Creative Story: Death Cload :: essays research papers

Creative Story: Death Cload 2100 hours, Captain James S. Steward of the United States Air Force straps on his G-suit and goes over his mission briefings one last time. He walks out into the hanger and awaits his chariot. The SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest plane in the world with it's twin turbine engines and slick black radar absorbent skin make him a flying shadow in the air. His mission, to fly a covert reconnaissance mission over Moscow, the heart of the USSR Intelligence believe that the Russians have a build up of nuclear missile silos around the capitol. With the Cuban missile crisis at hand, the United States cannot let their guard down on a sneak attack from the Communists. "Another suicide-run," says Captain Steward to his flight maintainer. "Yes, sir," replies the private. Captain Steward squeezes into his cockpit seat like a sardine in a can. Little switches, gauges, and buttons embellish the cockpit, each with a crucial part in flying the aircraft. "Ready to rock n' roll." Steward pulls the Blackbird out of the hanger like a cumbersome Oldsmobile, but only this special Oldsmobile can travel over twice the speed of sound undetected by enemy radar. With a push of the throttle the twin-turbine engines roar with authority. The bird takes flight disappearing into the night skies evanescently. The only sign that it exists is the trademark sonic boom as it passes the sound barrier. After approximately seven hours flight time and two in-flight re-fuelings, the Blackbird reaches its destination, Moscow, Russia. The thermal imaging camera, located in the bird's hull, depicts the radioactivity from nuclear silos as bright yellow and orange blobs on the terrain. The images show seas of yellow throughout Moscow. The city resembles a giant missile base up and operational. Captain Steward pulls a 180 and heads for home with sick eerie feeling in his stomach. After a long comprehensive study of the recon images, the United States order an increase in their production of their nuclear missiles to counter- attack any offensive the Russians have planned. Silos sprout like weeds throughout the United States and the President gave the order for Defcon 2. The country falls in a state of panic, as they slip one step closer to a nuclear holocaust. On the other side of the Atlantic, the USSR notices the nuclear build up in the United States. In fear of an preemptive strike, the Communist fuel and prepare their birds just in case. This pre-war act resembles a chess game; one side makes and move and the other counters it until both sides end up killing

Airframe :: essays research papers

Airframe For unknown reasons, the almost flawless N-22 Norton aircraft suffers severe turbulence during TPA flight 545. As a result of three fatalities and fifty-six injuries, a spiral of investigations, terrible apprehensions, and horrible threats plague the Norton Aircraft Plant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From the first page, the seemingly dull plot of Airframe grabs the reader’s attention. With political trouble in the plant, a deadline for the investigation, and rumors of mutiny, the novel is filled with action along with a precise measurement of suspense. Crichton, one of my favorite authors, plans his novels superbly timing the chapters at the pinnacle of the action. By this method of writing, it was difficult to stop reading, which is the signature of an excellent book. It is one of the most interesting and intriguing novels I have ever read. Like most other Michael Crichton novels, it is extremely technical, yet, also thoughtfully written. This combination of plot and description is what makes all of Crichton’s novels so great. The technical description brings imagery and realism to the novel, while the plot’s twists and turns help to create suspense. The way Crichton writes gives the reader very detailed and vivid scenes, as seen in this random quote: “Mechanics in Melbourne noted that the fuel coupling was bent on the right wing, and the adjacent slats locking pin was slightly damaged. This was thought to have been caused by ground personnel in Java during the previous fuel stop.'; (pg. 149). As well as the writing, the characters were also a major factor in this novel. Unlike characters in most other novels, these actually seemed like real people. Crichton develops his characters giving them each individual attributes, emotions, and personalities. Also unlike most other characters, they were not totally perfect, and on the other hand, they were not totally flawed. They were human, and that was what allowed the reader to identify with them. Although good character development is expected from a talented and professional writer, it still amazes me how real they seem and how well they interact.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The page that I chose to photocopy, is the beginning of the conclusion. It is the end of the investigation, and Casey Singleton, the protagonist of the novel, is about to uncover what really happened on TPA flight 545. Along with her, is Jennifer, a reporter for “Newsline,'; on a task to unravel the secrets of the doomed flight.

