The Persian Empire of Ancient Iran

The Persian Empire of Ancient Iran Irans history as a nation of people speaking an Indo-European language did not begin until the middle of the second millennium B.C. Before then, Iran was occupied by peoples with a variety of cultures. There are numerous artifacts attesting to settled agriculture, permanent sun-dried- brick dwellings, and pottery-making from the sixth millennium B.C. The most advanced area technologically was ancient Susiana, present-day Khuzestan Province. By the fourth millennium, the inhabitants of Susiana, the Elamites, were using semipictographic writing, probably learned from the highly advanced civilization of Sumer in Mesopotamia (ancient name for much of the area now known as Iraq), to the west. Sumerian influence in art, literature, and religion also became particularly strong when the Elamites were occupied by, or at least came under the domination of, two Mesopotamian cultures, those of Akkad and Ur, during the middle of the third millennium. By 2000 B.C. the Elamites had become sufficiently unified to destroy the city of Ur. Elamite civilization developed rapidly from that point, and, by the fourteenth century B.C., its art was at its most impressive. Immigration of the Medes and the Persians Small groups of nomadic, horse-riding peoples speaking Indo-European languages began moving into the Iranian cultural area from Central Asia near the end of the second millennium B.C. Population pressures, overgrazing in their home area, and hostile neighbors may have prompted these migrations. Some of the groups settled in eastern Iran, but others, those who were to leave significant historical records, pushed farther west toward the Zagros Mountains. Three major groups are identifiablethe Scythians, the Medes (the Amadai or Mada), and the Persians (also known as the Parsua or Parsa). The Scythians established themselves in the northern Zagros Mountains and clung to a seminomadic existence in which raiding was the chief form of economic enterprise. The Medes settled over a huge area, reaching as far as modern Tabriz in the north and Esfahan in the south. They had their capital at Ecbatana (present-day Hamadan) and annually paid tribute to the Assyrians. The Persians were established in three areas: to the south of Lake Urmia (the tradional name, also cited as Lake Orumiyeh, to which it has reverted after being called Lake Rezaiyeh under the Pahlavis), on the northern border of the kingdom of the Elamites; and in the environs of modern Shiraz, which would be their eventual settling place and to which they would give the name Parsa (what is roughly present-day Fars Province). During the seventh century B.C., the Persians were led by Hakamanish (Achaemenes, in Greek), ancestor of the Achaemenid dynasty. A descendant, Cyrus II (also known as Cyrus the Great or Cyrus the Elder), led the combined forces of the Medes and the Persians to establish the most extensive empire known in the ancient world. By 546 B.C., Cyrus had defeated Croesus*, the Lydian king of fabled wealth, and had secured control of the Aegean coast of Asia Minor, Armenia, and the  Greek colonies  along the Levant. Moving east, he took Parthia (land of the Arsacids, not to be confused with Parsa, which was to the southwest), Chorasmis, and Bactria. He besieged and captured Babylon in 539 and released the Jews who had been held captive there, thus earning his immortalization in the Book of Isaiah. When he died in 529**, Cyruss kingdom extended as far east as the Hindu Kush in present-day Afghanistan. His successors were less successful. Cyruss unstable son, Cambyses II, conquered Egypt but later committed suicide during a revolt led by a priest, Gaumata, who usurped the throne until overthrown in 522 by a member of a lateral branch of the Achaemenid family, Darius I (also known as Darayarahush or Darius the Great). Darius attacked the Greek mainland, which had supported rebellious Greek colonies under his aegis, but as a result of his defeat at the  Battle of Marathon in 490  was forced to retract the limits of the empire to  Asia Minor. The Achaemenids thereafter consolidated areas firmly under their control. It was Cyrus and Darius who, by sound and farsighted administrative planning, brilliant military maneuvering, and a humanistic worldview, established the greatness of the Achaemenids and in less than thirty years raised them from an obscure tribe to a world power. The quality of the Achaemenids as rulers began to disintegrate, however, after the death of Darius in 486. His son and successor, Xerxes, was chiefly occupied with suppressing revolts in Egypt and Babylonia. He also attempted to conquer the Greek Peloponnesus, but encouraged by a victory at Thermopylae, he overextended his forces and suffered overwhelming defeats at Salamis and Plataea. By the time his successor, Artaxerxes I, died in 424, the imperial court was beset by factionalism among the lateral family branches, a condition that persisted until the death in 330 of the last of the Achaemenids, Darius III, at the hands of his own subjects. The Achaemenids were enlightened despots who allowed a certain amount of regional autonomy in the form of the satrapy system. A satrapy was an administrative unit, usually organized on a geographical basis. A satrap (governor) administered the region, a general supervised military recruitment and ensured order, and a state secretary kept official records. The general and the state secretary reported directly to the central government. The twenty satrapies were linked by a 2,500-kilometer highway, the most impressive stretch being the  royal road  from Susa to Sardis, built by command of Darius. Relays of mounted couriers could reach the most remote areas in fifteen days. Despite the relative local independence afforded by the satrapy system, however, royal inspectors, the eyes and ears of the king, toured the empire and reported on local conditions, and the king maintained a personal bodyguard of 10,000 men, called the Immortals. The language in greatest use in the empire was Aramaic. Old Persian was the official language of the empire but was used only for inscriptions and royal proclamations. Darius revolutionized the economy by placing it on a silver and gold coinage system. Trade was extensive, and under the  Achaemenids  there was an efficient infrastructure that facilitated the exchange of commodities among the far reaches of the empire. As a result of this commercial activity, Persian words for typical items of trade became prevalent throughout the  Middle East  and eventually entered the English language; examples are, bazaar, shawl, sash, turquoise, tiara, orange, lemon, melon, peach, spinach, and asparagus. Trade was one of the empires main sources of revenue, along with