Wednesday, March 18, 2020

The Battle of the Falkland Islands - World War I

The Battle of the Falkland Islands - World War I The Battle of the Falklands was fought during World War I (1914-1918).  The squadrons engaged on December 8, 1914, off the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.  Following his stunning victory over the British at the Battle of Coronel on November 1, 1914, Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee turned the German East Asia Squadron for Valparaiso, Chile. Entering port, von Spee was compelled by international law to leave after twenty-four hours and first moved to Mas Afuera before heading to Bahia San Quintin. Assessing his squadrons situation, von Spee found that half his ammunition was expended and that coal was in short supply. Turning south, the East Asia Squadron set a course around Cape Horn and made for Germany. British Commanders Vice Admiral Doveton Sturdee2 battlecruisers3 armored cruisers2 light cruisers German Commanders Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee2 armored cruisers3 light cruisers Forces in Movement Pausing at Picton Island off Tierra del Fuego, von Spee distributed coal and allowed his men to go ashore to hunt. Departing Picton with the armored cruisers SMS Scharnhorst and SMS Gneisenau, the light cruisers SMS Dresden, SMS Leipzig, and SMS Nurnburg, and three merchant ships, von Spee planned to raid the British base at Port Stanley in the Falklands as he moved north. In Britain, the defeat at Coronel led to a rapid response as First Sea Lord Sir John Fisher assembled a squadron centered on the battlecruisers HMS Invincible and HMS Inflexible to deal with von Spee. Rendezvousing at the Abrolhos Rocks, the British squadron was led by a rival of Fishers, Vice Admiral Doveton Sturdee, and consisted of the two battlecruisers, the armored cruisers HMS Carnarvon, HMS Cornwall and HMS Kent, and the light cruisers HMS Bristol and HMS Glasgow. Sailing for the Falklands, they arrived on December 7 and entered the harbor at Port Stanley. While the squadron stood down for repairs, the armed merchant cruiser Macedonia patrolled the harbor. Further support was provided by the old battleship HMS Canopus which had been grounded in the harbor for use as a gun battery. von Spee Destroyed Arriving the next morning, Spee sent Gneisenau and Nurnberg to scout the harbor. As they approached they were surprised by fire from Canopus which was largely hidden from view by a hill. Had Spee pressed his attack at this point, he may have scored a victory as Sturdees ships were cooling and ill-prepared for battle. Rather, realizing he was badly out-gunned, von Spee broke off and headed for open water around 10:00 AM. Dispatching Kent to track the Germans, Sturdee ordered his ships to raise steam and set out in pursuit. Though von Spee had a 15-mile head start, Sturdee was able to use his battlecruisers superior speed to run down the tired German ships. Around 1:00, the British opened fire on Leipzig at the end of the German line. Twenty minutes later, von Spee, realizing he could not escape, turned to engage the British with Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in the hope of giving his light cruisers time to flee. Taking advantage of the wind, which caused the funnel smoke from the British ships to obscure the Germans, von Spee succeeded in striking Invincible. Though hit several times, the damage was light due to the ships heavy armor. Turning away, von Spee again attempted to escape. Detaching three of his cruisers to pursue Nurnberg and Leipzig, Sturdee pressed the attack on Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Firing full broadsides, the battlecruisers pummeled the two German ships. In an attempt to fight back, von Spee tried to close the range, but to no avail. Scharnhorst was put out of action and sank at 4:17, with von Spee aboard. Gneisenau followed a short time later and sank at 6:02. While the heavy ships were engaging, Kent succeeded in running down and destroying Nurnberg, while Cornwall and Glasgow finished off Leipzig. Aftermath of the Battle As the firing ceased, only Dresden succeeded in escaping from the area. The light cruiser evaded the British for three months before finally surrendering off the Juan Fernndez Islands on March 14, 1915. For the crew of Glasgow, one of the few surviving British ships that had fought at Coronel, the victory at the Falklands was particularly sweet. With the destruction of von Spees East Asia Squadron, commerce raiding by warships of the Kaiserliche Marine was effectively ended. In the fighting, Sturdees squadron suffered ten killed and 19 wounded. For von Spee, casualties numbered 1,817 killed, including the admiral and his two sons, as well as the loss of four ships. In addition, 215 German sailors (mostly from Gneisenau) were rescued and taken prisoner. Sources World War I Naval Combat: Battle of the FalklandsFirst World War: Battle of the FalklandsHistory of War: Battle of the Falklands

