Research Report Writing<|endoftext|>

Research Report Writing<|endoftext|>If you're a writer and if you're thinking about writing research reports, then I'd like to share with you a few tips that can help make your life a lot easier. If you've got any queries, thoughts or suggestions in relation to this article, or would just like to say hello, you can find me at 'People's Writers Group'.When it comes to research, writing and speaking, there's really no such thing as boring or repetitive work. The first thing that you need to do when you think about writing your research report is to make a list of things that you want to talk about, as well as thinking about what you want to achieve from it. For example, you might decide that you want to talk about your organisation, your business or the services you provide.Make sure that you have an idea of what the scope of your research will be before you start writing your research. Ideally, you should write the research on paper first, but this is of course not always possib le, especially if you've got a deadline that you need to meet. For this reason, if you're online then you could even write the research on a Word document and attach it to your email, so that you can get it back to you.Secondly, when it comes to research, it's really important that you can actually be written to. Writing research can often be challenging, particularly if you're not used to it. Many people seem to think that writing research is easy, but it's not always easy if you don't have the right approach. When it comes to research, the first thing that you need to know is that when you start, you need to put yourself in a place where you can concentrate on your writing and not on what you're doing, because that will only make you stressed and exhausted.So, when you sit down to write your research, make sure that you don't worry about anything else until you've finished. Write as much as you can, but then break up your writing into smaller chunks, for example, take ten minutes each day to write an article or two, and then take the rest of the day to write another five articles or whatever. You need to really focus on getting your writing completed, because that's how you're going to come up with the best research for your report. By focusing on the work that you need to do, you'll make sure that you don't take too much time away from the work you've got to do.Another tip is to have a friend or family member to work with while you're researching, because there's always going to be something that you can do to help you. While researching, there are so many different skills that you can apply, and one of the main ones is that you'll need to be able to be organised, and if you think about that fact that you've got to have all these different skills and then how are you going to be able to utilise them?As I mentioned earlier, when you write a research report, it's not always easy, and often people find it hard to stick to the time that they're supposed to be w orking on. There's so many different things that you need to be doing, and it's very hard to find the time to focus on everything that you need to do, but the problem is that you don't actually know that you don't know. It's your job to make sure that you have someone who is going to be there to check up on you, so that you can know that you can get back to your research.It's really important that you have a mentor or someone to talk to when you're writing a research report, because sometimes you need someone to hold you accountable, and it's also very useful to have a check up each day to make sure that you're on track. If you're going to be writing a research report, then you need to remember that it is a very demanding task, and you need to make sure that you can stay focused for the entire project.

Europe and the American Revolutionary War

Fought between 1775 and 1783, the American Revolutionary War, otherwise known as the American War of Independence was primarily a conflict between the British Empire and some of its American colonists, who triumphed and created a new nation: the United States of America. France played a vital role in aiding the colonists, but accrued great debt in doing so, partly causing the French Revolution. Causes of the American Revolution Britain may have triumphed in the French and Indian War of 1754–1763, which was fought in North America on behalf of Anglo-American colonists but it had spent considerable sums to do so. The British government decided that the colonies of North America should contribute more to its defense and raised taxes. Some colonists were unhappy with this - merchants among them were especially upset - and British heavy-handedness exacerbated a belief that the British weren’t allowing them enough rights in return, even though some colonists had no problems owning slaves. This situation was summed up in the revolutionary slogan â€Å"No Taxation without Representation.† Colonists were also unhappy that Britain was preventing them from expanding further out into America, partly as a result of agreements with Native Americans agreed after the Pontiac rebellion of 1763–4, and the Quebec Act of 1774, which expanded Quebec to cover vast areas of what is now the USA. The lat ter allowed French Catholics to retain their language and religion, further angering the predominantly Protestant colonists. Tensions rose between the two sides, fanned by expert colonial propagandists and politicians, and finding expression in mob violence and brutal attacks by rebel colonists. Two sides developed: pro-British loyalists and anti-British ‘patriots’. In December 1773, citizens in Boston dumped a consignment of tea into a harbor in protest of taxes. The British responded by closing down Boston Harbour and imposing limits on civilian life. As a result, all but one of the colonies gathered in the ‘First Continental Congress’ in 1774, promoting a boycott of British goods. Provincial congresses formed, and the militia was raised for war. 1775: The Powder Keg Explodes On April 19th, 1775 the British governor of Massachusetts sent a small group of troops to confiscate powder and arms from colonial militiamen, and also arrest ‘troublemakers’ who were agitating for war. However, the militia was given notice in the form of Paul Revere and other riders and was able to prepare. When the two sides met in Lexington someone, unknown, fired, initiating a battle. The ensuing Battles of Lexington, Concord and after saw the militia - crucially including large numbers of Seven Year War veterans - harass the British troops back to their base in Boston. The war had begun, and more militia gathered outside Boston. When the Second Continental Congress met there was still hope of peace, and they weren’t yet convinced about declaring independence, but they named George Washington, who had happened to be present at the start of the French Indian war, as leader of their forces. Believing that militias alone would not be enough, he started to raise a Continental