Josquin Desprez free essay sample

In the history of Western music Josquin Desprez became one of the most influential composers. Not much was known about this great composer’s time on earth. A lot of what people know about his life is expressed through his music. Josquin’s estimated date of birth is said to be 1440. Recent research shows that his birth date could have been later sometime in the 1450’s. Before he died in 1521 Desprez made a huge impact on the music during the Renaissance. Years after Josquin Desprez’s death, his music was distributed all throughout Europe and Germany. A quote from Todd M. McComb, who wrote a discography about Desprez, helps one to understand why his music became so popular and it says, â€Å"The clear textures and text declamation which Josquin employed set the stage not only for the next developments of technical harmony, but for the clarity and conciseness demanded by the Counter-Reformation of Palestrina et al. We will write a custom essay sample on Josquin Desprez or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page as well. Josquins output displays a rare combination of innovation and accomplished technical mastery, and has retained for him a position as the most prominent composer of the early sixteenth century, perhaps the high point of Western music as a whole. † This simply meant his music was recited clearly and concisely. He was doing things that no other composer had done to music. He also improved the techniques other composer had been using for years. This statement by McCobb sums up the reasons Desprez was honored so much for his music. His style allowed him to compose over a hundred motets and many other works while he was alive. Polyphonic imitation was a common technique in motets. Polyphonic imitation is where one musical line shares or imitates the same musical theme as the proceeding line. One song by Desprez, titled Ave Maria- Virgo Serena, uses polyphonic imitation all throughout the piece. This piece describes his work the best. One said, â€Å"With his strict canonic opening and subsequent structural interplay,† this song is a perfect example of his style. The songs meaning comes from when the angel Gabriel told Mary about Jesus’ birth. Hail thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. (Luke 1:28) is a scripture from the bible that is quoted in the song. Centuries later the song is still very popular. Since Desprez, many many composers have remade the song Ave Maria. I have heard the song played in theatre, at weddings, church, and now for a music assignment. Out of all the renditions of Ave Maria the version by Beyonce Knowles has made this song one of my favorite songs. Now that I have heard Josquins original version I see that Beyonce was nowhere near close to resembling this song. The most important aspect of the song is the imitation of the soprano voice to alto to tenor then bass and her rendition was more like a solo with a different meaning. Through his music Josquin Desprez influenced many composers of his time and he still continues to influence composers of modern times. To some, Desprez is still noted as the greatest composer of Western music and also a leader in Renaissance music. Josquin Desprez brought to the table polyphonic imitations which are still used today in chorus. Today Desprez’s work that happened centuries ago are still the influence for some artist today.

History of Mail and the Postal System

History of Mail and the Postal System The history of using a mail service or courier service to pass messages from one person in one place to another person in another place has most likely been occurring since the invention of writing.   The first documented use of organized  courier  service is in  Egypt in 2400 B.C., where  Pharaohs  used couriers to send out decrees throughout the territory of the State. The earliest surviving piece of mail is also Egyptian, which dates back to 255 BC. There is evidence of postal systems dating back to ancient Persia, China, India and Rome. Today, the  Universal Postal Union, established in 1874, includes 192 member countries and sets the rules for international mail exchanges. First Envelopes The first envelopes were made of cloth, animal skins or vegetable parts.   The Babylonians wrapped their message in thin sheets of clay that were then baked. These Mesopotamian envelopes date back to circa 3200  BC. They were hollow, clay spheres that were molded around financial tokens and used in private transactions.   Paper envelopes were developed in China, where paper was invented in the 2nd century B.C.  Paper envelopes, known as  chih poh, were used to store gifts of money. Of Mice and Mail In 1653, a Frenchman De Valayer established a postal system in Paris. He set up mailboxes and delivered any letters placed in them if they used the postage pre-paid envelopes that he sold. De Valayers business did not last long when a devious person decided to put live mice in the mailboxes scaring away his customers. Postage Stamps A schoolmaster from England, Rowland Hill, invented the adhesive postage stamp in 1837, an act for which he was knighted. Through his efforts, the first  postage stamp system  in the world was issued in England in 1840. Hill created the first uniform postage rates that were based on weight, rather than size. Hills stamps made the prepayment of postage both possible and practical.   History of The United States Postal Office The  United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government and has been responsible for providing postal services in the U.S. since its start in 1775. It is one of the few government agencies explicitly authorized by the U.S. Constitution. Founding father  Benjamin Franklin  was appointed the first  postmaster general.   First Mail Order Catalog The  first mail order catalog  was distributed in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward selling goods primarily to rural farmers who had difficulty making it out to the big cities for commerce. Ward started his Chicago-based business with only $2,400. The first catalog consisted of a single sheet of paper with a price list, 8 inches by 12 inches, showing the merchandise for sale with ordering instructions. The catalogs then expanded into illustrated books. ln 1926, the first Montgomery Ward retail store opened in Plymouth, Indiana. In 2004, the company was re-launched as an e-commerce business. The First Automatic Postal Sorter Canadian electronics scientist Maurice Levy invented an automatic postal sorter in 1957 that could handle 200,000 letters an hour. The Canadian Post Office Department had commissioned Levy to design and supervise the building of a new, electronic, computer-controlled, automatic mail sortation system for Canada. A hand-made model sorter was tested at postal headquarters in Ottawa in 1953. It worked, and a prototype coding and sortation machine, capable of processing all of the mail then generated by the City of Ottawa, was built by Canadian manufacturers in 1956. It could process mail at a rate of 30,000 letters per hour, with a missort factor of less than one letter in 10,000.

Hospitality Management Scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hospitality Management - Scholarship Essay Example This paper declares that the reporter charges moderate tuition fees for teaching English language to the needy students. This supplementary income supports him to balance his budget to an extent. After gaining experience for two years, he   wishes to venture into his own by establishing myself as a consultant for event planning. Besides consultancy, the reporter will take independent contracts for programs. His long term goal is to establish a boutique hotel with an underground Shopping Centre in America and subsequently open its branches in his country, Seoul, South Korea. His   objectives are twofold. Establish and gain popularity for my brand name, and on the strength of the goodwill thus generated try to promote tourism industry in his country by sending regular batches of tourists from America. His   country has tremendous potential to be a great place of tourist attraction. The reporter   have also made the preliminary study of the facilities being offered by commercial banks to entrepreneurs for initiating such ventures. Scholarship is the final solution for the series of problems that he faces at present. International students are required to pay double the amount of tuition fees as compared to the native students. The fees are $10,000 per semester, which is an impossible option for me to meet. His earlier educational institution, the community college, was inexpensive and my parents had no problems to meet the moderate bill on his education. After getting admission to this university for the degree course in Hospitability Management, my parents are unable to meet the present high level of tuition fees. They are in Korea along with his elder brother. He is also a student in the university there and the scale of his tuition fees is high.

Critical Chain Project Management Based Heuristics Algorithm Essay

Critical Chain Project Management Based Heuristics Algorithm - Essay Example Dr. Goldratt utilized TOC in project management in 1997. The project schedule was organized and managed by few resources and tackled the unattractive behavior. The project’s execution was supervised by the centralized management of the project buffer extent. Critical chain technology considers both the issues of cognitive and psychological resources-restrained, and the effect in the duties of the next and the former firm relation restriction (Hong and Ji-hai 331). The steps include work breakdown structure establishment; activity definition; network chart drawing; constraints-critical chain identification; the employment of restraint, which include the project time estimate activities, feeding buffer and project buffer, and resource buffer; minor non-critical path chain identification; plot the project schedule plan of critical chain (Hong and Ji-hai 331). Currently, the buffer size is regularly calculated using three forms of method. One, Goldratt method where input buffer and project buffer match half of the magnitude of the critical chain to attain 50% probability the task duration and approximated. Two, Cut-and-paste method where buffer size matches half of the difference between 90% of the probability of completion of the task duration approximated and 50% of the probability of completion task duration approximated. Third is the standard deviation method which is formed on the independent assumption of the task of the project. Nonetheless, these methods did not take into consideration the different task chain distribution duration, different uncertainty levels in different positions, and different preference risks of stakeholders (Hong and Ji-hai 331). The buffer management mechanism is perceived to be the critical chain’s tool for controlling projects. Project buffer attempts to lessen the project buffer duration and incorporates it into the critical chain. Feeding buffer asserts that the inserting task be finished in time. Finally,