Monday, March 2, 2020

Helpful Examples of Intrapersonal Intelligence

Helpful Examples of Intrapersonal Intelligence Intrapersonal intelligence is one example of developmental psychologist Howard Gardners nine multiple intelligences. It explores how skillful people are at understanding themselves. Individuals who excel in this intelligence typically are introspective and can use this knowledge to solve personal problems. Psychologists, writers, philosophers, and poets are among those that Gardner views as having high intrapersonal intelligence. Howard Gardners Inspiration Howard Gardner is a professor of cognition and education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He uses the late English writer Virginia Woolf as an example of a person with a  high level of intrapersonal intelligence. He has noted how in her essay, A Sketch of the Past, Woolf discusses  the cotton wool of existence, or the various mundane events of life. She contrasts this cotton wool with three specific poignant childhood memories. The key point is not simply that Woolf is talking about her childhood; its that she is able to look inward, examine her innermost feelings, and articulate them. Many people struggle to identify their deepest feelings, let alone discuss them in a way that others can understand. Intrapersonal Intelligence Dates Back to Antiquity The Greek philosopher Aristotle, born 384 BC, was an example. He is widely credited as the first scholar to study logic. Along with Plato and Socrates, Aristotle was one of the founders of Western philosophy. His dedication to the study of reason required him to examine his own internal motivations, giving him great intrapersonal intelligence. Aristotles work would go on to make an impact on the 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. He was an existentialist who exemplified Gardners theory on existential intelligence. However, Nietzche also wrote about the forms of spiritual metamorphoses necessary to lead a meaningful life. His work would influence the novelist Franz Kafka, who wrote The Metamorphosis. This 1915 story is about  traveling salesman Gregor Samsa, who awakens to find himself transformed into an insect. But the story is really about Samsas deep, internal introspection. Another 19th-century thinker gifted with self-awareness is Walt Whitman, poet  and author of Leaves of Grass. Whitman and other writers, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau, were transcendentalists. Transcendentalism was a social and philosophical movement that surfaced during the 1800s. It emphasized the importance of the individual and was influenced by Plato. Intrapersonal Intelligence: The 1900s Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are celebrated as some of the greatest minds ever. But during the 20th century, that honor went to theoretical physicist Albert Einstein. One of historys greatest scientists, Einstein liked to spend time thinking during long walks. On these strolls, he thought deeply and formulated his mathematical theories about the cosmos and the way the universe works. His deep thinking sharpened his intrapersonal intelligence. Like Einstein, people with high intrapersonal intelligence are self-motivated, introverted, spend lots of time alone, and work independently. They also tend to enjoy writing in journals, which Anne Frank did during tragic circumstances. Before her 1945 death at age 15 during the Holocaust, she spent much of World War II hidden in an attic with her family. While in hiding, Anne wrote a diary detailing her hopes, desires, and fears in such a moving way that the journal remains one of the worlds most widely known books.   How to Enhance Intrapersonal Intelligence While some people seem to have an innate knack for intrapersonal intelligence, this skill can also be taught. Teachers can help students enhance and strengthen their intrapersonal intelligence by having them journal regularly and write reflections on the topics covered in class. They can also assign students independent projects and incorporate graphics like mind maps to help them organize their thoughts. Finally, just having students imagine themselves as an individual from a different time period can help them focus inward. Teachers and caretakers should take advantage of any opportunity available to inspire students to reflect on their feelings, what theyve learned, or how they might act in different contexts. All of these practices will help them to increase their intrapersonal intelligence. Sources Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. Paperback, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, November 6, 2018. Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass: The Original 1855 Edition. Dover Thrift Editions, Paperback, 1 edition, Dover Publications, February 27, 2007.