agriculture and tribute. Other accomplishments of Dariuss reign included codification of the data, a universal legal system upon which much of later Iranian law would be based, and construction of a new capital at Persepolis, where vassal states would offer their yearly tribute at the festival celebrating the spring equinox. In its art and architecture, Persepolis reflected Dariuss percept ion of himself as the leader of conglomerates of people to whom he had given a new and single identity. The Achaemenid art and architecture found there is at once distinctive and also highly eclectic. The Achaemenids took the art forms and the cultural and religious traditions of many of the ancient Middle Eastern peoples and combined them into a single form. This Achaemenid artistic style is evident in the iconography of Persepolis, which celebrates the king and the office of the monarch. Envisioning a new world empire based on a fusion of Greek and Iranian culture and  ideals,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Alexander the Great  of Macedon accelerated the disintegration of the Achaemenid Empire. He was first accepted as leader by the fractious Greeks in 336 B.C. and by 334 had advanced to Asia Minor, an Iranian satrapy. In quick  succession,  he took Egypt, Babylonia, and then, over the course of two years, the heart of the  Achaemenid EmpireSusa, Ecbatana, and Persepolisthe last of which he burned. Alexander married Roxana (Roshanak), the daughter of the most powerful of the Bactrian chiefs (Oxyartes, who revolted in present-day Tadzhikistan), and in 324 commanded his officers and 10,000 of his soldiers to marry Iranian women. The mass wedding, held at Susa, was a model of Alexanders desire to consummate the union of the Greek and Iranian peoples. These plans ended in 323 B.C., however, when Alexander was struck with fever and died in Babylon, leaving no heir. His empire was d ivided among four of his generals. Seleucus, one of these generals, who became ruler of Babylon in 312, gradually reconquered most of Iran. Under Seleucuss son, Antiochus I, many Greeks entered Iran, and Hellenistic motifs in art, architecture, and urban planning became prevalent. Although the Seleucids faced challenges from the  Ptolemies of Egypt  and from the growing power of Rome, the main threat came from the province of Fars (Partha to the Greeks). Arsaces (of the seminomadic Parni tribe), whose name was used by all subsequent Parthian kings, revolted against the Seleucid governor in 247 B.C. and established a dynasty, the Arsacids, or Parthians. During the second century, the Parthians were able to extend their rule to Bactria, Babylonia, Susiana, and Media, and, under Mithradates II (123-87 B.C.), Parthian conquests stretched from India to Armenia. After the victories of Mithradates II, the Parthians began to claim descent from both the Greeks and the Achaemenids. They spoke a language similar to that of the Achaemenids, used the Pahlavi script, and established an administrative system based on Achaemenid precedents. Meanwhile, Ardeshir, son of the priest Papak, who claimed descent from the legendary hero Sasan, had become the Parthian governor in the Achaemenid home province of Persis (Fars). In A.D. 224 he overthrew the last Parthian king and established the Sassanid dynasty, which was to last 400 years. The Sassanids established an empire roughly within the frontiers achieved by the Achaemenids  [c, 550-330 B.C.;  with the capital at Ctesiphon. The Sassanids consciously sought to resuscitate Iranian traditions and to obliterate Greek cultural influence. Their rule was characterized by considerable centralization, ambitious urban planning, agricultural development, and technological improvements. Sassanid rulers adopted the title of shahanshah (king of kings), as sovereigns over numerous petty rulers, known as  shahrdars. Historians believe that society was divided into four classes: the priests, warriors, secretaries, and commoners. The royal princes, petty rulers, great landlords, and priests together constituted a privileged stratum, and the social system appears to have been fairly rigid. Sassanid rule and the system of social stratification were reinforced by Zoroastrianism, which became the state religion. The Zoroastrian priesthood became immensely powerful. The head of the priestly class, the  mobadan  mobad, along with the military commander, the  eran  spahbod, and the head of the bureaucracy, were among the great men of the state. Rome, with its capital at  Constantinople, had replaced Greece as Irans principal Western enemy, and hostilities between the two empires were frequent. Shahpur I (241-72), son and successor of Ardeshir, waged successful campaigns against the Romans and in 260 even took the emperor Valerian prisoner. Chosroes I (531-79), also known as Anushirvan the Just, is the most celebrated of the Sassanid rulers. He reformed the tax system and reorganized the army and the bureaucracy, tying the army more closely to the central government than to local lords. His reign witnessed the rise of the  dihqans  (literally, village lords), the petty landholding nobility who were the backbone of later Sassanid provincial administration and the tax collection system. Chosroes was a great builder, embellishing his capital, founding new towns, and constructing new buildings. Under his auspices, too, many books were brought from India and translated into Pahlavi. Some of these later found their way into the literature of the Islamic world. The reign of Chosroes II (591-628) was characterized by the wasteful splendor and lavishness of the court. Toward the end of his  reign  Chosroes IIs power declined. In renewed fighting with the Byzantines, he enjoyed initial successes, captured Damascus, and seized the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. But counterattacks by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius brought enemy forces deep into Sassanid territory. Years of warfare exhausted both the Byzantines and the Iranians. The later Sassanids were further weakened by economic decline, heavy taxation, religious unrest, rigid social stratification, the increasing power of the provincial landholders, and a rapid turnover of rulers. These factors facilitated the Arab invasion in the seventh century. Data as of December 1987Source: Library of Congress Country Studies Corrections *Jona Lendering  points out that a 547/546 date for the fall of Croesus is based on the  Nabonidus Chronicle  whose reading is uncertain. Rather than  Croesus  it may have been the ruler of Uratu. Lendering says the fall of Lydia should be listed as the 540s. **He also advises that cuneiform sources start to mention Cambyses as sole ruler in August 530, so the date of his death the following year is wrong.