Client CaseTesting and Appraisal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Client CaseTesting and Appraisal - Essay Example It is therefore hardly surprising that Bobby’s first grade report notes that he was placed in the low reading group. His mathematics are also problematic as he refused to complete his assignments and has difficulties with fine coordination. In the first grade Bobby did not do well on his SRA Achievement Test although he scored relatively better in reading comprehension and vocabulary. The results were 31 percent compared to 2 percent on mathematics reasoning, mathematics concepts and mathematics computation. Bobby’s Burk’s Behavior Rating Scale results are also troubling in that he achieved significant scores on anxiety-withdrawal, academics, suffering and anger control. He also achieved significant scores on ego strength and attention. Bobby’s Detroit Test of Learning Aptitude are very important for assessing his mental capacities and his cognitive abilities. It is also valuable for measuring his â€Å"basic abilities† and the â€Å"effects of language attention, and motor abilities on test performance† (DTLA-4). It is entirely important for placement in educational programs (Jones and Drummond 2004, p. 306). The results suggest that Bobby’s greatest difficulty is in the area of attention as his attention aptitude is equivalent to that of a 3 year old. All other results demonstrate that Bobby has the aptitude of a seven year old generally although he is just below average in some areas and above average in others. His IQ is 96 suggesting that h is intelligence is just above average. In fact the resource room notes that Bobby has potential. The examiners comments pretty much confirms what is generally common knowledge and that is the fact that Bobby has attention problems. In accordance with the ACA’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice 1977, Responsibilities of Users of Standardized Tests 2003, and other appropriate Codes of Ethics, Bobby’s parents will be assured that Bobby’s test results are confidential and are

The quantitative data analysis

The quantitative data analysis Quantitative data analysis has been an inevitable part of social science research. Like any other discipline, the theories are taught to students to give them an idea and generalisation of social facts and books, journals and other sources are used for the same. However, at times these sources are not adequate and research needs to be done in order to gain a deeper knowledge. That is when quantitative data analysis comes into picture. There have been questions raised on the need to study quantitative data analysis with the emergence of importance of qualititative data (Bryman 1988a), but the formers importance has waned little. It helps that a larger proportion of empirical research that is conducted draws upon quantitative data. The research design for any research study undertaken includes the method that needs to be applied for the purpose of collecting and analysing data. Data collection can be done two ways- primary collection and secondary analysis of data. When the researcher collects data on their own for the sole purpose of the research that they are conducting, they are making use of primary data collection. The procedures used in these collection best suits the research problem at hand. The secondary analysis of data involves collecting data for a different research purpose but that is reused for the present research question. Primary and Secondary Data As explained before, data collected for the specific problem, primary data involves addition of new data to the existing store of knowledge surrounding the research area. When this material is used by other researchers, then this becomes secondary. Hox and Boeije (2005) maintain that the primary data can be used for: Description of contemporary and historical attribute, Comparative research or replication of original research, Reanalysis for the purpose of asking new questions which were not addressed originally, Research design and methodological advancement and lastly for 5. Teaching and learning Secondary analysis utilises the existing data, collected for the purposes of a prior study, in order to pursue a research interest which is distinct from that of the original work (Heaton 2002). Secondary data analysis is usually made of quantitative data where the information is made of researched objects whose characteristics have been coded in variables that can have a range of values. In fact, secondary analysis of quantitative data is common but the practice is not the same when it comes to qualitative data (Hinds, Vogel and Clarke-Steffen 1997). Strengths and Weaknesses Social science researchers undertaking research have a choice of opting to go for primary data- information that they need to collect by themselves or for secondary- searching for data that relates to the research problem in hand. There are distinct pros and cons of going for both. In this section, we will discuss what advantages or disadvantages the researcher faces when using any of these data collection methods. One of the important advantages of going the way of primary data collection is that making use of the theoretical constructs, research design and the data collection strategy can be built with the research question in mind. This will ensure that the research study is coherent and the data collected is distinctly relevant to the problem at hand. A disadvantage lies in the fact that primary data collection can be quite time consuming and expensive affair and considering the limitations of certain research study in terms of time and budget, primary data collection might not be a viable option for many researchers. Another aspect of primary data collection is in its error inducing nature. Sampling errors made by inefficient field workers can skew up the research. Some of the prominent data collection methods in primary data are: experiments, surveys like interviews, mail and web surveys. In the case of the experiment, the researcher is able to have a control on who participates in the research and the research situation being under the researchers control means that there is strong control of design and procedure permitting causal interpretation of the results. Thus the ability to have some control may be a distinct advantage for primary data, however this can turn into a disadvantage too as one might say that the researchers control has made the research artificial. In an experimental laboratory, variables are easily manageable and there is no place for the circumstantial issues that dominate in everyday life. While conducting surveys, the researcher is able to gather both subjective as well as objective characteristics of the population. If interview questions are carefully designed, evaluated and tested, surveys are a very method to obtain first-hand valid responses from respondents. Effectively, this leads us to understanding of the advantage of secondary data analysis. Secondary data is far easier to collect and is less expensive and the access to relevant information is faster. The disadvantage lies in the fact that secondary data was collected originally for a different purpose and therefore might not be optimal for the research problem that is being considered. Heaton points out another argument favouring the use of secondary data analysis stating that it can be used to generate new knowledge, new hypotheses supporting an existing theory and it also reduces the burden that is placed on respondents (for primary data collection) by removing the need to further recruit subjects thus allowing a wider use of data from rare and inaccessible respondents. Not all social research problems can allow the usage of secondary analysis. It has been determined that it is more convenient for certain researchers, namely students and in some cases by researchers re-using their own data rather than by independent analysts. (Szabo and Strang 1997). In their own right secondary data analysis is an effective tool in teaching as it helps in introducing students to a discipline and provides a supplement to the process of teaching (Sobal 1982). But the cons behind using the same are numerous. The researcher will need to locate the source of data that is more relevant to the study and this can be time consuming as pointed out earlier. The researcher should also be able to retrieve the data, which at times can be difficult. Also, the data should be able to meet the quality requirements of the present research. Besides, the reliability of the secondary data is also a major function of the organisation that gathers, organises and publishes the data. Another crippling factor that arises in the use of secondary analysis is that it differs from systematic reviews and the meta-analyses of qualitative studies that aim towards compiling and assessing the evidence relating to a common research concern or area of practice (Popay, Rogers and Williams 1998). An issue that doesnt come in forefront when discussing secondary analysis is the principle of ethics behind using it. In using sensitive data, the researcher cannot assume informed consent. A professional judgement needs to be made about the usage of the secondary data and whether that violates any contract between the researchers and the original researcher (Hinds, Vogel and Clarke-Steffen 1997). Conclusion In conclusion, one may say that there are several advantages and disadvantages of secondary data analysis to collection of ones own primary data, and its usage is best suited to some research issues. But secondary data analysis is a valuable asset as they can act as a model for the collection of primary data. Suffice it to say that there might not be a need to choose between primary data and secondary data analysis at all, as the researcher can easily incorporate both in their research to gain a degree of balance between their strengths and weaknesses. What is most important is that both primary as well as secondary data should be accurate, reliable, appropriate, valid, precise and timely. References: Bryman, A. 1988), Quantity and Quality in Social Research, London: Routledge Heaton, L; Secondary analysis of qualitative data, 2003, in R. Miller and J. Brewer (eds.) The A-Z of Social Research, Sage, pp 285-288 Hinds, P.S., Vogel, R.J., Clarke-Steffen, L. (1997) The possibilities and pitfalls of doing a secondary analysis of a qualitative data set, Qualitative Health Research, vol. 7(3): 408-24. Hox, J.J. and Boeije, H.R. (2005). Data collection, primary versus secondary. in K. Kempf-Leonard (Ed.). Encyclopedia of Social Measurement, pp. 593-599 Popay, J., Rogers, A., Williams, G. (1998) Rationale and standards for the systematic review of qualitative literature in health services research, Qualitative Health Research, vol. 8 (3): pp. 329-40 Sobal, J. 1982, The Role of Secondary Data Analysis in Teaching the Social Sciences, Library Trends, vol. 30, n3, p479-88. Szabo, V. and Strang, V.R. (1997) Secondary analysis of qualitative data, Advances in Nursing Science, vol. 20(2): 66-74.

