Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The First Battle of Ypres During World War I

The First Battle of Ypres During World War I The First Battle of Ypres was fought October 19 to November 22, 1914, during ​World War I (1914-1918).  The Commanders on each side were as follows: Allies Field Marshal Sir John FrenchGeneral Joseph JoffreKing Albert I of Belgium Germany Chief of the General Staff Erich von FalkenhaynField Marshal Albrecht, Duke of Wà ¼rttembergGeneral Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria Battle Background After the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, Germany implemented the Schlieffen Plan. Updated in 1906, this plan called for German troops to swing through Belgium with the goal of encircling French forces along the Franco-German border and winning a quick victory. With France defeated, troops could be moved east for a campaign against Russia. Put into operation, the early stages of the plan were largely successful during the Battle of the Frontiers and the German cause was further bolstered by a stunning victory over the Russians at Tannenberg in late-August. In Belgium, the Germans pushed back the small Belgian Army and defeated the French at the Battle of Charleroi as well as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) at Mons. Retreating south, the BEF and French forces finally succeeded in checking the German advance at the First Battle of the Marne in early September. Halted in their advance, the Germans withdrew to a line behind the Aisne River. Counterattacking at the First Battle of the Aisne, the Allies had little success and took heavy losses. Stalemated on this front, both sides began the Race to the Sea as they attempted to outflank each other. Moving north and west, they extended the front to the English Channel. As both sides sought an advantage, they clashed in Picardy, Albert, and Artois. Ultimately reaching the coast, the Western Front became a continuous line stretching to the Swiss frontier. Setting the Stage Having moved north, the BEF, led by Field Marshal Sir John French, began arriving near the Belgian town of Ypres on October 14. A strategic location, Ypres was the last obstacle between the Germans and the key Channel ports of Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer. Conversely, an Allied breakthrough near the town would allow them to sweep across the relatively flat terrain of Flanders and threaten key German supply lines. Coordinating with General Ferdinand Foch, who was overseeing French forces on the BEFs flanks, French desired to go on the offensive and attack east toward Menin. Working with Foch, the two commanders hoped to isolate the German III Reserve Corps, which was advancing from Antwerp, before swinging southeast to a position along the Lys River from which they could strike the flank of the main German line. Unaware that large elements of Albrecht, Duke of Wà ¼rttembergs Fourth Army and Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavarias Sixth Army were approaching from the east, French ordered his command forward. Moving west, Fourth Army possessed several new large formations of reserve troops which included many recently enlisted students. Despite the relative inexperience of his men, Falkenhayn ordered Albrecht to isolate Dunkirk and Ostend regardless of the casualties sustained. Having achieved this, he was to turn south towards Saint-Omer. To the south, Sixth Army received a directive to prevent the Allies from shifting troops north while also preventing them from forming a solid front. On October 19, the Germans began attacking and pushed back the French. At this time, French was still bringing the BEF into position as its seven infantry and three cavalry divisions were responsible for thirty-five miles of front running from Langemarck south around Ypres to the La Bassee Canal. The Fighting Begins Under the direction of Chief of the General Staff Erich von Falkenhayn, German forces in Flanders began attacking from the coast to south of Ypres. In the north, the Belgians fought a desperate battle along the Yser which ultimately saw them hold the Germans after flooding the area around Nieuwpoort. Further south, Frenchs BEF came under heavy attack around and below Ypres. Striking the Lieutenant General Horace Smith-Dorriens II Corps on October 20, the Germans assaulted the area between Ypres and Langemarck. Though desperate, the British situation near the town improved with the arrival of General Douglas Haigs I Corps. On October 23, pressure on the British III Corps in the south increased and they were forced to fall back two miles. A similar movement was required of General Edmund Allenbys Cavalry Corps. Badly outnumbered and lacking sufficient artillery, the BEF survived due to its proficiency in rapid rifle fire. Aimed rifle fire from the veteran British soldiers was so fast that often the Germans believed they were encountering machine guns. Heavy German attacks continued until the end of October with the British inflicting heavy losses as brutal battles were fought over small patches of territory such as Polygon Woods east of Ypres. Though holding, Frenchs forces were badly stretched and were only reinforced by troops arriving from India. Bloody Flanders Renewing the offensive, General Gustav Hermann Karl Max von Fabeck attacked with an ad hoc force comprised of XV Corps, II Bavarian Corps, 26th Division, and the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division on October 29. Focused on a narrow front and supported by 250 heavy guns, the assault moved forward along the Menin Road towards Gheluvelt. Engaging the British, fierce fighting ensued over the next few days as the two sides struggled for Polygon, Shrewsbury, and Nuns Woods. Breaking through to Gheluvelt, the Germans were finally halted after the British plugged the breach with hastily-assembled forces from the rear. Frustrated by the failure at Gheluvelt, Fabeck shifted south to the base of the Ypres salient. Attacking between Wytschaete and Messines, the Germans succeeded in taking both towns and the nearby ridge after heavy back-and-forth fighting. The assault was finally halted on November 1 with French assistance after British troops rallied near Zandvoorde. After a pause, the Germans made a final push against Ypres on November 10. Again attacking along the Menin Road, the brunt of the assault fell on the battered British II Corps. Stretched to the limit, it was forced from their front lines but fell back on a series of strong points. Holding, British forces succeeded in sealing a breach in their lines at Noone Bosschen. The days effort saw the Germans gain a stretch of the British lines running from the Menin Road to Polygon Wood. After a heavy bombardment of the area between Polygon Wood and Messines on November 12, German troops again struck along the Menin Road. Though gaining some ground, their efforts went unsupported and the advance was contained by the next day. With their divisions badly mauled, many of Frenchs commanders believed the BEF to be in crisis should the Germans attack again in strength. Though German attacks did continue over the next few days, they were largely minor and were repulsed. With his army spent, Albrecht ordered his men to dig in on November 17. Fighting flickered for another five days before quieting for the winter. The Aftermath A critical victory for the Allies, the First Battle of Ypres saw the BEF sustain 7,960 killed, 29,562 wounded, and 17,873 missing, while the French incurred between 50,000 and 85,000 casualties of all types. To the north, the Belgians took 21,562 casualties during the campaign. German losses for their efforts in Flanders totaled 19,530 killed, 83,520 wounded, 31,265 missing. Many of the German losses were sustained by the reserve formations that had been comprised of students and other youths. As a result, their loss was dubbed the Massacre of the Innocents of Ypres. With winter approaching, both sides began digging in and constructing the elaborate trench systems that would characterize the front for the remainder of the war. The Allied defense at Ypres ensured that the war in the West would not be over quickly as the Germans desired. Fighting around the Ypres salient would resume in April 1915 with the Second Battle of Ypres. Sources First World War: First Battle of YpresHistory of War: First Battle of Ypres