The Meaning and Origin of Famous German Names

The Meaning and Origin of Famous German Names Have you ever wondered about some of the famous German last names youve heard or read about? Whats in a German name? The meaning and origins of names are not always what they seem to be at first glance. German surnames and place names often trace their roots back to old Germanic words that have changed their meaning or gone out of use entirely. For example, the last name of author Gà ¼nter Grass seems to be obvious. Although the German word for grass is das Gras, the German authors name really has nothing to do with grass. His last name comes from a Middle High German word with a very different meaning. People who know just enough German to be dangerous may tell you that the surname Gottschalk means Gods rogue or Gods scoundrel. Well, this name – borne by the famous German TV host Thomas Gottschalk (virtually unknown outside of the German-speaking world) and an American department store chain – actually has a much better meaning. Similar mistakes or mistranslations can arise because words (and names) change their meanings and spellings over time. The name Gottschalk goes back at least 300 years to a time when the German word Schalk had a different meaning than it has today. (More below.) Arnold Schwarzenegger is another famous person whose name is sometimes explained in a misleading and even racist way. But his name is only confusing to people who dont know German very well, and it certainly has nothing to do with black people. The correct pronunciation of his name makes that very clear: Schwarzen-egger. Learn more about these and other names in the alphabetical list below. Also, see the list of related Germanic name resources at the end. German Surnames of the Rich and/or Famous Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967) - First chancellor of West GermanyMany surnames come from a geographic location or town. In the case of Adenauer, who served in Bonn as the very first Bundeskanzler, his name comes from a small town very close to Bonn: Adenau, first listed in the records as Adenowe (1215). A person from Adenau is known as an Adenauer. The German-American Henry Kissinger is another example of German name derived from a town (see below). Johann Sebastian Bach (1770-1872) - German composerSometimes a name is exactly what it seems to be. In the case of the composer, the German word der Bach means that his ancestors lived near a small stream or brook. But the name Bache, with an added e, is related to another old word meaning smoked meat or bacon and hence a butcher. (The modern German word Bache means wild sow.) Boris Becker (1967- ) - former German tennis star. He has an occupational name far removed from how Becker gained fame: baker (der Bcker). Karl Benz (1844-1929) - German co-inventor of the automobileMany last names were once (or still are also) first or given names. Karl (also Carl) Benz has a surname that was once a nickname for either Bernhard (strong bear) or Berthold (splendid ruler).   Gottfried Wilhelm Daimler (1834-1900) - German co-inventor of the automobileOlder variations of Daimler include Deumler, Teimbler, and Teumler. Not exactly a name meaning desired by someone dealing with cars, Daimler is derived from an old southern German word (Tumler) meaning swindler, from the verb tumeln, to overcharge or cheat. In 1890, he and his partner Wilhelm Maybach founded the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG). In 1926 DMG merged with the Karl Benz company to form Daimler-Benz AG. (Also see Karl Benz above).   Thomas Gottschalk (1950- ) - German TV host (Wetten, dass...?)The name Gottschalk literally means Gods servant. Although today the word der Schalk is understood as rogue or scoundrel, its original meaning was more like der Knecht, servant, knave, or farmhand. In the early 1990s, Gottschalk and his family bought a home in Los Angeles (Malibu), where he could live without being mobbed by German fans. He still spends summers in California. Like Gottlieb (Gods love), Gottschalk was also a first name. Stefanie Steffi Graf (1969- ) - former German tennis starThe German word der Graf is the same as the English title of nobility count. Gà ¼nter Grass (1927- ) - German Nobel-prize winning authorA good example of a surname that seems obvious, but isnt the famous authors name comes from the Middle High German (1050-1350) word graz, meaning angry or intense. Once they know this, many people think the name suits the often controversial writer.   Henry Kissinger  (1923- ) - German-born former U.S. Secretary of State (1973-1977) and Nobel Peace Prize laureateHeinz Alfred Kissingers name is a place name meaning a person from Bad Kissingen, a famous spa resort town in Franconian Bavaria. Kissingers great great grandfather (Urgroßvater) derived his name from the town in 1817. Even today, a person from Bad Kissingen (pop. 21,000) is known as a Kissinger. Heidi Klum  (1973- ) - German supermodel, actressIronically, Klum is related to the old German word  klumm  (knapp, short, limited;  geldklumm, short on money) and  klamm  (klamm  sein, slang for strapped for cash). As a star model, Klums financial situation certainly does not fit her name. Helmut Kohl  (1930- ) - former German chancellor (1982-1998)The name Kohl (or Cole) is derived from an occupation: a grower or seller of cabbage (der Kohl. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart  (1756-1791) - Austrian composerBaptized as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, the genius composer had a last name that comes from a term of ridicule or mockery. First recorded in the 14th century as Mozahrt in southern Germany, the name is based on the old Alemannic word  motzen, to roll in  mud. Originally a first name (with the common ending -hart), the term was used for someone who was sloppy, untidy, or dirty. Ferdinand Porsche  (1875-1951) - Austrian auto engineer and designerThe name Porsche has Slavic roots and is probably derived from a shortened form of the first name Borislav (Boris), meaning famous fighter (bor, fighting   slava, fame). Porsche designed the original Volkswagen. Maria Schell  (1926-2005) - Austrian-Swiss film actressMaximilian Schell  (1930 - ) - Austrian-Swiss film actorAnother name with Middle High German origins. The MHG  schell  meant exciting or wild. Brother and sister also both appeared in Hollywood films. Claudia Schiffer  (1970- ) - German supermodel, actressOne of Claudias ancestors was probably a sailor or ships captain (der Schiffer, skipper). Oskar Schindler  (1908-1974) - German factory owner of Schindlers list fameFrom the profession of  Schindelhauer  (shingle maker). Arnold Schwarzenegger  (1947- ) - Austrian-born actor, director, politicianNot only is the former bodybuilders name a bit long and unusual, but it is also often misunderstood. Arnolds last name is made up of two words:  schwarzen, black   egger, corner, or loosely translated, black corner (das  schwarze  Eck). His ancestors probably came from a location that was forested and seemed dark (like the Black Forest,  der Schwarzwald).   Til Schweiger  (1963- ) - German screen star, director, producerAlthough it seems related to  schweigen  (to be silent), the actors name is actually derived from Middle High German  sweige, meaning farm or dairy farm. Schweiger has also appeared in several Hollywood movies, including as a villain in  Laura Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life  (2003). Johnny Weissmuller  (1904-1984) - U.S. Olympic swimming champ best known as TarzanAnother occupational name: wheat miller (der Weizen / Weisz  Ã‚  der Mà ¼ller / Mueller). Although he always claimed he was born in Pennsylvania, Weissmuller was  actually  born to Austrian parents in what is now Rumania.   Ruth Westheimer (Dr. Ruth)  (1928- ) - German-born sex therapistBorn in Frankfurt am Main as Karola Ruth Siegel (das Siegel, stamp, seal), Dr. Ruths last name (from her late husband Manfred Westheimer) means at home / living in the west (der West  Ã‚  heim). Books on German Family Names  (in German) Professor Udolphs Buch der Namen - Woher sie kommen, was sie bedeutenJà ¼rgen Udolph, Goldmann, paper - ISBN: 978-3442154289 Duden - Familiennamen: Herkunft und Bedeutung von 20 000 NachnamenRosa and Volker KohlheimBibliographisches Institut, Mannheim, paper - ISBN: 978-3411708529 Das große Buch der FamiliennamenHorst NaumannBassermann, 2007, paper - ISBN: 978-3809421856

