Aristotles Doctrine of the Mean Essay - 1017 Words

Aristotles Doctrine of the Mean When we consider the questions of how we ought to live our lives, we often seek for some schematic that we can employ to help us categorize actions or qualities as good, bad, or indifferent. Such a means of organization would indeed make it easier to determine what the right thing to do is. Aristotle once attempted to formulate a similar plan. His ethics used a scheme by which characteristics could be measured and the right amount attained. Such an account is known as the doctrine of the mean. Aristotle’s doctrine is meant to illuminate the nature of eudaimonia, which can be briefly defined as succeeding or flourishing, the key to which is arà ªte. To better understand where ethics fit into†¦show more content†¦the mean relative to us, this being determined by a rational principle, and by that principle by which the man of practical wisdom would determine it† (Aristotle 106). We see here that virtue not only lies in a mean but is determined by a man with practical wisdom. But what is the mean relative to? Aristotle goes on to say, â€Å"Now it is a mean between two vices, that which depends on excess and that which depends on defect† (Aristotle 106). The vice of excess is having too much of a characteristic, the vice of defect is having too little of the same. Before we venture further it would be most helpful to consider one of Aristotle’s examples to better understand this doctrine. Since ethics is practical, he provides us with individual examples. The first is the virtue of courage. â€Å"With regards to fear and confidence courage is the mean† (Aristotle 107). We see that courage, being the mean is the virtue. If one were to have too much he would be foolhardy and rash. One with too little is fearful and cowardly. This however leads to an interesting question, what does one exceed in or fall short in? Is it that he has too much or too little courage? Some examination will show that this is not possible. It is not possible to have too much of the right amount, or to be too close the mean. This means that there must be something else that one can exceed or fall short of. This is a character trait. For our example, the trait is spirit. Having the right amount of spirit isShow MoreRelatedAristotles Doctrine of the Mean525 Words   |  2 Pagesand the false. But Aristotle shows that knowing the natural end of man enables to tell if it is true of false that an action is right or wrong. So, for Aristotle, what does the vituous life entails? What is his doctrine of the mean? What is the government type that further Aristotles virtue life? Is it a plausible type of society? Virtue is bringing something to perfection. There are two kinds of virtues: the moral virtues, perfecting desire (who submits to reason) for the action, and intellectualRead MoreAristotles Doctrine of the Mean1242 Words   |  5 Pages In this essay we will discuss and analyze Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean. This topic area can be found in Book II, page 888, 6—15, through 890, 25. The purpose for Aristotle touching on this subject matter was to discern the states of character which are virtuous from those which are not. By this, I mean he is attempting to categorize which virtues are causal of a human â€Å"to be in a good state and to perform their functions well†(888—15). In order to keep this paper orderly and comprehensibleRead MoreThe Doctrine Of The Me Underpin Aristotle s Account Of Citizen Virtue?899 Words   |  4 PagesTo what extent, and how, does ‘the doctrine of the mean’ underpin Aristotle’s account of citizen virtue? In order to answer the question ‘To what extent, and how, does ‘the doctrine of the mean’ underpin Aristotle’s account of citizen virtue?’ it is first important for me to define ‘the doctrine of the mean’ which was developed in Book II of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (II.2.1104a12-26) in the form of a medical analogy. ‘the doctrine of the mean’ is very often dismissed as being unhelpful andRead MoreAristotle s Doctrine Of The Mean1344 Words   |  6 Pagesdecision might be hard, and can be explained, however what is right and wrong when making a moral decision that is still a question today. This essay outlines how virtue ethics is not helpful as we hope when making a moral decision. Aristotle’s doctrine of the mean is a unique theory that is used for ethical views today. His main argument is basely on eudaimonia and how humans can attain that. Most of the time, happiness to humans is enjoying time with friends or loved ones, but to Aristotle happinessRead MoreAristotle Virtuous Character Analysis1284 Words   |  6 Pageshabituation. Aristotle’s theory of a virtuous character is developed by aligning with the Doctrine of the Mean. The philosopher developed the Doctrine of the Mean in Book II of Nicomachean Ethics to serve the purpose of conveying Aristotle’s concept on virtue ethics. A virtuous character can be considered as a person who acts in the right manner through habit and practice rather than reasoning. Aristotle writes, â€Å"Virtue, then, is a state involving rational choice, consisting in a mean relative toRead MoreThe Ethics Of Plato And Aristotle977 Words   |  4 Pagesindependent of anyone’s belief. This was how Plat o observed absolutism. Aristotle’s oversee on what is the ‘good life’ as he used an observed method to ethics. The ‘good life’ as Aristotle defines it as one which has happiness as a characteristic or ‘a life of happiness’. ‘Happiness is a motion of the soul in accord with perfect virtue’. ‘People ought to behave so as to achieve happiness’. I believe that Aristotle’s response will be everyone always ought to follow the middle passage between certainRead More1.In Your Own Words, Define The Term â€Å"Metaphysics† As Used1161 Words   |  5 Pagesphilosophy. Metaphysics is the study of reality. Metaphysicians ask themselves these type questions: what is reality? Does anything exist? Is anything that we see or believe in real? My examples of metaphysics from the book: I will be using Plato and Aristotle’s metaphysics examples. Interestingly enough, â€Å"Plato’s metaphysics claims that there are two kinds of reality† (Lavine 26). He believes in the material and immaterial word. The world of reality and the world of the senses. Plato’s metaphysics actuallyRead MoreExamining the Ethics of Plato and Aristotle Essay1063 Words   |  5 Pagesindependent of anyone’s opinion. This was how Plato perceived absolutism. Aristotle’s overlook on what is the ‘good life’ as he used an empirical approach to ethics. The ‘good life’ as Aristotle defines it as one which has happiness as a characteristic or ‘a life of happiness’. ‘Happiness is an activity of the soul in accord with perfect virtue’. ‘People ought to behave so as to achieve happiness’. I believe that Aristotle’s answer will be everyone always ought to follow the middle course betweenRead MoreAristotles Theory of Slavery1295 Words   |  6 PagesSome aspects of Aristotles theory of slavery Slavery -- natural or conventional? Aristoles theory of slavery is found in Book I, Chapters iii through vii of the Politics. and in Book VII of the Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle raises the question of whether slavery is natural or conventional. He asserts that the former is the case. So, Aristotles theory of slavery holds that some people are naturally slaves and others are naturally masters. Thus he says: But is there any one thus intendedRead MoreAristotle s Highest Good Theorem1037 Words   |  5 PagesPhil 100 A01 Essay 2 Aristotle’s Highest Good Theorem When Aristotle first published his work entitled â€Å"Nicomachean Ethics†, you can imagine that numerous philosophers, scholars, and ordinary citizens were deeply contemplating his idea of the Highest Good Through the actions of virtue and reason, the act contemplation satisfies Aristotle’s characteristics as the Highest Good Being a self-sufficient, and complete activity, the ability to understand our function as human beings through contemplation

Is Lying Bad Free Essays

Imagine the president of the United States telling everyone that if they spend all of their money until they go bankrupt, then the president will reimburse you, plus get an extra three million dollars. After everyone is totally bankrupt, they figure out that the president was lying and now there is an extremely slight chance that they will ever get their money back. Many people believe that lying is one of the worst things a person can do. We will write a custom essay sample on Is Lying Bad? or any similar topic only for you Order Now They view it as something that hurts everyone and eventually destroys or consumes the person that lies. Others believe that lying can be the best way to handle a situation. They view it as protecting someone’s feelings or calming a difficult situation. Many people in our lives share the belief that sometimes the truth isn’t is everyone’s best interest, but it should be. First and foremost, lying effects you extremely. If you tell a little white lie such as, â€Å"Does this dress make me look fat? † â€Å"No! â€Å", then you may have some guilt riding on your shoulders. If you tell a huge, important lie, then the guilt will be riding on your shoulders like a one thousand pound weight. For instance, what the president did. After a pointless lie, the whole nation is totally poor and most likely starved because of the lack of money for food and water. People lie everyday to, in someway or another, keep themselves out of trouble. Many teenagers will lie to their parents about what they are doing for the evening, how much of their homework they have done, or how that glass vase got broken while they were out of town. We even lie to our boyfriends or girlfriends about who that other boy was that called the house or what exactly we did with our friends last night. All anyone is trying to accomplish by this is to stay out of trouble when we know we’ve done wrong; but we never think of the effects of lying. Although we think we’re being sly, parents are usually smarter than we give them credit for! Eventually there will be no point in telling this lie any longer because be then, everyone has already found out! Then the problem becomes the issue of trust. If you lie, there is no trust. That can be one of the serious consequences of lying. You should never have to lie, or deceive any one. Lies are empty. Evil is simply hurting yourself or others, and lies can do that, even when you don’t think they are. Lying can also effect others in a negative way too. How about lying to impress other people? More common in children and teenagers, we lie to make others think we’re cool, and when you really think about it, that’s the part that’s not cool! Most young people care too much about what others think about them. If you tell even the littlest lie, it will harm you in the long run. For instance, your friend asks you if you want to hang out or maybe do something. You say that you can’t because you are too busy studying and drowning in school work. Even though, you are actually having the time of your life with some other friends at Golf World. About fifteen minutes late, you look towards the door and here comes your poor, lonely friend through the big glass doors. She spots you, stares sadly for a moment, and then leaves. That is all it takes. One small lie and there you go, one less trustworthy, good friend. To sum it all up, lying is always and entirely bad. Whether it is a small, white lie or a big, important lie it can still hurt you or someone else. Lying effects you in a negative way, making you carry guilt, losing trust, and lying for dumb reasons such as to impress others. Lying effects others in a negative way also, because others might think bad about them or you might just make them look ignorant. It is wrong because it is being deceitful to lie. White lies don’t benefit anyone but the person lying. It makes them feel better because they don’t want to confront the actual issue at hand. Imagine a world where no one ever told the truth. How would you ever find the truth? How would you deal with having to live in a life of lies? â€Å"Liars when they speak the truth are not believed. † —Aristotle. So why even lie at all? How to cite Is Lying Bad?, Papers

