Commencement address Essay Example for Free

Commencement address Essay Miltary intervention in a Lesser Deveoped Country as defined by this writer is a deliberate entry by an armed regime, into a country with a low standard of living, and a undeveloped work base. Fifteen years ago the United States intervened into a lesser developed country and deployed their troops into the Gulf War. Back then General Schwarkopf was a national idol and boasted to the media along with the masses, We could have traded equipment with the Iraqis and still won. The troops returned from the Gulf to a heroes welcome, but times have changed. Today, as Journalists Don M. Snider, and Gayle L. Watkins puts it, there are many indications that the result is an Army quite unlike the victor of the Gulf War battles. It is instead an Army of decreasing effectiveness, one which suffers from a weakening relationship with the American public and, of more concern, with its own members. Â   Once again quoting both journalists, The Army that won the battles of the Gulf War in 1991 was on of the most professional ever fielded by America. So what are todays unique features of New Military Professionalism? To answer this question we have to back fourteen years, and as a case study, look at Africa. To quote the Civil-Military Relations in Post-independent Africa: South African Defence Review No3, Huntington gives considerable attention to the question of how civilian supremacy over armed forces might be assured. He begins by making a conceptual distinction between what he calls objective and subjective control. In the former, the officer corps is disciplined by its own professionalism, the most important constituent involving service to the community. Â   He concludes, that the more professional an army, the less of a threat it would pose this would coincide with the ideology of such countries as the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, the USA etc. So what are the unique features of New Military Professionalism? The answer is that the government should render the military dull, and unbiased. A highly trained, and mentally conditioned soldier will carry out any order his government dictates. To once again quote the Civil-Military Relations in Post-independent Africa: South African Defence Review No 3: *Â   break up the officer corps into competing groups *Â   establish political armies and special military units *Â   infiltrate the armed services with parallel political chains of command*Â   and by indoctrination, covert surveillance and close party supervision. This representation substantiates that military regiments will remain loyal to government command. The next inquiry that one might pose, Are military regimes successful in the political arena, and what are their objectives? You dont have to be a brain surgeon to realize that in lesser developed countries military regimes with out a doubt come out on top. In most third world countries a soldiers loyalty is bought and paid for, through money, privileges, and perks. In some countries high ranking soldiers are seduced into becoming a part of elites organizations. You must keep in mind that the majority of these recruits have never ever seen the other side of life- the priviledged side. Its not surprising that these impressionable few can be manipulated into blind allegiance to the ruling class. One can only hope that one day all this talk about military intervention will be a thing of the past. Lets contemplate on this notion. Is military intervention and war in a global sense on the decline? According to Gregg Easterbrook, from The New Republic, published May 30, 2005 pp. 18-21, it is. Easterbrook says that in the past fifteen years war has been on the down side. According to his findings the media has been manipulating us with horrific scenes of bombing and bloodshed. Due largely to the fact that today we now have 24 hour cable news channels, along with the world wide internet. People today even have cameras built into their phones. In his discourse he conveys that being killed because of war is the lowest its ever been. According to the statistics, The University of Maryland studies, find the number of wars and armed conflicts worldwide peaked in 1991 at 51, which may represent the most wars happening simultaneously at any point in history. Â   This would allude to the fact that war in a universal sense is half as it was fifteen years ago. The media has been filling our heads with falsities, the truth of the matter is that the majority of the population would rather watch a car bomb going off in some third world country as apposed to watching a report on flowers at our local botanical garden. Its sad but true, its the same mindset as when youre on the freeway and theres a car wreck: everyone slows down to see if someones been killed- its in our nature. Another great statistic is that worldwide military spending is lowering as well. The Center for Defence Information, a nonpartisan Washington research organization, states: in current dollars, annual global military spending peaked in 1985, at $1. 3 trillion, and has been falling since, to slightly over $1 trillion in 2004. Â   This magnificent reality once again has not been brought to light by news reports. These news stations would have you believe that the world is on the verge of mass destruction. There are only a few nations that are still increasing their military spending, one that poses no surprise is the United States; America accounts for 44 percent of global military spending. With the U. S. reshuffling funds to put towards combating terrorist groups, and peace keeping endeavors, they will wind up spending more on guns and miitary recruits than the rest of the world combined. The exact opposite holds true for many of the poorer countries, which is great, because the less money that goes towards guns can go into feeding starving bellies. So why is war becoming an archaic ideology? The first factor comes to no suprise, without a doubt its the end of the cold war. Due to this wonderful fact, tensions in an international manner have loosened, along with U. S. and Soviet support of proxy armies in lesser developed countries. There is also evidence that international arms dealings are slowly becoming a thing of the past. This reality could possibly result in lesser developed countries wanting peace, instead of war. Unfortunately you have to take the good with the bad. In an article entitiled The Syrian Dilemma, the writer alludes to the notion that if Syria is forced to leave Lebanon there could be a chance of Civil War; another Iraq, if you will. To quote the writer, The Baathist order has lost all legitimacy, sunk as it is in the most cancerous corruption and abuse of law and human right. To sum things up, military intervention, political objectives, lesser developed countries, military professionalism, and the decline of war is a perplexed concept, in other words, its not an exact science. Even President George Bush is vague on this subject. In a 2002 speech he gave to the graduating class at the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, he summarized, We will extend the peace by encouraging free and open societies on every continent. Â   To wind things up, I guess all we can do is stick our fingers in the dike and pray. References Bush, George W. Commencement address. U. S. Military Academy. West Point, NY. June 2002 Civil-Military Relations in Post-independent Africa: South African Defence Review No3 from World Wide Web: http://www. iss. co. za/Pubs/ASR/SADR3/Baynham. html Easterbrook, Gregg (2003). The End of War? from The New Republic, May 30, 2003 pp. 18-21 Hirst, David (2005). The Syrian Dilemma. from The Nation, May 2, 2005 pp. 20-24 Snider, Don M. , Watkins, Gayle L (2002) The Future of Army Professionalism: A need For Renewal and Redefination. Journal excerpt, Vol. 30, 2000 The Center for Defence (2004) The University of Maryland (2004)