Army. After a hard fought battle at Bunker Hill, the British could not break the militia or the siege of Boston, and King George III declared the colonies in rebellion; in reality, they had been for some time. Two Sides, Not Clearly Defined This wasn’t a clear-cut war between the British and the American colonists. Between a fifth and a third of the colonists supported Britain and remained loyal, while it’s estimated another third remained neutral where possible. As such it has been called a civil war; at the close of the war, eighty thousand colonists loyal to Britain fled from the US. Both sides had experienced veterans of the French Indian war among their soldiers, including major players like Washington. Throughout the war, both sides used militia, standing troops and ‘irregulars’. By 1779 Britain had 7000 loyalists under arms. (Mackesy, The War for America, p. 255) War Swings Back and Forth A rebel attack on Canada was defeated. The British pulled out of Boston by March 1776 and then prepared for an attack on New York; on July 4th, 1776 the thirteen colonies declared their independence as the United States of America. The British plan was to make a swift counterstrike with their army, isolating perceived key rebel areas, and then use a naval blockade to force the Americans to come to terms before Britain’s European rivals joined the Americans. British troops landed that September, defeating Washington and pushing his army back, allowing the British to take New York. However, Washington was able to rally his forces and win at Trenton, where he defeated German troops working for Britain, keeping morale up among the rebels and damaging loyalist support. The naval blockade failed because of overstretching, allowing valuable supplies of arms to get into the US and keep the war alive. At this point, the British military had failed to destroy the Continental Army and ap peared to have lost every valid lesson of the French and Indian War. The British then pulled out of New Jersey, alienating their loyalists, and moved to Pennsylvania, where they won a victory at Brandywine, allowing them to take the colonial capital of Philadelphia. They defeated Washington again. However, they didn’t pursue their advantage effectively and the loss of the US capital was small. At the same time, British troops tried to advance down from Canada, but Burgoyne and his army were cut off, outnumbered, and forced to surrender at Saratoga, thanks in part to Burgoyne’s pride, arrogance, desire for success, and resulting poor judgment, as well as the failure of British commanders to co-operate. The International Phase Saratoga was only a small victory, but it had a major consequence: France seized upon the chance to damage her great imperial rival and moved from secret support for the rebels to overt help, and for the rest of the war they sent crucial supplies, troops, and naval support. Now Britain couldn’t focus entirely on the war as France threatened them from around the world; indeed, France became the priority target and Britain seriously considered pulling out of the new US entirely to focus on its European rival. This was now a world war, and while Britain saw the French islands of the West Indies as a viable replacement for the thirteen colonies, they had to balance their limited army and navy over many areas. Caribbean islands soon changed hands between the Europeans. The British then pulled out of advantageous positions on the Hudson River to reinforce Pennsylvania. Washington had his army and forced it through training while camped for the harsh winter. With the aims of the British in America scaled right back, Clinton, the new British commander, withdrew from Philadelphia and based himself in New York. Britain offered the US a joint sovereignty under a common king but were rebuffed. The King then made it clear he wanted to try and retain the thirteen colonies and feared that US independence would lead to the loss of the West Indies (something Spain also feared), to which troops were sent from the US theater. The British moved the emphasis to the south, believing it to be full of loyalists thanks to information from refugees and trying for piecemeal conquest. But the loyalists had risen before the British arrived, and there was now little explicit support; brutality flowed from both sides in a civil war. British victories at Charleston under Clinton and Cornwallis at Camden were followed by loyalist defeats. Cornwallis continued to win victories, but tenacious rebel commanders prevented the British from achieving success. Orders from the north now forced Cornwallis to base himself at Yorktown, ready for resupply by sea. Victory and Peace A combined Franco-American army under Washington and Rochambeau decided to shift their troops down from the north with the hope of cutting Cornwallis off before he moved. French naval power then fought a draw at the Battle of Chesapeake - arguably the key battle of the war - pushing the British navy and vital supplies away from Cornwallis, ending any hope of immediate relief. Washington and Rochambeau besieged the city, forcing Cornwallis’ surrender. This was the last major action of the war in America, as not only was Britain faced with a worldwide struggle against France, but Spain and Holland had joined. Their combined shipping could compete with the British navy, and a further ‘League of Armed Neutrality’ was harming British shipping. Land and sea battles were fought in the Mediterranean, the West Indies, India and West Africa, and an invasion of Britain was threatened,  leading to panic. Furthermore, over 3000 British merchant ships had been captured (Marston, American War of Independence, 81). The British still had troops in America and could send more, but their will to continue was sapped by a global conflict, the massive cost both of fighting the war - the National Debt had doubled - and reduced trade income, along with a lack of explicitly loyal colonists, led to the resignation of a Prime Minister and the opening of peace negotiations. These produced the Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3rd, 1783, with the British recognizing the thirteen former colonies as independent, as well as settling other territorial issues. Britain had to sign treaties with France, Spain and the Dutch. Aftermath For France, the war incurred massive debt, which helped push it into revolution, bring down the king, and start a new war. In America, a new nation had been created, but it would take a civil war for ideas of representation and freedom to become a reality. Britain had relatively few losses aside from the US, and the focus of empire switched to India. Britain resumed trading with the Americas and now saw their empire as more than simply a trading resource, but a political system with rights and responsibilities. Historians like Hibbert argue that the aristocratic class which had led the war was now deeply undermined, and power began to transform into a middle class. (Hibbert, Redcoats and Rebels, p.338).

