Friday, November 29, 2019

Fires In Western States Essays - Montana, , Term Papers

Fires In Western States Authorities warned Montana residents Monday to follow evacution orders as fires continue to ravage Westen States and creep closer towards ancient artifacts. Ravalli county Sheriff Perry Johnson expected further evacuation as a result of Montana's 19 major fires that burned about73 buildings, officials said Hohnson told people to move livestock and be prepared to get out. Fire teams spokesman Don Ferguson said the 5000-acre contained by evenning and remained a president threat to archaeologial sight. Fires triggered evacuationsSouth of Helena, and another that burned previously close to interstate 15 south of the city closing part of the route, 65 major fires were burnign more than 826800 acres. President Clinton plans to vist an Idaho wildlife on Tuesday for a first-hand assessment of what has been called the worst fire in 50 years. Officials said Clinton wants to thank firefighters and soldiers for their work protecting homes and valuables natural resources. Fires burned on both side of Montana's sceniic Bitterroot valley on monday. Some residents have fled under orders for mandatory evacuation, and others have chosen to leave on their own just North of Hamiltonpeople wouldn't leave unless absolutely had to. The area of Soth Western Montana grew considerably in the 1990s, swellilng with urban expatriates eager for Montana retreat a long home nested in the forest with snow capperd mountains on the horizon, now many of the mountains are charred, and the trees next to the homes are potential torches. Bibliography Time Magazine Newspapers Current Events

Monday, November 25, 2019

Sample Page Essays - Crossword, Puzzles, Free Essays, Term Papers

Sample Page Essays - Crossword, Puzzles, Free Essays, Term Papers Sample Page Name___________________________________ Date___________ 1) How well do you know these facts? Write your answers. Practice those you do not know well? 6 48 5 35 8 40 9 54 9 81 12 24 8 64 7 35 5 30 6 24 9 72 6 36 9 45 9 63 6 X 4 = 8 X 6 = 7 X 9 = 8 X 4 = 9 X 3 = 7 X 4 = 7 X 7 = 6 X 7 = 8 X 7 = 8 X 8 = 2) Find each quotient. Then write your answers in the crossword puzzle below. ACROSS DOWN 12 ) 852 2 ) 372 3 ) 987 5 ) 765 3 ) 138 5 ) 95 3) Read and think. Show how you solved each problem. Self check your answers. There were 48 children from classes 5-316 and 5-324 going on a trip to the Childrens Museum. They were going by mini-van. Each van can fit only 8 students. How many mini-vans did they need? Mary worked in the school library. She earned a total of $168.00 for 3 days. She worked the same amount of hours each day. How much did she earn each day? The teacher purchased tickets for the class to go to see Fantasia 2000 at the Sony Imax theatre. The total price she paid for the tickets was $256.00. Each ticket costs $8.00. How many tickets did she purchase? The Pokeman card sets sell for $3.00 a pack. Mary saved up $22.00 from her allowance. How many packs can she buy? 4) Make up a division problem of your own. Write it on the back of this page. Be sure to edit it. Also show how to solve it.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Discuss the main American film noir influences found in le Doulos PowerPoint Presentation

Discuss the main American film noir influences found in le Doulos (Melville 1964) - PowerPoint Presentation Example The innocence was lost suddenly. The threat of nuclear annihilation was in the air perpetually. The result was widespread pessimism and anxiety among the people in general. It was such a social situation that was responsible for the emergence of the so called â€Å"Film Noir† The optimism and the pleasant mood of the Hollywood musicals and comedies were replaced by violence and greed. Even the title of the films echoed the black tone of the content and treatment. The Dark Passage (1947) Fear in the Night (1947) Kiss me Deadly (1955) are few examples. But Film Noir was not a genre. It was more about the mood and tone of the film. A particular moody content treated in a dark style. These films usually revolve around a main male character who is very cynical and hard hearted. He encounters an amoral and seductive beauty. Through her manipulations the hero becomes a scapegoat often after a murder. Finally the hero gets destroyed and this woman who betrays him also gets destroyed. The protagonists of these films generally belong to a particular class. They come from lower strata of society or rather the underworld. They are very ambitious people who become criminals to fulfill their ambitions. Thus they are cynical, disillusioned and frightened, obsessed with sex or some other vice. They are very insecure and lonely people who end up as ultimate losers. They are driven by their past and they often repeat their mistakes. The story telling is rarely linear and is often elliptical and complex. Flashbacks are aplenty. Orson wells and his film Citizen Kane had great influence in the camera work of Film Noir . , Orson Wells and his camera man Greg Toland contributed to the aesthetics of cinema by using wide angle lens, for dramatic purposes, there by creating what was known later as â€Å"deep focus† and the â€Å"depth of field†. According to the French film critique and New Wave film director Francois Truffaut, â€Å" this film ( Citizen Kane ) has inspired more

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Monetary Policy in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Monetary Policy in the United States - Essay Example 2. As a central agency the FED can seriously affect the manner in which it can affect the banking system. Firstly, it monitors the sale of different government instruments. In this manner it affects the rate of interest in the market and ensures the growth in credit and money supply. Secondly, it also fixes the manner in which these instruments are purchased from the public and corporations, thereby affecting the interest rate again. Thirdly, the FED can monitor the effectively monitor the amount of lending, thereby influencing the price of the securities and bank stock. 3. Very simply put the reserve requirements are the amount of vault cash and deposits that the banks are stipulated to hold with themselves. Less money in the reserves would imply more money available - the bank will have more loan able funds at its disposal, thereby having favorable implications on the cost of transactions and the bargaining capacity of these institutions with other bodies. The changes in the reserve requirements are made rather infrequently by the government, it may even be the fact that this measure has been employed only once or twice in a decade (Jhonson 2005). The discount rate is the price the central bank, other financial banks pays while engaging themselves in money relat

