God

God What proofs have been provided of the existence of god? Do you think that science is able to contribute to this debate, either to prove that God exists, or that he does not? 1 Abstract 2 Introduction a History of this debate From the time of Plato, there have been a considerable number of arguments postulated in favour of the existence of God. The definition of the word 'God' is ambiguous and has been used in so many different senses by different thinkers. However, all the debates in some ways or another clearly investigate on whether 'God exists'.Before looking deeper into the subject, a historical review will be an aid to our understanding.HISTORY.The trend of thoughts over this debate has undoubtedly been tainted by revolutions in social, political and moral acceptances. In medieval times, for example, one would be punished for disbelief in God or for questioning the 'sacred texts'.Gods and sodasGalileo had his finger cut off for 'blasphemy' when he simply postulated that the eart h revolved around the sun as this questioned statements in the Holy Bible.b Why is it important to debate this? The existence of a 'God', or 'Supreme Being' is very important in the life of a human being. In fact, it is very dear to many believers who have faith in a God and other devotees who practise a religion. Religion, which acknowledges God as the 'Supreme Being' who is the master of us all, is merely an instrument of a belief in the existence of God. But first and for all, it is a question of human existence, human life, his purpose on earth and finally, the ultimate death. The significance of a God also leads to some definition of the code of practice to be adopted in life, helping humans...

