Personal Vision of Ministry

Personal Vision of Ministry Statement â€Å"Creative,  loving,  and  inspired  ministry  that  loosens  the burdens of religion, and  leads  people to a  lifetime,  obedient relationship with our  Lord  Jesus Christ. † Each word in that  vision  statement is very significant to me and describes my spiritual being to this point. Creativity  is important to me, not just because advertising or me being a bit imaginative, but because from the beginning, our God was a creative God; I don’t believe there is any room  for  becoming stagnant in Christianity.Love  is the central theme of the Bible, and it is the most important of the Great Commandment’s. It is only through daily submission that  inspiration  will come, and it is only through inspiration and testimony that I find the strength to carry out God’s work. There are  two â€Å"R† words  that are distinctive when sharing ministry:  Religion and Relatio nship. They are not the same. Religion: being the belief in and worship of a personal God or Gods Details of belief as taught or discussed.Relationship: the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected. Example being Jesus Christ connected as our personal Lord and Savior. So this would be my personal ministry of how I am to share Christ Jesus Love. To be able to teach, and lead others to Christ through scripture. As a church youth minister, I should be one that is connected with today’s youth. A youth minister should lead children, not only in their spiritual growth but their personal development as well.A youth minister needs to possess great leadership qualities and have plenty of experience and testimony in order to share with the children. I must be able to train and encourage others within the church. I will be discipline, self-motivated, organized, and spiritually mature. This is why I believe AME will help me furt her Gods ministry, and gain more knowledge of who God is. Scripture says Lots about knowledge throughout the bible. One of my favorite verses explaining Gods sovereign knowledge is in Proverbs.Proverbs 3:1-35:  My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness for sake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord  with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. | | | May God use me to accomplish His purposes.

Creating An Action Plan

Time management has been the largest challenge to date. Work, life, school balance, while determining what time of day is best to set aside to study, how much time is required to be a successful student and still be able to attend the kids sporting events will have me doing homework in the bleachers often. Fortunately, was able to start planning for the challenges of returning to school the day that I decided to pursue a Bachelors of Art in Accounting. Showing the kids that you are never too old to go back to school.Dreams can mom true if you are willing to work hard and making sacrifices that support your overall goals are worth the effort. My desire to graduate with the highest grade point average that I can achieve, will power me to do my very best each day. Proving to myself that I can do this and learning how to quiet the inner voice, when something gets challenging, has been rewarding and empowering to date. I am very glad that chose to attend AIL'. The built in support system, which has been put in place has eliminated any apprehension that would not be able to succeed.The Technical support department being available 24 hours a day to help with computer and connection issues is tremendous. Learning that can rely on my student advisor, Rebecca Anderson, if I have any questions, she has been there to support and assist me through the enrollment process. Shared her experiences as a student and provided examples of other student successes to prove it can be done with commitment. She has also provided insight on the available resources and offered suggestions on how to maximize them.Learning how to navigate and AP into the resources available in the Library and knowing if I have a question, there is a librarian available to point me in the right direction, is refreshing, but also has taken away my fear of not being able to do the necessary research. My fiance has been amazing with the added responsibilities he is willing to take on to ensure can focus on scho ol. He has attended online courses in the past, so he has been a tremendous source of information and support. But he is also there to point out when I am getting side tracked or offer instructive criticism when needed.The kids and I have a challenge in place, the person who has the highest grade point average at the end of their school year in June, gets their favorite meal made for dinner and a week of no chores. So obviously there has been much attention given to grades and homework. Having spent 1 5 years in the military, we are taught to continually assess the plans and goals we have set for ourselves. To look for your strengths and weaknesses and to adjust the process, as needed to accomplish the plan.As I come re-familiar myself with the learning process and requirements, will be able to refine my note taking, establish a routine to take advantage of the time have available to study and improve on the way that I process and retain information. As I learn new techniques and in formation is presented in new ways, it will enhance and change the way that learn. As I become more familiar with intelligent, I will adapt the way I process and retain the information. I believe my academic action plan will always be evolving and improving.My primary goal is to complete school within the time frame currently established and end with a 3. 5 grade point average. I have always tried to ensure that when set goals for myself they are realistic, attainable, specific to the task and motivational. I know that I can accomplish anything that set my mind too, given time and opportunity and finally have both. The financial commitment and sacrifices will be rewarded, when complete school. I will be able to pursue the jobs I want and provide better opportunities for my family.