Monday, November 18, 2019

Aging on women's sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aging on women's sexuality - Essay Example The following piece of writing is based on the article ‘The impact of aging on sexual function in women and their partners’. The author of this article is Sheryl A. Kinsberg. In this article the writer discusses how different physiological, psychological and social factors that are important in the sexual functioning of a woman are altered by age and how this alteration affects her sexuality. The writer also discusses how the changing sexuality of a woman affects her partner and vice versa. At the end of the article, the writer discusses the role of a healthcare provider in situations where an elderly patient comes with a problem of sexuality. This essay is a response to this article and discusses why a certain issue brought up by the writer in the article is of particular interest to me and how this information can be of use to me in my personal life. The particular issue that I find most interesting is the effect of psychosocial factors that affect sexuality in women a nd how they are affected by age. The impact of this information on my personal life is multi-faceted as I can adjust to the changes that will occur in my intimate relationships with time as well as understand what elderly people in my circle are going through right now. It also pushes me into understanding the patient in the light of her ethnicity and culture and develops a better understanding of the psychological component of her problem. After a thorough reading of the article, I feel that the area that grabs my greatest interest is the analysis of psychosocial factors that affect female sexuality. The writer uses several psychological theories to explain the changes that occur in sexuality when its psychosocial component is altered by age. Using the self-perception theory, the writer explains how older women may feel asexual because their partners show a lot more interest in sexual activity than them while in reality, interest in sexual activity varies from person to person and a person cannot be considered to be sexually dysfunctional as long as he/she enjoys sexual intercourse. Similarly the writer uses the over-justification hypothesis to explain how older people may relate sex to external benefits and decrease their interest in the act itself. This is further explained by the writer using the cognitive dissonance theory. According to this theory, if a person stops relating the enjoyment of intercourse to the enjoyment of external benefit derived from it, he/she may actually enjoy the act itself. The writer concludes this section that psychosocial studies need to be conducted in the light of the culture and ethnicity of the patient for an accurate assessment of the problem. The reason why I chose this issue is that it is the psychosocial well-being that is affected most due to sexual problems particularly in older women as they may feel insufficient, worthless or guilty due to not being able to match the performance of their partners during sexual inter course. If these psychosocial factors are studied in depth, it is possible to alter them by counseling the patient and saving her time and money. While medications and different treatment modalities can provide relief to several patients with sexual issues, eventually it is the psychological benefits that the patient is seeking. If a large part of the treatment is simply an understanding of these factors and putting them in correct order, not only can patients avoid drugs and discomfort but also adjust to their increasing age. Hence, they may start to see their increasing age as a transition rather than pathology. This understanding has to be coupled by the understanding of the patient’s cultural background. This may be unique for most patients and the alterations in lifestyle and thought process that are suggested to them may vary accordingly. Thus treatment may be several times more effective. This aspect of sexual problems in older women is of great importance to a healthc are provider. The information in this article about the psychosocial fact

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Factors That Has Helped Four Seasons Hotel Tourism Essay

