The Basics of the National Stock Exchange Products Research Paper

The Basics of the National Stock Exchange Products - Research Paper Example The NSE, India is the fully computerized, online trading system used in the WDM segment of the Exchange has changed the way of trading in the Indian securities market. The system has helped increase in trading speed, thus saving time; it has also managed to incorporate the critical aspect of security in its functioning. The members are connected from their respective offices at different locations to the main system at the NSE premises through a high-speed, efficient satellite telecommunications network. The trading system is an order-driven, automated order matching system, which does not reveal the identity of parties to an order or a trade. This helps orders whether large or small to be placed without the members being disadvantaged by disclosure of their identity. Orders are matched automatically by the computer keeping the system transparent, objective and fair. Where an order does not find a match it remains in the system and is displayed to the whole market, till a fresh order which matches, comes in or the earlier order is cancelled or modified. The trading system provides tremendous flexibility to the users in terms of the type of orders that can be placed on the system. Several time-related, price-related or volume-related conditions can easily be placed on an order. The trading system also provides complete online market information through various inquiry facilities. Detailed information on the total order depth in a security, the best buys and sells available in the market, the quantity traded in that security, the high, the low and last traded prices are available through the various market screens at all points of time.

Rome's Religious History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Rome's Religious History - Essay Example In fact, Beard, North and Price (1998) did not provide any definition of 'religion' in their work on religions of Rome because according to them, modern categories for thinking about religion are coloured by Christian ideas. They would not, therefore, be applicable for understanding the religion in ancient Rome. This was the same idea espoused by Imber (2007). Meanhile, Dumezil and Krapp (1996) described Roman religions as not only influenced by other religions, but influenced them as well. The worship of certain gods became the special concerns of certain parts of society, all of which needed attention to assure Rome's success in war, civil administration, and the production of food and goods. In trying to identify "religion" in the Graeco-Roman world, James Rives (2006) said the concept of "religion" does not seem to be a part of their traditional culture although it perhaps began in the second century. The religious history of Rome started from mythical origins, with its character and development running through the later Republican centuries with pagan response, to the coming of new religious forms during the centuries of Roman imperial rule (North, 2000). There were 12 or 15 major deities of the Romans familiar from art and myth where some are more popular than others (Rives, 2006) For example, it is said that the rural god, Silvanus, appears in more than 1,100 inscriptions from the western empire. In categorizing Roman deities, Mirza and Tsang (2007) virtually adopted the same ones of Turcan (2002) as follows: religions of the family, religions of the state, and religions in the imperial age. The only difference is that while Turcan (2000) promised to look into Roman religions the way Romans looked at them, Mirza and Tsang (2007) said they are exposing Rome for what its religions were. This paper looks into Roman religions from both stances of various authors. Finally, it presents the difficulties involved in studying Roman religions and makes a conclusion on this issue. Aspects of Roman Religions Numina. Religions in ancient Rome combined several different cult practices and embraced more than a single set of beliefs. The Romans originally followed a rural animistic tradition in which many spirits or gods were each responsible for specific, limited aspects of the cosmos and human activities. The early Romans referred to these gods as numina. For example, there were different numina for ploughing, for horses, and for cattle. There were no temples or statues, but the rites were clean and simple and they were practiced with an exactness believed pleasing to gods (Mirza and Tsang, 2007). Influences. Early in the history of the Roman Republic, foreign gods were imported especially from Greece, which had a great cultural influence on the Romans. In addition, the Romans connected some of their indigenous deities with Greek gods and goddesses. As the Roman Empire expanded and included people from a variety of cultures, there were more and more gods. The legions brought home cults originating from Egypt, Britain, Iberia, Germany, India and Persia. The cults of Cybele, Isis, and Mithras were particularly important. The ancient Roman beliefs and practices continued, including the worship of the lares and penates or spirits specific to a family, with altars in the home, the festivals such as the Lupercalia and Saturnalia, and a complex system of lucky and unlucky days (Mirza and