Biography of William Halsey Jr., U.S. Fleet Admiral

Biography of William Halsey Jr., U.S. Fleet Admiral William Halsey Jr. (October 30, 1882–August 16, 1959) was an American naval commander who achieved fame for his service during World War II. He played an important role in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle of the war. Halsey was made a U.S. fleet admiral- the highest rank for naval officers- in December 1945. Fast Facts: William Halsey Jr. Known For: Halsey was a leading U.S. Navy commander during World War II.Also Known As: Bull HalseyBorn: October 30, 1882 in Elizabeth, New JerseyDied: August 16, 1959 in Fishers Island, New YorkEducation: University of Virginia, United States Naval AcademySpouse: Frances Cooke Grandy (m. 1909–1959)Children: Margaret, William Early Life William Frederick Halsey, Jr. was born on October 30, 1882, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The son of U.S. Navy Captain William Halsey, he spent his early years in Coronado and Vallejo, California. Raised on his fathers sea stories, Halsey decided to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. After waiting two years for an appointment, he decided to study medicine and followed his friend Karl Osterhause to the University of Virginia, where he pursued his studies with the goal of entering the Navy as a doctor. After his first year in Charlottesville, Halsey finally received his appointment and entered the academy in 1900. While he was not a gifted student, he was a skilled athlete and active in numerous academic clubs. Playing halfback on the football team, Halsey was recognized with the Thompson Trophy Cup as the midshipman who had done most during the year for the promotion of athletics. After graduating in 1904, Halsey joined the USS Missouri  and was later transferred to the USS Don Juan de Austria in December 1905. Having completed the two years of sea time required by federal law, he was commissioned as an ensign on February 2, 1906. The following year, he served aboard the battleship USS Kansas as it took part in the cruise of the Great White Fleet. Promoted directly to lieutenant on February 2, 1909, Halsey was one of a few ensigns who skipped the rank of lieutenant (junior grade). Following this promotion, Halsey began a long series of command assignments aboard torpedo boats and destroyers beginning with the USS DuPont. World War I After commanding the destroyers Lamson, Flusser, and Jarvis, Halsey went ashore in 1915 for a two-year stint in the Executive Department of the Naval Academy. During this time he was promoted to lieutenant commander. With the U.S. entry into World War I, he took command of the USS Benham in February 1918 and sailed with the Queenstown Destroyer Force. In May, Halsey assumed command of the USS Shaw and continued to operate from Ireland. For his service during the conflict, he earned the Navy Cross. After he was ordered home in August 1918, Halsey oversaw the completion and commissioning of the USS Yarnell. He remained in destroyers until 1921 and ultimately commanded Destroyer Divisions 32 and 15. After a brief assignment in the Office of Naval Intelligence, Halsey, now a commander, was sent to Berlin as the U.S. Naval Attachà © in 1922. Interwar Years Halsey later returned to sea service, commanding the destroyers USS Dale and USS Osborne in European waters until 1927, when he was promoted to captain. Following a one-year tour as executive officer of the USS Wyoming, Halsey returned to the Naval Academy, where he served until 1930. He led Destroyer Division Three through 1932, when he was sent to the Naval War College. In 1934, Rear Admiral Ernest J. King, the head of the Bureau of Aeronautics, offered Halsey command of the carrier USS Saratoga. At this time, officers selected for carrier command were required to have aviation training and King recommended that Halsey complete the course for aerial observers, as it would fulfill the requirement. Halsey instead elected to take the full 12-week Naval Aviator (pilot) course rather than the simpler aerial observer program. In justifying this decision, he later said, I thought it better to be able to fly the aircraft itself than to just sit back and be at the mercy of the pilot. Halsey earned his wings on May 15, 1935, becoming the oldest individual, at age 52, to complete the course. With his flight qualification secured, he took command of the Saratoga later that year. In 1937, Halsey went ashore as the commander of Naval Air Station, Pensacola. Marked as one of the U.S. Navys top carrier commanders, he was promoted to rear admiral on March 1, 1938. Taking command of Carrier Division 2, Halsey hoisted his flag aboard the new carrier USS Yorktown. World War II After leading Carrier Division 2 and Carrier Division 1, Halsey became Commander of Aircraft Battle Force with the rank of vice admiral in 1940. With the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entry into World War II, Halsey found himself at sea aboard his flagship USS Enterprise. Upon learning of the attack he remarked, Before were through with em, the Japanese language will only be spoken in hell. In February 1942, Halsey led one of the first American counterattacks of the conflict when he took Enterprise and Yorktown on a raid through the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. Two months later, in April 1942, Halsey led Task Force 16 to within 800 miles of Japan to launch the famed Doolittle Raid. By this time, Halsey- known as Bull to his men- adopted the slogan Hit hard, hit fast, hit often. After returning from the Doolittle mission, he missed the critical Battle of Midway due to a severe case of psoriasis. Later, he led Allied naval forces to victory in the Guadalcanal Campaign. In June 1944, Halsey was given command of the U.S. Third Fleet. That September, his ships provided cover for the landings on Peleliu, before embarking on a series of damaging raids on Okinawa and Formosa. In late October, the Third Fleet was assigned to provide cover for the landings on Leyte and to support Vice Admiral Thomas Kinkaids Seventh Fleet. Battle of Leyte Gulf Desperate to block the Allied invasion of the Philippines, the commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Admiral Soemu Toyoda, devised a daring plan that called for most of his remaining ships to attack the landing force. To distract Halsey, Toyoda sent his remaining carriers, under Vice Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa, to the north with the goal of drawing the Allied carriers away from Leyte. In the resulting Battle of Leyte Gulf, Halsey and Kinkaid won victories on October 23 and 24 over the attacking Japanese surface ships. Late on the 24th, Halseys scouts sighted Ozawas carriers. Believing Kuritas force to have been defeated, Halsey elected to pursue Ozawa without properly informing Nimitz or Kinkaid of his intentions. The next day, his planes succeeded in crushing Ozawas force, but due to his pursuit he was out of position to support the invasion fleet. Unknown to Halsey, Kurita had reversed course and resumed his advance toward Leyte. In the resulting Battle of Samar, Allied destroyers and escort carriers fought a valiant battle against Kuritas heavy ships. Alerted to the critical situation, Halsey turned his ships south and made a high-speed run back toward Leyte. The situation was saved when Kurita retreated of his own accord after becoming concerned about the possibility of an aerial attack from Halseys carriers. Despite the stunning Allied successes in the battles around Leyte, Halseys failure to clearly communicate his intentions and his leaving the invasion fleet unprotected damaged his reputation in some circles. Final Campaigns Halseys reputation was again damaged in December when Task Force 38, part of the Third Fleet, was hit by Typhoon Cobra while conducting operations off the Philippines. Rather than avoid the storm, Halsey remained on station and lost three destroyers, 146 aircraft, and 790 men to the weather. In addition, many ships were badly damaged. A subsequent court of inquiry found that Halsey had erred, but did not recommend any punitive action. In January 1945, Halsey turned the Third Fleet over to Spruance for the Okinawa Campaign. Resuming command in late May, Halsey made a series of carrier attacks against the Japanese home islands. During this time, he again sailed through a typhoon, though no ships were lost. A court of inquiry recommended that he be reassigned; however, Nimitz overruled the judgment and allowed Halsey to keep his post. Halseys last attack came on August 13, and he was aboard the USS Missouri when the Japanese surrendered on September 2. Death Following the war, Halsey was promoted to fleet admiral on December 11, 1945, and assigned to special duty in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy. He retired on March 1, 1947, and worked in business until 1957. Halsey died on August 16, 1959, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Legacy Halsey was one of the highest-ranking officers in U.S. naval history. He accumulated numerous honors, including the Navy Cross, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. The USS Halsey was named in his honor.