Economics Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words - 1

Economics Project - Essay Example It is significant to understand that even though countries might be located in the same region, they may respond variously to financial crises and may have different capabilities to withstand their impacts. The section following the literature review will be dedicated to econometric results that will analyze the impacts of the financial crisis on key labour market performance indicators such as unemployment and employment rates. In investigating the severity of financial crises for economies at different levels of development, a re-estimation will be done on a model for sub-samples obtained from different income groups plus additional 15 transition countries (Griffith 2000). Financial crisis is an economic situation that relates to a panic in the banking sector, and includes a significant financial and production sector losses, leads to chaos on the international market, creates downfall of the stocks in the market, financial bubbles, currency crises as well as foreign loans and also leads to sharp declines in economic activity nd has a huge potential of creating an economic recession (Marelli, Patuelli & Signorelli 2012). The 2007-08 financial crises affected the whole world. The Global financial crisis started in 2007 with ‘subprime crisis and then quickly propagated into the financial system and the banking sector of other countries as a result of global diffusion that was involved with the sophisticated financial instruments. In 2008, the extending disruptions in the working of credit systems and banks, the deterioration of expectations, and the confidence crisis led to the initial real effects that were felt in the economy. It also led to a d ecrease in levels of activity and productivity levels as well as a reduction in investments and consumptions and a fall in international trade. The financial crisis experienced in 2007-08 financial year also persisted in 2009, and this was coupled with widespread consequences on labour

Critical and Rational Analysis of Technology Change Models Essay

Critical and Rational Analysis of Technology Change Models - Essay Example Humanity only has a vague idea of the future, and anticipations and expectations change as new aspects of technology are introduced ("Technology and Change"). There are times when technology change may seem foreseeable but the way it has taken the world by surprise cannot simply be underrated. It has, indeed, created a plethora of advanced skills and expertise. Today's technological advances have it possible for individuals to explore the universe in a blink of the eye ("Technology and Change"). It created a vast and wide understanding of the world around us and instigated a deep-down comprehension of why life has to evolve in such a way that it has to shed its skin from the past and continue to live for the future. Everyday, we see technology change happen on our streets, at our homes, in school, or in the office. We always see technology change in our lives. However, in spite of its clear existence, many people cannot simply accept what type of changes technology has to offer. This is because in some ways, it happens so abruptly that they cannot instantly grasp what it has to offer or what good it can provide them. Modern technology has given humanity the chance to use highly advanced and innovative devices that makes life a bit easier, replacing obsolete and primitive devices that were in use not so long ago. These modern devices and methods all have the potential to make life easier if used properly ("Technology"). And perhaps they were. What used to be an innovative and practical change that created a life full of immediacy and modernization are now feeble and staggering, needled by wrong dispositions, crippled by self demoralization, overwhelmed with selfishness or drained of energy by war and violence, or otherwise threatened by a global phenomenon known as nuclear war. More than ever before, it has become clear that the torch of technology change will be passed to the next generation at a time sooner than we would like to think, or accept, signaling that cycles and passages relentlessly revolve even when we are not aware of it - or particularly when we are not aware of it. However underhanded and terrifying it can be, the way technology change has thrived in human history has always been and will always is a part of it. With the explicit impact of technology change, people do not have any choice but to go with the flow. Hence, they have undeniably submitted their selves to such events and blindly accepted the fact that technology is here to stay. There are various organizations existing today that promotes technological change in spite of the possible repercussions it may bring ("Technology and Systematic Change"). Even if it comes to the point of being both a sociological and technological issue, it may never be denied that it is a part of social change. One of these organizations, nsba.org, states that:Boards of education need to recognize that technology integration is as much aboutchange as it is about technology. How board members feel about change and theirattitudes about people's ability to change or not to change are crucia ("Technology andSystematic Change") Those that support technology and technological change state that in order for technology to truly serve its purpose to society, it has to be integrated and incorporated into social institutions such as educational units. This will

Genetically- Modified Foods and Ingredients Essay Example for Free

Genetically- Modified Foods and Ingredients Essay Visiting a supermarket has become a usual experience of each one of us. We have to read all the labels that warn us against genetically-modified ingredients and its expiry date. I, try myself to calm down that epidemic services take control over dangerous products. Yet, I have my doubts in eating my favorite snack, French fries that is done in a fast food. The cumulative effect of genetically-modified foods is particularly dangerous for sensitive populations, including kids, elderly people and people who have indigestion people and even us, whose normal healthy living people. I have studies literature on genetically-modified ingredients, trying to be objective in my judgment. Genetically-modified ingredients advance the modern biology achievements. These products and ingredients strengthen the resistance to herbicides and improve nutritional food contents. Genetically-modified (GM) foods production lessens time-consuming than conventional breeding. Molecular Biologists have not discovered yet how harmful GM products and ingredients are but they claim that GM foods may be environmentally hazardous. Only allergy was recognized as negative effect of GM foods. We, cannot break out from the GM products, since two-thirds of genetically modified crops are corn, cotton, soybeans, potatoes even the fruits we eat. This is just a sign that we should be well inform on what is going in our world especially in our foods that can affect our living. We cannot escape from this advancement in our modern world but we, people, can prevent this to have real healthy living life style.