The Power of One

The Power of One- Music and Boxing Essay The skills of boxing and music are one of the most physically demanding activities a person can learn in their life. High levels of strenuous concentrations are required for these activities. Bryce Courtesan has used imagery and stressed the importance and commonalities between boxing and music. In the novel, the Power of One, many examples of imagery exist in the book, often contrasting music to boxing. The quote like a Mozart concerto shows that Doc is trying to elevate boxing from a sport, to an art. When sports, like Boxing, are elevated to a status of an art form, it gives it acceptability. This is a reflection of how society can use sport as a uniting force. In the novel, Doc mentions mostly, European composers such as Chopin, Mozart, Brahms and Beethoven suggesting a cultural gulf between Europe and South Africa. Bryce Courtesan presents South Africa as an uncultured in comparison to European societies. Perhaps Courtesan is trying to position the reader to understand that before South Africa can be cultured, the basic fundamental rights of the people need to be acknowledged . Courtesan presents South Africa as a country where people must be prepared to eight and die for their safety and survival. This is common to the idea of boxing in the novel where it is a sport where survival skills and instincts are crucial much like the lifestyle of the marginalia population of South Africa Its a medicine ball and it weighs fifteen pounds. When you can throw one of these over my head youll be strong enough to begin to box. Page 422 This quote shows the physically demanding nature of boxing. Courtesan presents music to be Just as demanding as boxing. Doc mentions to Peaky that he must first learn to love music ND then only would Doc teach him to play the piano. This quote implies the learning curve of music and how it is needed for Peaky to produce music of a high caliber. This learning symbolizes the idea of the Power of One and how it is also needed for South Africa to survive its problems and play its music. The Power of One stresses these contrasts and commonalities between music and boxing because it wants the readers to accept the vast cultural difference between the culture and lifestyle of Europe and the culture and lifestyle of South Africa. Bryce Courtesan is trying to also emphasize that no matter how tough, rigorous and head breaking they may be; they can be used to unite a nation and a race together. This unity is depicted in the movie, Peaky is depicted teaching all the tribes a song in Zulu, in Beaverton Prison a song that unites them as one. Courtesan once again brings the idea of The Power Of One and its requirement for Africa to survive the problems that it faces and one to survive in the sport of boxing. The Power of One- Music and Boxing By Cumbersomeness

Thurgood Marshall Essay Research Paper After the free essay sample

Thurgood Marshall Essay, Research Paper After the Reconstruction period, African Americans had won freedom and no longer were seen as emanations of the whiteman, although, something even more evil existed, segregation. This job made life for many black people an ever-continuing battle. Black people were forced to go to separate schools, churches, hotels, and even eating houses. At the clip, white males dominated the work force and many African Americans seldom found good paying occupations. The tribunal system judged people of colour more harshly than people of white tegument, which led to unjust sentences and lynchings. A lynching is when a individual is hanged or executed without a test ; they were really common during this clip period. African Americans could merely take so much of this, they cried out against the unequal ways that white people practiced. Foundations were formed to help these people and convey justness to the society they were populating in. We will write a custom essay sample on Thurgood Marshall Essay Research Paper After the or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The NAACP ( National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ) was likely the most important of these foundations. This was the same organisation that Thurgood Marshall became the taking attorney of. Thurgood Marshall was born in the twelvemonth of 1908 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was prepped and raised by his female parent, Norma Arica Marshall, and his male parent, William Canfield Marshall. Thurgood # 8217 ; s female parent was one of the first African Americans to graduate from Colombia University and his male parent was the first black individual to function on Baltimore # 8217 ; s expansive jury in the twentieth century. Their achievements influenced immature Thurgood in the old ages yet to come. Thurgood was ever top of his game and graduating from an all black high school in Baltimore at 16 and graduating from Howard Law School in Washington D.C. foremost of his category, proved it. During his clip at Howard, Thurgood met and finally married his first married woman, Vivian Burey. After completing up jurisprudence school in 1933, Thurgood moved to New York City, where he was subsequently recruited as a staff attorney to NAACP. During his old ages spent with the NAACP, Thurgood helped develop a scheme to contend racial segregation throughout the United States. He brought many instances before legion tribunals but the instances he brought before the Supreme Court were his greatest accomplishments. Thurgood won about all of the instances he argued before the Supreme Court. Through his tribunal triumphs, he convinced the tribunals to strike down patterns in several provinces that prevented inkinesss from voting. Due to Thurgood, the Supreme Court agreed that tribunals could non implement private understandings non to sell land to black people. These were major stairss frontward in the battle to stop segregation but Thurgood? s most of import triumph came in a instance covering with racial segregation in public schools, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Thurgood managed to carry the tribunal to nem con declare segregation in public schools unconstitutional under the? equal protection clause? of the Fourteenth Amendment. In add-on to the triumph of this instance, Thurgood fought to win six other Supreme Court instances during the 1950s, taking to the integration of public Parkss, swimming pools, local coach systems and athletic installations. Even after his retirement as a attorney for the NAACP, Thurgood continued to contend for the rights of racial minorities, the uneducated and the hapless. In 1965, Thurgood was nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Lyndon Johnson and subsequently confirmed by the Senate to the function of an associate justness. He became the first black justness to function in the Supreme Court in the history of the U.S. With this high ranking place, Thurgood was determined to stop inequality one time and for all in the U.S. Up until his decease in 1993, Thurgood Marshall wrote more than 300 documents and essays on his personal beliefs and tribunal instances that he had dealt with. He declared that his documents should be unfastened for immediate usage by bookmans, journalists, and others. I selected Thurgood Marshall because I believe he made the most important difference in the U.S. every bit far as extinguishing unequal racial intervention, an even bigger difference than such celebrated people as Martin Luther King Jr. made. Over the class of less than a century, Thurgood shaped the U.S. to be a much more unfastened and equal state for African Americans and people of other racial minorities. He was an unbelievable individual and I enjoyed researching him every bit good as composing a study on him. To be rather honorable, I truly did non hold an as realistic apprehension on the clip epoch racial segregation occurred before I researched Thurgood Marshall. To larn how evil and barbarous white people were back so disgusted me. To understand this helped me in many ways to detect how much attempt Thurgood put into stoping this period of inequality. In a manner, I believe that if Thurgood Marshall had neer been born, racial segregation would still be today. That is why I think Thurgood? s function in history was so of import. 329

Future of wireless broadband Essays

Future of wireless broadband Essays Future of wireless broadband Essay Future of wireless broadband Essay The advent of wireless broadband has allowed the benefits of broadband technology to be available to more people. For example, Washington Senator Conrad Burns told state services that in order to sort the broadband availability problem in rural America, they may have to go wireless (Weaver, 2001). Wireless broadband is predicted to be very big very soon. It will allow greater connectivity to users and be able to accommodate an increasingly mobile population. Users with wireless devices such as PDAs could check e-mails, surf the net at anyplace that has broadband access (Lim, 2003). Conclusion The internet is growing, fast. It is estimated that in this year alone there are around 400 million internet users around the world, however, even more astonishingly, it is estimated that by 2010 there will be an immense 3 billion internet users around the world, almost half of the global population (Johnston, 2001). The three network technologies discussed above are the most advanced and the most speculated of all the network technologies. In their own right they encapsulate what the internet will become and where it will go. Broadband brings to the avid web surfer exactly what they have been longing for, a fast and an always on connection to the internet. Although businesses have had fast connections to the internet for a long time now, this is a relatively new concept for the general consumer. This in itself should promote 100% uptake of it. However issues such as availability, security and cost issues continue to impede the true level of success that broadband can enjoy. : But if these issues are dealt with in time, broadband could herald a new age in internet access such as the implementation of a fiber optic network. M-Commerce has immense potential. In an age where having a mobile phone is seen as more of a cultural accessory than a convenience device, m-commerce is the next logical application to introduce. Again there are a few issues that prevented the explosion of m-commerce that was expected in the late nineties (Dano, 2003). However, as mentioned before, there have already been developments into the two main issues interoperability and security. The applications of m-commerce can be endless ranging from making payments at retail stores to playing video games on them. Although m-commerce has suffered a slow start, in time it will realise its true potential (Thomas, 2003). Finally regarding wireless broadband. This is the next evolutionary step for broadband. It should surpass wireline broadband in uptake. But issues of cost and availability prevent it from taking off. This could be a serious handicap, even though wireless broadband offers significant advantages over wireline broadband. However this is the newest technology of them all and organisations like Sprint are still remaining optimistic about this technology (Mannion, 2001). Bibliography Books used: Laudon, K. C. and Traver C. G. (2002) E-commerce: Business. Technology. Society, Boston, Adison Wesley. Online publications Cambridge, S. N. (2000) Tuning into wireless broadband, eWeek, 1:1, Winter [online] [cited 3 December 2003].