Factors That Has Helped Four Seasons Hotel Tourism Essay The main reason behind the preparation of this assignment is to analyse the case study about the factors that has helped Four Seasons hotel to succeed initially and understanding and appreciating the different growth strategies that are adopted and implemented by Four Seasons in order to be one of the successful operating company in hospitality industry. This assignment also discusses the various downturns that the hospitality industry has faced over the years and how Four Seasons dealt with the situation in order to survive in the business. Moreover, in the assignment, the unique business model of Four Seasons hotel is compared and relate to different theories such as value chain analysis which shows how Four Seasons hotel is able to manage their stakeholders expectations. In addition, I have given some recommendations for Four Seasons hotel, to sustain in the hotel business. Company Profile: Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the worlds leading operator of luxury hotels with a history spanning four decades and a portfolio that extended worldwide. It is one of the worlds biggest and finest chains of luxury hotels which have developed from one motel started by Isadore sharp 1961 in downtown Toronto Canada, to 82 luxury hotel properties in 34 countries worldwide. Four Seasons owns its own hotels, principally under the Four Seasons and Regent names, as well as some others, including the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago and the Pierre in New York. About half the companys earnings come from management fees, and half of it from properties it owns directly. Their highly admired service quality helped them to become benchmark in luxury hotel market. The basic operational policy of Four Seasons hotel is Treat others as you would like to be treated. Highest quality of service to the customers is acquired by Four Seasons by maintaining and improving their service standards also with an innovative approach and continuous development and an eye for detail every single time of service. The company shifted from hotel owner to hotel operator in 1990s the companys 95% of the shares are owned by Bill Gates the founder of Microsoft and Al-Waleed Bin Talal (Prince of Saudi Arabia equally). Rest of the shares are owned by Isadore sharp CEO and company founder. Establishment of Four Seasons: Four Seasons Hotel Chain was founded in 1961, by visionary Isadore sharp with the opening of 126 rooms Inn on the Park in downtown Canada. Sharp was a degree holder in architecture and not from a hotel management background thus Sharp was totally new to the Hotel Business. Sharp describes himself a builder who joined his fathers business after graduation. Joining a hotel industry business was not at all in his mind or his intention till he was working on a project to build a motel. He got an exposure with the motel project and he realised about the upcoming market of luxury hotels. The need of personalised service round the clock with the booming economy made him take a decision to get into Hotel business. The hotel he opened is named as The Four Seasons motor hotel which he opened with the help from his brother in law. The hotel became famous amongst the business travellers and celebrities as it had a innovative design it was different from other hotels as he built all rooms facing inwards giving a view of inner courtyard and swimming pool instead of the outside neighbourhood. Growth and expansion: With the initial success of his first hotel, the big break through which Isadore Sharp was waiting for came in 1970 by opening first Four Seasons Hotel in Hyde Park area of London. Comparatively the room rates were higher than the competitors in the 270 room hotel but then also Four Seasons enjoyed 95% occupancy through out the year. The success came with an innovative idea of hotel equipped with latest amenities unlike old traditional hotels in London. In 1972, Sharp opened a massive 1600 room hotel convention centre in Toronto, Canada in partnership with Sheraton. It took a long time to complete the project, almost 10 years. In 1980 the economy was booming and the demand for luxury hotels increased , and thus Sharp started building hotels across the North America, later in almost every major US city, also to take an advantage of real estate deals. In three decades by 1990, Four Seasons already opened 23 hotels in three countries with net earnings of $15 million. Four Seasons became Global leader in 1992 with acquisition of Regent International hotels. further strong financial base to build and buy hotel properties worldwide came in 1994 when Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal bought 25% of companys shares. They also signed a contract with Carlson Hospitality to develop and expand regent brand worldwide through establishing management contracts and franchising agreements. Initial Success Factors of Four Seasons: To combine best of small hotels with the best of large hotels Isadore Sharp He came up with the idea of opening the medium sized hotels which was enough to give a touch of personalised service providing with a range of luxury amenities and services. Running business from Customers Perspective: The most effective initial strategy for Sharp was to look at the business from customers point of view. He was a innovative thinker to fulfil customers needs in terms of luxury. Example When Four Seasons came into existence the trend was to use flimsy towels in bathroom, he replaced that we 100% cotton towels which worked really well. With experience of opening the first hotel, Sharp realised customers are ready to spend for one thing thats service. And as Four seasons most guest were business travellers and with the experience he came to a conclusion that for them Service means luxury. Luxury Redefined: Maintaining high quality service can also be a brand if delivered constantly according to Sharp. This idea provided him with the initial success in medium sized luxury hotels which gives commitment of providing homelike comforts and personalised service. Thus luxury was redefined as Service and not as decor and architecture. Quality of service comes before the hotel decor and architecture for the customers. As most of the customers for Four Seasons were business travellers Sharp commented They are mostly executives, often under pressure fighting jet lag, stress and the clock. We decided to redefine luxury as service. Thus the key towards Customer satisfaction was achieved by Sharp and he knew what the customers wanted unmatched service quality will give them competitive edge. Although Four Seasons charge 20% extra room rate than the closest competitors but still they were successful of maintaining high occupancy rates. Further Sharp wanted the highest personalised service quality for the guest which was possible only if employees are motivated and happy they will deliver it. Thus employee motivation, mutual respect and empowerment played a vital role in achieving customer satisfaction. And thus he introduced the golden rule. Golden rule: Sharp refer to his first business rule as Golden rule treat your customers as you want to be treated. This became the operational policy for Four Seasons. Every employee is a member of customer service and in charge of it. And he believed employees are the most important part of Four Seasons hotel because there is very limited time in which service encounter takes place unlike other industries. And the employee has to give his best to maintain proper service standards thus lot of screening and interviews are done to ensure the right candidate is selected for right job. Innovation: Innovation contributed a lot in the initial success of Four Seasons. Most of the luxurious amenities and services like Shampoo in the shower, bathrobes, 24 hour room service, two- line phone in guest room, pressing iron, 24 hour secretarial service, big well lit desk were the First to be introduced by Sharp and Four Seasons. The Custom made mattresses is now became the standard of luxury hotels which was Sharps favourite. Vision of Isadore Sharp: Provide each and every thing in the guest room that will make the customer happy. Growth Strategies adopted by four seasons: Initial success for Four Seasons did built a platform for them to grow world wide. It created a network of mid sized luxury hotel in almost all key financial cities all over the world. During this process Four Seasons adopted many different growth strategies as follows: Brand name is competitive advantage: The biggest asset for Four Seasons group was their brand name which was not responsible for their initial success but also a part of their global expansion strategy. The core business strategy for four seasons was to continuously improve their market position and profitability to ensure the competitive advantage while obtaining new management contracts worldwide. Strategic relationship with investors: With the help of strategic relationships with many small private institutions earlier helped them to expand their opportunities worldwide. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bought 25% of company shares and with his major investments in Four Seasons which helped them to enter in new markets as well the ownership was not of Four seasons so it served their primary objective of being a management company. From Hotel owner to Hotel operators: Their unique business development model stated they wanted to be a hotel chain operator than hotel chain owner. It has ownership of only three hotels out of their sixty three hotels. Under this unique business model Four seasons hotel doesnt have a burden of ownership, the major capital is brought by the partners with whom Four Seasons developed strategic relationships. There is wide range of management fees (base fee, incentive fee, sales and marketing charge and reservation charge) for providing these services to the owner. How Four Seasons responded to economic downturns? Four Seasons faced economic downturns in different years in four decades 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 in the following years 74, 81, 91, 2001. And all of them made a significant impact on Four seasons strategy. The hotel business during the time of recession were mainly affected by Increased interest rates and Decrease in market prices With the increased airfares and the increased occupancy rates the tourism was badly affected. Executives of the company were travelling less and the leisure facilities were decreased for the executives which affected the hotel and tourism market. Furthermore increased terrorism affected hotel and tourism market. There were drastic steps taken by different hotel operators by cutting labour cost, lowering prices buy Four seasons believed that the industry is going to return to normal soon and Isadore Sharp adopted exactly the other way. He took the challenge during