Voter Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Voter Psychology - Essay Example why voters cast their ballots for this candidate and that party. Downs implies that what is ideal is to vote on the basis of issues and ideologies but the reality is that many voters follow certain rules and others certain logical steps which they use as guidelines to vote. Downs intimates that most voters vote for selfish reasons, that at the heart of the voting process is their own interests, which is the maximization of their utility incomes (42). If their incomes are below the desired level, they are apt to support a change of the status quo and thus a vote against the incumbent. But if their incomes have skyrocketed because of the incumbent's policies that favor them, they will necessarily dread a change of policies or a fracture in the continuity of present policies and thus bat for retention of the incumbent in office. fat chance of winning. Thus in order to ensure that his voting is not an exercise in futility, he becomes engaged in forecasting, predicting and estimating the outcome of the election contest. If such processes prove that his preferred bet is not "part of the relevant range of choice" (48), then he has no option but switch vote for another party that has a better chance of winning. Related to the idea that a voter opts for that which carries or protects the voter's best interests is the idea of partisanship. Downs, however, refuses to mention this word. Instead, he designates partisans as loyalists (85), who have set their minds to vote for a particular candidate election after election. These voters are knowledgeable about the issues and are often zealous and participative in political discussions. Downs also introduces the idea of trend factor which voters may use as guideline in their decision of whom to vote for in an election (41). Voters tend to reelect the incumbent who at the outset of his government incurred mistakes but then has improved steadily his governance and at the present has governed expertly to voters' satisfaction. Conversely, voters tend to boot out of office that incumbent who started office splendidly, but has since spiraled out to degeneracy. Another Downs syndrome is the performance ratings concept (41). Sometimes voters are thrown out of equilibrium when candidates carry identical platforms and policies. To resolve the impasse, the basis of the decision is drastically changed to whether or not the incumbent has performed better in office than their predecessors. If not, then the verdict is to replace the incumbent.

Discuss how various aspects of physical appearance may influence Essay

Discuss how various aspects of physical appearance may influence career success in graduate jobs.Illustrate your answer with suitable evidence - Essay Example Human Resource Managers are likely to recruit people who trigger productivity in a company. Since beauty lead to such accomplishment, it is presumed that physical appeal gives a competitive edge to an industry. Physical attraction affects female employees more than it does their male counterparts. Women are concerned about their weight because they do not want to be less appealing. Men do not feel the same. Statistics show that women who wear makeup are more likely to be hired than those who do not. Debra Jaliman, a dermatologist confirms that women spend a lot of time and energy working on their skin so that they can have an added advantage during job interviews. This shows that women are aware that they get judged by their looks in their job search. They strive to maintain an attractive, youthful appearance because their credibility will be measured with their looks. Debra’s client claimed that she was fired, after working with her company for 17 years because she did not look as young as before (Madell, 2015). She was in her early 50s, more desperate to look for effective skin products that will conceal her wrinkles before she re-enters the job market. The emphases on beauty are too much that the surgical business is booming. People go as far as fixing small features on their faces so that they would achieve the ideal look. In the United States, movie characters are given roles according to their looks. The less attractive actors are given bad characters while the beautiful actors play the starring roles. The trend has been in place for over six decades. These are movies which have brought high returns. There is so much pressure on actors to maintain a stunning look that they cannot walk to the grocery shop without putting on makeup. It takes a single photograph from the paparazzi to destroy their image. It is common sense for actors to maintain their looks because their jobs depend on their appearance. The same applies to

The Paris Peace Conference Research Paper Essay Example for Free

The Paris Peace Conference Research Paper Essay The Paris Peace Conference is only one of many conferences throughout the world. This conference was led by not only by just a United States President, but by my blood lines. President Woodrow Wilson is my great, great, great grandfather. He had chosen to lead the delegation of the Peace Conference with Paris after World War I. Woodrow Wilson was also the first President to visit Europe in their term as president of the United States of America. This Paris Peace Conference had been known as another name, the Treaty of Versailles. This Treaty (Paris Peace Conference) was basically written to finish off, and declare the ending of World War I. This was held not just within Paris, but many countries had been involved, such as Germany, Russia, France, Great Britain, Italy, and the United States. These countries were all given the task of following the treaty to end this â€Å"war of all wars†. Although many people in having the basic knowledge of this Treaty, do not realize that this entire war ending Conference takes an entire Process. This process consists of Economists, Geographers, Ethicists, Military Experts, and of course the Ambassadors. Each person or group of people had their own set of tasks to accomplish during this Conference. The Economists were in charge of all the costs, and payments that may be due. Then the Geographers helped to determine boundaries over each country; this was to be placed in the Treaty. Next the Ethicists, to basically figure out how this war was even started in the first place; then the military experts were in charge of the power given to most people; this included the restrictions and certain regulations. Then the last groups of people are the Ambassadors, they usually hold the speeches and speak their own countries testimonies. This Paris Peace Conference was not just a sudden agreement either; there was an agreement leading up to the Peace Conference. This was called the Armistice. This was an agreement signed on November eleventh in 1918. This agreed to everyone holding a Peace conference discussing Post-war world. The Paris Peace Conference was held on the 12th of January in 1919. The ending of this Conference was dated to the 20th of January in 1920. There were countries that had their disagreements towards this Treaty, for example Great Britain wanted power over the Seas, but they were not the only ones, also they wanted control over Germany.