Cantabrian War

Cantabrian War Dates: 29/28-19 B.C. Rome won the Cantabrian War, in Spain, during the rule of the first emperor, Octavian, who had recently earned the title by which we know him, Augustus. Although Augustus brought troops from Rome to the battlefront  and unintentionally brought about victory, he had retired from battle when victory was achieved. Augustus left a stepson and a nephew, the aediles Tiberius and Marcellus, to hold the victory celebration. He also left Lucius Aemilius to serve as governor when he returned home. The victory celebration was premature. So was Augustus closing of the Janus gates of peace. While I may have aroused your curiosity, this war is not one of the more popular ones for study. As the great 20th century, Oxford-based, Roman historian Ronald Syme wrote: It is in no way surprising that the Spanish War of Augustus should have commanded so little attention in modern times; and it might well be asked how far such a subject can repay study. In comparison with the wars in Germany and Illyricum, with the momentous vicissitudes of the frontier policy of Augustus, the subjugation of Northwestern Spain seems dull and tedious.The Spanish War of Augustus (26-25 B. C.)Ronald SymeThe American Journal of Philology, Vol. 55, No. 4 (1934), pp. 293-317 The 4th-5th-century Christian historian Paulus Orosius [The Seven Books of History Against the Pagans] says that in 27 B.C., when Augustus and his right-hand man Agrippa were consuls, Augustus decided it was time to subdue the border-raiding Cantabri and Astures. These tribes lived in the northern part of Spain, by the Pyrenees, in the province of Gallacia. In his 2010 Legions of Rome: The Definitive History of Every Imperial Roman Legion, Australian writer Stephen Dando-Collins says when Augustus headed from Rome to Spain, he took some of his Praetorian Guard with him, members of which he later gave land from the conquered territory. Augustus was embarrassed by his inability to clinch the battle, became ill, and retired to Taracco. The legates left in charge of the Roman legions in the area, Antistius and Firmius, won surrender through a combination of their skill and the enemys treachery the Astures betrayed their own people. Dando-Collins says the Cantabrian forces had resisted the type of battle formation Rome preferred because their strength lay in fighting from a distance so they could hurl their weapon of choice, the javelin: But these peoples would neither yield to him, because they were confident on account of their strongholds, nor would they come to close quarters, owing to their inferior numbers and the circumstance that most of them were javelin-throwers....Cassisus DioFor extended passages from Cassius Dio and others on the Cantabrian War, see Sources. Augustus Departure Leads to Over-Confidence The tribes successfully avoided being roped into other types of engagements until Augustus retired to Taracco. Then, believing Augustus had given up, they felt superior to the legates. So they allowed themselves to be drawn into the Roman-preferred, set-piece battle, with consequences disastrous to them: Accordingly Augustus found himself in very great embarrassment, and having fallen ill from over-exertion and anxiety, he retired to Tarraco and there remained in poor health. Meanwhile Gaius Antistius fought against them and accomplished a good deal, not because he was a better general than Augustus, but because the barbarians felt contempt for him and so joined battle with the Romans and were defeated.Cassisus Dio Victorious, Augustus gave two of the legions the honorary title of Augusta, becoming the 1st and 2nd Augusta, according to Dando-Collins. Augustus left Spain to return home, where he closed the Janus gates for the second time in his reign, but the fourth time in Roman history, according to Orosius. Caesar carried away this reward from his Cantabrian victory: he could now order the gates of war to be barred fast. Thus for a second time in these days, through Caesars efforts, Janus was closed; this was the fourth time that this had happened since the founding of the City.Orosius Book 6 Cantabrian Treachery and Punishment Meanwhile... the surviving Cantabrians and Asturians, according to Dando-Collins, acted as they had done repeatedly before, with trickery. They told governor Lucius Aemilius they wished to give the Romans gifts in token of their acceptance of the Romans  and asked him to send a sizable number of soldiers to transport the gifts. Foolishly (or without the advantage of hindsight), Aemilius obliged. The tribes executed the soldiers, starting a new round. Aemilius renewed the fighting, won a devastating victory, and then removed the hands of the soldiers he defeated. Even this wasnt the end of it. Again, according to Dando-Collins, Agrippa faced rebel Cantabrians slaves who had escaped and returned to their mountainous homes and those of their countrymen they could persuade to join them. Although Florus says Agrippa was in Spain at an earlier date, Syme says he didnt get there until 19 B.C. Agrippas own troops were getting on and were tired of fighting. Although Agrippa won the round of anti-Cantabrian fighting, he wasnt happy about the way the campaign had gone and so declined the honor of a triumph. To punish his less than competent troops, he demoted a legion, probably the 1st Augusta (Syme), by stripping it of its honorary title. He captured all the Cantabrians, executed the military aged men and forced all the mountain folk to live down on the plains. Rome experienced only minor difficulties afterward. It was only in 19 B.C. that Rome could finally say it had subjugated Spain (Hispania), ending the  conflict that had started about 200 years earlier during the conflict with Carthage. Roman Legions Involved (Source: Dando-Collins): 1st Legion2nd Legion (later the 2nd Augusta)4th Macedonia5th Alaudae6th Legion (later the 6th Victrix)9th Hispana10th Gemina20th Legion Governors of the Spanish Provinces (Source: Syme) Tarraconensis (Hispania Citerior) Lusitania (Hispania Ulterior) 27-24 C. Antistius Vetus24-22 L. Aemiliusor L. (Aelius) Lamia22-19 C. Furnius19-17 P. Silius Nerva26-22 P. Carisius19 ? L. Sestius Next: Ancient Sources on the Cantabrian War The sources on this war are confusing. I have followed Syme, Dando-Collins and then the sources, as much as possible, but if you have corrections to make, please let me know. Thanks in advance.

Coursework Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Coursework - Assignment Example Financial crises may spread through financial globalization such as the recent global recession caused by the 2007 subprime crisis in the US and 2008 banking crisis in Europe. This paper evaluates whether the process financial globalization has been significantly weakened by the recent global financial crisis that led to the collapse of world trade in a pace that has not been witnessed since the Great Depression in the 1930s. It also investigates if this constitutes a problem for the international financial system and the countries within it. The paper presents some practical suggestions for national and international financial regulators in the light of what has happened to financial globalization over the last five years (Ceballos, Didier and Schmukler, 2012). The process of financial globalization in terms of Foreign Direct Investment, foreign bonds and overseas lending maintained a steady growth since early 1980s from a low of 0.5 trillion USD to a high of 1.8 trillion USD by 2007. However, this trend changed with the occurrence of the recent financial meltdown. With the high global financial linkage, the financial crisis was felt in many economies globally. The foreign capitals flows declined by 60% (Lund & Dobbs, 2013). Economies became more wary of their global financial assets after the global recession. The annual growth in equity market capitalization and purchase of foreign business and government bonds declined by 6% to 1.9% and has been the case in both developed and developing economies globally. Cross-border lending began to decline from a high of 5.6 trillion USD in 2007 to a low of 1.7 trillion USD in 2012. This decline is associated with the selectiveness of banks and narrowing the scope of global operations by banks as a result of fresh investment and regulatory requirements to caution domestic markets against financial risks. Most of the international commercial banks have disposed assets and

Qualitative Review on Psychological Intervention for Young People Research Paper

Qualitative Review on Psychological Intervention for Young People Living with HIV - Research Paper Example It aims to clarify and explicate the necessity of emotional and psychological intervention these young survivors of HIV to provide them meaningful life and motivation to undertake medical services and support to keep them living while bearing this health problem. It will illustrate how psychosocial intervention is provided to share hope for these children and teens, as well as, make them better persons despite everything. This is a qualitative review on psychosocial intervention for young people living with HIV, a transmissible disease that can infect a person through sexual contact or by other means known to many physicians. Researched materials generally used and employed survey, interviews and secondary materials in their studies to support and explicate the conditions of young populace living with HIV. This study is limited and focused only to young people living with HIV, thus, consider only the plight of children and teens. Kumar, Mmari, and Barnes (2012) pointed that there are already 1.7 billion young people within the age bracket of 10 to 24 years in the world that are infected with HIV disease and about 85% of them are living in developing countries. Kumar et al (2012) reported that the mortality rate of HIV infected persons are 3% and most of them reduced their chance of survival at the age of 60 in countries with high percentile of HIV-infected population. Nowadays, young people are the fastest-growing cohort of new HIV infections globally reaching about 40% of new HIV-infected people in 2007 (Kumar et al, 2012). There are about 5 million young people that are nowadays living with HIV and there are an estimated 5,000 youths aging 15 and 24 years that are infected everyday (Kumar et al, 2012). These global figures likely underestimate the total burden of HIV borne by young people, as there has been no systematic evaluation of the numbers of youth who are long-term survivors of perinatal infection. New evidence and estimations of HIV’s effect o n child mortality bared that about 13% of perinatally infected children can only survive up to the age of 10 years. But noting that the global interventions of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programs has just been recently introduced in high-risk countries, it is always possible that cohort may contribute significantly to the increasing number of youths living with HIV. Albeit the rigorous efforts for HIV prevention, however the incessant sexuality and the social nature of all persons can increase the numbers of youth living with HIV. HIV-infected persons have dire needs for psychosocial support knowing that this can cause social stigma and can evoke innate anger or shock after being diagnosed positive thereof (AVERTing HIV & Aids, 2012). Relation with immediate families and friends will be altered, thus limits their social nature and level of interactions. Psychosocial therapy for HIV-infected persons can bring about positive outcome. Experts posit that this can help enhance a survivor response to health service; strengthen his behaviour while exercising preventive measures; and, mitigate the possibility that extreme depression may result into suicidal tendencies (AVERTing HIV & Aids, 2012). In a survey conducted by researchers in United States, psychosocial intervention was mentioned many times perceived as the most helpful measure that could help them live with HIV, especially as they progress their lives with