the time of recession and saw the opportunity to develop the hotels. He told his executives about his thoughts that when our competitors are lowering standards we will raise ours The different actions taken by Four Seasons as an answer to economic downturns are: Four Seasons followed their words to look after their employees: During the time of recession most of the hotel operators cut down their labour cost but Four Seasons tackled the situation the other way, they responded by cutting the overhead costs but not the labour costs. They aimed for maximizing labours value instead of lowering labour cost. Sharp explained this strategy to his executives, And we also know that what we must do to meet that goal, is to lower costs and raise service and product quality. But cutting costs and raise service and product quality. But cutting costs by cutting labour, if carried too far, lowers quality. The only way these seemingly conflicting aims can be reconciled is by responsible employees committed to working smarter. Instead of minimizing labours cost we should maximize labours value: by convincing our employees that our purpose merits commitment. Four seasons offered Flexible Contracts to the employees rather than job cut, in which employees will be called on duty as per the demand of the business which replaced working four days a week instead of five days a week. It was in the agreement of the employees and all the employees were in favour of the decision furthermore the salaries and the bonuses of the managers was also affected. This all resulted in sharing a common policy in heading towards companys goals. Improving the products: Most of the hotel operators paused the construction or running of a hotel for a temporary period but the property business is really high during the time of recession because the properties are sold out on lower rates thus Four Seasons tackled the situation by renovation and refurbishment to improve the products. Isadore Sharp believed that providing quality service to the guest are a necessity and not a service by itself. And if the hotel wants to sustain in the market the new trends in the hotel industries should be followed to keep up with the market. Thus to accommodate these changes and provide customers with quality service. During recession the room occupancy is the lowest thus the inconvenience caused to the guests are very less and thus the guests get a royal out of the world service. They followed this strategy during recession period which gave them a steady growth over the decade. Advertising costs: Most of the competitors of Four Seasons hotel kept cutting their advertising and marketing costs, but Four Seasons didnt cut their advertising and marketing budget to maintain the brand recognition as they had a very good recognition in the Hospitality industry. It is easy to maintain the momentum rather than restart it. This strategy helped them to gain a competitive edge over their competitors in maintaining their brand recognition. Property market: During recession the supply in the market for the land was than the demand on low prices. Four seasons took the advantage of low prices of the land and they picked the premium locations which would have been difficult to buy them in normal times. Thus this strategy paid off to Four Seasons during the time of recession and they came with the finest of the hotels in top locations after recession. How four seasons managed various stakeholder expectations? Stakeholder: Person, group, or organization that has direct or indirect stake in organization because it can affect or be affected by the organizations actions, objectives, and policies. (www. businessdictionary.com) There are three most important aspects of managing stakeholder expectations: Know your stakeholders Know what exactly they except from you Make them accountable for realities of project by making them aware of risks and consequences. (According to Dr. James Brown, president of the project management company Seba Solutions). Different stake holders of Four Seasons hotel are Stakeholders play a vital role for a company to survive thus the company or organisation needs to implement a strategy for managing their stakeholder expectations. Thus Four seasons implemented following strategy for managing their stakeholder expectations: STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT Managing the stakeholders expectation is a step by step process: After identification of stakeholders, the second step is to identify their needs. Needs and expectations of the stakeholders of Four seasons can be described as follows: Owners: Returns on investment by profit Management: Management fees on the basis of gross revenue. Employees: Empowerment, Career opportunities and job security. Customers: High quality service and luxury. Society: Corporate social responsibility. Their strategy to manage stakeholder expectations can be summarised with relation to value chain analysis as well value_chain_analysis Value chain analysis is a concept to create competitive advantage and sustaining superior performance. Owner: Expectation of the owners are really high on returns in terms of profit because they are the one who made the capital investment in the projects. The different aspects of value chain used by four season hotels are like Infrastructure of the hotel, the most innovative idea of the initial strategy was to come up with medium sized hotels, and it worked really well. It was made possible and successful by Isadore Sharp who was the degree holder in architecture and he knew the latest designs of buildings and hotels like building rooms facing inwards to avoid view of neighbourhood made significant contribution to it. These innovative designs really helped Four Seasons to come up with the highest occupancy among the travellers. Thus they were successful in managing owners expectations by giving returns on their investments in less time. Management: To ensure a good gross revenue it is vital to get higher occupancy with good average room rate throughout the year. Sales and Marketing and technology come into picture from Value chain analysis. The marketing strategy for Four season hotel is to target the luxury segment of the market. 69% of their business comes from business travellers and groups. So almost all of their advertising and marketing programmes were designed to enhance the awareness of luxury service provided by Four seasons hotel. Technology played a vital part in achieving their goal by newly designed website and superior reservation system. They gained an advantage over other hotels by Global reservation system which gave an option to the guests to be comfortable with their own local language in North America, Asia and European Network. Example: There are so many hotels in Hyde Park area but over 30 years Four Seasons has gained and enjoyed the highest occupancy in the area with their strategy. Employees: Employees expect Mutual respect and Empowerment from Four season hotel. Employees are the most important stakeholders of the organisation, if they are happy to work for the organisation the whole business cycle can run smoothly, If Employees are happy then the customers are happy with their service it leads to word of mouth publicity and the organisation gets a repeat business. Employees deserve a mutual respect from the management. Human Resource Management from value chain ensures that employees should get what they deserve and expect. And most importantly the Golden Rule of Four Seasons is treat others as you would like to be treated also they believe that if employees are happy then only they can make customers happy. Four Seasons has maintained empowering their employees, and the best outcome and results can be obtained from their employees by empowering them. Im sure weve all read reports on the productivity gains achieved by empowering employees. And we all know the workplace has to change to attain this. And in a survey of 264 big company chairman, 62 percent agreed that one of the most important business issues facing them was building and keeping a qualified workforce. -Isadore Sharp d.) Customers: The expectation of the customers is very high as Four Seasons targets luxury segment of market. Service factor from Value Chain is wisely utilized by Four Seasons to manage expectations of luxury for the customers. They redefined luxury as service. Four Seasons gained a competitive edge by provided high standard of service with personalised touch. Customers got what they expected from Four Seasons. And they are very successful in making customers happy. E.) Society: As Society expects some corporate social responsibility(CRS) from all the hotels and organisation, their expectation for four seasons towards society is really high as well. CSR includes encouraging activities for development of society and avoiding practices which causes harm to the environment. Four Seasons explain how they help and take initiative towards community by various training and mentoring programmes for young people and helping whoever in need in their website www.fourseasons.com . Example: They donate organic food to local farmers to feed their animals (Costa Rica) and also providing shelter camps to Urban Elephants(Golden Triangle, Thailand), Raising significant funds for cancer research and awareness programmes. Recommendation: Four Seasons has a strong portfolio in the Hotel Industry but to sustain they should focus on few things which are as follows: Four Seasons should concentrate on building more brands and focus on all the categories like upper-scale, middle and budget hotels. Unlike Accor group of hotel they have segmented their hotels and created a brand focusing the needs of its customers such as Etap, Ibis, Novotel, Sofitel etc. To compete with other leading brands Four Seasons should come up with more hotels all over the world for more brand recognition and for customers to have a taste of their service. Furthermore Four Seasons should continue the effective management of the hotel the way they are doing it to sustain in the market. CONCLUSION With the base of the case study and research on Four seasons hotel, Canadian based business has an excellent brand recognition all over the world. The company is moving ahead with excellence along with strong financial and operational management. Different innovative ideas of Four Seasons hotel helped them grow in this hospitality business over the years furthermore during the time of recession Four Seasons hotel did really well, thus it says Fours Seasons Hotel has turned economic down turn to a competitive advantage over their competitors by coming up with different properties with prime location after recession (they responded very well to economic downturn). They took the down turn as an opportunity to expand and thus they are achieving excellence in their business.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

