Causes for Germanies entry to WW1 essays

Causes for Germanies entry to WW1 essays World War One was caused solely by the aggression of one country and its allies. It was made possible by the political, military and economical environments inside the aggressor country. These all contributed to the initiation of the First World War by the then mayor European power, Germany. To the credit of the Prussians, Germany had the largest (except for Russia), best equipped and best-trained army of Europe. With their innovative use of the heavy machine gun (the Maxim gun) in protected pillboxes the German quickly had an edge in over the other European armies. To use this military might in an effective way the Chief of the Imperial General Staff Alfred Von Schlieffen devised an attack plan appropriately named the Schlieffen plan. According to this plan the bulk of the German army had to march through Belgium and Luxembourg attack France out flanking its armies in the process and after a six-week campaign France would be defeated and the whole German Army could then attack Russia. The Schlieffen Plan rested on two critical assumptions. The first was the preservation of overwhelming German numerical superiority against France. The second was the inability of the Russian Empire, with its primitive system of land transportation, to deploy its numerically superior a long the German before the Knockout blow to the west(Kelroy pg.48). This plan should have been very effective when it was conceived. However during 1913 two events happened; one, French male citizen were now required to serve three years not two of military service this change would have brought the French army to the same size of the German army by 1915, 1916; secondly, with the help of France, Russia had created a large and relatively modern railroad system connecting it to the center of Europe. ... the undeniable fact that the German Empire was loosing its margin of strategic superiority in Europe over the combined armed forces of France and Rus...