Humanities nature vs nurture Essay

Some people believe nature is more influential. Got example in the case of the Jim twins. They were separated at birth and around 30 years later they discovered each. It showed that throughout the years they had not known each they had made a lot of similar decisions. Their kids had the same name, the same car and wives were the same. This proves that your genetics play a vital part into the choices you make as you go older. On the other hand some people nurture plays more of a part in the way we act as we grow older. For example Kamala and Amala. These were children who were brought up my wolves. Whether our inborn characteristics are more responsible in our resultant personality or any experiences we will make, has been the topic of discussion among scientists under the title of â€Å"Nature vs Nurture† for years. Biologists believe that the only factor behind individual’s personality is his genome. In contrast, socio-biologists argue that the environment and experiences that one gains during his life, build his personality. I am inclined to believe that the traits we are born with are more responsible genetically in building human’s personality. Some cases of children who were left in the wilderness and raised with wild animals indicate the significance of mothering–nurturing. When those isolated children were found, they were unable to speak language, even a word, and their behaviors were not unlike animals’. If they were born with a special ‘innate’ ability which enables, nativists believe, children to magically acquire everything from language to social manner at ease, why not these wild children failed to acquire the custom of human society? One tragic experiment conducted by a German king proves that one’s language, one type of the intelligence, is not naturally acquired, but learned after years of exposure. The King hoped to find out what language a child would speak if not being told any language after birth. The result was disastrous: All infants who were the subject of this experiment died before the first year, not acquiring any language at all. If human being’s intelligence were really genetically determined, all cases mentioned above would never happen. With the innate property which they are given from birth, they should’ve been able to have proper behavior and speak language without any external help. Unfortunately, that is not true. After a few years of a good mothering, human beings become independent and mature, so their intelligence does. Therefore, ‘nurture’ is a more significant factor in human’s intelligence.

History and counseling psychology Essay

When we study human behavior, specifically focusing on the development of personality and crucial to how a person or individual conducts him/herself, psychology offers a variety of dimensions. The concept of personality is central to our attempt to understand ourselves and others and is part of the way in which we account for the differences that contribute to our individuality. Psychologists have been particularly concerned with shaping of the personality in relation to genetic and environmental influences. We have been fortunate that the study of human personality has been thriving and fruitful. We can choose from as many models we can to help us see ourselves better and maintain good relationships (Fall et al. , 2003). Behavior is described and analyzed. On this basis, an attempt to predict behavior is possible, and although this may not thoroughly and completely be accomplished in some endeavors, the basic understanding then is that there are certain expectations concerning how any person would act or decide upon things that are within his conscious awareness. Psychology is of great importance to man since psychological problems are common to group relations, in whatever framework a person or group of individuals come from (Fall et al. , 2003). Black, feminist, and cross-cultural psychologies depart from traditional psychology as these are expansions of the classic approaches but are reflective of more distinct and culturally sensitive perspectives that need to be incorporated. The relevance of integrating such approaches is timely since these have never been thought of before as pertinent hence, timely implementation of these theoretical perspectives is then appreciated (Fall et al. , 2003; Hamm, 1989). It is by separately labeling and providing a distinct area for each of these approaches much the same as their predecessors, and pointing to their current applications that makes this incorporation in the new course interesting and exciting. Due to the increasing technological breakthroughs, communication has never before as quick or speedy and as available as it is now, implying the accessibility of the approaches being introduced as readily as possible. The internet is a visible proof for this fact. At one’s fingertips, materials can be had that even very remote villages or cities in third world countries may be able to see the relevance of the approaches according to their contexts (Hamm, 1989). With this in mind, the application of these viewpoints in one’s role as teacher involves a deeper understanding in those populations that are particularly addressed in the theoretical viewpoints provided (Gloria & Lewis, 1986). As a practitioner on the other hand, the new set of formally accepted perspectives enhances one’s profession in a sense that a new way of looking at individuals and their culture are acceptable already and thus is a welcome addition to the depth of knowledge and insights of human behavior (Aguirre & Turner, 1995; Boisnier, 2003).

