Friday, January 31, 2020
Phantom Time Theory Essay Example for Free
Phantom Time Theory Essay There are a few German scholars who believe that a 300 year time period was just written in the history books, without actually existing. The gap in history has been coined the Phantom Time Theory or Phantom Time Hypothesis. Although it is not a very widely accepted theory, there is a fair amount of evidence to back it up. Time itself has very many definitions, the historical records of the time don’t coincide, and astronomy and dendrochronology can’t definitively prove the theory wrong. What exactly is time? One of time’s many definitions is â€Å"the system of those sequential relations that any event has to any other, as past, present, or future; indefinite and continuous duration regarded as that in which events succeed one another,†(Time 784) Basically, this means the order of events occurred in relation to each other. Since there are numerous other definitions time is very subjective and who is to say that time even really exists. Different countries have different calendars and started counting years at other various times. For example, the Islam calendar started in the year we know as 622 AD. Niemitz asks â€Å"How was it possible to insert this phantom time into history? †(8), which has no easy answers. One might respond in a way as to say that we made a mistake when changing from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. If that were to be the case, then how would it have been a 300 year oversight? Maybe, the switch in calendars may just be a small part of the problem; could it have been the start of the falsified history? If so, then where else could the gap have come from? Most of the historical documents of the time seem to have either been falsified or just don’t exist. For example, Heribert Illig believes â€Å"†¦Charlemagne was a fictional character,†(Bellows 1). If Charlemagne was a made-up figure in history, than what else has been made up about that era? Maybe all of it has been fictionalized by some mass conspirators, or maybe certain documents of the time have just been translated incorrectly and certain historical feats did not actually happen. Also, there are large gaps in historical documents like â€Å"†¦the doctrine of faith, especially the gap in the evolution of theory and meaning of purgatory†¦,†(Bellows 3). With gaps in historical documents like this, it leaves a doubt in the mind of anybody that ponders the existence of this time period. If there are gaps in historical documents like this, then maybe there are gaps in the history itself, as well. John states in his narrative that â€Å"Often, historiography just consisted of archiving anything at all†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (John 5). So, maybe most of the history as we think we know is nothing but false assumptions. But, this whole theory is built on the word maybe. Other scholars might give Illig more respect for his findings if he could come up with more specific answers that tell both sides of the story. Astronomy is neutral, for the most part, when it comes to the Phantom Time Theory. For example, Beaufort writes â€Å"Ultimate evidence against Illigs hypothesis, based solely on historical solar eclipses can possibly not be found,†(Beaufort 25). So, if solar eclipses can’t prove the theory wrong, then what can? Methods like Dendrochronology, carbon dating, might hold the answer. Unfortunately, â€Å"Despite of calibration a high degree†¦antique period typically up to +/-150 years,†(Beaufort 26). This leaves us once again with no definitive answer on the validity of the hypothesis. At the moment, there is no scientific way to prove the theory valid or invalid, but maybe, some day in the near or possibly distant future, there will be a way to accurately pinpoint the dates when certain historical events happened to put this talk of the theory being a â€Å"conspiracy†to bed. 300 years of our history may just have been thought up in someone’s head and written in the history books, or maybe it is true. There are a few things for certain though: time is very subjective and we could be living in any time period imaginable, depending on when you start counting years. Some historical documentation of the era has been proven to be forged, so we can never distinguish what has actually happened in history and what some writer of a history book just made it up. Lastly, astronomy and dendrochronology don’t give a definitive answer to the questions of when exactly these historical events happened. So, maybe this theory is just some wild thought a few German scholars had, but maybe, in the coming years more and more evidence to prove the theory valid may come out and these crazy scholars would look like geniuses.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Augustine St. Clare of Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe Essay
 Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin leaves little room for interpretation of the author's moral point of view. Yet, there remains one big moral question that is not as easily answered. This is the question of the character of Augustine St. Clare--a man who espouses great ideals on the evils of slavery,  yet continues to hold his own slaves. Is he a hero because of his  beliefs or a villain because of his actions? And just how important is this question to understanding and responding to the novel, as a whole?            If St. Clare were a minor character, showing up in just a chapter or two, as another stereotype, i.e. the southern slaveholder who doesn't like slavery, he could almost be dismissed as just another interesting element, one more point of view, on the issue of slavery. But St. Clare dominates over one third of this book--his speeches are Stowe's mouthpiece for her abolitionist politics. He and his moral ambiguity cannot be dismissed. In many ways, St. Clare is at the very center of this book. Not just literally and chronologically, but morally.  Josephine Donovan calls St. Clare, "one of the most interesting characters in the novel" (79). Elizabeth Ammons goes even further and calls him "the most tortured white man in the book" (175). Here is a man who knows what is right and wrong, has the power to do something about it, but does not.            In many ways, St. Clare is like Thomas Jefferson, a man who spoke out for freedom, who espoused many ideals and even publicly criticized the institution of slavery, but continued to hold all of his slaves up until his death. Jefferson... ...           Uncle Tom's Cabin." Criticism 31.4 (Fall 1989): 383-400. Lang, Amy Schrager. "Slavery and Sentimentalism: The Strange Career of            Augustine St. Clare." Women's Studies 12.1 (1986): 31-54. Railton, Stephen. "Mothers, Husbands, and Uncle Tom." The Georgia            Review            38.1 (Spring 1984): 129-144. Stowe, Harriet Beecher. A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin: Presenting the            Original Facts and Documents upon which the Story Is Founded.            London: Thomas Bosworth, 215 Regent Street, 1853. Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly.                   Anthology of American Literature: Volume I: Colonial through                       Romantic. Ed. George McMichael. New York: Macmillan Publishing,            1993. 1735-2052. Â
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
The Effects of Misconduct on the Armed Forces
The armed forces of the United States is one of the most feared and respected military organizations in the world. This image is helped by documentaries, news reports and even by the movies. But the real reason why the US military is considered very powerful and a dangerous enemy can be understood after reading the following explanation:The United States military is unique in the amount of power it can project globally. Although France and the United Kingdom, as well as Germany, Spain, Italy, PRC, and European Union, are capable of projecting power overseas, the United States military is the only one with the higher military capacity to fight a major regional war at a distance from its homeland. The U.S. is also one of the few nations in the world that has a sizable nuclear arsenal and maintains active doctrines for plausible nuclear attack operations. (see Wikipedia: US Military).This is why America is feared and respected. Although there is reason to believe that Americans would pr efer that their country and its citizens are respected rather than feared; there is also a lot of apprehension over the notion that U.S. superpower is a bully in the global theater.This negative image which others believe to be the dark side of this great institution is putting a lot of pressure on the military organization to behave appropriately and to borrow from their lingo: there should be no conduct unbecoming a military officer. For when this happens the chain reaction can be unbelievable. One indiscretion and the whole structure will be placed in a bad light. Consider for example relatively recent events about U.S. soldiers abusing POW’s and some of its members involved in an alleged rape case overseas are a few instances when the rest of the world shakes its head and would love to believe that all this power had corrupted the men and women in uniform.In order to prevent such misconduct and to keep its integrity intact the U.S. military is keeping in place a syste m of rules, regulations, traditions, and protocols that would ensure that the rest of the world will hold the said institution in high esteem.Military DisciplineThe word discipline when put inside the world of soldiers takes on a different meaning. This has nothing to do with the kind of discipline kids get at home when they fail to do their homework or when they do not clean their room. Discipline in the ordinary day to day life of normal people can sometimes mean a temporary abstinence on doing something or a temporary increase in work volume to accomplish a task or simply to grit ones teeth and do something that is normally not done if the circumstances are more favorable. In the military soldiers do not wait until things are worse before they will begin to be disciplined.In other worlds soldiers do not wait until they are overweight before they start doing morning jogs and calisthenics. They trained before the need arises, they practice long and hard before the fight and they pr epare before the crisis. Discipline in the Army, Navy and the Air Forces is a lifestyle. It can be said that it is more than a lifestyle in fact it is the blood that keeps the institution alive and the invisible force that holds it together. Without