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Major General Charles Griffin in the Civil War

Major General Charles Griffin in the Civil War Charles Griffin - Early Life Career: Born December 18, 1825 at Granville, OH, Charles Griffin was the son of Apollos Griffin.   Receiving his early education locally, he later attended Kenyon College.   Desiring a career in the military, Griffin successfully sought an appointment to the US Military Academy in 1843.   Arriving at West Point, his classmates included A.P. Hill, Ambrose Burnside, John Gibbon, Romeyn Ayres, and Henry Heth.   An average student, Griffin graduated in 1847 ranked twenty-third in a class of thirty-eight.   Commissioned a brevet second lieutenant, he received orders to join the 2nd US Artillery which was engaged in the Mexican-American War.   Traveling south, Griffin took part in the final actions of the conflict.   Promoted to first lieutenant in 1849, he moved through various assignments on the frontier. Charles Griffin - The Civil War Nears: Seeing action against the Navajo and other Native American tribes in the Southwest, Griffin remained on the frontier until 1860.   Returning east with the rank of captain, he assumed a new post as an instructor of artillery at West Point.   In early 1861, with the secession crisis pulling the nation apart, Griffin organized an artillery battery comprised of enlisted men from the academy.   Ordered south following the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April and the beginning of the Civil War,   Griffins West Point Battery (Battery D, 5th US Artillery) joined Brigadier General Irvin McDowells forces which were gathering at Washington, DC.   Marching out with the army that July, Griffins battery was heavily engaged during the Union defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run and sustained heavily casualties. Charles Griffin - To the Infantry: In the spring of 1862, Griffin moved south as part of Major General George B. McClellans Army of the Potomac for the Peninsula Campaign.   During the early part of the advance, he led the artillery attached to Brigadier General Fitz John Porters division of III Corps and saw action during the Siege of Yorktown.   On June 12, Griffin received a promotion to brigadier general and took command of an infantry brigade in Brigadier General George W. Morells division of Porters newly-formed V Corps.   With the beginning of the Seven Days Battles in late June, Griffin performed well in his new role during the engagements at Gaines Mill and Malvern Hill.   With the failure of the campaign, his brigade moved back to northern Virginia but was held in reserve during the Second Battle of Manassas in late August.   A month later, at Antietam, Griffins men were again part of the reserve and did not see meaningful action.       Charles Griffin - Divisional Command: That fall, Griffin replaced Morell as division commander.   Though possessing a difficult personality that often caused issues with his superiors, Griffin was soon beloved by his men.   Taking his new command into battle at Fredericksburg on December 13, the division was one of several tasked with assaulting Maryes Heights.   Bloodily repulsed, Griffins men were forced to fall back.   He retained command of the division the following year after Major General Joseph Hooker assumed leadership of the army.   In May 1863, Griffin took part in the opening fighting at the Battle of Chancellorsville.   In the weeks after the Union defeat, he fell ill and was forced to leave his division under the temporary command of Brigadier General James Barnes. During his absence, Barnes led the division at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2-3.   In the course of the fighting, Barnes performed poorly and Griffins arrival in camp during the final stages of the battle was cheered by his men.   That fall, he directed his division during the Bristoe and Mine Run Campaigns.   With the reorganization of the Army of the Potomac in the spring of 1864, Griffin retained command of his division as leadership of V Corps passed to Major General Gouverneur Warren.   As Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant commenced his Overland Campaign that May, Griffins men quickly saw action at the Battle of the Wilderness where they clashed with Lieutenant General Richard Ewells Confederates.   Later that month, Griffins division took part in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. As the army pushed south, Griffin played at key role at Jericho Mills on May 23 before being present for the Union defeat at Cold Harbor a week later.   Crossing the James River in June, V Corps took part in Grants assault against Petersburg on June 18.   With the failure of this attack, Griffins men settled into the siege lines around the city.   As the summer progressed into fall, his division participated in several operations designed to extend the Confederate lines and sever the railroads into Petersburg.   Engaged at the Battle of Peebles Farm in late September, he performed well and earned a brevet promotion to major general on December 12. Charles Griffin - Leading V Corps: In early February 1865, Griffin led his division at the Battle of Hatchers Run as Grant pressed towards the Weldon Railroad.   On April 1, V Corps was attached to a combined cavalry-infantry force tasked with capturing the critical crossroads of Five Forks and led by Major General Philip H. Sheridan.   In the resulting battle, Sheridan became infuriated with Warrens slow movements and relieved him in favor of Griffin.   The loss of Five Forks compromised General Robert E. Lees position in Petersburg and the next day Grant mounted a large scale assault on the Confederate lines forcing them to abandon the city.   Ably leading V Corps in the resulting Appomattox Campaign, Griffin aided in pursuing the enemy west and was present for Lees surrender on April 9.   With the conclusion of the war, he received a promotion major general on July 12.    Charles Griffin - Later Career:       Given leadership of the District of Maine in August, Griffins rank reverted to colonel in the peacetime army and he accepted command of the 35th US Infantry.   In December 1866, he was given oversight of Galveston and the Freedmens Bureau of Texas.   Serving under Sheridan, Griffin soon became entangled in Reconstruction politics as he worked to register white and African American voters and enforced the oath of allegiance as a requirement for jury selection.   Increasingly unhappy with Governor  James W. Throckmortons lenient attitude towards former Confederates, Griffin convinced Sheridan to have him replaced with staunch Unionist Elisha M. Pease.    In 1867, Griffin received orders to replaced Sheridan as commander of the Fifth Military District (Louisiana and Texas).   Before he could depart for his new headquarters in New Orleans, he fell ill during a yellow fever epidemic that swept through Galveston.   Unable to recover, Griffin died on September 15.   His remains were transported north and interred at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, DC.   Selected Sources TSHA: Major General Charles GriffinHistory Central: Charles GriffinFind a Grave: Charles Griffin