The Merger Emotions Syndrome

The Merger Emotions Syndrome The merger syndrome is a phenomenon that illustrates employees reactions following the announcement of the MA deal. Merger syndrome is a word often useful to how employees respond to a merger (MARKS and Mirvis 1992, P70) that reflects the humor of the workforce. Merger syndrome is an ordinary response, and expected human reaction to a major corporate change. Most studies examining the human side of corporate mergers and acquisitions prove that disturbance and negative consequences are experienced by employees. Employees of the acquired company are more affected by the big changes that trigger negative effects and consequences, it not surprising that organization members going through a merger or an acquisition are shaken and respond with shock and strong emotional reactions (Appelbaum et al ..2000b; Dickmann, 2000; Marks and Mirvis, 1986). The literature describes a different spectrum of emotions in MA, employees go through a variety of emotional phases. The merger syndrome is characterized by a change of identity, higher centralization of decision making, less communication with the employee, high levels of stress, crisis management mode, a loss of identity, motivation and commitment, decreased productivity, feelings of insecurity and anxiety, mistrust. This especially occues if the individual is not able to view the upcoming changes as positive (Appelbaum et al, 200b;  Bruckman and peters,1987;Dickmann,2000;Marks,1999;Marks and Mirvis,1986;schlieper-Damrich,2000). These emotions bubbling over into family life can lead to frustration ,depression (Appelbaum et al ..2000b; Dickmann, 2000). The consequences of this emotional turmoil are decreased motivation, lower job satisfaction and reduced commitment toward the company. Cooperation become difficult and good team work almost impossibleand The best elements began to defect to other recruiting organizations . (Cartwright and Cooper,2000) Point out that With the acquisition by another company often a loss of idenity occurs because employee loses their work environment of rules, tasks and structures. in the same way, (Appelbaumet al..)state that Employees identification with their company and their commitment are therefore likely to change after such a major intervention in organizational life (Appelbaumet al..) This phenomenon of merger syndrome is most likely due to the fact that in the pre merger stage managers are expected to maintain silence on the upcoming decision, and therefore they are rather cautious not to reveal too much information prior to complete implementation (Marks, 1999). Managers tend to isolate themselves from employee in such situations because they do not know what to tell their staff or how to tell them (Gutknecht and keys ,1993;Marks,1999).and do not know how to handle employees emotions .for that reason, when managers correspond less with their employees during MAs ,though leads to doubts and mistrust. We can sum up that during the merger syndrome, employee are preoccupied with the impact of the amalgamation on themselves and their work .they expressed their resistance to the like hood of change if this phenomenon is left unmanaged it may result a cultural clash inside the new firm. The Merger-Emotions Syndrome: Mergers and acquisitions can be fear-provoking for employees and generate anxiety and stress. Hunsaker and Coombs (1988, 58) noticed particular expressed of emotional reactions experienced by employees during a merger or acquisition they have named this phenomenon the merger emotions syndrome. The Merger Emotions Syndrome: Hunsaker and Coombs (1988) have presented a nine-stage chronological model of employees emotional reactions in the course of a merger or acquisition, which illustrate the merger syndrome: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Denial. At first employees react to the announced merger with denial an that nothing will happen or that it will not change their work environment. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fear. When the merger becomes a reality employees begin to fear the unknown and Workers become preoccupied with job loss which lead to a decline in productivity. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Anger. Once employees feel that they have no control over the situation and that they cannot prevent Merger, they start to express anger towards those who are responsible. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sadness. Employees start to mourn the loss of corporate identity; they focus on the differences in the way the two companies operate and adopt a we versus them syndrome. They may feel nostalgia about the good old days of loyalty they provided to the company with many years of quality service. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Acceptance. After an adequate grief period has elapsed, employees begin to recognize that resisting the situation would be worthless, and they start to accept reality and become optimistic. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Relief. Employees begin to realize that the situation is not unfavorable as they predicted and feel more settled in the new organization and become more comfortable to interact with employees from the other company. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Interest. As people become more secure in their new positions, they begin to look for the benefits of the new organization. They observe the situation as a challenge and seek to show their abilities and value in the organization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Liking. Employees observe new opportunities and begin to like their job. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Enjoyment. Employees express commitment to the organization and feel more relaxed and secure. Resistance is a perfectly legitimate response of a worker. Leigh (1988) Emotional reactions of employees: Resistance: the expected response to change People tend to resist change especially in the workplace .they may not understand what the changes entail,they may disagree with the reasons for making the changes,they may not appreciate the benefits,they may be afraid of losing something they value,they may be concerned that they wont have the skills and ability to handle the changesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.many people also tend to resist authority,for various reasons .resistance can do serious damage to morale ,dividing employees and causing frustration ,resnetment ,and distrust .Anne bruce(2002). Individuals differ generally in their openness and eagerness for change, some people thrive in the new environment while other are not, They prefer more stability and continuity. Regardless of people mind-set towards change, people normally do find that change produces anxiety. Employees involved in mergers are facing multitude of potential changes, these changes modify the person-environment relationship and cause several outcome that employees and managers must adapt. There are a numerous reasons why the reactions from employees are often seen as negative when facing a merger or an acquisition. The general reason behind the employees resistance is the insufficient information about the changes. The Employees expressed their feeling of fear and anxiety due to the uncertainties of change. Kyle (1993) claim that resistance is dependent upon two related factors ,the first one ,the degree of control an individual has over change and their ability to start, modify and stop the change, secondly ,the degree of impact of the change on individuals . The resistance is greater within the acquired organization since this often is the culture that has to throw away its traditions and routines. The resistance can be expressed in two kinds of reactions: In a Explicit way (disagreement,strike,)and Implicit way(loss of loyalty, lowering of morale ,absence, avoidance ,low tolerance) Mergers and acquisitions are nerve-racking events for employees of the merging firms. A merger or acquisition can sufficiently transform the structures, cultures, and employment prospects of one or both of the firms such that they cause organizational members to feel stressed, angry, disoriented, frustrated, confused, and even frightened (Buono, Nurick 1992: 19). Schweiger, Lee (1993) found in a study that employees in the acquired firm experience greater job insecurity than employees in the acquiring firm. Similarly, Lohrum (1997:a) states that the employees from the acquired firm often experience a higher uncertainty and resistance. Lohrum (1997:a) claim that resistance exists among all employees and appear due to lack of control, anger or frustration when decisions are being made without their involvement. Buono, Bowditch (1989: 108) depicted resistance As a result of the uncertainty, ambiguity, tension, and anxiety that organizational combinations can cause, they are frequently associated with decreased organizational satisfaction and commitment, increased turnover and absenteeism, power struggles among those managers who stay, and poorer job-related attitudes and performance for a significant proportion of the new firms work force. Larsson (1990) explains that the resistance to change can be seen in a collective aspect, as well as in an individual aspect, especially among the acquired employees. Cultural clashes are seen as a collective resistance and career uncertainties are connected to the individual resistance. Change itself is not the cause of resistance. Resistance is caused by how people perceive change. Managing Resistance to Change all change is a loss experience (Levinson, 1976). One of the most complex problems that face an organization today is resistance to change. Conducting change through an organization is one of the most critical and challenging responsibilities. Once the marriage is celebrated, issues come into sight especially the one concerning the employees who are experiencing the major change that the new entity is passing through. The employee and staff are experiencing a new life style they are losing the old way of doing thing and have to adapt to a new system, new culture, and new managers. The managers and leader of the company must be prepared to cope with employee feeling and behavior. Simply telling employees about the changes will never fully prepare them for the actual change. Managers need to identify why people resist change and how to counter their resistance. Bridges( 1991) and Levinson(1976) claim that Change is best handled when the parties involved know why the change is being implemented. The most fashionable solution to deal with resistance to change is to get people concerned to contribute in making change and encouraging them to think in diverse ways In order to effectively carry out the change plan, it is extremely important for the organizations management to recognize and handle resistance effectively. Beckhard and Pritchard (1992) explain how the management of a changing process with regard to the implementation of changes is vital for achieving new goals and strategies. The analyzing and planning of several areas is necessary to get the commitment to successfully perform an organizational change. Larsson (1990) considers three areas of action to be able to reduce the collective and Individual resistance to change: -Socialization is a mechanism that works for both improving the coordination of interaction and reducing collective employee resistance, this by enhancing the acculturation and creating common orientations. -Mutual considerations reduce the eventual conflicts that may arise by focusing on commonalties with an interest in the acquired firm, maintaining the employees integrity. This will avoid the dominance of one side and facilitate the exploration of both firms competence. -Human resource systems avoid individual resistance through job design, reward systems, personnel policies and career planning. To facilitate the integration and uncertainties among employees, Levinson (1970) emphasizes that the acquiring firm should tell the truth about all eventual changes that will occur due to the MA. Further, Beckhard Pritchard (1992) state that what is important is to manage resistance to change by changing negative energy into positive energy. The introduction of a change program to employees could facilitate the integration process. The program can help the employees to understand the need of the organization and how change affects the organization and the employees. Pritchett (1994) suggests avoiding encountered resistance by providing employees with a clear direction, complete with short and long term goals. The accomplishment of these goals helps employees to visualize that they are getting somewhere and will relieve them to get excited about the change. During change it is essential to identify, as precisely as possible, what is ending and who is losing what (Bridges, 1991). Employee reaction to change: Mirvis, Cartwright and cooper (1996) discuss four stages that employee go through in connection with mergers and acquisition: Stage 1: Disbelief and denial: typically, the individuals first reaction is extreme shock, which may result in denial from employee that the merger will take place despite circulating rumors. Even when the deal is concluded, individuals might still try to convince themselves that nothing will change. Stage2:anger through rage and resentment: when the real situation become more clear after realizing that the change will take place, individuals feeling might be replaced by anger or resentment towards old management and new merger entity. Stage 3: emotional bargaining: in this stage, uncertainty and fear increase about individual job future. Individuals become angry for not anticipating the event and feel nostalgic and resent commitment and loyalty invested in the past) which may lead to depression. Stage 4: acceptance: lastly, the workforce become aware that the past is gone, and that they must admit the new situation. In this stage, the employee still feel letting down by the old organization and can no longer be satisfied with the new system. Factors causing resistance to change : According to maubin et al.(2001) managers need to identify resistance in its various forms and learn to identify the underlying reasons for resistance surrounding the change. There are several factors causing resistance to change,and some of the most common reasons are stated below: Fear of unknown: mabin et al.(2001)explain that Such fear is due to uncertainty about the nature of change,feeling that one does not kown what is going on and what the futur holds Bovey and hede(2001)claim that resistance is an expected part of a change process,since change involves a move from the known to the unknown . Loss of control: mabin et al.(2001)explain the loss of control as perceiving that the change is being done to the person ,resulting in concerns that the person have no influence on the events taking place. moran and brightman(2001) clarifly that if change threatens a persons sense of being in control ,it will be perceived as a threat to survival. Loss of face: mabin et al.(2001):Feeling of embarassment as a result of change and discerning it in such a way that the things that one has done in the past were wrong Loss of competency: Mabin et al.(2001)claim that people fear that the existing skills and competencies will no longer of any use after the change has occurred. The possibility of losing their current jobs and the financial crisis that comes with that is of great concern. Cartwright and cooper(1996) further state that MA involve some employee turnover and competeny loss,partially due to the duplicity of staff members.the uncertainty of change will also encourage employees to seek employment elsewhere ,in order to regain the power of control,or because they doubt their ability to fit into the new organization. Need for security: Mabin et al.(2001)state that employees worry about their potential role and position be after the change has taken place. Appelbaumet al.(2000a) explain that people need to be treated with respect,to be identified with the new organization,to be accepte as members of the new team and to keep their status and prestige in the new organization. Poor timing: Mabin et al.(2001)state that the timing of the change might be poor,in the sense that people might feel surprised at a stage of changewhere employee feel already overworked. Hoag,ritschard,and cooper(2002)further state that some people might wish to secure the present situation before embarking on any new changes activity. Force of habit: According to Mabin et al.(2001)employee might feel comfort in the existing routines and habits and not liking to change the actual ways of doing things. Appelbaum et al.(2000a)clarify that they may have had many successes with the existing company ,and now they have to accept different ways of doing things and most of the time without being consulted. Marks(1997)continues by stating that employees will be exposed to multiple transitions. Reengineering, downsizing, leadership changes, shifts in strategy and other transitions typically overlap one another. Cartwright and cooper (1996) further discuss that employee will be concerned with issues such as a potential relocation or change of workload. Lack of support: Mabin et al.(2001)state that the lack of important support from direct supervisors and the organization ,or not having the correct resources to implement the change. Leaders need to learn how to support rather than to control and provide employees with the tools needed in order to work together and perform the changes . Nguyen and Kleimer (2003) claim that delays in communication can severely deteriorate the situation, and make employees feel apprehensive and even hostile toward the merger. Lack of confidence: Mabin et al.(2001) state that resistance might be a consequence of employees lack of confidence that the change outcome can be better than the situation before .Moran and Brightman (2001) claim that in any change situation ,people may fear that the loss will be greater than the gain ,which can take away any positive outcome that the Change might yield. Nguyen and Kleimer(2003) further argue that employee loyalty and perceptions of the organizations trustworthiness decreases in connection with the organizational changes. Marks(1997) claims that there is a natural tendency for people to exaggerate the differences as opposed to the similarities between the two companies. People tend to ascribe the differences to competing values and philosophies, and view their own company as superior and the other as backward, bureaucratic . Lingering resentment: Bovey and Hede(2001)point out that individuals differ in their ability and willingness towards change based on how the they perceive it. Mabin et al.(2001)argue that some employees become angry due to a lack of respect for the people involved or over the way one been treated during past change efforts. The lack of communication: A Communication entails the use of verbal and nonverbal signs and symbols to create understanding (Vecchio and Appelbaum, 1995). Acquisitions are synonymous with change, a destabilizing event affecting many people and often have a negative outcome on employee behavior resulting in absenteeism, low morale and job satisfaction. The announcement of an MA transaction generates uncertainty and ambiguity with frequent rumors that change the scene and a large proportion of merger failure is credited to employee problems. The communication during MA-transactions aims to decrease information deficits of employees, being informed should lower feelings of uncertainty of employees (Schweiger, DeNisi 1991). Through mergers and acquisitions, employees are seldom kept in distance from the MA transaction. Once a merger is announced ,the stress levels of employees begin to climb(schweiger and DeNisi,1991)and the lack of communication from top management lead to rumors and fake stories. Feldman (1991:p. 146,) stress that ambiguity begins in an organization when there is no clear interpretation of a phenomenon or set of events. And the main cause of ambiguity in organization is the insufficient information while uncertainty is the result of lacking information about circumstances. Once the information has not been transmitted to employee, they began to search for their own answers and this may show the way to rumors which can increase anxiety and result in a reduction in productivity and sabotage. This can affect the working environment in the firms and the employees will likely experience shock, disbelief and grief . . . followed by resentment, anger or depression (Sinetar1981). Delays in communication can result in employees feeling apprehensive and even hostile toward the merger or acquisition, making any subsequent communication process strained and difficult (Kelly, 1989). When organizational transitions are not well managed, the lack of top-down communication starts the rumor employees are left feeling anxious, threatened, and preoccupied with their own safety, their incomes, and their careers. Distrust is inevitable and becomes widespread. The employees have a need of knowing what the new structure of the firm will look like and get answers to their uncertainties as early as possible to prevent frustration and anxiety. Bastien (1987) established that during periods with communication shortage the individuals uncertainty peaked among the workforce. He further found that the members of the new organization changed their attitudes during those periods; their motivation decreased, and they expressed an increased intention to resign from the organization. Another common issue in MA process is the accessibility to information, at the stage of a merger assessment the management team hardly has all details in place that employees request. Since the actual details of the merger or acquisition have to be worked out over a period of several months or even years after the combination, management rarely has accurate answers to employee questions (Buono, Bowditch 1989: 16). Buono, Bowditch (1989) recommend that the top management of a merged firm should communicate as soon as possible with employees. Accurate and honest responses to questions about these issues provide organizational members with a realistic assessment of what the merger or acquisition will mean for them personally and for the new organization (Buono, Bowditch 1989: 204). Buono, Bowditch (1989) indicate that Ambiguity in organizations is generally conceptualized in terms of the adequacy of information available to organizational members (Buono, Bowditch 1989: 102). The employees have to be informed frequently. Even if there is not anything to know, they have to be informed that nothing new has happened. (Stoppel, 2006) Finally, The Management ought to share as much information as it can with employees before, during, and after the acquisition. Communication with employees can do more than just providing information It can help to diminish and drive out the speculative rumors which cause negative emotions and behavior. The importance of communication: Mergers and acquisition are an important part of the management setting and Communication plays a crucial role in the success of MA and is a decisive tool to use in order to change attitudes and behavior. Being truthful, open and forthright in this communication process is particularly important (Daniel, 1999; DeVoge and Spreier, 1999; DeVoge and Shiraki, 2000). Trzicky (2000: 55) point out that communication is the most important measure to reduce uncertainty and hostility of employees in mergers and acquisitions. Similarly, Schweiger and DeNisi (1991) established that communication is the only way to reduce anxiety among employees, and that the communication should start as early as possible in the process. In the field of research, they come across that employees who receive more communication at the stage of MA, they demonstrated more positive behaviors and selected positive coping strategies after MA-transactions. Salecker, Mà ¼ller-Stewens (1991) and Ivancevich, Schweiger, Power (1987b) state that one of the effects of communication in the acquisition process is the avoidance of negative reactions of employees which can limit the dysfunctional outcomes of MA-transactions. Ford and Ford (1995) relate the success of a change in an organization to the way that managers have handled the communication. Consistency in communication when the organization is going through changes will reduce the employees resistance. The management team should use communication efficiently so that rumors do not become the main source of information . as Ashkenas ,de monaco,and francis(1998)recommend:communicate,communicate,and then communicate some moreà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.keeping the communication process going -an making it reach broadly and deeply throughout the organization-requires more than just sharing information bulletins However, true communication is complex to realize since the communication process faces numerous obstacles. All forms of communication do not have the same effect. Communication and information flow can take a variety of forms: memos, e-mail, magazines,newsletters, videos, internet and face-to-face contact. In order to manage an opposition, a communication plan should be done in order to pass down information to all levels in the organization; further to have a feedback system that investigates employee attitudes is important. The integration process should be planned as thoroughly as possible to make sure that the questions from employees can be answered. During a merger or acquisition, employees will have an incredible longing for more information. Uncertainty will darken the workplace, and employee questions will seem never ending. The employees have a need of knowing what the new structure of the firm will look like and get answers to their uncertainties as early as possible to prevent frustration and anxiety. To put together a transition team with the job to communicate to the organization, treat people fairly and with respect, the communication must be visible to the employees and clarify the employees role in the firm and communicate the message clearly to the employees (Daniel Metcalf,2001).