Strategic Analysis Corporate Strategy - 1782 Words

Strategic Analysis Corporate Strategy Garmin follows a first mover, differentiation strategy. Through heavy investment in research and development they are able to develop new products that users perceive as more valuable and are willing to pay a premium for. The first mover aspect is most easily observed in their aviation division where they have received numerous awards as well as FAA certifications for being the first to market with new and innovative products (Feather, 2010). Garmin has been able to develop a high quality product while still striking a balance with costs, for their products priced only slightly higher than their competitors. They have been able to achieve this in two ways, heavy investment in RD and acquisitions that have vertically integrated value chain operations. This has allowed the firm to not only be the first to market with new products, but also be able to design manufacturing processes that allows the company to adapt and be dynamic. Garmin uses multi-disciplinary teams including industrial designers, various engineers as well as members from manufacturing operations to develop products allowing them to quickly move from concept to manufacturing. The company has also used a series of acquisitions to vertically integrate itself creating a supply chain that has given it a competitive advantage. Garmin believes manufacturing operation in Shijr, Jhongli and LinKou, Taiwan, Salem, Oregon and Olathe, Kansas is one of its core compete ncies. VerticalShow MoreRelatedStrategic Analysis and Strategic Management900 Words   |  4 Pages Explain why strategic analysis is necessary in the process of developing an appropriate strategy. Identify tools that are available to examine the external environment and discuss how and why they are used. Introduction Strategy is a high level plan in which to achieve one or more goals under conditions of uncertainty. 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Answer: Strategic management method is that the full set of commitments, decisions, and actions that are needed by the organization that helps the organization to attain strategic fight and earn above-average returns. the primary step of the strategic management method is to analyse the external setting and internal organization to work out its resources, capabilities, and core competencies—the sources of its â€Å"strategicRead MoreBusiness Strategy-Kfc Company Overview 11080 Words   |  5 Pagesback to 1930. The company adopted the abbreviated form of its name in 1991.[3]  Starting in April 2007, the company began using its original name, Kentucky Fried Chicken, for its signage, packaging and advertisements in the U.S. as part of a new corporate re-branding program;[4][5]  newer and remodeled restaurants will have the new logo and name while older stores will continue to use the 1980s signage. Additionally, Yum! continues to use the abbreviated name freely in its advertising. 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Tyge Payne, PhD 1 Strategic Management Strategy: The unifying theme that gives coherence and direction to the decisions of an organization Strategic Management: Consisting of the analysis, decisions, and actions an organization undertakes in order to create and sustain competitive advantages. Or, the Strategic Management Process is: The full set of commitments, decisions, and actions required for a firm to create value and earn aboveaverageRead MoreStrategy without action is only a daydream, but action without strategy is a nightmare Discuss the benefits of formal corporate planning in directing organisational action1588 Words   |  7 PagesIS STRATEGIC CORPORATE PLANNING RELEVANT IN THE 21ST CENTURY? This essay will discuss the benefits of corporate strategic planning. Firstly, we will look at what strategy is, and why strategic planning is important to an organisation. 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What Are Al-Qaedas Main Tactics and Techniques free essay sample

The al-Qaeda of today is a vastly different entity from the al-Qaeda formed by Osama bin Laden towards the end of the Afghan war against the Soviets in 1988 (Alexander and Swetnam, 2001: 37). The evolution, or as Burton (2006) has termed it â€Å"devolution†, of al-Qaeda, is partially linked to its terrorist acts, and, in particular, the counter-terrorist measures employed by governments to deal with them. This is most evident in reference to the single most expensive, in terms of life lost and economical impact, terrorist act in modern history, the destruction of the World Trade Centre, and the subsequent declaration of a â€Å"war on terror† by George Bush’s United States and its Allies. It is the actions in response to terrorist acts that has propagated these dynamic changes in the tactics and techniques used by al-Qaeda. This adaptation has seen the ideologies of al-Qaeda survive, despite constraints being placed on its operations. It has also ensured the continued jihad against the near enemy of apostate Islamic governments in the Middle East, and the far enemy of the United States and its Allies (Hoffman, 2004: 553) to further pursue its goal to establish a Caliphate muslim state governed by the Sharia (Alexander and Swetnam, 2001). We will write a custom essay sample on What Are Al-Qaedas Main Tactics and Techniques? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There are many variations of the accounts as to how the al-Qaeda network was originally established. The common theme to all of these variations is that al-Qaeda was born out of Soviet-Afghan war, from the training camps set up in Afghanistan and Preshawar, Pakistan, by Osama bin Laden, and others, to combat the Soviet invaders. The original concept of ‘al-Qaeda’ (‘the base’) was a network used as a means of keeping track of mujahideen fighters passing through these camps and also a means of informing families of the fighters about their loved ones (Smith 2002: 35, Alexander and Swetnam, 2002: 4). At the end of the Soviet-Afghan war, some of the foreign mujahideen left Afghanistan to continue jihad with Islamic militant groups in their respective countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa (Martin, 2003: 232). The return of the foreign mujahideen fighters to their countries of origin contributed to the establishment