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Subcontracting and Its Benefits Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Subcontracting and Its Benefits - Research Paper Example As the paper outlines, a work contract which seeks to outsource certain types of jobs is called subcontracting. This occurs when a contractor does not have the desired skills to fulfill certain tasks. Subcontracting is considered important for manufacturers as it allows a number of products to be made through complex components. The concept of subcontracting is prevalent in a number of industries, with special regards to the construction industry. Subcontracting can either be permanent, situation-based or simply on one time basis-this, in turn, depends on the company as well as the subcontractor. (Jones, 2005)  There are three-fold benefits of subcontracting. The first benefit is that it encourages quicker completion as numerous aspects of a single project can be fulfilled at the same time. The second advantage is the cost-effectiveness of a subcontracting procedure. As a subcontractor has the required expertise, he/she has the benefit of getting the job done through the means of a n expert institution. Lastly, a long term relationship is in the making as the manufacturer has the advantage of fulfilling his/her requirement through the means of a subcontractor. This way, the manufacturer not only saves money, he/she also has the benefit of executing his/her task to perfection at a lowered cost.   Listed below are reasons why manufacturers choose subcontractors on a regular basis.  It Is Mandatory By The Government. One of the main reasons why the subcontracting rates are on the rise is because of the mandate. Unless and until a prime contractor parts a share of his/her assignment to a subcontractor, he/she is not eligible for a contract through the government. An ideal subcontracting plan, as per the government rules, must include and involve small disadvantaged business, historically underutilized business zones, women run small businesses and a business which is owned and run by disabled veterans.  2) Sub Contractors Can Now Bid On Large Projects With A reas Outside Their Expertise.  Prime contractors are by and large massive organizations which fail to understand the concept of systematic work utilization. Regardless, they take on numerous assignments and in order to fulfill the additional areas of work, they involve subcontractors as well. 3) It Leads To Specialized Skill Sets.  If a manufacturer wishes to improve his/her design and manufacturing procedures, he/she needs to utilize the specialized knowledge of subcontractors. For example, Lockheed Martin, a leading jet engine manufacturer, regardless of possessing a suitable in-house designing staff, prefers to subcontract his work to various third parties in the hope of getting the best design.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Design For Disassembly And Transformation Research Paper

Design For Disassembly And Transformation - Research Paper Example The need for DfD, that stands for Design for Disassembly, has thoroughly been discussed in this research paper. Moving forward, it is being attempted that certain computer oriented systems would be made, that would do the DfD process on their own. The researcher states that this would take the processing off human beings’ minds and would eliminate the reluctance that any person may have at the design level phase. It is also suggested that the toy-design for disassembly and transformation of cars be implemented into real world. Recently, A groups of students from the Stanford and the Aalto University in Finland designed a prototype for a laptop that was designed so as to confirm to all the standards of design for disassembly. When disassembled, the electronic components of the laptop get carried into an envelop to an e-cycling destination. The laws made for the successful implementation of Dfd and sustainability should be implemented for sure and the services of companies such as HOBI International should be taken well into account. This company assists in the disposal of electronics. HOBI buys, cells and dis assembles electronics ranging from all sorts of computers to all sorts of communications equipments. In conclusion, the researcher states that the idea of the electrically operated building blocks is given so as to give an idea of the way electrically operable goods should be produced in the real life. This would enhance their usability and thus would serve the purpose of sustainability as well.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Institute of Technology Essay Example for Free