My Worldview: Answers to the Questions of Origin, Purpose ,and Destiny

A worldview is a personal insight about the reality and meaning of life. We all see ourselves through a particular set of beliefs, attitudes, and values. Each persons worldview develops overtime as he or she experiences new events and interacts with the world that surrounds them. A worldview provides the answers to one’s origin, purpose, and destiny. Religion has a powerful influence on one’s worldview. For the Christian, the filter for which all information is processed is shaped by the truths found in God. The truth of God cannot be ignored as God has revealed himself in many ways. The Scripture is one way that God reveals himself to humankind. The Bible is God’s written revelation to humankind. There is a central theme that flows from the beginning to the end of the Bible. That theme is one of redemption and is key to my worldview. The first chapter of the Bible tells us, â€Å" In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth† (Genesis 1:1 New International Version). Let us start here, in the beginning, as we start to form a worldview based on Biblical facts. The universe did not simply appear out of nothing. God is the Creator of the universe and all that exists in the universe; including humankind. Because God is the creator, he is self-existent and is therefore greater than anything that was created. God has a Creator-creature relationship with humankind. Through creation God revealed his divine nature to humankind. He is infallible, truthful, just, holy, omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotent. The will of God speaks to the sovereign authority God has over creation. God is in control of everything that happens. God formed a covenant with creation in which all creation was promised eternal life in exchange for obedien... ...s from our sins and to save us from going to hell. Because God also gave us free will, we have to make the decision to spend eternity in heaven and we need to make that decision before it is too late. My worldview has been a long and personal journey. I have not always lived with the Spirit in my heart. I have always believed in God but have not always had a strong relationship with God. A walk through the Word of God has shown me that God has always had a plan and has always taken the first steps in having a relationship with me. I see through my worldview that the Bible lays out God’s plan for my redemption. Through God’s redemption I now have a worldview that supplies the answers to the questions of origin, purpose ,and destiny. Works Cited Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Fully rev. ed. Kenneth L. Barker, gen. ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008. Print. My Worldview: Answers to the Questions of Origin, Purpose ,and Destiny A worldview is a personal insight about the reality and meaning of life. We all see ourselves through a particular set of beliefs, attitudes, and values. Each persons worldview develops overtime as he or she experiences new events and interacts with the world that surrounds them. A worldview provides the answers to one’s origin, purpose, and destiny. Religion has a powerful influence on one’s worldview. For the Christian, the filter for which all information is processed is shaped by the truths found in God. The truth of God cannot be ignored as God has revealed himself in many ways. The Scripture is one way that God reveals himself to humankind. The Bible is God’s written revelation to humankind. There is a central theme that flows from the beginning to the end of the Bible. That theme is one of redemption and is key to my worldview. The first chapter of the Bible tells us, â€Å" In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth† (Genesis 1:1 New International Version). Let us start here, in the beginning, as we start to form a worldview based on Biblical facts. The universe did not simply appear out of nothing. God is the Creator of the universe and all that exists in the universe; including humankind. Because God is the creator, he is self-existent and is therefore greater than anything that was created. God has a Creator-creature relationship with humankind. Through creation God revealed his divine nature to humankind. He is infallible, truthful, just, holy, omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotent. The will of God speaks to the sovereign authority God has over creation. God is in control of everything that happens. God formed a covenant with creation in which all creation was promised eternal life in exchange for obedien... ...s from our sins and to save us from going to hell. Because God also gave us free will, we have to make the decision to spend eternity in heaven and we need to make that decision before it is too late. My worldview has been a long and personal journey. I have not always lived with the Spirit in my heart. I have always believed in God but have not always had a strong relationship with God. A walk through the Word of God has shown me that God has always had a plan and has always taken the first steps in having a relationship with me. I see through my worldview that the Bible lays out God’s plan for my redemption. Through God’s redemption I now have a worldview that supplies the answers to the questions of origin, purpose ,and destiny. Works Cited Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Fully rev. ed. Kenneth L. Barker, gen. ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008. Print.

Mass Media Essay

Without a doubt mass media communication is a major source of influence in the 21st century. Mass media is not only about information dissemination and entertainment but it can also be used as a tool to bend the will of the people. For those who will find this difficult to accept they need only to observe the impact of the advertising agency as well as the impact of Hollywood films. While the significance of mass media in the modern age is undeniable there is less agreement when it comes to defining its true nature. But the following discussion will help in understanding the heart of the matter when it comes to mass media. This can be achieved by providing an overview of the development of mass media from the 19th century up to the present. Media Giants from the 19th century onwards Mass media did not start in the 20th century, but a century earlier. There is evidence to prove that even in the 19th century, Europeans were able to gauge the impact of mass media in society and therefore investors began to pour money into the production of books, pamphlets and other written forms of communication that can be sold to the public. While businessmen dabbling in mass media communication can be considered as media moguls there is no comparison when it comes to the resources, scope, and impact brought about by media giants in the 20th century. In the 21st century another radical change is happening to the media moguls. While they enjoyed robust growth in the 20th century, it can also be said that their better days are gone. The new media moguls are finding it hard to fend the impact of globalization as well as the rapid development of technology. With the use of the Internet there is no longer a waiting period from librarians. There are books that can be ordered online and shipped immediately to a far away place. But more importantly information can be accessed for free. Media Capitals A media capital is a place where the art and science of mass media communication is being keenly observed by media practitioners all over the globe. A few examples are Hollywood, Chicago etc. A media capital is also a geographic location where mass media communication is broadcasted on a global scale. Therefore the influence of media practitioners in this area is very significant. While media capitals can stay profitable for long periods of time the more interesting topic is regarding the emergence of new media capitals outside America and Europe. The emergence of China as a new economic superpower can only be fully understood and appreciated if the Chinese people are ready and willing to build infrastructures that would help increase the capacity of the nation to handle rapid growth in the near future. But aside from the rhetoric, it must be pointed out that there are emerging markets, especially those in Hong Kong and India where creators of mass media content are generating world wide praise. Ownership and Media Mass media is supposed to be a business that aims for objectivity. A company that is supposed to present information regarding current events must be able to show this information without bias and with truthfulness (Lendman, 2008). This is because mass media communication is about telling the truth and most importantly it is a form of public service (Beadouion, 2007). But the reality of mass media communication can be described as a huge undertaking requiring the financial muscle of a businessman. Since a businessman exists to make a profit this mindset will influence the way news is being delivered to the public. For instance a media corporation can be financed by a hugely profitable company accused of dumping toxic wastes to major bodies of water in the area. If the said corporation is a major financier in the said media corporation then it can be expected that the firm will attempt to reduce the negative impact of the news report. In some cases mass media corporations will no longer remain objective concerning the case (Shah, 2009). This is the reality of present day mass media firms. Mass Media Determining the exact scope and limitation of mass media can be a difficult undertaking. But the mere mention of the term, one can think of at least five major subgroups: 1) Newspapers; 2) Internet; 3) TV News; 4) Commercials; and 5) Radio. If mass media communication can be subdivided into these five broad categories then it means that it is a subject matter that encompasses a wide range of issues. Although mass media is a complex subject matter it is easy to understand its significance in the 21st century. If newspapers are part of mass media then it is easy to see its impact in the 21st century. There are millions of people around the world who reads the newspapers. This is a traditional medium of communication that continues to serve its purpose which is to inform, entertain and to persuade. Newspapers are shapers of opinion and that a good piece of writing can illicit a response from the readers. While the Internet is eating up the market share once dominated by newspapers, acquiring information using ink and paper is still as reliable as it first appeared a few centuries ago. TV news is also being challenged by the popularity of the Internet. In its heyday TV new is the only authoritative source of information especially regarding life, politics, business and more. But when world-wide-web became a global phenomenon, TV news is seen as slow and antiquated. For instance TV stations invest in producing TV news because in the midst of the broadcast they can insert TV commercials and earn money to sustain the operation. But consumers of this type of information are demanding for quicker access and zero TV commercials. Aside from the decline of TV news, brought upon by the dominance of Internet fuelled information sites, there is another traditional mass medium that is taking a beating. And this is none other than the radio. It is hard to imagine that there was a time when radio messages are the main source of information and entertainment in many parts of the globe. But today this practice of tuning into a radio station is almost non-existent in the lives of the younger generation. For them it is impractical to listen to a radio when they can have the same experience in cyberspace. The Impact of the Internet Just like mass media, it is notoriously difficult to gauge the scope and limitation of the Internet. It seems that in the 21st century, the Internet is almost everywhere, from news reports, Hollywood films, chat rooms, blogs, etc. The Internet is not only beneficial to mass media but also the banking industry, transportation, politics, health and medicine. But is in mass media where people can really see its potential to change the world. In terms of mass media communication the Internet means cheap and reliable access to information. Today, thanks to the Internet, a child can have access to data even if he lives off-the-grid so to speak. The Internet allows for quick transmission of data and enables people to view information using a variety of tools and strategies. For instance, a campaign against the perils of drug abuse will show a plethora of strategies that will help a drug addict seek professional help. Since the Internet is easily accessible then there is a greater chance for the addict to meet the right people who will help him or her – this is information dissemination at its best. Federal Communication Commission Since mass media communication is vital and crucial to the lives of every American, mass media communication in the United States requires the guidance of government agency. By describing the different bureaus and offices one can have a good understanding of this government agency: †¢ Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau: This bureau informs consumers about telecommunication goods and services. †¢ Media Bureau – regulates AM and FM radio stations as well as cable television and satellite services. †¢ International Bureau – represents the Commission in satellite and international matters. †¢ Mass media – must be about free speech and the ability to write what one felt and what one has seen in the present. The government is raising the standard by creating an agency in-charge of harmonizing all competing forces. The FCC plays a vital role in sustaining the admirable communication infrastructure in the country. It is a government agency in-charge of keeping things in order. The FCC is like a coach guiding all interested parties to have a deeper understanding about mass media communication. References Beadouion, C. (2007). Mass Media Use, Neighborliness and Social Support: Assessing causal Links with Data panel. Communication Research. 34(6): 637-664. Lendman, S. (2008). â€Å"The Political Economy of Media. † Retrieved 22 January 2009. Available from http://www. globalresearch. ca/index. php? context=va&aid=9446 la vie http://www. dangheno. net/pwritnigs10. htm Shah, A. (2009). â€Å"Media Conglomerates, Mergers, Concentration of Ownership. † Retrieved 22 January 2009. Available from http://www. globalissues. org/article/159/media-conglomerates-mergers-concentration-of- ownership