Beginners Guide to the Maya Civilization

Beginners Guide to the Maya Civilization The Maya Civilization- also called the Mayan civilization- is the general name archaeologists have given to several independent, loosely affiliated city states who shared a cultural heritage in terms of language, customs, dress, artistic style and material culture. They occupied the central American continent, including the southern parts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, an area of about 150,000 square miles. In general, researchers tend to split the Maya into the Highland and Lowland Maya. By the way, archaeologists prefer to use the term Maya civilization rather than the more common Mayan civilization, leaving Mayan to refer to the language. Highland and Lowland Maya The Maya civilization covered an enormous area with a large variation of environments, economies, and growth of the civilization. Scholars address some of the Maya cultural variation by studying separate issues related to the climate and environment of the region. The Maya Highlands are the southern part of the Maya civilization, included the mountainous region in Mexico (particularly Chiapas state), Guatemala and Honduras. The Maya Lowlands make up the northern segment of the Maya region, including Mexicos Yucatan peninsula, and adjacent parts of Guatemala and Belize. A Pacific coastal piedmont range north of the Soconusco had fertile soils, dense forests and mangrove swamps. See Maya Lowlands and Maya Highlands for in-depth information. The Maya civilization was certainly never an empire, inasmuch as one person never ruled the entire region. During the Classic period, there were several strong kings at Tikal, Calakmul, Caracol and Dos Pilas, but none of them ever conquered the others. Its probably best to think of the Maya as a collection of independent city-states, who shared some ritual and ceremonial practices, some architecture, some cultural objects. The city-states traded with one another, and with the Olmec and Teotihuacan polities (at different times), and they also warred with one another from time to time. Timeline Mesoamerican archaeology is broken up into general sections. The Maya are in general thought to have maintained a cultural continuity between about 500 BC and AD 900, with the Classic Maya  beween  AD 250-900. Archaic  before 2500 BCHunting and gathering  lifestyle prevails.Early Formative  2500-1000 BCFirst  beans  and  maize agriculture, people live in isolated farmsteads and hamletsMiddle Formative  1000-400 BCFirst  monumental architecture, first villages; people switch to full-time agriculture,  Olmec  contacts, and, at  Nakbe, the first evidence of  social ranking, beginning about 600-400 BCImportant sites:  Nakbe,  Chalchuapa,  KaminaljuyuLate Formative  400 BC-AD 250First  massive palaces are built at urban Nakbe and El Mirador, first writing, constructed road systems and water control, organized trade and widespread warfareImportant sites: El Mirador,  Nakbe, Cerros, Komchen, Tikal,  KaminaljuyuClassic  AD 250-900Widespread literacy including calendars and lists of royal lineages at Copn and Tikal, first dynastic kingdoms, changing political alliances, large palaces and mortuary pyramids constructed, intensification of agriculture. Populatio ns peak at about 100 per square kilometers. Paramount kings and polities installed at  Tikal,  Calakmul,  Caracol, and Dos  PilosImportant sites:  Copn,  Palenque,  Tikal,  Calakmul,  Caracol, Dos Pilas,  Uxmal,  Coba, Dzibilchaltun, Kabah, Labna, Sayil Postclassic  AD 900-1500Some centers abandoned, written records stop. Puuc hill country flourishes and small rural towns prosper near rivers and lakes until the Spanish arrive in 1517Important sites:  Chichà ©n Itz,  Mayapan, Iximche, Utatlan) Known Kings and Leaders Each independent Maya city had its own set of institutionalized rulers  beginning in the Classic period (AD 250-900). Documentary evidence for the kings and queens has been found on stele and temple wall inscriptions and a few sarcophagi. During the Classic period, kings were generally in charge of a particular city and its supporting region. The area controlled by a specific king might be hundreds or even thousands of square kilometers. The rulers court included palaces, temples and ball courts, and  great plazas, open areas where festivals and other public events were held. Kings were hereditary positions, and, at least after they were dead, the kings were sometimes considered gods. As an example, below are linked what is known of the dynastic records of  Palenque,  Copn  and  Tikal.   Rulers of Palenque Rulers of Copn Rulers of Tikal Important Facts about the Maya Civilization Population:  There is no complete population estimate, but it must have been in the millions. In the 1600s, the Spanish reported that there were between 600,000-1 million people living in the Yucatan peninsula alone. Each of the larger cities probably had populations in excess of 100,000, but that doesnt count the rural sectors that supported the larger cities. Environment:  The Maya Lowland region below 800 meters is tropical with rainy and dry seasons. There is little-exposed water except in lakes in limestone faults, swamps, and  cenotes-natural sinkholes in the limestone that are geologically a result of the  Chicxulub crater  impact. Originally, the area was blanketed with multiple canopied forests  and mixed vegetation. The Highland Maya regions include a string of volcanically active mountains. Eruptions have dumped rich volcanic ash throughout the region, leading