of al-Qaeda as a global network, and helped sew the seeds of the pan-Islamic ideology (Gunaratna, 2002: 4). This ideology of pan-Islamic unity in fighting the common enemy of the unbelievers has set al-Qaeda apart from most other guerrilla and terrorist groups because it is not mono-ethnic, nor nationalist in nature (Gunaratna, 2002: 87). The ideologies of al-Qaeda take basis in the need for a united Islamic state that is governed by the strict Islamic laws of the Sharia. Muslim governments that do not conform to these laws are seen as apostate, corrupted by Western influence and must be overthrown. This includes the government of bin Laden’s home land, Saudi Arabia, which he has condemned for allowing the US to establish a base of operation during the Gulf War (Martin, 2003: 194). However, it is the US that is the major source of hatred for the al-Qaeda network for many reasons which include the suppression of Iraq, and the continued struggle between US backed Israel and Palestine and US links to the undemocratic Arab regimes. This is evident in the fatwa that he issued in February of 1998 (Simon and Benjamin, 2001: 8): The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies – civilian and military – is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it, in order to liberate the al-Aqsa Mosque and the holy mosque from their grip, and in order for their armies to move out of all the lands of Islam, defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim. Bin Laden has also made statements to justify attacks on American civilians. In these statements he iterates that American civilians live in a morally corrupt society and that it should pay for the foreign policies of its democratically elected government (Blanchard, 2005: 7). This tactic of claiming that the government has the blood of its civilians on its hands due to its policies is one that has been commonly used by other terrorist organisations, such as the Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) in Spain and the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) in Northern Ireland. Pre-9/11 operation of al-Qaeda followed an informal, loose, horizontal structure, which comprised of many terrorist organisations and cells, as well as a more formal vertical, hierarchical structure with Bin Laden the leader and below him the consultative council of the majlis al shura. The vertical leadership structure provides the direction and tactical support to the horizontal network of compartmentalised cells and terrorist organisations associated with al-Qaeda (Gunaratna 2002: 55). Directly below the majlis al shura are the four operational committees that were dedicated to military, finance, Islamic study, and media. In this way the al-Qaeda organisation operates in a way that is reflective of how a multinational corporation would be run (Smith, 2002: 34). Hoffman (2002) has further expanded on the notion of al-Qaeda as a multinational corporation, in which he names bin Laden as being the CEO that defines the specific goal and aims of the organisation and issues orders to the different committees and appointing members of the majlis al shura to oversee and ensure their implementation. Hoffman goes on further to break down the operational styles of al-Qaeda into four different levels: 1. The professional cadre, responsible for the atrocities of 9/11. This is made up of the highly trained, committed and professional members of al-Qaeda that are involved in only the most important, high value attacks, and are highly funded. 2. The amateurs are only modestly funded. Require acquisition of further funding by participants, and are given a broad range of targets. 3. The local walk-ins, comprise of groups of local Islamic groups that come up with a terrorist attack idea and then seek funding from al-Qaeda in order to carry them out. 4. Like-minded insurgents, guerrillas, and terrorists. This level consists of Islamic groups carrying out their own respective jihads that receive benefits from al-Qaeda, such as funds, training and sometimes central command directly from al-Qaeda. It is the fourth level of Hoffman’s operational styles that the horizontal structure of al-Qaeda with its multi-cellular structure fit into. The advantage of using a multi-cellular structure of loosely tied networks of local militants is that they can operate with the support of al-Qaeda, but cannot be easily traced directly back to it (Engels, 2001). This allows al-Qaeda to continue to function even when one of its cells is disrupted. Compartmentalised cells are unaware of the plans of other cells and therefore are unable divulge any useful information about them to governments. The financial backing of al-Qaeda had originally come from bin Laden and his enormous wealth. However, fund that are acquired by the network come from a large range of different sources. There is an emphasis on the acquisition of funds by through legitimate means and avoided trade in people smuggling and narcotics (Gunaratna, 2002: 67), a tactic that was adopted by the Taliban. It has been suggested that at one stage bin Laden controlled upwards of 80 companies, and owned most of the most profitable businesses in Sudan (Hoffman, 2003: 434). Al-Qaeda has also siphoned funds from Islamic charities, and non-government organisations (NGOs) for use in its terrorist networks (Gunaratna, 2002: 62). One technique that is exclusive to al-Qaeda is its use of the informal Islamic banking system of hawala. This provides a means for al-Qaeda to transfer funds around the world without raising much suspicion as most hawala operations are regulated an there are few transaction records kept (Comras, 2005: 8). The terrorist tactic that al-Qaeda has invested extensive time and effort in is the preparation of its members for martyrdom (Gunaratna, 2002: 91). Suicide attacks are not exclusively isolated to Islamic terrorism, but it is Islamic groups that have been the main perpetrators. Suicide attacks are an effective means of terrorism because they are able to inflict a maximal amount of losses and damage to the enemy, whilst only inflicting minimal, even singular, losses to the instigators. A further benefit is that there is no risk of the attacker being questioned and leaking information after the attack. The concept of martyrdom has meant that there are rarely any shortages