The Blue Sword CHAPTER ONE

She scowled at her glass of orange juice. To think that she had been delighted when she first arrived here – was it only three months ago? – with the prospect of fresh orange juice every day. But she had been eager to be delighted; this was to be her home, and she wanted badly to like it, to be grateful for it – to behave well, to make her brother proud of her and Sir Charles and Lady Amelia pleased with their generosity. Lady Amelia had explained that the orchards only a few days south and west of here were the finest in the country, and many of the oranges she had seen at Home, before she came out here, had probably come from those same orchards. It was hard to believe in orange groves as she looked out the window, across the flat deserty plain beyond the Residency, unbroken by anything more vigorous than a few patches of harsh grass and stunted sand-colored bushes until it disappeared at the feet of the black and copper-brown mountains. But there was fresh orange juice every day. She was the first down to the table every morning, and was gently teased by Lady Amelia and Sir Charles about her healthy young appetite; but it wasn't hunger that drove her out of bed so early. Since her days were empty of purpose, she could not sleep when night came, and by dawn each morning she was more than ready for the maid to enter her room, push back the curtains from the tall windows, and hand her a cup of tea. She was often out of bed when the woman arrived, and dressed, sitting at her window, for her bedroom window faced the same direction as the breakfast room, staring at the mountains. The servants thought kindly of her, as she gave them little extra work; but a lady who rose and dressed herself so early, and without assistance, was certainly a little eccentric. They knew of her impoverished background; that explained a great deal; but she was in a fine house now, and her host and hostess were only too willing to give her anything she might want, as they had no children of their own. She might try a little harder to adapt to so pleasant an existence. She did try. She knew what the thoughts behind the looks the servants gave her were; she had dealt with servants before. But she was adapting to her new life as best as her energetic spirit could. She might have screamed, and hammered on the walls with her fists, or jumped over the low windowsill in her room, clambered to the ground by the ivy trellis (special ivy, bred to withstand the desert heat, carefully watered by Sir Charles' gardener every day), and run off toward the mountains; but she was trying her best to be good. So she was merely first to the breakfast table. Sir Charles and Lady Amelia were all that was kind to her, and she was fond of them after a few weeks in their company. They had, indeed, been far more than kind. When her father died a year ago, Richard, a very junior military adjutant, had laid the difficulty of an unmarried sister and an entailed estate before Sir Charles, and begged for advice. (She heard all this, to her acute embarrassment, from Richard, who wanted to be sure she understood how much she had to be grateful for.) He and his wife had said that they would be happy to offer her a home with them, and Richard, too relieved to think hard about the propriety of such a godsend, had written to her and said, Come out. He had not specifically said, Mind your manners, but she understood that too. She hadn't any choice. She had known, because her father had told her five years ago when her mother died, that she would have no inheritance; what money there was was tied up very strictly for the eldest son. â€Å"Not that Dickie will mistreat you,† their father had said, with the ghost of a smile, â€Å"but I feel that, with your temperament, you had best have as long as possible a warning to resign yourself to it. You'll like being dependent on your brother even less, I fancy, than you like being dependent on me.† He tapped his fingers on his desk. The thought that lay silent between them did not need to be spoken aloud: that it was not likely she would marry. She was proud, and if she had not been, her parents would have been proud for her. And there is little market for penniless bluebloods of no particular beauty – especially when the blueness of the blood is suspected to have been diluted by a questionable great-grandmother on the mother's side. What the questionableness exactly consisted of, Harry was not sure. With the self-centeredness of childhood she had not thought to ask; and later, after she had realized that she did not care for society nor society for her, she had no desire to ask. The shipboard journey east on the Cecilia had been long but uneventful. She had found her sea legs almost at once, and had made friends with a middle-aged lady, also traveling alone, who asked no personal questions, and loaned her novels freely to her young companion, and discussed them with her upon their return. She had let her own mind go numb, and had read the novels, and sat in the sun, and strolled the decks, and not thought about the past or the future. They docked at Stzara without mishap, and she found the earth heaved under her strangely when she first set foot ashore. Richard had been granted a month's leave to meet her and escort her north to her new home. He looked younger than she had expected; he had gone overseas three years ago, and had not been Home again since. He was affectionate to her at their reunion, but wary; they seemed to have little in common any more. I shouldn't be surprised, she thought; it's been a long time since we played together every day, before Dickie was sent off to school. I'm an encumbrance now, and he has his career to think of. But it would be nice to be friends, she thought wistfully. When she pressed him to give her some idea of what she could expect of her new life, he shrugged and said: â€Å"You'll see. The people are like Home, you know. You needn't have much to do with the natives. There are the servants, of course, but they are all right. Don't worry about it.† And he looked at her with so worried a face that she didn't know whether to laugh or to shake him. She said, â€Å"I wish you would tell me what is worrying you.† Variations of this conversation occurred several times during the first days of their journey together. At this point there would be a long silence. Finally, as if he could bear it no more, he burst out: â€Å"You won't be able to go on as you did at home, you know.† â€Å"But what do you mean?† She hadn't thought much about native servants, or her position, yet; and obviously Richard knew her well enough of old to guess that now. She had written him letters, several each year, since he had gone overseas, but he had rarely answered. She had not minded very much, although she had thought occasionally, as when his six hastily scrawled lines at Christmas arrived, that it would have been pleasant if he were a better correspondent; but it hadn't troubled her. It troubled her now, for she felt that she was facing a stranger – a stranger who perhaps knew too much about her and her accustomed way of life. She blinked at him, and tried to rearrange her thoughts. She was excited, but she was frightened too, and Richard was all she had. The memory of their father's funeral, and she the only family member standing beside the minister, and of the small handful of servants and tenants whom she had known all her life and who were far away from her now, was still raw and recent. She didn't want to think about her new life; she wanted time to ease into it gradually. She wanted to pretend that she was a tourist. â€Å"Dickie – Dick, what do you mean?† Richard must have seen the homesick bewilderment on her face. He looked back at her unhappily. â€Å"Oh – er – it's not your house, you know.† â€Å"Of course I know that!† she exclaimed. â€Å"I appreciate what the Greenoughs are doing for you and for me by – by taking me in.† And she added carefully: â€Å"You explained all that to me in your letter.† He nodded. â€Å"Do you think I don't know how to behave myself?† she said at last, goaded, and was rewarded by another long silence while she felt the blood rising in her face. â€Å"It's not that I don't think you know how,† he said at last. She flinched, and he began: â€Å"An – â€Å" â€Å"Harry,† she said firmly. â€Å"It's still Harry.† He looked at her with dismay, and she realized that she was confirming his fears about her, but she wasn't going to yield about that of all things. The realization that she would insist on being called Harry seemed to silence him, because he did not try to reason with her further, but withdrew into his corner seat and stared out the window. She could tell by his voice that he did not want to hurt her, but that he was truly apprehensive. She and Richard had been wild animals together as small children; but when Dickie had been packed off to school, their mother had dragged her into the house, mostly by the ears or the nape of the neck, and begun the long difficult process of reforming her into something resembling a young lady. â€Å"I suppose I should have started years ago,† she told her sulky daughter; â€Å"but you were having such a good time, and I knew Dickie would be sent away soon. I thought it hardly fair that your lessons should start sooner.† This lifted the cloud a little from her daughter's brow, so she added with a smile, â€Å"And, besides, I've always liked riding horses and climbing trees and falling into ponds better myself.† After such an open avowal of sympathy from the enemy, lessons could never be quite awful; on the other hand, they were not perhaps as thorough as they might have been. On particularly beautiful days they often packed a lunch and rode out together, mother and daughter, to inspire themselves – the mother said – with a little fresh air; but the books as often as not stayed in the saddlebags all day. The daughter learned to love books, particularly adventure novels where the hero rode a beautiful horse and ran all the villains through w ith his silver sword, but her embroidery was never above passable; and she only learned to dance after her mother pointed out that such grace and balance as she might learn on the dance floor would doubtless stand her in good stead in the saddle. She learned the housekeeping necessary in an old ramshackle country house well enough to take over the management of theirs successfully during her mother's last illness; and the first horrible months after her mother's death were made easier by the fact that she had something to do. As the first pain of loss wore away, she realized also that she liked being useful. In the shock five years later of her father's death, and with the knowledge that she must leave her home, and leave it in the indifferent hands of a business manager, it had occurred to her to be relieved that the little eastern station at the farthest-flung border of the Homelander empire where Richard had been posted, and where she was about to join him, was as small and isolated as it was. Her mother had escorted her to such small parties and various social occasions as their country neighborhood might offer, and while she knew she had â€Å"conducted herself creditably† she had not enjoyed herself. For one thing, she was simply too big: taller than all the women, taller than most of the men. Harry could get nothing more useful out of her brother about his private misgivings as the small rickety train carried them north. So she began to ask general questions – a tourist's questions – about her new country; and then she had better luck. Richard began visibly to thaw, for he recognized the sincerity of her interest, and told her quite cheerfully that the town at the end of their journey, where Sir Charles and Lady Amelia awaited them, was the only town of any size at all within three days of it. â€Å"There's a wireless station out in the middle of nowhere where the train stops – it exists only for the train to have someplace to stop – and that's all.† The town's name was Istan, after the natives' Ihistan, which was deemed too hard to pronounce. Beyond Istan was a scattering of small depressed cottages in carefully irrigated fields where a tough local tassel-headed grain called korf was grown. Istan had been a small village before the Home landers came, where the farmers and herders and nomads from the surrounding country came to market every fortnight and a few pot-menders and rug-weavers kept shops. The Homelanders used it as an outpost, and expanded it, although the native marketplace remained at its center; and built a fort at the eastern edge of it, which was named the General Leonard Ernest Mundy. Istan had lately become a place of some importance in the governmental network the Homelanders had laid over the country they had conquered eighty years before. It was still an isolated spot, and no one went there who didn't have to; for it was at the edge of the great northern desert of the peninsular continent the Homelanders called Daria. But thirteen years ago the Aeel Mines had been discovered in the Ramid Mountains to the northwest, and in the last eight years the Mines had been officially declared the most profitable discovery on the entire Darian continent, and that was saying a great deal. The profits on oranges alone paid the wages of half the civil servants in the Province. â€Å"The Mines are awful to get to, though; the Ramids are very nasty going. Istan is on the only feasible route to the Mines, and is the last town large enough to re-supply any caravan or company going that way or coming back out again. That's why we got the railroad, finally. Before that we were the only reason anyone would want to come so far, and our attractions are limited. But the Mines are the big thing now. They may even figure out a way to dig a road through the Ramids. I wish them luck.† Istan also remained tactically important, for while south of it the boundary to Homelander territory swung rapidly east, the Homelanders failed to push it back any nearer the mountains of the north and east. The natives, perhaps from learning to cope with the desert to survive at all, had proved to be a tougher breed than their southern cousins. Some of this Harry had read at Home when she had first heard of Richard's posting three years before. But she felt the reality of it now, with the western wind blowing down on her from the rich Aeel Mines, and the odd greenish-bronze tint in the sky, and the brilliant red of the sunsets. She saw the dull brown uniforms of the Homelander soldiers stationed here, with the red stripe vertically drawn over the left breast that indicated they served in the Darian province of the Homelander sovereignty. There were more soldiers, the farther they traveled. â€Å"It's still a sore point that Istan is the eastern frontier; we can't seem to bear the idea that the border doesn't run straight, north to south, because we would like it to. They keep threatening to mount new offensives, but Colonel Dedham – he's in charge of the old Mundy – says that they won't do it. And who wants to own a lot of desert anyway? It's the farmland in the south – and the Mines – that make it worthwhile to be here.† She encouraged him to talk about Her Majesty's Government of the Royal Province of Daria, and if she did not listen as closely as she might to the descriptions of the ranks and duties of the civil servants Richard had the most contact with, she arrived at Istan at last with some small idea of how Homelanders in general were expected to respond to Daria. And she had seen korf with her own eyes, and a band of the wandering tinkers known as dilbadi, and the changing color of the earth underfoot, from the southern red to central brown to northern yellow-grey. She knew a broad-leafed ilpin tree from the blue evergreen torthuk, and when Lady Amelia met her with a corsage of the little rosy-pink pimchie flowers, she greeted them by name. Lady Amelia was a small round woman with big hazel eyes and curly grey hair and the wistful look of the fading beauty. Her husband, Sir Charles, was as tall as Richard and much broader; he must ride sixteen stone, Harry thought dispassionately as she shook his hand. He had a red face and white hair and a magnificent mustache, and if his blue eyes were a little shallow, there were laugh lines generously around them, and his smile was warm. She felt as if they had looked forward to her coming, and she relaxed a little; there was none of the loftiness she was expecting toward a poor relation – someone else's poor relation at that. Sir Charles during the first evening gave her a complete history of Daria, its past, its conquest by the Homelanders, its present, and its likely future, but most of it she was too tired to follow. Lady Amelia's occasional quick comments, when her husband stopped to draw breath, about Harry's present comfort were much more welcome, although she tried no t to show it. But midway through the evening, as Sir Charles was gesturing with his liqueur glass and even Richard was looking a bit glassy-eyed, Lady Amelia caught her new charge's eye for a long moment. A look of patience and affection passed between them; and Harry thought that perhaps all would be well, and she went up to bed in good spirits. For the first few days in Istan she unpacked, and looked around her, and only saw the newness of everything. But the Homelanders of Istan were a small but thriving community, and she was the latest addition to a society which looked forward to, and welcomed, and cross-examined, and talked about, its additions. She had always suffered from a vague restlessness, a longing for adventure that she told herself severely was the result of reading too many novels when she was a small child. As she grew up, and particularly after her mother died, she had learned to ignore that restlessness. She had nearly forgotten about it, till now. She wondered sometimes if her brother felt that impatience of spirit too, if something like it had had anything to do with his ending up at a small Border station, however tactically important, although his prospects, when he graduated from university, had suggested something better. This was one of the many things she did not ask him. Another question she did not ask was if he ever missed Home. She set down her empty orange-juice glass, and sighed. They'd missed the orange groves, coming north from Stzara, where her ship put her ashore. She picked up her fork from its shining white, neatly folded linen napkin, and turned it so that the sunlight that had glittered through her orange juice now caught in tiny star-bursts across its tines. Don't fidget, she told herself. This morning she was to go riding with the two Misses Peterson, Cassie and Elizabeth. They were near her own age, and the admitted beauties of the station; the entire 4th Cavalry, stationed at the General Mundy, were in love with them. But they were also cheerful and open-hearted, and she was fond of them. She had never much cared for beauty, although she was aware that she lacked it and that her position might have been a little easier if she had not. They would return from their ride by midmorning, because the sun would be growing too hot for anyone to brave it for pleasure. She planned to ask Lady Amelia if they might all come back here for lunch. She already knew what the answer would be: â€Å"Why, of course! We are always delighted to see them. I am so pleased, my dear, that you should be so clever as to attach the two most charming girls we have here to be your particular friends.