Marketing Strategy Essay Example for Free

Marketing Strategy Essay Discuss the type of product the company will offer and identify its primary characteristics The type of product the company will offer is a bracelet called Life Alert band. The characteristics of this device are size and the ease of use along with a lifetime guarantee. The Life Alert band is light and portable that no one will even know it’s on his or her wrist. It’s the size of a thick rubber band and comes in different wrist sizes. It has one easy to access button with an emergency icon that only needs to be pushed once to alert the Life Alert call center in the event of an emergency. The bracelet has several hidden sensors that monitor a person’s pulse and blood sugar and wirelessly sends this information to the Life Alert monitoring centers. If a change is detected in any of the monitors the bracelets sends a signal to the centers for immediate action. The Life Alert medical counselors immediately call the patient to see if they are ok. If no response is received they dispatch emergency responders right away. The bracelets uses flash memory to keep the device slim and flexible. It has a flexible band that can bend slightly. The material of the bracelet is a made of hard rubber that protects the electronics and its sensors. The bracelet requires a one-time setup much like a cell phone has to be programmed by Life Alert in order to ensure communication is occurring with their monitoring centers. The device has wifi built in for local communication. Users who have a wireless network can browse directly to the bracelet using a web browser. This gives them access to all the information the bracelet is recording. Discuss the product branding strategy Entrepreneur magazine states that a branding strategy is how, what, where, when and to whom you plan on communicating and delivering on your brand messages. Where you advertise is part of your brand strategy (Enterpreneur, 2011). In this case a brand is name that consumers associate with a device or service. Life Alert has many devices, all which bare its name on it. For example wireless companies such ATT sell cell phones from different manufactures but all of them have the name ATT on them and their logo. This goes for any large company that sells multiple products even if the products are manufactured by another company. Another good example is Apple. Apple has mp3 players, desktops, laptops, and other computer peripherals, all have the Apple logo on them. Therefore, the branding approach for the Life Alert bracelet will be the umbrella branding approach. The umbrella approach will help Life Alert in promoting their popular name even further. In a survey taken by ACNielsen International Research, 87% of Life Alert members said that Life Alert’s protection is a main or important factor in their decision to keep living at home rather than going to a retirement institution (lifealert911, 2011). Life Alert members on an average spend 6 more years living alone because of their services. The bracelet will not only enhance their product line but attract more customers. The introduction of this bracelet will increase their customer base and maybe appeal to those who have a serious illness. The bracelet will become the main entity of the product line with Life Alert’s name and logo. Discuss how the product fits within a product line and the depth and breadth of the line. Life Alert’s bracelet is a unique product that has carved a niche in the medical devices industry. It fits into health care products that offer emergency services for monitoring and addressing health related issues. It addresses a void in the industry and aims to support independence in aged adults by providing state of the art monitoring and emergency services. The distinctive aspect of the Life Alert bracelet is that it is both broadens and intensifies in scope in terms of its breadth and depth. It fits well into the product line Life Alert offers. It’s an extension of the current product offerings. Some of the functionality the bracelet offers cross’s over to other product categories. For example the bracelet now becomes competitive with blood glucose meters. Regardless, the bracelet extends the depth and breadth of the company. Explain how the product and target market strategies fit with the organizational strategy. The organizational strategy is based around a few key factors. The company’s business domain is clearly defined and is focused towards Mature 50+ adults who wish to live an independent lifestyle. The factors that are considered are mainly geographical location, age, retirement lifestyle and medical needs. The strategy is effective as it concentrates on a few key product and ervices. Life alert employs niche marketing to devise a product strategy aimed at that targets mature 50+ adults residing mostly in Florida, which is a popular retirement destination, who are currently living a retired lifestyle and desire a degree of independence and who may or may not have specific medical needs. The Life Alert bracelet fits into the organizational strategy for Life Alert. Introducing the bracelet will solidify the stance in the market. The organizational strategy for Life Alert is to be most innovative company in assisting the elderly. Life Alert can take advantage of its existing organizational strategy to support and market the bracelet. The company can further expand its diversified portfolio of services by using its existing infrastructure and the multifaceted use of its core resources. By including and expanding on existing product offerings the company can reduce cost and maximize return on resources. Life alert bracelet can utilize the infrastructure for Life Alert Necklace, security, monitoring and emergency response services with minor additions. All of these services employ the same core organizational set up, which is the monitoring center, which maximizes service offering with minimal investment. The marketing strategy includes Ads in local newspapers or niche publications, Opt-in web sites that make use of keywords to connect with potential customers, direct mail campaigns, as well publicity through Television developed for mature audiences. The bracelet can be incorporated under these existing marketing tools since it’s directed towards the same target audience. The ease of competitors’ entry into Life Alert’s market segment is minimal as the company employs a profitable business model where users pay an initial set-up charge for the systems and the company generates revenues each month through subscription-based monitoring costs. The company also distributes medical alert system to more than 300 resellers and is one of the largest wholesale medical alarm distributors in the nation, with over 200,000 medical alert devices in service. The bracelet can be an adjunct to the existing portfolio and use the same monitoring system and distribution strategies in use. The business strategy also supports innovation and product development and at present only a couple companies offer a medical alarm with two-way voice. With an additional service such as the bracelet the company will be a step ahead of its competitors and can utilize its RD budget to support the new product. The company’s ability to customize services and marketing different price points for packages will allow customers to use the bracelet with other Life Alert products and services. The new product aligns well with the company’s organizational strategy and the same marketing strategy can be applied towards the Life Alert bracelet.

Indian writing in English :: essays research papers

Indian writing in English Raja Rammohan Ray was the first Indian to effectively express himself in black and white through English though he was initiated to the language when he was in his teens. Thereafter Vivekananda showed his perfect masterly over the language through his evocative prose, which made the west sit up and take notice of the greatness of Hinduism. Tagore also had written some poems in English. However, there is no denying the fact that Indian writings in English were extremely few far between. Jawaharlal Nehru and M.K. Gandhi were also great masters of the English language. Nehru’s Discovery of India, Glimpses of World History etc. are glaring testimony to not only his profound scholarship but also his absolute mastery over writing lucid prose in the foreign language. Gandhiji used the language in his writings with utmost precision and desterity. They were followed by the great triumvirate of Anand-Rao-Naryan, who were the first to make Indian writing in English popular among a sizable section of our English educated people. They primarily wrote fiction and their elegant styles soon caught the imagination of the common reader. Indian writing in English had finally arrived in 1930’s after a marginal existence for over a century. Mahatma Gandhi: Though Gandhi used his mother tongue, Gujarati, to write his famous autobiography, later translated into English by his secretary Mahadev Desai under the title The Story of My Experiments with Truth (1929), he used Hindi and English with masterly skill and use. As he lived through a eventful life among his people, who were attempting to liberate themselves from moral decadence, economic exploitation, and cultural subordination, Gandhi wrote, day and night, in and out of prisons, for his two journals, Young India and Harijan. Rabindranath Tagore: The national awakening in Asia found its expression first in the Indian literature, and its formost representative writer was Tagore (1861-1941). Tagore was the first Asian writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature (1913). Tagore represents a happy combination of the ancient Indian tradition and the new European consciousness. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his slim volume of poems entitled Gitanjali. Tagore gave Indian poetry a new type of lyric. Through his collection of stories entitled Galpa Guchchha, running into three volumes, Tagore set the pace of the modern short story in India. His famous novels, Gora and Ghare Baire reflect the genius of a supreme visionary.