The Easter Uprising of 1916 Essay -- Essays Papers

The Easter Uprising of 1916 The Easter Uprising of 1916 was an event that happened at the tail end of a long list of events that would forever change Ireland. The Uprising or Rising, as some call it, took place mostly in Dublin but was felt throughout Ireland. The point was to gain independence from Great Britain who had ruled Ireland for the past couple hundred years. At the turn of the 19th century England believed that Ireland had too much independence and made the Act of Union. â€Å"The result was the Act of Union of 1801: the Irish parliament voted itself out of existence and England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales were formally politically unified for the first time† (Hegarty 2). Around the time of the First World War, Ireland began the fight for the Home Rule to be enacted. But this kind of rule was quickly overturned with the start of the Easter Rising in 1916; two years after World War I broke out in Europe. The pull of the Home Rule Act led to the formation of the Citizen Army which was a major cause of the Easter Rising. James Connolly used the Citizen Army to protect his newspaper â€Å"The Workers’ Republic† to call for an armed revolt (Green 5). The Easter Uprising left 440 British and 75 Irish troops dead in the end. To shows the disapproval of the Rising Britain publicly executed fifteen leaders of the Uprising and 60 others via firing squad. Many more other were sentenced to long prison terms. Of all of the things that could have happened in Ireland, the Easter Uprising was by far the most unpopular thing to do in the eye of the Dublin public. The majority of people in Dublin at the beginning of the 20th century did not want the Uprising to happen, because it would postpone the ability to gain their independ... ...land continues to be one of the quickest growing countries in modern day Europe despite all of the problems it had to put up with to get there. Sources BBC, The. The Executions. 8, February 2004 BBC 1 The Blacks and Tans.8, February 2004 Easter Uprising, The The Easter Uprising of 1916. 8 February 2004 < http://www.geocities.com/rollofhonour32/1916.html> Green, Michael. The Easter Rising in Ireland, 1916. 30 January 2004 Hegarty, N and Harvey-Craig, A. History of Dublin. 25 January 2004 Luby, Damian. Irish Liberation. 25 January 2004