† Harry caught herself playing with her fork again, and laid it down emphatically. This evening there was to be another dance. Richard had promised to escort her; she had to acknowledge that, however little they found to say to one another now, he was very good about escorting her to parties, and dancing with her – which meant that there was at least one man present whom she did not tower over. Her gratitude was not at all dimmed by the suspicion that he was nursing a secret passion for Cassie, nor by the thought, not even a real suspi cion, that he might not want himself made a fool of by his sister's unpopularity. No, his kindness was real; he loved her, she thought, in his silent and anxious way. Perhaps simply being a very junior military adjutant with an unmarried sister suddenly thrust on one's hands inevitably made one a bit of a prig. It never occurred to her to speculate whether any of the young men in their shining regimentals that Dickie painstakingly introduced her to, and who then painstakingly asked her to dance, presented themselves from any motive outside a willingness to do their friend Crewe a favor by standing up with his oversized sister. It would have surprised her very much to learn of her two or three admirers, who so far resisted the prevailing atmosphere of the barracks as to incline to an altar less populated than that of either Miss Peterson. â€Å"But she's just like her brother,† one of them complained to his best friend, who listened with a friend's patience, although he was himself incapable of seeing the charms of any woman other than Beth Peterson. â€Å"So damned polite. Oh, she's nice enough, you know. I don't suppose she actually dislikes me,† he continued, a bit uncertainly. â€Å"But I'm not at all sure she even recognizes me from one day to the next, so it hardly count s.† â€Å"Well,† said the friend good-humoredly, â€Å"Dick remembers you well enough.† The admirer threw a boot at his friend – the one he hadn't polished yet. â€Å"You know what I mean.† â€Å"I know what you mean,† agreed the friend. â€Å"A cold fish.† The admirer looked up from the boot-blacking angrily and the friend held up the extra boot like a shield. â€Å"Dick's stiff with honor. I daresay his sister's like that. You just don't know her well enough yet.† â€Å"Balls, dinner parties,† moaned the admirer. â€Å"You know what they're like; it could take years.† The friend in silent sympathy (thinking of Beth) tossed the boot back, and he began moodily to black it. The object of his affections, had she known of this conversation, would have agreed with him on the subject of balls and dinner parties. In fact, she would have added the rider that she wasn't sure it could be done at all, getting to know someone at any succession of such parties, however prolonged. And the friend was right about Dick Crewe's powerful sense of honor. He knew well enough that at least two of his friends were falling in love with his sister; but it never crossed his mind to say anything about them to her. He could not compromise the privileged knowledge of friendship in such a way. And Dick's sister, oblivious to the fact that she had won herself a place in the station hierarchy, chafed and fidgeted. Lady Amelia arrived at the breakfast table next. They had just settled the question of Cassie and Beth coming to lunch – in almost the precise words anticipated – when the door to Sir Charles' study, across the hall from the breakfast room, opened; and Sir Charles and his secretary, Mr. Mortimer, entered to breakfast. The two women looked at them in surprise; they had the unmistakable air of men who have been awake several hours, working hard on nothing more than a cup or two of the dark heavy local coffee, and who will rush through their meal now to get back to whatever they have been doing. Neither of them looked very happy about their prospects. â€Å"My dear,† said Lady Amelia. â€Å"Whatever is wrong?† Sir Charles ran a hand through his white hair, accepted a plate of eggs with his other hand, and sat down. He shook his head. Philip Mortimer glanced at his employer but said nothing. â€Å"Richard's not here yet,† said Sir Charles, as if his absence explained everything. â€Å"Richard – ?† said Lady Amelia faintly. â€Å"Yes. And Colonel Dedham. I'm sorry, my dear,† he said, a few mouthfuls of eggs seeming to restore him. â€Å"The message came quite out of the blue, in the middle of the night,† he explained through his metaphors as well as his mouthful. â€Å"Jack – Colonel Dedham – has been out, trying to find out what he can, and I told him to come to breakfast and tell us what he's learned. With Richard – that boy knows how to talk to people. Blast them. Blast him. He'll be here in a few hours.† His wife stared at him in complete bewilderment, and his young guest averted her eyes when he looked at her, as it was not her place to stare. He laid down his fork and laughed. â€Å"Melly, your face is a study. Young Harry here is going to be a fine ambassador's wife someday, though: look at that poker face! You really shouldn't look so much like your brother; it makes you too easy to read for those of us who know him. Just now you're thinking: Is the old man gone at last? Humor him till we're sure; if he calms down a bit, perhaps we'll get some sense out of him even now.† Harry grinned back at him, untroubled by his teasing, and he reached across the table, braving candlesticks and an artistically arranged bowl of fruit, to tap her cheek with his fingers. â€Å"A general's wife, on second thought. You'd be wasted on the diplomatic corps; we're all such dry paper-shufflers.† He speared a piece of toast with his fork, and Lady Amelia, whose manners with her own family were as punctilious as if she dined with royalty, looked away. Sir Charles piled marmalade on his toast till it began to ooze off the edges, added one more dollop for good measure, and ate it all in three gulps. â€Å"Melly, I know I've told you about the difficulties we're having in the North, on this side of the mountains with our lot, and on the far side with whatever it is they breed over there – a very queer bunch, from all we can gather – and it's all begun to escalate, this last year, at an alarming speed. Harry, Dick's told you something of this?† She nodded. â€Å"You may or may not know that our real hold over Daria ends just about where this station stands, although technically – on paper – Homeland rule extends right to the foot of those mountains north and east of here – the Ossanders, which run out from the Ramids, and then that far eastern range you see over the sand, where none of us has ever been †¦ those mountains are the only bits of the old kingdom of Damar still under native rule. There used to be quite a lot of fighting along this border – say, forty years ago. Since then their king – oh yes, there's a king – more or less ignores us, and we more or less ignore him. But odd things – call them odd things; Jack will tell you what he thinks they are – still happen on that plain, our no-man's-land. So we have the 4th Cavalry here with us. â€Å"Nothing too odd has happened since the current king took the throne around ten years ago, we think – they don't bother to keep us up to date on such things – but it never does to be careless. Um.† He frowned and, while frowning, ate another piece of toast. â€Å"Everything has been quiet for – oh, at least fifteen years. Nearly as long as I've been here, and that's a long time. Ask Jack, though, for stories of what it was like up and down the northern half of this border before that. He has plenty of them.† He stood up from the table, and went across the room to the row of windows. He lifted the curtain farther back as he looked out across the desert, as if breadth of view might assist clarity of thought. It was obvious his mind was not on the explanation he was giving; and for all his assumed cheerfulness, he was deeply worried. â€Å"Damn! †¦ Excuse me. Where is Jack? I expected he would have at least sent young Richard on ahead before now.† He spoke as if to himself, or perhaps to Philip Mortimer, who made soothing noises, poured a cup of tea, and took it to Sir Charles where he stood squinting into the morning sunlight. â€Å"Trouble?† said Lady Amelia gently. â€Å"More trouble?† Sir Charles dropped the curtain and turned around. â€Å"Yes! More trouble.† He looked down at his hands, realized he was holding a cup of tea in one of them, and took a swallow from it with the air of a man who does what is expected of him. â€Å"There may be war with the North. Jack thinks so. I'm not sure, but – I don't like the rumors. We must secure the passes through the mountains – particularly Ritger's Gap, which gives anybody coming through it almost a direct line to Istan, and then of course to the whole Province. It may only be some tribal uproar – but it could be war, as real as it was eighty years ago. There aren't many of the old Damarians left – the Hillfolk – but we've been forced to have a pretty healthy respect for them. And if King Corlath decides to throw his chances in with the Northerners – â€Å" There was a clatter in the street below. Sir Charles' head snapped around. â€Å"There they are at last,† he said, and bolted for the front door and threw it open himself, under the scandalized eye of the butler who had emerged from his inner sanctum just too late. â€Å"Come in! I've been in high fidgets for the last hour, wondering what's become of you. Have you found out anything that might be of use to us? I have been trying to explain to the ladies what our problem is.† â€Å"Would you care for breakfast?† Lady Amelia asked without haste, and with her usual placid courtesy. â€Å"Charles may be trying to explain, but so far he has not succeeded.† In response to her gesture, a maid laid two more places at the table. With a jingling of spurs the two newcomers entered, apologized for their dirt, and were delighted to accept some breakfast. Richard dropped a perfunctory kiss on his sister's cheek on his way to the eggs and ham. After a few minutes of tea-pouring and butter-passing, while Sir Charles strode up and down the room with barely suppressed impatience, it was Lady Amelia who spoke first. â€Å"We will leave you to your business, which I can see is very important, and we won't pester you with demands for explanations. But would you answer just one question?† Colonel Dedham said, â€Å"Of course, Melly. What is it?† â€Å"What is it that has suddenly thrown you into this turmoil? Some unexpected visitor, I gather, from what Charles said?† Dedham stared at her. â€Å"He didn't tell you – ? Good God. It's Corlath himself. He's coming. He never comes near here, you know – none of the real Hillfolk do if they can help it. At best, if we want badly enough to talk to him, we can catch one of his men as they pass through the foothills northeast of here. Sometimes.† â€Å"You see,† broke in Sir Charles, â€Å"it makes us hope that perhaps he wishes to cooperate with us – not the Northerners. Jack, did you find out anything?† Dedham shrugged. â€Å"Not really. Nothing that we didn't already know – that his coming here is unprecedented, to say the least – and that it is in fact him. Nobody had any better guesses than ours about why, suddenly, he decided to do so.† â€Å"But your guess would be – † prompted Sir Charles. Dedham shrugged again, and looked wry. â€Å"You know already what my guess would be. You just like to hear me making an ass of myself. But I believe in the, um, curious things that happen out there – † he waved the sugar spoon – â€Å"and I believe that Corlath must have had some sort of sign, to go to the length of approaching us.† A silence fell; Harry could see that everyone else in the room was uncomfortable. â€Å"Sign?† she said tentatively. Dedham glanced up with his quick smile. â€Å"You haven't been here long enough to have heard any of the queer stories about the old rulers of Damar?† â€Å"No,† she said. â€Å"Well, they were sorcerers – or so the story goes. Magicians. They could call the lightning down on the heads of their enemies, that sort of thing – useful stuff for founding an empire.† Sir Charles snorted. â€Å"No, you're quite right; all we had was matchlocks and enthusiasm. Even magic wanes, I suppose. But I don't think it's waned quite away yet; there's some still living in those mountains out there. Corlath can trace his bloodlines back to Aerin and Tor, who ruled Damar in its golden age – with or without magic, depending on which version you prefer.† â€Å"If they weren't legends themselves,† put in Sir Charles. â€Å"Yes. But I believe they were real,† said Jack Dedham. â€Å"I even believe they wielded something we prosaic Homelanders would call magic.† Harry stared at him, fascinated, and his smile broadened. â€Å"I'm quite used to being taken for a fool about this. It's doubtless part of the reason why I'm still a colonel, and still at the General Mundy. But there are a number of us old soldiers whose memories go back to the Daria of thirty, forty years ago who say the same thing.† â€Å"Oh, magic,† said Sir Charles disgustedly, but there was a trace of uneasiness in his voice as well. â€Å"Have you ever seen lightning come to heel like a dog?† Dedham through his politeness looked a little stubborn. â€Å"No. I haven't. But it's true enough at least that the men who have gone up against Corlath's father and grandfather were plagued by the most astonishing bad luck. And you know the Queen and Council back Home would give their eyeteeth to push our border back the way we've been saying we would for the last eighty years.† â€Å"Bad luck?† said Lady Amelia. â€Å"I've heard the stories, of course – some of the old ballads are very beautiful. But – what sort of bad luck?† Dedham smiled again. â€Å"I admit it does begin to sound foolish when one tries to explain it. But things like rifles – or matchlocks – misfiring, or blowing up; not just a few, but many – yourself, and your neighbor, and his neighbor. And their neighbors. A cavalry charge just as it reaches full stretch, the horses begin to trip and fall down as if they've forgotten how to gallop – all of them. Men mistake their orders. Supply wagons lose their wheels. Half a company all suddenly get grit in their eyes simultaneously and can't see where they're going – or where to shoot. The sort of little things that always happen, but carried far beyond probability. Men get superstitious about such things, however much they scoff at elves and witches and so on. And it's pretty appalling to see your cavalry crumple up like they're all drunk, while these madmen with nothing but swords and axes and bits of leather armor are coming down on you from every direction – and nobody seems to be firing at them from your side. I assure you I've seen it.† Richard shifted in his chair. â€Å"And Corlath – â€Å" â€Å"Yes, Corlath,† the colonel continued, sounding still as unruffled as when he thanked Lady Amelia for his cup of tea, while Sir Charles' face was getting redder and redder and he whuffled through his mustache. It was hard not to believe Dedham; his voice was too level, and it rang with sincerity. â€Å"They say that in Corlath the old kings have come again. You know he's begun to reunite some of the outlying tribes – the ones that don't seem to owe anyone any particular allegiance, and who live by a sort of equal-handed brigandry on anyone within easy reach.† â€Å"Yes, I know,† said Sir Charles. â€Å"Then you may also have heard some of the other sort of stories they've begun to tell about him. I imagine he can call lightning to heel if he feels like it.† â€Å"This is the man who's coming here today?† said Lady Amelia; and even she now sounded a little startled. â€Å"Yes, Amelia, I'm afraid so.† â€Å"If he's so blasted clever,† muttered Sir Charles, â€Å"what does he want with us?† Dedham laughed. â€Å"Come now, Charles. Don't be sulky. I don't suppose even a magician can make half a million Northerners disappear like raindrops in the ocean. We certainly need him to keep the passes through his mountains closed. And it may be that he has decided that he needs us – to mop up the leaks, perhaps.† Lady Amelia stood up, and Harry reluctantly followed her. â€Å"We will leave you to discuss it. Is there – is there anything I could do, could arrange? I'm afraid I know very little about entertaining native – chieftains. Do you suppose he will want lunch?† She spread her hands and looked around the table. Harry suppressed a smile at the thought of proper little Lady Amelia offering sandwiches, with the crusts neatly trimmed off, and lemonade to this barbarian king. What would he look like? She thought: I've never even seen any of the Freemen, the Hillfolk. All the natives at the station, even the merchants from away, look subdued and †¦ a little wary. â€Å"Oh, bosh,† said Sir Charles. â€Å"I wish I knew what he wanted – lunch or anything else. Part of what makes all this so complicated is that we know the Free Hillfolk have a very complicated code of honor – but we know almost nothing about what it consists of.† â€Å"Almost,† murmured Dedham. â€Å"We could offend them mortally and not even know it. I don't know if Corlath is coming alone, or with a select band of his thousand best men, all armed to the teeth and carrying lightning bolts in their back pockets.† â€Å"Now, Charles,† Dedham said. â€Å"We've invited him here – â€Å" † – because the fort is not built for receiving guests of honor,† Dedham said easily as Sir Charles paused. â€Å"And,† Sir Charles added plaintively, â€Å"it doesn't look quite so warlike here.† Dedham laughed. â€Å"But four o'clock in the morning,† Sir Charles said. â€Å"I think we should be thankful that it occurred to him to give us any warning at all. I don't believe it's the sort of thing he's accustomed to having to think of.† The colonel stood up, and Richard promptly took his place behind him. Sir Charles was still pacing about the room, cup in hand, as the ladies prepared to leave. â€Å"My apologies for spoiling your morning to no purpose,† said Colonel Dedham. â€Å"I daresay he will arrive sometime and we will deal with him, but I don't think you need put yourselves out. His message said merely that he desired an audience with the Homelander District Commissioner – not quite his phrase, but that's the idea – and the general in command of the fort. He'll have to make do with me, though; we don't rate a general. The Hill-kings don't go in much for gold plate and red velvet anyway – I think. I hope this is a business meeting.† â€Å"I hope so too,† murmured Sir Charles to his teacup. â€Å"And – at the moment – we can't do much more than wait and see,† said the colonel. â€Å"Have some more of this excellent tea, Charles. What's in your cup must be quite cold by now.†