Media Should Respect Privacy of Public Figures Essay -- Argumentative

The Media Should Respect Privacy of Public Figures    How much privacy of the individual is protected under the United States Constitution? Every one is entitled to the right of privacy, but to what extent is that privacy granted? Public figures are constantly being harassed and photographed by the media. Some photographers and reporters will go to any means, even illegal actions, to get a picture or story. However, public figures are human beings like everyone else, and the media should give them more privacy. The media needs to operate with more respect for both laws and for moral and ethical codes of conduct. There are laws establishing the privacy of an individual, and the media needs to extend these rights to public figures. Are public officials entitled to private lives? The answer, up until two generations ago was a clear yes (Knowlton, 51). President Franklin D. Roosevelt used a wheel chair or braces, but that disability was rarely mentioned and almost never photographed. Many previous presidents were unfaithful to their wives, but the media did not cover these affairs that were common knowledge to the press corps (Knowlton, 51). However, the extramarital affairs of President Clinton are being widely covered by the media. The ethical code of conduct has fallen apart, and the media has new views on the amount of privacy that should be extended to public figures. According to Steven Knowlton, author of Moral Reasoning for Journalists, "Celebrities of all sorts-musicians, athletes, entertainers, and others-make their living from the public and the public therefore in a sense employs them, just as it employs governors and presidents..."(54). Most journalists figure that celebrities voluntarily surrender their pr... ...ion in a home or other private place. Even though these are not currently illegal actions, the media should act as if they were. Like other people, public figures should be able to separate their job from their family and personal lives. When public figures are spending time with their families, they should not be harassed by the media; intrusions on the privacy of celebrities are intrusions on the privacy of everyone. Works Cited Claffey, Mike and Tumposky, Ellen. "Sadness, Anger Toward Photographers Follows Diana's Death. Witchita Eagle. 31 August 1997. Dill, Barbara. The Journalist's Handbook on Libel and Privacy. New York. 1986. Knowlton, Steven R. Moral Reasoning for Journalists. Connecticut. 1997. Smolla, Rodney A. Suing the Press. New York. 1986. Sunstein, Cass R. "Reinforce the Walls of Privacy." The New York Times. 6 September 1997.

Egg Baby Reflection Paper Essay

Throughout this whole experience with my baby egg Kendall, had really taught me how to become far more responsible. My experience with my egg baby was so much fun, but I soon learned that it wouldn’t be easy caring for a baby all day long every day. Having to look after a child 24/7 is not an easy task to accomplish, especially when you had other priories before the egg came along. I admit this whole process wasn’t fun at times. For example; all the times when I either went out to eat or to go shopping, I not only had to get food for myself but for one more person! It might sound silly, but you really have to remember that it’s not just you and your husband any more. You have a baby! During the process, I had to find a way to work around my job and take care of Kendall, so I had to take off a good month and a half to provide good care for my child. This experience assured me even more that I am not near ready for children at my age. I also thought that it a lot g ot harder as the week went on with having to carry it everywhere I went, and to get in and out of my locker, as well as bringing it to class everyday while all the same time not dropping it! The whole two weeks was quite the experience for me. I managed to never drop, or crack my egg baby through it all. Which wasn’t an easy task to do, considering you literally had the egg every class you went to. Not to mention when you couldn’t make time for your baby you had to find a babysitter that you depend on for a good 3 hours. When going to and from school I decided to buckle up Kendall in the front seat so she was very secure and had no change of getting smashed by my book bag or anything else. Through it all I found that the more effort I put into this project, the more I would get out of it in the end. I had to realize that this egg baby was going to be my top priority for two weeks straight. During her physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development stages I learned that babies are motivated, curious and competent learners right from the start. They are natural scientists in a way. Cognitive development is the building of concept knowledge and thinking skills. Children come into  the world eager to lea rn. Through relationships, active exploration and experiences, figure out how things work, imitate others, try out new behaviors, share meaning, and solve problems. Like scientists, young children discover the mysteries of the world. Through play and practice, they build ideas and develop their thinking skills on their own. I found that babies experience emotions right from the start. From their first cry of hunger to their first giggle, their emotional experience grows. Young children learn many ways to express emotions such as happiness, sadness and anger. As they interact with their people, they come to understand their own emotional experience. Eventually they gain some control over their strong emotions. I learned that as children mature and grow parents eagerly await for important signs in the child’s life such as learning how to roll over and crawl. Each of these represents a part of physical development. I found that it is also important to realize that the speed at which these indicators are reached can vary. For example; some children learn to walk earlier than their friends, while others may take a bit longer. I learned that social and emotional development is often harder to determine than sign s of physical development. From the start babies begin to explore their new world including themselves and other people. During this development children tend to have rapid mood swings. Their emotions can be very intense; these feelings also tend to be short-lived. For example; your child can go from screaming hysterically about a toy he wants to sitting in front of the television quietly watching his favorite show just moment later! Some studies have found that emotional and social developments are needed for school. Examples include paying attention to adults, and cooperating with other kids. I learned a lot from all these developments. They really taught me how hard it will be when later on I do eventually have kids and what I will have to look forward to. Parenthood affected my week just by having to make sure I leave a little extra earlier to get to class on time, and having to keep hold on good to my basket when moving through the halls. The biggest job I felt really had me thinking at all times was to make sure I never left her anywhere, and to always know where she was at all times! I had difficult times during the week where I had to find a babysitter a couple days ahead when I knew I wasn’t going to be able to take care of her that night. I really had to adapt very quickly to this new lifestyle for two weeks,  because I knew it was going to change how I did everything. The most difficult thing for my throughout this whole process was probably having to put my egg baby before anything for two weeks. At some points during the process Kendall was kind of a pain because she had to tag along to literally everything I went to since throughout the process I really didn’t have much money for babysitters but I managed, and some of the places were not suitable for egg babies. I felt I spent a lot of time with Kendall, I mean honestly she went practically everywhere with me! We spent a bunch of time together to and from school, and after track practices. The most time occurred at school, and going to every class together. I will most likely parent my child with clear expectations and consequences and I will be loving and caring toward them. I will allow for flexibility when they are dealing with behavioral challenges. In conclusion, I feel from this whole experience my letter grade should be an â€Å"A†. If the past week was any sign, my egg-parenting skills are still a work in progress. I managed to keep my egg intact without any cracks. In the end I was actually really sur prised how good I kept Kendall together. I did have some nerves about dropping it, when other classmates were only a couple days into the project and already having cracks or dropping it completely. Though I found out that I had become much more responsible through this whole project.