Nurse: Health Care Field Essay

The health care field has numerous amounts of individuals that care for patients or assist with their care. All persons that assists with a patients care must be able to communicate effectively amongst each other and this includes the nurse. Nursing is a communicative intervention and is founded on effective communication. Nurses have to communicate with various people such as: patients, families, physicians, and or consultants to provide the best care for his or her patients. So communication is the most important aspect when it comes to caring properly for patients. Communication is the simple element of human relations that allows people to establish, maintain and improve interactions with others. â€Å"Communication is essential when reporting a patient’s status, change in condition, or developing and revising the plan of care† (Fernandez, Johnson, & Jones, 2010, pg. 266). Furthermore, the importance of effective communication includes an interdisciplinary team approach which in turn promotes safe and effective health care for the patient. All health care professionals share a mutual commitment to serve the patient and work towards optimal health care for the patient. This is carried out by using the interdisciplinary approach of health care. Interdisciplinary team is defined, â€Å"as a group of health care professionals from diverse fields work in a coordinated fashion toward a common goal for the patient† (Saunders, 2013, pg. 60). This makes each team member valuable, and when each team member’s expertise and perspective is brought together patient care is improved and delivered in a more complete and effective manner. The facility at work at uses the interdisciplinary care approach when we receive trauma patients. These trauma patients can range from motor vehicle collision, shooting victims, or any incidents involving life threatening injuries. Each member of the trauma team has a title or a role within the team such as: team leader, manager, or facilitator. For example, the emergency room resident is in charge of the neurology assessment and airway, the trauma resident and trauma attending are responsible for the rest of the assessment. We also have a primary nurse that records all events that take place in the trauma room. Another member is the intensive care nurse, she delivers all the meds and any other skill that are needed for the patient. We also have a phlebotomist, chaplin, and respiratory therapist on the team. Other doctors are also available if other injuries such as: broken bones, neurologic conditions, or cardiac conditions arise. All the members of this team, brings valuable professional safe care to the trauma patient promoting optimal outcomes. â€Å"Ineffective communication is a leading cause of preventable patient injuries and deaths† (Fernandez, Johnson, & Jones, 2010, pg. 265). If all the members of the health care team are not communicating effectively it can jeopardize the care of the patient and also exhaust the interdisciplinary team. This is why communication is very important when providing care for patients. Another approach to health care is the intradisciplinary approach. The intradisciplinary approach is an individual that works alone to promote health in patients. An example of this is a home healthcare nurse. The home health care nurse provides care for a patient in his or her home. This nurse works alone when caring for patients. This professional nurse has to be organized and able to make decision on his or her own regarding the patients care. I feel the home health care nurse must be very knowledgeable is his or her field and have keen assessment skills. This nurse should have experience within the hospital before deciding to care for others at their home. This difference with interdisciplinary care is that the nurse has multiple resources at the time of care for the patient. caring for Finally, working as a team in the health care field helps empower not only the nurse, but also the patient. â€Å"Empowerment is a transactional process involving relationship with others. This relationship includes mutually beneficial sharing through mutual sharing of knowledge, resources, and opportunities; and respect for self and others† (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008, pg. 72). This develops the professional nurse to provide successful, safe care for his or her patients. When patients witness nurses and physicians working together to assist with his or her health care. This in turn enables and may motivate the patient to â€Å"develop awareness of area that need change, foster a desire to take action, and share resources, skills, and opportunities that support change† (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008, pg. 471) in his or her health . The nurses and patients experience and perspective regarding healthcare empowers them to make change patient to become advocates in their health.

Relationship between Religion and Voting and Political Behavior Essay

Religion is a powerful and very influential factor in people’s lives. It governs one’s actions, and it is considered when people are faced with difficult decisions. Even in politics, religion has an important role to fill. Various studies have been done in the past to determine the effects that religion has on the voting and political behaviors of people. Consequently, religion affects the voting and political behavior in the following ways: 1) by setting standards that guide believers in the realm of politics; 2) by indirectly leading the congregation in developing a common outlook on political issues; and 3) by serving as a source of motivation. Interestingly, the church (religion) is separated from the state (politics), yet religion is an influential factor with regards to political activities (Bryner). In fact, there are some countries whose religion takes precedence over government policies. For instance, there are countries where policies in reproductive health are being pushed by politicians. However, the church may intervene if it deems that the policies are against the teachings of the church. Religion, as described by Wald and Calhoun-Brown, â€Å"is a specialized institution with a limited public role, and religious affiliation is a matter of personal choice† (8). According to McDaniel, religion â€Å"permeates all aspects of American life,† including social and political lives (1). It has become a very important factor for the United States, compared to other developed countries such as Canada and Britain (McDaniel 3). By Setting Standards that Guide Believers in the Realm of Politics Interestingly, political parties in the United States recognized the power of religion as a political weapon. During campaigns before the election, political candidates used the strategy of appealing first to religious groups to gain their support, otherwise known as God strategy. Republicans are said to be more successful than Democrats in using this strategy (McDaniel 18). Most notably, presidential candidates of the recent elections John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barak Obama all expressed the importance of fusing God and the American country (McDaniel 22). However, this God strategy has not just sprouted recently. During the â€Å"Great Awakening† period, political campaigning made use of techniques for mass persuasion, which were originally used through preaching and worship styles. Political wannabes gained their supporters by endorsing parades and tent meetings, even door-to-door campaigning and public declarations. These were the same techniques that evangelists used to convert people into the religion being sponsored (Wald and Calhoun-Brown 42). In addition, past researches showed that churches and religious groups ranked first among other groups in having confidence in major institutions. Mass media, public schools, labor unions, and business fell behind. The most interesting finding is that people believed that Catholic priest are more honest and ethical despite cases of sexual abuse compared to government officials and business leaders. The truth of this finding could be seen in the amount of donations. In 2002 alone, $80 to $90 billion was spent on religious institutions. This indicates that churches are the number one recipient of private philanthropy. A portion of the budget is spent on education, health, community development, and others (Wald and Calhoun-Brown 10). Furthermore, religion affects the political behavior of the public as described by Martin Luther King, Jr. According to him, a religion that is â€Å"true to its nature† is not only concerned about the faith and salvation of the public but also includes social conditions. It means that the public sees religion as an aid against economic and social conditions that cripple it. The public is also confident that religion can aid in making conditions better (McDaniel 31). By Indirectly Leading the Congregation in Developing a Common Outlook on Political Issues Churches serve as political communities. In 1988, a study involved 21 Florida churches which believed that â€Å"the theological climate in the churches contributed strongly to the political conservatism of its members. † The authors stated that theology and practices in a church can lead to cohesion with regards to the political attitudes of the members (McDaniel 8). Past researches all showed one similarity in their results: religion affects the voting and political behavior of the public. In particular, religion has influenced the public’s political views, especially among Americans. For instance, Americans support the candidates based on the latter’s position on moral and social issues (Buras 3) such as homosexuality, abortion, and environmental and economic issues (Gibbs). A research study showing the connection between religiosity and voting behavior would best explain the influence that religion holds on its congregation. The study stated that voters would consider the issues that the candidate supports or does not support. In particular, economics and benefits are among the priorities of voters when choosing for their candidates. This shows that voters would first vote according to what would best benefit them and their group (Gibb). Another study provided evidence on the influence that religion has on the voting behavior of the public. It showed that majority of the respondents under the Evangelical category (70. 2%) registered to vote compared to non-evangelical Christian (65. 7%). The study also revealed that those who attended religious services on a regular basis are more likely to register. Also, 67. 5% of those who registered believed that religion is a very important factor in their lives, whereas 59. 2% expressed that religion is not important (Buras 7). Another issue that voters look into is related to gender. Gibb stated that among women, they would choose to support a candidate or would identify with a certain political party if it supports gender issues that are pressing such as female equality and reproductive rights. In addition, the author mentioned that cultural factors influenced why women support the Democratic Party while men support the Republican Party. The split between men and women in choosing the party to support is attributed to the implementation of newer policies for women’s rights that threatens a society that is largely based on tradition. The study further went deeper by examining factors that influence voting behavior. One of these factors was ideology, which serves as a reflection of the things that a person holds important such as ethnicity and gender (Gibbs). In the United States, religion has a say in how representatives vote. There are also denominations which are united in choosing which candidate to put to power. For example, when it comes to their beliefs about abortion, Jewish groups, along with Mainline denominations, would support pro-choice stances while Catholics and Mormons would support pro-life. In addition, religious denominations support their own candidates, as can be seen through the support of Evangelical Protestants on conservatism while Jews and Catholics support liberalism (Gibb). Additionally, Evangelical Protestants support the Republican Party because they believed that the party’s policies on privatization of social security, defense spending, and tax cuts, among others, subscribe to their beliefs. On the other hand, the Democratic Party supports public welfare, affirmative action, and universal healthcare (â€Å"Religion and its effects on Political Party Affiliation†). Another study involved the question of whether Catholics or Protestants or other religions vote with regards to their moral values. The study showed that more than 45. 5% of Protestants believed that the views of the candidates on moral issues are more important than economic policies. The percentage for Catholic almost reached 28. 6%%. However, other religions (52. 5%) disagreed to the idea that the views of candidates on moral issues are more important than economic policies. Interestingly, the Catholic registered a smaller percentage in agreeing compared to Protestants, as opposed to its strong stance on moral issues such as abortion. However, the Catholics would support the Democratic Party, as it includes economic policies that are aligned to the tenets of Catholicism (â€Å"Religion as a Variable†). Furthermore, several studies showed that evangelicals associate with their preferred parties. For instance, evangelicals would more likely support the Republican Party while non-evangelicals would support the Democratic Party. This shows the connection between the religion and the voting behavior of the public (Gibb). By Serving as Motivation Religious groups participate in politics for varied reasons. One is voice and equality. For instance, when churches support a particular political candidate, it gives the former a voice to encourage the public. It also presents an opportunity for the churches to communicate to the public about their faith and religion. Additionally, political participation sets the stage for equality (McDaniel 9). Religious groups also show that they have the capacity to participate in politics. However, participating means that there are some things required of them. One of these is time. Religious groups must spend a portion of their time to volunteer during campaigns. Another is money as support to the political cause that they endorse. The last thing is verbal skills necessary â€Å"to compose a convincing letter. † As mentioned already, churches serve as voluntary organizations. It means that they would need the assistance and training of members in order to achieve its goals or duties. Furthermore, churches are the best place where one can build skills needed in the political arena (McDaniel 11-12). Aside from capacity, churches have networks of recruitment. They have the ability to mobilize the public into participating in politics through these networks. As such, groups and activist can encourage people to participate in political activities. They also recognize that people â€Å"are more likely to participate when asked† (McDaniel 13). Furthermore, people can enjoy tangible and intangible benefits when they vote. Voting shows their cooperation towards the realization of their goals for the betterment of the country or government. Likewise, religion can be a source for motivation (McDaniel 15-16). Another reason involves the Americans’ journey towards identity that they can found in religion. For many years, Americans resorted to ways in order to improve their situations. By joining in religious activities and political parties, they believe that they can seek identity. Furthermore, several authors of previous studies stated that religious identity is an important factor which gives light to the question regarding people’s reasons for choosing a political party (â€Å"Religion and its effects on Political Party Affiliation†). From the facts and results of previous studies presented, it shows that religion indeed affects the voting and political behavior of the public through several ways. By setting standards that guide believers in the realm of politics, the public determines which candidate or political party to support. In addition, religious congregation that has things in common is more likely to act on their status with regards to political activities. Furthermore, religion serves as motivation for most people to participate in politics.