DISCUSSION QUESTION RESPONSE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 44

DISCUSSION QUESTION RESPONSE - Essay Example After creation, the presentation can be downloaded inform of text document, PowerPoint or PDF, and uploaded to YouTube. However, Google presentations are insecure and prone to invasions as documents get shared anonymously (Bruna, 2012). Prezi is another example of presentation tool. This is an online presentation tool offering both free and paid plans. With the unpaid plan, one can easily create presentations and share them online, or download them for offline viewing. The paid plan has additional features like making presentations private, and the ability to work offline. This tool allows a person to produce high quality flash documents (Nannette, 2009). The tool has a web-built presentation that offers dynamic transitions and non-linear presenting. It also allows the presenter to insert images and PDF files, or other media. The tool, however, has limited functionality such as line tools fonts and colours. Keynote is Apple’s presentation tool. Keynote allows a person to create presentations with unique themes and transition (Nannette, 2009). It produces polished graphics and high quality animations. Keynote can be integrated to iPhone or iPod to do a wireless presentation. This will control the progress of your presentation and view it on your mobile phone. The main shortcoming is that it takes time to become proficient. In conclusion, no matter how skilled an individual is at presenting an idea, a solid presentation will add so much more to it. Stephanie’s response to the discussion question was appropriate because she discussed presentation tools available in the marketplace and stated their advantages and

What do UEL students think about the future of university education Assignment

What do UEL students think about the future of university education - Assignment Example Initial research studies identified many different arguments about the future of education, including structural changes to the classroom, distance learning through e-systems, increasing tuition costs and even more interactive tools and instruments based on changing curriculum in-line with business evolution. The most common theme identified was the presence of e-learning as a foundation for the future of university education.   E-learning is the use of various electronic applications and systems to promote educational learning. These include â€Å"Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classroom development and digital collaborations† all delivered through the Internet, satellite television, CD-ROM and intranet systems. According to a recent report published by the Sloan Foundation, e-learning systems have achieved a 12-14 percent growth rate since 2006. In the United States alone, as one example, there are currently 3.5 million students using online education systems within higher education environments (Mihai, et al.). It is forecasted that e-learning will, by 2014, be in 81 percent of global universities. Another recent study with a sample population of 289 respondents, 189 of which were from higher education environments and 100 from corporations, identified current usage of electronic learning. In the study, 44 percent of respondents used blogs to teach, 53 percent video podcasts, 71 percent online courses, 56 percent social networks, 66 percent text messaging and 49 percent mobile broadband.