to deep rich soils and  obsidian  deposits. Climate in the highland is temperate, with rare frost. Upland forests originally were mixed pine and deciduous trees. Writing, Language, and Calendars of the Maya Civilization Mayan language:  The various groups spoke nearly 30 closely related languages and dialects, including the Mayan and Huastec Writing:  The Maya had 800 distinct  hieroglyphs, with the first evidence of language written on stela and walls of buildings beginning ca 300 BC. Bark cloth paper  codexes  were being used no later than the 1500s, but all but a handful were destroyed by Spanish Calendar:  The so-called long count calendar was invented by Mixe-Zoquean speakers, based on the extant  Mesoamerican Calendar. It was adapted by the classic period Maya ca 200 AD. The earliest inscription in long count among the Maya was made dated AD 292. Earliest date listed on the long count calendar is about August 11, 3114 BC, what the Maya said was the founding date of their civilization. The first dynastic calendars were being used by about 400 BC Extant written records of the Maya:  Popul Vuh, extant Paris, Madrid, and Dresden  codices, and the papers of  Fray Diego de Landa  called Relacion. Astronomy The Dresden Codex dated to the Late Post Classic/Colonial period (1250-1520) includes astronomical tables on Venus and Mars, on eclipses, on seasons and the movement of the tides. These tables chart the seasons with respect to their civic year, predict solar and lunar eclipses and tracked the motion of the planets. Maya Civilization Ritual Intoxicants:  Chocolate  (Theobroma), blache (fermented honey and an extract from the balche tree; morning glory seeds, pulque (from agave plants),  tobacco, intoxicating enemas,  Maya Blue Sweat baths:  Piedras Negras, San Antonio,  Cerà ©n Astronomy:  The Maya tracked the sun, moon, and Venus. Calendars include eclipse warnings and safe periods, and almanacs for tracking Venus. Observatories:  built at  Chichà ©n Itz Maya Gods:  What we know of Maya religion is based on writings and drawings on codices or temples. A few of the gods include: God A or Cimi or Cisin (god of death or flatulent one), God B or  Chac, (rain and lightning), God C (sacredness), God D or Itzamna (creator or scribe or learned one), God E (maize), God G (sun), God L (trade or merchant), God K or Kauil, Ixchel or Ix Chel (goddess of fertility), Goddess O or Chac Chel. There are others; and in the Maya pantheon, there are sometimes combined gods, glyphs for two different gods appearing as one glyph. Death and Afterlife:  Ideas about death and the afterlife are little known, but the entry to the underworld was called Xibalba or Place of Fright Mayan Economics See the  Maya Economics  page for information about trade, currency, agriculture, and other economic issues. Maya Politics Warfare:  The Maya had  fortified sites, and military themes and battles events are illustrated in Maya art by the Early Classic period. Warrior classes, including some professional warriors, were part of the Maya society. Wars were fought over territory, slaves, to avenge insults, and to establish succession. Weaponry:  axes, clubs, maces, throwing spears, shields, and helmets, bladed spears Ritual sacrifice:  offerings thrown into  cenotes, and placed in tombs; the Maya pierced their tongues, earlobes, genitals or other body parts for  blood sacrifice. animals (mostly jaguars) were sacrificed, and there were human victims, including  high-ranking  enemy warriors who were captured, tortured and sacrificed Mayan Architecture The first steles are associated with the Classic period, and the earliest is from Tikal, where a stele is dated AD 292. Emblem glyphs signified specific rulers and a specific sign called ahaw is today interpreted as lord. Distinctive architectural styles of the Maya include (but arent limited to) Rio Bec (7th-9th centuries AD, block masonry palaces with towers and central doorways at sites such as Rio Bec, Hormiguero, Chicanna, and Becan); Chenes (7th-9th centuries AD, related to the Rio Bec but without the towers at Hochob Santa rosa Xtampack, Dzibilnocac);  Puuc  (AD 700-950, intricately designed facades and doorjambs at Chichà ©n Itz,  Uxmal, Sayil, Labna, Kabah); and Toltec (or Maya Toltec AD 950-1250, at  Chichà ©n Itz. Archaeological Sites of the Maya Really the best way to learn about the Maya is to go and visit the archaeological ruins. Many of them are open to the public and have museums and even gift shops on the sites. You can find Maya archaeological sites in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and in several Mexican states. Major Maya Cities Belize:  Batsub  Cave,  Colha,  Minanha,  Altun Ha,  Caracol,  Lamanai,  Cahal Pech,  Xunantunich El Salvador:  Chalchuapa,  Quelepa Mexico:  El Tajin,  Mayapan,  Cacaxtla,  Bonampak,  Chichà ©n Itz,  Cob  ,  Uxmal,  Palenque Honduras:  Copan,  Puerto Escondido Guatemala:  Kaminaljuyu,  La Corona (Site Q),  Nakbe,  Tikal  ,  Ceibal,  Nakum More on the Maya Books on the Maya  A collection of reviews of a handful of the recent books on the Maya. Finding Maya Site Q. Mysterious Site Q was one of the sites referred to on glyphs and temple inscriptions and researchers believe they have finally located it as the site of La Corona. Spectacles and Spectators: Walking Tour of Maya Plazas. Although when you visit archaeological ruins of the Maya, you generally look at the tall buildingsbut a lot  of interesting things are to be learned about the plazas, the big open spaces between the temples and palaces at the major Maya cities.