Characters, Setting, Themes, and Symbols of Heart of Darkness Essay

Characters, Setting, Themes, and Symbols of Heart of Darkness      Ã‚   Deep within the chest of every man, woman, and child beats the heart of darkness. On the surface, mankind has achieved a sophisticated level of civilization. Joseph Conrad forces the reader to peel away the pristine layer of sweetness and see the unaltered truth. Heart of Darkness reveals the true nature that lurks behind every smile, handshake, and conversation. Conrad's portrayal of the characters, setting, symbols, and ironies allow the reader to reflect on the true nature of man.    Each of the main characters in Heart of Darkness plays a significant role in the overall theme of the novel. The central character is a thirty two year old sailor, Charlie Marlow. He is a dynamic character who essentially controls the development of the theme. Through Marlow's experiences and revelations, the author illustrates how forces of light and darkness serve to weave the human soul together; thus, essentially how good and evil are reflected in an individual. Marlow's journey leads him in an urgent search for Kurtz, the one man who can... ...art lies the raw evil of untamed lifestyle" (Heart of Darkness: A systematic evaluation).    Works Cited "The Congo" Created December 07, 1997 (Accessed 12 February 2002). Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: Penguin Books, 1983. "The Fear" Created December 07, 1997 (Accessed 12 February 2002). "Heart of Darkness: A systematic evaluation of the darkness inherent in men's souls" "The Perfect Native" Created December 07, 1997 (Accessed 12 February 2002). "The Setting" Created December 07, 1997 (Accessed 12 February 2002). Characters, Setting, Themes, and Symbols of Heart of Darkness Essay Characters, Setting, Themes, and Symbols of Heart of Darkness      Ã‚   Deep within the chest of every man, woman, and child beats the heart of darkness. On the surface, mankind has achieved a sophisticated level of civilization. Joseph Conrad forces the reader to peel away the pristine layer of sweetness and see the unaltered truth. Heart of Darkness reveals the true nature that lurks behind every smile, handshake, and conversation. Conrad's portrayal of the characters, setting, symbols, and ironies allow the reader to reflect on the true nature of man.    Each of the main characters in Heart of Darkness plays a significant role in the overall theme of the novel. The central character is a thirty two year old sailor, Charlie Marlow. He is a dynamic character who essentially controls the development of the theme. Through Marlow's experiences and revelations, the author illustrates how forces of light and darkness serve to weave the human soul together; thus, essentially how good and evil are reflected in an individual. Marlow's journey leads him in an urgent search for Kurtz, the one man who can... ...art lies the raw evil of untamed lifestyle" (Heart of Darkness: A systematic evaluation).    Works Cited "The Congo" Created December 07, 1997 (Accessed 12 February 2002). Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: Penguin Books, 1983. "The Fear" Created December 07, 1997 (Accessed 12 February 2002). "Heart of Darkness: A systematic evaluation of the darkness inherent in men's souls" "The Perfect Native" Created December 07, 1997 (Accessed 12 February 2002). "The Setting" Created December 07, 1997 (Accessed 12 February 2002).