discipline the armed forces can easily disintegrate in quickly destroying everything in its path including itself. The infamous tortures at the Abu Ghraib prison – where prisoners of war were being held – was well documented and shown around the world.It was an example of a breakdown in discipline. And noncommissioned officers figured prominently in this fiasco. CNN reporters J. Johns, D. Ensor and M. Mount quoted Rep. Jane Harman in a letter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Harman said, â€Å"The fog of war is thick, but these acts of abuse and humiliation contradict international norms, military regulations and the very values that our military fights to defend†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (see CNN.com)The report adds that a ll the perpetrators were, â€Å"†¦all officers or noncommissioned officers†(Johns, Ensor & Mount). In an ideal setting this should not have happened especially in the presence of NCOs.The Role of Noncommissioned OfficersNCOs are leaders, period. The military cannot function without leadership as much as a body cannot survive without a head. Everything depends upon leadership and in this regard NCOs play a major role.An Army Officer’s guidebook expounds on the meaning of the term and it says:A leader is people fitted by force of ideas, character, or genius, or by strength of will or administrative ability, to arouse, incite, and direct men in conduct and achievement. Leadership is the art of imposing one’s will upon others in such a manner as to command their respect, their confidence, and their whole-hearted cooperation. (Bonn, 320)In the NCO guidebook leadership is seen as basic in the structure of the U.S. armed forces and it says, â€Å"Leadership, des pite the great strides in technology, remains the same – influencing and motivating people to get the job done†(Rush, 34). With regards to the NCOs taking up a part of the burden of leadership, Rudyard Kipling was quoted as saying, â€Å"The backbone of the army is the noncommissioned man!†(as qtd. in Fisher, 3).An article in Wikipedia’s website expounds on the words of Kipling:The noncommissioned officer corps is the junior management of the military. An experienced NCO corps is a key component of Western armies: in many cases NCOs are credited as being the metaphorical backbone of their service. By contrast, the weak NCO corps of the modern-day Russian armed forces, and those modeled after it, is widely blamed for the general ineffectiveness of those militaries. (see Wikipedia: Noncommissioned Officers)NCOs and the Concept of DisciplineThe U.S. military structure amounts to a pile of junk without discipline and the people that are tasked to instill discipline and order in the ranks are the noncommissioned officers. NCOs do the dirty work and this is very much evident in shaping a bunch of boys who know nothing about authority and following orders prior to enlistment into hardened men who will obey first before they complain. Discipline is very important in the military because it is an organization tasked to do jobs that are out of the ordinary and in many instances, in life and death situations. These kinds of jobs will determine the safety of a country, the lives of their fellow soldiers or the civilians under their sphere of influence.NCOs instills this concept of a more serious kind of discipline by being an example for his men. In Semper Fi, a book about the highly respected U.S. Marine corps, a description of the NCO’s methodology – in terms of how he earns the respect of his men and how he hammers discipline into their system – was provided by the authors:The authority of the Marine NCO does not rest on fear; its foundation is the well-earned respect of equally tough men. He leads, and inspires, by being the man he wants his troops to become. The NCO personifies his expectations of the men he commands. He wants his Marines to look â€Å"squared away†and so he dresses and marches smartly himself. Since he wants to instill instant obedience, his men will see him obey instantly when an officer commands. He wants his men to be aggressive in combat, so he himself is the epitome of aggressiveness. The Marine Corps NCO, through his own behavior, creates a desire to be like him. (Carrison and Walsh, 69)The apt description of what an NCO is all about as presented by Carrison and Walsh answers the question on what happens when NCOs misbehave. Using the ideas discussed earlier it would be easy to list the reason why NCOs should always be the quintessential soldier.First of all it is due to his position as part of the leadership of the armed forces. An NCOs actions does not go unobserved and will always be an influence and guide to the new recruit and those under his command. If the NCO is unruly, does not follow orders and breaks the code of conduct then it is not surprising for the rest of the soldiers to do the same.An NCO could not afford to appear irresponsible and uncontrollable or speaks in a manner that show disrespect to his superiors and fellow officers simply because he is not in a normal setting. In an office or in a school perhaps undisciplined behavior and a rebellious attitude towards authority will not really cause too much damage in relative proportion to a similar behavior in the army. When NCO acts like a spoiled brat men dies and