Writing Business Email Conclusions

Writing Business Email Conclusions "I am the world's worst salesman. Therefore, I must make it easy for people to buy." - F.W. Woolworth In continuation of last month's issue addressing current economic challenges, let's look business writing techniques which promote business. One of the most overlooked opportunities is the conclusion. We want to leverage them - always.Too often, business writers use a boiler-plate phrase to conclude a letter, memo or email. For example, "Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me." Blah, blah, blah. Of course, every business reader knows they can contact you with a question! There is no value added by this statement, it adds meaningless length, and worse, it does not drive the reader to action.To increase business, put meaning into a conclusion. Write directlyto your reader, and guide them specifically to the action you want.Let's examine conclusions that would drive business for an insurance company, a CPA firm, a package shipping company and a property management firm, as examples: If you work in sales for a freight transfer company, and are responding to a fare inquiry: The fare to ship a 3 pound box from Atlanta to Duluth, with guaranteed overnight delivery, is $23. You can schedule pick up at your office on this website (provide link) or drop your package off at (provide address). If you are a claims manager for an insurance company, and are responding to a coverage addition inquiry: The premium to add flood insurance to your homeowner's policy is $100. To enact this very important insurance, sign the enclosed policy amendment where I have highlighted in yellow, and date the document. Mail this form to our office at (state address). If you are a CPA firm, arranging a client meeting in preparation for an IRS audit: We will meet three weeks ahead of your scheduled audit date, on November 19, 2008 at 2:00 pm in our conference room. Please be certain to bring your tax returns, with all schedules, for tax years 2005, 2006 and 2007 to this meeting. If you are a Property Management Company, confirming contractor work: Please see Susan Archady in the main office at 246 Downington Lane when you arrive. She is expecting you and has a key to all units. Susan will arrive at work by 8:00am. Conclusions are a powerful opportunity to drive business, and so often are overlooked as a business opportunity. Your readers are buried in information, so make certain you have included in your conclusion all of the action-eliciting information your reader needs to act. This is typically just an extra sentence or phrase, but it should enable your reader to move decisively to your business objective. Master All Business Writing Skills in This Course: Effective Business Writing Techniques

Increasing Atomic Number Doesnt Always Increase Mass

Increasing Atomic Number Doesnt Always Increase Mass Since atomic number is the number of protons in an  atom  and atomic mass is the mass of protons, neutrons, and electrons in an atom, it seems intuitively obvious that increasing the number of protons would increase the atomic mass. However, if you look at the atomic masses on a periodic table, you will see that cobalt (atomic No. 27) is more massive than nickel (atomic No. 28). Uranium (No. 92) is more massive than neptunium (No.93). Different periodic tables even list different numbers for atomic masses. Whats up with that, anyway? Read on for a quick explanation. Neutrons and Protons Not Equal The reason increasing atomic number doesnt always equate to increasing mass is because many atoms dont have the same number of neutrons and protons. In other words, several isotopes of an element may exist. Size Matters If a sizeable portion of an element of lower atomic number exists in the form of heavy isotopes, then the mass of that element may (overall) be heavier than that of the next element. If there were no isotopes and all elements had a number of neutrons equal to the number of protons, then atomic mass would be approximately twice the atomic number. (This is only an approximation because protons and neutrons dont have exactly the same mass, but  the mass of electrons is so small that it is negligible.) Different periodic tables give differing atomic masses because the percentages of isotopes of an element may be considered changed from one publication to another.

Supply Chain Management -Case assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Supply Chain Management -Case assignment - Essay Example Hence they have decided to face changing times by offering a low cost version of their product and introducing a new target audience. TFCs key strengths are their extensive experience in the field of chassis for motor homes, their technological adaptability & advancement, quality designs, marketing knowledge and design development on time exactly as per customer preference. TFC’s management has recognized the opportunity which lies in expanding their product portfolio to low priced product to cater to price sensitive audience. Low priced items have always posed threat to high end customized item especially when the economy is receding; hence diversity in product portfolio is always a balancing act (a safe bet for survival) for the company during all times. While expanding the product portfolio TFC faced a weakness for the first time that is delay in lead time of building chassis. Commonly a chassis would have been designed, customize and made ready in less than 30 days. However due to restrained capital available they could not meet all customer demands on time while catering two product types. Main area of time lag occurred at the designing stage as identified by the team. At this scenario TFC was approached by Computer-Images a design house in another estate proposing to become an outsourced designing outlet for low end chassis line working electronically only upon specifications provided by TFC. This approach was proposed with a key to keep TFC’s focus on high end chassis (TFC’s star product) while meeting demand for both high end and low end chassis. Now TFC has two options either to accept Computer-Image’s proposal to have low end product outsourced or increase current capacity to overcome time delay in designing and remain an in-sourced organization enjoying control over time, design and delivery. De Looff (1996) uses key 6 goals in his book defining outsourcing /

The Role And Relevance Of World Trade Organization Essay

The Role And Relevance Of World Trade Organization - Essay Example The first round of talk was held in Geneva in 1947 and helped to establish the working framework of GATT. The second round was held in 1949 in Annecy, France, and concentrated in tariff reduction among member countries. The third and fourth rounds of trade negotiations were held Torquay, England, and in Geneva in 1951 and 1956 respectively. Both negotiations focused on tariff reduction and accession. The fifth commonly referred as the Dillon round was held in Geneva in 1960-62, and was instrumental in revising the GATT treaty. Both the Kennedy round and the Tokyo round of trade negotiations were held in Geneva in 1964-67 and 1973-79 respectively. The eighth round, known as the Uruguay round was finalized in Geneva in 1986-93 (Sampson 2001). The Doha round of multilateral trade negotiations, which is currently underway, was launched in the Qatari capital in 2001. The current round of talks is mandated to liberalize the global trade and also to bolster development. Though the talks had been scheduled to end by December 2004, it has not been concluded to date due to profound discrepancies that exist between different member nations’ aspirations and interests. During the Uruguay round of talks, member countries saw the need to establish an umbrella body charged with the responsibility of overseeing the rules of trade between member countries (WTO 2008). This marked the birth of World Trade Organization (WTO). The World Trade Organization, located in Geneva, Switzerland, was established in January 1995 as a result of the Uruguay round of negotiations.  

Managing Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing Change - Essay Example Customers tend to prefer those retail stores which serve them quick. Although, ASDA is one of the largest UK retail organisation, but the research has revealed that customers have to wait longer at ASDA as compared to Waitrose and Sainsburry (Mirror, 2006). ASDA is at the third number in the UK retail industry on the basis of customer waiting time. This situation is a serious issue for any retail organisation. The management of ASDA should take considerable measures in order to reduce the customer waiting time and to make sure that the company has lowest possible customer waiting time in the UK retail industry. For this purpose, the management has to change some of the working standards and procedures and along with this has to incorporate new technologies. This change is important in order to provide the customers with valuable shopping experience and make sure that there is high customer satisfaction. This in turn will facilitate the organisation in the process of attracting more c ustomers and retaining the current ones, thus increasing the customer base. In order to incorporate this change it is first important to measure the current performance, set new standards for the performance and compare the current performance with the new standards. For this reason, the management of ASDA has to first measure the current queuing time and set the new queuing time. ... To consolidate improvements and produce still more change 8. To institutionalise new approaches The management of ASDA has to first communicate to the employees the importance of this decision and the implications for the whole organisation. Secondly, the organisation will have to identify and formulate a group of people who can lead the change process. Their organisation will have to come up with a proper vision which should be communicated to the employees and the employees should have the required empowerment in order to take the necessary steps. The organisation will have to create short term milestones and wins and work on required improvements. Apart from this the organisation should enforce a system of proper control and monitoring for the continuous improvement. There are several internal and external factors which will either support the change or resist the change. It is important for the organisation to incorporate the appropriate change management strategies in order to m inimise the negative forces and enhance the positive forces (Markovic, 2008). One major element in the process of change management is in regard to the management of the resistance. Most of the changes or transformation fails because of the increasing resistance (Atkinson, 2005). It is importance for the organisation to manage the resistance effectively and efficiently. In this particular case the high resistance will be from the employees of the retail organisation. In order to reduce the resistance on the part of the employees, the management of the organisation should involve them in the process and implement the method of participatory communication (Russ, 2008). Apart from this the management of ASDA should also start the training and development program for the employees