Institute of Technology Essay A minor news item featured in MSNBC last month, from which the above excerpt is taken, talks about a 38-year-old aging nuclear power plant in the state of Vermont that is still efficient but appears to pose increasing threat to the environment. The local and state authorities want it to be decommissioned, but the owner of the plant, Entergy corp. , intends to run it for another 20 years. The plant meets one-third of the state’s electricity needs, and the people of Vermont are very much dependent on it for the electricity, of course. But at the same time they have grown distrustful of the quality of management at the plant and the plant’s viability. The future of this plant may not be a national or international concern, but it is a crucial issue for the local people. The fundamental dilemma of the situation here reflects, in microcosm, the vastly larger problem of the future of nuclear-generated electricity as such: should we enthusiastically embrace it or wisely abjure it? Many of the rapidly developing countries of the world, especially, tend to be upbeat about the potential of nuclear power, while in some of the developed countries where nuclear power has been put to use for generating electricity for several decades now there has been an increasing degree of opposition to the continued reliance on nuclear power, from the point of view of threats it poses to the environment. As in the case of Vermont Yankee power plant, the basic conflict in the nuclear power sector is between the potential and the potential risk. The Vermont facility has still the potential to supply a large fraction of the state’s electricity needs for a couple of decades more which is by no means a mean feat, but there are signs, such as the recent tritium leak detected at the plant, of the decreased reliability and robustness of the plant. The Vermont news story provokes the question: Can nuclear power plants be robust and reliable in general? The rewards they proffer may outweigh the risks they pose, but even so, do the rewards far outweigh the risks so that the risks – to the extent they are present – can be considered acceptable? A number of countries of the world have benefitted from nuclear power for several decades now with only one major disaster to speak of so far. But how many closely averted disasters such as the Three-Mile Island incident of 1979 there might have been — it is difficult to estimate. Because, as can be seen in the case of Vermont facility, there is apparently a widespread culture of â€Å"leaks and lies† in the nuclear power sector, which tends to neatly cover up inefficiencies, mismanagement, breaches, increased risks and so on. The world’s experience with nuclear-generated electricity so far could be seen as a trial or an experiment, based on which we are compelled to take decisions regarding the future of nuclear power. Should the world’s reliance on nuclear power be dramatically expanded, as advocated by many nuclear power enthusiasts and as was initially expected when nuclear power technologies were developing in the 1950’s? Or, should we gradually phase out our dependence on nuclear power and switch to much safer alternatives, or should a middle way be adopted? There are many well-informed people who would like to see all nuclear power plants shut down — how far are their fears valid? Literature Review: 1) Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (2003, 2009) The Future of Nuclear Power: An Interdisciplinary Study. Retrieved from http://web. mit. edu/nuclearpower/ The experts at MIT â€Å"believe† in nuclear power and prominently emphasize the chief advantage of absence of carbon emissions in its production. This study takes a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to assessing the feasibility of nuclear power. While the basic stance of MIT favors the increased use of nuclear power, the risks are not downplayed. The issues that the nuclear industry faces are tackled in a clear and detailed way. The study does succeed in inspiring confidence in the potential of nuclear power. Though the fears and concerns are not really eliminated, they are not simply vague forebodings of doom now but are based on actual facts and conditions. The challenges can be dealt with, in principle, with more commitment and initiative. 2) Biello D. (2009). The Future of Nuclear Power: An In-depth Report. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www. scientificamerican. com/report. cfm? id=nuclear-future This is a 4-part in-depth report featured in the Scientific American magazine in early 2009. The first report, â€Å"Find Fissile Fuel,† explores the issue of availability of uranium and other raw materials for nuclear power. The second report, â€Å"Reactivating Nuclear Reactors for the Fight against Climate Change,† examines the ongoing escalation in nuclear power production in the U. S. â€Å"Spent Nuclear Fuel,† the third part, deals with the major issue of nuclear waste management. The final report, â€Å"Atomic Weight: Balancing the Risks and Rewards of a Power Source,† asks the question: â€Å"Is it worth the minor chance of a major catastrophe? † 3) Department of Trade and Industry, U. K. (2007). The Future of Nuclear Power: The Role of Nuclear Power in a Low Carbon UK Economy. Retrieved from www. berr. gov. uk/files/file39197. pdf This is a UK government white paper / consultation document on the relevance of nuclear power in addressing the issues related to global warming and climate change and ensuring continued energy supplies. Though it is a document of advice and information provided to the UK government to help it make decisions, a consideration of the particularities of the UK situation can be useful in more general contexts. In the UK, nuclear power is already making a significant contribution to the ‘electricity generating mix’ and this paper is inclined to the view that it could make an even more prominent contribution. 4) Mahaffey, J. (2009). Atomic Awakening: A New Look at the History and Future of Nuclear Power. New York : Pegasus Books Mahaffey, a senior research scientist at Georgia Tech Research Institute, has written a book meant to interest laymen about nuclear power and its possibilities. He wants to show us that nuclear energy is not the monster it is portrayed to be; while the risks cannot be completely mitigated it can still be used in a very safe manner. One of the barriers to greater acceptance of nuclear power is the general unfamiliarity of the subject, the degree of alienation between the common man and the tall-standing nuclear reactors. The author seeks to bridge this gap by familiarizing his audience with the subject in an entertaining and engaging manner, largely in a historical perspective. 5) Smith, J Beresford, N. A. (2005). Chernobyl: catastrophe and consequences. New York : Springer The public perception of nuclear power has radically changed after the Chernobyl tragedy. Ever since, people living in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant are naturally beset with fears that their installation does not turn out to be another Chernobyl. And if a nuclear facility is actually having some known problems, as in the case of Vermont, these fears are vastly exacerbated. In this context it is very pertinent to understand what caused Chernobyl and assess how likely is it for a similar disaster to happen again, for broadly similar reasons. Smith and Beresford’s detailed yet uncomplicated account of the Chernobyl incident is useful for developing a mental picture of the events that led to the 1986 mishap, what really occurred and how it was handled. Methodology: This short paper is built around a minor incident at Vermont’s nuclear power plant and the public reaction to it — with the aim of examining the broader implications of nuclear power to the future of the world. We propose to survey the works cited in the literature review in order to glean the opinions and standpoint of their authors in regard to the risks and rewards presented by the use of nuclear power. A special focus is laid on the Chernobyl incident. Results: — The MIT study of 2003, later updated in 2009, is the one of the most authoritative studies in this field. It begins with what would appear like a sad note that despite the great promise nuclear power holds in regard to significantly restricting earth’s green house emissions, nuclear power is virtually facing stagnation. It recommends a tripling of world’s nuclear generating capacity of the world by 2050 in order to turn around the situation of decline. Doing so would help in cutting 25% of the increment in greenhouse gas emissions which would occur if such a resurgence of nuclear power did not take place. The safety of modern reactor designs is considerably superior to those of the earlier models, and there is very low risk of serious accidents. However, the very low risk associated with modern nuclear reactors holds true only when their operation implements â€Å"best practices. † Proliferation is another major concern in regard to nuclear power generation. With increased use of nuclear power, there is increasing likelihood of misuse of raw materials and technology for manufacturing nuclear weapons. The existing international safeguards regime is far from being adequate, according to the report, to meet the greater security challenges of a global growth in nuclear usage. Especially, the kind of reprocessing system that is used in a majority of nuclear power using countries, including European Union, Japan and Russia, poses unwarranted risks of proliferation. Waste management is yet another major area of concern. Closed fuel cycles involving reprocessing are generally considered to offer waste management benefits, but the study is not convinced of their benefits; improved open fuel cycles can offer just as many benefits and they present diminished security threats along with decreased costs. The study therefore recommends open, once-through fuel cycles for facing both security and waste management challenges in a better way. However, the international safeguards regime needs to be improved, and greater efforts have to be put in by the government and the private enterprise to develop better solutions for the waste disposal problem. Apart from the safety, proliferation, and waste management concerns, the fundamental issue in regard to nuclear power is the cost, which is not yet competitive with the other conventional modes of power generation. However, even this problem is not insurmountable, and various strategies are suggested to increase the economic feasibility of nuclear power. Finally, forebodings and misguided perceptions among the public present a great barrier for creating a movement to expand the world’s nuclear power capacity. This, the report suggests, can be dealt with by implementing an intensive program of public education. — The 4th part of Scientific American’s in-depth feature on the future of nuclear power covers many risky scenarios faced by the American nuclear power sector in the past few decades. The report leads us to conclude that the future of nuclear power in the US largely depends on the quality of management of the nuclear installations. So far the US has a rather impressive track record in running the nuclear facilities, and this consistency is likely to continue. — A chapter in the UK white paper on the future of nuclear power addresses the specific safety and security risks posed by nuclear installations. It stresses on the additional safety features added to the latest models of nuclear reactors: Designers of nuclear power stations have taken this earlier operational experience and learned lessons from previous nuclear events. They have added features to reduce the likelihood of plant failures and to limit the consequences when failures occur. (p. 105) From design to operations and maintenance, rigorous procedures can be developed, and in fact have been developed, which make nuclear energy one of the best options for meeting the electricity needs of UK and Europe. — Mahaffey, in his book ‘Atomic Awakening’ raises many interesting points. He observes, for example, that Chernobyl caused only 55 to 60 deaths (most of them being fire fighters exposed to lethal doses of radiation), whereas the Bhopal incident which took place in 1984 in India killed over 15,000 of the city’s inhabitants. Despite the overblown public fears, the safety record of the nuclear industry world wide is relatively very solid. There is no reason why people should fear nuclear power generation more than they fear many other processes to do with advanced technology. Seen from a safety perspective, nuclear power plants are like airlines: a single disaster can create great fear among the public for air travel, but when we look at the statistical record of safety of airlines and compare them with road transport, airplanes turn out to be vastly safer than cars. — In the early hours of April 26, 1986, a massive nuclear reactor accident took place at the Chernobyl Power Plant in Ukraine. A small test procedure that was being conducted went completely out of control, resulting in two non-nuclear explosions that demolished the heavy ceiling of the reactor and expelled the radioactive contents and waste products of the reactor’s core into the surroundings. Chernobyl is the worst nuclear disaster in the history. It has cast a heavy shadow on the entire nuclear industry which continues to darken the horizons. But we must note that the Chernobyl disaster is a result of bad design compounded by bad management practices and a work culture which flouted all safety considerations. One safety feature after another was deliberately suppressed in order to facilitate the test procedure; serious warnings were callously disregarded. The Chernobyl meltdown occurred as a result of operator incompetence on a huge scale, as was acknowledged by the Soviet official report of the disaster. A group of technicians are directly responsible for this disaster, and they committed six serious violations or errors besides many others. Many of the operators as well as managers in charge at Chernobyl actually knew very little about nuclear technology. Moreover, there were certain high-risk features associated with the RBMK design of the Chernobyl reactors. A Chernobyl can never happen in the Western world because the minimal industrial standards here are far superior to those that prevailed in the Soviet Union during the last years of its existence. Conclusion: Nuclear power plants have been safe and would continue to be safe — in the context of advanced nations. But the real problem comes when we consider nuclear energy in the setting of the developing nations of Asia, Africa and Latin America. All the studies we have dealt with so far focus on the U. S. , U. K. and the E. U. How would nuclear power fare in the volatile developing countries is in fact even difficult to outline even in broad terms. The major obstacle for the Third World Countries in embracing nuclear power is the cost. However, in a bid to develop environment-friendly energy sources, Western nations are engaged in bringing down the costs of production of nuclear power. If they succeed, nuclear power production can spread rapidly in the developing countries of the world, and this can have potentially highly adverse consequences. A Chernobyl can never happen in the U. S. or Europe, but it can very well happen in Angola or Pakistan or Columbia. References: Associated Press. Vermont Town Halls Want Nuclear Plant Shut. MSNBC. Retrieved from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/35687805 Biello D. (2009). The Future of Nuclear Power: An In-depth Report. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www. scientificamerican. com/report. cfm? id=nuclear-future Department of Trade and Industry, U. K. (2007). The Future of Nuclear Power: The Role of Nuclear Power in a Low Carbon UK Economy. Retrieved from www. berr. gov. uk/files/file39197. pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (2003, 2009) The Future of Nuclear Power: An Interdisciplinary Study. Retrieved from http://web. mit. edu/nuclearpower/ Mahaffey, J. (2009). Atomic Awakening: A New Look at the History and Future of Nuclear Power. New York : Pegasus Books Smith, J Beresford, N. A. (2005). Chernobyl: catastrophe and consequences. New York : Springer