Hostile is outsourcing: The story of Manufact Essay

This case study is concerned with issues of Hostile IS Outsourcing. It describes the situation which developed in May 1996 as problems with communication and careful planning within the organisation, resulted in a key department being outsourced. This had many implications which had a negative â€Å"knock-on† effect throughout the company. I am going to highlight these and look at issues which may minimise the risks in taking such important decisions. The ManuFact Company is a mid-sized (SME) European company in the kitchen hardware industry. (The company consists of 3500 employees of which 39 of them work in the IS department) It has a total o of 3500 employees, mainly in production and distribution and an IT department with 39 people whose budget is $4 million and a largely mainframe based portfolio. A key person in this company is Smith who was the IS director for ManuFact until March 1997, who reorganized the IS capability from a marginally successful semi-independent subsidiary to an internal department. He received good feedback about his ability to keep IT costs down and maintain a satisfactory level. What we have to keep in mind at this point is that Smith was excellent at his job, trusted within the company and was recognized and valued in the organisation. The other key person in this case is Lawler who in May 1996 became Smith’s boss. Lawler had a background as chief council for ManuFact and was a member of the board. He was part of a three-person top management committee with responsibility for administration, personnel, and legal issues as well IS departments. However we have to note that Lawler had â€Å"little† IT experience. Therefore we can make a judgement that for key decisions within this IS department, the right thing for Lawler to do would be to consult a person with the right understanding and specialist knowledge for decision making purposes. Later on we will see that this was not as such and the whole structure of the IS department was affected, due to the lack of communication with the right people and high risk decision made. Within this case study we see that Lawler was interested in â€Å"downsizing† and â€Å"facilities management†. What do these terms mean? Downsizing is a reduction in the staffing requirements of businesses which can follow after privatisation for a variety of reasons such as competitive pressures or the need to increase the profitability of the business by cutting costs1. Facilities management is the Management and operation of a part of a client’s IT facilities under a contract extending over several years2. The definition of Outsourcing is an arrangement whereby a 3rd party provider assumes responsibility for performing Information Systems functions a pre-defined price and according to pre-determines performance criteria. It can also be defined as the purchase of a good or service that was previously provided internally. With IT outsourcing an outside vendor provides IT services traditionally provided internal MIS department3. In the case Lawler requests Smith to research companies about outsourcing, of which three main companies are contacted, one being ISCorp. After initial consultation with the company Smith advises Lawler that there is a potential to save $275,000 but realistically they would break-even due to transition costs. Hence Smith warns that this solution would not be feasible. So assume that this is an accurate judgement by Smith as he knows best about the department due to his experience working within the IS department. However Lawler is approached directly by ISCorp and is informed that there is potential to save $6million to which he feels obliged to accept the offer. He therefore falls into a â€Å"big trap† and believes the biased portrayal of the vendor, by not appreciating the views of Smith and the careful analysis he conducted. From the information we have we can assume that Lawler has not planned the contract correctly to his benefit. A reason for this could be that he had insufficient IS experience. Lawler could have considered selective outsourcing which is when company decided to outsource, despite possible disadvantages, it must always decide whether to pursue it fully or selectively. Full outsourcing means, that all its IS functions from desktop services to software development are outsourced4. A company would outsource everything if it did not view IS as a strategic advantage that needs to be developed internally. This may be the case with ManuFact, and Lawler may have made this decision on that basis, however we do not know that. Had Lawler known about selective outsourcing he may have considered that. Selective outsourcing is where a company chooses which IS capabilities to retain in house and which could be given to an outsider. Areas which could fall into this category could be Web site hosting, business process application development, help desk support, networking, communications and data centre operations5. Reasons to outsource selectively could also be that a particular area or a segment can’t be improved and would only be perform better if completed externally. It provides greater flexibility and better service due to the competitive market. Lawler should have looked at some outsourcing models such as the classic outsourcing model. This dictates that an enterprise should outsource only those functions that do not give it competitive advantage. This would result in all the ManuFact IS employees being made redundant and offered new jobs within ISCorp. The ManuFact IS staff felt de-motivated and not wanted as later on in the case they all leave except two. As a consequence expertise knowledge was lost from within the company. Now ISCorp were worst off as they had to find new staff to replace existing members which meant they were not only less experienced, but also were not familiar with the existing systems resulting in higher costs for both training and recruitment. No new development took place for nine months. ISCorp had the cheek to demand an extra $1.5 million to cover work not specified in the contract .This indicates that the contract was not as ManuFact sought after as careful analysis of the problem was not thoroughly thought out. Therefore there were â€Å"loopholes† in the contract which ISCorp took advantage. On ManuFact’s part, lawyers should have been present when agreement of this contract took place to ensure ManuFact got exactly what was required. Another problem with regards to the ambiguity of the contract was that the amount of systems development hours specified by ISCorp was only half of what the IS department was currently putting in; but each hour was billed considerably higher. Therefore the current IS department would have been less expensive than ISCorp’s had they calculated with the same number of hours. However Smith was not successful in outlining this point with Lawler. ISCorp benefited from this and ManuFact lost out. Nine months on the systems were running fine, but new systems development still had not started. This could have an effect in other areas of the company or it could be that it has had a â€Å"knock-on† effect through the company already. (E.g. Company X produces Pokemons in the assembly line. The packer is waiting for the producer, so he can load the stock in the warehouse. If the producers are delayed then this has a knock-on effect as the packer is delayed, therefore the delivery is behind schedule and the consumer won’t get his Pokemon) Complaints had already been received from line organisation about ISCorp’s lack of customer service and also there were criticisms about the aging technology. As the contract did not contain any provisions for upgrading technology, ManuFact were effectively locked with the same technology infrastructure for the next five years. Recently Smith had heard that some of the subsidiaries were trying to break out of the contract so they can move on to newer and better technology. This would be difficult but if it was possible, it would be very costly for ManuFact as assumptions are made that ISCorp are well guarded for such an occurrence. On the side of ManuFact, if in the contract there was a clause that that would enable them to â€Å"backsource† or â€Å"in-Source† as it sometimes called, ManuFact could bring it’s IS team back internally. However they themselves may not want to consider this option due to previous experienced staff having gone elsewhere. Due to their previous problem, ManuFact are afraid of losing their staff members again which would mean they lose 18 months of skill, time and know-how which is currently in the â€Å"hands† of ISCorp; whom ManuFact are reliant on. In this particular case I feel that the disadvantages outweighed the advantages and my reasons are given above. ManuFact fell in many pitfalls such as focusing their negotiation solely on price. As the contract was not clear cut, it looks like many key areas such as planning were not looked at before deciding. As the savings looked very attractive Lawler didn’t carefully evaluate and appreciate his own company’s and staffs capabilities, not to mention thorough evaluation of the outsourcer’s capabilities. By checking the credibility of the vendors claims, ManuFact may not have got itself into the position it has because it would have meant ISCorp justifying themselves on many points and it could have â€Å"clicked† to Lawler and probably made him think twice. The main pitfall was that Lawler did not make the decision to consult the right people The recommendations I would like to give to ManuFact are to look into the contract and find any areas which have not been fulfilled and seek compensation if possible. If they want to completely backsource try to lure ISCorp staff to stay and work them. They could offer them incentives such as better pay but at least it would retain the specialist staffs that have trained on its systems for nine months. If this is not possible try and re-negotiate the contract ensuring that there are contract managers and lawyers present so ManuFact get the best or at the minimum, exactly what they want from the contract. Given the complexities of this case I would make sure that whatever decisions are made the staff currently working on the systems, STAY. To conclude I would like to say that Before deciding to outsource the top level management of a company really need to weigh up its pro’s and con’s. It needs to foresee where the company is going and see what measures it should take to achieve them. They should consider the possibility of selective, full or not to outsource at all if need be. Full or selective outsourcing allows an organisation alternative top-performing IS services in-house. Cost savings or filling gaps in the organisation’s IT skills are powerful drivers for outsourcing. The numerous risks involved in outsourcing arrangements must also be carefully assessed by IS and general manager alike. The Company ought to enforce a buy-out clause, if a company decides to outsource make sure the right specialist people such as lawyers are present to make sure things go according to plan, and finally: If a company decides to outsource ALWAYS check the fine print. Bibliography Person, K.E, and Saunders, C.S.,2004, Managing and Using Information Systems: A Strategic Approach Oates, D 1999, Outsourcing and the Virtual Organization: The Incredible Shrinking Company Willcocks, L.P and Lacity, M.C., 1999 Strategic Sourcing of Information Systems: Perspectives and Practised. Yaseen Adam Strategic Management and Information Systems