Intro to Finance Essay

An efficient financial system promotes intermediaries that successfully link â€Å"savers† from â€Å"borrowers† (Mankiw). There are two widely-known financial intermediaries namely the banks and mutual funds. Banks are highly accessible to the general public are generally more cost advantageous that direct lending. Generally, the banks main purpose in the economy is to take in deposits from savers and â€Å"use these deposits to make loans to people who want to borrow† (Mankiw, N. Gregory, 2001, Principles of Economics, p. 557). Banks incur costs by paying interest on these deposits and earn from these by charging higher interest rates on loan borrowers. Second to this, banks play an important role in the economy as they â€Å"facilitate the purchases of goods and services by allowing people to write checks against their deposits† (Mankiw, N. Gregory, 2001, Principles of Economics, p. 557). In this manner, the economy benefits from banks by this accessible medium of exchange. Unlike stocks or bonds which are not as immediate, checks make it easier for the public to exercise their monetary transactions. Mutual funds, on the other hand, are institutions that use the proceeds of selling shares in buying portfolios of stocks and bonds where they derive their profits. The financial markets become more accessible and efficient because mutual funds allow people with small savings to become owners and creditors of numerous companies. Also, mutual funds allow its shareholders the benefit of risk diversification wherein a single fund can carry a roster of diverse portfolios in stocks and bonds. A broker can either be an individual or a corporate entity that earns a fee-based profit by performing buy and sell orders from investors and/ or clients. A good example of this is a brokerage firm that specializes in trading company stocks and securities. A broker’s main functions in the financial market would include basic execution of buying and selling shares, and financial advisory to clients regarding the management of their shares/ stocks. With the emergence of automation and popular online brokerage firms, traditional brokers have redefined their place in the industry. Most popular online brokerage firms such as Ameritrade and E*Trade offer lower fees to investors as opposed to traditional brokers. Financial and Investment Advisory are also automated online via innovative investment software tools. With information becoming more accessible because of the internet, traditional brokers are now transitioning into online brokers wherein online orders are still routed to and monitored by them; and with reduced client-interface for advisories.

