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Ivan's War: Life and Death in the Red Army, 1939-1945, by Catherine Merridale (2006), is a highly detailed account of the enormous burdens borne by "Ivan," the prototypical Russian soldier whose courage and determination in World War II was largely instrumental for holding the forces of Nazi Germany back as they attempted to penetrate the Soviet Union. Merridale (2006) draws heavily upon a variety of sources to outline the challenges faced by Russian soldiers as they battled an enemy better armed and provisioned in a climate that was, to say the least, inhospitable to all combatants. Some eight million men and women died in the Russian war effort, leading the country as noted by Merridale (2006) to claim a major share of the responsibility for the ultimate defeat of the Nazis and to argue that it has borne a greater share of the war burden than any of the other Allies. This brief essay will first summarize key points made in the text and then relate it to a secondary school history lessons focused on the Second World War. The Red Army, as d

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The Gulag Archipelago Communists in the post-Czar Russia were a motley bunch. Some actually had aristocratic ancestors, others were professors and intellectually, and still others, like Josef Stalin, were what we in America would call "blue collar." Yet, of all the leaders and commissars that turned Russia from a land of rich aristocrats and poor ordinary people and starving peasants, only the strongest survived- the strongest and those who unbendingly agreed with the new leader, Stalin. Among those who fell by the wayside was Leon Trotzky and many intellectuals accused in the so-called purge trials of the Nineteen Thirties. Most were killed. Some sentenced to Siberia to the Gulags. One whop was sentenced, outlived most others and returned to write a book, called The Gulag Archipeligo was Alexander Solzhenytsin. Solzhenytsin's book is massive": over 600 pages. But, most Americans - even those who read every page- surely cannot understand that Russia's politics, even to the present day- is incompatible with the sort of "democratic" political principles of many Western nations. For

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Remote Sensing Ocean Monitoring On a planet where three-fourths of the surface is covered by ocean, monitoring ocean currents is vital for a number of reasons (Churnside). Ocean currents affect climate, transportation, recreation, the food supply, and even pharmaceuticals (Churnside). Yet understanding the ocean has been difficult because of the ocean's extreme depth and the lack of appropriate means for taking measurements of it (Churnside). Fortunately, however, sensor technology has made it easier to probe the ocean and monitor its currents, temperature, salinity, color, sea surface height, bathymetry, and the "distribution and abundance of biota" (Churnside). Everything from "optical imagers and acoustics on submersibles and surface ships" to "LIDAR, radar, multi- and hyper-spectral imagers, and optical and microwave radiometers on aircraft" exists today in ocean-monitoring venues. However, these sensors must be mounted on a vessel and taken to the section of ocean to

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The Violent Bear It Away In Flannery O'Connor's The Violent Bear It Away, a fourteen-year-old boy named Francis Marion Tarwater is the protagonist who denies Christ but finds redemption through a traumatic form of revelation. Tarwater is the great-nephew of Mason Tarwater, a religious fanatic who kidnapped Francis in order to baptize him, and who believes he is a prophet and Francis' destiny is to follow in his footsteps. The antagonist of the story is Rayber, Francis' uncle, who rejects religion and embraces a secular lifestyle. Rayber's son Bishop is mentally retarded and it was Mason's quest to baptize him, but his death prevented this mission, which now falls on Francis. Francis will reject religion and Mason's wish for burial because of his "friend," a voice in his head that represents secular (i.e. evil) thinking. Ultimately, Francis will accept his destiny and baptize Bishop just before drowning him, which pits his religious fanaticism against Rayber's an

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Russian Jews According to a document published online by The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, after the 1967 Six Day War, the mood of Soviet Jewry changed markedly. Thousands and then tens of thousands of Russian Jews began to study Jewish history and texts. Many applied for permission to emigrate to Israel. By the early 1970s, many were receiving such permission. However, the Russian government wantin

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Political Persuasion Tactics In Rhetoric, Aristotle maintains there are three types of persuasive appeals; Logos, Pathos, and Ethos (Simmons, 2001, p. 48). Logos represent appeals to reason; Pathos refers to appeals to emotion, and Ethos represent appeals based on the character of the speaker. Political campaign tactics aimed at persuasion often rely on all three types of persuasive appeals, whether transmitted through speeches, debates, or television advertisements. In the current presidential nomination race, Barack Obama is often accused of promoting "rhetoric" over "substance;" while others view Hillary Clinton as lacking the "character" qualities of Senator Obama. Larson (1983) maintains that political candidates are frequently condemned for stressing "image" over "issues" in their campaigns (p. 297). From speeches and debates to advertising and television appearances, political candidates employ a variety of tactics aimed at persuasion. This analysis will disc