of volunteers for suicide attacks. Martyrdom in the performance of jihad is encouraged, justified and even glorified by the Koran. Martyrs are promised to ascend directly to a glorious heaven, where, amongst other things, the services of 72 virgins will be waiting (Hoffman, 2002: 305). The glorification of martyrdom is reflected by bin Laden himself in a statement made in August of 1998, â€Å"I am fighting so I can die a martyr and go to heaven to meet God. Our fight is now against America. I regret having lived this long. I have nothing to lose. (Hoffman, 2003: 436). A statement of this nature, whilst it is more than likely a true reflection of bin Laden’s thoughts, is also a very smart public relations â€Å"stunt† that highlights the conviction and belief in the ideologies of the group by its leader, potentially leading to increase support, sympathisers and recruits to the network of jihadists. The emphasis on tighter security around the â€Å"highly valuable† terrorist targets of the West, such as military instillations, economic centres, and airports, has seen a shift in the types of places and buildings being targeted by suicide attacks. This was none more evident than in the 2003 Bali bombing at a popular nightclub in the Kuta district (Hoffman, 2003: 436). The al-Qaeda that has come to exist in the post 9/11 era is almost unrecognisable to the al-Qaeda pre-9/11. Experts in terrorism and international affairs, such as Peter Bergen, Karen Greenberg, Steven Simon, and Bruce Hoffman (2005), have all discussed al-Qaeda’s transformation from a once centralised entity with trans-national terrorist cells (Gunaratna, 2002), to that of a global movement. The removal from its base operations in Afghanistan, and the subsequent removal of some of its leadership have reduced the capability of al-Qaeda to physically participate in a campaign of jihad and as a result it has subsequently enhanced its ideological dissemination strategy. This has been referred to by Burton (2006) as the devolution of al-Qaeda, as it has â€Å"taken a back seat†, so to speak, in terms of operational activity. This effectively makes al-Qaeda harder to ablate, as it is harder to target ideologies than it is an organisation and its members (Stratfor, 2007). Central to this strategy of ideology dissemination is the emphasis on propaganda in all its forms and a reliance on modern technologies and the exploitation of globalisation and the media to do this. Al-Qaeda has used a multi-media approach to increase the global audience for its jihad by using the mini-cam, videotape, television and the internet as his weapons of choice (Hoffman, 2002:307). It has produced a professionally edited two hour training video, which has subsequently been converted to CD-ROM and DVD formats to further aide the spread of the message due to the ease in which it can be copied. The use of the internet has been rife for the spread of propaganda throughout the world (wide web). The al-Qaeda website, Al Neda,that continually resurfaces after being shutdown is another means in which al-Qaeda tries to increase the dissemination of anti-American message and its pan-Islamic ideologies. Still, the most powerful means in which al-Qaeda furthers its worldwide call for jihad is through the speeches given by bin Laden and al-Zawahiri, that are broadcast, first on the Middle East news network al-Jazeera, and later the mainstream media of the West. The propensity for al-Qaeda to attract new recruits for the continued Jihad against the enemies of Islam is a technique that sets it apart from many other terrorist groups. The call for a pan-Islamic uprising against the un-believers draws on the insecurities and sense of isolation that the dispora of umma feel around the world. This has already brought results for al-Qaeda with encouragement of independent â€Å"grassroots† jihadists to carry out terrorist attacks, such as the groups responsible for the attacks in London and Glasgow in 2007 (Stratfor, 2007), as well as its ability to inspire un-associated groups, such as the Singaporean terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (Hoffman, 2004: 550). To borrow the popular metaphor of Bruce Hoffman (2002: 313, 2003: 435, 2005: 9*), â€Å"al-Qaeda is like the archetypal shark in the water. It must constantly move forward to survive and indeed succeed. † This metaphor could be considered to be overused by Hoffman, but it is so because it fits so well with the techniques that al-Qaeda employs in their acts of terrorism. Al-Qaeda changes, adjusts and adapts its tactics and modus operandi so that it can exploit gaps in defences and counter-terrorism measures. Simply put, al-Qaeda is the epitome of a terrorist organisational model of Darwin’s evolutionary concept, â€Å"survival of the fittest†. It has adapted to the changes in the global environment and counter-terrorism measures in order to survive, and increase its influence, and hence strength, throughout Islamic radical groups and the diaspora mulsim communities of the world. It is due to the continued dissemination of its ideologies that has led al-Qaeda to claimed that it is stronger and more capable today than it was on 9/11. Calipha spiritual leader of Islam, claiming succession from Muhammad CaliphateThe office or jurisdiction of a caliph EmirCommander fatwaan Islamic religious decree issued by the Ulama afizthose who have memorised the Koran hijrathe flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina to escape persecution a. d. 622: regarded as the beginning of the Muslim Era ijmathe consensus of all believers on the rightness of a belief or practice jihadthe real meaning of jihad is striving; personal striving to achieve the ideals of Islam as a way of life; striving in the sense of improving the religious situation for the community of believers; striving in the sense of converting non-Muslims and carrying the word of God to the unbelievers. The definition of jihad being a holy war is the misinterpretation/reinterpretation of bin Laden. jihada holy war undertaken as a sacred duty by Mulsims; any vigorous, emotional crusade for an idea or principle qiyasjudgment of an act or belief by application of established principles governing some analogous act or belief ShariaLaw, as seen as deriving from the Koran UlamaMuslim scholars trained in Islam and Islamic Law UmmaIslamic community.