Introduction And History Of Virgin Holidays Tourism Essay

Introduction And History Of Virgin Holidays Tourism Essay Virgin holidays began its operations in the year 1970 not offering holiday packages but instead it used to offer order records services and was also a school magazine for students (Kegan 2010, par 3). Since the year 1970 virgin has grown rapidly due to its new and viable business ideas that have seen it sore into great heights, the great performance of virgin can be attributed to good management decisions made by the persons responsible for making such decisions (Kegan 2010, par 3). Through all this time, the holiday company has been discovering and exploiting new market opportunities, they have always brought up new and fresh ideas that are new in the face of holiday touring. The company ensures its success by offering high quality products and services and also establishes a market which the consumer utility has not been maximized and goes in to fill the gap (Kegan 2010, par 3). Virgin currently deals with transport matters with regard to planes, cars and trains; the brand also off ers services with regard to holidays, wines and mobile phones. The greatest development of the virgin group is the virgin tour this comprises of the travelling sector and accommodation (Kegan 2010, par 3). With the development of technology and information, virgin is now offering services through the new technology, old products and services have been modified also to fit the current state of the art technology (Kegan 2010, par 4). Virgin brands have always kept the big market players at their toes. Virgin is known to be the third most known brand in the British world. However, virgin has recently increased its operations to the global level hence serving a bigger market. At this moment virgin has more than 300 companies worldwide and more than 20000 employees enjoying worldwide annual revenue of more than five billion United States dollars (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010, pp 2). The companies build up by virgin are autonomous. This means that the virgin holiday sector is independent from the virgin drinks sector (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010). With regard to holiday and transport, Virgin group has the airline Virgin Atlantic which was founded in the year 1984, the airlin e offers flights to over thirty worldwide destinations and has over 9000 employees, the airline can also be compared to the standards of the whole group since it is a major market player which has also invented and brought new products in the market. The airline has also been given credits for its exemplary services to consumers by winning top awards in the field of commerce. The travel industry The industry in which the virgin holiday is operating on can be split into two; the industry is affected in two way traffic (Kegan 2010, par 4). The company offers travelling services and also accommodation services, therefore the forces of demand and supply which prevail in the two sectors at a given moment can be said to be different. However, the difference is small and is brought about by those people who normally fly for commercial purpose and those people who prefer other brands compare to virgin holidays with regard to transport or accommodation (Kegan 2010, par 4). The travel industry can be splinted into three i.e. the planes sector, motor vehicles (taxi cabs) and train. The above three are affected by changes in the business environment that surround them, such environment is comprised of competitors, changes in economic trends, and changes in the market with regard to demand and supply. In Britain Virgin Atlantic airline is rated as the third best brand, though it has rece ntly globalised its services and offers transport services to over thirty destinations worldwide (Kegan 2010, par 4). Airline sector With regard to the airline sector virgin Atlantic is faced with the very challenges which are being encountered in the airline industry (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010). This mainly includes competition from other market players, the economic recession and inflation (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010). Competition has not been easy with regard to the airline industry, the emergence of new airlines that offer high quality services and have great marketing strategies tend to outdo the current market players,. Competition in the airline industry also comes from already established airlines which control a huge market share which makes it hard to penetrate such markets. The completion is also witnessed with regard to the quality of the services offered by the airline (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010). The airline industry has been faced with economic challenges which have greatly reduced the number of its operations hence impacting on its revenue (Kegan 2010, par 5). The most traumatic event that struck the airline industry is the recent global economic recession which reduced the number of persons travelling by air, the economic recession did not only reduce the number of passengers travelling by air but also saw to it that airlines scale down their operations hence reducing the number of flights taking place globally (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010). The move to reduce the number flights and other operations was a very economic viable option since the cost of conducting such operations was outweighing the benefits considering the demand level in the market (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation 2010, pp 31). This means that the demand was too low hence impacting on the level of supplies i.e. the supply was too high compared to the demand, therefore in order to maintain the equilibrium level of the demand and supply chain the airlines had to cut down their operations level. The economic recession also made fuel prices to rise hence increasing the amount of funds used in operations (Stevenson 2010, pp 4). The airline industry also faced another main setback; the events of September 1999 really affected the income received from the airline industry (Stevenson 2010, pp 4, pp 4). The terrorist attack on the passenger plane made individuals worry about their safety while using the air as a means of transport (Stevenson 2010, pp, 4). Before this event the government intervention in the airline industry was very minimal but after this event, the governments started setting policies to regulate operations in the airline industry e.g. a third party insurance cover that will see to it that those affected n terrorist attacks and other accidents involving passenger planes are compensated accordingly (Stevenson 2010, pp. 5). The recently ended global economic recession saw to it that the price of crude oil increase hence forcing the airlines to increase the travel fare in order to cover for the huge costs incurred in operations costs such s the fuel costs. This also reduced the number of passenge rs travelling by air. This greatly impacted on the demand of services from the airline industry. The demand went down since the price increase in travel prices made customers to shy off and use alternative means of travel such as rail. This greatly reduced the revenue received by the airline industry (Stevenson 2010, pp 10). The changes in the economic status of persons around the globe resulted to a cost push inflation which saw operation costs in the airline industry go up due to increase in fuel prices and other thins such as plane maintenance and salaries to employees. Land transport services Apart from offering travel service by air means, virgin holiday offers inland travelling services by the use of trains and taxi cabs. However, the use of trains is not fully established in all the destinations that virgin holidays operate (Kegan 2010, par 5). The competition in this sector is very stiff, this is mainly because of the number of tour companies that offer services locally at a low price, and this greatly reduces the number of passengers who choose to travel by the use of virgin cabs and trains (Kegan 2010, par 5). This sector was also greatly challenged by the global economic recession; this is because of the high operation costs and low revenue generated. The increase in costs is mainly attributed to the rise in the fuel prices and energy prices and since these forms of transport depend on fuel and electricity it was hard to operate without the two (Kegan 2010, par 6). The main purpose for this part is to transport people from airports to accommodation facilities. Howe ver, in some countries it is used as a normal form of cab transport (Kegan 2010, par 6). Accommodation It is important to ensure that we analyze the accommodation part of the virgin holiday package. However, the two complement each other this is because the number of people accessing the accommodation services is directly proportional to the number of people using the transport services. The difference between the two is that they are affected by different business environments with regard to competition and the forces of demand and supply prevailing in the market (Kegan 2010, par 6). The accommodation sector of virgin holiday faces competition from well established hotels especially five star hotels and hotels offering conference services (Kegan 2010, par 6). The accommodation offered by virgin tour is limited to given extent, i.e. the accommodation offered is only to the extent of a place to stay and meals whereas there are other facilities offering additional services such as conference services. Even though the accommodation sector is autonomous from the travel sector, it greatly depends on the travel sector with regard to the number of passenger turnout and the class of passengers received by the airline (Kegan 2010, par 7). The global economic recession greatly affected the accommodation industry in an indirect manner and directly as well, this is mainly because the recession led to the decrease of the number of people travelling for holiday purposes but to a certain extent the number of people who are travelling for the sake of doing business (Kegan 2010, par 7). Since the two sectors are complementary, the decrease in the number of persons using the air as a means of transport greatly reduced the number of people who are accessing the accommodation services offered by the airline, this is majorly because the people who use the accommodation facilities offered by the airline are the passengers (Kegan 2010, par 7). There is also a decrease as a result of the global economic recession which was brought about by limited funds (Kegan 2010, par 9). During the recession, many people had to cut down on costs due to the low income but high prices of products and services, therefore many people had to reduce th e rate at which they access luxurious services and goods (Kegan 2010, par 9). The accommodation sector was also affected in terms of operation costs incurred, this is because of increased costs of products such as fuel and other effects needed to keep the accommodation facilities up to standards (Kegan 2010, par 8). Virgin holidays SWOT analysis Strengths The company has a very strong brand image that has enable it navigate through completion and establish itself in the global market. The fact that the virgin holiday is part of the large virgin group that is recognized to be a well managed company with dedicated managers who not only serve the market with new brands but also high quality brands. The company is also enjoying a high number of people using the virgin Atlantic as a means of air transport for cargo and passengers. The increase in the number of passengers in the travel sector has a positive effect to the number of people using the accommodation facilities hence increasing the revenue. Apart from a strong brand image and increase in the number of passengers, the company has a good strong asset and capital base. The company also keeps on enjoying high revenues throughout its financial periods Weaknesses Despite the fact that the company has been enjoying a good financial position and a strong brand image, it has been experiencing a decrease in its market share in the United States, Jamaica, India and china. This is mainly because due to increased competition from upcoming firs and already existing firms. The company is also not in better position to control the market since it has majored only in thirty locations whereas other competitors have as much 150 destinations worldwide e.g. The British airways and Thai airways Opportunities There has been an increase in the number of people travelling by air especially in the continent of Asia. There has been an increase in the number of passengers travelling by air in Asia due to increased economic activities in countries such as china and India. Virgin Atlantic as the main carrier for the virgin group has an established market in this area and hence stands a chance to increase the number of passengers using the airline and the accommodation services offered. Another great opportunity witnessed by virgin Atlantic is their partnership with All Nippon Airlines which has given virgin Atlantic the chance to carry passengers to Japan, this new initiative will enable virgin holidays to expand its services to this new location both travel and accommodation. Threats Virgin Atlantic is facing a scandal which could affect the position of virgin holidays in terms of consumer confidence and cash flow from the company (Kegan 2010, par 9). This is because the company is facing an allegation if proved to be true it may have adverse effects to the airline and the virgin group at large (Stevenson 2010, pp 11). This is after an investigation on price fixing was begun by the European Union and the United States department of justice to see whether the allegations that virgin Atlantic was involved are true (Stevenson 2010, pp 11). If the allegations are proved to be true, then they will be forced to pay a fine (Stevenson 2010). This will not only impact on the financial position of the company but also consumer confidence will be affected negatively (Stevenson 2010, pp 13). Another threat being experienced by the virgin holidays is the increase in the cost of fuel which affects the operation costs of the travelling department (Stevenson 2010, pp 17). This f orces the airline to increase the fare for travelling to different destinations hence decreasing the number of people using the travel services due to lack of sufficient funds or the thought that they are being exploited (Stevenson 2010, pp 17). In the world there have been terrorist attacks on airplanes for example the events of September 30th 1999 which saw planes get bombed by unknown terrorist, this inculcated fear into the hearts of people who use airplanes as a mode of transport hence reducing the number of consumers (Stevenson 2010, pp 17). Virgin Holidays PEST analysis A quick look at the political, social, economic, and technological environment surrounding the company shows nothing other than a series of changes that have affected the company with regard to the four aspects of life. Political Just like other institutions, virgin holidays operate in an environment with political changes and rules. The airline industry has experienced currently too much political interference and virgin is no exception (Butler 1998, par. 15). The event of September 30th 1999 saw the interference of the status of the airline industry by the governments so as to curb terrorism with regard to passenger planes (Butler 1998, par. 15). For example, the United States government issued a directive that forced all passenger and cargo planes to have a third party insurance cover which will enable the persons injured or dead in a plane due to the negligence of the owners to seek complete compensation (Butler 1998, par. 15). The virgin holidays has also witnessed political events in relation to the deregulation of the airline industry so as to let the fare prices be determined by forces of demand and supply instead of prices being fixed by the government (Butler 1998, par. 15). At the moment virgin hol idays is facing a great problem because of the laws enforced by political institution, the United States Department of Justice and the European Union are trying to look into an issue which virgin Atlantic is involved with regard to fixing of cargo transit prices (Butler 1998, par. 15). Economic The company has been affected by many changes in the economic aspect of life, for example the recently ended global economic recession which left the airline industry at a very bad position financially, the global economic recession lead to the decrease of the number of people using the air as a travelling mode since they had to look for cheaper means so as to fit to their current economic status (Camilla 2006, pp. 23). The economic recession also affected the accommodation sector since many people were trying as much as possible t access goods and services that will be costly to which is not favorable with the low income being received during the recession (Camilla 2006, pp. 23). The firm is also surrounded by many economic opportunities such as the funds to enable it expand its operations further just like other global airlines, this will to a great extent increase its revenue. The company is experiencing different economic situations with regard to geographical locations, for exam ple the demand for airline and travel services in Asia has greatly increased due to the increase in the amount of economic activities taking place in the continent compared to other continents (Camilla 2006, pp. 23). Social The social aspect of life is majorly concerned with the cultural beliefs of a given group of persons, since the company operates worldwide it should be able to operate in ach are in a way that syncs with the cultural beliefs of the people living in particular area (Paul 2000, pp 64). It is important for the company to maintain cultural practices of the society since it has a very positive impact, not only to the company but to the society at large, preservation of cultural practices can also be seen as a form of cooperate social responsibility (Paul 2000, 64). Technology The airline industries have utilized the availability of the internet as an investment ground. This is greatly characterized by the many advertisements and other information placed on the internet concerning the respective airlines. Airlines have resolved to market themselves through online websites that are believed to be commonly visited by their target markets. The airlines also develop their own websites which give information about the services that they offer and other activities conducted by the airlines. The airline industry also utilizes the current technology by making placements in movies and using celebrities to market their products and services. The availability of the internet as a major technology tool has also seen the introduction of online booking services. These services enable the consumers to book for a flight from anywhere in the world without having to physically visit the airlines offices to acquire the tickets. The use of the internet to advertise products a nd to offer booking services is a very brilliant since most people this days access the internet, this greatly creates consumer awareness of the products being offered by the airline (The Economist 2010, par 3). The using of online booking services attracts many consumers hence increasing the demand for air travel services; this is because it helps the customers to cut down on the costs they incur when it comes to booking expenses (The Economist 2010, par 3). Appendix SWOT analysis diagram SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses -Strong brand image -Increased passenger and cargo traffic -Strong financial position -Declining market share in key markets -Lack of scale Opportunities Threats -Expanding passenger traffic in Asia -Increase in trans-pacific cargo -Partnership with ANA -Cargo price-fixing investigation -Rising aviation fuel prices -Terrorist attacks and scares deter passengers from flying Virgin Holidays Economy Demand and supply Economic recession Technology Online Booking Travel agencies Social Corporate responsibility Cultural practices Political Deregulation Policies Source: Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation PEST analysis diagram TABLE 1: Top 25 Global Airlines Revenue 2006 Airline Lists 2006 Revenues (Million US) % Air France KLM 28,945.00 10.28 Lufthansa 24,903.70 8.85 AMR Corporation 22,563.00 8.02 Japan Airlines System Corporation 18,905.40 6.72 UAL Corporation 17,882.00 6.35 Delta Air Lines, Inc. 17,171.00 6.10 Continental AG 13,128.00 4.66 Northwest Airlines Corporation 12,568.00 4.47 All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. 11,765.80 4.18 US Airways Group, Inc. 11,557.00 4.11 British Airways Plc 10,654.60 3.79 Qantas Airways 10,272.20 3.65 Singapore Airlines Limited 9,119.30 3.24 Southwest Airlines Co. 9,086.00 3.23 Air Canada Inc 8,934.40 3.17 Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. 8,328.60 2.96 SAS Group 8,236.90 2.93 Cathay Pacific Airways Limited 7,823.80 2.78 Emirates Group 7,423.20 2.64 Iberia 6,473.80 2.30 Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. 5,927.50 2.11 Virgin Group 3,518.10 1.25 TAM S.A. 2,515.50 0.89 Air India 2,060.80 0.73 ExpressJet Holdings, Inc. 1,679.60 0.60 Total 281,443.20 100.00 Source: Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation Virgin Atlantics Airways British Airways British Midland Airways Continental Airlines American Airlines Delta Air Lines Founded 1984 1924 1949 1934 1930 1928 Parent Company Virgin Group British Airways plc BMI Continental AG AMR Corporation Delta Air Lines, Inc. Owner Virgin Group 51%, Singapore Airlines 49% n/a Sir Michael Bishop 50% , Lufthansa 30% ,SAS 20% n/a n/a n/a Head Office Crawley, England, United Kingdom London, United Kingdom Castle Donington, England, United Kingdom Houston, Texas Fort Worth, Texas Atlanta, Georgia Hubs London Heathrow Airport London Gatwick Airport London Heathrow Airport London Gatwick Airport London Heathrow Airport Manchester Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston) Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Miami International Airport Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Alliance ANA Oneworld Star Alliance SkyTeam Oneworld SkyTeam Number of Aircrafts As of Aug 2007 / 38 As of Sep 2007 / 235 As of Nov 2007 / 50 367 As of Aug 2007 / 653 As of Feb 2007 / 443 Destinations 30 222 51 292 158 332 Target Market Upper class and economy class n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Management Richard Branson (President) Stephen Murphy (Chairman) Steve Ridgway (CEO) Willie Walsh (CEO) Nigel Turner (CEO), Sir Michael Bishop (Chairman) Larry Kellner (CEO) Gerard Arpey (CEO) Richard Anderson (CEO) Edward Bastian (President) Employment Over 9000 42,755 4312 43,770 86,000 51,300 Fiscal Year End April March December December December December Number of Incidents and Accidents 3 7 2 19 29 13 Scheduled passenger services Offer Offer Offer Offer Offer Offer Cargo handling Offer Offer Offer Offer Offer Offer Aircraft maintenance Offer Offer None n/a n/a Offer Leisure travel services Offer Offer None Offer Offer Offer Source: Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation