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Animal Experimentation is Necessary Essay -- Argumentative, Synthesis

     Ã‚   A contingent of those against the dog labs at the university protested last month, waving signs that read, "Kill? Heal? What's It Gonna Be?" and "The U Kills Dogs."   A fairly recent article in the Washington Post ("A Terminal Learning Environment"; Nov.   5, 2000) manages to move beyond the emotion and sloganeering used by these protesters to some of the real arguments of those in opposition; that the dog labs are "cruel, unnecessary and a waste of money" and that they "should be eliminated."1  Ã‚   However, the arguments used by the Washington Post (and ultimately, those in opposition) are insufficient to justify the termination of the dog labs at university.   The claim that the dog labs are cruel to the animals is unsubstantiated and inaccurate.   The claim that the labs are unnecessary is a falsity, as alternatives are not as beneficial as the vivisection labs.   Finally, the argument that the labs are a waste of money is an ill-researched, erroneous depicti on of the real circumstances.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The dog labs are held annually at the University, on five consecutive Fridays in the early spring.   In the lab, students insert catheters, draw blood, inject drugs, perform minor surgery and observe the cardiovascular systems of seventy-two deeply anesthetized dogs.   At the end of the lab, the dogs are euthanized.   The purposes of this lab are to help teach the basic concepts of physiology, give students the opportunity to observe the effects of some commonly used drugs, and to provide students with a "hands-on" experience working with live patients.   Students are given the option of not participating, but are still responsible for learning the material presented in the lab.   This year, thirty students (out of one hundred and thirty-t... ...as cost-efficient as the labs themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the present time, the arguments used by the Washington Post do not justify the termination of the vivisection labs at the University, as they can be refuted point by point.   If at some time in the future, an alternative method that serves the purpose of teaching human physiology while providing hands on experience for students becomes available, and proves to be better than the vivisection labs, then the issue should be reexamined.   Until then, the annual "dog labs" should continue to be a part of the curriculum at the university. Notes 1. "A Terminal Learning Environment."   Washington Post, 5 November 1999: 7. 2. "Terminal." 3. "Terminal." 4. Dave Curtin, "Protesters Greet Med Students: Annual CU Lab Uses Anesthetized Canines."   Denver Post, 11 March 2000: 1. 5. Curtin. 6. "Terminal."