If Only I Could Go Back

It was around 9:00 pm and the atmosphere was charged. The roads were blocked and the police were to be found on every corner. A search was in place, I was the suspect. My clothes were stained with blood, not my blood but Eve's blood. My face was covered with dirt as though I had taken a dip in a pigsty. Suddenly just behind me I heard a booming sound â€Å"Freeze, don't move†, but I was too faint to synchronize with a response. Red and blue lines were flashing before my guilty eyes, it was the police. They had found me; I was handcuffed on the spot and thrown into the back of a van like a captured animal thrown into his cage. I was read out my rights â€Å"You have the right to remain silent, anything you say or do can be used against you in a court of law†. That was it, I had been on the run for 4 consecutive days. My stomach lunched with hunger, my body desperately urged for rest but worst of all I was ruined. I was filled with intense regret. Although a sense of denial ran through my head, my conscience overcame the effect and I knew what I had done was wrong. â€Å"Too late now† I thought to myself. As I neared the place of my judgment with the last bit of strength in me I shouted aloud â€Å"God Forgive Me†. Time seemed to crawl as freedom raced its way out of my life. I was utterly left to rot. Fear and regret was all I could think of. My sense of fear was so strong, that I began to cry. My emotions overpowered me once again and the more I thought of the crime I had committed the more I continued to cry. I then arrived at the police station where I saw my father standing with only one expression on his face, ‘SHOCK'. As a police officer informed my father of my actions I saw a tear form in his eyes, a tear filled with shame and disappointment. The sight of my father's face scared me all the more. A vision of an empty, lonely future came alive at the back of my head, the past 18 years of my life flashed past me so fast like a video cassette put on super forward. I then heard a rough thick voice say â€Å"Why my son, why did you beat Eve to death?† It was my father who by now had understood precisely what had happened. He was a man who went through a lot of rough times himself. I was silent. The cause of my actions was due to my family problems. The agony, the loneliness of my parents being divorced and not having a father and a mother at the same time made me feel empty. My family was very dear to me, as a ‘real family' was all I wanted. Ever since I was a child I've been brought up by a single parent and always wished to have my parents back together. I longed all my life to know how a real family life was, but I was deprived of that. I did not want my father to pity me hence; I kept the reason to myself. I am a man now and should be responsible for my actions. It was because of Eve who simultaneously insulted my family and made fun of the fact that my parents were divorced. â€Å"Your parents don't love you that was why they left you† was one of the many hurtful things she said. At first I tried to ignore it but the truth penetrated its way into me and anger was all that was left in me. The blood in my veins boiled making me all the angrier where at one point I burst and took all my anger out on her. Punch after punch, kick after kick. This is when my emotions took over me at first. Everything happened so fast, and by the time it was all over and saw Eve's helpless body lying horizontally opposite to me, I was shocked but most of all scared. This was the first time I had actually seen someone die before my own eyes, and to worsen things it was me who had â€Å"murdered† her. I acted like a robot controlled by the truth and my emotions. Then the fear of death took over me and for the first few minutes I froze at a standstill but the thought of what I had done scared me so much that I began to run as fast as I could to hide myself from what I had done. Now my life is ruined. I feel like a total failure. Till this very day each moment I sit in my jail cell, I feel helpless and hungry and regret what I had done and just wish if I can take back what had happened. The thought, the whole thing just keeps running through my mind making me feel so wrong and so bad. â€Å"Oh! If I could only go back in time!†

Director John Waters as auteur.

Director John Waters as auteur. John Waters is a true auteur. He uses many of the same themes and images throughout his films. The John Waters' films that I viewed were Hairspray (1988), Cry-Baby (1990), Serial Mom (1994), and Cecil B. Demented (2000). Consistent themes in these films included the use of the same actors, Waters' love for scandal ridden celebrities, all were located in Baltimore, comedic portrayals of sex, outcasts, altercations with the police, and a shot of a mouse, rat or gerbil.Hairspray is the story of Tracy Turnblatt, a chubby hair hopper in 1960s Baltimore. Waters uses many of his stock actors in this movie, drag queen, Divine in the dual role of Tracy's mother and the television station owner that runs The Corny Collins Show, Mink Stole as Tracy's best friend's mother, Alan J. Wendl as Hefty Hideaway shop owner, Mr. Pinky and starring as Tracy Turnblatt, Waters' muse, the incomparable Ricki Lake.Cecil B. DementedWith the exception of Divine who died shortly after this movie was made, all of these actors appear in all four of these films. Tracy longs to be on The Corny Collins Show, Baltimore's poor man's version of American Bandstand. Through luck, fate and pure chutzpah, she makes it onto the show, becomes a council member and even steals the cutest boy on the show away from the most popular girl in all of Baltimore. According to Curry, Hairspray is a "musical comedy film about desegregation in Baltimore during the early 1960's. Waters revives the turbulent times as a backdrop to a television dance show phenomenon. (Curry, 1996)The expected Waters penchant for media celebrities, past and present, pops up here and there in Cry-Baby with cameos by David Nelson, Patty Hearst, who shows up again in Serial Mom and Cecil B. Demented, Joey Heatherton, Troy Donahue, Iggy...