Religion In Public Life Essays - Prayer, School Prayer,

Religion In Public Life Prayer in school has been the topic of the century, ?Is it right to pray in school,? stated a Texas teacher. The society as a whole believes it is wrong, but there is some people that thinks it would be a good addition to our school. Maybe it will lower school violence. Yeah, right, whatever! Come on people, be a little intelligent. Our country has had violence before we created prayer in school. Religion will probably make it worse. Sociologists has taken a look at this issue. They perceived it preposterous. Sociologist think if we had prayer in school, might as well force us to read a bible and say amen every time a teacher finishes a sentence. Prayer in school is ridiculous and absurd. Sociologists opposes school prayer for a number of reasons. To begin, it is unconstitutional and a clear violation of our First Amendment. Remember, that amendment contains the Establishment Clause which prohibits the government fromestablishing religion. Simply put, secular institutions like the pu blic schools should NOT be a forum for religious ritual or indoctrination. And do a majority of people support school prayer? Often, those results depend on exactly how the question happens to be asked. Surveys suggest that most people reject the notion of mandatory prayer. But even if the overwhelming majority thought that prayer was, somehow, a good idea, that does not make the practice ethically just or constitutional. Sociologists also points out, in opposing school prayer, that prayer is not efficacious. School prayer is obviously a form of religious indoctrination; it teaches children that there are invisible, supernatural entities which can be implored and appeased through mumbling prayers or reading from holy books. Many people believe that just because there is a bible, does it mean we have to take it seriously. If we wrote a book and put it in a time capsule and send it back 4000 years ago it will become a religion. What about school initiated prayer? Before getting excited about student initiated prayer, ask yourself: which students are doing the initiating? Student populations often reflect the diversity of the culture. Some students may wish to pray in class or at official school ceremonies like graduation exercises or sporting events, but are they being fair to other students who may not wish to pray? Lately, there have been court cases involving this very question. It is clear that even in areas such as Utah where a school may have a high percentage of students from the same religious background, not all students feel comfortable with this bogus student led religious ritual. If you see a huge group of people praying will you join them? The survey says 1 out of 4 students say yes. The reason is, they want to keep their friends. Sociologists believe teen peer pressure is why this is the way it is. What about a moment of silence? What for? Why do we need a moment of silence? School prayer boosters have sometimes proposed this as a way of establishing a legal precedent which, they hope, will eventually lead toward explicit and vocal school prayer. Over a decade ago, the Supreme Court struck down this type of proposal; legislation of this type often calls for the moment of silence to be used for meditation or prayer. Besides, consider the declining number of hours that students are in school each year. Every moment should be used for useful and educational instruction, not meditating! The whole idea of this is if we create some way to do this, without violating any rights, it won't effect any one. But yes it does, even a moment of silence is basically saying you must do this or else... Our government has always stood by the First Amendment, For one reason. The First Amendment creates an issue with how to stop certain things from happening. There is a lot of power in the First Amendment. But, our government exercises this right narrowly. We are always battling with the First Amendment. There is a lot of culture in this issue. One main reason we live in America is because we wanted the right to believe in a god, many gods, or no god(s)

Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt in World War II

Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt in World War II Gerd von Rundstedt - Early Career: Born December 12, 1875 at Aschersleben, Germany, Gerd von Rundstedt was a member of an aristocratic Prussian family. Entering the German Army at age sixteen, he began learning his trade before being accepted into the German Armys officer training school in 1902. Graduating, von Rundstedt was promoted to captain in 1909. A skilled staff officer, he served in this capacity at the beginning of World War I in August 1914. Elevated to major that November, von Rundstedt continued to serve as a staff officer and by the end of the war in 1918 was chief of staff for his division. With the conclusion of the war, he elected to remain in the postwar Reichswehr. Gerd von Rundstedt - Interwar Years: In the 1920s, von Rundstedt rapidly advanced through the ranks of the Reichswehr and received promotions to lieutenant colonel (1920), colonel (1923), major general (1927), and lieutenant general (1929). Given command of the 3rd Infantry Division in February 1932, he supported Reich Chancellor Franz von Papens Prussian coup that July. Promoted to general of the infantry that October, he remained in that rank until being made a colonel general in March 1938. In the wake of the Munich Agreement, von Rundstedt led the 2nd Army which occupied the Sudetenland in October 1938. Despite this success, he promptly retired later in the month in protest of the Gestapos framing of Colonel General Werner von Fritsch during the Blomberg–Fritsch Affair. Leaving the army, he was given the honorary post of colonel of the 18th Infantry Regiment. Gerd von Rundstedt - World War II Begins: His retirement proved brief as he was recalled by Adolf Hitler the following year to lead Army Group South during the invasion of Poland in September 1939. Opening World War II, the campaign saw von Rundstedts troops mount the main attack of the invasion as they struck east from Silesia and Moravia. Winning the Battle of Bzura, his troops steadily drove back the Poles. With the successful completion of the conquest of Poland, von Rundstedt was given command of Army Group A in preparation for operations in the West. As planning moved forward, he supported his chief of staffs, Lieutenant General Erich von Mansteins, call for a swift armored strike toward the English Channel which he believed could lead to the strategic collapse of the enemy. Attacking on May 10, von Rundstedts forces made swift gains and opened a large gap in the Allied front. Led by General of Cavalry Heinz Guderians XIX Corps, German troops reached the English Channel on May 20. Having cut off the British Expeditionary Force from France, von Rundstedts troops turned north to capture the Channel ports and prevent its escape to Britain. Traveling to Army Group As headquarters at Charleville on May 24, Hitler urged its von Rundstedt, to press the attack. Assessing the situation, he advocated holding his armor west and south of Dunkirk, while utilizing the infantry of Army Group B to finish