A Clockwork Orange Essay: A Modernistic Work :: Clockwork Orange Essays

A Clockwork Orange as a Modernistic Work      Ã‚  Ã‚   A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, published in 1962, technically falls after the period deemed as 'Modernism', yet it embodies all of the features that were characteristic of that literary era.   Burgess's novel is a futuristic look at a Totalitarian government.    A Clockwork Orange abandons normal 'language' (which Modernists believed couldn't always convey meaning anyway) and is written in 'Nadsat' (which means teenager).   It is a slang that is spoken by the teenagers at the time.   Burgess   uses approximately two-hundred and fifty 'nadsat' words (most of which have Russian roots) to convey his story.   This gives the reader a sense of intimacy with Alex and his 'droogs' (friends) due to the fact that the adults in the novel can't understand what they are govoreeting (saying).  Ã‚   There is also a disruption of the linear flow of narrative aside from this private language; Alex ('Our Humble Narrator') tells the story in a remembering type sequence, but often interjects with thoughts or questions posed directly at the reader.    Aside from the strange language that is found on the pages of this novel, one of the most obvious modernistic features is Burgess's ability to shock. There are many different scenes that are quite disturbing and violent. Alex's propensity to rape young girls (ten years old), and his absolute joy in the sight of blood and pain. ' ...while I ripped away at this and that and the other...and real good horrorshow [good] groodies [breasts] they were that then exhibited their pink glazzies [eyes], O my brothers, while I untrussed [undresses] and got ready for the plunge.   Plunging I could slooshy [hear] the cries of agony' ( Burgess 23).  Ã‚   This ties in with the fact that, as readers, we tend to follow the actions of Alex and his droogs and it is easy to get caught up in all this violent action and loose sight of the real meaning of Burgess's novel.  Ã‚   Burgess writes this novel from and to the "ID".   Alex and his droogs embody all animal or primal instincts and the tale that has been set before the reader has little respect for realism. We are presented with a world in which the teenagers rule the nights, keeping all real people in their houses.   A world where there are milk bars (moloko kordova) in which fifteen year olds can be served with milk that was laden with drugs.