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Halliburton's Management Introduction: According to a web document published online by Yahoo!Finance, Halliburton was founded in 1919. Halliburton provides products and services for national and independent oil and gas companies. More specifically, Halliburton Company provides products and services to the energy industry for the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas properties. The company operates in two segments, Completion and Production, and Drilling and Evaluation (2008). According to the company's Form 10-K annual report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, one issue involving social responsibility that affects Halliburton involves the numerous environmental, Halliburton has subsidiaries that have been named as potentially responsible parties along with other third parties for nine federal and state superfund sites for which it has established a liability. Despite attempts to resolve these superfund matters, the relevant regul

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Comparative Psychology Papini (2008) states that comparative psychology is the study of similarities and differences in the behavior of living beings with an emphasis on the psychological nature of human beings in comparison to other animals. There are many positives associated with comparative psychology. The first and most obvious is that research on animal behavior has led to many insights and discoveries about human behavior. For example, Harlow's work on rhesus monkeys gave psychologists insight i

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The History of Scientific Management In the early twentieth century, Frederick W. Taylor published The Principles of Scientific Management, a work in which the young engineer "converted what had been an art into a systematic, teachable approach to the study of work" (Chase, Jacobs & Aquilano, 2006, p. 375). The focus of Taylor's management principles was on workflow processes and improvements in worker productivity. Before this time, management was considered an art more than a science, with decisions often made based on convention or rules-of-thumb rather than on precise principles and procedures based on empirical evidence. Montana and Charnov (2000) note that Taylor's ideas were influenced by those of Charles Babbage, who preceded him, but Taylor is considered the "Father of Scientific Management" (p. 13). Taylor's work opened a whole new approach toward management principles, as others continued to develop theories of scientific management like the Hawthorne s

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An Overview of Islam Outline I. Religion A) Name - Islam B) Other names used - Muslims, din. II. Origin A) Where did it start? - 7th century Mecca B) Is it practiced today? - World's second-largest religion. 1. Where? - Middle East, Africa, India and others. 2. By whom? 1 to 1.8 billion Muslims. C) What were the original values and beliefs? One God, Muhammad as the final prophet of God, Five Pillars of Islam. D) Is there a spiritual leader(s) 1. What is his/their title? Muhammad 2. Controversy over spiritual leader. Controversy over Muhammad's successor led to Shi'a - Sunni denomination schism in Islam. III. God A) Is the belief atheistic, monotheistic or polytheistic? - Rigidly monotheistic. B) What name is used for god(s)? God, Allah C) Is god b

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Automatic Stabilizers and Their Effects According to an essay written by Carl Walsh and published online by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, automatic stabilizers are a tool used to dampen fluctuations in real GDP without any explicit policy action by the government. The term automatic stabilizer refers to the fact that the stabilizers act without explicit authorization from the Congress or from the President. In addition to automatic stabilizers, the federal government may make discretionary changes in the face of

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Two Articles on Advertising One Literacy is generally measured by gaining competency in skills which society values. Typically, literacy is associated with the spoken or written word. In Visual and verbal modes of representation in electronically mediated communication, Gunther Kress (1997) maintains that a new theory of literacy needs to emerge that takes into account the interaction of verbal and visual modes of representation, or a "multimodal" theory of literacy. As Kress (1997) explains, a "tectonic shift" has occurred after three hundred years of writing as "the" means of communication, a shift in "the system of media and modes of representation" (p. 58). From Web sites to video games and iPods, today's generation demands multimodal literacy that takes into account the increasing use of images and sounds that have relegated text to only one element of literacy. Kress (1997) explains that there are three aspects related to this shift that are important to

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Assessment of Albert Fish Albert Fish was born in Washington, D.C. on May 19, 1870. His father was a Potomac River boat captain and died when Fish was five years old, when Fish was placed in an orphanage where he remained until he was almost nine years old (Bardsley, 2008). While at the orphanage, Fish was apparently subjected to frequent physical and sexual abuse and sadomasochistic behaviors (Albert Fish - The Brooklyn vampire, 2008). As a child, Fish had experienced a brain injury which left him with permanent problems such as severe headaches and bouts of dizziness. He began his career in crime by participating in masochistic, homosexual affairs and began raping children at the age of 20. His first murder was committed in 1910 when he mutilated and tortured his victim before killing him (Albert Fish, 2008). Fish's childhood clearly was instrumental in shaping his personality. According to Lilly, Cullen, and Ball (2007), the application of social learning theory to a case like Fish's leads to the conclusion that behaviors learned in childhood often become the basis of adult criminality. Lac