Timeline of Caribbean Prehistory - Precolumbian

Timeline of Caribbean Prehistory - Precolumbian Earliest Migrations into the Caribbean: 4000-2000 BC The earliest evidence of people moving into the Caribbean islands dates to around 4000 BC. Archaeological evidence comes from sites in Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Lesser Antilles. These are mainly stone tools similar to the ones from the Yucatan peninsula, suggesting these people migrated from Central America. Alternatively, some archaeologists also find similarities among this stone technology and the North American tradition, suggesting movement from Florida and the Bahamas. These first comers were hunter-gatherers who had to change their lifestyle moving from a mainland into a island environment. They collected shellfish and wild plants, and hunted animals. Many Caribbean species became extinct after this first arrival. Important sites of this period are the Levisa rockshelter, Funche Cave, Seboruco, Couri, Madrigales, Casimira, Mordn-Barrera, and Banwari Trace. Fisher/Collectors: Archaic period 2000-500 BC A new colonization wave occurred around 2000 BC. In this period people reached Puerto Rico and a major colonization of the Lesser Antilles occurred. These groups moved into the Lesser Antilles from South America, and they are the bearers of the so-called Ortoiroid culture, dating between 2000 and 500 BC. These were still hunter-gatherers who exploited both coastal and terrestrial resources. The encounter of these groups and the descendants of the original migrants produced and increase in cultural dvariability among the different islands. Important sites of this period are Banwari Trace, Ortoire, Jolly Beach, Krum Bay, Cayo Redondo, Guayabo Blanco. South American Horticulturalists: Saladoid Culture 500 – 1 B.C. Saladoid culture takes its name from the Saladero site, in Venezuela. People bearing this cultural tradition migrated from South America into the Caribbean around 500 BC. They had a different life style from the people already living in the Caribbean. They lived in one place year-round, instead of moving seasonally, and constructed large communal houses organized into villages. They consumed wild products but also cultivated crops like manioc, which was domesticated thousand of years before in South America. Most importantly, they produced a distinct type of pottery, finely decorated along with other craftworks, such as basketry and feather works. Their artistic production included carved human and animal bones and skulls, jewelry made out of shells, mother-of-pearl and imported turquoise. They moved quickly through the Antilles, reaching Puerto Rico and Haiti/Dominican Republic by 400 B.C. The Saladoid Florescence: 1 BC – AD 600 Large communities developed and many Saladoid sites were occupied for centuries, generation after generation. Their lifestyle and culture changed as they coped with changing climates and environments. The islands landscape changed too, due to the clearance of large areas for cultivation. Manioc was their main staple and the sea played a pivotal role, with canoes connecting the islands with South American mainland for communication and trade. Important Saladoid sites include: La Hueca, Hope Estate, Trants, Cedros, Palo Seco, Punta Candelero, Sorcà ©, Tecla, Golden Rock, Maisabel. The Rise of Social and Political Complexity: AD 600 – 1200 Between A.D. 600 and 1200, a series of social and political differentiations arose within Caribbean villages. This process would ultimately lead to the development of the Taà ­no chiefdoms encountered by the Europeans in the 26th century. Between A.D. 600 and 900, there was not yet a marked social differentiation within villages. But a large population growth along with new migrations in the Greater Antilles, especially Jamaica which was colonized for the first time, produced a series of important changes. In Haiti and the Dominican Republic, fully sedentary villages based on farming were widespread. These were characterized by features like ball courts, and large settlements arranged around open plazas. There was an intensification of agricultural production and artifacts such as three-pointers, typical of the later Taà ­no culture, appeared. Finally, the typical Saladoid pottery was replaced by a simpler style called Ostionoid. This culture represents a mix of Saladoid and earlier tradition already present in the islands. The Taà ­no Chiefdoms: AD 1200-1500 Taà ­no culture emerged out of the above described traditions. There was a refinement of political organization and leadership which ultimately became what we know as the historical Taà ­no chiefdoms encountered by the Europeans. Taà ­no tradition was characterized by larger and more numerous settlements, with houses organized around open plazas, which were the focus of social life. Ball games and ball courts were an important religious and social element. They grew cotton for clothing and were crafted woodworkers. An elaborate artistic tradition was essential part of their daily life. Important Tainos sites include: Maisabel, Tibes, Caguana, El Atadijizo, Chacuey, Pueblo Viejo, Laguna Limones. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the About.com guide to Caribbean History, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Wilson, Samuel, 2007, The Archaeology of the Caribbean, Cambridge World Archaeology Series. Cambridge University Press, New York Wilson, Samuel, 1997, The Caribbean before European Conquest: A Chronology, in Taà ­no: Pre-Columbian Art and Culture from the Caribbean. El Museo del Barrio:  Monacelli Press, New York, edited by Fatima Bercht, Estrella Brodsky, John Alan Farmer and  Dicey Taylor. Pp. 15-17

Drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Drama - Essay Example Henceforth, the attitude created by the actor in the stage is critical because that attitude determines the environment and the thought the audience will have towards the script. Learning the tactics of acting in a theatre is very important. The actor must familiarize with the character and afterwards learn the details of the subject, which will enable the actor to assume the character and blend with other characters in the vicinity. Before an actor presents the character to the society, the actor must subject the character to the society viewpoint. Brecht and Mueller argue that Stanislavski method of physical action as advantageous in modern acting (160). Brecht and Mueller explain â€Å"first rehearsals the actor show the plot, the event, the business, convinced that feeling and mood will eventually take care of themselves† (160). Therefore, Stanislavski method of physical action gives time to an actor to transform to the character and as the rehearsal proceeds, empathy and mood eventually develop. Brecht and Mueller states that, â€Å"Stanislavski speaks of rhythms which sweep across scene† (160). Sometimes, the rhythm may be insignificant in a scene because of the manner in which an actor expresses the words. In addition, I also agree that the use of images during acting bring forth a better understanding to the audience. Although, Stanislavski system may be challenging to some actors, the system has incredible method of harmonizing several weakness during acting. The system also provides a platform for learning to new and weak actors. Moreover, the system can measure the actor’s talent through the actor’s ability to manage incomplete

8 Nov 1942 Northwest Africa Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

8 Nov 1942 Northwest Africa - Assignment Example The Allies were the first immigrants from the United States to settle in North Africa. The Axis was a combination of forces, which were against the allies for instance Italy and Germany. It began as early as July 1942 when the Allies agreed on a proposal that it was very illogical for small-scale operations to take over the Northern France region. However, in the agreement, it was clear that landings must secure Vichy territories in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia to enable them spread their influence over the Western Desert. In this sense, the Mediterranean would be free to all Allies to ship goods through Cape of Good Hope. On November 8, 1942, the Allies, due to fear made a quick attempt to take over Tunisia. They were certain the Axis would be rivals if they heard of the Torch landings. The Operation Torch landing and the frequent battles, which were against the Vichy forces made it easy for the Allies to get hold of the Axis forces and forcing them to surrender. This kind of battle happened in Tunisia the same period when North African Campaign took place. it was a battle dominated by the German and Italian forces which made use of weapons like the German Tiger which was among the 501 heavy tanks to be used in this battles. However, its success drew most of the support from the Allies who had a large soldier force and advanced weaponry. Alternatively, it referred to as the Desert war. It was the first campaign to occur and thus gave birth to the North Africa Campaign. This campaign drew its strength from the massive supply of both weaponry, soldiers and food. The Allies used this as a chance to capture the Axis thus making the Germans desperate. For instance, Erwin Rommel, a German commander had a rough time since all the fuel and other support links were disconnected. By the beginning of 1942, the U.S. Air Force Army had began building bombers and fighters just to support the campaign which it later referred to