The Battle of San Jacinto in the Texas Revolution

The Battle of San Jacinto in the Texas Revolution The Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, ​was the defining battle of the Texas Revolution. Mexican General Santa Anna had unwisely divided his force to mop up those Texans still in rebellion after the Battle of the Alamo and the Goliad Massacre. General Sam Houston, sensing Santa Annas mistake, engaged him on the shores of the San Jacinto River. The battle was a rout, as hundreds of Mexican soldiers were killed or captured. Santa Anna himself was captured and forced to sign a treaty, effectively ending the war. Rebellion in Texas Tensions had long been simmering between rebellious Texans and Mexico. Settlers from the USA had been coming to Texas (then a part of Mexico) for years, with the support of the Mexican government, but a number of factors made them unhappy and open war broke out at the Battle of Gonzales on October 2, 1835. Mexican President/General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna marched north with a massive army to put down the rebellion. He defeated the Texans at the legendary Battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836. This was followed by the Goliad Massacre, in which some 350 rebellious Texan prisoners were executed. Santa Anna vs. Sam Houston After the Alamo and Goliad, panicked Texans fled east, fearing for their lives. Santa Anna believed that the Texans were beaten even though General Sam Houston still had an army of almost 900 in the field and more recruits came every day. Santa Anna chased the fleeing Texans, alienating many with his policies of driving off Anglo settlers and destroying their homesteads. Meanwhile, Houston kept one step ahead of Santa Anna. His critics called him a coward, but Houston felt he would only get one shot at defeating the much-larger Mexican army and preferred to pick the time and place for battle. Prelude to Battle In April of 1836, Santa Anna learned that Houston was moving east. He divided his army in three: one part went on a failed attempt to capture the provisional government, another remained to protect his supply lines, and the third, which he commanded himself, went after Houston and his army. When Houston learned what Santa Anna had done, he knew the time was right and turned to meet the Mexicans. Santa Anna set up camp on April 19, 1836, in a marshy area bordered by the San Jacinto River, Buffalo Bayou and a lake. Houston set up camp nearby. Sherman’s Charge On the afternoon of April 20, as the two armies continued to skirmish and size each other up, Sidney Sherman demanded that Houston send a cavalry charge to attack the Mexicans: Houston thought this foolish. Sherman rounded up about 60 horsemen and charged anyway. The Mexicans did not flinch and before long, the horsemen were trapped, forcing the rest of the Texan army to briefly attack to allow them to escape. This was typical of Houston’s command. As most of the men were volunteers, they did not have to take orders from anyone if they didn’t want to and often did things on their own. The Battle of San Jacinto On the following day, April 21, Santa Anna received some 500 reinforcements under the command of General Martà ­n Perfecto de Cos. When Houston didn’t attack at first light, Santa Anna assumed he would not attack that day and the Mexicans rested. The troops under Cos were particularly tired. The Texans wanted to fight and several junior officers tried to convince Houston to attack. Houston held a good defensive position and wanted to let Santa Anna attack first, but in the end, he was convinced of the wisdom of an attack. At about 3:30, the Texans began silently marching forward, trying to get as close as possible before opening fire. Total Defeat As soon as the Mexicans realized an attack was coming, Houston ordered the cannons to fire (he had two of them, called the â€Å"twin sisters†) and the cavalry and infantry to charge. The Mexicans were taken completely unawares. Many were asleep and almost none were in defensive position. The angry Texans swarmed into the enemy camp, shouting â€Å"Remember Goliad!† and â€Å"Remember the Alamo!† After about 20 minutes, all organized resistance failed. Panicked Mexicans tried to flee only to find themselves trapped by the river or bayou. Many of Santa Anna’s best officers fell early and loss of leadership made the rout even worse. The Final Toll The Texans, still enraged over the massacres at the Alamo and Goliad, showed little pity for the Mexicans. Many Mexicans tried to surrender, saying â€Å"me no La Bahà ­a (Goliad), me no Alamo,† but it was no use. The worst part of the slaughter was at the edges of the Bayou, where fleeing Mexicans found themselves cornered. The final toll for the Texans: nine dead and 30 wounded, including Sam Houston, who had been shot in the ankle. For the Mexicans: about 630 dead, 200 wounded and 730 captured, including Santa Anna himself, who was captured the next day as he tried to flee in civilian clothes. Legacy of the Battle of San Jacinto After the battle, many of the victorious Texans clamored for the execution of General Santa Anna. Houston wisely refrained. He correctly surmised that Santa Anna was worth much more alive than dead. There were still three large Mexican armies in Texas, under Generals Filisola, Urrea and Gaona: any one of them was large enough to potentially defeat Houston and his men. Houston and his officers spoke with Santa Anna for hours before deciding on a course of action. Santa Anna dictated orders to his generals: they were to leave Texas at once. He also signed documents recognizing the independence of Texas and ending the war. Somewhat amazingly, Santa Annas generals did as they were told and retreated out of Texas with their armies. Santa Anna somehow evaded execution and eventually made his way back to Mexico, where he would later resume the Presidency, go back on his word, and try more than once to re-take Texas. But every effort was doomed to failure. Texas was gone, soon to be followed by California, New Mexico, and much more Mexican territory. History lends events such as the independence of Texas a certain feeling of inevitability  as if it was always the destiny of Texas to become first independent and then a state in the USA. The reality was different. The Texans had just suffered two huge losses at the Alamo and Goliad and were on the run. Had Santa Anna not split his forces, Houstons army may well have been beaten by the Mexicans superior numbers. In addition, Santa Annas generals had the strength to defeat the Texans: had Santa Anna been executed, they likely would have kept fighting. In either case, history would be much different today. As it was, the Mexicans crushing defeat at the Battle of San Jacinto proved decisive for Texas. The Mexican army retreated, effectively ending the only realistic chance they ever had of re-taking Texas. Mexico would futilely try for years to reclaim Texas, only finally relinquishing any claim to it after the Mexican-American War. San Jacinto was Houstons finest hour. The glorious victory silenced his critics and gave him the invincible air of a war hero, which served him in good stead during his subsequent political career. His decisions were consistently proven wise. His reluctance to attack Santa Annas unified force and his refusal to let the captured dictator be executed are two good examples. For the Mexicans, San Jacinto was the start of a long national nightmare that would end with the loss of not only Texas  but also California, New Mexico, and much more. It was a humiliating defeat and for years. Mexican politicians made great plans to get Texas back, but deep down they knew it was gone. Santa Anna was disgraced  but would make yet another comeback in Mexican politics during the Pastry War against France in 1838-1839. Today, there is a monument at the San Jacinto battlefield, not far from the city of Houston. Resources and Further Reading Brands, H.W. Lone Star Nation: the Epic Story of the Battle for Texas Independence. New York: Anchor Books, 2004.