off the BEF. Though this allowed von Rundstedt to preserve his armor for the final campaign in France, it allowed the British to successfully conduct the Dunkirk Evacuation. Gerd von Rundstedt - On the Eastern Front: With the end of fighting in France, von Rundstedt received a promotion to field marshal on July 19. As the Battle of Britain began, he assisted in the development of Operation Sea Lion which called for the invasion of southern Britain. With the Luftwaffes failure to defeat the Royal Air Force, the invasion was called off and von Rundstedt was instructed to oversee the occupation forces in Western Europe. As Hitler began planning Operation Barbarossa, von Rundstedt was ordered east to assume command of Army Group South. On June 22, 1941, his command took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union. Driving through Ukraine, von Rundstedts forces played a key role in the encirclement of Kiev and capture of over 452,000 Soviet troops in late September. Pushing on, von Rundstedts forces succeeded in capturing Kharkov in late October and Rostov in late November. Suffering a heart attack during the advance on Rostov, he refused to leave the front and continued to direct operations. With the Russian winter setting in, von Rundstedt advocating halting the advance as his forces were becoming overextended and hampered by the severe weather. This request was vetoed by Hitler. On November 27, Soviet forces counterattacked and forced the Germans to abandon Rostov. Unwilling to surrender ground, Hitler countermanded von Rundstedts orders to fall back. Refusing to obey, von Rundstedt was sacked in favor of Field Marshal Walther von Reichenau. Gerd von Rundstedt - Return to the West: Briefly out of favor, von Rundstedt was recalled in March 1942 and given command of Oberbefehlshaber West (German Army Command in the West - OB West). Charged with defending Western Europe from the Allies, he was tasked with erecting fortifications along the coast. Largely inactive in this new role, little work occurred in 1942 or 1943. In November 1943, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was assigned to OB West as commander of Army Group B. Under his direction, work finally began on fortifying the coastline. Over the coming months, von Rundstedt and Rommel clashed over the disposition of OB Wests reserve panzer divisions with the former believing they should located in the rear and the latter wanting them near the coast. Following the Allied landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944, von Rundstedt and Rommel worked to contain the enemy beachhead. When it became obvious to von Rundstedt that the Allies could not be pushed back into the sea, he began advocating for peace. With the failure of a counterattack near Caen on July 1, he was asked by Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, head of the German armed forces, what should be done. To this he brusquely replied, Make peace you fools! What else can you do? For this, he was removed from command the next dayand replaced with Field Marshal Gunther von Kluge. Gerd von Rundstedt - Final Campaigns: In the wake of the July 20 Plot against Hitler, von Rundstedt agreed to serve on a Court of Honor to assess officers suspected of being opposed to the fà ¼hrer. Removing several hundred officers from the Wehrmacht, the court turned them over to Roland Freislers Volksgerichtshof (Peoples Court) for trial. Implicated in the July 20 Plot, von Kluge committed suicide on August 17 and was briefly replaced by Field Marshal Walter Model. Eighteen days later, on September 3, von Rundstedt returned to lead OB West. Later in the month, he was able to contain Allied gains made during Operation Market-Garden. Forced to give ground through the fall, von Rundstedt opposed the Ardennes offensive which was launched in December believing that insufficient troops were available for it to succeed. The campaign, which resulted in the Battle of the Bulge, represented the last major German offensive in the West. Continuing to fight a defensive campaign in early 1945, von Rundstedt was removed from command on March 11 after again arguing that Germany should make peace rather than fight a war it could not win. On May 1, von Rundstedt was captured by troops from the US 36th Infantry Division. During the course of his interrogation, he suffered another heart attack. Taken to Britain, von Rundstedt moved between camps in southern Wales and Suffolk. After the war, he was charged by the British for war crimes during the invasion of the Soviet Union. These charges were largely based on his support of von Reichenaus Severity Order which led to mass murders in occupied Soviet territory. Due to his age and failing health, von Rundstedt was never tried and he was released in July 1948. Retiring to Schloss Oppershausen, near Celle in Lower Saxony, he continued to be plagued by heart problems until his death on February 24, 1953. Selected Sources JVL: Gerd von RundstedtGeneralfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt Lone Sentry: von Rundstedt Explains

Laura Clay, Southern Womens Suffrage Leader

Laura Clay, Southern Womens Suffrage Leader Laura Clay Facts Known for: major Southern woman suffrage spokesperson. Clay, like many Southern suffragists, saw womens suffrage as reinforcing white supremacy and power.Occupation: reformerDates: February 9, 1849 - June 29, 1941 Laura Clay Biography Laura Clay Quote: Suffrage is Gods cause, and God leads our plans. Laura Clays mother was Mary Jane Warfield Clay, from a wealthy family prominent in Kentucky horse racing and breeding, herself an advocate of womens education and womens rights. Her father was the noted Kentucky politician Cassius Marcellus Clay, a cousin of Henry Clay, who founded an anti-slavery newspaper and helped found the Republican party. Cassius Marcellus Clay was the United States ambassador to Russia for 8 years under Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant. He returned from Russia for a time and is credited with talking Lincoln into signing the Emancipation Proclamation. Laura Clay had five brothers and sisters; she was the youngest. Her older sisters were involved in working for womens rights. Mary B. Clay, one of her older sisters, organized Kentuckys first womens suffrage organization, and was president of the American Woman Suffrage Association from 1883 to 1884. Laura Clay was born at her familys home, White Hall, in Kentucky, in 1849. She was the youngest of four girls and two boys. Lauras mother, Mary Jane Clay, was largely in charge, during her husbands long absences, of managing the family farms and property inherited from her family. She saw that her daughters were educated. Cassius Marcellus Clay was from a wealthy slaveholding family. He became an anti-slavery advocate, and among other incidents where he was met with violent reactions to his ideas, he was once nearly assassinated for his views. He lost his seat in the Kentucky state House because of his abolitionist views. He was a supporter of the new Republican Party, and nearly became Abraham Lincolns vice president, losing that spot to Hannibal Hamlin. At the beginning of the Civil War, Cassius Clay helped organize volunteers to protect the White House from a Confederate