Military Downsizing

Running Head: WHAT OPTIONS MIGHT THE PENTAGON CONSIDER What Options Might the Pentagon Consider When Discussing the Downsizing of the Services as Well as Change Overseas Basing Richard Giadone Columbia Southern University MBA 5652 Research Methods Running Head: WHAT OPTIONS MIGHT THE PENTAGON CONSIDER Permanently stationing forces overseas gives the U. S. military a strategic advantage–but at a price. That price is paid not only in terms of budgetary cost but in terms of the personnel, units, and equipment needed to support forces stationed outside the United States. We will compare the U. S. forces stationed in Europe and East Asia against the monetary and personnel cost of keeping them there. Forward Based Versus Forward Deployed Forces The U. S. forces can be maintained overseas on either temporary or a permanent basis. Units or personnel that are in a foreign country on a permanent basis are said to be forward based or forward stationed. In contrast, units and their associated personnel that are in a foreign country for a limited time, typically six months or a year, while taking part in exercises or operations are said to be forward deployed. An example of such forces is those now deployed in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom. ) Although the distinction may appear to be minimal, it has important consequences for military forces and personnel. Forward Based Units Units that are permanently based outside the United States remain in place while individuals assigned to the units come and go. For example, the 2nd Infantry Division (2nd I D) has been stationed in South Korea since the 1950s, as a result of the Korean War armistice. While the division, with its headquarters and subordinate units, remain in place, some 13,000 Army soldiers rotate through it on one-year unaccompanied tours. The services are now allowing families to accompany service members to Korea for two Running Head: WHAT OPTIONS MIGHT THE PENTAGON CONSIDER year tours. Korea has an 8% personnel turnover each month. And, 20% of all Soldiers on assignment to Korea never show. In other locations, such as Germany, U. S. military personnel serve three year tours with units stationed there and can bring their families with them. With the help of allies, the United States has built up large infrastructures overseas to support forward stationed units, assigned personnel, and their families. Almost all overseas bases that permanently house large numbers of U. S. service members include all of the amenities of bases in the United States, such as commissaries, chapels, exercise facilities, and post offices. In addition, in places where families may accompany service members, the Department of Defense (DoD) has established schools for military dependents. In Germany alone, DoD runs 70 schools for more than 30,000 children who are dependents of U. S. military personnel and DoD civilians. Another aspect of forward based units is that personnel serving with them are considered on permanent assignment instead of temporary duty and thus undergo a â€Å"permanent change of station† (PCS) when they move from an assignment in the United States to an assignment overseas. In a PCS move, service members can take along their household goods (including automobiles) at the government's (taxpayer’s) expense, regardless of whether they are accompanied by family members. The fact that personnel are assigned to, and move in and out of forward based units on an individual basis creates continual turnover in those units. With the three-year tours common in Germany, one-third of the individuals in a particular unit will turn over every Running Head: WHAT OPTIONS MIGHT THE PENTAGON CONSIDER year and the entire population will turn over in three years. Moreover, when individuals complete a tour with a forward-based unit, they are generally assigned to a different unit in the United States than the one they served in before going overseas. Forward Deployed Units Forward deployed forces, such as those now in Afghanistan or Kosovo, are overseas on a temporary basis only. The United States does not anticipate having forces stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan for the next 50 years, as it has done in Germany. Rather, it anticipates that once Afghanistan is secure, U. S. troops will be withdrawn and not replaced. As a consequence, the United States has no plans to build elaborate bases to house U. S. forces in Afghanistan. Likewise, for the most part, military personnel are not assigned to duty in Afghanistan the same way they are to duty in South Korea or Germany. If a unit based in the United States, such as the 25th Infantry Division, is assigned to duty in Afghanistan for nine months to a year, all of the personnel associated with the division who are eligible will deploy to Afghanistan for the length of the tour. Neither soldiers' personal belongings (excluding some individual items) nor their families will accompany them. Furthermore, as much as possible, all of the individuals assigned to the unit will deploy and stay with it for the entire period and return to the home base together. Those deployed forces are often included in tallies of U. S. forces overseas, but in fact they are officially considered to be overseas on a temporary basis, even though some operations supported by rotational deployments have continued for years    Running Head: WHAT OPTIONS MIGHT THE PENTAGON CONSIDER U. S. Forces Based in Europe The United States has about 100,000 military personnel forward based in Europe. The bulk of them are stationed in Germany, where the United States has maintained forces since the end of World War II, originally as an occupation force and later as part of NATO's defense during the Cold War. Although the size of U. S. forces in Europe declined by two thirds after the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, the need to maintain the current levels is being questioned by some defense analysts and Administration officials. Army Forces The Army accounts for about 60 percent of active duty U. S. personnel stationed in Europe. Despite significant cuts in those personnel after the unification of Germany and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, the Army continues to base two of its 10 divisions and one of its four corps in Europe. Thus, a significant portion of the Army's combat power is stationed on that continent, primarily in Germany. Nevertheless, the Army's combat units (divisions and brigades) account for less than half of the service's active duty personnel in Europe. The 1st Armored Division and the 1st Infantry Division (mechanized) has only two of its three combat brigades and about 12,500 of its total 16,000 personnel based in Germany. The Army's other combat unit in Europe–the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy–has about 1,000 personnel assigned to it. Thus, the Army's permanent active-duty combat forces in Europe total about 26,000 people. Running Head: WHAT OPTIONS MIGHT THE PENTAGON CONSIDER Another 27,000 or so active-duty personnel are assigned to what the Army calls combat-support (CS) units, such as artillery, and combat-service-support (CSS) units, such as transportation. CS and CSS units provide various kinds of support to combat brigades and divisions. The other 7,000 or so active-duty Army personnel based in Europe are assigned to what could be termed administrative units, such as medical facilities, NATO headquarters in Brussels, and contracting agencies. In all, about 43 percent of Army forces in Europe are assigned to combat units, 45 percent to support units, and 12 percent to administrative duties. (The breakdown for Army forces in Germany is similar: 45 percent combat, 45 percent support, and 10 percent administrative. ) Army Bases The Army maintains an extensive network of bases in Europe, encompassing almost 300 installations. Like its personnel, the vast majority of the Army's overseas infrastructure (255 installations) is in Germany. The largest and some of the most expensive Army bases in Europe are at Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels, Germany. Those two training facilities–which provide ranges and space where Army units can practice tactics and maneuvers–cover 52,000 acres and 40,000 acres, respectively, and have a combined replacement value of more than $1. 5 billion. (6) The Army also maintains 33 barracks for unaccompanied soldiers and 36 â€Å"villages† for family housing in Germany, which have a replacement value of roughly $14 billion. Other Army installations in Germany include five hospitals, five hotels, 15 smaller training areas, nine airfields, four Running Head: WHAT OPTIONS MIGHT THE PENTAGON CONSIDER depots, three golf courses, a Boy Scout camp, and a Girl Scout camp. That infrastructure is designed to enhance soldiers' morale and, to some extent, replicate the facilities and conveniences that would be found around many Army bases in the United States. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps Forces and Bases The other three services have fewer forces stationed in Europe than the Army does. In addition, they have not concentrated their forces and bases on that continent in Germany to the extent that the Army has. The Air Force maintains the second largest presence in Europe after the Army, with 34,000 active-duty personnel and 201 installations in 12 countries. The largest contingent (15,000 active-duty personnel) is based in Germany, but the Air Force also has relatively large numbers of people in the United Kingdom (10,000) and Italy (4,000). The service's major combat units are distributed similarly, with Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy each hosting one fighter wing. The greatest numbers of Air Force installations in Europe are located in Germany. The base at Ramstein, Germany, is the main air hub for U. S. forces from all services flying to or from other parts of the world, including the United States and the Middle East. The Air Force also has strategically important installations in the United Kingdom and Greenland. The air bases at Mildenhall and Lakenheath in the United Kingdom were used extensively to support U. S. operations against Libya and during Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. The Air Force's facility in Thule, Greenland, includes radar Running Head: WHAT OPTIONS MIGHT THE PENTAGON CONSIDER that is designed to provide early warning of an intercontinental ballistic missile attack and is expected to be part of the Bush Administration's network of missile defenses. Thus, although the Air Force does not have as many installations in Europe as the Army does, several of its bases have played–and continue to play–major roles in supporting U. S. military operations. The Navy and Marine Corps, because of the nature of their activities, have a far smaller onshore presence. Neither service bases any combat forces on shore in Europe, although the Navy has 10,000 support and administrative personnel there, nor the Marine Corps has 1,000. (7) In addition, the Navy maintains 15 installations in Europe, including two air stations (in Iceland and Italy). U. S. Forces Based in East Asia and the Pacific After Europe, the region with the largest permanent U. S. military presence overseas is East Asia and the Pacific, where approximately 80,000 personnel are stationed (see Table 2-1). Virtually all of them are based in two countries: Japan, where all four services have a significant presence, and South Korea, where the Army and the Air Force have stationed combat forces. In addition, the Navy and Air Force maintain a small number of installations (and fewer than 1,000 permanent personnel) in Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Singapore. Army Forces Since the Korean War, the Army has maintained a major presence in South Korea, where 28,000 Army personnel are now based. Their mission is to enforce the 1953 Running Head: WHAT OPTIONS MIGHT THE PENTAGON CONSIDER cease-fire that ended hostilities under the auspices of the United Nations as well as to deter an attack by North Korea–or, should deterrence fail, help to repel an invasion or mount a counterattack to expel the invading force. Today, the 2nd ID is stationed in northern South Korea with two of its combat brigades, accounting for about 13,000 troops. The division's third brigade is based at Fort Lewis, Washington. ) Of the other 15,000 Army personnel in South Korea, about 13,000 are assigned to combat-support and combat-service-support units that are part of the Eighth Army, which serves as the high-level command organization for the Army in South Korea. The remaining 2,000 Army personnel in that country are assigned to units that perform administrative ta sks. The Army's representation elsewhere in the region is limited to Japan, where about 2,000 personnel are stationed. Those forces provide forward presence and support for regional contingencies and are also charged with helping to defend Japan if necessary. They include one special-forces battalion, some CS and CSS units, and several hundred soldiers assigned to administrative units. Army Bases The Army has a total of 95 installations in East Asia–80 in South Korea and the rest in Japan. The most expensive Army installation in the region is Yongsan Garrison, located in the center of Seoul. It is home to 7,000 military personnel assigned to the headquarters of U. S. Forces Korea and other command organizations and has a replacement value of $1. 