Friday, February 14, 2020

University education guaranties a successful professional career Essay

University education guaranties a successful professional career - Essay Example Walt Disney said, "All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them," and education is a tool which equips individuals with the power of knowledge coupled and the will to achieve success in the world. The primary reason why students opt for university education for the successful completion of the degree programs which are an important milestone in the academic achievements of students. The attainments of these programs enable students to establish themselves firmly on the path to an enterprising career.University education is the ideal way to achieve success as the achievement of good grades and a sound degree ensures the route to a successful career in future life. Achievement in academics tends to be the sole motive of students the world over and the aims of academic achievement are by and large similar in most educational organizations. Educators stress on the importance of academic achievement in university education, stating that it is the most crucial way o f establishing a student firmly on his path to a successful career. But, is that all Is that the only aim of university education No, it is not. There are a multitude of reasons why university education has gained such importance in today's world.Rational and logical thinking have always been associated with learned and educated people. Excellence in education opens the mind of students to think rationally about the issues surrounding life in any situation. As a result, a rational thinker tends display sensitivity towards the different perspectives on delicate issues. Education opens the mind of an individual to think about the issues surrounding life in any situation. A rational thinker tends display sensitivity towards the different perspectives on several issues and positive attitudes in life. Cultural sensitivity and the development of necessary skills can be attained by education. Education is indeed a powerful tool in the hands of students and has immense value in today's rapi dly changing global world. The aim of college or university education is not to merely gain bookish knowledge; it develops and enhances the ability of an individual to think and perceive the various situations that life offers. The cognitive development and progress of the mental ability due to education will obviously have a positive impact on the culture and society in which I co-exist. Thus, education ensures the social development of not only the individual but also the culture and society with which am closely related, enabling graduated and educated students to work towards a better tomorrow, not only for themselves but also the society in which they function. Educational institutions and educators can proudly claim to have achieved academic excellence when their students develop positive attitudes in life. The aim of academics is not to merely gain bookish knowledge; it develops and enhances the ability of an individual to think and perceive the various situations that life offers. The cognitive development and progress of the mental ability of the academician will obviously have a positive impact on the culture and society in which he/she survives. Thus, academic excellence ensures the social development of not only the individual but also the culture with which he/ she is closely related to. The primary drivers of academic achievement are the educators and the educational institutions. The role and importance of responsible families and parents, however, cannot be undermined. Edmunds (1979) pointed on the role of the teachers and their expectations in setting high standards for student accomplishments. There has to be a greater emphasis on making the student aware of the importance of reading and writing at all stages of learning. Regular feedback regarding the progress of the student, not only to the students but also the parents, is known to play an important factor in academic excellenc

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Sports Development and Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sports Development and Governance - Essay Example This paper analyses practices as well as challenges facing development as well as governance of sports in Russia. The Russian complete governmental leadership, educational, scientific, as well as medical assistance that is aimed at maximization of mass fitness as well as best performance in sport is guided by the organizational as well as the philosophical ideologies that were inherited from the former Soviet Union as well as the Tsarist Empire by the present day Russia. Governance refers to the manner in which bodies that govern get controlled as well as directed. The mechanism of governance, for instance organizational structure, formal documents, specify the manner in which power, rights, responsibility and authority are distributed amongst participants with an aim of monitoring performance as well as achieving goals. Good governance encompass several characterizes which include participatory, equitable and inclusive, responsive, and consensus orientation (Thomas, et al., 2008, P.12). A clear direction that aligns with the mission and vision for the organization. Russia did well in sports before the Soviet Union era. When the Soviet Union and this was due to the fact that at the time, organizations governing sports had a clear direction, which aligned with the vision and mission of the sports industry. Since 1998, soviet sport authorities directs a mass national spartakiards, which encompass more than the Olympic Games sports types. This has been improved on and on up to year 12011. The youth spartakiad of 2011 had 4 competition levels: individual educational institutions, regional an municipal levels, then culminating at national levels. Preparations for Olympics begins 5 years earlier preparation plans for athletes integrate training programmes, training calendars and medal objective. These plans of things show a clear direction