PR theory Essay

The article Power Over, Power With, and Power to Relations: Critical Reflections on Public Relations, the Dominant Coalition, and Activism by Bruce K. Berger (2005) talks about the â€Å"Dominant Coalition† in the Public Relations (PR) world. It focuses on a theory that the dominant coalition is a major influence in making organisational decisions, but not much is known about the things that go on inside the dominant coalition’s tight and limited â€Å"inner circle† (Berger 2005: 6). With a total of 21 interviews from PR men and women, Berger (2005) got an insider’s point of view of the dominant coalition in the PR world, showing the intertwined relationships and problems encountered in it. Some of the problems prevent PR practitioners from doing the â€Å"right† thing despite knowing the right thing to do (Berger 2005: 6). The author argues that in order for PR to have a significant use for the population at large, those involved in the business have to accept that activism could be the best means to achieve this (Berger 2005). The main point of this article is the dominant coalition and its role in public relations. A public relations practitioner’s decision making is thought to be geared towards the right thing once he or she has become a member of the dominant. However, the author argues that the complex happenings inside the dominant coalition make it difficult for practitioners to really do the right thing even if they want to (Berger 2005: 6). Berger (2005) provides six propositions based on interviews with 21 public relations executives. To recapitulate his first section, the author provides a summary at the end. This is an important feature of every article. In the summary, Berger reiterates the role of the dominant coalition in PR theory and the reason why PR managers should be part of the dominant coalition. As managers, they should have an influence over what goes on in their organisation, and when or if they do get inside, it has always been thought that they always do the right thing for everyone concerned with the organisation. The rest of the paper is therefore an attempt to confirm whether this assumption is true or not, and more importantly, the article aims to draw a picture of the complex world of the dominant coalition (Berger 2005). In trying to open up the dominant coalition, Berger (2005) has come up with 6 Propositions based on interviews . Proposition 1 breaks the myth about the existence of one coalition per organisation. Berger’s (2005) interviews reveal that there is almost certainly more than one dominant coalition per company. Proposition 2 reveals that venues constantly change from formal to informal. Proposition 3 shows that the absence of the leader poses a lot of trouble. Proposition 4 answers whether decisions by the dominant coalition are always final—they are not. Proposition 5 suggests that the coalition may value the opinion of public relations but almost always demand some kind of press release. Lastly, Berger’s (2005) sixth proposition states that PR professionals are also subject to the pressures of organisational compliance. All of these propositions are of course relative to Berger’s interpretation of the interviews he has gathered. The author has merely expressed his answers and opinions regarding the dominant coalition in Public Relations. However, being an expert in the field of PR, he has every right to publish his work because the people he has interviewed are or were from the world of Public Relations. The article serves its intended purpose—to open the dominant coalition in PR theory to the readers. The author has provided six propositions that give a glimpse of what really goes on inside the closed doors of the dominant coalition. Sources are numerous and credible, which may be interpreted as overkill by some critics but nevertheless effective. List of Reference Berger, B. K. (2005) ‘Power Over, Power With, and Power to Relations: Critical Reflections on Public Relations, the Dominant Coalition, and Activism. ’ Journal of Public Relations Research [online] 17, (1) 5–28. Informaworld. [4 May 2009]