blood flows unnecessarily. Worse, the unit can be in grave physical danger and the morale of the troops would significantly decrease leading in more losses and more damage.The chain reaction from an NCO’s lack of prudence can not simply be taken lightly as the repercussions will be felt for many generat ions. And this is not an exaggeration. The following is an account of what happened more than 200 years ago – in America’s war of independence – that helped changed the course of history. It is a testament to the fact that undisciplined men would cause a series of events that will lead to catastrophe:Following the British victory at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, Queens County came under military’s control [†¦] From the outset, military officials realized that the war had both military and political dimensions. [†¦] Military misconduct against civilians would only create enmity, hinder the effective prosecution of the war and make post war reconciliation more difficult [†¦] By wars end the people of Queens had become, not loyal subjects, but Patriots – as much by British default as by personal choice. (Fingerhut and Tiedermann, 50)ConclusionThe effect of military misconduct especially when an NCO exhibits such undesirable behavior will first result in a breakdown of discipline but it will not end there. The men under the NCOs command will use said breakdown as an excuse for caving in under pressure. Thus when the going gets tough the men who witnessed insubordination and disrespect to senior officers will use that as an excuses for not following orders and then a chain reaction follows.When things begin to turn really uncontrollable, when the spirit of discipline that holds the army together is gone, the same soldiers who are selfless, hard workers, united and having one mind and heart will suddenly transform into a selfish monster who will do everything that seems to be right base on selfish interests. The result of which is written in the annals of military history. These events are labeled as infamous but it has cost more than shame it has resulted in the deaths and humiliation of the innocents. But from a military’s point of view it all boils down to failure in accomplishing a mission and for some cases it means losing the war.Works CitedBonn, Keith E. Army Officer’s Guide. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2002.Carrison, Dan and Rod Walsh. Semper Fi: Business Leadership the Marine Corps Way.New York: American Management Association, 1999.Fingerhut, Eugene R., and Tiedermann, J.S. The Other New York: The American RevolutionBeyond New York City. New York: State University of New York Press, 2005.Fisher, E. F. Jr. Guardians of the Republic: A History of the Noncommissioned officer corps of the U.S. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2001.â€Å"Military of the United States.†Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 27 May 2006. Wikimedia   Foundation, Inc. 28 May 2006 .â€Å"Non-commissioned officer.†Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 24 May 2006. Wikimedia      Foundation, Inc. 28 May 2006 .Rush, Robert S. NCO Guide. 7th ed. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2003.
Monday, January 6, 2020
Benefits Of Benefits For Being Unemployed - 959 Words
Although unemployment is mainly known for creating disadvantages for both society and the government, however this is not the case as it also creates advantages for everyone. One advantage for being unemployed is, the person is eligible to apply for a wage supplement and unemployment insurance for up to 52 weeks which are both given by the government to assist the unemployed for period of time until they acquire new careers. By giving both of these valuable benefits to the unemployed, it would be like the unemployed would gain a large partial amount of their previous wage. Another advantage for being unemployed is that person experiencing unemployment would have more free time with his or her family. During that free time, unemployed families can go out to events and fun places to relax and have a good time together. As a result, this would create intimate happiness in the family and this would increase bonds in the family. Lastly, a person who is considered can start volunteering in the community since he or she does not have a daily career to go to. This is considered advantageous, because volunteering in a community would help boost a person’s chance of reclaiming another job in the future and increase social skills by meeting new people and forming friendships with them. Starting off with the disadvantages for an unemployed individual, being unemployed means that no sufficient income will be distributed. As a result, without a proper income given from a career, thereShow MoreRelatedUnemployment824 Words  | 3 Pagesorg/article/economics/fiscal-policy/labor/why-unemployment-benefits-should-be-extended/ http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2014/01/10/81927/5-reasons-congress-must-extend-unemployment-insurance/ This article is of high importance to understand as well as be able to place a solution for this increasing issue of unemployment and how globalization and technology effects not just the companies using them but the population as a whole the people that are being forced to leave and sit without