Managing Information Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing Information - Essay Example Leibold et al. (2002) assert that during last three decades the world has gone through the important turning period in its economic, political and social history, which is related to the increasing appreciation of new values, such as openness, freedom, interdependency, networking and collaboration. It is accompanied by the acceleration of technological changes and impetuous development of computer and electronic communications. In the organisational context these processes entailed significant shifts in strategic management thinking and implementations: from information to knowledge and wisdom; from bureaucracies to networks; from training / development to learning; from local / national to transnational / global and meta-national; from competitive to collaborative thinking; from single and multi-connective relationships to bio-corporate relationships (Leibold et al. 2002: p.14). All these changes clearly reveal that the current era of the global economy is primarily based on knowled ge and intellectual assets rather than on material and financial assets. This era is often called New Economy or Knowledge Economy (Drucker 1994; Davenport & Prusak 1998), where knowledge is considered as a key organisational asset, which ensures sustainable competitive advantages for companies (Alavi & Leidner 2001). Companies in its turn also represent a new form of organisations, which exploit specific organisational structures and new information technologies, and base their business upon a development of core competencies through knowledge and expertise sharing and organisational learning. This paper is aimed to discuss modern concepts and approaches related to management of knowledge in organisations, and critically assess the role of Knowledge Management in creation of sustainable competitive advantages of enterprises. 3.0 Key Findings 3.1 Supporting Knowledge Management Understanding Knowledge in Organisations Knowledge in organisations is considered as â€Å"any text, fact , example, event, rule, hypothesis, or model that increases understanding or performance in a domain or discipline† (Liebowitz & Beckman 1998: p.49). Another useful definition of knowledge is â€Å"a fluid mix of framed experience, values, contextual information, and expert insights that provides a framework for evaluating and incorporating new experiences and information. In organisations, it often becomes embedded not only in documents and repositories but also in organizational routines, processes, practices, and norms† (Davenport & Prusak 1998: p.5). Allee (1997: p.62) explains that when information is involved in the larger context of meaning, when it is analysed and linked with other information, when it is referred to existing patterns, social and cultural biases and interpretations – then it becomes knowledge. So, evidently, knowledge can be organised and classified, having the properties of an object. At the same time, â€Å"knowledge can be viewed as a process of transformation through creation, adaptation, enhancement and application† (Allee 1997: p. 47). Or, in other words, â€Å"knowledge is the process of knowing, a reflexive process that takes data and information, in a social context, mixes the ingredients and factors [experience, judgment, common sense, rules of thumb, values and beliefs, basic truths, context, best practices, emotions, desires] to generate new data, information, and/or knowledge†

How did the British Empire Understand and Try to Combat Violent Literature review

How did the British Empire Understand and Try to Combat Violent Nationalism - Literature review Example It is a trusteeship under what Lord Lugard has strikingly called a "dual mandate" in colonial government (Williams, Gwyn A., 1980). For it entails not only a compulsion to develop the territory in the interests of a world economy but the fortification of the native inhabitants from the too atrocious impact of contact with extremely geared industrial civilizations. An analysis into the success of the British Empire in dealing with this most annoying problem has astonishing interest to all colonizing powers. The consideration of the world has been focused on atypical intensity for that reason on the East Coast of Africa, now almost completely British, either through direct control or under League Mandate. There the white settlement, from which West Africa has been secured by its climate, is probably in the high uplands of Kenya, in parts of Tanganyika and Nyasaland, and perhaps on down to the Union of South Africa, on the island peaks of high plateau country such as an increase as one goes south through the Rhodesias. Over the entire area, Cecil Rhodes' dream of a white African empire for England is being fought out between the Colonial Office's policy of constraint and the stubborn nationalism of the Union of South Africa.   it settlements of the Rhodesias and of Kenya, though the latter is still sparingly settled protectorates or crown colonies, in the case of Kenya without accountable government. The shibboleth that divides men about native policy in Africa is the "dominant" interest of the natives (D. C. Dorward, 1986, pp. 399-459).The concern of this African struggle and of the other troubles of an empire can only be astutely foreseen after a study of each discretely, focusing attention first on the British Commonwealth of equivalent nations and weighing centrifugal and centripetal pulls from race, religion, class, chronological ties, and economic interests.British foreign policy compounded and compromised into an incorporated system out of the pull of these various interests, with other centers of economic and political gravitation pulling at its component members from both North and South America, and Europe (Philip Foster, 1965). Nor can one overlook that Russia is potentially threatening to the structure of that capitalist world economy in which the City in London shares with New York the ruling position. As long as capitalist nations evade war the threat is slight (G. O. Olusanya, 1973).

Effects of Technology on Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Effects of Technology on Advertising - Essay Example Advertisements are the main sources of revenue for the conventional or old media outlets. Old media refers to the basic media of mass communication which include television, radio, newspapers, and magazines. In radio and television, the cost of an advert is determined by the time the advert takes to run on air, the time of the day in which the advert is played, and more importantly, the coverage of the media. An international media outlet such as the BBC and the CNN charge higher especially for their prime time than local media, which would more often run adverts on local products. For newspapers and magazines, the price of the advert is determined by the paper space occupied by the advert. Full-page adverts are more expensive than mere columns of texts and graphics. Furthermore, newspapers charge on the importance of the page on which the advert is placed. The first pages are more costly than the inner hidden pages that not every reader would pay much attention to (Bogomolova, 2011) . Advertisements improve brand visibility thereby possibly improving sales of the product or dispensation of a service. Companies invest extensively in advertisements of their products and services. This is because advertisements form the basis of competition for companies operating in the manufacture or sales of similar products or provision of similar services. Before settling for the use of a particular media to run adverts, companies consider a number of factors which include costs and the effectiveness of advertising through the media. Not all companies would find essence in advertising in international media such as the BBC; smaller companies that produce and sell products in smaller geographical locations prefer the use of local media since they reach their target market unlike the CNN and the BBC. The region and scope of operation forms the greatest factor considered by most companies in search of advertisers. Cost affectivity is achieved when the amount invested in advertisem ents achieves the purpose by giving the brand the projected visibility in the market. Companies will always be willing to spend as much money as possible on advertisement provided the investment on advertisement resonates in improved visibility thereby improving the sale of their products (Frey, 1956). New Media New media is a phrase coined to refer to the use of the internet to gather, package, and distribute information to a large audience, which is synonymous to journalism. The advent of the internet literally transformed various aspects in reference to human life. Every industry got affected with the use of internet and the digital media. It introduced new concepts on the previously existing industries. In journalism and mass communication, the internet introduced the aspect of online journalism. Online journalism refers to the use of computer networks key among which is the internet in the gathering, packaging, or processing and the dissemination of information to an increasing ly computer literate audience. This new type of journalism influenced the previous old media by changing some of the rules of journalism that had determined news access and mass communication in general, which included advertisements as well. Among some of the key changes introduced by this new media include

HRM human resources management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

HRM human resources management - Essay Example The introduction of the composite pay deal and performance bonus is the most important factor underlining BMW’s success. The performance bonus has been specifically linked to the generation of new ideas to harnass worker creativity. For instance workers are required to come up with three ideas to save 800 pounds each in order to qualify for an annual bonus of 260 pounds (Case). Vroom’s Expectancy Theory highlights the importance of rewards – including extrinsic rewards such as bonuses – in enhancing motivation of workers (Vroom, n.d). Linking increased pay and a bonus specifically geared to reward performance in terms of achieving production targets is conducive to improving employee performance. Moreover, harnassing worker creativity is also likely to provide the intrinsic rewards that help to achieve a high motivation and satisfaction quotient on the job according to Vroom’s theory. Workers will feel that they are making a useful contribution whic h helps to enhance motivation and interest on the job. The second most important feature of the HR package is the overhaul of the flexible working system. The HR practices in this aspect were such that they had to work their way around restrictive covenants and secure increased labor during peak production periods while paying salaries during off production periods. The rearrangement of the working schedule includes the following features: (a) scrapping of the contract in favor of a working time account (b) introducing a working time account (c) the facility to â€Å"bank† time during high production periods (d) overtime to be cashed later for extended holidays (Case). The system was started with every worker coming in with minus 200 hours each, however the reasons for the changes, as stated by Ernest Baumann, head of BMW’s Human resources Department is to â€Å"give associates a greater control over their time.†(O’Brien, 2002: Mar7). The flexible worker schedule and the facility to bank hours and control

Public Presentation Speech on Hofstra UNIVERSITY Baseball Essay

Public Presentation Speech on Hofstra UNIVERSITY Baseball - Essay Example The Hall of Fame was introduced in 1939 with Dale Petroskey as the president (Vaccaro, 73). This gesture by the university has been forceful in encouraging students to participate in sports. It seeks to appreciate the University’s alumni who did their best to take their respective sports at higher levels. The hall of fame includes students who have shown their prowess and alacrity in sports. Each year the University’s department of sports, though a high caliber panel selects candidates for this hall. This year Greg Polli who played baseball for the university in 1983 was selected for the hall of fame. The History of Hofstra baseball is one that is remembered with nostalgia that is drawn from the memories of the university’s pioneers of fame, pride and dominance. The Hafstra baseball course was initiated in 1938. According to (Vaccaro, 73) an online sports news desk, Brant Alyes who played in1959-1961 was the first baseball player from Hafstra University to make it to a major league level. Ken Singleton 1966-1966 is another baseball icon who made it to a major league. It is almost inevitable to mention the baseball players of Hafstra University who have gone professional in Hafstra baseball discourses. Greg Polli is a former All- American player who was also ranked third in the nation. Lance Schulters who played soccer for the university between 1996 and 1997 went professional. His professional soccer was at its prime when he was picked for the fourth time in 1998 by NFL in Francisco where he played for a decade (Vaccaro, 73). Finally it is commendable of the university to see the efforts put in all aspects of the university. Hafstra has become not only an academic giant but also a center of producing all round, disciplined and focused citizen of our republic with sports proving to be the best tool for its ambitious endeavors

