American Culture I. Introduction African Minkisi have been used for hundreds of years in West Central Africa, This area where they are traditionally from was once known as the kingdom of Kongo, when Europeans started settling and trading with the BaKongo people. Kongo was a well-known state throughout much of the world by the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The BaKongo, however, had probably long used minkisi before ethnographers and anthropologists ever recorded them. Minkisi are complex items that are used to heal and to harm people, and there is no equivalent term for nkisi in any European language. A seventeenth century Dutch geographer first wrote of the nkisi, and said that, â€Å"These Ethiopians [that is, the BaKongo] call moquisie [minkisi] everything in which resides, in their opinion, a secret and incomprehensible virtue to do them good or ill, and to reveal event of past and future† (Williams, 13). The term illness, in this context, is quite different than what we refer to illness. Illne ss, to the BaKongo, meant anything from sickness, to loss of property, and the inability to succeed in things like school and work. . â€Å"The perpetual struggle with the unseen forces that cause illness and misfortunes was (and is) called â€Å"war† in Kongo† (MacGaffey, 98). A war is ended when one side of the struggle proves that they have better magic. The objects themselves are extremely complex, and most of them require hours of, â€Å"painstaking labor to construct† (MacGaffey, 33). â€Å"All minkisi, whether in the form of wooden figures, snail shells, raffia bags, or clay pots, are containers for â€Å"medicines† that empowers them† (MacGaffey, 43). â€Å"The usual containers included the shells of large snails, antelope horns, cloth bags, gourds, and clay pots. Although minkisi in museums are usually wooden figurines and statues, containers of this kind may well have been the minority† (MacGaffey, 63). Without medicines, the minki si are nothing, they are not alive, nor can they perform their functions. â€Å"To BaKongo, all exceptional powers result from some sort of communication with the dead† (MacGaffey, 59). Chiefs, witches, diviners/prophets, and magicians could all do this, especially through and with the help of the minkisi. There are rules and ways of doing things with them, to them, that exemplify so many aspects of Kongo cultu... ...t, with a mirror-stoppered cow horn of clairvoyance (vititi mensu), musical instruments used in sacred ritual, and elaborate beaded artwork. A red flag with protective signs hangs on the wall behind the nkisi to protect the altar, its owner and his family from harm. The basic Kongo cosmogram is a cross within a circle, dikenga, that is a symbolic chart of the voyage of the soul. As a miniature of the sun, the soul is thought to have four moments -- birth, efflorescence, fading and the return in the dawn of a coming day. Triangles, diamonds, spirals, or crisscrosses denote this cyclical movement. The soul, which is thought by the Bakongo to reside in the forehead, is often represented in diamond form and can be seen on many African masks. The exhibition includes such masks -- 19th century Punu, Teke (Tsaaye), and Chokwe masks, and a 20th century Vili mask ringed with feathers. In addition, a fully feathered Mardi gras "Wild Man" costume from New Orleans, reminiscent of Kongo feather masks and headdresses worn by healers, is a living example of the creolized Kongo traditions found in the United States. http://www.art3st.com/various_pages/faceofthegods.html

Civil Law and Criminal Law :: Criminal Justice

In any given nation, there are two branches of the legal system, such as civil law, and criminal law. In the first civilizations they did not differentiate between civil and criminal law. However, In the United States today the degree of the significance of a crime, classified as felony or a misdemeanor. In this composition I will be discussing the differences between criminal and civil law and how they differ in consequences. The amount of crime differs between communities. Unfortunately, periodically crimes are not recorded in the statistics rates, since of undiscovered crime, which is called the dark figure of crime. The civil law was originated by the romans law. The roman’s development of civil law consisted of more than a thousand years of jurisprudence by the twelve tables which hold the foundations for law systems today. The laws endorse equal treatment, and fairness. Also, the laws covered inheritance, marriage, and courtroom procedures. The civil legal system today is a branch dealing with definition and enforcement all private or public rights such as, Contract, family, intellectual, property, and tort laws which are called misdemeanors. An example of a misdemeanor dispute is the panhandling in Salt Lake City, according to Salt-Lake-city weekly, â€Å"three men were arrested for panhandling in Salt Lake City. Therefore, civil rights attorney Brian Barnard filled a complaint on the behalf of the three men. In the complaint the attorney explained how First Amendment rights were violated by state statute when police cited them while ignoring other comparable solicitations. The settl ement that reached the city has agreed to not issue tickets to people who hold signs asking for money or assistance, so long as the individual does not stand in a location that would pose a safety risk to themselves or to others†. Under civil law, the government provides a forum for the resolution of torts were the plaintiff tries to prove a wrong was committed. Another example of a hypothetical civil lawsuit is that a former patient sues a doctor for misdiagnosis of cancer .The plaintiff claims that the defendant did not monitor her symptoms accordingly. As a result, her cancer spread throughout her body. In the end of the case, the court’s held the defendant liable. Therefore, his license was taken away, and he was sentenced to two years in prison.