Red Cliff and Early Chinese Notions

Red Cliff and Early Chinese Notions Introduction The philosophies of early Chinese thinkers differ greatly from the mindset of modern day philosophers. The four major philosophies of China, Confucianism, Mohism, Taoism and Legalism arose primarily during the Warring States era from 475 BC to 221 BC. Following the end of the Qin Dynasty and the fall of Qin Shi Huang, Confucianism became the dominant philosophical school in China.Confucianism represented the teachings of Chinese philosopher, Confucius, concerning the fields of ethics and politics and emphasizes on personal and government morality, humaneness and one’s duty to family and society. Following the popularity of Confucianism and the death of Confucius, the creation of The Analects or Lunyu , was written by Confucius’ followers and disciples in the Warring States period. His teachings were the first to introduce the concept of meritocracy which considers that one’s status in society should not be determi ned by ancestry, wealth, or friendship but rather on education and one’s character.Confucius also explores notions on human nature and self cultivation and the purpose of human existence. This paper will focus on early Chinese philosophies of the relationship between the individual and the state and the relationship between man and nature with references and examples from the film, Red Cliff. The Relationship between the Individual and the State The three core concepts of Confucianism, â€Å"filial devotion (xiao), humaneness (ren), and ritual decorum (li)† (Sources of Chinese Tradition, p. 3) embed the behavioural standards and expectations of how a person should practice these virtues. Furthermore, the three essential values integrate into Confucius’ views on government as well. Filial piety practiced within one’s family translates into how much one is willing to give to society which results in the stability of a state. Humaneness observes the importan ce of a ruler treating his people as how he would want to be treated if he were in their position. In Confucius’ perspective, ritual offers a sense of respect s rites are a mean of expression of a leader’s morality and also â€Å"encourages a sense of dignity and responsiveness among the people† (Sources of Chinese Tradition, p. 43). Filial piety ? is considered the most fundamental of all Confucian teachings. The term can have a broad meaning that not only includes the obedience a child must show for his parents but also respect that should be shown to the living and dead. Filial piety develops into five relationships: ruler to ruled, father to son, husband to wife, elder brother to younger brother, and friend to friend.When subjects respect their ruler and the ruler respects the Heavens, the state will in turn thrive and prosper. From The Analects, Confucius states, â€Å"If a ruler himself is upright, all will go well without orders. But if he himself is not upright, even though he gives orders they will not be obeyed†. The concept of filial piety is displayed in many different ways in the film, Red Cliff. Because of the compassion and brotherhood the southern warlord, Liu Bei, has shown towards his subjects, they were prepared to sacrifice their lives for him and the state.Because Liu Bei has treated his ministers and warriors with respect, as a result, they willingly followed his leadership. Conversely on Cao Cao’s side, his subjects were obedient towards him but only because they were afraid of him. They know not to trust Cao Cao because of his apprehensive and suspicious character that could result in impulsive decisions to kill anyone without any reason or justification. Loosely quoted from Zhuge Liang, â€Å"Although Cao Cao leads a large army, the majority surrendered to him so they are not as trustworthy. † He has not shown humaneness ? o his subjects, therefore they were not motivated to fight for him. Anot her example of filial piety and the relationship between the individual and the state is displayed through Xiao Qiao’s decision to cross over to Cao Cao’s camp in order to buy time for the Southerners. Her duty to her husband and the state required her to forsake her personal interests including her life, her child’s life, and her relationship with her husband, for the greater good. â€Å"This is our home. Our people gladly give their lives for her sake. How can I stand idly by. † – Xiao Qiao (Red Cliff II, 2009)Many Western philosophers may not understand and argue that the Chinese philosophy of individualism emphasizes on one’s connection to external powers of authority rather than total independence and creativity. However the Chinese tradition is not about conforming each person’s ideas and sacrificing oneself for society, it â€Å"focuses on the individual as a vitally integrated element within a larger familial, social, politic al, and cosmic whole† (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Brindley). The core meaning of individualism is the thought of one’s self cultivation and the moral obligation to society and the importance of public service.This definition leads to the term junzi which simply means the ideal of becoming the â€Å"perfect man† who â€Å"combines the qualities of saint, scholar, and gentleman†. The two most prominent examples of a junzi in the film are Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang. Zhou Yu’s forgiving nature allows him to achieve a greater good for his people when he chose to pardon his friend’s action of siding with Cao Cao. He did not choose to kill him when his childhood friend tried to convince him to surrender to Cao Cao but instead tolerated his friend’s disloyal character.On the other hand, Zhuge Liang is a good representation of a junzi as he uses his moral autonomy to help the people. Because he knows clearly what is right and wrong, he combines his intelligence with righteousness to convince others of accepting his strategies as an advisor. In conclusion, both having filial piety and being a junzi are two of the ways the early Chinese believe an individual can contribute back into society. In the film Red Cliff, the underlying moral of the story relates back to these two themes whether it is in the form of brotherhood, husband and wife or a leader and his subjects.The Relationship between Man and Nature The relationship between man and nature in classical Chinese philosophy can be characterized as the â€Å"relation of Heaven and man† or the fundamental concept of â€Å"tienren he yi† . The academic aim of Chinese thinkers was to educate the people on this philosophy. As quoted from Sima Qian stating the purpose of his work Records of the Grand Historian, â€Å"I want to hereby elucidate the relation of Heaven and man, to discern its historical development from Past