Monday, November 11, 2019

An Alternative to Incarceration for Nonviolent Offenders Essay

Community corrections is a range of alternative punishments for nonviolent offenders. There are two basic community corrections models in the United States. In the first model, integrated community corrections programs combine sentencing guidelines and judicial discretion with a variety of alternative sanctions and parole and probation options. In the second model, some states have instituted programs in which correctional officials may direct already sentenced offenders into alternative sanction programs and parole and probation options. Both models are designed to help reduce prison overcrowding and are less expensive alternatives to prison. Widespread development of community correction programs in the United States began in the late 1970’s as a way to offer offenders, especially those leaving jail or prison, residential services in halfway houses. The first state community correction programs began in Oregon, Colorado, and Minnesota as pilot projects with very little government-funded support. They diverted nonviolent offenders in selected pilot project areas from jails and state prisons into local alternative punishment programs. These programs allowed judges to sentence offenders to a community-based punishment rather than jail or prison. Rehabilitation programs were the preferred punishment option. In the late 1980’s, prison systems across the country began experiencing serious overcrowding of facilities. The overcrowding served as a catalyst for lawmakers to develop new options for sentencing criminal offenders. Nineteen states have now enacted various community correction programs. Community correction programs provide many communities with local punishment options as an alternative to prison or jail. These sanction programs are lower cost alternatives to increased prison and jail construction, based on the cost per offender. They provide local courts, state departments of corrections, and state parole boards with a broad range of correctional options for offenders under their jurisdiction. The goal is to match the appropriate punishment with the crime. Community corrections programs are integrated sanctioning strategies which seek to achieve the following goals: †¢The offender is punished and held accountable. †¢Public safety is protected. †¢Victims and local communities receive restitution from felons who work in their present jobs and/or in restitution programs. †¢Community service work increases. †¢Collection of court costs and fees increases due to contractual agreements with offenders who remain in their present jobs. Eight states have adopted comprehensive Community Correction Acts which create a network of correctional programs for specific types of offenders. The acts create mechanisms by which state funds are granted to local governments and community agencies to encourage local sanctions in lieu of prison or jail. While no two state programs are alike, a comprehensive community corrections program generally includes the following elements: †¢A locally integrated criminal justice system which supports a network of decentralized or centralized correctional programs for specific types of offenders. For instance, in Minnesota, local community corrections advisory boards composed of county sheriffs, chiefs of police, prosecutors, judges, defense lawyers, probation agents, and other local officials create comprehensive correction plans to improve the administration of justice at the local level. The plans detail the various options of punishment in the community which are available to judges and other criminal justice officials when sentencing offenders. †¢These integrated systems generally include restitution programs for nonviolent offenders. Offenders’ wages are applied directly to restitution, court-ordered fines and fees, and room and board. Placement in the work programs usually lasts from three to six months. †¢Programs are administered by local governmental or nonprofit agencies at the county or regional level, and are funded by the state under a single system which provides for local punishment options. Funds are provided contractually or directly depending on the involvement of nonprofit agencies. †¢Sentencing guidelines for local, district, or regional judges prescribe a uniform sentencing structure with a variety of punishment options for offenders. They differ from determinate sentencing by targeting alternative punishments for the non-violent offender population. †¢The punishment authorized under sentencing guidelines is generally tailored for the crime and applies to all similarly-situated felony offenders. For example, judges must follow a rating system based on the severity of the offender’s crime, the frequency of violations, and the nature of the crime. Rating scales are adjusted periodically by sentencing commissions to reflect statewide sentencing patterns. Non-violent crimes have the lowest criminal rating, allowing judges the broadest range of sentencing options. In contrast, judges must impose very specific sentences for violent or serious crimes. Serious or violent felons sentenced to prison receive very little if any good time credit, and must serve a specified term while in prison. †¢Responsibility for community correctional service is delegated to local units of government. This joins sentencing and punishment in one administrative level, with incentives for the most efficient use of local and state correctional resources. †¢A post-prison release program, operated through a parole or probation system, is an integral component of a local community corrections treatment system. Community corrections sanctions may include: †¢24-hour residential programs which provide a structured living environment for offenders who require supervision when not working or looking for employment; †¢Non-residential drug and alcohol treatment programs; †¢Electronic monitoring of offenders placed on home detention (offenders must wear bracelets that allow parole officials to monitor their movement); †¢Diagnostic evaluation and counseling ordered by the court as part of a pre-sentence process; †¢Pre-trial intervention which provides close supervision and support services to selected offenders prior to trial; †¢Community service programs; †¢Day reporting centers where offenders are required to discuss the progress of their job search and daily activities with parole officials; and †¢Mandatory education programs. There are several key elements to an integrated community-based correctional program: †¢Collaborative long range planning by local and state law enforcement officials to reduce the use of prisons for felony sentencing; †¢Coordinated use of local and state correctional resources; †¢A state funding mechanism to ensure a local level of correctional services; and †¢Ensuring public safety in community correction facilities. One of the goals of sentencing guidelines is to match the community sanction with the offender. The types of offenders which are considered for community sanctions include the following: †¢Offenders who might benefit from prevention services, and are of criminal activity in the future: school drop-outs, urban youth gang members, and juvenile offenders with learning disabilities. Prevention services could include mid-night basketball leagues, big brother programs, special education programs, and other activities. †¢Offenders who might benefit from early intervention services. This group is generally composed of first time offenders. Early intervention may reduce their chances for committing future crimes. They generally require services related to education, work-skill development, and substance abuse and alcohol counseling. †¢Offenders who might be eligible for diversion programs. This group is basically those people in jail or prison who may safely be diverted to alternative programs and services. They generally are second or third time offenders who have failed on probation and have been convicted of a number of non-violent offenses. Under California’s â€Å"three strike’s law†, they could face life imprisonment if their first two felonies are violent and/or if the third felony is violent. The goal of sentencing guidelines is to match target offender groups with the appropriate community sanction. While there are some variations among state sentencing guidelines, most establish punishment by the severity, frequency, and nature of the crime committed. For example, in Michigan, if an offender is arrested for burglary and has a previous drug arrest, state sentencing guideline ratings provide a range of sentencing options from alternative community corrections to up to a 24 month prison sentence. The community correction option allows the judge to sentence the offender to a secured community-based substance abuse treatment program for six months, followed by a short probation period. The judge has the discretion to choose from an array of options. On the other hand, if an offender is convicted of a serious felony and has previous non-violent felony convictions, sentencing guidelines provide that alternative community corrections is not an option, and require a minimum 24 month prison sentence. While offenders sometimes violate the terms of a community correction sentence, so far there is no evidence that the offenders currently entering these programs are a danger to communities. Evaluation studies are currently randomly tracking offenders who participate in community correction programs to determine the success or failure of the programs. The eight states which have enacted comprehensive community correction laws require a well-defined local implementation strategy that targets specific offender populations, and seeks to match their needs with the correct community sanction and service, before state funds are dispersed. Several states have also enacted on-going performance evaluation reviews to identify problem areas and fine-tune sentencing options. The other four states do not offer financial incentives or disincentives, although local implementation strategies are closely monitored by state legislatures. Four of the 8 states also offer formula-based incentives which require community agencies to develop comprehensive, integrated long-range community correctional plans. The greater local resources and services available under the plan, the higher the state funding. Most local plans are coordinated at the county level and identify all available community treatment programs, including prevention and intervention programs, training programs, and diversion programs. Local plans must include data detailing how the community correction programs are expected to reduce commitments to prison. The formula grants include a disincentive for sending certain kinds of felons to state prison, in the form of a per-diem fee which is deducted from the local grant. Grantees are also required to monitor offenders for possible parole violations after they complete the community corrections program. Louisiana has the oldest state boot camp program in the country. The Intensive Motivational Program of Alternative Correctional Treatment (IMPACT) has as its goals: †¢Provide an alternative to long-term incarceration for youthful first- and second-time offenders. †¢Reduce costs without undue risk to public safety. †¢Develop participants’ self-discipline, self-confidence, self-respect, individual responsibility, and respect for others. In order to participate, an offender must meet the following eligibility criteria: †¢Male and female offenders under the age of 40 serving sentences in state prison. †¢First time felony offenders committed to state custody for 7 years or less for an offense with parole eligibility. †¢Second-time felony offenders who have not previously spent time in state prison and who have been committed to state custody for 7 years or less for an offense carrying parole eligibility. †¢No offenders with outstanding felony charges, numerous outstanding misdemeanor charges, outstanding immigration detainers, mental or physical health problems, history of assaulting behavior or escape, overt homosexuality, sex offense against a child or any violent sexual offense, or absence of post-release plan. In 1987, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections began operating a 136-bed military-style boot camp program at the medium-security Hunt Correctional Center (Up to 20 female slots are also available at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women; these inmates are bused to the boot camp daily). The 90- to 180-day program uses a three-phase approach to promote its philosophy of discipline and treatment. Regular program activities include military drill and ceremony training, physical training and organized recreational activities. Treatment programs include a re-education therapy class that requires participants to evaluate their beliefs and values, substance abuse education classes and activities, and prerelease (life skills) preparation. Extra duty or incentive physical training are required for minor disciplinary infractions. More serious infractions may result in reduction in rank, additional duties, or, in some cases, dismissal from the program. About 55 percent of participants graduate from the program. On release, all IMPACT parolees are assigned to 3 months of intensive parole supervision where, in addition to the regular conditions mandated for all parolees (maintain employment or full-time educational training), they must satisfy the following requirements: a minimum of 4 face-to-face contacts with a supervision officer each week, adherence to a curfew, 100 hours of unpaid community service work and random drug and alcohol screenings. After 3 months, supervision standards are gradually relaxed. Depending on individual performance, at the conclusion of this period, the parolee will continue receiving intensive supervision or is placed in regular parole supervision. According to the Multi-State Evaluation of Shock Incarceration report to the National Institute of Justice, Louisiana is one of three states who’s program results in lower recidivism rates relative to comparison groups. Failures are more often for technical violations of parole than for new crime violations. It is estimated that each 100 inmates completing the program result in a cost savings of $750,000 to the state (Nieto, Marcus: Feb. 1996). REFERENCES Travis Hirschi, and David Rudisill, An Evaluation of California Probation Subsidy Program, Vol. 1: Commitment Reduction and Probation Subsidy: A Summary of Available Data, Center on Administration of Criminal Justice, University of California at Davis, (Davis), 1977. Probation/Parole Survey, Corrections Compendium, The National Journal for Corrections, August, 1994. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. A Survey of Intermediate Sanctions, Washington, D.C. September, 1990, and Nieto, Marcus, California Research Bureau, The Changing Role Probation In California’s Criminal Justice System, April, 1996. Peters, G.T., Intermediate Sanctions: A Discussion of Illustrative Programs. Office of National Drug Control Policy. Washington D.C. 1990. Stone, Susan and Fulton, Betsy, Achieving Public Safety Through Rehabilitation and Reintegration: The Promise of a New ISP, Presented at the Academy of Criminal Justice Science Conference. Kansas City, Missouri. 1995. Nidorf, Barry, Chief Probation Officer, Los Angeles County, â€Å"Los Angeles County, Varied Uses of Electronic Monitoring: The Los Angeles Experience†, Edited by John Ortiz and William Selke. Intermediate Sanctions: Sentencing in the 1990’s. Anderson Publishing Company, 1995. Bourque, Blair, Han, B, Hill, Mei, and Sarah, M,. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. An Inventory of Aftercare Provisions for 52 Boot Camp Programs. NCJ 157104. Washington, DC. January, 1996. Nieto, Marcus, California Research Bureau, Community Correction Punishments: An Alternative to Incarceration for Nonviolent Offenders, Sacramento, CA., February, 1996.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Another Kind of Racism Essay