3 billion. The Army's 15 installations in Japan, which support a Running Head: WHAT OPTIONS MIGHT THE PENTAGON CONSIDER much smaller force, include a housing area, three ammunition depots, and other logistics facilities, such as a port, a pier, and a fuel-handling facility. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps Forces and Bases Although both the Navy and the Air Force have installations in several East Asian countries, their bases and forces are concentrated in Japan (see Appendix A for more details). On the basis of replacement value, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force installations in Japan represent 88 percent of the three services' investment in the region. Air Force. The Air Force has 23,000 airmen stationed in East Asia and the Pacific, with more than half of them based in Japan. Half of the personnel in Japan are assigned to support and administrative units, although 7,000 are associated with the tactical fighter units stationed there. In contrast, the majority of the 10,000 Air Force personnel stationed in South Korea are combat forces, associated with the two fighter wings based in that country. The Air Force maintains a total of 67 installations in Asia to support and house its forces. Japan hosts the majority of them (44) as well as several large or valuable installations, such as Kadena Air Base, the nearby Kadena Ammunition Storage Annex, and Misawa Air Base. Together, those three installations have a replacement value of $9 billion. Air Force installations in South Korea are not as extensive as those in Japan, but they include two large air bases: one at Kunsan on the western coast and one at Osan, less than 50 miles south of the North Korean border. Those two bases have a combined replacement value of about $3 billion. Navy. Since World War II, the Navy has had a significant presence and interest in East Asia. The base at Yokosuka, Japan–home to the Seventh Fleet and the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk–is considered the Navy's largest and most strategically important overseas installation in the world. Furthermore, the Kitty Hawk's air wing, which is based in Japan when the carrier is in port, is the Navy's only forward-stationed air wing. All told, the Navy has about 6,000 personnel based on shore in Japan. To support its presence in Japan, the Navy maintains 12 installations, six of which are estimated to have a replacement value of more than $1 billion each. Its facilities at Yokosuka alone have a combined value of $5. 7 billion. The Navy also operates a base at Sasebo, which hosts an amphibious squadron, and a naval air facility at Atsugi. In all, the Navy's installations in Japan have an estimated replacement value of approximately $9 billion. Naval forces and installations in South Korea are much less extensive. Because the primary mission of U. S. Naval Forces Korea is to provide leadership and expertise in naval matters to area military commanders, there are no naval seagoing units permanently assigned to South Korea. Most of the Navy's facilities in South Korea are colocated with those of the Army at the Yongsan Garrison. Marine Corps. The Marine Corps's only division-sized unit stationed overseas–the III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF)–has been based on the Japanese island of Okinawa since 1971. To support the 20,000 marines stationed in Japan, including the MEF's 17,000 personnel, the Marine Corps maintains two large installations: Camp Butler, which covers 78,500 acres (or about one-quarter) of Okinawa, and Iwakuni Air Station on the island of Honshu. Those two installations represent a total U. S. investment of $6. 5 billion. Concerns About the Current Basing of U. S. Forces Overseas Asserting that the current basing structure is incapable of meeting future U. S. needs, the Administration accelerated an ongoing strategic review of that structure. The goal of the review is to develop a plan for forward basing that will make U. S. forces more agile and better able to respond to an unpredictable and ever changing global geopolitical situation. Defense analysts outside the Administration have voiced similar criticisms of the military's current basing structure. Below are some of the concerns that have been raised from both inside and outside the Administration about the forward basing of U. S. forces. Issues Common to Various Services Some concerns apply, to varying degrees, to all four services and their bases outside the United States. Those concerns include frictions with host nations, the cost of maintaining forward bases, the ability of forces stationed overseas to respond to likely conflicts, and the enduring utility of U. S. installations overseas. Host Nation Conflicts. All of the services are subject to disputes with the governments of host nations and their citizens over land use and the proximity of U. S. forces to civilian population centers and activities. Conflicts about land use have arisen because U. S. bases that were originally in remote locations have become increasingly surrounded by suburban or urban development. An example is the land occupied by the U. S. Yongsan Garrison in what is now downtown Seoul, land that local South Koreans envision using for other purposes. I was stationed in Tongduchon Korea in 1998 and again in 2008. Within that 10 year timeframe remote U. S. training areas were turned into greenhouses and cities. In various places around the world, U. S. training exercises conducted near sizable local populations have disrupted the lives of residents because of noise, destroyed private property, and resulted in the loss of life through accidents. As U. S. military personnel come into closer proximity with spreading urban or suburban populations, such incidents could become more common and affect support for the continued presence of large U. S. forces on foreign soil. The Cost of Basing Forces Overseas Maintaining forward based forces entails a marginal cost, in part because installations overseas, particularly in Europe, are more expensive to operate and support than those in the United States. Additional marginal costs include the family separation pay given to military personnel on unaccompanied tours and the cost of moving active duty service members, their goods, and sometimes their dependents to and from assignments overseas. The Congressional Research Service estimated that the total annual cost of basing 100,000 U. S. forces from all services in Europe rather than the United States was on the order of $1 billion to $2 billion in 1996. The Ability of Forces Based Overseas to Respond to Likely Conflicts Administration officials have questioned whether U. S. orces that are stationed primarily in Germany and South Korea are positioned appropriately to respond to probable future conflicts. They argue that conflicts are much more likely to occur in Africa, Western Asia, or the Middle East than anywhere in Western Europe. Similarly, conflicts may occur in Asia at locations other than on the Korean Peninsula like the civil unrest that has occurred recently in Indonesia and t he Philippines. Although all of the services have personnel stationed in Germany and all but the Navy in South Korea, that concern is most relevant for the Army because of its oncentration of forces in those countries. Most of the Administration's public statements about altering the current basing of U. S. forces abroad appear to focus on Army units. The Utility of the Current Overseas Basing Structure Although Administration officials have questioned the usefulness of some of the military's existing overseas infrastructure, they have said that some bases have obvious enduring utility. For example, the Air Force's Ramstein and Osan air bases serve as major hubs in Germany and South Korea, respectively. Army and other personnel and some equipment pass through those facilities when they arrive from the United States or depart for other parts of the globe, such as the Middle East. Those large installations, in which the United States has invested heavily to expedite the movement of forces and equipment into and out of Europe and Asia, are of high strategic value, and the Administration has explicitly stated that it will retain them. The training areas at Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels, which provide facilities unavailable anywhere else in Europe, will also be retained. Issues Specific to the Army As noted above, various characteristics set the Army apart in terms of forward basing: it has far more personnel stationed overseas than any other service, those forces are located in places that appear to be legacies of the Cold War, and Army units require the most time and expense to be transported to conflicts away from where they are based. For those reasons, many concerns about the present U. S. basing structure focus on that service. Army Forces in Europe The main concern expressed by Administration officials about the Army forces now based in Europe seems to be the amount of time they would need to respond to a conflict in the region. Although the two Army divisions stationed in Germany were well placed to defend NATO from Soviet attack, they cannot deploy quickly to conflicts outside Germany. For example, three months elapsed between the decision to move the 1st Armored Division from Germany to Iraq in March 2003 and its arrival in that theater. Military and Administration officials have indicated that the need for U. S. intervention s much more likely in Africa, Eastern Europe, or Western Asia than in Western Europe. Statements by U. S. commanders in Europe suggest that the Administration may be assessing how to speed the deployment of U. S. forces to places such as Nigeria, Uganda, Azerbaijan, and Djibouti. (Nigeria and Baku, Azerbaijan, are sources of oil; Uganda and Djibouti are potential staging bases for conducting operations in Africa to counter instability and terrorism. ) As was the case with Iraq, moving a division, or even part of one, from Germany to any of those locations would take a considerable amount of time. The units in Germany are heavy divisions equipped with tanks and armored vehicles, so the most efficient way to transport their equipment is by sea. Moving one heavy brigade combat team from Germany to locations in Africa or the Caspian region would take between 20 days and a month, and transporting an entire division's equipment would take another four days in all cases, only about five days faster than moving the same types of units from the United States. Those lengthy deployment times have raised questions about the utility of the Army forces now based in Germany. Another issue concerning those forces is the cost of keeping them in Europe rather than at bases in the continental United States. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that it costs about $1 billion more per year to maintain about 56,000 Army forces in Germany than if those troops were stationed in the United States–both because running bases and providing family housing and schools is more expensive in Germany than in the United States and because the Army must pay for overseas allowances and moves to and from assignments in Europe. If those forces are not needed to respond to any likely future conflict in the immediate region, observers might ask, why should the United States spend $1 billion each year to keep them there? Army Forces in South Korea Concerns about the 28,000 Army forces stationed in South Korea differ from those associated with Army forces based in Europe. Very few defense analysts question the need to keep substantial U. S. forces based in South Korea to deter North Korea from invading or attacking its southern neighbor. Instead, their concerns relate to four main issues: the condition and location of U. S. bases in South Korea, the instability in Army units that results partly from supporting large numbers of one year tours in South Korea, the quality of life of soldiers assigned to those tours, and whether Army units based in South Korea should be made more available to respond to conflicts elsewhere in the region. Problems with Bases in South Korea The condition and location of the Army's installations in South Korea are less than desirable. According to U. S. ilitary officials in that country, many of the Army's bases are obsolete, poorly maintained, and in disrepair, including some Quonset huts from the Korean War era that still house soldiers. Most lack the amenities found at other U. S. bases overseas, and soldiers assigned to them are authorized to receive hardship duty pay of $150 per month. In addition, Army bases in South Korea are relatively small, spread out, and vulnerable. Units of the 2nd ID are scattered among 17 installations located north of the capital, Seoul, and within 30 miles of the North Korean border. That area is well within range of North Korean artillery placed along the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that runs between the two countries. Should North Korea attack South Korea, U. S. forces at those bases would be vulnerable to barrages from large numbers of artillery tubes. Secretary of Defense Donald Gates has argued that removing U. S. soldiers from such an immediate threat would give them an advantage in surviving and responding to an attack. Another issue about U. S. bases in South Korea that has been raised recently concerns the large U. S. resence in the center of Seoul known as the Yongsan Garrison. That 640 acre installation was on the outskirts of the city when it was built, but it is now in downtown Seoul, occupying valuable real estate and causing tensions with the local populace. Instability in Army Units The need to support forces stationed in South Korea causes turbulence in Army units based in the continental United States (CONUS). Because duty in South Korea is conside red hazardous and bases there are poorly equipped, family members do not accompany 80 percent of the soldiers serving tours in South Korea. Unaccompanied tours are limited to one year to minimize family separation, which means that almost the entire population of Army personnel in South Korea turns over every year. That turnover has a ripple effect on Army units based in CONUS, which must provide soldiers to replace those leaving South Korea and integrate new personnel. CBO estimates that, on average, war fighting units in CONUS experience turnover of 37 percent of their enlisted personnel every year, as soldiers leave for tours outside the continental United States, take administrative assignments in places such as the Pentagon, or leave the Army altogether. Some Army officials have asserted that high turnover in Army units reduces their cohesion and war fighting capability. The need to replace virtually all of the enlisted personnel in South Korea each year contributes about 6 percentage points of the total 37 percent turnover in CONUS war fighting units, CBO estimates. Quality of Life in South Korea Maintaining Army forces in South Korea on unaccompanied tours adversely affects the quality of soldiers' lives by contributing to family separation. An enlisted soldier spending 10 years in the Army could, on average, expect to spend a total of . years on unaccompanied tours, according to CBO's calculations. Although that is a small percentage overall, some specialties and junior enlisted personnel are more heavily represented in South Korea than in the Army as a whole, so their numbers could be much higher. Serving on unaccompanied tours has been shown to decrease the likelihood that a soldier will reenlist, which means that maintaining fo rces in South Korea under current basing arrangements may have an adverse effect on retention. Availability of Army Units in South Korea Because the Army forces based in South Korea are generally viewed as a deterrent to hostile behavior by North Korea, the 2nd ID and its two brigades have been considered unavailable to participate in any operations outside the Korean Peninsula. (By contrast, Army units based in Germany have been used in operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq. ) The unavailability of the 2nd ID results partly because the division is based far from transportation hubs and partly because its units, which include many bulky and heavy vehicles, are not easy to deploy elsewhere. Secretary Gates recently raised the possibility of realigning the Army's forces in South Korea to make them more suitable for use in regional contingencies throughout Asia. He proposed making those forces more mobile by replacing their heavy armored vehicles with lighter and more modern vehicles and by moving them closer to transportation hubs south of Seoul. As we consider the world’s current economic state, what are we to do with such a large institution? 1. | Most of the roughly 15,000 soldiers assigned to units in South Korea other than the 2nd ID also rotate through their units on one-year unaccompanied tours. However, approximately 10 percent of them are on accompanied tours, in which the Army pays to move soldiers' families to South Korea and provides facilities for dependents while the soldiers are on assignment there. Those tours typically last for two or three years. | 2. | Not all of the soldiers assigned to a division would deploy with it. On average, 4 percent of Army personnel are ineligible to deploy overseas at any given time for various reasons, such as pregnancy, other health concerns, and family emergencies. Additional soldiers–as many as 35 percent in peacetime–may be ineligible because of Army personnel policies designed to ensure soldiers' quality of life. For a discussion of Army deployment rates in peacetime, see Bruce R. Orvis, Deployability in Peacetime, DB-351-A (Santa Monica, Calif. : RAND, 2002). | 3. | Some attrition, necessitating individual replacements, will inevitably occur over a deployment of six to 12 months. | 4. | For example, the United States has provided a small force to support the peacekeeping efforts of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula since 1982. Battalion-sized units of about 1,000 soldiers deploy for six-month assignments with the MFO. Similarly, units have been supporting operations in Bosnia and Kosovo on six-month deployments since 1996 and 1999, respectively. All told, the Army maintained an average of about 15,000 soldiers on operational deployments from 1997 through early 2001. | 5. | The third brigade of each of those divisions is based at Fort Riley, Kansas. Although the 1st Armored and 1st Infantry Divisions each have about 16,000 personnel assigned to them, when taking part in an operation they would typically be accompanied by several support units, which might include total of about 24,000 personnel. As a consequence, a division and its accompanying support units–known as a division slice–would include a total of about 40,000 personnel. | 6. | That and other replacement values cited in this study are based on data from Department of Defense, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Insta llations and Environment, Department of Defense Base Structure Report: Fiscal Year 2003 Baseline (June 2003), available at www. defenselink. mil/news/Jun2003/basestructure2003. pdf. That publication lists the replacement values of current U. S. defense facilities, including excess facilities that the United States still owns. | 7. | The Navy and Marine Corps have additional personnel based on board ships that may be anchored in European waters. | 8. | For example, two South Korean girls were killed in 2003 when they were struck by an Army armored vehicle during training exercises. | 9. | Stephen Daggett, Defense Budget: Alternative Measures of Costs of Military Commitments Abroad, CRS Report for Congress 95-726F (Congressional Research Service, June 16, 1995). | 10. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps units can take a considerable amount of time to establish efficient operations in remote locations. Nevertheless, in some cases, they can provide a more rapid initial response than can Army forces that do not have staging bases near a conflict. | 11. | John T. Correll, â€Å"European Command Looks South and East,† Air Force Magazine, December 2003. | 12. | Ibid. | 13. | Vince Crawley, â€Å"Oil May Drive Troop Staging ,† Army Times, September 22, 2003, p. 30. | 14. | The reason is that U. S. transport aircraft (C-17s) can carry only one M1 tank at a time. Moving an entire heavy division would require about 1,500 C-17 flights, and moving one brigade combat team from the division would take up to 500 flights. Since the U. S. military is projected to have only about 140 C-17s by 2005, transporting heavy divisions and brigades by air is not practical. | 15. | Those numbers are explained in detail in Chapter 3. | 16. | General Accounting Office, Defense Infrastructure: Basing Uncertainties Necessitate Reevaluation of U. S. Construction Plans in South Korea, GAO-03-643 (July 2003), p. 5. | 17. | See David J. Lynch, â€Å"DMZ Is a Reminder of Status in Korean Crisis,† USA Today, December 23, 2003, p. 11; and Thom Shanker, â€Å"Gates Reassures Seoul on Regrouping G. I. s,† New York Times, November 18, 2003, p. A10. | 18. | Although most personnel sent to South Korea each year come from CONUS-based units (because the Army generally tries not to assign soldiers to back-to-back tours outside the continental United States), some are drawn from the pool of new recruits completing their training. | 19. | Personnel assignments and career tracks vary greatly between enlisted personnel and officers in the Army. This analysis focuses on the enlisted force because it represents the vast majority of Army personnel–approximately 400,000 out of the Army's total strength of about 480,000. | 20. | CBO used a model of personnel turnover in its analysis that is based on a model developed by RAND. In its analysis, RAND estimated similar rates for both total annual enlisted turnover and the contribution from the need to support tours in South Korea. See W. Michael Hix and others, Personnel Turbulence: The Policy Determinants of Permanent Change of Station Moves, MR-938-A (Santa Monica, Calif. RAND, 1998). | 21. | See General Accounting Office, Military Personnel: Longer Time Between Moves Related to Higher Satisfaction and Retention, GAO-01-841 (August 2001). | 22. | Robert Marquand, â€Å"U. S. Redeployments Afoot in Asia,† Christian Science Monitor, November 18, 2003. | http://www. eagleworldnews. com/2011/01/07/pentagon-plans-to-downsize-army-in-coming-years/ http://www. pacom. mil/we b/site_pages/uspacom/facts. shtml http://www. globalsecurity. org/military/ops/korea-orbat. htm http://www. stripes. om/news/pacific/korea/u-s-army-in-south-korea-begins-transformation-of-forces-1. 115890 Table 2-1. U. S. Bases and Forces Stationed in Europe and Asia | Forward-Based Personnel (Thousands) | Installations | | Combat| Support and Administration| Total| Total Number| Number with Replacement Value of More Than $1 Billion| Total Replacement Value (Billions of dollars)a| | Europe| Army|   | | Belgium| 0|   | 1|   | 1|   | 10|   | 0|   | 1|   |   | Germany| 25|   | 31|   | 56|   | 255|   | 3|   | 30|   |   | Italy| 1|   | 1|   | 2|   | 16|   | 0|   | 1|   |   | Other| 0|   | 1| 1|   | 13|   | 0|   | 1|   |   |   | Subtotal| 26|   | 34|   | 60|   | 294|   | 3|   | 33|   |   | Air Force| 14|   | 20|   | 34|   | 201|   | 5|   | 22|   | Navyb| 0|   | 10|   | 10|   | 15|   | 2|   | 7| à ‚  | Marine Corpsb| 0|   | 1|   | 1|   | 0|   | 0|   | 0|   |   | |   |   | Total | 40|   | 65|   | 105|   | 510|   | 10|   | 62|   |   | East Asia and the Pacificc| | Army|   | | Japan| 0|   | 2|   | 2|   | 15|   | 0|   | 3|   |   | South Korea| 13|   | 15|   | 28|   | 80|   | 2|   | 8|   |   |   | Subtotal| 13|   | 17|   | 30|   | 95|   | 2|   | 11|   |   | Air Force| 14|   | 10|   | 23|   | 67|   | 5|   | 18|   | Navyb| 0|   | 6|   | 6|   | 16|   | 6|   | 9|   | Marine Corpsb| 10|   | 10|   | 20|   | 2|   | 2|   | 6|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total| 37|   | 43|   | 79|   | 180|   | 15|   | 44|   | Source: Congressional Budget Office based on data from Department of Defense, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment, Department of Defense Base Structure Report: Fiscal Year 2003 Baseline (June 2003), available at www. efenselink. mil/news/Jun2003/basestructure2003. pdf; Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate of Information Operations and Reports, Department of Defense Active-Duty Personnel Strengths by Regional Area and by Country (309A) (September 30, 2002); and other Defense Department data. Note: More-detailed breakdowns for the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps appear in Tables A-1 and A-2 in Appendix A. a. Includes the replacement value of excess facilities that the United States still owns.