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An important economic effect of the current housing situation in the U.S. is that it is likely to displace homeowners and their families. In recent years, many people signed up for mortgage structures that were financially disadvantageous to them. The impact of the adjustment on adjustable-rate mortgages has been to revise monthly mortgage payments so dramatically upward that homeowners became unable to make payments. The main benefit of an adjustable-rate mortgage is that, initially, the interest rate on the mortgage is artificially low--that is, a rate that is below prime rate, or subprime--for perhaps two years, at which point the "real" interest rate on the deal kicks in, which in turn raises the monthly payment on the mortgage by several hundred dollars. Homeowners who are not prepared to pay the extra money and/or who have not refinanced their mortgage at a fixed and affordable interest rate are thus positioned to experience foreclosure and lose their homes (Leonhardt 2

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Is Media Violence Harmful to Children? Introduction Kirsh (2006) reports that children are, on average, exposed to between 6 and 7 hours of media each day where media includes television, video, movies, video games, print, radio, computer and Internet programs. While the exact amount of violence in these media are difficult to assess, Kirsh states that a significant proportion of these media present violence and violent images. Moreover, a national study conducted by the University of California's Center for Communication and Social Policy (1998) that evaluated for the effects of 10,000 hours of broadcast programming, videos, and video games from 1995 through 1997 found that interpersonal violence was often portrayed in either an entertaining or glamorized manner. In addition, it was observed that the heroes in stories were often likely to use violence to resolve problems. Findings such as those delineated above have led to speculation as to whether media violence does h

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Street Gangs In a report for the Justice Policy Institute, Greene and Pranis (1-16) define a gang as an organization, association, or collective of three or more persons engaged in criminal activities. The authors note that the typical criminal activities engaged in by gangs include assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, homicide or manslaughter, the sale, possession for sale, transportation, manufacture and/or offer to manufacture controlled substances, shooting an inhabited dwelling or occupied motor vehicle, arson, the intimidation of witnesses and victims, and grand theft of any vehicle, trailer or vessel. They also note that the gang is often associated with an identifying sign or symbol and that criminal activities can be engaged in by the gang as a whole or by individual members. Although gangs have existed since at least 1200 AD, when they were discussed in India as a source of criminal activity, Staiger (555-569) states that the rise of gangs in America began in th

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Elements of Catholicism A religion is a set of beliefs that give you a perspective on the natural and spiritual world. The Catholic Church teaches that God created us to be with Him, and it is by growing and becoming just and holy that we finish our development before joining Him in heaven. Our beliefs give us guidance in growing closer to God in our spiritual lives and growing closer to each other that we prepare for the full communion of saints in heaven. The Bible is the most central element of Catholicism. It is believed to be written by those specifically inspired by God. Catholics believe that the Bible is true, meaning that everything included in it reveals some truth. This does not imply a literal reading. Catholics consider the background of the culture and time of the writer, as well as the different literary forms, in deciding what each Bible passage is supposed to say. For example, the story of Jonah teaches us a great deal about our own self-centered view o

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The problem of man's individual ability to act in a complex society and exist under a nation state that directs his behavior has been predominant since the Enlightenment. The role of the zeitgeist, or the general trend of thinking in a period of time, versus man's own freedom to think has been a more recent concern of post-Enlightenment philosophy. A major proponent of individual mental liberty was John Stuart Mill, whose treatise On Liberty advocates the freedom of man to think what he will think in addition to act how he will act as long as society is not threatened by his thoughts or actions (117). Reasonable self-interest, therefore, is the guiding light for moral interaction with others. Yet for Mill, it is not enough to guarantee freedom of action; a society must balance social control with the freedom of the people to express their opinions and hold the opinions that suit them. The treatment of the zeitgeist gained more attention after World War II and the horrific

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The Psychology of Joseph Stalin Introduction While most of the world viewed Joseph Stalin as a virtual tyrant, for millions of Russian and other repressed workers he remained a hero of the working classes. Stalin would rule Russia after the death of Vladimir Lenin, rising in power by "combining the proletariat and the poor peasantry" (Rieber, & Nelson, 1966, p. 73). Stalin created a new view of the state as the main vehicle for establishing and maintaining socialism in which the Communist Party was "supreme" and charged with leading the masses (Rieber, & Nelson, 1966, p. 75). Ultimately, "Stalinism" would dominate Russian culture and society, what Dmitri Volkogonov (2000, p. xxvii) says in his biography of the leader is "synonymous with alienation of working people from power, the installation of a multi-faceted bureaucracy and the inculcation of dogmatic formulas in the public mind." In this description we see the dualistic nature of Stalin's personality. On