Racism is a disease. Spread by not only words and actions but by silence and inaction. In two stories presented in different media – a novel and a movie—racism is spread by people who feel they are not racists, but who do nothing to prevent and stop racism. The reality is that it is easy to pretend racism doesn’t exist, yet everyone practices it in some way. Those who know racism is wrong and do nothing are the â€Å"perpetrators† of racism. They allow the disease to cling to a group and spread like sending a sick toddler to preschool; touching everything and everyone, infecting all. In T. C. Boyle’s book Tortilla Curtain, racism is present throughout the book – enough to exhaust the reader. In the movie Crash, racism is one element of a complex plot. They teach the reader similar, compatible lessons. The character Delaney from the book and the Cameron from Crash both are used to depict stereotypical persons who claim to fight racism, stereot yping, and discrimination, yet when faced with a situation when it is directed toward them or someone near to them they allow racism to happen as if nothing was wrong. Following these people are dying morals and blind humanity. Delany is a white, affluent, born on the East Coast; he now lives in Los Angeles. Living in a â€Å"gated community† had insulated him from the poverty that surrounded the very edges of the walls of exclusive neighborhood. During community meetings he does not want to discuss the increasing numbers of illegal immigrants; he prefers to focus on the coyote attacks. Until the accident he did not know his life would cross paths with an Illegal Immigrant. He had seen them only in the parking lots where they waited looking for work. He claims to not be a racist, to not be biased, and to not stereotype individuals at these meetings. As he claims this, his car hits a Mexican named Candido. Delaney soothes his conscience by giving Candido â€Å"$20 blood money,† explaining to his wife Kyra that â€Å"He’s a Mexican.† Delaney actions suggest that Mexicans are not â€Å"people.† More than 50 years earlier John Steinbeck’s characters in the book The Grapes of Wrath phrase the issue much of the same way, â€Å"They ain’t human. A human being wouldn’t live like they do. A human being couldn’t stand it to be so dirty and miserable.† Delaney prefers to pretend as if the Mexicans didn’t exist, as the alternative is showing how he feels insecure and threatened by them. This is same way the character of the Hollywood Director Cameron in the same movie allows racism and harassment to occur in front of him to his own wife. He allows her to be violated by a racist white cop. After his wife gets molested, instead of standing up against the cop and protecting his wife; he grovels and thanks the cop for not giving him a ticket, â€Å"Look, we’re sorry, and we would appreciate if you would just let us go with a warning, please.† (Crash, 2004). Delaney and Cameron are hypocrites being perpetrated from both ends of the spectrum; they represent individuals directly affected by racism who fail to respond in a way that causes it to cease, and those indirectly causing the racism to occur and spread. In the movie Crash this is shown by Cameron feeling cornered and lashing out against those around him; in Tortilla Curtain it is shown when the main character gives up fighting against the walls and letting those around him decide for him what is right and wrong. By their silence they allow the racism to perpetuate around them. Individuals like those portrayed in these scenarios run the risk of causing an unending cycle of racism and bigotry that will not stop until someone stands up against it. Their fear feeds those around them. In Crash Cameron is confronted by fellow worker asking about an African American actor. â€Å"This is gonna sound strange, but is Jamal seeing a speech coach or something?†¦This is weird for a white guy to say, but have you noticed he’s talking a lot less black lately?† And the answer is, â€Å"No, I haven’t noticed that.† At first the character stands up to the â€Å"racist† questioner but in the end he gives up, he ignores why Jamal hasn’t been â€Å"sounding Black† and goes on acting as if the words had not been said. In the same way after a canyon fire is set accidently by Candido in Tortilla Curtain; Delaney attacks a Mexican man who is being questioned by the police. â€Å"Delaney looked round at his neighbors, their faces drained and white, fists clenched, ready to go anywhere, do anything, seething with it, spoiling for it, a mob. They were out here in the night, outside the walls, forced out of their shells, and there was nothing to restrain them.† (The Tortilla Curtain, 289) This occurs immediately after Delaney has attacked the handcuffed Josà © Navidad, arrested under suspicion of starting the fire. Delaney’s furious, uncontrolled actions and unexplainable anger towards the Mexicans has incited a full-on riot, with the evacuated residents of Arroyo Blanco ready to attack anything and anyone. The idea of the wall comes up in both movies, with whites being forced outside their walls, and their comfort zones. The results are frightening. The white citizens of the town have abandoned their ordered ways, Delaney has even abandoning his self-imposed rules; he has indulged in alcohol. All have become more like the uninhibited immigrants they dislike and fear. In Crash the audience sees the hatred and racism feed on itself when two suspicious black men attack the District Attorney after complaining about racism towards them. The wife goes off on a rant after the attack and says many racial slurs and insults the locksmith. Her anger spills over into her husband who starts ranting as well. â€Å"Why did these guys have to be black? I mean, why?† (Crash, 2004). Like a disease, racism and hatred spreads from person to person impregnating their souls with bigotry and a blind sense of what is right. In the end both characters lose sight of what is right. More concerned about themselves than how their actions affect those around them. Their arrogance in thinking that they are above the racism and bigotry has significant consequences. The infectious nature of racism in individuals who are intelligent, and who have power and influence, is the real danger. Their thinking is infectious, and once these thoughts are inside someone’s head they don’t leave. It is especially dangerous when these individuals are opinion leaders. These are characters in fiction, but in the real world, people like Delaney and Cameron should not be tolerated. They cause the spread of racism, creating an unending circle of pain and grief for everyone they touch and a wider circle touched by those whom they have touched. Works Cited: Crash. Dir. Paul Haggins. Perf. Don Cheadle and Sandra Bullock. Warner Brothers, 2004. DVD. Frenken, Wiltrud, Angela Luz, and Brigitte Prischtt. T.C. Boyle: The Tortilla Curtain. Paderborn: Schöningh, 2007. Print. Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking, 1939. Print.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The availability of contraception makes society less moral than it used to be Essay Example