Blizzard the Century

Blizzards, the most dangerous of all winter storms are characterized by 20 degrees Fahrenheit and winds of at least 35 miles per hour. Along with low temperatures and wind, blizzards also bring in heavy snowfall (Blizzards, 1999). The second week of March 1993 is a significant date in the history of the Eastern United States because it is the day when it was struck by one of the most intense blizzards ever known. Record low pressures, wind speeds, low temperatures and snowfall amounts guaranteed that this storm would win the title â€Å"Storm of the Century† even while it lasted.Later, it came to be referred to as â€Å"Superstorm '93† or â€Å"The 1993 Superstorm† (Wendland, 1993). This was a highly devastative storm that killed over 250 people and resulted in the canceling of almost 25% of the United States flights for two days. It simultaneously affected the lives of 130,000,000 people in the United States. While it may not be the worst storm ever, it did affe ct a large area. On the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale it would have been a category 3. The storm affected 26 states and 50% of the US population. Formation:From March 12th to the 15th, 1993, the blizzard of the century caused huge damage to the Easter United States. According to computerized information from the National Weather Service, an intense winter storm was beginning to form and grow significantly in the Gulf of Mexico. It was found that the storm was the outcome of three different atmospheric disturbances: a major cluster of thunderstorms in the Gulf of Mexico, a band of snow and rain from the Pacific, and gusty winds with light snow from the Arctic Circle (Sander and Conner, 2006). Weather forecasters described the phenomenon as a â€Å"disorganized area of low pressure†.As they observed it closely, they predicted that a terrible storm can bubble up from the Gulf of Mexico, if the low pressure area happens to meet colder air over the northern areas of the United St ates. This happened very soon. The low pressure area was met by an arctic high pressure system in the Midwestern Great Plains, brought into the mid-latitudes by an unusually steep southward jet stream. When the powerful high-pressure system entered the Great Plains through the unusually southward polar jet stream, the cold weather moved into the eastern part of the United States naturally.Because of this temperatures dropped to below freezing point of water and snow fall occurred. A cyclonic low pressure system that happened to be spinning directly to the south of Nova Scotia added to the low temperatures and snowfall and this set the stage for the truly fearsome storm. By Thursday, March 12th, the storm became very perceptible on the Florida coast due to its high winds, tornadoes and a storm surge twelve feet above normal. The next day, the storm moved across the southeastern states, leaving destruction and total chaos all along its path and paralyzing Eastern Kentucky (Sander and Conner, 2006).Description: The storm caused wide and varied effect across the nations. There were thunderstorms in Texas. Usually, Texas has only rain and not much snow. The blizzard of 1993 brought to Texas in March, a lot of snow fall. In the state of Florida the barometric pressure dropped to record lows, and as the thunderstorms swept across the state, eleven tornadoes claimed seven lives. A mild snowfall began over upstate New York and New England between 6:00 and 7:00 am Saturday, March 13. This increased in intensity and soon the blizzard raced through the Mid Atlantic states.Snowflakes the size of a person’s fist was reported for a time with the passage of one of the thunder snow bands at Bridgeport, CT (UCAR, 2006). Due to the combination of heavy snow and high winds, there was zero visibility at most places. New York and the six New England States all declared disaster emergencies during the height of the storm. Most of the major roads were closed to travel and thes e included the Northway, I-88, Thruway, and Massachusetts turnpike. Secondary roads were already blocked by snow.Almost all airports were shut down. Snow piled up to record levels for many cities in the Northeast (UCAR, 2006). Impact of the Blizzard: The blizzard of 1993 was one that broke many records in the history of Kentucky, through the amount of snowfall and size. The travel department was the most affected and over 4,000 motorists were stranded. To cope with this crisis situation, emergency shelters were set up over much of Eastern Kentucky. High school gyms and public facilities were opened up for stranded people to sleep in.The National Guard was brought in for their services in order to clear roads, and to open twenty armories as additional shelters for motorists. There needed to be immediate disaster relief. Public Works met this challenge by plowing and removing snow, salting streets and checking for icy conditions (PPW, 2006). Crews worked around the clock to restore sa fe driving conditions, and Pittsburgh streets quickly returned to normal (PPW, 2006). Record low temperatures were predominant in the land area stretching from the Gulf Coast to Maine. Every major airport along the east coast was forced to close.Homes also fell into the sea or received damage by wind or waves on the west coast of Florida, along the outer banks of North Carolina, and on Long Island. Fallen tree limbs and power lines left 3 million people along the storm’s path in the dark (Sherman, 2006). The blizzard caused dramatic weather changes in many places such as Birmingham, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia, and Chattanooga, Tennessee which were buried by paralyzing snows and frozen by unseasonable cold. The severe cold following the storm preserved much of the snow, prolonging travel nightmares for a couple days over the south where most roads were never plowed.The combined effects of high wind and heavy wet snow downed thousands of miles of power lines leaving millions of people in the dark for up to a week in some cases over the south. Tornadoes struck Tennessee and Ohio valleys, as well as the Appalachians on Friday night March 12 (UCAR, 2006). The tornadoes along with highly powerful straight line winds from the parent severe thunderstorms, and the massive storm surge along the west coast, inflicted millions of dollars in property damage. During the peak of the storm, roughly 1/3 of the country was simultaneously being affected by harsh winter weather.Insurance claims from Texas to Maine tallied damage estimates in the billions of dollars. The toll in human life was extensive. Approximately 285 fatalities nationwide can be directly attributed to the storm. The psychological impact in the Southern states, where average high temperatures in March tend to run into the 60s Fahrenheit, was magnified by the fact that it struck a week before spring. A NASCAR event at Atlanta Motor Speedway had to be postponed a week due to the storm. Many factory roofs c ollapsed due to weight of the snow.Snowdrifts on the leeward sides of buildings resulted in the falling of poorly anchored decks in houses. Many people had to be rescued from the Appalachians and many of them were on the Appalachian trail, or visiting cabins and lodges in remote locales. Boone, North Carolina was surprised by 24 hours of sub zero temperatures along with storm winds, which gusted as high as 110 miles per hour. Electricity was not restored to many isolated rural areas for a week or more. Farther to the South, numerous super cells developed over the state of Florida, leading tornadoes and lightning strikes. Impact Data:This blizzard was the largest in terms of the area it affected. More than half of the country's population in twenty-six different states was affected by the blizzard of 1993. 44 deaths in Florida were attributed either to the tornadoes or other severe weather (Lott, 1993). During the storm, school activities and government services in 30 counties were a ffected. In fact 73 out of Kentucky's 120 counties were found to be eligible for reimbursement for the cost of emergency snow removal. The massive March 1993 blizzard killed five people in Kentucky and over 270 people nationwide (Lott, 1993).The damage costs exceeded 1. 6 billion dollars. Hence, the blizzard of 1993 became the fourth costliest storm in U. S. history. At least 18 homes fell into the sea on Long Island due to the pounding surf. About 200 homes along North Carolina's Outer Banks were damaged and may be uninhabitable. Over 160 people were rescued at sea by the Coast Guard in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic. At least 1 freighter sank in the Gulf of Mexico (Lott, 1993). Scientific Data: The storm stretched from Canada to Central America. But the main impact was felt in the Eastern United States and Cuba.Areas as far south as Atlanta, Georgia received 5 to 50 inches (13 to 130 cm) of snow, accompanied by hurricane-force wind gusts and record low barometric pressures. Prior to the storm, the record for a single day's snowfall had been 18 inches in Kentucky. This snowfall covered most of Eastern and Southeastern Kentucky with about 30 inches of snow. London, Kentucky measured a depth of 22 inches, while Jackson and Closplint both had 20 inches of snow on the ground. The maximum snowfall was measured at Perry County – 30 inches.Powerful winds raged across Kentucky blocking any kind of relief effort put up by people. Winds up to 43 miles per hour were recorded in Pike Co. , and a 30-mph clip blew over much of the state. The heavy snows, coupled with high winds created large snow drifts – 8-10 feet in many places such as Pikeville and London – over roads and highways. I-75 from Lexington to the Tennessee border was shut down for two days, as was I-64 from Lexington eastward. All state and federal highways south of I-64 and east of I-75 were also closed.The maximum snow depth recorded from the blizzard was 56 inches on Mt. Leconte in T ennessee. Millions of people woke up to snowfalls as deep and frequently deeper than 3 feet (1 meter), and in places high winds had heaped drifts to depths of 30 feet (9. 5 meters). It was later measured that the snowfall put down by the storm was nearly 12. 91 cubic miles (53. 96 cubic kilometers). As the storm moved northward, it became stronger and stronger and caused severe drops in pressure. The barometric pressure in parts of New England dropped to record low levels – 28. 35 inches Hg (960 mb).Such low reading is usually seen only in the centers of extraordinarily strong hurricanes. Across may parts of New England, temperatures on the worst blizzard day (March 13, 1993) failed to exceed 14 °F (-10 °C), which was a unusual phenomenon in this region. Birmingham recorded a record low of 2 degrees Fahrenheit during the storm. Fifteen tornadoes in Florida killed 44 while 6 inches of snow fell on the Florida Panhandle. Mount LeConte in Tennessee received 56 inches of snow . 43 inches fell at Syracuse, NY, 27 in Albany, NY, 20 inches at Chattanooga, TN, 16 in Roanoke, VA.Winds over 100 were reported on the Dry Tortugas (west of Key West, FL), in North Carolina on Flattop Mountain while winds over hurricane force were reported from Louisiana and Florida to New York and New England (Sherman, 2006). The storm also set records for snowfall in places such as Birmingham, Alabama, where 33 centimeters fell, and Cooperstown, New York, which had 71 centimeters. Powerful winds that were stronger than many hurricane forces smashed the gulf coast, Appalachians, and eastern seaboard. Equipment on oil drilling platforms off the Louisiana coast measured the wind power as close to 99 mph on Friday evening, March 12.Winds estimated up to120 mph blasted the Florida west coast early Saturday, March 13, producing a six to ten foot storm surge. Winds up to 100 mph were measured over the mountains of North Carolina Saturday afternoon, March 13. And, 81 mph winds measured a t Boston's Logan International airport Saturday evening, March 13, closed the facility and aided in the shut down of the city. Snowfall Records: The incredible data can be summarized as follows (UCAR, 2006): †¢ 35. 6 inches of snow in twenty four hours (10am Saturday – 10am Sunday. ) The previous record was 27. 2 inches set in January 1925.†¢ 22. 1 inches of snow on Saturday, March 13, breaking the old snowfall record for that date which was 4. 1 inches set in 1961. †¢ 19. 9 inches of snow on Sunday, March 14, breaking the old snowfall record for that date which was 8. 6 inches set in 1956. †¢ Seasonal snowfall by March 14 measured 174. 8 inches making the 1992-'93 season the snowiest on record, breaking the old record of 166. 9 inches set in the winter of 1991-'92 †¢ March snowfall totaled 49. 3 inches as of March 14 making March 1993 the snowiest on record at Syracuse breaking the old record of 41.4 inches set in 1932. Thunderstorms and Lightning: O n Saturday morning, March 13, 1993, people in the Eastern United States heard the raging sound of strong wind and the crashing sounds of thunder. They could see flashes of light amidst heavy blowing snow. They were perplexed. How could there be thunder and lightning in the middle of a blizzard. Although it is an unusual occurrence, thunderstorms can accompany a snowstorm. This weather phenomenon is known as thundersnow. Snow falls are produced when warm rising moist air meets too cold air close to the earth’s surface.Most snowstorms do not produce thunder and lightning because the dynamics in the atmosphere are not unstable enough to create this interesting phenomenon. Only an extremely powerful winter storm system, if accompanied by intensely cold air in the upper regions of the troposphere, can produce thundersnow. The blizzard of 1993 also produced an unusually large number of lightning flashes – up to 5000 an hour. Richard Orville, of Texas A & M University, has st udied this blizzard lightning (Orville, 1993)), examining data from a network of magnetic direction finders.These devices were used to record the characteristics of lightning flashes from cloud to ground across the US. Each of the flashes recorded in Orville's survey was reported by at least two direction finders within 600 kilometers of the flash. At this range, the detectors can distinguish between flashes carrying negative charge downwards, which accounts for most of them, and those carrying positive charge downwards which produce the remaining 13 per cent. There was maximum lightning near Florida, probably because of the warmth of the waters of the Gulf Stream.Overall, the storm produced 59 000 cloud-to-ground flashes, with a peak of 5100 flashes an hour and a maximum density of strikes of 0. 16 per square kilometer just south of Tampa, Florida. Orville in the New Scientist, dated 11 September 1993 said: â€Å"The reasons for the high flash rates [and] the apparent rapid cessat ion of cloud-to-ground lightning as the storm propagated north of the Carolinas is still to be determined. † Subtropical Derecho: In addition to the blizzard, a serial derecho occurred in the U. S. state of Florida on March 12 and 13, 1993.The derecho moved into Florida and Cuba around midnight on March 13 and moved out of Cuba just before sunrise. During its stay, the derecho resulted in ten tornadoes one of which killed three people when it struck a home. In Cuba wind gusts ranged between 100 to 130 mph according to a research team from the Institute of Meteorology of Cuba. The derecho resulted in 10 deaths in Cuba and caused US$1 billion in damage in Cuba alone (Wikipedia, 2006). The Human Angle: Media reporting on the Blizzard of 1993 have helped to keep the memories of that historical day alive.â€Å"†¦ The Blizzard of '93 is about to commence †¦ All preparations should have been made †¦ I wonder what the forecaster who sat here 105 years ago today [was th inking]. † – Warren Snyder, Senior Forecaster for the National Weather Service Office in Albany, New York typed these words in his early morning state forecast discussion on March 13, 1993 (Smith, 2006). Eric Thomas on WBTV-Charlotte declared that â€Å"†¦ this may not be just the storm of the century†¦ but the strongest storm in the history of mankind.† The New York Times reported: â€Å"The Blizzard of 1993 became a blizzard in the metropolitan region during a three-hour stretch at midday yesterday when visibility dropped below a quarter of a mile from falling and blowing snow and winds blew at least 35 miles an hour† (NYT, 1993) Apart from media reporting, citizens have also shared their experiences on that historic day. Emily Flowers remembers marching in the St. Patrick's parade of 1993 with the Brashear High School marching band. She recollects that there was really no one to witness the parade and the marchers were covered in snow by parad e's end.She was then stuck up at her boyfriend’s house for three days. Terry Griffith recollects that on that stormy day, â€Å"the busses and streetcars stopped running. The taxi cabs stopped service. The parkway and all ways out of the city were closed. All the hotels were booked and if you were still downtown by 4 pm you were really stuck† (Griffith, 2006). Conclusion: The Blizzard of 1993 was truly the Storm of the Century in terms of its intensity, area covered and record snowfalls. Such natural disasters as the blizzard of 1993 awaken man to his own vulnerability in the face of nature’s immense powers.These disasters also enable the growth of science and help in bringing mankind together to study, understand and learn coping strategies for the future. Bibliography: Lott, Neal (1993). The Big One! A Review of the March 12-14, 1993 â€Å"Storm of the Century†. National Climatic Data Center: Research Customer Service Group. May 14, 1993. ftp://ftp. ncd c. noaa. gov/pub/data/techrpts/tr9301/tr9301. pdf PPW (2006). Blizzard of 1993. Pittsburgh Public Works. http://www. city. pittsburgh. pa. us/pw/html/blizzard_of_1993. html Griffith, Terry (2006). The Pittsburgh St.Patrick's Day Parade remembers the blizzard of 1993. http://www. pittsburghirish. org/parade/Blizzard/index. htm. Orville, E. Richard (1993). Cloud-to-ground lightening in the blizzard of 1993. Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 20, Issue 13, p. 1367-1370. http://adsabs. harvard. edu/abs/1993GeoRL.. 20. 1367O Sander, David and Conner, Glen (2006). Fact Sheet: Blizzard of 1993. http://kyclim. wku. edu/factSheets/blizzard. htm Wendland, Wayne. Weather and Climate Impacts in the Midwest. March 1993: Midwestern Climate Center. Vol. III, No. 4. â€Å"Blizzards†. http://www. weather.com/breaking_weather/encyclopedia/winter/blizzard. html. (October 21, 1999). Sherman (2006). Storm of the Century. http://snrs. unl. edu/amet498/sherman/blizzard93. html UCAR (2006). The Bl izzard of 93. http://eo. ucar. edu/webweather/blizzardstory. html NYT (1993). THE BLIZZARD OF '93; It Was, Indeed, Blizzard of '93. http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9F0CE3D81F39F937A25750C0A965958260 Smith, Tony (2006). Storm of the Century. http://www. valdostamuseum. org/hamsmith/thunderflood. html#blizzard Wikipedia (2006). 1993 North American Storm Complex. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/The