takeover, when there were no federal troops in the city. During the years of the Civil War, Laura Clay attended Sayre Female Institute in Lexington, Kentucky. She attended a finishing school in New York before returning to her family home. Her father opposed to her further education. The Reality of Womens Rights From 1865 to 1869, Laura Clay helped her mother run the farms, her father still absent as ambassador to Russia. In 1869, her father returned from Russia and the next year, he moved his four-year-old Russian son into the family home at White Hall, his son from a long affair with a prima ballerina with the Russian ballet. Mary Jane Clay moved to Lexington, and Cassius sued her for divorce on grounds of abandonment, and won. (Years later, he created more scandal when he married a 15 year old servant, probably against her will as he had to restrain her from leaving. He divorced her after she attempted suicide. That marriage ended in divorce just three years later.) Under existing Kentucky laws, he could have claimed all the property his ex-wife had inherited from her family and he could have kept her from the children; he claimed his wife owed him $80,000 for her years living at White Hall. Fortunately for Mary Jane Clay, he did not pursue those claims. Mary Jane Clay and her daughters who were still unmarried lived on the farms she inherited from her family, and were supported by the income from these. But they were aware the under the existing laws, they were able to do so only because Cassius Clay did not pursue his rights to the property and income. Laura Clay managed to attend one year of college at the University of Michigan and one semester at State College of Kentucky, leaving to put her efforts into working for womens rights. Working for Womens Rights in the South Laura Clay Quote: Nothing is so laborsaving as a vote, properly applied. In 1888, the Kentucky Woman Suffrage Association was organized, and Laura Clay was elected its first president. She remained president until 1912, by which time the name had changed to the Kentucky Equal Suffrage Association. Her cousin, Madeleine McDowell Breckinridge, succeeded her as president. As head of the Kentucky Equal Suffrage Association, she led efforts to change Kentucky laws to protect married womens property rights, inspired by the situation in which her mother had been left by her divorce. The organization also worked to have female doctors on staff at state mental hospitals, and to have women admitted to State College of Kentucky (Transylvania University) and Central University. Laura Clay was also a member of the Womens Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and she was part of the Womans Club movement, holding state offices in each organization. While Laura Clays father had been a liberal Republican and perhaps in reaction to that Laura Clay became active in Democratic Party politics. Elected to the board of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), newly merged in 1890, Clay chaired the new groups membership committee and was its first auditor. Federal or State Suffrage? Around 1910, Clay and other Southern suffragists began to be uncomfortable with efforts within the national leadership to support a federal woman suffrage amendment. This, they feared, would provide a precedent for federal interference in the voting laws of Southern states which discriminated against African Americans. Clay was among those who argued against the strategy of a federal amendment. Laura Clay was defeated in her bid for reelection to the board of the NAWSA in 1911. In 1913, Laura Clay and other Southern suffragists created their own organization, the Southern States Woman Suffrage Conference, to work for state-level womens suffrage amendments, to support voting rights only for white women. Probably hoping for compromise, she supported federal legislation to allow women to vote for members of Congress, providing the women otherwise qualified as voters in their states. This proposal was debated at NAWSA in 1914, and a bill to implement this idea was introduced into Congress in 1914, but it died in committee. In 1915-1917, like many of those involved in womens suffrage and womens rights, including Jane Addams and Carrie Chapman Catt, Laura Clay was involved in the Womans Peace Party. When the United States entered World War I, she left the Peace Party. In 1918, she briefly joined in supporting a federal amendment, when President Wilson, a Democrat, endorsed it. But then Clay resigned her membership in the NAWSA in 1919. She also resigned from the Kentucky Equal Rights Association that she had headed from 1888 to 1912. She and others formed, instead, a Kentucky-based Citizens Committee to work for a suffrage amendment to the Kentucky state constitution. In 1920, Laura Clay went to Nashville, Tennessee, to oppose ratification of the woman suffrage amendment. When it (barely) passed, she expressed her disappointment. Democratic Party Politics Laura Clay Quote: I am a Jeffersonian Democrat. In 1920, Laura Clay founded the Democratic Womens Club of Kentucky. That same year was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Her name was placed in nomination for President, making her the first woman so nominated at a major partys convention. She was nominated in 1923 as a Democratic candidate for the Kentucky State Senate. In 1928, she campaigned in Al Smiths presidential race. She worked after 1920 for repeal of the 18th Amendment (prohibition), even though she herself was a teetotaler and a WCTU member. She was a member of the Kentucky state convention that ratified repeal of prohibition (the 21st Amendment), primarily on states rights grounds. After 1930 After 1930, Laura Clay led mostly a private life, focusing on reform within the Episcopal church, her lifelong religious affiliation. She interrupted her privacy to oppose a law paying male teachers more than female teachers would be paid. She worked mostly within the church on womens rights, especially on allowing women to be delegates to church councils, and on permitting women to attend the Episcopal churchs University of the South. Laura Clay died in Lexington in 1941. The family home, White Hall, is a Kentucky historical site today. Laura Clays Positions Laura Clay supported womens equal rights to education and to the vote. At the same time, she believed that black citizens were not yet developed enough to vote. She did support, in principle, educated women of all races getting the vote, and spoke at times against ignorant white voters. She contributed to an African American church project aimed at self-improvement. But she also supported states rights, supported the idea of white superiority, and feared federal interference in Southern states voting laws, and so, except briefly, did not support a federal amendment for woman suffrage. Connections The boxer Muhammed Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay, was named for his father who was named for Laura Clays father. Books About Laura Clay Paul E. Fuller. Laura Clay and the Womans Rights Movement 1975.John M. Murphy. Laura Clay (1894-1941), a Southern Voice for Womans Rights. Women Public Speakers in the United States, 1800-1925: A Bio-Critical Sourcebook. Karlyn Kohrs Campbell, ed. 1993.