6 Top College Interview Tips How to Prepare Effectively

6 Top College Interview Tips How to Prepare Effectively SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Many of the top colleges either recommend or require interviews. To give yourself the best opportunity to make a good impression in your interviews, and to improve your chances of getting accepted to these schools, you should absolutely prepare for your interviews. In this article, I'll explain exactly how prepare for a collegeinterview, and I'll give you detailed college interview tipsthat should make you more comfortable and confident during the interview process. Introduction toCollege Interviews An interview provides the college with an opportunity to give you more information about the school and answer any of your questions about the school and the application process. Additionally, the interview gives the school an opportunity to learn more about you, your interests, and how you’ll be able to contribute to the school. Only a small percentage of colleges recommend or require an interview. Most large public universities don’t offer interviews because theysimply havetoo many applicants. Typically, the colleges that offer interviews are very selective private colleges. Check a college's website or contact the admission office to determine if interviews are offered and how to schedule one. Interviews can be on-campus, usually with an admissions representative, or off-campus near where you live, usually with a graduate of the college. Also, they can be evaluative, meaning that your interview impacts admission decisions, or they can be informational, meaning that they’re just designed to provide you with more information about the school or one of its programs. Two schools thatoffer evaluative interviews are Harvard and Princeton while Cornell and Vassar have informational interviews. Which Colleges Require Interviews? Check outthe complete list of colleges that require interviews to learn about all of the schools that recommend or require interviews. All of the Ivy League schools outside of Cornell either recommend or require interviews. Other colleges that recommend or require interviews include Duke, Emory, Bowdoin, University of Chicago, MIT, and Georgetown. Some colleges that offer optional interviews include Stanford, Tufts, Vanderbilt, and Vassar. Duke recommends interviews, and it has updated the look of its mascot. (Duke University Archives/Flickr) How to Set Up a College Interview Once you decide which schools you’re applying to, find out if they offer interviews. Also, you need to make a note of how and when to set up interviews. For schools that give interviews, you’ll often be contacted after you submit your application with information about setting up an interview. Generally, interviews are conducted in the fall if you're applying early, and they're conducted in the winter if you apply under regular decision.If you're given the option of having an interview, you should interview. Interviewing shows the school that you're genuinely interested in attending, and demonstrating interest can help your chances of gaining admission. Also, the interview gives the school an opportunity to learn more about you outside of what's in your application, and you get to learn more about the school. Why Do You Need to Prepare For an Interview? Most colleges stress that interviews are opportunities for the school to get to know more about you and for you to get to know more about the school. You may assume that because you know about yourself, there’s no real need to prepare. You may think that all you have to do is honestly answer the questions you’re asked. While it's true that you primarily just have to candidly answer questions about yourself, preparation can help youappear more confident and givemore thoughtful answers. Also, if you prepare, you'll be able to ask questions that demonstrate your interest in the school and show that you've done substantial research. Some additional preparation can help separate you from the thousands of students who are interviewing for these selective schools. If you prepare, you can be as confident as this guy. How to Prepare for a CollegeInterview Your preparation for your interviews consists ofthree major components: research, practicing answers to questions, and preparing questions to ask the interviewer. I’ll explain how to do all three and how they’ll benefit you during your interview. Step 1: Research the School Well before your interview, you should research as much about the school as possible. Focus your research on why the school would be a good fit for you and your needs. Because you should have done extensive research before you decided to apply, this should be mostly review and shouldn’t be too time-consuming. Consider how the school will be able to meet your needs and what you're looking for in a college. You can research anything of interest to you, whether it's related to academics, campus life, extracurriculars, study abroad programs, or athletics. If you want to pursue a specific major, you can learn about its course requirements, professors, and any special programs for students in that major. Use the school's website, college finders, search websites, and guidebooks to help you learn about the school. Your research will help you prepare for questions you may be asked, and it will help you come up with questions for your interviewer. Step 2: Prepare for Your InterviewAnswer Check out this article for a specific guide on the questions you should prepare for. Some common ones include: Why are you interested in this college? What are your academic strengths? What do you plan to be doing ten years from now? The questions you'll be asked pertain to your personality, character, goals, and why you think the school would be a good fit for you. To prepare, you should jot down some notes and practice your responses to the most common interview questions. Remember that the school wants to learn about what makes you unique. So, if you're asked about your greatest strength, don't just say that you're hardworking. That's a response that could be given by thousands of students. If you think you're especially diligent, you can reveal an anecdote that demonstrates your exceptional work ethic. Being able to give specific examples will make your answers much stronger and more believable. While it's not a bad idea to practice answering common questions, you don't want to try to memorize your answers or write them out word for word. You should appear conversational in the interview, and you don't want to have to stress about remembering the exact words of your prepared answers. Incorporate information from your research into your answer about why the school would be a good fit for you. Try to include information that's not too superficial or obvious. Don't just say you want to be a doctor and the school has a good pre-med program. Go into more depth. What about the pre-med program makes it a good program for you? What resources or classes that the school offers appeal to you? You can do a mock interview with a teacher, counselor, parent, or friend. Have somebody ask you common interview questions and practice responding as if you were in the interview. Step 3: Prepare Questions for Your Interviewer Remember that the interview is not only an opportunity for the interviewer to learn about you; it’s also an opportunity for you to learn more about the school. Asking questions shows you’re engaged and that you’re taking the college selection process seriously. Refer to this post for good questions to ask in an interview. I recommend preparing at least 2-3 questions. Here are a couple of examples of good questions: What advice would you have for me as an incoming freshman? I heard about (insert name of on-campus event). Have you participated? What's it like? Your questions should either be related to your research about the school, personal questions for the interviewer (but not inappropriately personal), or related to something the interviewer said or revealed during the interview. When you prepare questions, don't come up with questions that can be easily answered through basic research. Don't ask where the school is located or if it has a certain major. You should know the answers to those questions before the interview. Just like your answers to interview questions, your questions for the interviewer should be deeper and demonstrate thought. 3 College Interview Tips for the Day Of By the day of your collegeinterview, you should be extremely knowledgeable about the school, prepared to answer common interview questions, and have a few questions prepared for your interviewer. Here are some college interview tips to follow the day you interview. By this point, your hard work is mostly done, and now you get a chance to learn more about the school and show what a superstar you are. Tip 1: Dress Well When it comes to college interview attire, it’s better to err on the side of looking too formal than too casual. You want to appear like you’re taking the interview seriously, and you want to present yourself in a professional manner. Tip 2: Be Punctual I assume this goes without saying, but make sure you’re on time. Nothing gives a worse first impression than showing up late to a meeting. If something out of your control happens and you’re running late, contact the interviewer to let him/her know. Tip 3: Relax If you’ve made basic preparations and you’re polite to your interviewer, most likely, your interview will only be able to help your chances of admission. Also, so you don't stress too much, remember that the interview is only a minor factor in determining whether or not you're accepted to a school. Try your best to just be yourself. These colleges want to learn about you, so don't be overly worried about giving the "right" answers to questions. Give genuine answers and feel free to show your personality. What's Next? As you continue to research colleges and the college application process, make sure you know the complete application timeline and how many colleges to apply to. If you're striving to get into the most prestigious colleges, learn helpful tips from a Harvard graduate. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Software Quality Assurance Plan for the Agate Ltd Case Study Research Paper