History of Libya Essay

History of Libya Essay History of Libya Essay Libya or `The Great Socialist People’s Libyan Jamahiriya` is located in North Africa with a population of 5,871,000 in an area of 1,759,540 sq km. Those 2 pieces of information show just how vast and huge Libya really is as opposed to the number of inhabitants it possesses. The reasons for this along with many other topics such as the history of Libya, its people and its culture, its geographical aspects; including land, agriculture and landscape, as its Economic and structural conditions, Natural resources, the government and political conditions, and significant and recent events, will all be covered in this report. History of Libya Libya is a North African country with an interesting history dating all the way back to the 600’s B.C and possibly even further. Initially, the Berber tribe are thought to be the first inhabitants of the country but Libya has been susceptible to a number of foreign rulers and control, essentially not gaining independence until later years. These groups included the ancient cultures of the Carthaginians, The Romans, the Vandals, the Byzantines, the Greeks, the Phoenicians, and the more recent time rulers, the Italians, The British and The French; all but the main rulers and inhabitants of the country throughout history. Although these groups were in control there are little remains left over, today, from the ancient cultures of the Carthaginians and the Phoenicians to prove that their reign over the country. Moreover, The Romans and the Greeks were the only two groups to do so as they left behind ruins in Leptis Magna and Cyrene to prove their domination over the people of Lib ya. In 600 B.C Greek settlers came into the north-eastern part of the country as that region then became known as Cyrenaica and the North-western region as Tripolitania. The Vandals, a German tribe, captured the region of Tripolitania in 430 A.D. By the 500’s the Byzantine soldiers made their way into the region to gain control over the land and its people. In the 7th century A.D, the religion of Islam was introduced to the country as Arab soldiers gained entry into Libya with help from the weakness of the Berber tribes’ rebellion towards the Byzantine rule. The Arabs were then able to conquer Libya and a more than prevalent amount of Libya’s Native people accepted Islam, The Arab culture and its language. The North-western region of Libya, Tripolitania, and the North-eastern region, Cyrenaica, and the South-western part, Fezzan, became conquered by the Turkish Ottoman in 1551 after they captured the city of Tripoli. Although the Turks gained control over major regions in Libya, the local rulers essentially had entire freedom as Libya became constituent of their empire and an autonomous rule was held over the country by the Turks. Up until 1911, the indigenous people were victorious in resisting colonization as the Italians invaded the country and colonized the state. By 1912, the regions of Fezzan, Tripolitania and Cyrenaica were all taken control of by the Italians. In 1934, the title on â€Å"Libya† was given to the colony as its official name. Initially, the word was used by the Greeks to describe all of North Africa, not including Egypt. Italy began to advocate building plans as they built roads, towns, and water systems for the Libyan people. These improvements to t he country, inevitably, began to bring in copious amounts of European immigrants to work in the new settlement as job opportunities opened up. However, the Libyan resistance to colonial rule did not cease operations, King Idris I of Cyrenaica and his Muslim social reform group, called â€Å"the Sanusi Brotherhood†, established a strong unit against the Italian rule. Accompanying King Idris I and his Sanusi Brotherhood during World War II was the British in Egypt who were also disputing with Italy. By February 1943, Italian rule in Libya was diminished and the British took over the Northern regions in Libya of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica and