British History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

British History - Essay Example The Seven Years’ War forced Britain to change its colonial policies in ways that helped drive the colonists to revolution. For the British, part of the significance of the Seven Years’ War is Britain’s emergence as the uncontested imperial leader in the New World. France and Britain had dueled for years as their empires expanded and collided. Armed conflict had been intermittent for decades. France gave its best effort against the might of the British, winning many battles and adopting successful alliances with Native American fighters, who offered support on the field and tutelage in woodland fighting techniques.1 When William Pitt reignited the British army, he also persuaded the Iroquois to ally with him and reduced the French advantage. The British whittled away at the French, then struck a terrific blow at the Plains of Abraham in Quebec in 1759, surprising the French and winning a short but awful battle. The French army would need years to heal after subsequent beatings on the battlefield left Britain victorious.2 Now, Great Britain had additional duties as a colonizer. As a result of the Treaty of Paris 1763, the French ceded land east of the Mississippi River to Great Britain. With larger land area to administrate, govern, protect, and defend, Britain placed additional strain on an already swollen fiscal budget. It would naturally expect the colonists, as British subjects to pay a proportionately higher amount of taxes to finance the new services.3 Victory in the Seven Years’ War impacted Britain’s attitude about how to treat opponents. It had not started winning the war until William Pitt began to use his bold, energetic, highly confident style to get results. Having sufficiently deposed the French with the heavy hand of its military, it now figured it could do the same to any colonists who were foolish enough to raise arms against

The Father Essay Essay Example for Free

The Father Essay Essay A man is shaped by the people in his environment. In The Father by Hugh Garner, John Purcell, the father, is not dysfunctional, the whole family is. He attempts to fit in but he is stopped, not only by his son, but by also the rest of his dysfunctional family. John attempts to be integrate into his family, but on several occasions is obstructed by his son. John attempts to start conversations with Johnny, but is ignored and soon stops these futile attempts. In addition, when he tries to watch his son play, his son bluntly ignores him. As well, John enthusiastically greets his son on the street only to have a wave in return. John even goes to a Boy Scout dinner in hopes of repairing the damage in the relationship between him and his son; nevertheless, his son continues to embarrass him. As you can see, the father is actually trying to become a handy member of his family, however, his family is actually hindering him from accomplishing his goal. The main person responsible for blocking John from becoming purposeful is his own son Johnny. Johnny doesnt talk with his dad, therefore, making him feel isolated from his son since he knows nothing about him. Whenever Johnnys dad tries to become functional with Johnny, Johnny makes his dad feel stupid for trying. Some more specific examples of this is when dad saw Johnny on the street, Johnny barely managed a wave. Also, when his dad went to see his son play games in the schoolyard, Johnny bluntly ignored his dad. Johnny is the main reason that John is not succeeding in becoming useful. However, the other members of the family also help Johnny in his evil deeds. Johnny is accountable for most of the blockage against his father; however, he also receives help from his family. To maintain as little as communication between Johnny and his father, Johnny gets his mom to talk the father for him. Johnny told his mother to give the dad the invitation to the Boy Scout dinner. Furthermore, the family reprimands John by telling him to be nice to Johnny, making it seem as if the distance between him and his son is his entire fault. As you can see, the whole family participates to forbid  John Purcell from becoming a functional member of the family. As you have just read, a man is shaped by the people in his environment. It is not John Purcells fault that he is dysfunctional; it is the familys fault that he is dysfunctional. John is trying to become a functional member, however, his dysfunctional family refuses to cooperate with him. With this evidence, you would come to the conclusion that it is not that John Purcell is dysfunctional; its the whole family that is dysfunctional.

Scientific Thinking And The Scientific Method Philosophy Essay

Scientific Thinking And The Scientific Method Philosophy Essay The scientific method is a way that allows us to justify scientific knowledge and decide whether the information we are given is reliable or not. So, what is reliable knowledge? In Scientific Thinking and the Scientific Method, Steven D. Schaferman mentions Reliable Knowledge is knowledge that has a high probability of being true because its veracity has been justified by a reliable method. For example, people have their own knowledge and beliefs; however, not all peoples knowledge and beliefs are reliably true. Therefore, scientific thinking aids people to determine if their knowledge is reliable and justified. To demonstrate, scientists practice scientific thinking in order to discover the globe and nature; nevertheless, scientific thinking is not only for scientists. As a matter of fact, when one practices the methods of scientific thinking, one is practicing critical thinking. Schaferman says Critical thinking is thinking correctly for oneself that successfully leads to the most reliable answers to questions and solutions to problems. Obviously, knowledge is not limited to the study of nature, but to all aspects of life and society. As a matter of fact, the scientific method proved to be the most successful and reliable method of thinking in human history. As a result, scientific thinking and critical thinking are being taught at schools. Indeed, if you master their skills, you will reach to reliable conclusions and think successfully Schafersman says. The scientific method is composed of three things: empiricism, rationalism, and skepticism. These components are considered focal to scientific and critical thinking. Empiricism is the use of empirical evidence which is evidence that is susceptible to ones senses such as seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling. The importance of empirical evidence is that it is testable by others. Therefore, your claims are tested by others and yourself. However, there is a lot of evidence that are not considered as empirical evidence due to their unreliability. Testimonial evidence, revelatory evidence, and spectral evidence, evidence manifested by supernatural entitles, are examples of unreliable evidence. On the contrary, authoritarian evidence is reliable only if the authority is reliable. Therefore, one must check if the authority is trustworthy; moreover, empirical evidence, critical thinking, and logical reasoning should be validated before considering the authority reliable. However, Schafersman says you must be your own authority and rely on your powers of critical thinking. But, we cant receive a proper education without depending on authoritati ve evidence. To demonstrate, we learned from our parents to listen and obey authorities; peoples that relied on authorities decisions had a higher percentage of survival and it is the most accurate and quickest in passing information. Naturalism, on the other hand, is empirical evidence. Schafersman quotes the universe exists as science says it does.' Indeed, there is a strong bond between science and natural evidence. To sum up, empirical evidence is crucial because not only does it make people observe what you claim in order to be reliable, but also it makes you practice the scientific method. Rationalism, on the other hand, is another method of practicing the scientific method. Rationalism is defined as the practice of logical reasoning. In fact, logic allows the person to reason correctly. For instance, critical thinkers and scientists use logical reasoning. However, logical reasoning is not easily learned. To elaborate, scientists and critical thinkers spent years learning and practicing logical reasoning because it requires you to struggle with your will. The fact is logical reasoning forces the person to deny his feelings which is painful. Unfortunately, people link logical reasoning with wishful, emotional, and hopeful thinking. As a result, people must learn how to think logically and the best way to it is by studying educational courses that forces you to use logic. As a matter of fact Practice makes perfect. Last but not least, skepticism is the final key of practicing the scientific method. The questioning of your claims and conclusions in imperative Schafersman says. He also elaborates that good scientists their arguments, and evidence. One must question the reliability of knowledge. For instance, one can test his beliefs against objective reality by prediction the outcome. If your assumptions are correct, your beliefs are reliable knowledge. The fact is that many people claim that skeptics are closed minded, but they are not. Skeptics decline to change their beliefs except if there is reliable evidence to what people claim. However, if there are reliable evidence to claims against their beliefs, they change their opinion. Definitely, one must decide what to believe and what not to believe. Empiricism, rationalism, and skepticism are the keys of using the scientific method; however, observations, data, and theories are important, but are not parts of the scientific method. Indeed, practicing the scientific method is integral. First, one should ask a question in which it can have an answer. Then, one should gather information in order to answer his question. Afterwards, he proposes solutions which is called hypothesis. Consequently, he examines these hypotheses. If it is correct, then his information is reliable. If it fails, he must modify or change his hypothesis. Finally, one must construct support to his theory. Indeed, the scientific method helps us in distinguishing reliable knowledge unlike any other method.