jobsRead MoreUnemployment Benefits Essay1255 Words  | 6 PagesTitle: Unemployment Benefits Only Good for a Limited Amount of Time Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that extending unemployment benefits strains an already overused and failing government program. Central Idea: Today, I would like to tell you about the problem of extending unemployment benefits, as well as offer some possible solutions that our lawmakers should adopt instead of another extension. Introduction Millions of Americans have lost their jobs and have joined the growingRead MoreLoans For The Unemployed May Be A Solution1576 Words  | 7 Pagesbasis and repercussions will ensue if the now unemployed borrower is unable to meet their obligation. What is a person to do? Loans for the unemployed may be a solution. Loans for the unemployed are unsecured loans that do not require a credit check. The provider does not require the borrower to have any type of collateral to qualify. The fees for this type of loan are higher than conventional bank loans. The terms of service for loans for the unemployed vary, depending on the borrower s need andRead MoreMarket Failure in Unemployment Benefits1374 Words  | 6 PagesIn Provision of Unemployment Benefit Market failure occurs when resources aren’t used efficiently. This can be seen in any market, whether a publics good or a private good. Market failure can also be seen in the provision of unemployment benefits and unemployment insurance, as the resources could be used inefficiently and misused in different ways. For the purpose of this essay I will focus on how MORAL HAZZARD, prevents the efficiency in unemployment benefits and insurance, I will discussRead MoreThe Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program936 Words  | 4 Pagestheir own to be eligible to receive benefits? Also, doesn’t that seem inaccurate to call a program a â€Å"disservice†when in continuance it assisted unemployed Americans? Michael R. Strain who is a reporter, for The Weekly Standard, reports that roughly 1.3 million were cut off from those extensions. He reports, â€Å"An estimated 1.3 million workers who have been unsuccessfully looking for a job for 27 weeks or longer (â€Å"th e long-term unemployed†) will immediately lose benefits if the EUC program is not extendedRead MoreCurrent Poverty Of The Uk1490 Words  | 6 Pagesthe Joseph Rowntree Foundation, their relation to the issue of unemployment, critical analysis of these explanations and why ultimately poverty can’t be blamed on one specific problem. Pathological explanations ‘blame’ the person themselves for being poor but also blame the family. This is far from a modern concept, from 1598 to 1834 parishes that gave help to the poor investigated single women with children or of childbearing age. They were suspicious that they would rely on the parish to giveRead More Unemployment in the United States Essay1008 Words  | 5 Pagesmeasured in quantities. Due to a flow of variables such as natural populations, net immigrations, new entrances, and retirements there is change to the labor force. The growth of jobs is a relief but with the percent that are still unemployed and the billions of dollars of debt that have been created are still not enough to get our economy growing. We have a lot of work to do before our economy gets stable and helps people become more confident. President Obama organized an $819 billionRead MoreAn International Food Market That Only Hires Individuals Who Are Unemployed Will Help Combat The Social Issue Of Unemployment1729 Words  | 7 PagesThis business evaluation will look at whether or not creating an international food market that only hires individuals who are unemployed will help combat the social issue of unemployment in New Zealand. Unemployment is a huge issue in New Zealand and something needs to be done about it. The idea is to create a market that offers a starting point to the unemployed citizens where they can develop their skills, gain experience and finish with a reference and CV. The concerns of two key stakeholdersR ead MoreUnemployment And The Economy By Emily B. Irwin1329 Words  | 6 PagesUnemployment and the Economy Emily B. Irwin Eastern Florida State College Abstract â€Å"Labor is a driving force in every economy – wages paid for labor promote consumer spending and the output of that labor is critical to a company’s success. Similarly, unemployed workers represent wasted potential production in the economy. Therefore, individuals are directly affected by unemployment and it is a significant economic concern.†(Simpson, 2011) Because most people rely on income generated by â€Å"working†to maintainRead MoreLosing More Than A Job : Effects Of Long Term Unemployment On The Average American Essay1543 Words  | 7 PagesJob loss can happen to anyone, but when being without work stretches over months even yearsâ€â€it can be challenging to survive it. Long-term unemployment, defined as being out of work for six months or longer, has a myriad of effects on the average American; it impacts not only their economic well-being, but their mental and physical health. Finances can suffer, self- worth can plummet, and health can deteriorate.On a brighter note, the long-term unemployed can be granted the opportunity to gain more
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)