Comparing and Contrasting Detective Stories Essay

The Blue Carbuncle written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in pre 1914 and Indemnity Only from the V I Warshawski series written by Sara Paretsky in 1987 are good examples of the evolution of detective stories. The character, setting, genre and language have changed completely over this large period of time. But each story was very interesting to the people of that time so obviously something would be different. The detective genre has been going for ages now since crime started and it has changed over time because of what a detective does and what crimes are committed. The Blue Carbuncle is one of the short stories for the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and as you already know is was written very long ago but Indemnity Only was only written a few years ago and is still well known. In the olden days detective stories would involve a person who would leave different clues to make a puzzle but nowadays we just find the clues and catch the criminal so there is less suspense involved in the plot. The characters in The Blue Carbuncle are very different to the characters in Indemnity Only because in pre 1914 most people involved in a detective story were aristocrats and were very posh. But nowadays people in a detective story tend to have more casual people. In the Blue Carbuncle the main character is Sherlock Holmes who is known for being quite posh. He is very secretive and serious about things while the main character in Indemnity Only is V I Warshawski is very open and can be sarcastic during a case. Holmes seems to be a very wise detective but V I Warshawski seems to be just a normal gather the clues and crack the case detective. But I think the reason for that is because nowadays there is more technology to help solve the crime than there was in pre 1914. In Indemnity Only the setting is in Chicago in United States of America so it is quite a known area. The Blue Carbuncle is set in the countryside but does not state where. Sometimes the reader finds it helpful to know where the setting is. Chicago is well known for its industries and pizzas but sometimes for crime while the countryside is known for peace and beautiful scenery so a crime story is quite difficult to build in the countryside. Also technology was not as advance. Often crimes involve hi tech gadgets and top of the range cars while the equivalent in the olden days would have been a musket and a horse carriage. Language has changed quite a lot. Nowadays there seems to be more comedy in the story than n pre 1914. In Indemnity Only V I Warshawski seems very funny and sarcastic while Sherlock Holmes would rarely put a feeble joke. But both stories build up suspense. In Indemnity Only it build up suspense by repetition and short sentences while in The Blue Carbuncle it builds up suspense by Sherlock Holmes interviewing each suspect and each of them giving him something interesting. Also in Indemnity Only it uses sensational language. This is language that appeals to the five senses.  In my conclusion it is obvious that there has been a lot of change during many years to detective stories and these mainly because of the evolution of Earth over that period of time. But some detective stories now are like the ones in pre 1914 because the author is old or was brought up during the olden days.