Obligations of Managers and Executives in I.T Essay

Obligations of Managers and Executives in I.T - Essay Example Considerably, cyber security has been an issue concerning the IT department. However, there has been a considerable growth of the information security to constitute a legal obligation and responsibility for the management. In this regard, all the shareholders need inclusion to address the matters of cyber security. For instance, according to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley security regulations, the Board of Directors has the mandate to ensure the safety of finances regarding their corporations. In addition, the evolving case laws suggest that corporate directors have a duty of care for the company’s information systems. They add that the obligation extends to safeguarding the integrity of the stored data from a mere responsibility of guarding corporate financials. Further, the Business Roundtable notes that the board of directors should consider information security as an element of corporate governance. Data confidentiality, integrity, and storage In this context, it is eminent for the organizations to observe the procedure incorporated to protect their company information from access by unauthorized persons. The data must be stored in forms that are not easy to interpret when opened as flat plain text files, accessed in inaccessible locations, and or protected by the firewall (Smedinghoff, 2005). Use of technical access controls in protecting the corporate information In this context, policies and procedures should remain implemented to ensure appropriate access to information by authorized persons (Kshetri, 2010).

Measurements of Unemployment and Inflation Essay

Measurements of Unemployment and Inflation - Essay Example The output and the productivity of a business organization are significantly dependent on the employment as well as unemployment rates. This is because of Productivity = Output/Employment and therefore, Employment = Output/Productivity. Hence, it can be stated that the productivity of a business organization is directly proportional to employment. Therefore, it is quite important for the organizations to measure the unemployment rates in order to determine their productivity. These measurements further facilitate the organizations to prepare for the fluctuations that generally take place in the economy (Blanchard, Solow, & Wilson, 2012). Apart from unemployment, the business organizations need to measure the inflation as well. This is because of the reason that consumers’ spending and investment activities are chiefly dependent upon the rate of inflation. A high inflation rate discourages the investors and consequently reduces the amount of investment in the economy. Moreover, high inflation rates are likely to reduce the return on investment and further can result in a downfall in terms of demand in the economy. These reasons make it quite imperative for the management of an organization to carry out timely measurements of the inflation rates (National Grid for Learning, 2009). Furthermore, it is quite essential for business organizations to manipulate the price of their goods which is likely to be valuable when there is a high inflation rate in the economy. Re-pricing is a quite expensive process and in order to avoid frequent re-pricing of the products, the management of the organizations needs to measure the inflation rates. In addition, inflation causes the prices of the raw materials to grow high as well as the prices of other components to rise. These factors compel the business organizations to explore for contemptible raw materials and subsequently increase the cost for the organization. Owing to this, the management of the business needs to mea sure the inflation rate to minimize these costs. Moreover, with an increase in inflation rates, the business organizations face the demands for increasing the wage rates. This further leads to negotiation activities with the employees as well as the labor unions causing chaos in the management system. Therefore, in order to mitigate these threats, the management of the organizations are required to measure the inflation rates (National Grid for Learning, 2009). 2. What Analyses Might A Manager Do To Learn More About A Specific Company Or Industry? In order to learn more about a specific company or industry, a manager can carry out various analysis strategies such as the value chain analysis, Porter’s five forces’ model analysis, and SWOT analysis among others.

Honolulu Light Rail System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Honolulu Light Rail System - Essay Example This is because a train can carry passengers who could have boarded several buses. As a result, the number of buses on the streets will decrease significantly as the members of the public will shift towards the rail system which is free from traffic jams (Downs, 2004). The increase in population growth in West and Central Oahu calls for a more efficient public transport that will be able to move a lot of people at the same time. Currently, the roads are being overwhelmed by the surging number of people. As a result, the rail system will go a notch higher in addressing this problem. The rail system will push more people towards the outskirts of the city. This is because more people will prefer to live in areas where rent is more affordable and away from the pressures of the city, as they can be able to move faster to their places of residence (Downs, 2004). This will play a significant role in reducing the traffic levels in the

Process Improvement Application and Quality Improvements Assignment

Process Improvement Application and Quality Improvements - Assignment Example Most organizations use the quality improvement story, mostly the quality improvement tools to improve service delivery and systems. For example, most hospitals and clinics often collect and use data about the health services being delivered, and statistically analyze the data to report to health authorities. Quality improvement methods are designed to study processes and help in improvement of systems. For instance in health care, students will be familiar with the goal of scientific research, but this only helps in discovering new knowledge but they are less familiar with the quality improvement which is aimed at changing performance. Recently medical students are always encouraged to join teams undertaking improvement activities. Quality improvement activities require managers’ to collect and analyze data generated by processes used in the activities involved and measure improvements. For example, a student cannot study changes in his study habits and the environment he lives in affects him. He will need to data to analyze his study habits problems, and decide the information he needs to measure improvements made by him. Measurement is an important component of quality improvement because it forces managers to look at what they do and how they do it. They commonly use the total quality management tools such as; flowcharts, cause and effect diagrams, Pareto charts and run charts. In the past years, quality improvement methods have been emphasized. This includes the identification of a process that has less than ideal outcomes, attaching measures to key performance attributes, analyzing devise approaches, integrating redesigned approaches the process and having checks to determine if the process was successful. Apart from total quality management, other quality improvement strategies are; international organization for standardization ISO 9000, Zero defects, Six Sigma and Toyota production system.

Issues in child development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Issues in child development - Essay Example Every childs development is judged by their intellectual function, their inventiveness, their ego strength, their relatedness to their peers and adults, and capacity to deal with new events that come across their like each day in their social life. Depression may be simply defined as a state of sadness. Many may feel depressed for a short time when things do not go their way, but when this feeling persists and interferes with daily activity a doctor may diagnose an individual with clinical depression and order medication. Genetic predisposition, personal problems, and seasonal hormonal changes are some of the many things that may trigger depression. A depressed individual may encounter feelings of despair and sadness, constant fatigue, constant headaches, among other things. If left untreated, depression may lead to suicide. (Mood Disorders, 2003) Most mothers aspire to provide a nurturing environment for their children. Depressed mothers generally want the best for their children, but their illness prevents them from achieving this goal. Depressed mothers have a much different opinion of themselves as mothers and of their childrens behaviour. They may see themselves as inadequate and think that they have little control over their childs development and they may perceive many aspects of their childs normal behaviour in a negative light. (Gurian, 2003) Many report feeling overwhelmed at the responsibilities of raising a child. Under so much stress, depressed mothers will face the normal frustrations of raising children much differently than normal mothers would. In many cases, the mother may criticize the child to the point of insulting him. Verbal abuse has been linked to lack of self esteem in children, especially when done at a young age. Some depressed mother will go even further and react violently to her childs petty