to Present, and to state my disti nctive views. After the middle period of the Warring States, classical thinkers strongly emphasized the relation of Heaven and man. When Confucius speaks about the â€Å"Mandate of Heaven† and when Mozi talks about the â€Å"Will of Heaven†, they are ultimately referring to nature as Heaven being the supreme entity of the world, above all kings and all sources of power. However this philosophy was divided into two sides, one highlighting the unity between man and nature and the other putting much emphasis on the separation of the two.Nevertheless, the doctrines supporting the unity of man and nature was more influential and accepted more widely as the thought of stressing on the separation of the two was only held by a minority. Therefore it can be assumed that most Chinese philosophers place high social values on peace and harmony and the idea of â€Å"unity of nature and man†. To the Chinese, the relationship between humans and nature was regarded as reciproca ls. Heaven, earth, and man represented a single unity governed by the cosmic law or dao.Mencius, the most famous of Confucius’ followers, thought of Heaven as the highest order in which even the emperor or â€Å"Son of Heaven† should obey. Reinstating the idea of the hierarchy of respect Mencius states that †¦when the personal life is cultivated, the family will be regulated; when the family is regulated, the state will be in order; and when the state is in order, there will be peace throughout the world. From the Son of Heaven down to the common people, all must regard the cultivation of personal life as the root or foundation.Mencius believed that a person’s moral self is the basis of having a harmonized society. And in order for a leader to earn the respect and support of his subjects, he must first respect the Heavens. Since humans are an integral part of nature, man should also obey the laws of nature. According the Mencius, human nature is given by He aven, therefore the two are interconnected. In Confucian thinking, the meaning of Heaven or nature has a variety of aspects, including the sky, weather, the natural order, and also a moral order. One of Confucius’ disciples Xunzi quotes â€Å"tian as a atural order, operating according to unchanging principles, not intervening in extraordinary ways in human affair but, rather, providing the context within which all living things exist† (Sources of Chinese Tradition, p. 170). Other Confucians also adopted the idea of oneness of Heaven and man. â€Å"All things exist together, and they do not harm each other; all ways exist together, and they do not come into conflict† – Zhongyong (Doctrine of the Mean). In the film Red Cliff, an example of acting out against nature or Heaven can be seen from Cao Cao’s perception of the war.When Cao Cao tells Zhou Yu that he cannot believe he lost the war because of the wind, Zhou Yu replies him, â€Å"Because you d on’t understand the Will of Heaven. † The meaning of this phrase can be seen as having two connotations. The first, because Cao Cao did not understand the patterns of the weather, he was unable to predict the time when the wind was going to change directions. The second significance has a more profound undertone in which Zhou Yu means that Cao Cao did not recognize the natural order wherein society should follow under harmonized principles that the Heavens intended (tian yi, . Because Cao Cao always thought he was responsible for bringing together all the states as an order of the Emperor, he could not see past his own greed and ambitions. He perceived the war as child’s play and disrupts peace in the country to achieve his goal of total dominance. His belief of unifying the states contradicts the early philosophers’ notions of all things existing in harmony and having self cultivation and moral order as the true â€Å"Will of Heaven†. ConclusionIn conclusion, one can see that classical Chinese philosophers developed ideas that are rarely seen in Western philosophies. The Chinese philosophies characterize how fundamental they perceive moral principles and self cultivation as the basis of society. Essentially, these notions relate to the promotion of human relations towards a harmonious society through its inclusiveness of Heaven, Earth, and Human order. Reference List De, Bary William Theodore, Irene Bloom, Wing-tsit Chan, Joseph Adler, and Richard John Lufrano.Sources of Chinese Tradition. New York: Columbia UP, 1999. Print Hagop Sarkissian. â€Å"Individualism in Early China: Human Agency and the Self in Thought and Politics (review). † Philosophy East and West 62. 3 (2012): 408-410. Project MUSE. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. . Red Cliff Chi Bi. Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2008. DVD â€Å"Theories Concerning Man and Nature in Classical Chinese Philosophy. † CHAPTER I. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. .

Proposal On Deca Commissary Sign in Procedure Assignment

Proposal On Deca Commissary Sign in Procedure - Assignment Example There will be also an enhancement of recognition as all the people that will be signing in, the system will contain their data, and hence, improve the efficiency and security at Deca commissary (Markel, 2012, p. 184). The electronic system of signing in to work will promote the professional growth at the Deca commissary. For instance, the system, such as the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System will go a long way in verifying the status of all the people or customers and hence will grant them the access what is in the commissary, such as the promotional prices. This, in essence, will boost the professional growth of the commissary. The system will ensure there is no going against the policy, hence, promoting the professionalism of the commissary. The electronic system will also ensure those entering the commissary ensure they uphold professionalism. Furthermore, the electronic system of signing-in will ensure there is the connectedness of all the departments and employees within the commissary. This is possible by having the data time of each department and employees, and hence, it will be easy to have the data of all employees through electronic means. Therefore, this paper will embark on the problems of the current honor system of signing in and the possible solutions unto them. There exist several problems of using the current system of signing in, in which case it entails writing downtime in books, especially when writing the time of entering the commissary and time of leaving the commissary. One of the problems that such a system poses is the security threat. Security is remarkably crucial for all the employees that work in the commissary, including the whole of commissary and its properties.