The availability of contraception makes society less moral than it used to be Essay Example The availability of contraception makes society less moral than it used to be Essay The availability of contraception makes society less moral than it used to be Essay The availability of contraception makes society less moral than it used to be. Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Christianity in your answer.To answer this question we must first determine what moral means. The dictionary definition is; concerned with right and wrong conduct. Another definition could show moral to be what is acceptable as opposed to what is not acceptable. One good quote that shows what is acceptable and not acceptable comes from St Paul.Now to the unmarried and widows I say that it would bebetter for you to continue to live alone as I do. But if youcannot restrain your desires, go ahead and marry.This is basically saying that it is moral to remain celibate, although it is also moral to marry and within this marriage have sex, although St Paul chooses to show this as less moral then remaining celibate. Therefore it must be even less moral to have sex outside marriage. So a Christian opinion to contraception might be a negative one, as they may believe it encourages sex outside of marriage as it limits the risk of making the female pregnant, so turning it into a casual activity.The Roman Catholic view towards contraception would also be a very negative one as they are completely against any type of artificial contraception.My view would be that contraception has not made society less moral as before its introduction publicly, and before we had sex education etc. sex was, for many people, thought to be almost a bad thing. And people at about 18 didnt really have even a basic education on sexual relationships, and so could not make a reasoned judgement on the matter, even though at this age they were sexually developed, and would probably encounter occasions where they would have to make choices on the matter.All these factors made them vulnerable, whereas, if contraception is made available, and people are given sex education, it makes people start to think; they think about their behaviour, and the consequences of certain types of behaviour. They can begin to make suitable choices, which among other things, can lead to a reduction in the risk of sexually-transmitted diseases, and helps partners to practise safe sex.In my view, though, contraception can lead to prostitution being less risky for the prostitute and clients; it reduces the risk of pregnancy for the prostitute, or the client in the case of a male prostitute with a female client.I do not believe that prostitution is a morally defensible practice, as it takes away respect for the person you are having sex with, which is contrary to the Christian view, (based on Jesus teaching) that love should be the basis of all our relationships with others.The Bible implies that sex is a gift from God, and as such is not to be abused.The story of Sodom and Gomorrah shows us how the Bible shows God to be so upset by the sexual immorality of these two cities that he destroyed them an d most of the people in them.David used his power as King to take for himself someone elses wife, which led to problems for him.Paul says, The man who is guilty of sexual immorality sins against his own body. Dont you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God.This clearly suggests that Christians have a responsibility to keep high standards of morality in their own personal lives, as well as to promote these same high standards in society as a whole.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Operation management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Operation management - Essay Example Operation function is vital in every organization because of its core duty of being involved in production of both products and services (Michael 2003). Process management can also be defined in terms of management where the mangers receive more experience on managing various types of operations in an organization. Operational and process management is applicable in industries because every function in an industry requires a process for it to be accomplished. Process perspective in business The process perspective is crucial in the management of any business. The process perspective is used by organizations to develop a model where business is analyzed at various levels. Processes are modeled to appropriately serve the business purpose. It involves shaping the processes to ensure customers’ needs are satisfied (Michael 2003). Strategic impact in operations and process management Operations and process management can be very crucial in the success of a business in terms of reve nues, the capacity, investment and the cost incurred in the process of doing business. All the parameters that contribute a success or failure in business should all be under control for a business to be having stability and the ability to be determining its future. The operations function of a business should be laid down to enable a future orientation that will hold. Management of process Business objectives and the process are different and are focused in a certain way. Basically the operations of different businesses may be different thus the management for each of them would just be different according to their capacities. A process with very high capacity should be flexible enough to handle the challenges posed by the complexity of the system. While managing businesses of varied processes, the customer’s perception of the activities should be treated with the utmost sensitivity. Therefore managing the customer’s perception would be vital in realizing a proper pro cess is in place. A combination of various processes and low level of variety would result in low cost. In managing these activities, it is important to consider designing the operation, the processes and services, planning and delivery of the process. Also more important in consideration is the process of managing the performance. Operations Strategy A strategy formation has four major steps to follow; they include definition of the tasks, assessment of the competences, determination of the orders in terms of the winners and the qualifiers and the firm positioning. The priorities for competitive approach include the costing, consideration of the quality, the speed of implementing the process and the process flexibility. Reducing the cost of operations includes installation of automated machines which in turn improve delivery of activities in various processes. Basically such improvements are implemented in the inventory, and record-keeping. Quality is basically based on the custome rs’ satisfaction which implies that every employee is empowered to deliver good services to the customers and for the industries as the manufacturing, the goods produced are ought to be of high quality (Knapp 2010). This can be achieved a frequent check in through a report tracking in the organization. Each process may be evaluated in terms of its quality. Time of delivery, variety of products and services would be crucial in serving the customers interest and diversity. They will have the choice of

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Critical Issue Paper Four Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Critical Issue Paper Four - Essay Example The Second World War proved to be a period of technological breakthrough according to Weinberg. In his book â€Å"A world at Arms: A Global History of World War II,† he related that technological improvements such as radio direction finders and sonar, along with the breaking of the Germans Enigma Code, improved the Allies defenses against their Axis counterparts. He goes on to say that the Germans were able to design new types of submarines, which were faster and could stay submerged longer, however said submarines â€Å"did not become operational before the end of the war.†3 1 Terry Boardman. â€Å"What Was the 20th Century?† A lecture delivered on 17th March 2000 in Stourbridge, England. http://www.monju.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/20th%cent.htm (accessed September 9, 2008), p.1. In relation to the above statements, historian writer Richard Overy in his book â€Å"Why the Allies Won† also made references that the last World War of the 20th century (WWII), showed that American technology and ingenuity combined with correct and better tactics won the war for the Allied forces despite the fact that the Axis nations had the backing of German engineering ingenuity. Overy reasons out that the Allies whose military capacity in the beginning was inferior compared to the Axis forces, integrated technology and logistics with moral force. He detailed facts that the nations which comprise the Allied Grand Coalition succeeded in World War II because they knew that it â€Å"was a life-and-death struggle for fundamental values.†4 Values that are needed in order to establish a better society. Moreover, Keegan in his timeless masterpiece â€Å"The Battle for History: Re-Fighting World War II† says that the Second World War, which was generally acclaimed as a â€Å"wonderful† period in history, should be examined closely because there is nothing wonderful