The Host Chapter 7: Confronted

Yes, Faces Sunward?† I asked, grateful to the raised hand for interrupting my lecture. I did not feel as comfortable behind the lectern as I usually did. My biggest strength, my only real credential-for my host body had had little in the way of a formal education, on the run since her early adolescence-was the personal experience I usually taught from. This was the first world's history I'd presented this semester for which I had no memories to draw upon. I was sure my students were suffering the difference. â€Å"I'm sorry to interrupt, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The white-haired man paused, struggling to word his question. â€Å"I'm not sure I understand. The Fire-Tasters actually†¦ ingest the smoke from burning the Walking Flowers? Like food?† He tried to suppress the horror in his tone. It was not a soul's place to judge another soul. But I was not surprised, given his background on the Planet of the Flowers, at his strong reaction to the fate of a similar life-form on another world. It was always amazing to me how some souls buried themselves in the affairs of whichever world they inhabited and ignored the rest of the universe. But, to be fair, perhaps Faces Sunward had been in hibernation when Fire World became notorious. â€Å"Yes, they receive essential nutrients from this smoke. And therein lies the fundamental dilemma and the controversy of Fire World-and the reason the planet has not been closed, though there has certainly been adequate time to populate it fully. There is also a high relocation percentage. â€Å"When Fire World was discovered, it was at first thought that the dominant species, the Fire-Tasters, were the only intelligent life-forms present. The Fire-Tasters did not consider the Walking Flowers to be their equals-a cultural prejudice-so it was a while, even after the first wave of settling, before the souls realized they were murdering intelligent creatures. Since then, Fire World scientists have focused their efforts on finding a replacement for the dietary needs of the Fire-Tasters. Spiders are being transported there to help, but the planets are hundreds of light-years apart. When this obstacle is overcome, as it will be soon, I'm sure, there is hope that the Walking Flowers might also be assimilated. In the meantime, much of the brutality has been removed from the equation. The, ah, burning-alive portion, of course, and other aspects as well.† â€Å"How can they†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Faces Sunward trailed off, unable to finish. Another voice completed Faces Sunward's thought. â€Å"It seems like a very cruel ecosystem. Why was the planet not abandoned?† â€Å"That has been debated, naturally, Robert. But we do not abandon planets lightly. There are many souls for whom Fire World is home. They will not be uprooted against their will.† I looked away, back at my notes, in an attempt to end the side discussion. â€Å"But it's barbaric!† Robert was physically younger than most of the other students-closer to my age, in fact, than any other. And truly a child in a more important way. Earth was his first world-the Mother in this case had actually been an Earth-dweller, too, before she'd given herself-and he didn't seem to have as much perspective as older, better-traveled souls. I wondered what it would be like to be born into the overwhelming sensation and emotion of these hosts with no prior experience for balance. It would be difficult to find objectivity. I tried to remember that and be especially patient as I answered him. â€Å"Every world is a unique experience. Unless one has lived on that world, it's impossible to truly understand the -â€Å" â€Å"But you never lived on Fire World,† he interrupted me. â€Å"You must have felt the same way†¦ Unless you had some other reason for skipping that planet? You've been almost everywhere else.† â€Å"Choosing a planet is a very personal and private decision, Robert, as you may someday experience.† My tone closed the subject absolutely. Why not tell them? You do think it's barbaric-and cruel and wrong. Which is pretty ironic if you ask me-not that you ever do. What's the problem? Are you ashamed that you agree with Robert? Because he's more human than the others? Melanie, having found her voice, was becoming downright unbearable. How was I supposed to concentrate on my work with her opinions sounding off in my head all the time? In the seat behind Robert, a dark shadow moved. The Seeker, clad in her usual black, leaned forward, intent for the first time on the subject of discussion. I resisted the urge to scowl at her. I didn't want Robert, already looking embarrassed, to mistake the expression as meant for him. Melanie grumbled. She wished I wouldn't resist. Having the Seeker stalk our every footstep had been educational for Melanie; she used to think she couldn't hate anything or anyone more than she hated me. â€Å"Our time is almost up,† I announced with relief. â€Å"I'm pleased to inform you that we will have a guest speaker next Tuesday who will be able to make up for my ignorance on this topic. Flame Tender, a recent addition to our planet, will be here to give us a more personal account of the settling of Fire World. I know that you will give him all the courtesy you accord me, and be respectful of the very young age of his host. Thank you for your time.† The class filed out slowly, many of the students taking a minute to chat with one another as they gathered their things. What Kathy had said about friendships ran through my head, but I felt no desire to join any of them. They were strangers. Was that the way I felt? Or the way Melanie felt? It was hard to tell. Maybe I was naturally antisocial. My personal history supported that theory, I supposed. I'd never formed an attachment strong enough to keep me on any planet for more than one life. I noticed Robert and Faces Sunward lingering at the classroom door, locked in a discussion that seemed intense. I could guess the subject. â€Å"Fire World stories ruffle feathers.† I started slightly. The Seeker was standing at my elbow. The woman usually announced her approach with the quick tap of her hard shoes. I looked down now to see that she was wearing sneakers for once-black, of course. She was even tinier without the extra inches. â€Å"It's not my favorite subject,† I said in a bland voice. â€Å"I prefer to have firsthand experience to share.† â€Å"Strong reactions from the class.† â€Å"Yes.† She looked at me expectantly, as if waiting for more. I gathered my notes and turned to put them in my bag. â€Å"You seemed to react as well.† I placed my papers in the bag carefully, not turning. â€Å"I wondered why you didn't answer the question.† There was a pause while she waited for me to respond. I didn't. â€Å"So†¦ why didn't you answer the question?† I turned around, not concealing the impatience on my face. â€Å"Because it wasn't pertinent to the lesson, because Robert needs to learn some manners, and because it's no one else's business.† I swung my bag to my shoulder and headed for the door. She stayed right beside me, rushing to keep up with my longer legs. We walked down the hallway in silence. It wasn't until we were outside, where the afternoon sun lit the dust motes in the salty air, that she spoke again. â€Å"Do you think you'll ever settle, Wanderer? On this planet, maybe? You seem to have an affinity for their†¦ feelings.† I bridled at the implied insult in her tone. I wasn't even sure how she meant to insult me, but it was clear that she did. Melanie stirred resentfully. â€Å"I'm not sure what you mean.† â€Å"Tell me something, Wanderer. Do you pity them?† â€Å"Who?† I asked blankly. â€Å"The Walking Flowers?† â€Å"No, the humans.† I stopped walking, and she skidded to a halt beside me. We were only a few blocks from my apartment, and I'd been hurrying in hopes of getting away from her, though likely as not, she'd invite herself in. But her question caught me off guard. â€Å"The humans?† â€Å"Yes. Do you pity them?† â€Å"Don't you?† â€Å"No. They were quite the brutal race. They were lucky to survive each other as long as they did.† â€Å"Not every one of them was bad.† â€Å"It was a predilection of their genetics. Brutality was part of their species. But you pity them, it seems.† â€Å"It's a lot to lose, don't you think?† I gestured around us. We stood in a parklike space between two ivy-covered dormitories. The deep green of the ivy was pleasing to the eye, especially in contrast to the faded red of the old bricks. The air was golden and soft, and the smell of the ocean gave a briny edge to the honey sweet fragrance of the flowers in the bushes. The breeze caressed the bare skin of my arms. â€Å"In your other lives, you can't have felt anything so vivid. Wouldn't you pity anyone who had this taken from them?† Her expression stayed flat, unmoved. I made an attempt to draw her in, to make her consider another viewpoint. â€Å"Which other worlds have you lived on?† She hesitated, then squared her shoulders. â€Å"None. I've only lived on Earth.† That surprised me. She was as much a child as Robert. â€Å"Only one planet? And you chose to be a Seeker in your first life?