Friday, January 24, 2020

Government Regulation of Video Game Violence is Unconstitutional and Un

â€Å"Breaking news tonight at 11, three students dead, several wounded after manic depressed teen lashes out with a handgun†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Americans serve witness in recent decades to this scary yet familiar occurrence. The cause of this familiar scene is minors suffering from social disorders and aggression. The major focus of blame is the entertainment industry including television, movies, books, and recently video games. The state of California decided to address the concern of video game violence by passing a law banning minors from purchasing games that are considered â€Å"violent†. However, the law is unconstitutional and unnecessary. The law is simple: any game that humanoid characters are maimed, killed, or tortured is considered violent. Labels that clearly state 18 must be placed on all games falling under this definition. The law requires that any individual purchasing a game in this category must provide proof of age. Additionally, retailers must obtain proof of age before selling the game or face fines. The law’s purpose is to protect minors from games that contain violence. Unfortunately, the California law ignores the Constitution. The First Amendment covers minors’ rights to obtain video games, because the games enjoy the same protections granted to other forms of protected speech. Carmen Hoyme (2004), notes in the First Amendment Law Review that since video games share properties that other protected media forms have, the same protections are extended to video games and restrictions affecting minors' access are allowable due to incitement (pp. 318-385). Holning Lau (2007), writing in the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, explains that minors have the right to obtain expressions protected by the First A... ...Freedom of expression and interactive media: video games and the first amendment. University of North Carolina School of Law First Amendment Law Review, 2(377), 377-402. Retrieved September 22, 2014 www.lexis.com Lau, H. (2007). Pluralism: a principle for children’s rights. Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, 42(317), 317-372. Retrieved September 22, 2014 www.lexis.com O'Holleran, J. (2010). Student note: blood code: the history and future of video game censorship. Journal on Telecommunications & High Technology Law, 8, 571-612. Retrieved September 22, 2014 www.lexis.com Wood, R. (2009). Violent video games: more ink spilled than blood - an analysis of the 9th circuit decision in video software dealers association v. schwarzenegger. Texas Review of Entertainment and Sports Law, 10, 103-121. Retrieved September 22, 2014 www.lexis.com

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Different arguments of civil society by katy pace