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The Tomochic Revolt Introduction In Paul Vanderwood's The Power of God Against the Guns of Government, we are treated to the story of the Tomochic Revolt. Tomochic was a mestizo village of a few hundred people during the era of Porfirio Diaz's progressive policies wherein cooperation with North American many peasants had modernization and industrialization imposed on them. In this government context, the ranching, mining founder and leader of the Tomochic settlement, Cruz Chavez, became a religious leader for the Tomochitecos. Chavez and the Tomochitecos were highly influenced by Santa Teresa Urrea, the faith healer responsible for the cult of Santa Teresa. Tomochic informed the government they wished to obey only God, with Vanderwood arguing their motivation for revolt was primarily religious. This analysis will argue that though the Tomochic revolt was primarily one motivated by religion; Cruz Chavez, Teresa Urrea, and the ordinary Tomochic residents w

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Global Warming: The Issues and Debates Introduction Global warming is a phenomenon that refers to the increased levels of carbon dioxide in the environment due to manmade activity. The buildup of carbon dioxide causes atmospheric temperature to rise, which causes sea level to rise, and carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean and polar ice. The reason global warming is so controversial is because the Bush Administration fails to consider the phenomenon a result of manmade activity. However, in An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore maintains that global warming is real, it is caused by human activity, and mankind and government must act immediately to halt and reverse it (Guggenheim, 2006). In ten years the damage to our planet may reach a "tipping point," from where there is no human activity that can halt or reverse it (Guggenheim, 2006). This analysis will discuss the phenomenon of global warming, including how it is affecting our planet and what needs to be done ab

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Studying Genocide: Deficits in Research While genocide is, tragically, an all-too-common aspect of human history, it has received less scholarly attention than other forces of social conflict. Alexander (2 - 3) suggests that the seeming reluctance by some scholars to address issues related to genocide may be due in part to a poor understanding of what specifically defines a genocidal event or seri

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Outsourcing to India At first blush, it is easy to dismiss the effects of American outsourcing to India. As Mohan Thite and Bob Russell note, the Indian information technology, information technology enabled services (ITES) and business process outsourcing (BPO) industries--the major sectors receiving outsourcing work--constitute under 1 million workers out of the 500 million that make up India's total workforce (Thite, Mohan, and Russell, Rob, 70). Additionally, "India's share of the global IT/ITES market was still low at 0.8 percent in 2002" (Thite, Mohan, and Russell, Rob 71). However, outsourcing to India deserves a closer look because of the future growth potential of India's outsourcing industries and the incipient changes outsourcing is effecting in the lives of Indians and Americans. In fact, it can be seen that the increase in outsourcing to India will most likely be a boon to India's economy and trade but have a mixed effect on both American and Indian workers if th

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This research examines ways in which the thought systems of Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto demonstrate a reverence for nature. The research will set forth in broad outline the fundamental tenets of each system of thought and then discuss how they are operationalized with respect to the natural world. In religions of Asian origin, a concept that touches many different thought systems is that of the Way, or the Tao (Dao). The concept is elusive even as it is specifically described in the Tao-Te-Ching, Taoism's most important document. The Tao is called the Principle, which is the origin of all beings in the cosmos, and the Principle is made visible "through te, its virtue (its unwinding)" (Lao-Tzu, 1999, p. 30). Yet the nature of the Principle is that it is "indistinct and indeterminate . . . mysterious and obscure" (p. 30). Even so, it is the fundamental reality. Implicit is the idea that the "beings in force," which are embedded in reality, are meant to unpack meanings from

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Analysis of a Terrorist Organization: The Armed Islamic Group As facile as the phrase may be, one man's terrorist is often another man's freedom fighter. Katerina Dalacoura (2006) made precisely this point in discussing the various categories of putatively "terrorist" organizations operating in the world today. Some such groups are more legitimately called "domestic insurgencies" which operate with respect to a political or ideological agenda. This essay will present a case analysis of one terrorist group and answer a series of questions regarding the group's motivation, its tactics, and its causal antecedents. The Armed Islamic Group (GIA) is described by the Intelligence Resource Program (2004) as an Islamic terrorist group that seeks to overthrown the secular government of Algeria and to replace that regime with an Islamic state. The GIA began violent domestic activity in 1992 in response to the Algerian government's voiding of the December 1991 legislative electoral vic

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