Kuwait Oil Fields Reconstruction Projects Construction Essay

Kuwait Oil Fields Reconstruction Projects Construction Essay During the Gulf war, Kuwait was invaded by Iraq and by the end of it almost all of oil production facilities of Kuwait had suffered extensive damage and had become defunct. Even after their Liberation in Feb, 1991 a large number of oil wells were on fire. To rebuild the countrys major source of income of the country a project was taken to reconstruct these oil fields. This was the Kuwait oilfields reconstruction project. Bechtel International was the project management firm given the contract to manage this reconstruction project by the Kuwait Oil Company. Work of planning of the project had started in November 1990 within three months of the start of the Iraqi Invasion, in the offices of Bechtel in London. Planning and organizing activities were being done in the offices in London, Houston, San Francisco, Dubai and Riyadh even when the war was still on. Since the war was still on, there was little knowledge of the total extent of the damage to the oilfields and how much work was to be done. However those damages that were identified till then were taken into consideration and front-end planning and procurement for the same had been started. During the end of the war, the retreating Iraqi troops had set the oilfields on fire. Thus to continue with the project first it was necessary to bring these fires under control. The personnel of Bechtel arrived in Kuwait 4 days after a complete sweep of the City was done by the allied troops. The main objective then of these personnel was to organize and manage the firefighting efforts. This was names project Al- Awada (Arabic for return). The vivid scenes shown by the newspaper, magazine, and television reports came alive for Bechtel project personnel. The days were dark with smoke from the fires blocking the sun, oil droplets filled the air, clean water and sanitary systems were not working, power plants were down, transportation was minimal as tires were a precious commodity, and food was very scarce. Initial accommodation was in refurbished ship quarters and in some vandalized apartment complexes without water and electricity, no more than a foam mattress on the floor, and a long hike up a darkened staircase. In addition to these problems, booby traps, land and water mines, unexploded shells and rockets, and other ordnance had littered the country. The temperatures in summer consistently were above 50 à Ã‚ ¦ C in shade (seldom below 37 à Ã‚ ¦ C at night), exposing the people in the field to temperatures of 55-58 à Ã‚ ¦ C in many locations, and hotter nearer to the fires. Just providing drinking water was a ma jor undertaking. John Oakland, senior vice president of Bechtel Corporation, who served as the manager of projects in Kuwait, remarked, This campaign, which was well covered by the international news media, was one of the most complex engineering and construction efforts in history. However, the following assignment, which was the reconstruction of the Kuwait oil fields, was an even bigger and more challenging task. The project of the reconstruction of the oil fields, which was named Al-Tameer (Arabic for rebuild), will be discussed in this report. Status of the Facilities The state of the two million barrels per day oil export industry in Kuwait after the completion of the fire-fighting effort was as follows: 647 wells had burned in total, 751 wells were damaged. Twenty-six oil gathering, separation, and production centers were damaged or totally destroyed. One marine export facility and its related single point mooring was totally destroyed, and the second marine export facility was partially damaged and out of commission. The equivalent of ten million barrels of crude oil storage tankage had been destroyed. The Shuaiba refinery was totally destroyed. A crude unit in the Mina Al Ahrnadi Refinery was completely destroyed. The rest of the refinery was partially damaged and the refinery was out of commission. The Mina Abdullah Refinery was partially damaged and the units were not operable. All communication towers and networks were destroyed. Most of the working population had either fled or were in hiding. Project Al-Tameer After the successful completion of the fire-fighting effort, KOC invited Bechtel to present its plan for the reconstruction of the oil fields production and exporting facilities damaged during the war, starting work by November 1990. KOCs goal was to be able to produce 2 million bpd of oil by September 1992. Planning and Organizing Phase The planning and organizing effort for the Al-Tameer project started with the Bechtel team that was already on-site as part of the Al-Awada project fire-fighting effort. An organization totally different from the Al-Awada project was required to scope, estimate, plan, execute, and turn over operational facilities to KOC. This organization had to be self-sufficient and be able to fully support and service a massive work force of more than 16,000 people. The main organization was divided into five main functions. One was to support KOCs future five-year budget planning with identification, scoping, and planning future projects. This was named KOC Major Projects Group. The other four groups consisted of: manager Al-Tameer projects, responsible for all planning and project management, as well as engineering and procurement manager coordination, responsible for scheduling, cost control, estimating, project reporting, public and community relations, and other relevant functions manager services, responsible for providing all the required support services for the project team including explosive and ordnance demolition group manager operation, responsible for field execution of all the defined work. A damage assessment and scoping team consisting of engineers, planners, and estimators walked every foot of the oil fields production and exporting facilities preparing a scope of work, cost estimate, a plan and schedule of work for each facility. The planning was based on a back to front scheduling defining the dates and production goals first, working backward to see when the drilling effort and facilities reconstruction work had to start to meet this goal. This approach also determined the required manpower and helped with direct hire and subcontracting plans. The overall plan defined the sequence of the work and prioritized the resources to make sure facilities with least damage were first priority for completion. The master schedule was developed based on nine subproject organization work breakdown structures (WBS) Oil recovery Tankage south North Kuwait Pipelines/flow lines Power, buildings, cathodic protection Marine facilities De-salters South gathering centers West gathering centers. Figure : Al Tameer Organization Each subproject having its task force, budget, schedule, and its priority on resources identified was headed by a project manager. The Al-Tameer project organization chart is shown in Figure 1. The teams were integrated with available KOC personnel who performed some of the project functions. Each subproject team was supported by local functional managers to provide them with staff and resources to execute the work. The key driver behind the plan was meeting the schedule and the production capacity. Execution Phase The project execution consisted of three main functions: detail engineering, procurement, and construction management. Detail Engineering Engineering and construction teams worked very closely during the planning phase to determine the best and most expedient way of rebuilding some of the facilities. This close collaboration continued until construction was complete. More than 200 designers and engineers worked in the makeshift project offices at various sites, with strong central support from a base that was set up in an old war-damaged girls school. This was later transferred to a newly constructed KOC engineering building. Additionally, a team of more than 200 engineers from various Bechtel regional offices worldwide provided continuous support and specialized expertise. The main deliverables of the engineering teams were construction drawings, construction packages, and material requisitions and technical bid tabs. This effort was not limited to oil production and exporting facilities; it included some of the necessary infrastructure required for the day-to-day operation of KOC. Offices, warehouses, guest houses, employees housing, roads, power, water, etc., were all part of the scope of the work. Because most of the original drawings and specifications were destroyed during the war, field sketches and measurements had to be used. A total engineering effort of 450,000 hours resulted in 4,500 major drawings. One totally new and fully modularized gathering facility (GC-17) was designed and built in Houston, Texas, and shipped to the sites. Other facilities were designed for rebuild based on their original concept, but modernized wherever possible. Some of the units were very old and were upgraded with the more modern versions of the equipment available. A more extensive use of distributed control systems and automation was one of the key areas that were upgraded. Procurement The project procurement group was established in full force during the firefighting phase of the project to provide resources for that very important effort. In the Al-Tameer phase the team was further expanded to support the massive procurement and contracting effort that was required to meet the target schedule. In addition, inventory control and warehousing material were also part of the procurement teams area of responsibility. The procurement team was also responsible for incorporating all the material into KOC1s automated material and inventory control system. The procurement effort driving the execution phase was centralized, and it was divided into three main areas: Material management Contracts management Warehouse management. Material management included purchasing, inspection, expediting, and traffic and logistics. Contracting included formation and administration. Warehouse management included central warehouses and satellite warehouses. The procurement team had three main goals within the projects overall objective: ensure the right material and resources were available in time to meet the schedule maximize the use of available local resources to assist in rebuilding the local economy ensure sure final warehouse inventory met KOCs material coding and identification system. The size and the particular nature of the project required that the procurement team be divided between material management-reporting to the manager of projects-and contracts management-reporting to the manager of construction. This arrangement facilitated the communication and management of site contractors work with Bechtels direct hire construction work. Material Management Project managers were responsible for development and processing of the material requisitions for their areas of responsibility. Orders over $100,000 required further approval by KOCs manager of the Al-Tameer project. Almost everything required for the execution of the project had to be imported from outside the country. At the early phases of the project the port facilities, custom facilities, and other services required for the proper importation of goods and services were not functioning. Bechtel established a staging area in Jebel Ali port of Dubai (UAE) to receive, inspect, and accept material. Utilizing much smaller vessels and boats, Bechtel then transported goods from Dubai to various Kuwait ports depending on availability and cargo size. This plan also included most of the air freighted material. Because timely delivery of the material was critical to meeting the project schedule, a very detailed material requisitioning plan had to be developed identifying every required detail. This plan was then incorporated into Bechtels worldwide Procurement Tracking System (PTS) that enabled all Bechtel offices to monitor and follow through each order until it reached the site. At later stages of the project when Kuwait ports and custom facilities became functional the above arrangements were changed and everything was imported directly into Kuwait. During this period more than 26,000 purchase orders were issued, and more than 520,000 tons of material were imported utilizing 742 aircraft and sea-going vessels. Warehousing Management One of the key activities of the warehousing management team was to incorporate the variety of material that was left behind after the war and the fire-fighting phase with newly ordered and engineering-specified material. Also, by continuously adjusting and monitoring quantities and specifications they could respond very quickly to emergency and out-of-schedule circumstances. The engineering and warehouse both utilized a common software (PCMC) to identify, locate, and quantify most of the bulk material making sure that when the material was required it would be made available immediately. Contract Management Although due to scheduled requirement reconstruction of some of the flow line, all of the gathering centers and booster stations were performed by Bechtel direct hires, nevertheless more than 300 major construction contracts and 650 equipment rental agreements were issued by the contract management team during the Al-Tameer project phase. The contract formulation team worked as a central group serving all subprojects. The contract administration group managed the administration work more by function than by area. Project managers were ultimately the responsible parties for the contractor work in their areas, receiving the necessary support and services from these two centralized teams. Construction Management Al-Tameer was probably one of the most challenging construction projects ever managed by Bechtel. The work required provision of labor, equipment, and support facilities in fifty-five locations and in four different parts of the country-North fields, South (marine facilities and refineries), West fields, and Burgan fields. The work involved construction of drill pads; roads for heavy rig transportation; well heads; flow lines; gathering centers; gas booster stations; oil storage tanks; water supply, distribution and storage; and marine export terminal and loading facilities. In addition, KOCs own infrastructure (offices, housing, clubs and restaurants, warehouses and buildings, telecommunication, etc.) had to be reconstructed. Construction efforts were divided between direct hire construction and subcontracted work. The total scope of work was divided into nine construction areas, each managed by a field superintendent. Each superintendent was responsible for both direct hire execution as well as field administration of the subcontractors scope of work within his area. Construction superintendents were supported by the central construction group that was the functional group supporting a project matrix team. Prioritization of resources and construction equipment was one of the major functions of the central construction team. Field construction teams were comprised of multinational forces (from thirty-six countries) with totally different cultures, languages, and performance capabilities. Catering and other cultural requirements had to be addressed to ensure each group could perform its function satisfactorily. Each task had to be tailor made to suit the team available. It was important that planning of the manpower and resources take into consideration availability of the right foreman and support group to be able to communicate and perform work with each team. Summary Approximately 1,000,000 hours in the regional offices and 4,000,000 hours in Kuwait were spent for project management/engineering/construction management during the first two phases of this project. Field labor hours were 50,000,000. These project man-hours were spent within the following project schedule milestones: start of planning November 1990 start implementation in Kuwait March 199 1 project completion June 1993. The sources of the project personnel were various. A total of 16,000 workers from thirty-six countries on five continents were involved in this massive effort. The countries that participated in the supply of manpower to this reconstruction included Kuwait, the United States, Great Britain, Canada, France, Australia, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Bahrain, Yugoslavia, Colombia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Afghanistan, the Philippines, India, Djibouti, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Pakistan, Trinidad, and Sierra Leone. Key Milestones Some of the more notable milestones in the program were: The last fire was extinguished and the well was capped on November 6, 199 1, eight months after the arrival of the first Bechtel team on-site. The first postwar oil was pumped from two of the original gathering centers on May 26, 199 1. By December 1991, more than 400,000 barrels of oil per day were being produced from the rehabilitated facilities. By April 1993, more than 11,000,000 barrels of weathered crude had been reclaimed from oil pits and lakes, and processed through the field treatment centers and the refinery. By the end of June 1993, eighteen of the original centers were back in operation, with all the production goals achieved as scheduled. Operation Phase Accomplishments The work was conducted in fifty-five locations that included fields in the north of Kuwait on the border with Iraq, west and south of Kuwait on the borders with Saudi Arabia and Iraq, and in the refineries and loading facilities along the coast and offshore. Five hundred square miles of land were swept and cleared of unexploded ordnance. More than 23,000 pieces of explosive devices were destroyed by explosive ordnance disposal teams. Although all work areas were swept, the risk from undetectable ordnance was ever present and some fatalities did occur. More than 26,000 purchase orders and 300 major construction contracts and 650 equipment rental agreements were awarded during Phases I and I1 of the project. (A more normal project performed over the same time frame may have 4,000 to 6,000 purchase orders.) A complete communication system dedicated to the oil industry was installed that included twenty-three satellite telephone systems, 4,500 telephones, and 2,000 portable radios. A twenty-four-hour health care and safety program was established that included two helicopter medivac teams, a forty-bed hospital, a dental clinic, and a team of approximately 100 professional medical personnel on duty at seven medical stations. More than 5,800 pieces of field operating equipment ranging from the larger bulldozers, cranes, trucks, front-end loaders, and heavy industrial equipment to ambulances, pickup trucks, cars, buses, and other support vehicles were shipped to the job sites. These pieces of equipment were purchased from twelve different countries. A total of 742 aircraft and sea-going vessels were deployed to ship more than 520,000 tons of equipment and material to Kuwait in support of this project. Six full-service dining halls with catering support staff provided about 3,500,000 meals for the workers during the fire-fighting campaign and 10,000,000 meals during the reconstruction phase. Menus were established to cater to the different ethnic backgrounds. Provisions and housing for 12,000 manual and 2,000 non-manual Bechtel employees were provided. All of the members of project management and their support teams, over 200 design and engineering personnel and around 200 procurement, administration and subcontracts management teams, were resident in Kuwait. Construction of a number of permanent offices, workshops, warehouses, maintenance shops, and housing complexes for KOC was completed at the same time. Fire-fighting efforts originally involved the four major international teams of Boots Coots, Red Adair, Safety Boss, and Wild Well Control. They were later joined by an additional twenty-three teams from Kuwait, Iran, China, Hungary, Great Britain, France, Canada, Romania, and Russia. Four hundred kilometers of water and oil pipelines were installed during fire-fighting efforts. Water lines and pumping stations could deliver 25,000,000 gallons a day to fire sites. Each of 360 lagoons was excavated, lined, and filled with 1,000,000 gallons of water for use in fire-fighting. Drilling pads and access roads were constructed for 700 new and work over wells. Three-thousand kilometers of new flow lines were constructed. One-thousand kilometers of new and refurbished pipelines were installed. Fifteen crude gathering centers, including a totally new and modularized early production facility, were assessed, designed, and constructed. Three gas booster stations were constructed Restoration and reconstruction of the marine loading terminals, offshore terminals, and SPM were completed. Construction of more than 10,000,000 barrels of new crude oil storage tankage was managed. Restoration of overhead and underground electrical power transmission and distribution system and cathodic protection system within the oil fields was completed. Construction repair and operation of water systems (fresh, brackish, and salt water) were completed. Construction and operation of oil recovery systems and facilities that collected and treated more than 25,000,000 barrels of weathered crude were completed.