The 13 Forms of Insect Antennae

Antennae are movable sensory organs on the head of most arthropods. All insects have a pair of antennae, but spiders have none. Insect antennae are segmented, and usually located above or between the eyes. How Are They Used? Antennae serve different sensory functions for different insects. In general, the antennae might be used to detect odors and tastes, wind speed and direction, heat and moisture, and even touch. A few insects have auditory organs on their antennae, so theyre involved in hearing. In some insects, the antennae may even serve a non-sensory function, such as grasping prey, flight stability, or courtship rituals. Shapes Because antennae serve different functions, their forms vary greatly. In all, there are about 13 different antennae shapes, and the form of an insects antennae may be an important key to its identification. Aristate Aristate antennae are pouch-like, with a lateral bristle. Aristate antennae are most notably found in the Diptera (true flies.) Capitate Capitate antennae have a prominent club or knob at their ends. The term capitate derives from the Latin caput, meaning head. Butterflies (Lepidoptera)  often have capitate form antennae. Clavate The term clavate comes from the Latin  clava, meaning club. Clavate antennae terminate in a gradual club or knob (unlike the capitate antennae, which end with an abrupt, pronounced knob.) This antennae form is found most often in beetles, such as in carrion beetles. Filiform The term filiform comes from the Latin filum, meaning thread. Filiform antennae are slender and thread-like in form. Because the segments are of uniform widths, there is no taper to filiform antennae. Examples of insects with filiform antennae include: rock crawlers (order Grylloblattodea)gladiators (order Mantophasmatodea)angel insects (order Zoraptera)cockroaches (order Blattodea) Flabellate Flabellate  comes from the Latin flabellum, meaning fan. In flabellate antennae, the terminal segments extend laterally, with long, parallel lobes that lie flat against one another. This feature looks like a folding paper fan. Flabellate (or flabelliform) antennae are found in several insect groups within the Coleoptera, the Hymenoptera, and the Lepidoptera. Geniculate Geniculate antennae are bent or hinged sharply, almost like a knee or elbow joint. The term geniculate derives from the Latin genu, meaning knee. Geniculate antennae are found mainly in ants or bees. Lamellate The term lamellate comes from the Latin lamella, meaning a thin plate or scale. In lamellate antennae, the segments at the tip are flattened and nested, so they look like a folding fan. To see an example of lamellate antennae, look at a scarab beetle. Monofiliform Monofiliform comes from the Latin monile, meaning necklace. Moniliform antennae look like strings of beads. The segments are usually spherical, and uniform in size. Termites (order Isoptera) are a good example of insects with moniliform antennae. Pectinate The segments of pectinate antennae are longer on one side, giving each antennae a comb-like shape. Bipectinate antennae look like two-sided combs. The term pectinate derives from the Latin pectin, meaning comb. Pectinate antennae are found in some beetles and sawflies. Plumose The segments of plumose antennae have fine branches, giving them a feathery appearance. The term plumose derives from the Latin pluma, meaning feather. Insects with plumose antennae include some of the true flies, such as mosquitoes, and moths. Serrate The segments of serrate antennae are notched or angled on one side, making the antennae look like a saw blade. The term serrate derives from the Latin serra, meaning saw. Serrate antennae are found in some beetles. Setaceous The term setaceous comes from the Latin seta, meaning bristle. Setaceous antennae are bristle-shaped and tapered from the base to the tip. Examples of insects with setaceous antennae include mayflies (order Ephemeroptera) and dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata). Stylate Stylate  comes from the Latin  stylus, meaning pointed instrument. In stylate antennae, the final segment terminates in a long, slender point, called a style. The style may be hairlike but will extend from the end and never from the side. Stylate antennae are found most notably in certain true flies of the suborder Brachycera (such as robber flies, snipe flies, and bee flies.) Source: Triplehorn, Charles A. and Johnson, Norman F. Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects. 7th Edition. Cengage Learning, 2004, Boston.