The Hoxton Creeper Essays

The Hoxton Creeper Essays The Hoxton Creeper Paper The Hoxton Creeper Paper I am going to review Sherlock Holmes and the two films starring Basil Rathbone in the role of being Holmes. In English the two films I have watched recently are: The Pearl of Death and The Scarlet Claw. I enjoyed the film: The Pearl of Death because it is based upon the story The Adventure of the Six Napoleons. The film was made in 1944 in Hollywood, and is updated to the 1940s London in the Blitz. Sherlock Holmes is in disguise very often. He looks realistic to the person he is imitating and there is no recognition of his original form. The unique feature in the film is the introduction of the Hoxton Creeper. In the story the villain is Beppo but we see Rando Hatton performing as the Hoxton Creeper in the film. Holmes calls the Hoxton Creeper a monster with the chest of a buffalo and the arms of a gorilla. This is an exciting way to describe the Creeper this makes us want to see what the Creeper looks like, and when we see him we are not disappointed. The Creeper adds an excellent dimension to the story. He always appears in shadowy places and he is an enormous actor who suffers from acromegaly. This is a progressive glandular deformity which causes enlargement of the extremities. This makes the film more deadly. The Hoxton Creepers face is only seen at the end of the film he moves in silhouette through all the scenes. This is good positioning of the camera. This creates hesitancy. Our teacher said the film was horrifying and it gave him nightmares when he was a boy. These days films are much more graphic and give many watchers more of a shock. The Creeper goes on to break the backs of people who own a bust of Napoleon, because in one of the busts is hidden the famous Borgia pearl. He smashes the bust and other plates to cover up what he is hoping to find. Rondo Hatton spent his formative years in Tampa, Florida. Once he graduated from his High school, he fought in World War 1. This led to him being gassed in 1917 and his health deteriorated. Hatton worked as a newspaper reporter. He was later noticed for the film industry in the mid 1930s and he realized he had the potential of himself featuring in Hollywood films. He soon started working in the early 1940s for Universal Horror Films. Here is a picture of ugly Rondo Hatton. Disguise is awesome throughout the film. Sherlock Holmes uses disguise, so do several of the criminals.

An Effective Mechanism to Diminish Arbitrary Exercise of Discretionary Power

An Effective Mechanism to Diminish Arbitrary Exercise of Discretionary Power â€Å"If judicial review of administrative decision is the heart of administrative law, then concept of natural justice is one of the suppliers of blood to that heart. It is inherent in rule of law and our thirst for justice. † Abstract Natural justice is considered to be as old as the system of dispensation of justice itself. Since its move toward administrative adjudication, it has been the defender of fairness and justice in exercise of discretionary power of administration. The artificial distinction between judicial and administrative adjudication has blurred. Natural justice ensures the minimum procedural fairness in administrative adjudication. Right to fair hearing before an impartial and unbiased forum has been the key to ensure fairness and diminish arbitrariness in exercise of discretionary power. This paper seems to propose that the battle between fairness and arbitrariness, however, has been a continuous one and natural justice keeps its role as diminisher of arbitrariness open to play. 1 Introduction Natural justice, as a concept relating to administrative adjudication, can be defined as the unwritten law of fairness. This age-old principle has been applied to administrative and adjudication process to ensure procedural fairness and to free them from arbitrariness. In Bangladesh, there is no statute providing for procedural fairness which administration should follow in exercise of discretionary power. It is natural justice which invokes the minimum fair procedures which should be followed in administrative decision making. This paper, in part two, will show that the concept of Natural Justice and its application in Justice delivery system is not new. It seems to be as old as the system of dispensation of justice itself. The Principles were accepted as early as in the days of Adam and of Kautilya’s Arthashastra. Then this paper will move to look into how concept of natural justice was invoked into the administrative decision making. It will be  shown that initially the principles of natural justice used to be applied to courts of law alone but later on from judicial sphere it extended, to the tribunals exercising quasi-judicial functions and then to the statutory authorities and the administrative authorities, who have upon them, the responsibility of determining civil rights or obligations of the people. After examining application of the concept in administrative adjudication, the paper will concentrate in examining two basic principles of natural justice to how these principles diminish arbi trary exercise of discretionary power. In this part, it will be revealed that natural justice ensures minimum procedural fairness in administrative decision making. It precludes a partial and biased tribunal from adjudicating. It obliges the tribunal to provide show reasons of its decisions with precisions. While fair tribunal is less probable to decide arbitrarily, showing reasons for the decision decreases significantly limits the scope of whimsical and arbitrary decision making. In at the end of the paper, it will be proposed that the Battle between fairness and arbitrariness has been a continuous one and natural justice has fought to defeat arbitrariness. Since its move toward administrative adjudication, natural justice has been the defender of fairness and justice in exercise of discretionary power of administration. 2 Natural justice: the ‘unwritten law of fairness’ Natural justice implies fairness, equity and equality. This age-old principle has been applied to administrative and adjudication process to ensure procedural fairness and to free them from arbitrariness. Different jurists have described the principle in different ways. Some called it as the unwritten law (jus non scriptum) or the law of reason. It has, however not been found to be capable of being defined, but some jurists have described the principle as a great humanising principle intended to invest law with fairness to secure justice and to prevent miscarriage of justice. With the passage of time, some principles have evolved and crystallised which are well recognized principles of natural justice. Today the question of control of administrative discretionary power is perhaps the most critical and crucial problem of administrative law. In modern democracies the role and jurisdiction of administrative agencies is increasing at a rapid pace. The concept of Rule of Law would loose its validity if the instrumentalities of the State are not charged with the duty of discharging these functions in a fair and just manner. However, there is no statute laying down the minimum procedure which administrative agencies must follow while exercising decision-making powers. This minimum fair procedure refers to the principles of natural justice. Lord Viscount Haldane outlined principle of natural justice in the following word: â€Å" those whose duty it is to decide must act judicially. They must deal with the question referred to them without bias and they must give to each of the parties the opportunity of adequately presenting the case made. The decision must come to the spirit and with the sense of responsibility of a tribunal whose duty it is to meet out justice. † Natural justice, as a concept of common law, represents higher procedural principles developed by the courts, which every judicial, quasi-judicial and administrative agency must follow while taking any decision adversely affecting the rights of a private individual. The principles of natural justice were associated with a few ‘accepted rules’ which have been built up and pronounced over a long period of time. The word ‘Natural Justice’ manifests justice according to one’s own conscience. It is derived from the Roman Concept ‘jus naturale’ and ‘Lex naturale’ which meant principle of natural law, natural justice, eternal law, natural equity or good conscience. Lord Evershed, Master of the Rolls in Vionet v Barrett (1985, 55 LLJ QB, 39, Page 45) remarked, â€Å"Natural Justice is the natural sense of what is right and wrong. There is no statute laying down the minimum procedure which administrative agencies must follow while exercising decision-making powers. This minimum fair procedure refers to the principles of natural justice. Natural Justice is an expression of English common law. Lord Viscount Haldane outlined principle of natural justice in the following word: â€Å" those whose duty it is to decide must act judicially. They must deal with the question referred to them without bias and they must give to each of the parties the opportunity of adequately presenting the case made. The decision must come to the spirit and with the sense of responsibility of a tribunal whose duty it is to meet out justice. † While the term natural justice is often retained as a general concept, it has largely been replaced and extended by the more general duty to act fairly. Parpworth in his ‘Constitutional and Administrative Law’ views that linguistic difficulties with natural justice have forced the courts, in recent time, to use fairness as a concept to ensure minimum procedural propriety. Lord Parker C. J. in Re H. K. [1967] 2 Q. B. 617, 630 (C. A.) said that ‘[it] is not, as I see it, a question of acting or being required to act judicially, but of being required to act fairly’. Concept of natural justice has a close relation with fairness. The Supreme Court of India outlined the relation of fairness with natural justice in the following words: ‘Indeed, natural justice is a pervasive facet of secular law where a spiritual touch enlivens legislation, administration and adjudication, to make fairness a creed of life. It has many colours and shades, many forms and shapes and, save where valid law excludes, it applies when people are affected by acts of authority. It is the bone of healthy government†¦.. Thus ‘natural justice’, as a concept relating to administrative adjudication, can be defined as the unwritten law of fairness. In Bangladesh, there is no statute providing for procedural fairness which administration should follow in exercise of discretionary power. It is natural justice which invokes the minimum fair procedures which should be followed in administrative decision making. 3 The First Man’s experience with natural justice: A Twenty First Century Analysis The concept of Natural Justice and its application in Justice delivery system is not new. It seems to be as old as the system of dispensation of justice itself. The Principles were accepted as early as in the days of Adam and of Kautilya’s Arthashastra. According to the Bible and Quran, when Adam amp; Eve ate the fruit forbidden by God, the God did not pass sentence on Adam before he was called upon to defend himself. Concept of natural justice was known to Greek and Romans. Aristotle, before the era of Christ, spoke of such principles calling it as universal law. Justinian, in the fifth and sixth Centuries A. D. called it jura naturalia i.