Software Quality Assurance Plan for the Agate Ltd Case Study - Research Paper Example Tools that will be used in QA include program monitors, documentation tools, static or dynamic test tools, and operating system utilities, tree diagram, prioritization matrix and affinity diagram. The program monitors are allow partial or full monitoring of program code such as code coverage, program animation, instruction set simulator among others. The affinity diagram is used to analyze the problem in an organization. All processes in an organization are interrelated; thus, in case there is a problem in any area, it can affect the quality of the final product or service. Thus, through affinity diagram, managers will be able to organize the data and extract essential information for the Agate Ltd case study. Methodology that will be used is the black-box testing method. Black-box method deals with the functionality of the entire system. This methodology consists of graph based testing method, error guessing, BVA techniques, Boundary value analysis among others. Thus, this method will be used because it has several advantages of the others such as the tester can be non-technical, it can be used to verify contradictions in actual system, as well as specifications, and the test cases can be designed once the functional specifications are complete. It is essential for an organization ensure quality of products in each stage so as to meet the demands of customers consistently. For this reason, the QA will monitor the methods and tools used to maintain and control versions of system products through verification and validation of the products. Verification refers to the process of checking the software meets the functional requirements while validation ensures that the needs of customers are met i.e. it ensure the all the functionality expected by the customer is implemented. In addition, even a slight deviation from the functional specification is said to be a fault based on the severity of the case. Also, during the