Genii’s In the Making Essay -- Science Technology Mechanics Essays

Genii’s In the Making â€Å"†¦molecular machines of nanotechnology will increase, by orders of magnitude, our individual and collective capacity to transform desires into material reality† (Crandall, viii). What is the goal of technology? Most answers include some form of ways of increasing speed, or decreasing size all for the ultimate goal of convenience. Ok, so what is convenience? Convenience is the skill level at which something can be achieved, in other words, how desires can be met. So the true goal of technology is to assist in meeting desires. The quicker and smaller technology is, the easier it is to obtain those desires. Nanotechnology is the newest wave of technology that will potentially make a huge breakthrough in technology’s goal. Though not a science secure as of yet in our world, it is waiting for the time to make its momentous break though into the modern world, bringing with it a global effect on the human way of life. Nanotechnology is defined as â€Å" a technology executed on the scale of less than 100 nanometers, the goal of which is to control individual atoms and molecules, especially to create computer chips and other microscopic devices† (Webster’s Dictionary, 1999). In the early 1970’s an MIT student by the name of K. Eric Drexler came up with the idea of manufacturing things, both biological and non-biological, from the molecular level up. Drexler noticed the amazing talents of natural biology and wondered if humans could mimic biology on a mechanical level, â€Å" what if you were able to design them [molecular machines] and get them to do, locally, the kinds of thing you see them doing in nature, but yet have those parts [molecular machines] fit together in a new way to make a†¦pattern... ...M., Lewis, J. (1995). Prospects in Nanotechnology: Toward Molecular Manufacturing. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 4)Random House Webster’s College Dictionary (1999). New York, NY: Random House, Inc. 5)Hengerer, R., Illsley, M. Nanotechnology and Business: The Power of Being Small. 03/07/05 www.accenture.com. 6)Ghandchi. S. Is Nanotechnology Real?. (03/07/05) www.iranscope.com. 7)Ricadela, A. Q&A: Former Intel Exec and Direction Les Valdasz. (03/16/05)www.informationweek.com/shared.printableAriThe cleSrc.jhtml?artivclID=60401273. 8)Stodder, D (April, 2004). The Mobil Mandate. (03/16/05) www.intelligententerprise.com/article=18700554. 9)Ricadela.A.( 10/18/2004). What the Future Holds. (3/16/2005) www.informationweek.com 10)Ricadela, A. (02/01/2005). HP Reports A Nanotech Breakthrough. (3/16/05) www.informationweek.com.

Flight 93 :: essays papers

Flight 93 Flight 93, the flight that crashed near some fields in the outskirts of Pennsylvania. But what was it doing there? What caused the plane to miss its target and crash? These answers may soon be revealed when detectives can finally examine the planes black box, found just recently. Many answers however can be found through other pieces of info that have come up along the way during the investigations. For instance, the multiple calls made to family members as well as 911 from the frantic passengers. Mark Bingham for instance called 911, as well as his mom telling her he loved her and that the plane was being hijacked. Another man called 911 screaming that they were being hijacked and that he heard some sort of explosion and saw white smoke coming from the plane. Then there was Tom Burnett, who called his wife saying the hijackers had already stabbed to death one passenger and that he intended to do something about it. A Jeremy Glick called his relatives saying the same, that he and some other passengers were intending to fight the hijackers. These calls brought up the thought that perhaps some passengers on board had fought the hijackers, keeping them from controlling the plane, and sending it crashing to the ground. Another theory is that the pilot, Jason Dahl might have purposefully crashed the plane to prevent the hijackers from taking it over. Or perhaps that Dahl had cut off the planes fuel with out the hijackers being aware. It was said that the plane looked like it went straight down; and that the plane had almost completely disintegrated on impact leaving a hole several feet deep. Another theory was that perhaps the U.S. Military had shot down flight 93 as to prevent it from taking aim at another important government building. But these claims have been sharply denied by Pentagon officials. The FBI says to the question if it has been ruled out or not that it is â€Å"kind of a loaded question.