The Issue of Police Misconduct Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Issue of Police Misconduct - Term Paper Example Incidents such as these clearly show that misconduct is a far-reaching problem, affecting police departments at every level of operation (Ivkovic, 2003). In fact, it is a problem that has existed since at least the beginning of the 20th century, when the first attempts were made to combat it on a professional level (O'Shea and Nichols, 2003). What, exactly, can be considered police misconduct It is basically any behavior on the part of a police officer that is illegal, an obvious misuse of authority, or an effort to gain some type of material reward. Acts of misconduct generally fall within two categories: physical/emotional abuse (as described in the cases above), and the more widely studied issue of corruption. Why is police misconduct seen as being so terrible It is because they are the ones who solve our problems for us and put the bad guys away. They are not supposed to be the bad guys themselves. However, it is almost understandable that police would fall prey to these types of actions since their jobs constantly place them in situations where they are with "bad guys" every day, and there are obviously some opportunities for great temptation to occur (Johnson and Cox, 2004-5). Some of the most common ways to assess corruption are through interviews, surveys, and observation (Ivkovic, 2003). Each of these methods has severe limitations and cannot be used by itself. However, when two or more of these methods are used together, there is a much better chance of getting a reliable assessment of corruption (Ivkovic, 2003). It is important to learn how to best measure police corruption, and the severity of it, in order to know how to best treat the problem.Louise Westmarland (2005) used a survey to ask British police officers questions about how they viewed police corruption, unethical behavior, and breaking the rules on occasion. Certain actions, like gaining materially from the position, were seen to be much more serious than others, like excessive physical violence or lying to protect colleagues (Westmarland, 2005).  

Summary Of John Heads The Brutal Business of Boxing Essay

Summary Of John Heads The Brutal Business of Boxing - Essay Example of how Ali managed to cover this actual reality into a mirage of entertainment and amusement – ‘ He really did â€Å"float like a butterfly and sting like a bee†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and ‘His matches seemed more like ballet than boxing’. What Head wants to illustrate through these example is that, people loved enjoyed Ali’s fights so much and were so amused by his athletism that they forgot that it was a FIGHT and the opponent is getting hurt or even injured seriously. In paragraph six , Head says that this business is unforgiving so much so that Ali’ whose reflexes were so fast that they seemed acts of wizardry is now suffering from the after effects of what he endured during his fights in the ring. Although he won and humiliated his opponents but in the end he also is at a stage where The Great and Strong Mohammad Ali has gone weak and whose roars were famous is now only restricted to silent hesitant whispers. From the mighty Head diverts the atten tion towards the defeated Jimmy Garcia who lost his life in this dirty business at the feeble age of 23. In paragraph seven he says that he got pummeled to death so that the audience could get worth of what they paid for. ‘What sets boxing apart is that its one sport in which one scores by injuring other opponent’ Head says while replying to boxing fans who say it is only as dangerous other sports out there. In the end he clearly calls out for banning this sport as its fatal and barbaric while your fighting and even when you quit it. Boxing should be banned as its results for the contenders are horrific. Though during the match only the looser suffers but in the long run every boxer suffers from the after effect of the hits he endured which a normal human body is not designed to resist. It is barbarism in the cover of

Christianity and Native America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Christianity and Native America - Essay Example However, what is often overlooked and unasked is that whether those who rabidly defend political correctness, and attack those who disagree with their perspective could have refrained from the same kind of evangelistic fervor if confronted with a people who were savagely killing each other. One can only wonder if the politically correct missionaries (or police) would have made it any farther than the shores of the new land. The Spanish missionaries sent forward by the catholic church of Europe, although they were met with resistance, did forge relationships with the Indian tribes, and assist them in transitioning into a lifestyle that was more advantageous for them. These missionaries also were some of the forerunners for the settlers who would follow. Their work opened the doors for European settlers to establish working relationships with Indian peoples, if only in limited areas and with limited success. But missionaries measure there success not in terms of states and land mass, b ut rather in terms of the number of individuals touched and benefiting from their work. On the other hand, the Catholics' missionary zeal directed toward the new world was misguided in more than one instance. These missionaries did not understand the concept of evangelizing and spreading their faith without including a secondary goal of changing the evangelized people's culture as well. Arriving to their new "mission field" the missionaries only had their own experience to draw from. The catholic missionary work across the European continent was performed within a people group that had, for the most part, arisen from the same culture roots. All of Europe had grown out of, and out from under the influence of the Greco - Roman Empire. The continent had been conquered and re-conquered a number of times, and each time, the victorious nations would sew into the culture more of its own world view and belief system. So, while the nations and regions had different traditions, languages, etc, the continent was, as it is today, a product of a Greco-roman belief system which had been strongly influenced by Christianity for 1400 years. Upon arrival in the new world, the catholic missionaries had only their own experiences to draw from. They did not understand the concept of teaching a faith in Jesus Christ without including the effort to transpose their culture upon the new converts as well. According to the Marquette University studies of Christianity in North America: "Catholic evangelization of the Americas' aboriginal Indian peoples is a story of epic proportions. It is a saga on spreading the Gospel for over 500 years and it is a struggle for peace and justice, cultural accommodation, and the development of indigenous Christian faith communities." (2003) Today, the Catholic Church understands the goal is to create indigenous communities within the local people groups who embrace the catholic faith. However, at the time of the settlement of North America, this theory was not in place. The Roman Catholic Church viewed itself as the repository of civilized culture, and their goal was to bring local native peoples into their faith and culture regardless of the means necessary. For example, one of the most famous settlements of catholic missionaries which still exists for examination today are the set of five missions built in the

Discuss the basic qualifications in an organized crime group Essay

Discuss the basic qualifications in an organized crime group - Essay Example Therefore, the most common characteristics of an organized crime group are that they have no political goals; they are hierarchical and have exclusive or limited membership. Organized crime groups also do belong to a unique subculture, perpetuates itself and are willing to use illegal violence to obtain whatever they intend to. Finally, all organized crime groups are monopolistic and get governed by set rules and regulations. Activities that are carried out by organized crime groups involve money laundering, illegal drug distribution, illegal prostitution and human trafficking. Organized crime syndicates are not all the same. They differ in structure because they have different objectives to accomplish. They have different funding methods and how they communicate too. The most salient aspect of a syndicate is the loyalty of its members and their ability to keep their operations a secret. Any member of a syndicate usually has a death penalty for not being loyal to the

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 63

Reflection - Essay Example Some of the similarities shared between the three religions are the fact that they all worship the same God. This is based on the evidence that the three religions are all monotheistic as they believe in one supreme God (Reed, 2013). Despite the similarity, religion is believed to be amongst the major cause of conflict in the Middle East. This is as the three religions are believed to have emerged from this region. These religions also have their holy centers located in this region. The overlap in the bounders of the different religious groups fuels the conflict. This is as each group claims different territories in which the bounders are seen to overlap in many cases hence the groups resulting to war (Ozdag, 2003). This is the case in the fight over the Gaza strip. The other religious factor that is a contributor to the current state of warfare in the Middle East is the relationship between the Muslims and the Jewish. These two groups have many differences that are seen be geopolitical, religious and ethnic differences. The Jews believe that they are the initial inhabitants of the lands in Middle East. They believe that the lands they currently live in and those that other groups live in were given to them by Jehovah hence the need to recover them. The Arabs, on the other hand, are always unwilling to share the lands they currently hold with the Jews (Ozdag, 2003). In addition to this, the perception held by the Jews that pits the Arabs as second class hence below them leads to strained relations. Historical events like the expulsion of the Jews from Medina by Prophet Mohammed further strain the relation. This is as the expulsion saw the massacre and deportation of the Jews from Saudi Arabia. Anti-Semitic statements contained in the Koran are also a major source of conflict and war in the Middle East. Relations between the Christians and the Muslims in the Middle East are a contributor to the current state in

Christianity and Native America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Christianity and Native America - Essay Example However, what is often overlooked and unasked is that whether those who rabidly defend political correctness, and attack those who disagree with their perspective could have refrained from the same kind of evangelistic fervor if confronted with a people who were savagely killing each other. One can only wonder if the politically correct missionaries (or police) would have made it any farther than the shores of the new land. The Spanish missionaries sent forward by the catholic church of Europe, although they were met with resistance, did forge relationships with the Indian tribes, and assist them in transitioning into a lifestyle that was more advantageous for them. These missionaries also were some of the forerunners for the settlers who would follow. Their work opened the doors for European settlers to establish working relationships with Indian peoples, if only in limited areas and with limited success. But missionaries measure there success not in terms of states and land mass, b ut rather in terms of the number of individuals touched and benefiting from their work. On the other hand, the Catholics' missionary zeal directed toward the new world was misguided in more than one instance. These missionaries did not understand the concept of evangelizing and spreading their faith without including a secondary goal of changing the evangelized people's culture as well. Arriving to their new "mission field" the missionaries only had their own experience to draw from. The catholic missionary work across the European continent was performed within a people group that had, for the most part, arisen from the same culture roots. All of Europe had grown out of, and out from under the influence of the Greco - Roman Empire. The continent had been conquered and re-conquered a number of times, and each time, the victorious nations would sew into the culture more of its own world view and belief system. So, while the nations and regions had different traditions, languages, etc, the continent was, as it is today, a product of a Greco-roman belief system which had been strongly influenced by Christianity for 1400 years. Upon arrival in the new world, the catholic missionaries had only their own experiences to draw from. They did not understand the concept of teaching a faith in Jesus Christ without including the effort to transpose their culture upon the new converts as well. According to the Marquette University studies of Christianity in North America: "Catholic evangelization of the Americas' aboriginal Indian peoples is a story of epic proportions. It is a saga on spreading the Gospel for over 500 years and it is a struggle for peace and justice, cultural accommodation, and the development of indigenous Christian faith communities." (2003) Today, the Catholic Church understands the goal is to create indigenous communities within the local people groups who embrace the catholic faith. However, at the time of the settlement of North America, this theory was not in place. The Roman Catholic Church viewed itself as the repository of civilized culture, and their goal was to bring local native peoples into their faith and culture regardless of the means necessary. For example, one of the most famous settlements of catholic missionaries which still exists for examination today are the set of five missions built in the