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Mother of Invention

It has been said throughout time that, necessity is the mother of invention, but what facilitates necessity in today’s modern society has become a vast gray area. As a society, we are use to, and so dependent on, such modern conveniences, as high-speed internet, cell phones, laptops, tablets, search engines, and GPS, so much so that we would not know how to function without them. The dependence on modern technology is making way for a whole generation that is incapable of doing anything manually and potentially affecting their social skills, as well as making their brains lazy.Background of the Current Issue/Problem Mary Scorpati, a high school teacher at Kearney High School, states that students in her class are quite computer proficient, but are severely lacking in writing and spelling skills(Schevitz,2012). â€Å"The spelling and writing skills of many of my students are extremely below grade level. Some have rarely used a dictionary and don't know what guide words are. Th ey have so much knowledge about the computer, and use spell check to correct mistakes. Hand them a cell phone, and they can text message all day long.Give them a calculator and they can figure out any problem, but hand them a pencil and paper and they go blank† (Schevitz, 2012). Benefits of Proposal Students can use search engines, such as Google, to find the right answers to their homework, they can even solve math problems online for free without any effort or thought process. This however is not without consequence. Having the â€Å"instant gratification† effect makes it less likely that a student is going to retain the information, let alone comprehend the importance of the information they were just handed(Schevitz,2012).Solving math problems on line does not teach a student the importance of identifying formulas and order of operations, as well as how to implement them. A study conducted by child development experts at Harvard University, revealed a startling low amount of children that were actually able to perform math functions with paper and pencil. Those numbers compared to those that had full use of the internet varied drastically (Parker-Pope, 2010). The study showed that student’s math scores fell short when they had to apply math skills manually and were not able to search the internet for the answers (Parker-Pope, 2010).Twenty years ago, when there was a research project assigned, students would go to the library where encyclopedias, dictionaries, and books were utilized to complete the project. This process would take hours, and though it may have seemed tedious compared to today where students have all the information at their fingertips, students were more likely to remember and learn from this form of research. Kristen Combus, a child psychologist at Duke University, stated, â€Å"Our society is changing very fast, however education isn't changing enough to keep up† She recalled an argument she had with a student about cursive handwriting.â€Å"His handwriting was a mess and I asked him to redo his paragraph. He then responded with â€Å"I have to turn it in typed. Why would I write it neatly in cursive? † (Edutopia, 2008). A survey by the National School Boards Association indicates a very large number of students spending around nine hours a week doing computerized social networking and another 10 hours watching television. Other surveys show a majority of high school students doing an hour or less of written homework a day. ( Oliverira,2012). Implementation of ProposalBy implementing some basic practices, and subtle changes to educational standards, we can prove to children that technology is beneficial, but being self-sufficient far outweighs the advantages. Schools can make writing mandatory until sophomore year, implementing typing as a secondary source. Spell check functions should be disabled until the final draft process of research and term papers. The basics need to be tau ght first before students can learn to appreciate the conveniences of modern technology (Parker-Pope, 2010). Counter Arguments Technology assists our children in obtaining all of these skills.More so today than ever before in history, students have the ability to research any topic. They are not bound by classroom or library walls. Technology has opened doors to a seemingly infinite well of information, which is not always accurate. Therefore, they need to learn how to sift through it all and get the â€Å"good stuff. † This seemingly infinite well of information and current bank of technology has also allowed students to truly invest themselves in their education by developing personal educational plans or studying fields of particular interest to them (Parker-Pope, 2010).When students are actively engaged in their own learning to reach his or her own ultimate potential, everybody wins. As the world continues to embrace and evolve the Internet, businesses and organizations a re increasingly looking to tap into this resource. It is in the best interest of educators, and professionals in general, to be aware of what the Internet has to offer. We can choose to sit back and wish it would all just go away because it’s too hard to find the time for it, or we can choose to embrace it, and look for simple ways to learn more about it.Another unavoidable fact is the growing desire for experience and familiarity with the Internet and other computer technologies as a hiring requirement in the educational field. There are undeniable benefits that come with technology, but there are far more disadvantages if a student is unable to realize them (Schevitz, 2012). Conclusion Today, every human activity is dependent upon various tools, machines, and systems, from growing food to providing shelter to communication, healthcare, and entertainment.High-speed internet, cell phones, laptops, tablets, search engines, and GPS make possible things that humans have never be en able to do before. This collection of devices, capabilities, and the knowledge that accompanies them is called technology. We can say that â€Å"Living without technology is like living without air† in this technical world of today. Broadly speaking, technology is how people modify the world to suit their own purposes. If students do not comprehend the importance of the basics, then they will never learn to appreciate the importance of technology(Schevitz,2012). Mother of Invention IntroductionIt has been said throughout time that, necessity is the mother of invention, but what facilitates necessity in today’s modern society has become a vast gray area. As a society, we are use to, and so dependent on, such modern conveniences, as high-speed internet, cell phones, laptops, tablets, search engines, and GPS, so much so that we would not know how to function without them. The dependence on modern technology is making way for a whole generation that is incapable of doing anything manually and potentially affecting their social skills, as well as making their brains lazy.Background of the Current Issue/ProblemMary Scorpati, a high school teacher at Kearney High School, states that students in her class are quite computer proficient, but are severely lacking in writing and spelling skills(Schevitz,2012).â€Å"The spelling and writing skills of many of my students are extremely below grade level. Some have rarely used a dictionary and don't know what guide wor ds are. They have so much knowledge about the computer, and use spell check to correct mistakes. Hand them a cell phone, and they can text message all day long. Give them a calculator and they can figure out any problem, but hand them a pencil and paper and they go blank† (Schevitz, 2012).Benefits of ProposalStudents can use search engines, such as Google, to find the right answers to their homework, they can even solve math problems online for free without any effort or thought process. This however is not without consequence. Having the â€Å"instant gratification† effect makes it less likely that a student is going to retain the information, let alone comprehend the importance of the information they were just handed(Schevitz,2012). Solving math problems on line does not teach a student the importance of identifying formulas and order of operations, as well as how to implement them. A study conducted by child development experts at Harvard University, revealed a star tling low amount of children that were actually able to perform math functions with paper and pencil. Those numbers compared to those that had full use of the internet varied drastically (Parker-Pope, 2010).The study  showed that student’s math scores fell short when they had to apply math skills manually and were not able to search the internet for the answers (Parker-Pope, 2010). Twenty years ago, when there was a research project assigned, students would go to the library where encyclopedias, dictionaries, and books were utilized to complete the project. This process would take hours, and though it may have seemed tedious compared to today where students have all the information at their fingertips, students were more likely to remember and learn from this form of research. Kristen Combus, a child psychologist at Duke University, stated, â€Å"Our society is changing very fast, however education isn't changing enough to keep up† She recalled an argument she had wi th a student about cursive handwriting. â€Å"His handwriting was a mess and I asked him to redo his paragraph.He then responded with â€Å"I have to turn it in typed. Why would I write it neatly in cursive?† (Edutopia, 2008). A survey by the National School Boards Association indicates a very large number of students spending around nine hours a week doing computerized social networking and another 10 hours watching television. Other surveys show a majority of high school students doing an hour or less of written homework a day. ( Oliverira,2012).Implementation of ProposalBy implementing some basic practices, and subtle changes to educational standards, we can prove to children that technology is beneficial, but being self-sufficient far outweighs the advantages. Schools can make writing mandatory until sophomore year, implementing typing as a secondary source. Spell check functions should be disabled until the final draft process of research and term papers. The basics nee d to be taught first before students can learn to appreciate the conveniences of modern technology (Parker-Pope, 2010).Counter ArgumentsTechnology assists our children in obtaining all of these skills. More so today than ever before in history, students have the ability to research any topic. They are not bound by classroom or library walls. Technology has opened doors to a seemingly infinite well of information, which is not always accurate. Therefore, they need to learn how to sift through it all and get the â€Å"good stuff.† This seemingly infinite well of information and current bank of technology has also allowed students to truly invest themselves in their education by developing personal educational plans or studying fields of particular interest to them (Parker-Pope, 2010).When students are actively engaged in their own learning to reach his or her own ultimate potential, everybody wins. As the world continues to embrace and evolve the Internet, businesses and organi zations are increasingly looking to tap into this resource. It is in the best interest of educators, and professionals in general, to be aware of what the Internet has to offer. We can choose to sit back and wish it would all just go away because it’s too hard to find the time for it, or we can choose to embrace it, and look for simple ways to learn more about it.Another unavoidable fact is the growing desire for experience and familiarity with the Internet and other computer technologies as a hiring requirement in the educational field. There are undeniable benefits that come with technology, but there are far more disadvantages if a student is unable to realize them (Schevitz, 2012).ConclusionToday, every human activity is dependent upon various tools, machines, and systems, from growing food to providing shelter to communication, healthcare, and entertainment. High-speed internet, cell phones, laptops, tablets, search engines, and GPS make possible things that humans have never been able to do before. This collection of devices, capabilities, and the knowledge that accompanies them is called technology. We can say that â€Å"Living without technology is like living without air† in this technical world of today. Broadly speaking, technology is how people modify the world to suit their own purposes. If students do not comprehend the importance of the basics, then they will never learn to appreciate the importance of technology(Schevitz,2012).