Management Information Systems Essay -- essays research papers

1.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  General Motors has several internal and external influences that are challenging them to reduce their operating costs and become more efficient. In doing an analysis of the General Motors using Porter’s Competitive Model these influences become clear and opportunities for the company to reduce costs and increase efficiency using information systems becomes obvious. Porter’s Competitive Model is a model used to describe the interaction of external influences; specifically threats and opportunities that affect an organizations strategy and ability to compete [Laudon & Laudon, 2005, p. 103].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Starting at the center of the model is the current industry, which includes General Motors and their typical competitors, such as, Ford, DaimlerChrystler, and the Japanese [Laudon & Laudon, 2005]. All of these traditional competitors are able to produce cars at a much cheaper cost than General Motors. Looking at the supplier portion of the competitive forces model, part of the reason General Motors was unable to produce cars inexpensively in comparison to their competitors was that they were producing a lot of their own parts. Their competitors were able to purchase parts from outside vendors at lower prices. General Motors viewed this as an opportunity and has since shed a lot of workers and factories and are currently searching everywhere for the lowest prices on parts. Also General Motors was very slow at producing cars because of old information systems and outdated processes. A lot of General Motor’s systems could not communicate with each other, which was causing a major lag in the production of automobiles. By integrating these systems they were able to become faster and leaner and were able to increase their customer focus [Laudon & Laudon, 2005]. In the competitive forces model, General Motors also has influence from new products and services to reduce costs and increase efficiency. General Motors wants to experiment with new ways to serve their customers, one of which was online shopping, allowing customer to shop for car models and colors online and giving them dealerships in the area that were currently in possession of the car they preferred. By utilizing the Internet, GM was able to provide additional services to their customers and allow them to also purchase vehicles online. Gen... ...rketing tool, businesses also use the Internet to provide customer service. Instead of having a call center where a customer needs to talk to a physical person they can use the Internet and browse frequently asked questions to get information or answers. They also can send emails to the business and expect a response in little time. Using the Internet for customer service allows the customer to be in control and tailors to the customer’s time schedule.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many benefits in using technology to gain customer information. The most popular is as a marketing function to provide customers with the products that are most popular. Also, it allows them to provide salesman type services without a physical salesperson or customer service representative. This is saving businesses money by reducing the cost of employing this person and is tailoring to the flexibility needs of the ever-demanding consumer. References Laudon, K.C. & Laudon, J. P. 2005. Essentials of Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm. Upper Saddle, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Management Information Systems Essay -- essays research papers 1.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  General Motors has several internal and external influences that are challenging them to reduce their operating costs and become more efficient. In doing an analysis of the General Motors using Porter’s Competitive Model these influences become clear and opportunities for the company to reduce costs and increase efficiency using information systems becomes obvious. Porter’s Competitive Model is a model used to describe the interaction of external influences; specifically threats and opportunities that affect an organizations strategy and ability to compete [Laudon & Laudon, 2005, p. 103].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Starting at the center of the model is the current industry, which includes General Motors and their typical competitors, such as, Ford, DaimlerChrystler, and the Japanese [Laudon & Laudon, 2005]. All of these traditional competitors are able to produce cars at a much cheaper cost than General Motors. Looking at the supplier portion of the competitive forces model, part of the reason General Motors was unable to produce cars inexpensively in comparison to their competitors was that they were producing a lot of their own parts. Their competitors were able to purchase parts from outside vendors at lower prices. General Motors viewed this as an opportunity and has since shed a lot of workers and factories and are currently searching everywhere for the lowest prices on parts. Also General Motors was very slow at producing cars because of old information systems and outdated processes. A lot of General Motor’s systems could not communicate with each other, which was causing a major lag in the production of automobiles. By integrating