Fields of Battle: The Wars for North America :: Essays Papers

Fields of Battle: The Wars for North America John Keegan, the author of Fields of Battle: The Wars for North America (334 pgs), is a very distinguished military historian. Keegan attended Oxford University, in England, his place of birth. He was Delmas Distinguished Professor of History at Vassar in fall 1997. He was a Fellow of Princeton University in 1984 and Lecturer in Military History at Cambridge, 1986-87. From 1960-1986 he was Senior Lecturer in Military History at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Since 1986 he has been Defense Editor of The Daily Telegraph. He was awarded the OBE in the Gulf War honors list, 1991. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and a Doctor of Laws of the University of New Brunswick. He is a Visitor of Hugh Sexey's Hospital, Bruton, and is a Trustee of the National Heritage Memorial and Heritage Lottery Funds. He was the BBC Reith Lecturer for 1998, and has lectured at countless other places around the world. John Keegan is also the aut hor of many other military-history books like The Face of Battle, The Second World War, Who’s Who in Military History, and A History of Warfare, to name a few. Despite being English, Keegan professes his love for America, but interestingly, not for Americans. Keegan says that he has visited America more than fifty times, whether for business or pleasure, but never even hints at having the desire to make the good ole’ U.S.A. his place of residence. Nonetheless, he certainly has a great knowledge of North America and its history of warfare. Fields of Battle: The Wars for North America is sort of a semi-autobiography of John Keegan’s life. At the beginning, end, and countless parts throughout the book, Keegan makes references to trips to America, his childhood conceptions of America, places he has lectured, famous people he met (Bill Clinton included), and old battlefields he has visited. The rest of the book contains very detailed accounts of the major battles fought on North American soil. This begins with the settling of North America by the British and French and their battle for dominance. Next, Keegan covers The Revolutionary War (or The War of Independence, as it is called in England). Then we are informed about the Civil War, wars against the native Indians, and finally about the invention of the airplane and its importance and effect on warfare in more recent years.