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Employee Safety, Health and Welfare Essay

The Company has policies and programs to address our employees’ broad range of concerns which includes working conditions, skills training, career opportunities, health and safety, and work-life balance. We have training and development programs suited to our employees’ needs. We also organize programs that support the well-being of employees, allow them to participate in PLDT’s CSR activities and obtain their feedback on company concerns. In accordance with the PLDT Personnel Manual, the Company provides medical benefits for our employees, which extends to their qualified dependents, subject to certain terms and conditions, , as well as adequate insurance coverage. The Company has also issued a Manual of Safety Practices to fulfill its commitment of providing and maintaining a safe and healthful work environment that is in accordance with industrial standards and which complies with legislative requirements. Relevant data on Safety The Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) programs being implemented by the Company resulted to an accumulation of more than 14,400,000 safe man-hours in 2013 without lost time accidents. Relevant data on health and welfare The Company’s medical benefits include the full or partial cost of doctor consultation medical tests, medicine, hospital confinements and post-operative rehabilitation. Part of our preventive medical approach is to subject employees to Annual Physical and Dental Examination (88% compliance rate in 2013). Continuous medical education fora are being conducted monthly to address common health issues such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardio-pulmonary disease (82 conducted in 2013). The Company ensures that work-life balance is achieved by promoting sports and recreation programs with 30 various events (basketball, bowling, family fun day, volleyball, etc.) that covered and engaged 80% of employees in 2013. Likewise, the Company aims to empower its employees by providing them livelihood workshops and seminars (candle making, food processing, etc.) to engage them in productive activities that are potential for family income augmentation.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Immigrant Chronicle Essay Example

Immigrant Chronicle Essay Example Immigrant Chronicle Essay Immigrant Chronicle Essay Write a paragraph about ‘St Patrick’s College’ and belonging say what it says about belonging and the language feature used The poem ‘St Patrick’s College’ by Peter Skrzynecki describes his school years at the Catholic college in Edgar Street Strathfield. This is an important part of Peter Skrzynecki’s life, a time when he was trying to fit in, to assimilate, to belong. Double use of the possessive in the first line ‘impressed by the uniforms of her employer’s sons mother enrolled me at St Pat’s’ indicates his mother’s hopes and ambitions. As an immigrant mother she is trying to ensure her only child’s future inclusion in social hierarchy of their new country. However, this sentence also suggests that these are perhaps not the best ways of deciding on a school which would be suitable for Peter trying to fit in. Then in the lines ‘our lady watched/with outstretched arms/her face overshadowed by clouds’, the poet conveys that he didn’t feel included. Our lady’ represents the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, and symbolizes the warmth and protection offered by all mothers as they embrace their children, However here, the negative connotation of ‘overshadowed by clouds’ reinforces his feelings of not really belonging at this religious institution. This metaphor is reinforced in the last stanza where the lady still watches over him ‘unchanged by eight years of weather’. Even after 8 years of attendance, the poet still does not really belong. Then the use of colloquial language and connotation of shared friendship ‘played chasings up and down the station’s ten ramps’ shows Peter’s young and that he is fitting into some extent but he is still unsure about where he belongs. He doesn’t feel he is part of the school. Repetition of eight years, metaphor and emotive language ‘for eight years I carried the blue, black and gold/I’d been privileged to wear’ are used in the forth stanza to emphasizes the length of time he spent at the school and the benefits he gained there. Even though he did the same things as any student does at school and did fit into St Patrick’s in some ways, he is still unsure about where he belongs. In the last stanza, negative words and tone of uncertainty are used to show Peter Skrzynecki’s time at St Patrick’s is at an end and there are some things he still can’t do, but he will never have chance to finish those things just like he will never completely belong.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Its Acceptable to Use (Some) Contractions