these systems they were able to become faster and leaner and were able to increase their customer focus [Laudon & Laudon, 2005]. In the competitive forces model, General Motors also has influence from new products and services to reduce costs and increase efficiency. General Motors wants to experiment with new ways to serve their customers, one of which was online shopping, allowing customer to shop for car models and colors online and giving them dealerships in the area that were currently in possession of the car they preferred. By utilizing the Internet, GM was able to provide additional services to their customers and allow them to also purchase vehicles online. Gen... ...rketing tool, businesses also use the Internet to provide customer service. Instead of having a call center where a customer needs to talk to a physical person they can use the Internet and browse frequently asked questions to get information or answers. They also can send emails to the business and expect a response in little time. Using the Internet for customer service allows the customer to be in control and tailors to the customer’s time schedule.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many benefits in using technology to gain customer information. The most popular is as a marketing function to provide customers with the products that are most popular. Also, it allows them to provide salesman type services without a physical salesperson or customer service representative. This is saving businesses money by reducing the cost of employing this person and is tailoring to the flexibility needs of the ever-demanding consumer. References Laudon, K.C. & Laudon, J. P. 2005. Essentials of Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm. Upper Saddle, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Management Information Systems Essay -- essays research papers 1.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  General Motors has several internal and external influences that are challenging them to reduce their operating costs and become more efficient. In doing an analysis of the General Motors using Porter’s Competitive Model these influences become clear and opportunities for the company to reduce costs and increase efficiency using information systems becomes obvious. Porter’s Competitive Model is a model used to describe the interaction of external influences; specifically threats and opportunities that affect an organizations strategy and ability to compete [Laudon & Laudon, 2005, p. 103].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Starting at the center of the model is the current industry, which includes General Motors and their typical competitors, such as, Ford, DaimlerChrystler, and the Japanese [Laudon & Laudon, 2005]. All of these traditional competitors are able to produce cars at a much cheaper cost than General Motors. Looking at the supplier portion of the competitive forces model, part of the reason General Motors was unable to produce cars inexpensively in comparison to their competitors was that they were producing a lot of their own parts. Their competitors were able to purchase parts from outside vendors at lower prices. General Motors viewed this as an opportunity and has since shed a lot of workers and factories and are currently searching everywhere for the lowest prices on parts. Also General Motors was very slow at producing cars because of old information systems and outdated processes. A lot of General Motor’s systems could not communicate with each other, which was causing a major lag in the production of automobiles. By integrating these systems they were able to become faster and leaner and were able to increase their customer focus [Laudon & Laudon, 2005]. In the competitive forces model, General Motors also has influence from new products and services to reduce costs and increase efficiency. General Motors wants to experiment with new ways to serve their customers, one of which was online shopping, allowing customer to shop for car models and colors online and giving them dealerships in the area that were currently in possession of the car they preferred. By utilizing the Internet, GM was able to provide additional services to their customers and allow them to also purchase vehicles online. Gen... ...rketing tool, businesses also use the Internet to provide customer service. Instead of having a call center where a customer needs to talk to a physical person they can use the Internet and browse frequently asked questions to get information or answers. They also can send emails to the business and expect a response in little time. Using the Internet for customer service allows the customer to be in control and tailors to the customer’s time schedule.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many benefits in using technology to gain customer information. The most popular is as a marketing function to provide customers with the products that are most popular. Also, it allows them to provide salesman type services without a physical salesperson or customer service representative. This is saving businesses money by reducing the cost of employing this person and is tailoring to the flexibility needs of the ever-demanding consumer. References Laudon, K.C. & Laudon, J. P. 2005. Essentials of Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm. Upper Saddle, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