† She nodded once, her chin set. â€Å"Well. Well, that's your business.† I started walking again. Maybe if I respected her privacy, she would return the favor. â€Å"I spoke to your Comforter.† And maybe not, Melanie thought sourly. â€Å"What?† I gasped. â€Å"I gather you've been having more trouble than just accessing the information I need. Have you considered trying another, more pliable host? She suggested that, did she not?† â€Å"Kathy wouldn't tell you anything!† The Seeker's face was smug. â€Å"She didn't have to answer. I'm very good at reading human expressions. I could tell when my questions struck a nerve.† â€Å"How dare you? The relationship between a soul and her Comforter -â€Å" â€Å"Is sacrosanct, yes; I know the theory. But the acceptable means of investigation don't seem to be working with your case. I have to get creative.† â€Å"You think I'm keeping something from you?† I demanded, too angry to control the disgust in my voice. â€Å"You think I confided that to my Comforter?† My anger didn't faze her. Perhaps, given her strange personality, she was used to such reactions. â€Å"No. I think you're telling me what you know†¦ But I don't think you're looking as hard as you could. I've seen it before. You're growing sympathetic to your host. You're letting her memories unconsciously direct your own desires. It's probably too late at this point. I think you'd be more comfortable moving on, and maybe someone else will have better luck with her.† â€Å"Hah!† I shouted. â€Å"Melanie would eat them alive!† Her expression froze in place. She'd had no idea, no matter what she thought she'd discerned from Kathy. She'd thought Melanie's influence was from memories, that it was unconscious. â€Å"I find it very interesting that you speak of her in the present tense.† I ignored that, trying to pretend I hadn't made a slip. â€Å"If you think someone else would have better luck breaking into her secrets, you're wrong.† â€Å"Only one way to find out.† â€Å"Did you have someone in mind?† I asked, my voice frigid with aversion. She grinned. â€Å"I've gotten permission to give it a try. Shouldn't take long. They're going to hold my host for me.† I had to breathe deeply. I was shaking, and Melanie was so full of hate that she was past words. The idea of having the Seeker inside me, even though I knew that I would not be here, was so repugnant that I felt a return of last week's nausea. â€Å"It's too bad for your investigation that I'm not a skipper.† The Seeker's eyes narrowed. â€Å"Well, it does certainly make this assignment drag on. History was never of much interest to me, but it looks like I'm in for a full course now.† â€Å"You just said that it was probably too late to get any more from her memories,† I reminded her, struggling to make my voice calm. â€Å"Why don't you go back to wherever you belong?† She shrugged and smiled a tight smile. â€Å"I'm sure it is too late†¦ for voluntary information. But if you don't cooperate, she might just lead me to them yet.† â€Å"Lead you?† â€Å"When she takes full control, and you're no better than that weakling, once Racing Song, now Kevin. Remember him? The one who attacked the Healer?† I stared at her, eyes wide, nostrils flared. â€Å"Yes, it's probably just a matter of time. Your Comforter didn't tell you the statistics, did she? Well, even if she did, she wouldn't have the latest information that we have access to. The long-term success rate for situations such as yours-once a human host begins to resist-is under twenty percent. Did you have any idea it was so bad? They're changing the information they give potential settlers. There will be no more adult hosts offered. The risks are too great. We're losing souls. It won't be long before she's talking to you, talking through you, controlling your decisions.† I hadn't moved an inch or relaxed a muscle. The Seeker leaned in, stretched up on her toes to put her face closer to mine. Her voice turned low and smooth in an attempt to sound persuasive. â€Å"Is that what you want, Wanderer? To lose? To fade away, erased by another awareness? To be no better than a host body?† I couldn't breathe. â€Å"It only gets worse. You won't be you anymore. She'll beat you, and you'll disappear. Maybe someone will intervene†¦ Maybe they'll move you like they did Kevin. And you'll become some child named Melanie who likes to tinker with cars rather than compose music. Or whatever it is she does.† â€Å"The success rate is under twenty percent?† I whispered. She nodded, trying to suppress a smile. â€Å"You're losing yourself, Wanderer. All the worlds you've seen, all the experiences you've collected-they'll be for nothing. I saw in your file that you have the potential for Motherhood. If you gave yourself to be a Mother, at least all that would not be entirely wasted. Why throw yourself away? Have you considered Motherhood?† I jerked away from her, my face flushing. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she muttered, her face darkening, too. â€Å"That was impolite. Forget I said that.† â€Å"I'm going home. Don't follow.† â€Å"I have to, Wanderer. It's my job.† â€Å"Why do you care so much about a few spare humans? Why? How do you justify your job anymore? We've won! It's time for you to join society and do something productive!† My questions, my implied accusations, did not ruffle her. â€Å"Wherever the fringes of their world touch ours there is death.† She spoke the words peacefully, and for a moment I glimpsed a different person in her face. It surprised me to realize that she deeply believed in what she did. Part of me had supposed that she only chose to seek because she illicitly craved the violence. â€Å"If even one soul is lost to your Jared or your Jamie, that is one soul too many. Until there is total peace on this planet, my job will be justified. As long as there are Jareds surviving, I am needed to protect our kind. As long as there are Melanies leading souls around by the nose†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I turned my back on her and headed for my apartment with long strides that would force her to run if she wanted to keep up. â€Å"Don't lose yourself, Wanderer!† she called after me. â€Å"Time is running out for you!† She paused, then shouted more loudly. â€Å"Inform me when I'm to start calling you Melanie!† Her voice faded as the space between us grew. I knew she would follow at her own pace. This last uncomfortable week-seeing her face in the back of every class, hearing her footsteps behind me on the sidewalk every day-was nothing compared to what was coming. She was going to make my life a misery. It felt as if Melanie were bouncing violently against the inner walls of my skull. Let's get her canned. Tell her higher-ups that she did something unacceptable. Assaulted us. It's our word against hers – In a human world, I reminded her, almost sad that I didn't have access to that sort of recourse. There are no higher-ups, in that sense. Everyone works together as equals. There are those whom many report to, in order to keep the information organized, and councils who make decisions about that information, but they won't remove her from an assignment she wants. You see, it works like – Who cares how it works if it doesn't help us? I know-let's kill her! A gratuitous image of my hands tightening around the Seeker's neck filled my head. That sort of thing is exactly why my kind is better left in charge of this place. Get off your high horse. You'd enjoy it as much as I would. The image returned, the Seeker's face turning blue in our imagination, but this time it was accompanied by a fierce wave of pleasure. That's you, not me. My statement was true; the image sickened me. But it was also perilously close to false-in that I would very much enjoy never seeing the Seeker again. What do we do now? I'm not giving up. You're not giving up. And that wretched Seeker is sure as hell not giving up! I didn't answer her. I didn't have a ready answer. It was quiet in my head for a brief moment. That was nice. I wished the silence could last. But there was only one way to buy my peace. Was I willing to pay the price? Did I have a choice anymore? Melanie slowly calmed. By the time I was through the front door, locking behind me the bolts that I had never before turned-human artifacts that had no place in a peaceful world-her thoughts were contemplative. I'd never thought about how you all carry on your species. I didn't know it was like that. We take it very seriously, as you can imagine. Thanks for your concern. She wasn't bothered by the thick edge of irony in the thought. She was still musing over this discovery while I turned on my computer and began to look for shuttle flights. It was a moment before she was aware of what I was doing. Where are we going? The thought held a flicker of panic. I felt her awareness begin to rifle through my head, her touch like the soft brush of feathers, searching for anything I might be keeping from her. I decided to save her the search. I'm going to Chicago. The panic was more than a flicker now. Why? I'm going to see the Healer. I don't trust her. I want to talk to him before I make my decision. There was a brief silence before she spoke again. The decision to kill me? Yes, that one.