Its Acceptable to Use (Some) Contractions It’s Acceptable to Use (Some) Contractions It’s Acceptable to Use (Some) Contractions By Mark Nichol Do you believe it’s acceptable to use contractions in formal writing, or is the elision of certain letters and their replacement by apostrophes something that shouldn’t appear in a respectable publication? What’re your thoughts? Some contractions are considered more acceptable than others. The first two I included in the previous paragraph, and others, are often found in all but the most buttoned-up composition, but although ’re is sometimes appropriate, what’re is of dubious respectability. Some contractions are ubiquitous and usually acceptable, while others, for often obscure and arbitrary reasons, are considered substandard usage. Here’s a guide to the relative respectability of various contractions: ’d: a contraction of did, had, and would, considered mildly informal. ’em: a highly informal contraction of them (â€Å"You really showed ’em†). ’er: a highly informal contraction of her, though often in reference to an inanimate object rather than a female (â€Å"Git ’er done†). ’im: a highly informal contraction of him (â€Å"I saw ’im standing there just a minute ago†). ’ll: frequently used in place of will (â€Å"I’ll concede that much†). n’t: widely employed to replace not, as in couldn’t, don’t, isn’t, shouldn’t, and won’t, though ain’t is considered acceptable only in colloquial or jocular usage, and shan’t is considered stilted. ’m: appears only in a contraction of â€Å"I am.† ’re: readily takes the place of are in â€Å"they are,† â€Å"we are,† and â€Å"you are† (and, less often, and less acceptably, â€Å"there are† or â€Å"what are†). ’s: used in contractions of phrases that include has and is, but use with does (â€Å"What’s he say about that?†) is considered highly informal; also is a contraction of us solely in the case of let’s. ’ve: acceptable for contraction of have, but double contractions such as I’d’ve (for â€Å"I would have†) are too informal for most contexts. y’all: a dialect contraction of â€Å"you all,† widespread in the southern United States, to refer to one or more people, but too informal for most written content. Any of these forms is appropriate for representing dialect, though in nonfiction it is usually interpreted as a demeaning caricature, and even in fiction it can become tiresome. The illogic of inconsistent degrees of acceptability for contractions is demonstrated by the case of ain’t, which started out as a spelling variation, based on changing pronunciation, of an’t, itself an easier-to-pronounce form of amn’t (â€Å"am I not†). All three forms were long acceptable an’t also stood in for â€Å"are not† and is the ancestor of aren’t but while aren’t acquired respectability, and amn’t and an’t faded, the older ain’t was attacked as a vulgarity. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a US Business LetterConfusing "Passed" with "Past"7 Sound Techniques for Effective Writing

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Government Regulations towards Small & Medium Enterprises Essay

Government Regulations towards Small & Medium Enterprises - Essay Example The hypotheses are then tested against the observed characteristics of entrepreneurs and small business owners in the real world. However, there are a number of problems with this approach that have been discussed as follows:- 1. Some regions are more favored than others at establishing successful small businesses and entrepreneurs and hence their economic development is more successful. The question of whether this is due to characteristics in the population or due to certain aspects of the environment and infrastructure which enable potential entrepreneurs to exploit their skills and opportunities more easily, remains, at this stage, an open one. For example, research undertaken for Scottish Enterprise (2), after concern with low participation rates in entrepreneurship, showed that a complex series of factors contributed to low participation rates in Scotland. For example, the historical dependence of the population on a limited number of large employers coupled with inward investment (North Sea oil) had produced a 'dependency culture', that is, that people were used to depending on large employers for employment. Thus, the thought of going into business on their own account did not come easily to them. Yet other factors were important as well such as lack of finance. This example shows why participation rates might be different in particular regions for varying complex reasons. 2. Concern has been expressed at the existence of latent entrepreneurial talent. For example, why are there so few successful female entrepreneurs Again this remains open question which appears to have no simple solution but rather is caused by a complex combination of social and economic reasons. Little research has been conducted specifically on these groups in the UK, although a study carried out by the David Deakins and Ram (3) with African - Caribbean entrepreneurs suggests that motivations among this minority group in the UK consists of a combination of positive (pull) and negative (push) factors. Positive factors are associated with the attractions of entrepreneurship and negative factors are associated with limited opportunities in the inner-city and deprived urban environments. 3. Attention has focused on the role of networks in successful entrepreneurial development. For example, some research suggests that inter-firm networks contribute to successful entrepreneurship as discussed below. Start-ups (4): We know that a high proportion of new firms fail within three years of start - up. For example, in the UK, 30 percent of new firms cease trading by the third year and 50 percent by the fifth year. In addition, there is only a small proportion that grow to employ 50 workers. One of the factors is the potential loss of control faced by the entrepreneur as the firm grows. New small firms and entrepreneurs that are successful are predominantly located in the South - East in the UK. This suggests that the environment and infrastructure is at least as important as the characteristics of the entrepreneur. It is also likely that the development of inter-firm networks is more advanced in the South - East than in other regions of the UK. Inter -Organizational Networks (5): The inter-organizational

Friday, November 1, 2019

Societal response Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Societal response - Term Paper Example The disintegration of the European feudal society perception on the underclass through the Black plague exemplifies a form of societal collapse. The outcome shows different reactions, on the European side it was a failure while for the underclass it was a break through to exercise their rights because they escaped the burden of the exploitative elites and the onerous taxes. Therefore, though there exists different form societal failure, the outcome presents both beneficial and detrimental effects on both the forces in question (Diamond 5). Societal collapse has been used to express the desertion of human cultures. Nevertheless, a clear explanation as to why such extinctions occur has been escalated by abrupt societal demise such as the Mayan civilization. Similarly, a prolonged decline of a society contributes towards failure to derive a distinct explanation for the society’s failure. A notable example is the observed gradual fall of superpowers such as the East Asia’s Han dynasty and Roman Empire in the Western Europe. These examples show examples of cultures that have failed in regards to self destructing consequences of civilization unlike the preconceived advantages of civilization to other states. Continuously, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors have been notable as key to collapse of most societies. Just like an out of balance entire system, these factors manifest themselves in a combined form. Diamond presents his perception on the causes of success and failures in a society through several examples. In regards to the examples of two farms, different societies dominate their areas of jurisdiction due to their own strength. Diamond uses two farms Harns and Bans that were similar in sizes (Diamond 21). However, despite their prosperous nature, they are vulnerable because they are located in economically marginal districts. This is based on the short summer growing season that is suitable for pasture production. As a result both farms are vulnerable to becoming extinct due to climatic conditions. Geographical location of the farms limits their access to markets. Both farms are hostages of forces beyond their control such as change of tastes and affluence of the neighbors and customers. However, evaluation of these farms at the moment of prosperity does not guarantee an individual to experet a decline. Similarly societies emerge, dominate their regions but due to factors beyond its control leads to their extinction as noted in Diamond example where Gardar farms has declined while Huls farm has continued to advance. Huls sustenance is attributed to adoption of new cultures such as the advanced technologies. It is inherent that technologically advanced and richest societies suffer economic and environmental problems that need to be taken into account in order to avoid failure of the societies. According to Diamond, appreciation of the past societal transformation provides the current societies with an opp ortunity to avoid failures but rather embrace changes that leads to success. In regards to collapse of Norse Greenland, a past society, Diamond perceives collapse as a drastic decline in political, economic, social complexity and human population. Before a society is termed a collapsed society, arbitrarily is not conceivable on how the society can be defined in order to be classified