Different arguments of civil society by katy pace BY Tuni127 Katie Pace Civil Society and its Definitions While generally acknowledged to consist of privately formed social organizations, civil society remains an ambiguous conception prone to diverse interpretations. As a Western idea, first made famous by Alexis de Tocqueville in his analysis of American democracy, its application worldwide and in nations with differing social, religious, economic and political backgrounds has created debate about what civil society is and how civil society influences or is influenced by government.Tocqueville first presented civil society to the West as voluntary, non-political social organizations that strengthen democracy preventing a tyranny of the majority. Associations, which can be â€Å"religious, moral, serious, futile, general or restricted, enormous or diminutive†, protect diversity by uniting equal but weak individuals into powerful groups. These associations prevent the fragmenta tion of society by forcing men to consider the affairs of others and to work with their neighbors.According to Tocqueville, the equality and individualism fostered by democracy convince men that hey need nothing from nor owe anything to their neighbors; thus, without civil society, they would isolate themselves from the community. Finally, Tocqueville argues that civil society fosters the social norms and trust necessary for people to work together and teaches individuals to appreciate and effectively use their liberties. Consequently, civil society promotes democracy and checks despotism.Many Western writers wholeheartedly accepted Tocqueville's definition of civil society. In both his book, Making Democracy Work, and his article, Tuning In, Tuning Out: The Strange Disappearance of Social Capital in America, Robert Putnam treats ivil society, also called social capital, as â€Å"features of social life- networks, norms and trust- that enable participants to act together more effec tively to pursue shared objectives†. Putnam argues that social capital influences citizen engagement in the community, which in turn influences government.A developed civil society is necessary for democracy to work well, for it relies on and develops the trust among individuals and the leadership skills necessary for a representative government. The author of the Solitary Bowler agrees that â€Å"the association-forming habit† is â€Å"the stuff if civil society'. His discussion of the decline of civil society in America is based on his Tocquevillean definition of civil society as a network of voluntary associations.Though the author acknowledges that American civil society may simply be undergoing metamorphosis and not disappearing, he holds fast to his Western view by drawing the reader's attention to new types of voluntary associations which fit snuggly into his definition. The article, Bowling Alone, also focuses on new forms of social capital, but it does not red efine social capital. Other writers question Tocqueville's definition and analysis of civil society.In his article, The Importance of Being Modular, Ernest Gellner agrees that civil society is â€Å"that set ot diverse non-governmental institutions, which is strong enough to counterbalance the state†¦ whilst not preventing the state from fulfilling its role of keeper of the peace and arbitrator between major interests†. However, he argues that this definition is deficient because it includes elements of plural societies that should not be considered examples of civil society.Gellner says a nation can have â€Å"a plural, non-centralized, but socially oppressive society' in which social order is aintained by local, kin-defined, religious and stifling rituals that leave no room for individual autonomy. Therefore, civicness cannot be determined by pluralism. Once must narrow the definition of civil society and take a closer look at a society's associations to see if they f all within the new definition. Sheri Berman attacks the traditional conception of civil society in, Civil Society and the Collapse of the Wiemar Republic. Prior to the nazi's rise to power, Germany society was a plethora of social institutions.Due to the lack of responsive national government and political parties, hese associations fragmented society instead of uniting it. Consequently, in an â€Å"inversion of neo-Tocquevillean theory', civil society weakened and eventually destroyed the Weimar Republic, replacing a democracy with a totalitarian regime. Consequently, Berman argues that associations should be considered â€Å"a politically neutral multiplier, dependent for its effects on the wider political context†. Once the concept of civil society was applied to the East, more objections were thrown at it.In his article, Orientalism, Islam and Islamists, Bryan Turner discusses the role of elativism and ethnocentrism in western analysis of Middle Eastern society. Turner d efines the Western viewpoint of civil society as â€Å"that network of institutions which lies between the state and individual and which simultaneously connects the individual to authority and protects the individual from total political control. † The West assumes that civil society is the main indication of social progress from a state of nature to one of civilization and from despotism to democracy.Defined by the West, despotism exists where â€Å"civil society is either absent or underdeveloped†. The estern concept of civil society is based on in individualism; thus, the West assumes there is â€Å"no established tradition of legitimate opposition to arbitrary governments in Islam† because Islam is â€Å"devoid of individual rights and individuality'. However, the West ignores similarities between Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Furthermore, the West accepts Islam's lack of social capital as the cause of its political instability and fails to examine othe r possibilities.Eva Bellin also questions the application of Tocqueville's civil society to eastern studies in her work, Civil Society: Effective Tools of Analysis for Middle East Politics?. Bellin argues that the term itself has a range of definitions. The West has applied this ambiguous term to the Middle East and determined that the region is â€Å"inhospitable to civil society'. Yet, the West ignores the use of the term by Middle Easterners themselves. Leaders call on civil society to promote projects of modernization. Islamists employ the concept to gain influence in the public sphere. Intellectuals use the term to increase individual liberty.Thus, civil society acquires elements of â€Å"secularism, citizenship, civisme, civility, civil iberties†, most of which would destroy despotism. Bellin concludes from this that the West should not dismiss the existence of civil society in the Middle East. Samu Zubaida also urges proponents of civil society to reexamine its defini tion in his article, Islam, the State and Democracy. He defines two concepts of civil society. The first, a secular-liberal definition, conceives ot civil society as voluntary associations that â€Å"foster individual autonomy and provide experience in the exercise of social and political rights and responsibilities†.For such associations to exist, the state must ithdraw from economic and associational life while creating â€Å"legislation and institutional mechanisms which provide the framework of rights and obligations for these spheres†. The second definition of civil society is an Islamic-communal definition that conceives of civil society as an â€Å"informal network of relationships† whose focus is property and business. Finally, Ibn Khaldun provides a conception of civil society that, while written long before debates about social capital began, could enlighten the West about civil society in the East.In The Maquaddimah, Khaldun's ivil society is based on group feeling and religion. A leader acquires power and a society acquires stability if the community is bonded by feelings of kinship and common descent and by connections between clients and allies. Religion strengthens these bonds by eliminating Jealousy and discord as the community focuses its energy on important goals. Group feeling can exist in harmony with an absolute ruler and its lack can destroy an empire, rendering a community vulnerable to outside control. The different approaches to civil society outlined above leave the reader with two pposing definitions of civil society.The first is a Tocquevillean definition in which civil society and democracy are assumed to complement each other. The second is a Middle Eastern definition in which civil society does not consist of formal groups whose existence is designed to achieve specific goals. Civil society is instead a series of informal relationships based on religious, familial and clientele connections that can and do exi st under undemocratic governments, for they are entirely beyond the government's sphere. These relationships have existed throughout Islamic history and continue to exist today.