Use Magazine Vendor Websites to Find New Paying Markets

Use Magazine Vendor Websites to Find New Paying Markets We have all been there. We have poured over websites for writers, submission directories like Writers Market and WritersWeekly.com to find that next freelance opportunity. There are many magazines to write for, both online and off, especially now that the internet has blossomed and bloomed. The trouble comes in when writers try to find actual paying work. There’s a little-known source that many writers overlook: Magazine vendors. These are firms that sell magazines (usually at a discount) to the public. Most of them have large, detailed websites listing thousands of magazines, many of which you didn’t even know existed. And, most popular magazines pay writers respectable rates. The process is simple. Find a magazine on one of the vendor sites, use Google or another search engine to find the magazine’s website, and then find the masthead so you’ll know where, and to whom, to send your query. You’ll find writer’s guidelines posted on some of the websites as well. Some magazine sites list editorial email addresses, while others have forms you can use to submit to them online. For sites that have email addresses, you might want to create a spreadsheet, categorized Usually, the magazines that are in the best-seller category pay the highest. Here are three magazine vendors you can use to find new paying markets for your writing: Magazine Agent magazine-agent.com Magazine Agent has magazines listed Amazon Kindle Magazines https://www.amazon.com/Magazines-Journals-Kindle/b?ie=UTF8node=241646011 Amazon’s Kindle has boosted not only book buying, but magazine buying as well (electronic editions, of course). The magazine categories are in a linked list in the left-hand column. The information for each publication has the price, the publisher, and reviews. Naturally, the best place to find the highest paying magazines is in the best-sellers section, which is in a box on the right-hand side of the page. Find magazines you want to approach, find their websites, and then find the masthead. Magazines.com https://www.magazines.com This is similar to the sites above, and also has a link to their best-sellers at the top of the page. There you have it! A roundabout, yet solid way to find magazines that actually pay their writers. For some magazines, the hardest part will be locating the email addresses of the magazine editors but, with a bit of help from Google (or your favorite search engine) and a lot of patience you can have a large list of editors to query in the future.

Hills Like White Elephant essays

Hills Like White Elephant essays In everyone ¡s life, there will always be a time that you have to make an important choice. Whether is for education, business or relationship. In the story  ¡Hills Like White Elephant ¡ by Ernest Hemingway is about making choice in a relationship situation, about a girl who need to make important choice about whether to keep the pregnant child within her, or do abortion so her husband will be happy. In the story  ¡Hills Like White Elephant ¡ Ernest Hemingway introduce two characters to us, a girl named Jig, who is pregnant with a baby, and the American man who sounds like he is a carefree person and who loves to travel. The reason why I say this American man loves to travel is because the story tell us that  ¡there were labels on bags from all the hotels where they had spent night ¡ (208) shows the they traveled a lot. In the story, Jig sounds like she really want to have this baby, but her husband (the American man) didn ¡t want to keep this baby, because in the story the man said  ¡I think is the best thing to do(to have abortion) ¡ (207) and he know if the baby was born, it will effect their carefree life and the all the travels, that ¡s why he say that  ¡That ¡s the only thing that bothers us. It ¡s the only thing that ¡s made us unhappy ¡ (207). So the man try to convince Jig to do the abortion by saying thing such as  ¡It ¡s really an awfu lly simple operation, they just gonna let the air in ¡ (207),  ¡My friend ¡s wife did it, and they were so happy ¡ (207),  ¡We can have the world, we can go everywhere ¡ (208) and  ¡I ¡ll go with you and I ¡ll stay with you all the time ¡ (207). Jig sounds like she really want to have this baby, but she know her husband will be more happy if she did the abortion. And she keep asking him  ¡if I do it you ¡ll be happy me and things will be like they were and you ¡ll love me? ¡ (207). Even thought that the man ...

What sort of religious experience should I give my children Research Paper - 1

What sort of religious experience should I give my children - Research Paper Example Jesus proclaimed in John’s Gospel, â€Å"I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit† (Jordly 202). Jesus Christ wants us to know that we are at one with Him, and so we must prepare our children to receive Him. The Holy Communion is the leading sacrament because the Lord divinely exists in us. Several Christian faiths commemorate a communion feast with wine and bread as a symbol of our relationship with God, or as a means to celebrate the Last Supper (Cottrell 128). Followers of the Catholic faith consider this communion meal as something beyond a mere commemoration or symbol. When Jesus Christ proclaimed, â€Å"This is my body†¦ This is my blood,† (Wallace 25). Catholics know the meaning of the words faithfully as Jesus uttered them. Jesus also proclaimed (Cottrell 129): Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Hence, at the time of sanctification, Catholics know that the wine and bread are not wine and bread anymore. The wine and bread have become Jesus Christ Himself, his soul, blood, body, and holiness. It is a unique miracle that takes place on Catholic shrines across the globe, each day, from the moment Jesus Christ bestowed upon us this sacrament at the Last Supper (Glavich 12). Nobody, not even adults with tons of knowledge, not even the people of the Church, can wholly grasp how this strong bond with Jesus occurs. It is an unfathomable enigma. This essay is built on the question, â€Å"what sort of religious experience should I give my children?† I already confronted this question a long time ago, and it is only recently that I finally found the answer. I realized that I

CASE 2 ETHICS - Informational Privacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CASE 2 ETHICS - Informational Privacy - Essay Example The question is: Should Justin Ellsworth's parents have been given access to his e-mail? Utilitarianism says that this action is right because his parents are worthy stakeholders and their happiness weigh more than a dead person’s privacy and confidentiality rights, while this action is immoral for deontological reasons because Yahoo! has a duty to its users and not their parents and because privacy and confidentiality respect people as ends and must be protected at all times. Utilitarianism says that Justin’s parents deserve access to his e-mail because this action leads to their net good, where the vital people end up being happy. Utilitarianism is a type of consequentialism, where people aim to maximize the utility of their decisions (Brooks & Dunn, 2010, p.183). This ethical theory maintains that an action is good, if it results to a net good to the greatest number of people (Brooks & Dunn, 2010, p.183). The number and nature of consequences rationalize the morality of people’s decisions. Yahoo! did the right thing when it did not release the e-mail contents immediately to Justin’s parents because they did not have the right to it. Confidentiality terms indicate that Yahoo! gives all users the assurance that the latter’s information would not be disclosed without consent from the subject. Justin Ellsworth, although dead, has privacy rights over his e-mail. Privacy is a person’s yearning to control the access of others to themselves. By keeping the e-mail contents confidential, Yahoo! respects the privacy of all users. Users appreciate the protection of their privacy through the confidentiality of their data. Their happiness is considered as a high net good of Yahoo!’s efforts for privacy and confidentiality. Justin has a right to keep his e-mail private. However, his parents’ happiness must be considered too. Using act utilitarianism, this paper evaluates specific actions, instead of the rules that aff ect them, in arriving at moral decisions (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2011, p.159). Parents are more important stakeholders than the general public and Yahoo! because the former are the reasons for Justin’s existence. Society should respect their interests and happiness too. If access to Justin’s e-mail content will make them happy, then their happiness is more essential than other people. Furthermore, the user is dead. His interest is not more relevant than his parents, who can gain peace of mind from his e-mail. Utilitarianism justifies the consequences, where direct family members have the right to gain access to the deceased’s information, even if it violates privacy and confidentiality. Deontology, on the contrary, asserts that Justin’s parents should not access his e-mail because of the following reasons: Yahoo! has a duty to its users, not to their families; this action cannot be universalized; and it treats Justin as a means to his parents†™ ends. Deontology is concerned of individual rights and the intentions connected to specific actions, not their consequences (Ferrell et al., 2011, p.159). Obligations and duties that impact actions are decisive elements of deontology (Brooks & Dunn, 2010, p.184). Deontologists believe that there are things that cannot be done, even when they result to the highest utility (Ferrell et al., 2011, p.159). Justin’s parents should not be able to access his e-mail