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 63

Reflection - Essay Example Some of the similarities shared between the three religions are the fact that they all worship the same God. This is based on the evidence that the three religions are all monotheistic as they believe in one supreme God (Reed, 2013). Despite the similarity, religion is believed to be amongst the major cause of conflict in the Middle East. This is as the three religions are believed to have emerged from this region. These religions also have their holy centers located in this region. The overlap in the bounders of the different religious groups fuels the conflict. This is as each group claims different territories in which the bounders are seen to overlap in many cases hence the groups resulting to war (Ozdag, 2003). This is the case in the fight over the Gaza strip. The other religious factor that is a contributor to the current state of warfare in the Middle East is the relationship between the Muslims and the Jewish. These two groups have many differences that are seen be geopolitical, religious and ethnic differences. The Jews believe that they are the initial inhabitants of the lands in Middle East. They believe that the lands they currently live in and those that other groups live in were given to them by Jehovah hence the need to recover them. The Arabs, on the other hand, are always unwilling to share the lands they currently hold with the Jews (Ozdag, 2003). In addition to this, the perception held by the Jews that pits the Arabs as second class hence below them leads to strained relations. Historical events like the expulsion of the Jews from Medina by Prophet Mohammed further strain the relation. This is as the expulsion saw the massacre and deportation of the Jews from Saudi Arabia. Anti-Semitic statements contained in the Koran are also a major source of conflict and war in the Middle East. Relations between the Christians and the Muslims in the Middle East are a contributor to the current state in

Denver Airport bagage system Essay Example for Free

Denver Airport bagage system Essay This article discusses the fundamental design difficulties of the fully automated baggage system originally planned for the New Denver Airport, and their implications for airport and airline management. Theory, industrial experience, and the reality at Denver emphasize the difficulty of achieving acceptable standards of performance when novel, complex systems are operating near capacity. United Airlines will thus make the Denver system work by drastically reducing its complexity and performance. Automated baggage systems are risky. Airlines and airports considering their use should assess their design cautiously and far in advance, and install complementary, backup systems from the start. Ref: â€Å"The Baggage System at Denver: Prospects and Lessons,† Journal of Air Transport Management, Vol. 1, No. 4, Dec. , pp. 229-236, 1994. The City and County of Denver have built a massive new airport, the New Denver International Airport. It extends over 13,568 hectares (about 53 square miles); has 3 parallel North-South runways, 2 parallel East-West runways, and room for a total of 12 major runways. In many ways the New Denver Airport represents a model of the airport of the future (de Neufville, 1995). At opening, the Airport will have cost about US $ 5 billion including the US $ 685 million contribution of the Federal Government and the over US $ 400 million investment of airlines in fitting out their passenger buildings, catering facilities and cargo centers (US Government Accounting Office, 1994). At the end of 1994, the bonded debt of the municipally owned Denver Airport System was more than US $ 3. 8 billion (City and County of Denver, 1994b). A mechanized baggage system is at the heart of the New Denver Airport, as for all major new airports. In the case of Denver, this was to be something unique: the Integrated Automated Baggage Handling System, originally designed to distribute all baggage -including transfers automatically between check-in, the aircraft and pick-up on arrival. Unfortunately, massive problems plagued this automated baggage system. (See Henderson, 1994, for example. ) Consequently, the New Denver Airport did not open in October 1993 as scheduled. After missing later opening dates in April and May 1994, the Airport seems as of January likely to be open in March 1995. The delay would then be around 16 months. This delay costs the owners a lot. The interest on their bonded debt exceeded US $ 271 million for the single year of 1994 (Deloitte and Touche, 1994). The costs of maintaining the new airport are extra. A commonly accepted estimate of their costs of delay, endorsed verbally by officials in Denver, has been US $ 33 million a month. By March 1995, the delays may thus have cost them around US $ 500 million. A year after the original opening date for the airport, the City and County of Denver borrowed a previously unscheduled US $ 257 million (City and County of Denver, 1994b). This delay is also expensive for the airlines. United Airlines invested about US $ 261 million, and Continental 73 million, in peripheral facilities in anticipation of the 1993 opening (United Airlines, 1993; US Government Accounting Office, 1994). FedEx likewise created a sorting center for around US $ 100 million. By the time the airport opens, the opportunity cost of the idle investments may have cost the airlines around US $ 50 million. Both the airport owners and the airlines will also suffer losses to the extent that the automated baggage system does not deliver the productivity and efficiency that they had bargained for. Airline and airport management can learn much from this unfortunate experience. As indicated by the discussion that follows, the most fundamental problems with the automated baggage system designed for Denver had been predicted by theoretical studies and consulting reports, were avoidable, and should not be repeated. The basic lesson is that automated baggage systems are risky, and therefore that airlines and airports considering automated baggage operations should assess their design and performance cautiously, and should implement them with the insurance of backup systems from the start. Design of the Automated Baggage System The fully automated baggage system originally planned for the New Denver Airport was unique in its complexity, its novel technology, and its anticipated capacity. It was designed to deliver each bag, including transfers, individually from check-in or the unloading of the aircraft to the outward bound aircraft or baggage reclaim. The delivery mechanism consists of about 9 km. (5. 5 miles) of conveyors and over 27 km. (17 miles) of track on which circulate 4000 individual, radio-controlled carts, the so-called destination coded vehicles or DCVs (US Government Accounting Office, 1994). The capacity of each track was supposed to be 60 DCVs per minute, one a second. The essential layout of the automated baggage system at Denver is that conveyor belts feed the central network of DCVs. The bags do not flow continuously from the conveyor belts, however, as they do in traditional systems. Each bag must independently be placed on its exclusive cart, and thus the delivery of the bags from the conveyor belts must be carefully controlled. Furthermore, the conveyor belt can only advance when there is an empty cart onto which the leading bag on the conveyor belt can be placed. The speed at which the conveyor belts can advance and thus the performance of the entire system depends on the rate of delivery of empty carts to each conveyor belt. This is a crucial point, at the root of the deeper difficulties with the original design. The destination of each bag and its individual cart is defined by bar-coded labels, and transmitted by radio to tags (the radio frequency identification or rf ids) on the constantly moving vehicles. The operation of these vehicles is to be entirely controlled by a network of about 150 computers (Myerson, 1994; US Government Accounting Office, 1994). Speed in handling baggage is critical to achieving acceptable boarding and transfer times at Denver, since the distances are much greater those at other airports. The space between the midfield concourses provides for two taxiways (one is standard) between the tails of the aircraft parked at the concourses, and the terminal building in which passengers check-in and pick up their bags is separated from the first concourse by an office block, a garage, and the Customs and Immigration (FIS) facilities. Speed has been considered crucial to the commercial success of the New Denver Airport, which the owners have marketed to the airlines as a highly efficient platform for hubbing operations because of its multiple parallel runways and prospective ability to 1 turn around aircraft flights very rapidly. United Airlines, the dominant airline at Denver, insisted on a rapid baggage handling system before signing its lease with Denver (Flynn, 1994b). The Denver system was thus originally designed to deliver bags much faster than current norms at major airports at up to 38 kmh (24 mph) (US Government Accounting Office, 1994). The maximum delivery time was apparently set at 20 minutes for narrowbody and 30 minutes for widebody aircraft (Leigh Fisher, 1994). The installers are quoted has having planned a design that will allow baggage to be transported anywhere within the terminal within 10 minutes (Airport Support, 1993). Despite the central importance of the automated baggage system, its design was largely an afterthought. This is a common practice, unfortunately. The Denver system was detailed well after the construction of the airport was under way and only about two years before the airport was to open. Being late, the design was thus subject to two important constraints. First, the geometry was tight. The automated system had to fit within the confines of the airport passenger buildings and the underground tunnel connecting the concourses and the terminal; in many instances it was shoe-horned in at considerable inconvenience. Second, the schedule was tight. The system was to be implemented within 21 months, since Denver executed the contract only in January 1992. This schedule precluded extensive simulation or physical testing of the full design. Remarkably, the design of the fully automated baggage system at Denver did not include a meaningful backup system. The planners provided neither a fleet of tugs and carts that could cope with the level of baggage expected, nor even access roads between the check-in facilities and the aircraft. Obvious Problems Highly visible mechanical problems have plagued the automated baggage system at Denver. As shown by television and widely reported in the trade and popular press, the baggage carts have jammed in the tracks, misaligned with the conveyor belts feeding the bags, and mutilated and lost bags (Flynn, 1994; Henderson, 1994; Myerson, 1994). In 1994, United Airlines accounted for well over 60% of the passengers at Denver. Continental Airlines, which was the launch tenant for the New Airport and which used to operate a considerable hub at Denver, has largely canceled this operation: as of November 1994 it closed its crew base in Denver and cut its daily departures to 23 about a tenth of the number offered by United. The airport consultant to the City and County of Denver predicted that by 1995 the United System will account for 90% of the passenger traffic at Denver (Leigh Fisher, 1994). To deal with these difficulties, the contractors are installing additional equipment. For example, more laser readers will reduce the probability of misreading the destination of each bag. More controllers will slow down the carts, reduce misalignments with the conveyors feeding bags, and minimize the momentum that tossed bags off the carts. Overall, solutions to the mechanical problems come at the price of increased costs, reduced performance, and lower cost-effectiveness of the system. Deeper Problem of Reliable Delivery The blatant difficulties with the automated baggage system designed for the New Denver Airport are almost certainly only the tip of the iceberg. There is a deeper, fundamental problem associated with all complex systems of handling baggage, cargo or materials. The more extensive and long-term difficulty is that of reliable delivery times. The fully automated system may never be able to deliver bags consistently within the times and at the capacity originally promised. This difficulty is a consequence of the extreme complexity of its design combined with the variability of the loads. The entire system consists of well over a hundred waiting lines that feed into each other. For example, bags can only be unloaded from the aircraft and put into the system when the unloading conveyor belt is moving, this belt will only advance when there are empty carts on which to place bags, empty carts will only arrive after they have deposited their previous loads and have proceeded through the system, and so on. In short it is a complicated cascade of queues. The patterns of loads on the system are highly variable. These depend on the season, the time of day, the type of aircraft at each gate, the number of passengers on these aircraft, the percentage traveling with skis, etc. , etc. There may be over a thousand reasonable scenarios! Managing a complex network of interacting, fully loaded queues efficiently for any single scenario is complicated. Managing these flows under all the realistic scenarios is exponentially more difficult. Learning how to do this appears to be a major, long-term research project. Both airports, such as Frankfurt am Main, and companies attempting to automate their materials handling, have routinely spent years trying to make their systems work correctly under all circumstances (Auguston, 1994; Zitterstein, 1994). It is not clear that anyone, anywhere, is currently capable of managing a fully automated baggage system one without any backup system or use of tugs and carts for transfers to ensure full capacity, on-time performance, or is likely to be able to do so anytime in the near future (Knill, 1994). Causes of Reliable Delivery Problem Any automated baggage system is subject to risk. The difficulties at Denver are not due to any obvious bad luck or incompetence. On the contrary, the contractor responsible for the installation (BAE Automated Systems) had enjoyed the reputation of being among the best and, on the strength of its good work, has been responsible for most of the major baggage systems recently installed in the United States.